Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

[Hermit]

It was another ordinary day in Homestead. Ironclad's massive frame was settled into a reinforced chair as he scanned the monitors and screens for signs of trouble. Defender and Nighthawk were working on some new programs for SOCRATES while Sapphire was trying to convince Witchcraft to spice up her image a bit.

 

"Come on, why not? Your costume shows more leg than this." The latino cajoled the redhead.

 

Nighthawk shook his head at Defender, "We do it your way, the system might be too easily accessed. Last thing we need is hacked by some yahoo wizkid working for VIPER."

 

"Well, yes, but I have a cape..." The flustered Witchcraft evaded, "That covers them up." Her tone suggested she was now seriously contemplating breaches.

 

Defender sighed, "Look, we have to 'use' this thing, all of us, and not all of the team is as techno-savvy as we are."

 

"Let 'em take classes", Nighthawk shot back, when Ironclad interuptted.

 

"There's a disturbance on this energy read out you set up." The ex-gladiator gestured to the high tech console which showed a flurry of activity.

 

"SOCRATES, analyze that will you?" Defender immediately asked.

 

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness engulfed them all. Defender's armor grew clunkier, blocky, and the colors shifted to red white and blue. Nighthawk's own toolbelt became bulkier, and his nightstick now sported a garish hawk head design while his own outfit was transformed. The hood was even more bird like, like a football mascot almost. The colors of it not so dark. Witchcraft's costume had transformed to white, and did indeed now cover the legs. Her red hair was now in the styles of the 50's. Sapphire seemed as vivacious as ever, but she wore a thin blue domino mask. The most drastic metamorphosis was to Ironclad. His skull ridges had been replaced by large antanae, and his eyes had gotten at least three times larger, his hands were clunky pinchers.

 

The twin reels on S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S. spun as it ran calculations, and its vacuum tubes glowed in many bright colors, each with accompanying beep sound. Finally it responded in it's standard (standard?) slow staticy voice...

 

"ANALYSIS INCOMPLETE. ESTIMATION: REALITY HAS BEEN ALTERED."

 

"Great Steve!" Defender exclaimed, "How wide spread is this effect?"

 

"ALL KNOWN UNIVERSE- Beep"

 

"Ay! Caramba!" Sapphire ... no, La Mujer del Zafiro, anyways, her accent was much thicker (was it?) joined in, "Have we been affected as well then Senor computer?"

 

"AFFIRMATIVE."

 

Iron-Clad's antane waved about, "This is very strange my terran friends, I did indeed feel odd for a moment, but then it passed. Is this not as it always has been? I recall clearly my own past, how I came here seeking alliance between our great democracies!" Everyone noticed that folks seemed awfully fond of exclaimation points now. "Yet, this is not how it happened?"

 

Lady Witchcraft looked about, recalling her own gentle child hood where she was raised to study 'good magic' then cleared the cobwebs of memories away. She muttered her magic words to enhance her senses while wriggling her nose, "Magicus seekus!" Then after a moment passed, "By the White Witcheries which I practice, I sense no magic in this change!"

 

Nighthawk pulled out his own Nighthawk calculator from his belt, ran some of his own math, and replied, "Lurching Lasers, it looks like another wave is about to hit... and SOON!" For some reason, he found himself wishing for a side kick to help him out in the upcoming investigation, perhaps a bright lad whom he could take under his wing.

 

Then another wave hit, and things were back as they were before. Ironclad immediately reached up and felt his forehead, then let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness those degrading things are gone."

 

"What the #$#$ was that?" Sapphire demanded.

 

Defender tried to keep everyone calm, and noticed Socrates had microchips again. "Easy folks, we apparently did just go through a change."

 

"I feel unclean." Nighthawk muttered, and got himself a beer just to wash the taste out. Then he looked up at the read out display, "oh no."

