Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Right now I am looking to fill 6 slots. If I don't get 6, then I will bring in NPC heroes to take up the slack. If I only get two or three however... I will have to rethink the game.

 

And if I do make it into Fedifensor's game, I'd still be happy to submit a character idea for Thebes.

[Fedifensor]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Thebes applications

 

Accepted:

• Inertia, master of velocity (Fedifensor, post #305)
  

 

Expedited:

• Engram, gregarious mentalist (jwpacker, post #120)
  

 

Submitted:

• Ao Kuang, Lord of the Eastern Sea (Vox, post #282 and post #355)
  
• Requiem, fiery avenger (jwpacker, post #332)
  
• The Ward, defensive mage (Fabricati, post #328)
  

 

 

Note: Once the final list of characters is released for Silverstone, anyone who wishes to use their Silverstone application for Thebes needs to let me know. I'll update the list here as more applications get added.

[Fabricati]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Hm, okay, I think I can tone down the whimsy just a bit. I will warn you both that I am an unadulterated Looney, and I really like the concept (Former Teen Champion still hasn't gotten rid of her relatively embarrassing old ID).

 

For Linguistics, I was mostly using it in combination with Crypto for the ancient languages schtick. I'll see what languages I can take.

 

Taking the Armor that way removes the double and triple-dipping I had earlier, with the Psych Lim, Phys Lim, and DF, especially because the Armor is not Always On (she can be persuaded to remove her basic wards!).

 

I don't know quite what to do with the Resistant PD and ED; taking it out of the EC increases the cost of her flight- in the long run saving her nothing, while the changes you propose to Armor mean ten points have to come from somewhere and will lower my defense and skills in any case.

 

I'm planning on introducing other attack magic into the Multipower, which is why FW is for Magic Attacks in general.

 

I drew "Could Have Been A Model" off the Master List of Limitations, so it's negotiable.

 

I'll find two points for the SpellBook.

 

CON and BODY are 14 each, even, mostly because I dislike being Stunned. So I buy up my CON as high as I dare. I'll go ahead and lower my BODY to 10, and see where that takes us.

 

House is Haunted. More accurately, Housing Problems. That follow her. Whether it's the intelligent rodent life renting out her basement, the ghost that's constantly stealing her keys, or that one leaky pipe (you know the one), she lives in an old house that no one else wanted (which represents a considerable amount of her worldly wealth). Now she knows why and is dealing with it in the ways only a mage can. Of course, this takes some of her time away from adventuring.

 

Other than that, I think I'll go for Thebes.

[Fedifensor]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

The application period for Catalyst: Silverstone has officially closed. We will be going over all the applications this weekend, and an announcement will be made by Monday.

 

Zac should be posting soon with announcements about the application process for Catalyst: Thebes.

[Fedifensor]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

While we're waiting for the announcement on Catalyst: Silverstone, here's my proposed character for the Thebes game.

 

Inertia (Roger Barrett)

 

Background

Simon said, "So, you're a public defender specializing in Prime cases, even though your father is a serial killer who was killing guys just like the ones you're going to defend. Oh, and you have the same powers, and you're thinking about becoming a superhero."

 

"Well, sure. If you put it that way, it sounds bad."

 

"Bad? You have no idea of how bad this is, Roger. Do you realize the huge conflict of interest if you're assigned a client who you put in jail? I know you'd never tank a case, but it's an instant get out of jail free card for them if you're found out."

 

Roger frowned. "Look, I've thought about this. I can cite a conflict of interest without having to state my reasons, and I can count on a sympathetic court clerk to juggle the cases so it shouldn't be an issue. As long as I wasn't directly involved in capturing them, even if I was at the scene, there's no conflict. Besides, even if something goes wrong and I have to defend someone I helped put in jail, they'll get the best possible defense I can give them. As for being found out...if that happens, I have much bigger problems. Dad will get arrested for murder, and I'll be arrested as an accessory after the fact. It doesn't matter that I was underage when I found out about his past...I'm still helping him evade the law."

 

Simon sighed. "You forgot one other person who gets arrested - me. I'm in this up to my neck. If they audit the records of your 'sympathetic court clerk', they're going to be suspicious."

 

Roger shook his head. "No. If I take the fall, I'm doing it alone. There's no reason for the court to know you're involved. At best, they'll think I convinced you to change my assignments because we're friends. Heck, if we hadn't nearly gone over that cliff..."

 

"...which was my fault, for drinking and driving. Yeah, I know. You negated the car's kinetic energy just in time, and the truth came out. I owe you, especially since I talked you into letting me drive. If you want to do this, I'm not going to blow the whistle, and I'll cover for you as best as I can. But sooner or later, you're going to have to make a choice. Your law career, or your superhero career. I can tell you this - the Thebes justice system pays a lot more than superheroing. Tell me again why you're doing this?"

 

Roger took a deep breath, "My dad wanted to make the world a better place. After mom was crippled by Killzone's wayward blast, he wanted that bastard dead. Less than a month later, the case was dropped on a technicality, and Killzone was back on the streets. Dad got his vengeance...but in the process sacrificed everything he used to believe in. It took him over a decade to realize that what he was doing was wrong, and by then he was on the FBI most wanted list. If they had known his real identity, he could never have settled down...never had a chance to be a father and a husband."

