Soliciting Ideas for a low powered Superheroic game

[Mr. Negative]

I've been wanting to do a Fantasy campaign, but the group of players I have can't all get together consistently (and it seems that Fantasy really needs a group with skill specialists). Therefore, I decided to do a Superheroic game, as it seems that superheroes, while they CAN use teamwork, don't depend on it like Fantasy Heroes do.

 

While I'm doing a low powered Superheroic game, I am going to run it off 150 + 100, but limit the powers fairly strongly, as well as the attributes. My idea is running an urban superhero genre, much like Frank Miller's run on Daredevil. I really want "powers" to be mystical in nature (much as Stick hinted to Matt that his sensory abilites weren't a mutation/chemical accident, but an ability to be connected to others which we all can chose to develop. Furthermore, the world must be ignorant of "superpowers", so no one can have powers which are obviously "super", but may only appear to be exceptional mortals, or have great luck. Some of the villians may violate this rule, but they must keep those powers hidden as well. For the villians, I'm planning on using a mix of "normal" criminals from thugs/street gangs/Tongs and a series of mystical opponents, much like the Hand from Daredevil (a conspiracy of evil mystics and assassins). The PCs will have the opportunity to train with each other under a wizened teacher, but this will not be necessary to the campaign, nor particularly encouraged (he'll be there if any players want to explore that side).

 

Here's my ideas of how to limit the points for the characters. I'm looking both for any commentary on my ideas for limitations, and any good suggestions for particular mystic villains.

 

Most attributes will be limited to either a score of 30, or an active point total of 30. Normal Characteristic Maxima is not allowed.

 

Str 40 Max (I thought that perhaps this should be limited to 30, but perhaps it would be better to rekey the strength chart so that Str doesn't double lifting capacity every 5. I wanted character to be able to deal substantial damage without HAVING to use martial arts, and 6d6 while substantial, isn't very difficult to achieve with martial arts.

 

Dexterity 20 Max (I know that seems low, but I really wanted players to spend more on skill levels and penalty skill levels than just having a great basic CV. I'm open to making it 30 max if people think that would be more appropriate.

 

Con and Body are both 30 max (not that anyone other than my Stone analog would pay for 30 CON and BODY.)

 

Int, Ego, and Pre, as well as Com, are all 30 max

 

SPD is 6 max

 

PD and ED are 12 max, with a max of 1 rPD and rED (more can be obtained from body armor and the like, but no character may have skin/force fields/whatever that innately grant them more than 1 point of resistant defenses. This is really important to my conception, as I want the players to have to take normal thugs with guns and knives seriously.

 

REC is 15 max.

 

END and STUN are both 75 max.

 

All "powers" are limited to 30 Active points if not limited, and if limited, they must both be below 30 Real Points and cannot have more than 30 "base points". Thus, you could have a 2d6 Armor Piercing Killing attack, provided that you had some limitations to reduce the real cost back down, and, of course, providing you had some explanation of how it worked (perhaps a sword blade replacing your left hand, or whatever),

 

Again, all powers must essentially be "invisible". The character cannot exhibit abilites that would convince people that he MUST be superhuman. A lot of the "non-powered" powers from the UMA and Ninja Hero will be in use here.

 

Characters will not pay points for normal equipment (this further encourages them to carry a billy club or a sai, instead of sinking points into Killing Attack powers. Thus, they end up spending points on more flavorful powers, like Radar sense, or Desolidification, only to avoid damage, requiring a Dex roll).

 

I'm STRONGLY inclined to disallow Increased Damage Classes, as I have always hated this mechanic. If a player wants to do more damage, I really want them to:

 

Increase their Strength

Use a weapon

Use a vulnerable hit location

Use skill levels to increase damage

Push or use a haymaker

Buy some mystical ablility (Ghost Palm, or Quivering Palm, or Really-really sharp fingernails)

 

To me, Increased Damage Classes really let the martial artist, who is the quick, agile, skillful fighter, totally step all over the big bruiser, who is slower, clumsier, and less skilled, but should at least hit harder. However, they seem to be INSANELY popular with the martial arts crowd.

 

I'm inclined to limit OCV (before martial maneuvers) to 10 as a starting max, and limit DC (including martial maneuvers, but not pushing or haymakers_ to 10 as well. This may be too low of a limit for OCV/DCV, but as maneuvers themselves aren't included, I hope it would work.

 

I'm going to, of course, lift some of the Daredevil characters, avoid giving them "supervillain names" (what evil assassin picks a catchy name for themselves?) and use them in the campaign. Bullseye will be present, as well as Electra (less as a villian or ally, but as someone they might cross, much like Catwoman in Batman). However, I never really read a whole lot of Daredevil, and many of his foes seemed to be costumed supers, so I need suggestions either from your own campaign, or from people with a better knowledge of the comic, for more ideas in the above vein.