 

Again the dizziness. Nighthawk shook his head, what had changed this time? He ran his leather gloved fingers over his arsenal belt. Everything seemed there- Thermite pellets, tranquilizing gas, neurotoxins, all there. His other hand touched his mask, the one that covered the face the terrorists had burned away laughing all the time almost 3 years ago now.

 

Ironclad snarled in frustration, his own studded gauntlet smashing down on the equipment, "What has been done to us this time?" The console shattered, everything was so fragile on this pathetic planet. Still, this was his new arena, where his bloodlust could be redirected to battle. Damn the Phazor for imprinting these violent tendencies upon him anyways.

 

Defender put a hand around Witchcraft's shapely waist. The fishnet clad sorcereress snuggled up against him return.

"Easy Ironclad," The armored Champion said, "I'm not sure what's going on. But who ever is mucking with us will find his ass kicked." Defender wanted to rant at the alien, didn't he know how expensive this stuff was? Somedays he regretted the idea of forming this 'super hero' team. Was any amount of weapons research under the guise of good PR worth this headache? If it wasn't for Witchcraft, he might be tempted to close it up, but he was head over heels for the redhead.

 

Witchcraft noticed another cold look from Sapphire. Not for the first time, the witch wondered if the jealous Cory knew the truth? The love charm had worked, well, like a charm; Defender was now her most ardent lover. Part of her felt bad about it, but hey, what girl doesn't use what ever she has to get her man.

 

Sapphire's costume was it's usual combination of trash and cash, the sultry hispanic mega-star had only joined to get her record sales up. Sure, helping folks felt good, but being played with like this... she hated it. It reminded her too much of her blackmailing agent. The fact Defender hadn't been giving her the time of day for weeks now didn't help her mood any.

 

"Incoming..." Nighthawk growled, damn, and he thought the performance drugs made him edgy. This 'Reality shift' stuff was for the birds.

 

There was another wave of dizziness, and everyone was back the way they were before.

 

Defender noticed the now blushing Witchcraft pulling away from him, "Um, sorry." He apologized. Indeed, everyone was looking chagrined or down right ashamed for some reason now.

 

"It's okay," Witchcraft muttered.

Sapphire went to her friend and patted her on the shoulder to let her know it was alright, "We weren't ourselves...it's okay."

 

Nighthawk snorted, "It is NOT okay... I want to know who the hell is doing this??!!!"

 

The GM put the Champions material away and rubbed his eyes. Maybe he should stick to the Silver/Bronze age feel that seemed default for the universe. Changing things over to Iron or Gold might be a new twist for his games, but it would surely take some work.

 

...............

 

*Cough* Sorry about that, felt the muse descend so to speak. Another thread had some folks mentioning the 'Feel' of the 5th Ed Champions Universe being too silver, or too dark by turns. So I'm asking, what age do you consider the Champions 5th Ed Universe? and what changes would you make to fit it to other 'ages' ? Maybe we can create a bit of an unofficial resource to help any fellow players who want to do so.

[OddHat]

Bravo! Encore! Suggoi! Hen How! Whoot!

[Killer Shrike]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

 

WELL DONE!!!!!

 

That was tres kewl. Thanx Hermit!

[Hermit]

aw shucks

 

Thank you for the compliments (And please, feel free to keep them coming, I'm shallow like that).

 

Still, I'd also be interested in anyone elses suggestions or tips on changing the 'ages' of the Champion Universe. I sort of laced my own ideas for the Champions team, but no need to limit it to that. For example, what would a Golden or Iron Age Dr. Destroyer be like?

[OddHat]

Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by Hermit

*Cough* Sorry about that, felt the muse descend so to speak. Another thread had some folks mentioning the 'Feel' of the 5th Ed Champions Universe being too silver, or too dark by turns. So I'm asking, what age do you consider the Champions 5th Ed Universe? and what changes would you make to fit it to other 'ages' ? Maybe we can create a bit of an unofficial resource to help any fellow players who want to do so.