 

Roger paused, then turned towards Simon with an intensity his friend had never seen before. "The system works when there are people who make it work. I believe that - it's why I took the job when everyone else believed it was a death sentence to work in Center City. I have the skills to defend the innocent, and even the guilty deserve proper representation so their punishment fits. 100 years ago, it was the black man who got sentenced out of proportion to his crime. Now, it's the superpowered being...if there wasn't a prohibition against killing Primes, it would be even worse. At the same time, I'm one of the few people that has the power to stop a rampaging villain. My dad believed the system failed him, and he turned around and failed the system. I'm going to make things better, by putting criminals away, and by making sure there's someone willing to defend them. Any Prime who gets me as their lawyer isn't rolling in the dough - they're more likely to be someone who just took a wrong path...like my dad did. If he could find his way back, so can my clients."

 

"You're insane. You know that, right?"

 

Roger smiled. "Actually, you're not insane for putting on a costume. I can cite the relevant case law, if you want."

 

Simon chuckled. "Nah, just pass me a beer. Non-alcoholic - if I drink and drive again, who knows what else I'll find out about you...?"

 

"Well, there is one last thing. I've decided to use the name 'Inertia'."

 

"What happened to the other names?"

 

"I can't use anything with Velocity in it...it's too close to the name Dad got saddled with by the media. Anything that sounds remotely like 'Terminal Velocity' will get me mobbed by reporters. It's bad enough that my powers are identical to his, but I think it's been long enough that people won't guess I'm related to him. As for the rest...I didn't like Slowdown, Tosser, or Fastball. So, I'm going with Inertia."

 

"Your choice. I just hope that you get to tell people your name before the media picks one for you."

 

Personality/Motivation

Roger's primary motivation is atoning for the sins of his father. He feels his powers are a gift, and a responsibility. However, he also believes that his pursuit of justice in the courts is just as important. The law is necessary to punish the guilty...and to protect the innocent. It's not perfect...but that's why there are heroes.

 

Quote

"Objects in motion tend to stay in motion...unless I'm around."

 

Powers/Tactics

Inertia has an extensive ability to control velocity, and his powers have some basis in Einstein's equation. The smaller the mass, the greater the velocity he can impart or remove. His powers even apply versus energy - though the velocity of a laser is the speed of light, the lack of mass allows him to slow and disperse even concentrated laser beams. While he has yet to learn how to control his own velocity directly, he compensates by using objects to carry him around. He currently has a combat disk with tiny wheels on the bottom which was designed by his father, allowing him to either skate along the ground or fly in the air.

 

In combat, Inertia relies on a variety of small objects to throw at opponents. His favorite is rocks, which can apply a large amount of force to a small area without slicing through a foe. He also carries several rubber balls (acquired from toy dispensers) to subdue foes, and in emergencies uses pennies or dimes propelled at tremendous speeds to slice through nearly anything. Inertia can also adjust a foe's velocity directly, or create an inertial field that can stop large objects (often with catastrophic effect). His powers instinctively slow incoming attacks, offering a large measure of protection.

 

Character Sheet

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Ok, lets take a peek at post #87:

Let me throw a bone out to all the people currently submitting characters, Catalyst is not a one campaign game. I will be starting a second campaign a few weeks after this one goes live. It is Catalyst: Thebes, a fictional city south west of Mephis along the Mississippi River. While Silverstone is a new city for Primes, Thebes has been a playground for them for almost 20 years. IF you do not get accepted into this game don't throw away your character!!! Finish ironing out the kinks and I will see if we can fit you in. Thebes will need 6 heroes as well, and right now only 1 spot is taken (Fedifensor already has a charatcer... he wants to play too).

 

Here is a little peek at the city...

 

 

• Center City – aka Cinder City, is the completely renovated urban hub. Not ten years ago the section of town was raised in the battle between Mechanix’s robot forces, lead by the hero turned traitor Psiborg, and the Ministry of Justice. It is now a gleaming example of eco-friendly high-rises containing about 50% of the cities population and non-industrial work base.
  
• The Rookery – Named after the Catholic Church that was the foundation in this section of town. Its tightly packed row houses have been stained by the constant use of cheap coal for heating. Now it is a slum that police will only come into with significant backup.
  
• Gunnison - is a bustling center for various light industrial plants and manufacturing facilities. The Concordia Correctional Facility is located at the south eastern section of this sprawl.
  
• Waxhaw - A community of brownstone row houses punctuated with small parks every other block. The tree lined streets, ample lights and involved community make this a relatively crime free area. Points of interest include Community College, Waxhaw Symphony, and the Thebes School of Dance and Art.
  
• Rosedale – a small community that was absorbed as Thebes grew. Its small southern homes and manicured lawns are a shocking contrast to the Rookery just on the other side of the levy. The areas closest to the Rookery are low incoming houses and have a higher crime rate. The 9th Precinct at Main & Brown, and the K9 Kennels at Clark & Railroad keep anything major from spilling over into more affluent parts of town.
  
• Sugar Hill – an suburban ghetto sprawl
  
• Eastvale - Middle Income Suburbs
  
• Mound City – Gated middle and upper income suburbs and estates
  
• Market District – an area that experienced a renaissance before the Battle of Center City. Known for its redbrick streets with gas lights. It houses the middle and upper class love of movies, wine and song. Something akin to the French Quarter in New Orleans. An upper class red light district rests in the north western edge of the district.
  
• River District – This river flat was once the home of the sprawling markets. The remaining markets are on the northern and southern edge of the district. The remainder is little more than an inner city slum.
  
• Switchback – Heavy industrial, with a signification portion abandoned. More than a few small superfund sites for toxic cleanup exist in this district.
  

And a glimpse to the heroes now past:

The Ministry of Justice (team, defunct) – this collection of Primes defended Thebes for over ten years, before sacrificing themselves in the Battle for Center City.