 

I'm also looking for "in-game" ways to communicate and enforce the "powers must be hidden and secret" idea. Of course, the Hand wants to control/sacrifice/recruit those with mystical abilites, and perhaps the authorities would be inclined to imprison and study any "aberrations" that they discovered, but I really don't want to turn it into a Vampire: The Masquerade or X-Files theme. Perhaps the threat of the Hand and the pressure of intrusive press/media attention will be sufficient. Any interesting ideas for this are also welcome.

 

Any comments on my game limitations or ideas for villians?

[nyakki]

Re: Soliciting Ideas for a low powered Superheroic game

 

Originally posted by Mr. Negative

SPD is 6 max

This seems a bit high for the kind of game you are thinking of running.

 

5 SPD seems to be more in line.

 

And with your DEX limit, it seems more with the game concept.

 

However, I never really read a whole lot of Daredevil, and many of his foes seemed to be costumed supers, so I need suggestions either from your own campaign, or from people with a better knowledge of the comic, for more ideas in the above vein.

I like Miller's Daredevil.

I mean, he's a blind guy (Daredevil, not Miller ). Doesn't matter that he has 'Radar Sense', blind is blind.

 

Don't forget Kingpin.

 

Also, you could have an evil Batman type (with or without the gadgets).

 

Actually you can take any of the Batman's clasic villians and take away the costume.

 

A Joker-type, without the white makeup, who loves to kill. He does things like placing a front page ad telling who his next victim is.

 

A Riddler type who leaves clues

 

A Two Face who was a really handsome, vain, guy but got a tiny scare from a knife fight and wigged out (the scare is barely noticable but the guys a nut case anyway). Flips coins to see if you live or die, that kind of thing.) Really insane (actually more scary than the real Two Face because, at least with the real one, you could understand why he flipped... this guy is just plain nuts)

 

You could also take pulp heroes and make them villians.

 

The Shadow (never see him coming and he always knows).

 

Or classics

 

Dr. Jeckle/Mr. Hide (same thing with the Two Face clone above but different origin.)

 

Hope this helps.

 

nyakki

[GenreFiend]

Great minds think alike

 

I had a very similar idea recently. I thnk if you tell your players what you're looking for, they'll probably come up with their own reasons to keep their powers secret. As for not having to pay points for normal equipment, how do you define "normal?" How many of Batman's "bat-gadgets" would count as normal? Knock-out gas pellets? Night-vision contact lenses? Bat-shaped shuriken?

As for villains having secret identities, this also makes sense in certain situations, if you think about it. Humble legitimate business-man Wilson Fisk doesn't want anyone finding out he's also the Kingpin of Crime. Perhaps Bullseye has a wife and kids somewhere, and doesn't want them to know where all his money's coming from? Villains can have all the same reasons as heroes for hiding their real name and/or face. Of course, this only applies until the villain goes to jail for the first time (if you can prove he is the guy behind that mask). Then his id becomes public, but he might keep the old alias as a nick-name.

[Ron]

Sounds like the kind of campaign I would be willing to play. Concerning GenreFiend points, you should charge points to any kind of equipment that cannot be easily purchased nowdays. I would also include currently experimental technology or restricted military equipment. In relation to secret identities, villains don't want to be exposed, but they wouldn't be dumb to use some kind of uniform or trademark that would help the authorities to determine their participation in several crimes.

[Siberian Tiger]

Here's an idea that I had for a low-powered superheroes game with an urban setting.

 

1. Get the players to design their characters as normals but as normals with a grudge against organised crime. Examples might include the mechanic whose daughter was a victim of a drive-by shooting, the businessman who was a victim of an illegal hostile takeover, the policeman who is angry at the corrupt legal system, the restaurant owner who is a victim of extortion etc. If possible, have each character have a different organised crime group as the subject of their vengence.

 

2. Run an opening scenario where each character is invited to attend a meeting to help them meet their vengence.

 

3. At the meeting, introduce an NPC who will help them unlock their inner potential / perform a ritual / inject them with superserum - whatever take their fancy. The NPC needs to explain that he/she has been crippled by criminals and wants to restore law and justice to the mean city streets.

 

4. Characters should go through with the ritual which will give them minor superpowers. If they don't wish to go through with it, have them equipped with weaponry, body armour

 

5. NPC then feeds the players with details of organised crime in the city and encourages them to go out and seek justice.