 

I'm not even going to try to match that level of fan-fict without three cups of coffee and a couple of hours for re-writes. Well done.

 

That said, the idea for an adaptations thread is a good one. I've been doing a Wild Cards - Philip Jose Farmer- Roger Zelazny - Champions world for years, with liberal thefts from Nightlife and (more recently) Aberrant. I think the current default Champions universe is fairly easy to turn into pure Silver, or even Gold. Turning it into a "real-world-with-powers" setting requires a little more work.

 

Suggestions for "real-world-with-powers:"

 

1. Don't worry about power level per-se. Gritty is in the way you play it. Plenty of gritty action-movie level realistic characters are best represented as built on far more than 350 points (though you can also do lower point versions; again, it's in how you play it).

 

2. Drop the costumes or keep them as something worn only by publicity seekers and the odd government agent. It's amazing how much more "realistic" a world with supers feels if only a few people are running around in spandex.

 

3. Real governments. No government is going to realistically let bands of rampaging lunatics, "heroes" or "villains," casually smash center city to rubble twice a week. No cash economy is going to survive the strain of never being able to trust a bank, not to mention the costs of re-building the entire city monthly, and then there are the medical costs and the lost work time and displaced citizens every time a building gets knocked down by a thrown car...Real governments in a world with Supers means the government grabbing every super they can get there hands on, by fair means or foul, and pressing them into service. Any Super Teams that do exist are likely to work for the government as part of a larger police or security force. Which leads us to...

 

4. Drop the teams, or at least think them through carefully. Criminal gangs that include supers, FBI teams of supers, the odd cult with supers at the top, all fairly easy for players to accept in a RWWP game. Fantastic Four / Avengers style teams only work if you're very clear on why exactly this band of folks is willing to operate together. Villain teams are even worse, though making them part of a larger organization (i.e. Drug Cartel enforcers, terrorist groups, etc.) does work. The Wild Cards books have some great examples of this, and are a must read for team dynamics.

 

5. Ask why a telepath hasn't casually wandered into the White House and made himself president for life. Ask why Supers-Tech hasn’t put us all into flying cars. The Aberrant world does a fairly good job with this, though again they assume a very strangely passive government (and then the whole conspiracy within a conspiracy within a conspiracy the computer is your friend vibe that White Wolf products always have).

 

6. Why petty crime? Someone like Bulldozer could make millions as a wrestler, prize fighter, or government agent. Give him that Super-Class Wrestling Federation he dreams of in his write-up and he becomes a much more interesting character. Any time you feel like doing the old "Ogre Robs The Bank" scenario, ask yourself why someone with these extraordinary powers is risking jail or death for a fraction of the money he or she could make legitimately.

 

8. Mick Farren, Roger Zelazny, Steve Perry, The Wild Cards books, the Aberrant RPG, and a hundred other good sources for this type of campaign are out there. Steal freely.

 

Oh well. That's it.

[OddHat]

Re: aw shucks

 

Originally posted by Hermit

For example, what would a Golden or Iron Age Dr. Destroyer be like?

 

Golden age he'd be Doktor Hitler, mad Nazi Genious, out to create the fourth reich. Iron age he'd be exactly the same, but not played for laughs.

[WilyQuixote]

Golden age he'd be Doktor Hitler, mad Nazi Genious, out to create the fourth reich. Iron age he'd be exactly the same, but not played for laughs.

 

Ummmmm wait a minute...in your campaign world you play Dr Destroyer for laughs?! Man I'd hate to see who your PCs go up against that really scare them. I know if Shrike ever brought Dr. D out I'd be thinking to myself...we finally did it, we finally pushed him too far and he's ending the campaign.

 

Shrike doesn't pull many if any punches and if he brought out Dr. D then someone's PC/s at the table is probably going to die. Of course as PCs we probably did something to deserve this so it all works out I guess.