 

• Armed Forces – Military attaché to the Ministry of Justice. He mirrored Liberty Belle’s tenacity and patriotism, but not her other abilities. Equipped with cutting edge military hardware, he was normally not likened to a prime at all. Just a normal man with extraordinary talent. It was thought that he and Liberty Belle were at item at one time.
  
• Liberty Belle – unofficial leader of the group but maintained all Public Relations. Her strength, tenacity, toughness and patriotism were her hallmark. It was rumored that she had a relationship with Armed Forces for a time. She was killed scuttling Mechanix’s sky fortress the only way she knew how. She flew a few miles up into the air and power dived into the aft section that contained the ships reactors. The resulting explosion blew a hole straight through the ship, causing a chain reaction of smaller explosions with the vessel. The ship split in two and crashed into the Mississippi River.
  
• National Guard – an unknown benefactor in a metal battle suit, equipped with a pair of arm mounted force shields. He was known to be the toughest member of the team. He had the ability to reinforce anything he could remain in contact with. He had taken blows that knocked Liberty Belle cold and remarked, “That all you bringing to the party chief?!” During the Battle of Center City he was able to catch a crippled hover platform that was falling to earth. He stopped its decent before it could smash into a large brownstone elementary school. He joked under the pressure, “Nothing to see here… move along…” as children streamed past him and out of danger. His actions saved the lives of well over 500 children. The shear weight of the craft was finally too much for his suit to take as it was crushed under a few hundred of tons of steel.
  
• Plasma Core, aka the Living Light – was Psiborg’s best friend and staunchest ally. After the Battle of Center City he was the only one left standing. He fell down at the heart of the city and wept what appeared to be steam. He then looked to the heavens and said to a little girl, “So this is how it ends.” He then glowed internally and dissolved into a stream of plasma. He has not been seen since and is thought to be dead.
  
• Psiborg – battle leader of the Ministry of Justice and end the end a turncoat. During a decisive point in the Battle of Center City he killed Armed Forces and switched sides. Psiborg was destroyed when a burning section of the financial tower sheared off his mechanical legs and pinned him. Plasma Core looked on at his best friend as said, “Your hatred for us has become your undoing” and walked away, leaving Psiborg to be burned alive.
  
• Shiftlock – had the ability to mimic the physical form of natural beings or function of anything not “natural” that she had touched in the last hour, but once in that form she would stay that way until an hour had past. So she could mimic a shark, be able swim, breath water, have a nasty bite, etc. She could touch concrete and take on its resilience, mass, etc. She used her ability to mimic Liberty Belle at the start of the battle and drew a large contingent of airborne robots away from the heart of the city. She was caught unaware in mid-flight when her hour had passed and plummeted to her death.
  
• Wirework – a consummate martial artist whose signature weapons were a pair of metal whips. Confucius Roberts was the only publicly known super and the star of over twenty martial arts movies. He sacrificed his life to give police critical time to reinforce a strategic intersection. Dying atop a hill of robot parts at least 10’ tall, the amount of laser fire his body sustained made him all but unrecognizable.
  

And what are the heroes without some notable villians...

 

Mechanix – aka The Machine Master, weilds almost total control of technology. He is somehow able to corrupt computer logic and reprogram technology on the fly. Time and time again his schemes for domination were thwarted by the Ministry of Justice. His last plan was to attach his floating sky fortress to the industrial section of the city. This would give him a huge supply of raw materials and power to produce an immense robot army. He vanished after the Battle of Center City, thought to be destroyed when his floating sky fortress was scuttled by Liberty Belle.

 

 

Warpath (team) – this is a loosely organized group of primes, who come together for common goals. Members have been seen across what was once the Native American lands of the South Eastern United States.

• Ghost Dance – the binding force behind the group. A known shaman who is deferred to by the other members out of respect and fear. He is able to call on the spirits of his ancestors in battle. He seeks peaceful co-existence between all races, however is very quick to take offense. He will meet out tribal’esque justice to those who defile Native American historical sites or Native American hate crimes. He went to trial over eight years ago for attempted mass murder and pleaded insanity, holding the memories of over 100 Native American warriors. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to an undisclosed mental hospital for treatment. He was recently released and claims to be “cured.” His current location unknown.
  
• Iron Horse – a technology based prime who rides a mechanical horse into battle. She is equipped with a lance that has been seen to fire particle blasts or cut open the side of an armored car. A mercenary thru and thru, her only motivation is money. Currently wanted for a myriad of crimes and is at large.
  
• Totem – a large entity composed of earth, boulders, grass and trees. It would be considered the “heavy” of the group. It has only been seen twice, and both in the presence of Ghost Dance. It has only been heard to wail or moan in response to stimuli. Its current location is unknown and is wanted for questioning.
  
• Ten Bears – a circus performer / martial artist / cat burglar who was freed from apparent slavery by Ghost Dance. He is a free agent and loose cannon, with a pen-chance for robbing museums holding Native American exhibits. Is the only known prime to have escaped from PIT more than once. Currently wanted for escaping PIT (and the host of previous convictions).
  
• The Raven (deceased) – a flying prime who used sonic powers. A force for good, she would warn the Ministry of Justice when unknown forces were aligned against them. When Liberty Belle asked her why she was with Warpath, she replied “You only protect what you know, let me protect what I know.” Her last known appearance was during the Battle of Center City, where she was killed.
  

So, keep up the good work. A few submitted primes might not be a good fit because you would step on other heroes toes. With a new group, we would need those core primes. Here are my guidelines so far...

 

 

The New Beginning setting of Thebes is ripe for opportunities for primes.

• Characters will be 200/150 for a 350 point prime.
  