 

6. Over the next few episodes, players take on and defeat a number of crime rings operating in the city.

 

7. In a subtle way, reveal that a crime gang that hasn't been encountered yet is growing in power as the opposition is taken out.

 

8. Leads to a dramatic conclusion where it is revealed that their sponsor is leader of the remaining criminal empire and that he has been using the players to eliminate the opposition.

 

9. Leads to a big battle as the same ritual has been used to give this crime ring superpowers.

 

Whatcha think about that

[GenreFiend]

True, but................

 

Originally posted by Ron

Sounds like the kind of campaign I would be willing to play. Concerning GenreFiend points, you should charge points to any kind of equipment that cannot be easily purchased nowdays. I would also include currently experimental technology or restricted military equipment. In relation to secret identities, villains don't want to be exposed, but they wouldn't be dumb to use some kind of uniform or trademark that would help the authorities to determine their participation in several crimes.

 

But they would definitly want some kind of mask. And perhaps even a costume that establishes a certain identity in people's minds, so as to divert attention from their real selves. Did that last bit make sense? Also, I can see certain types of criminals using costume designed to intimidate their victims, just as many street-level heroes do.

[Mr. Negative]

Originally posted by Ron

Sounds like the kind of campaign I would be willing to play. Concerning GenreFiend points, you should charge points to any kind of equipment that cannot be easily purchased nowdays. I would also include currently experimental technology or restricted military equipment.

 

For the equipment issue, this is going to sound sort of fuzzy, but basically, if the players expect to get it for free, they had better expect to see the opposition's low to mid level grunts getting it for free.

 

Thus, if the players are toting around swords, pistols, bullet-proof vests, walkie-talkies, and a big black van, then so can the opposition. If someone insists on using flash-bang grenades, or tear gas, or a machine gun, then there must be some sort of black market military equipment available in NY, so the criminal element would have access to it to.

 

I'm going to "encourage" the players to maintain a level of equipment that doesn't get the cops and federal agencies breathing down their necks (though a bust on a weapons locker may be uncomfortable to explain), but allow them to feel out the genre as they wish. I suspect, given the limitations on their superpowers, the first time that a machine gun/grenade/tear gas is used against them, they'll rapidly get the idea that such stuff should really be left to military actions, instead of vigilantes.

[schir1964]

Crystal Room Setting

 

If you want, I can email you my Crystal Room setting. You should be able to get some nifty ideas from it.

 

Just email me at schir1964@netzero.net and I'll send it to you.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Zed-F]

What about characters who rely on equipment/advanced technology for their powers? Would your typical power-armour character have a place in your campaign? Would a low-power version of Batman?

[MrWolf]

Only nit-pick I noticed in there... you want a max initial OCV of 10 (including martial maneuvers)... not unreasonable.

 

Max initial DCV of 10, including martial maneuvers... remember that Martial Dodge gives a +5 DCV bonus. That would limit those who have it to no more than a 15 DEX (which might be reasonable), but if they had skill levels, they'd need less than a 15 DEX.

 

Y'might want to leave it as max initial DCV 10 (including Dex and levels, which is pretty darned good) but *not* including bonuses from martial maneuvers... or deal with what I just mentioned some other way. DCV 15 (max 'native' DCV + 5 from martial dodge) is very very hard to hit, but DCV 13 (from 'native' max DCV + 3 from regular dodge)... isn't that much easier to hit.

 

Or don't let people buy Martial Dodge. One of the two.

 

YMMV.

[Mr. Negative]

Originally posted by MrWolf

Only nit-pick I noticed in there... you want a max initial OCV of 10 (including martial maneuvers)... not unreasonable.

 

Max initial DCV of 10, including martial maneuvers... remember that Martial Dodge gives a +5 DCV bonus. That would limit those who have it to no more than a 15 DEX (which might be reasonable), but if they had skill levels, they'd need less than a 15 DEX.

 

 

YMMV.

 

That's right. I think I'll just limit it to 10 before Maneuvers, but including CSLs. Whoops.

[Fur Face]

Perks for Equipment Access/Equip Allownaces

 

You might want to try perks for stuff that characters purchase as a means of control 5 points = normal stuff, 10 points = modern/cool stuff, 15 points = military/sci-fi.

 

You could also try equipment allowances, where you allow the characters to have a predifined "set" costing a certain amount of points, then allow them to change sets at their bases. A set could be things like an AK-47, knife, grenades; or climbing equipemnt, IR gear, pistol, smoke grenades.

 

Both of these ideas are old 4th Edition Dark Champions recommendations for GM's who wanted more control over the stuff their characters had access too.

 

YMMV