 

A golden age Dr. D I picture as a Dr. Evilesque type. Drilling to the core of the planet with a bomb or putting a lazer on the moon pointed at the Earth and calling it his "Death Star". Those sorta evil schemes. Of course he would also HAVE to make Hermit's Mini D.

[OddHat]

Originally posted by WilyQuixote

Ummmmm wait a minute...in your campaign world you play Dr Destroyer for laughs?! Man I'd hate to see who your PCs go up against that really scare them. I know if Shrike ever brought Dr. D out I'd be thinking to myself...we finally did it, we finally pushed him too far and he's ending the campaign.

 

Shrike doesn't pull many if any punches and if he brought out Dr. D then someone's PC/s at the table is probably going to die. Of course as PCs we probably did something to deserve this so it all works out I guess.

 

A golden age Dr. D I picture as a Dr. Evilesque type. Drilling to the core of the planet with a bomb or putting a lazer on the moon pointed at the Earth and calling it his "Death Star". Those sorta evil schemes. Of course he would also HAVE to make Hermit's Mini D.

 

Dr. D-Evil would be a heck of a fun foe for a commedy game. Maybe the next time the PCs go dimension-hopping...

[Killer Shrike]

Well you got 1 thing right WilyQ, if I ever do lay the Dr D smack down on the party, I wont be afraid to pull the trigger.

 

Luckily for you Im in no hurry to play "See which PC can survive." yet.

 

I personally prefer Teleios, Istvatha V'han, and Menton as mega villains. Much more insidious, and yet still manageable.

 

Also, just wait until VIPER is released...Mwah ha ha ha. I might just spring some of the material from the playtest doc on the party and get a head start {evil grin}

 

 

OT: Im not real good at pigeon-holing characters into "ages", but it seems like a Golden Age Destroyer would basically be Dr. Doom, who he is afterall patterned after in many ways. The noble but flawed paragon of mortal man schtick. You know, the epitome of the Our Own Worst Enemy Is Ourselves and Self Perfection Leads to Self Corruption themes.

 

Thus, all of his plots should revolve around him "preparing himself for world domination", improving his armor, honing his skills, etc. And he would always ultimately fail because of his own actions or outlook on life. By taking his course he alienates others that would have been his allies, by demanding respect he engenders contempt, by insisting on rule he becomes a tyrant and encites resistance. Etc etc...

[assault]

Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by OddHat

4. Drop the teams, or at least think them through carefully. Criminal gangs that include supers, FBI teams of supers, the odd cult with supers at the top, all fairly easy for players to accept in a RWWP game. Fantastic Four / Avengers style teams only work if you're very clear on why exactly this band of folks is willing to operate together.

 

The most obvious reason I can think of for why supers hang out together is that: They're supers!

 

A quote from the cover of Adventure Comics #47, the first appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes: "I'm sorry, Superboy, but we cannot admit you into our Super-Hero Club!"

 

OK, so that cover was from 1958, but the idea of a "Super-Hero Club" seems perfectly reasonable. People form cliques, based on what they have in common. In the case of supers, "what they have in common" are superpowers, and the social advantages and disadvantages that stem from them.

 

Of course, this connection would be stronger among groups with related origins and so on, but it would still tend to be true amongst any group of super-weirdoes. This could be reinforced by generational issues: the supers are all more or less the same age, or, for a more extreme example, they could even be second generation heroes - sidekicks or children of established heroes. See the Teen Titans, Infinity Inc. or Young Justice for further details. For an even weirder version, check out this site: http://superman.ws/super-sons/

 

OK, I'm sorry about the last site.

 

Anyway, my point is that supers are quite likely to socialise together. That's not quite the same as "fighting crime" together, but then, the crimefighting thing is a problem in its own right. We can reasonably suggest, however, that once friendships are formed between supers, they are more likely to give each other a hand when problems arise, especially if those problems are mutual.

 

Supergroups are logical enough.