  • 50 points in Psychological Limitations is required. It would be nice for a Psychological Limitation to point to why the character is a hero. Patriot (Common, Strong) is good while Likes to Party (Common, Strong) is poor. If there is not a limitation, then it needs to be explained well in the back story. The “mutant” back story is just a reason not to be creative.
    
  • Buying down stats is frowned upon, you are a prime after all.
    
  • Standards are 11 DC attack, 25/25 defenses, 23 DEX and 5 Speed.
    
  • Standard skill/talent set is 40 points. Some perks and talents count against this, some do not. Martial Arts, combat levels and overall levels do not go against the skill minimum. However, levels with Intelligence Based skills would go against the minimum (this is just an example). Maximum roll on most skills should be 15- (with levels), exceptions for a 16- will be given for honed character concepts. That said, I will deny “Requires a Skill Roll” -1/4 limitation with a high skill level (the max roll for this limitation is 14-).
    
  • Any power with a stop or warning sign, probably means no. Ask and we will talk but don’t assume just because you stick it on your sheet it will be taken. Also, don’t ask about Damage Reduction. It’s not for you, nothing to see here, move along… move along.
    

   

  [*]Expect a crossover with Catalyst: Silvercity.

These hooks already exist in the campaign city. It is no means the historical definitive for power origins, just something to help.

 

• Native American based. This will get you watched/hunted by Warpath, and/or by particular members of Warpath, and/or by the Local Tribe.
  
• Android/Cyborg/Robot. This will get you a more powerful mystery hunted that wants to capture you. Hmmm.... (NOTE: take 8 points of Hardened Mental Defense if you want this… fair warning). You can also take a physical limitations because of your unusual origin.
  
• Rogue Guardsman – this will get an automatic watched by local police, hunted by local gangs, and watched by the Guardsmen. You could have Guardsman tech or you could just use them as a basis for training. Also a great chance for a powerful contact.
  
• Passing the Mantle
  
  • The Raven – this prime passed her mantle down to an apprentice. The Raven has one notable power, Serial Immortality, not unlike the old serial hero The Phantom. Her other powers change though she has access to a vast amount of data (last one was mystical, but yours could be through databases!?)
    
  • Liberty Belle – basically a flying brick. I.E. Liberty Lass – Armed and Liberty were an item… giving a player time to make a teenaged hero.
    
  • Psiborg – he was destroyed, but who made him and/or where are the parts that remained after he was burned alive? Note Cyborg above.
    

   

  [*]Tech Based Suit – highly recommend 8 points of Hardened Power Defense. The mystery hunted above does not seek you. Though if you run into him or his lackeys I would hate for you suit to turn against you, turning you into pawn for evil for the remainder of the adventure!

OK, that was a lot for you to look at and absorb. I will be dropping a thread in here soon after this campaign group is locked in by Fedifensor. So, if you want to respond with something short then all well and good. Keep character ideas and whatnot on topic to this thread please. I am not here to threadjack, just to inform.

 

I like what I see and I am looking forward to gaming with the lot of you (one one side of the GM screen AND the other).

 

Zac

 

I am dropping the skill set minimum to 30. Other than that, all the nuts and bolts for game mechanics remain the same.

 

Some points to ponder:

1. There USE to be a group of Primes that defended the city. They died 10 years ago. There has not been significant Prime activity since then, the Guardsmen are relatively new (last six months or so).

2. The Sentry Initative is all the bad dreams you have ever had about government surviellance. It is a mixture of surviellance systems and defense pods scattered about the Center City district of Thebes. This program has been in the works for the last seven years. There have been a few test runs of the system. It is suppose to go online about the time the campaign starts.

3. Mayor Alexander Persus is changing the political climate for Primes. He barely lost the last senate race to the encumbent. Times are changing now with a new President and Persus message is hitting home with more and more people. He wants to see an end of all Prime activity and the Sentry Initative is his brainchild. After the death of his wife and child in the battle for Center City. he sees all primes as a menace... not just the evil ones.

NOTE: Remember the feeling you had in your gut for all the Sentinel havoc brought in with the Marvel Universe and Mutants... this is how the climate is turning in this part of the United States. The characters will have a DIRECT impact on where this goes in this campaign. The characters actions will either feed the fire or cool the flames for this prime political climate.

 

This game will be run very different from the usual game you as players have probably enountered. This is a campaign in the truest sence of the word. Each character will have their own thread for their own lives. As time goes on threads will intersect and go from there. Kinda like playing billards on a big table, with 6 players and a dozen balls a piece. Fed and I invested heavily in this style of play back when Vampire: The Masquerade was new and hip. It lets EACH PERSON immerse themselves into their character. You get to be the start of your own soap opera/comic with a group comic too. So Batman not only has his own adventures, but he gets to kick around with the Justice League too. You get this kind of game. As such, I expect a lot more Role Play from the group. When the game starts I will post to the genral thread the general goings on and to each character thread seperately. As soon as a character thread interests the campiagn it moves to the general thread. When they move out of the general thread, they move back to their personal thread.

 

That said, I expect a post from people every other day at a minimum. I will start the campaign, start your thread and ask each of you wha tyou are going to do. It starts that simple. Everyone's days will start and end the same in the real world. I don't want player A to be 3 days behind player B. Now, lets suspend belief for a minute. The Sentry Initative will go online after a few days and complications will arrise. Each of you will be "forced" to go to a central location (the classic bar fight/bank job if you will). This will allow the characters to meet for the first time. I will have a way to assist everyone getting together, a campaign gift if you will. Please, take it. If you don't take it... then it will be REALLY hard for you together. It will also be problematic for characters to communicate with each other as heroes, this plot tool will take care of it.

 

Each player is required to send me a complete bio and a character portrait. Doing this is work 5 xp. So, it a requirement... but you do get a carrot too In you bio, put in a section about hunteds. Why the hunt you, etc. I may keep what you have or I may ditch it for a new one. There will not be any mustry hunteds, I will let you know what you are after. May not be "realistic". but we are playing a comic game.

 

As soon as Fed makes his pick, I will do a preliminary pick. There will be the characters Fed and I thought made better sense in one city or another group. For instance, Engram and Caglistro will probably not be on the same group... two heroes who can attack mentally, make most villians a walk in the park. If we make the villians tough enough to take two mentalists, then the mentalist loose their punch. Its that simple. After the initial picks, I will allow for a vetting period just like Fed did. My tentative cut off date if March 13th.

 

I highly recommend if you are NOT an initial pick, be flexible and/or make another character or three. I really don't want a group of 4 energy projectors and 2 bricks. Some variety is what makes a good group work so well. I mean 6 Superman clones is nice, but how borning is that? I would rather have someone come up with a great background and concept, and not worry so muich about the mechanics. You want the feel of Batman, fine... who says s/he has to be rich, have a utility belt and be a martial artist. Its how you want to persue the Code vs. Killing, Quest for Justice and/or Protect the Innocent.

 

I await Fed's choices and look forward to gaming with all of you.

 

Zac

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Zac

 

If Engram does make the cut for Silverstone, I'd like for you to consider this character for Thebes. I cooked him up this morning before you posted again, and so we'll have to work out his mystery hunted, I'm sure.

 

Requiem

 

Player: Jason Packer

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

23 DEX 39

20 CON 20

15 BODY 10

13 INT 3

11 EGO 2

20 PRE 10

6 COM -2

 

5/20 PD 1

4/29 ED 0

5 SPD 17

9 REC 2

40 END 0

40 STUN 5

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

4" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 117

 

Cost Power

50 Control of Fire and Heat: Multipower, 62-point reserve, (62 Active Points); all slots Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

1u 1) Ignite: Killing Attack - Ranged 1 point, Sticky (Only affects flamable objects; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Indirect (Any origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/2), Uncontrolled (keeps burning until all fuel or oxygen consumed, or fire is put out or smothered; +1/2), Continuous (+1) (19 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 2) Immolate: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; +1/2), Indirect (Any origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/2) (60 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 3) Burst into Flames: Energy Blast 5d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (62 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

5u 4) Fiery Blast: Energy Blast 10d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (62 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

5u 5) Fire Flash: Sight Group Flash 10d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (62 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 6) Fireball: Energy Blast 7d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Explosion (+1/2) (61 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

2u 7) Smother Flames: Dispel Fire Powers, one at a time 16d6, Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX; Any fire power, one at a time; +1/4) (60 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

48 Fiery Aura: Armor (15 PD/25 ED) (60 Active Points); Visible (-1/4)

15 Ignite Missiles: Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) [Notes: Any physical missile, either bursts into flames or melts]

24 Flash of Fire: Teleportation 15" (30 Active Points); Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) [Notes: Body turns into pillar of flame which disappears and reappears at target hex.]

5 Eyes of Fire: Infrared Perception (Sight Group)

20 Altered Physiology: (Total: 20 Active Cost, 20 Real Cost) Power Defense (5 points) (Real Cost: 5) plus Sight Group Flash Defense (5 points) (Real Cost: 5) plus +5 Mental Defense (7 points total) (Real Cost: 5) plus Lack Of Weakness (-5) for Resistant Defenses (Real Cost: 5)

Powers Cost: 187

 

 

Cost Skill

2 AK: The Rookery 11-

6 +2 with any three maneuvers or a tight group of attacks

1 Criminology 8-

3 Deduction 12-

2 KS: Classical Music 11-

2 KS: Jazz Music 11-

2 KS: Criminal Groups 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

7 Power: Fire Powers 13-

4 PS: Piano 13-

5 Shadowing 13-

6 Survival (Urban) 14-

3 Tracking 12-

Skills Cost: 46

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 350

 

Pts. Disadvantage

20 Distinctive Features: Bald, ash grey skin head to toe, solid white eyes, aura of heat emanating from his skin (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Money: None Destitute

15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Very Frequently, Minor) [Notes: Utterly abandoned his normal identity. Benjamin Perry was declared dead in the fire along with his parents. He owns no property, and has no permanent home, instead squatting in abandoned brownstones and industrial plants when he needs to rest.]

25 Psychological Limitation: Dedicated to Protection of the Weak (Very Common, Total) [Notes: Dedicated vigilante, primarily in The Rookery, but will expand operations to suit the need.]

15 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident (Very Common, Moderate) [Notes: New enough at this that he's yet to run up against any real competition, leading him to think himself nearly immortal.]

10 Psychological Limitation: Penitent (Uncommon, Strong) [Notes: Sneaks into church at night to confess himself after each intervention]

20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Cold/Ice Attacks (Common)

15 Enraged: facing drug-related criminals (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-

20 Hunted: Mystery Individual or Group 11- (As Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Background: Benjamin Perry was a rarity - a third generation Theban whose whole family had grown up in The Rookery. A gifted musician, his parents scrimped and saved to send him to piano lessons. By the time he was sixteen, he was practicing classical piano every day for two hours after school, and sneaking out to a local bar to play with a Jazz trio that lied about his age to their customers.

 

Life was rough in The Rookery, with rampant poverty and crime, but Ben lived what seemed like a charmed life for most of his youth. That was until his family's home was invaded by a group of drug runners and manufacturers. They held Ben and his family against their will, trapped in a single room, while they converted the basement and kitchen into drug labs and the living room into a storefront to move their goods.