 

Alan

[Killer Shrike]

Huh. I had never heard of that whole Super-Sons bit. Of course, I never collected DC (Ew--ick! ), but still....weird.

[OddHat]

Re: Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by assault

The most obvious reason I can think of for why supers hang out together is that: They're supers!

 

snip

 

Anyway, my point is that supers are quite likely to socialise together. That's not quite the same as "fighting crime" together, but then, the crimefighting thing is a problem in its own right. We can reasonably suggest, however, that once friendships are formed between supers, they are more likely to give each other a hand when problems arise, especially if those problems are mutual.

 

Supergroups are logical enough.

 

Alan

 

It depends on how you define supergroups. Wildcards has the best modern-day Super Hero Fiction examples of "realistic" teams I've seen, but there are plenty of others. Socializing? Sure. Going to the same semi-exclusive clubs, dating, working for the same government agency or mafia boss? No problem. It's when you have a half dozen grown men and women hanging around in their tights in the Secret Headquarters waiting for the Trouble Alert to go off that you lose that real-world-with-powers feeling. Also note that I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with a more gold, silver. or bronze age approach. It just doesn't fit the genre I was describing.

 

It can also be fun to play a Seanbaby campaign. I submit: http://www.seanbaby.com/super.htm

[OddHat]

Originally posted by WilyQuixote

Ummmmm wait a minute...in your campaign world you play Dr Destroyer for laughs?! Man I'd hate to see who your PCs go up against that really scare them.

 

One more note on this. Dr.D has enough technology to make himself the richest man on Earth. Look what people like Gates accomplish with far, far less (though I understand that Bill does have a powered battlesuit now). Dr.D has the brains (and tech) to turn that money into influence. So why doesn't he already controll the political process in the US, Japan and the EU? Why isn't he already ruler of the world?

 

Because, as written, he's a loony.

 

He spends two years with a good therapist and maybe a twelve step group, and all shall (finally) bow down to Doctor Destroyer.

[Killer Shrike]

Read the write up on Samurai. Its hilarious.....

[Killer Shrike]

I'm sure with all the stupid things they do, the Super Friends get a lot of advice. Here's some more anyway. Super Friends, putting a ponytail on your milkman, stealing his clothes, and telling him to talk slow doesn't make him Japanese.

[Killer Shrike]

"Samurai was a lot like the other ethnic saturday morning heroes in that aside from a few clumsy references to his "homeland," most of his personality came from being a little bit dumber than the rest of them. When Superman or Batman talked to villains, they would threaten them with clever puns and transitions like "Drop the hand grenade, Luthor. The only thing you'll be tossing is salads... in JAIL!" Not Samurai. When it was his turn to yell he'd go, "Wrong, Luthor! Winning will not happen for you. Because you WON'T win! In fact, you'll LOSE!" It was sad. Not as sad as the monkey in the tights, but still pretty embarrassing."

[OddHat]

Seanbaby rules all.

[Killer Shrike]

Im in tears. This is the funniest thing Ive sean in a LOOOOOOOOONG time.

 

On the Wonder Twins: " After you watch the Wonder Twins wander into lava, make shitty puns, and lose a fight to a parked bicycle, you'll actually start cheering for Aquaman. That had to be why they were there, even the Super Friends wouldn't send two unarmed "special needs" kids and their blue monkey into a fight."

[Killer Shrike]

"Every time they ACTIVATED THEIR WONDER TWIN POWERS, you were going to see something stupid. Jayna could turn into any animal she could pronounce, but Zan got screwed. He turned into water or things made out of water. Like a wave or a water raincoat. Most times he just chose "water" and splashed into a purple mess. He did it with confidence, though. Jayna always seemed like she couldn't decide at the last minute. "Shape of a... a... deadly unstoppable... PHALREXIAN.. TRANGLOMITE!" Not Zan. No matter what crappy thing he turned into, he was excited to help out. An ice rollerskate might not stop the villain by itself, but it couldn't hurt. Actually, now that I think back, it usually did. I guess he was trying to make up for his embarrassing power by never doing anything right."