 

Ben's absence went noticed, and one of his bandmates came to check on him. He was shot for his trouble. That galvanized Ben and his father, both of whom could see now that they, too, would be killed when it became convenient. They fought back, taking their captors by surprise, but were quickly overwhelmed. Ben was knocked unconcious before his father, and then his mother, lost their lives.

 

The druggies then decided to make an example of Ben. They dragged him into the alley behind the house and doused him in kerosine. The stink of the propellant and the cold against his skin woke Ben, just in time to see one of his tormentors toss a lit cigarette at him. He was quickly consumed in flame. The pain was unbearable, and after a few seconds of screaming, unconsciousness overtook him again.

 

He came to, expecting to open his eyes on Heaven. Instead, he lay in a burned-out circle behind his family home. He was cold, and utterly naked. Checking himself over, he could feel that his hair was gone, burned off, from his chest, his head, even his eyebrows and lashes. He stood, feeling strangely refreshed and unconsciously entered the house by way of the back door. He saw the drug dealers wrapping up the bodies of his mother and father in soiled sheets, both of them dead from gunshot wounds. Fury welled up in him and he no longer felt cold.

 

Flames appeared at his fingertips and shot forth, quickly consuming the men who had caused him so much pain. Flames engulfed them, but quickly spread to the drug making equipment. Ben made sure that each of his tormentors was utterly aflame before he quietly stepped out of the house and watched it burn. He wasn't sure how he did it, but he made sure that the fire consumed the house utterly. When he heard the sound of his neighbors stirring, coming out to wield their garden hoses to put out the flames and protect their precious if dilapidated homes from the fire, Ben decided he had to leave.

 

On nights after the conflagration, people began reporting that someone, a spirit of fire, began to try to clean up The Rookery. Drug dealers, pimps, gangers of all kinds began to whisper stories about a dark figure who would take vengeance upon anyone caught hassling or harming the regular folk in that quarter. Some of the folks who migrated up from away south say that Shango, the voodoo spirit of fire, has come up the Mississippi. Others, with a more scientific bent, attribute the vigilantism to a new and formerly unknown Prime.

 

Whether Benjamin is a mutant or possessed by a spirit of fire is irrelevant to him. He goes by the name Requiem now, and he intends to see that no one else has to suffer what his family suffered.

 

Motivation: Requiem is driven entirely by vengeance and a desire to ensure the safety of what he has come to see as his people - the citizens of Thebes, most especially those in The Rookery. He has a particular hatred for drug dealers, given his experiences, but does not tend to hold back from dealing harshly with anyone who violates the law, as well as putting a bit of fear into those who stay within the law, but violate his own sense of morality - crooked landlords or usurous loan sharks, for example.

 

He's only just started, so he's still full of energy and zeal for his crusade.

 

Quote: "I surely hope you're right with God, because you're about to join him."

 

Powers/Tactics: Requiem exudes heat at all times. If he's not in a superheated room, the air feels cool to him. He can summon fire from his hands, or anywhere else on his body, to include an aura of flame and heat that surrounds him.

 

Appearance: He's not a big fellow, at 5'8" and 150 pounds. The results of the fire that should have ended his life have left him utterly changed, with skin the color of ash and eyes that show all white. He constantly exudes a certain level of heat - not enough to combust anything, just enough to make people in that already hot part of the world uncomfortable if they're around him for long. He wears a simple red swimsuit as his only garment, as clothes immediately feel close and confining.

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Zac

 

If Engram does make the cut for Silverstone, I'd like for you to consider this character for Thebes. I cooked him up this morning before you posted again, and so we'll have to work out his mystery hunted, I'm sure.

 

Requiem

 

Player: Jason Packer

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

23 DEX 39

20 CON 20

15 BODY 10

13 INT 3

11 EGO 2

20 PRE 10

6 COM -2

 

5/20 PD 1

4/29 ED 0

5 SPD 17

9 REC 2

40 END 0

40 STUN 5

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

4" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 117

 

Cost Power

50 Control of Fire and Heat: Multipower, 62-point reserve, (62 Active Points); all slots Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

1u 1) Ignite: Killing Attack - Ranged 1 point, Sticky (Only affects flamable objects; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Indirect (Any origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/2), Uncontrolled (keeps burning until all fuel or oxygen consumed, or fire is put out or smothered; +1/2), Continuous (+1) (19 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 2) Immolate: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; +1/2), Indirect (Any origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/2) (60 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 3) Burst into Flames: Energy Blast 5d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (62 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

5u 4) Fiery Blast: Energy Blast 10d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (62 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

5u 5) Fire Flash: Sight Group Flash 10d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (62 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

4u 6) Fireball: Energy Blast 7d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Explosion (+1/2) (61 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

2u 7) Smother Flames: Dispel Fire Powers, one at a time 16d6, Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX; Any fire power, one at a time; +1/4) (60 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (doesn't work under or into water; -1/4)

48 Fiery Aura: Armor (15 PD/25 ED) (60 Active Points); Visible (-1/4)

15 Ignite Missiles: Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) [Notes: Any physical missile, either bursts into flames or melts]

24 Flash of Fire: Teleportation 15" (30 Active Points); Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) [Notes: Body turns into pillar of flame which disappears and reappears at target hex.]

5 Eyes of Fire: Infrared Perception (Sight Group)

20 Altered Physiology: (Total: 20 Active Cost, 20 Real Cost) Power Defense (5 points) (Real Cost: 5) plus Sight Group Flash Defense (5 points) (Real Cost: 5) plus +5 Mental Defense (7 points total) (Real Cost: 5) plus Lack Of Weakness (-5) for Resistant Defenses (Real Cost: 5)

Powers Cost: 187

 

 

Cost Skill

2 AK: The Rookery 11-

6 +2 with any three maneuvers or a tight group of attacks

1 Criminology 8-

3 Deduction 12-

2 KS: Classical Music 11-

2 KS: Jazz Music 11-

2 KS: Criminal Groups 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

7 Power: Fire Powers 13-

4 PS: Piano 13-

5 Shadowing 13-

6 Survival (Urban) 14-

3 Tracking 12-

Skills Cost: 46

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 350

 

Pts. Disadvantage

20 Distinctive Features: Bald, ash grey skin head to toe, solid white eyes, aura of heat emanating from his skin (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Money: None Destitute

15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Very Frequently, Minor) [Notes: Utterly abandoned his normal identity. Benjamin Perry was declared dead in the fire along with his parents. He owns no property, and has no permanent home, instead squatting in abandoned brownstones and industrial plants when he needs to rest.]

25 Psychological Limitation: Dedicated to Protection of the Weak (Very Common, Total) [Notes: Dedicated vigilante, primarily in The Rookery, but will expand operations to suit the need.]

15 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident (Very Common, Moderate) [Notes: New enough at this that he's yet to run up against any real competition, leading him to think himself nearly immortal.]

10 Psychological Limitation: Penitent (Uncommon, Strong) [Notes: Sneaks into church at night to confess himself after each intervention]

20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Cold/Ice Attacks (Common)

15 Enraged: facing drug-related criminals (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-

20 Hunted: Mystery Individual or Group 11- (As Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Background: Benjamin Perry was a rarity - a third generation Theban whose whole family had grown up in The Rookery. A gifted musician, his parents scrimped and saved to send him to piano lessons. By the time he was sixteen, he was practicing classical piano every day for two hours after school, and sneaking out to a local bar to play with a Jazz trio that lied about his age to their customers.

 

Life was rough in The Rookery, with rampant poverty and crime, but Ben lived what seemed like a charmed life for most of his youth. That was until his family's home was invaded by a group of drug runners and manufacturers. They held Ben and his family against their will, trapped in a single room, while they converted the basement and kitchen into drug labs and the living room into a storefront to move their goods.

 

Ben's absence went noticed, and one of his bandmates came to check on him. He was shot for his trouble. That galvanized Ben and his father, both of whom could see now that they, too, would be killed when it became convenient. They fought back, taking their captors by surprise, but were quickly overwhelmed. Ben was knocked unconcious before his father, and then his mother, lost their lives.

 

The druggies then decided to make an example of Ben. They dragged him into the alley behind the house and doused him in kerosine. The stink of the propellant and the cold against his skin woke Ben, just in time to see one of his tormentors toss a lit cigarette at him. He was quickly consumed in flame. The pain was unbearable, and after a few seconds of screaming, unconsciousness overtook him again.

 

He came to, expecting to open his eyes on Heaven. Instead, he lay in a burned-out circle behind his family home. He was cold, and utterly naked. Checking himself over, he could feel that his hair was gone, burned off, from his chest, his head, even his eyebrows and lashes. He stood, feeling strangely refreshed and unconsciously entered the house by way of the back door. He saw the drug dealers wrapping up the bodies of his mother and father in soiled sheets, both of them dead from gunshot wounds. Fury welled up in him and he no longer felt cold.

 

Flames appeared at his fingertips and shot forth, quickly consuming the men who had caused him so much pain. Flames engulfed them, but quickly spread to the drug making equipment. Ben made sure that each of his tormentors was utterly aflame before he quietly stepped out of the house and watched it burn. He wasn't sure how he did it, but he made sure that the fire consumed the house utterly. When he heard the sound of his neighbors stirring, coming out to wield their garden hoses to put out the flames and protect their precious if dilapidated homes from the fire, Ben decided he had to leave.

 

On nights after the conflagration, people began reporting that someone, a spirit of fire, began to try to clean up The Rookery. Drug dealers, pimps, gangers of all kinds began to whisper stories about a dark figure who would take vengeance upon anyone caught hassling or harming the regular folk in that quarter. Some of the folks who migrated up from away south say that Shango, the voodoo spirit of fire, has come up the Mississippi. Others, with a more scientific bent, attribute the vigilantism to a new and formerly unknown Prime.

 

Whether Benjamin is a mutant or possessed by a spirit of fire is irrelevant to him. He goes by the name Requiem now, and he intends to see that no one else has to suffer what his family suffered.

 

Motivation: Requiem is driven entirely by vengeance and a desire to ensure the safety of what he has come to see as his people - the citizens of Thebes, most especially those in The Rookery. He has a particular hatred for drug dealers, given his experiences, but does not tend to hold back from dealing harshly with anyone who violates the law, as well as putting a bit of fear into those who stay within the law, but violate his own sense of morality - crooked landlords or usurous loan sharks, for example.

 

He's only just started, so he's still full of energy and zeal for his crusade.

 

Quote: "I surely hope you're right with God, because you're about to join him."

 

Powers/Tactics: Requiem exudes heat at all times. If he's not in a superheated room, the air feels cool to him. He can summon fire from his hands, or anywhere else on his body, to include an aura of flame and heat that surrounds him.

 

Appearance: He's not a big fellow, at 5'8" and 150 pounds. The results of the fire that should have ended his life have left him utterly changed, with skin the color of ash and eyes that show all white. He constantly exudes a certain level of heat - not enough to combust anything, just enough to make people in that already hot part of the world uncomfortable if they're around him for long. He wears a simple red swimsuit as his only garment, as clothes immediately feel close and confining.