[assault]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by OddHat

It's when you have a half dozen grown men and women hanging around in their tights in the Secret Headquarters waiting for the Trouble Alert to go off that you lose that real-world-with-powers feeling. Also note that I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with a more gold, silver. or bronze age approach. It just doesn't fit the genre I was describing.

 

Sure, you don't need the full cliche, but it still makes sense for supers to work together, to cover each others' backs, allow them to deal with problems greater than they can deal with individually, and to allow them to get some sleep, knowing that someone else will deal with any problems that come up. That is, an emergency response team/roster is a good idea.

 

In their down time, they can hang out and have a few beers.

 

All of this is perfectly reasonable, and realistic. They don't even have to work for a government to do this. In fact, they might be composed of people who refuse to do this, and have formed their own group in parallel/rivalry with a government backed group.

 

If it doesn't fit a certain view of the "Iron Age" genre, that's at least partly because the "Iron Age" is a fantasy genre in its own right.

 

I posted a link to a site about the silly 70's "Supersons" stories DC put out. These stories are actually quite interesting. Despite their Silver Age campiness, they were an attempt to make DC's heroes "relevant", that is, "realistic". They deal with issues that supposedly actually existed at the time. Of course, this was hopelessly botched, since it was based on a very shallow understanding of what was going on, but the intent was there.

 

In a sense, these stories were as "realistic" as "Iron Age" stories. By this I mean that they are one-sided portrayals of certain elements of the Real World.

 

It's tempting to try to make stories (campaigns) "realistic" by making "heroes" be dysfunctional jerks. Unfortunately, that's precisely what they are, and not all supers "realistically" would be. "Real" supers would include people that are basically normal people, who are capable of forming relationships with other people, including other supers. These relationships would allow them to form teams, to cover each others' backs, and to support them against the hostile bits of the world. Yes, an isolated super could find themselves on the run in a hostile world. One with a support network, on the other hand, would be better situated to say "no" to forces that wanted to use or abuse them.

 

Of course, forming that network could be difficult - but _that_ could be part of a "realistic" game that could be really fun.

 

And incidentally, if you file off some of the stupidities, the "Supersons" thing could be a really cool game.

 

Alan

[OddHat]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by assault

Sure, you don't need the full cliche, but it still makes sense for supers to work together, to cover each others' backs, allow them to deal with problems greater than they can deal with individually, and to allow them to get some sleep, knowing that someone else will deal with any problems that come up. That is, an emergency response team/roster is a good idea.

 

Why should they deal with "problems" that don't directly involve them at all (if it's not actually their job)? Note again that I'm not saying that supers shouldn't fight crime, but it's part of a wild-cards style "realistic" game to ask very carefully why they bother to do so. Helping your friends or preventing a lunatic from blowing up your city? Sure. "To avenge the deaths of my parrents" is trickier; in a RWWP game, you have to be very clear on why such a character would not either (a) join an organization or ( seek therapy.

 

Originally posted by assault

In their down time, they can hang out and have a few beers.

 

Absolutely, but then you have to be clear on down time from what. "World saver" is not a job title.

 

Originally posted by assault

All of this is perfectly reasonable, and realistic. They don't even have to work for a government to do this. In fact, they might be composed of people who refuse to do this, and have formed their own group in parallel/rivalry with a government backed group.

 

Agreed, but again the key to keeping a Wild Cards / RWWP feel is to be clear on what exactly that group is, what they do, and why. Twelve Step Supers, the All Supers Bowling League, and the Naughty Tentacles Club are all realistic gatherings of Supers, but very few of them are going to get involved in adventures that don't directly involve their members...er...the people who participate in the groups. The Scooby Gang might. It's keeping the motivation clear that keeps the setting "realistic."

 

Originally posted by assault [/b]

If it doesn't fit a certain view of the "Iron Age" genre, that's at least partly because the "Iron Age" is a fantasy genre in its own right.

[/b]

 

Absolutely. I was thinking much more Buffy / Angel / Wild Cards than Marshal Law.

 

Originally posted by assault [/b]

I posted a link to a site about the silly 70's "Supersons" stories DC put out. These stories are actually quite interesting. Despite their Silver Age campiness, they were an attempt to make DC's heroes "relevant", that is, "realistic". They deal with issues that supposedly actually existed at the time. Of course, this was hopelessly botched, since it was based on a very shallow understanding of what was going on, but the intent was there.

 

In a sense, these stories were as "realistic" as "Iron Age" stories. By this I mean that they are one-sided portrayals of certain elements of the Real World.

 

It's tempting to try to make stories (campaigns) "realistic" by making "heroes" be dysfunctional jerks. Unfortunately, that's precisely what they are, and not all supers "realistically" would be. "Real" supers would include people that are basically normal people, who are capable of forming relationships with other people, including other supers. These relationships would allow them to form teams, to cover each others' backs, and to support them against the hostile bits of the world. Yes, an isolated super could find themselves on the run in a hostile world. One with a support network, on the other hand, would be better situated to say "no" to forces that wanted to use or abuse them.

 

Of course, forming that network could be difficult - but _that_ could be part of a "realistic" game that could be really fun.

 

And incidentally, if you file off some of the stupidities, the "Supersons" thing could be a really cool game.

 

Alan [/b]

 

Agreed on all counts here.

[Doug McCrae]

Re: aw shucks

 

Originally posted by Hermit

For example, what would a Golden or Iron Age Dr. Destroyer be like?

Golden Age: Nazi inventor. He wouldn't wear power armour, that didn't arrive until Iron Man. He'd build giant robots, zombification rays and the like.

 

Iron Age: Keep the power armour, maybe give him a gun. He'd use his science to create cyborg killing machines and bio-terrors. Motivation and history would be non-existent. Change the name to just 'Destroyer'.

[Hermit]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by assault

It's tempting to try to make stories (campaigns) "realistic" by making "heroes" be dysfunctional jerks. Unfortunately, that's precisely what they are, and not all supers "realistically" would be.

 

I'm afraid it's just that sort of example I saw all too often in some comics in the 90s that turned me off "Iron Age". I'm trying to get over my bias as I've since been told its not all like that... but I think I still prefer my "Tarnished Silver" and Bronze

[OddHat]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Champions Universe: Through the 'Ages'

 

Originally posted by Hermit

I'm afraid it's just that sort of example I saw all too often in some comics in the 90s that turned me off "Iron Age". I'm trying to get over my bias as I've since been told its not all like that... but I think I still prefer my "Tarnished Silver" and Bronze

 

I'm quite a fan of tarnished silver myself.

 

"Realistic" iron age settings where everyone is an angst filled drug addled psychotic are boring as hell. It's an angry teenagers vision of the adult world, the X-men's paranoia carried one step further. I don't think it would be possible to run a campaign in that kind of setting for long; certainly I couldn't do it, except as a comedy mini-series.

 

OTOH, realistic campaigns at the Wild Cards / Hong Kong Supers Without Spandex level have been some of my favorites. Personal taste and all that.

 

So are you going to give us some guidelines for your Tarnished Silver Setting?

[Agent X]

Re: Re: aw shucks

 

Originally posted by Doug McCrae

Golden Age: Nazi inventor. He wouldn't wear power armour, that didn't arrive until Iron Man. He'd build giant robots, zombification rays and the like.

 

Iron Age: Keep the power armour, maybe give him a gun. He'd use his science to create cyborg killing machines and bio-terrors. Motivation and history would be non-existent. Change the name to just 'Destroyer'.

He could have a jet pack in the Golden Age tough.