 

Looks good over all. Lets look at some mechanics 1st:

1. You could drop in an elemental control for some of you defenses. It does not have to be full points, a 15 pointer for deflection and such. I personally see you defense as more force field than armor. You could drop a force field into an elemental control, reducing the cost again. If you are using heat to melt/whatever attacks as they come in... force field. Armor would just be you are hard.

2. You dump a lot of points into not having any sort of weakness. I can see having the physicals (Lack of Weakness, Power defense). I don't see the flash defense or mental defense though. See #3

3. You need to take the physical limitation: Significantly Different Anatomy

Frequently, Slightly 10pts.

This character has a body which is vastly different from those of normal human beings. Examples include aliens and characters who are made of some substance other than normal flesh and bone. The character's anatomy is different from that of normal humanity to the point of being almost unrecognizable by a paramedic or doctor. Unless the person providing medical care has been trained in the character's anatomy, no medical skill used in an attempt to heal the character will work, and may actually harm the character if the attempt is failed (GM option).

 

The real issue with this toon is the lack of social life. You have no way to provide for yourself and no social ties to anything. You don't suffer from a public ID as you have no id. You have no home, no family, no friends. So, people who want to come gunning for you have to fund where you are squating. Public ID means just that... The Fantastic 4 have Public IDs. They live at a certain place and anyone can go gunning for them whenever they want.

 

This is what I would do for you character:

1. Drop you ID to no ID, and put in gangs are out for you 14-. Someone is always gunning for you.

2. About midway thru the second adventure in your social life you would see a huge drug deal go down. Something goes wrong and they start shooting at each other. You swarm into action. You confess your sins that night. The next day you hear that 4 members of a drug task force were immolated in an undercover sting that went wrong. Locals on the scene ID you, you get a hunted local police. Reputation: Cop killer 11-. Sounds crappy huh? Now, you might not kill one the first time out... but use of your power with an enraged means you are probably going to kill an innocent. You find out about a drug lab, bust and play light my fire. Building goes up... anyone else squatting? It just keeps getting worse. If the only social obligation you have is violence, then you beget violence.

 

If I were making this character, this is what I would do (so feel free to throw this to the wind).

1. Become a priest. Really.

2. Take a secret ID

3. Get a DNPC (local parishioner, a nun, something).

4. Tone the distinctive features down some. Become more of a match, not a lit match!

 

Now, the character has ties to the community. Enrageds are tough for heroes, they can blow up in your face. You have killing attacks and no compuction against using them... see where this leads.

 

Look the character over. I LOVE the background. Love it! Lets try to bring the character up a notch from all the death. Heroes are what people do with all that and bring themselves out of the ashes to become something bigger than life. If this was a comic, would it have any sort of staying power past about 3 issues? No social ties, mixed morals, easily enraged. Well, the Punisher sells.. but he is a solo character. What brings you to the team, keeps you in the team, and keeps the team with you?

 

I would like to work on this character. Can I make some changes and send it back your way? Lets work on the strengths!!

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Looks good over all. Lets look at some mechanics 1st:

1. You could drop in an elemental control for some of you defenses. It does not have to be full points, a 15 pointer for deflection and such. I personally see you defense as more force field than armor. You could drop a force field into an elemental control, reducing the cost again. If you are using heat to melt/whatever attacks as they come in... force field. Armor would just be you are hard.

 

You know, I had armor in my head, and as a zero end power, that just precluded an EC. Given a forcefield, I could totally see that.

 

2. You dump a lot of points into not having any sort of weakness. I can see having the physicals (Lack of Weakness, Power defense). I don't see the flash defense or mental defense though. See #3

 

The flash defense is all in the eyes of fire. Mental defense, well, I guess I was just getting greedy.

 

Maybe the flash defense has a limitation on it that says "only light based flashes" for either a -0 or a -1/4?

 

3. You need to take the physical limitation: Significantly Different Anatomy

Frequently, Slightly 10pts.

This character has a body which is vastly different from those of normal human beings. Examples include aliens and characters who are made of some substance other than normal flesh and bone. The character's anatomy is different from that of normal humanity to the point of being almost unrecognizable by a paramedic or doctor. Unless the person providing medical care has been trained in the character's anatomy, no medical skill used in an attempt to heal the character will work, and may actually harm the character if the attempt is failed (GM option).

 

That text feels like a cut and paste - is that from the 5th Ed rules, and I just missed it in all my previous reads? Because I like it!

 

If I were making this character, this is what I would do (so feel free to throw this to the wind).

1. Become a priest. Really.

2. Take a secret ID

3. Get a DNPC (local parishioner, a nun, something).

4. Tone the distinctive features down some. Become more of a match, not a lit match!

 

LOL! If I weren't already playing a priest in another game on HC, that would be tempting. As it is, it might be a little much.

 

Now, the character has ties to the community. Enrageds are tough for heroes, they can blow up in your face. You have killing attacks and no compuction against using them... see where this leads.

 

I'm down with that. In re-reading, he's a little more Dark Champions than Champions in his current incarnation.

 

Look the character over. I LOVE the background. Love it! Lets try to bring the character up a notch from all the death. Heroes are what people do with all that and bring themselves out of the ashes to become something bigger than life.

 

I can see that, and given the relative patriotism of the previous team of heroes, I guess I should work towards something that's a little more New Avengers than Wolverine mini-series.

 

I would like to work on this character. Can I make some changes and send it back your way? Lets work on the strengths!!

 

Absolutely. I'm totally down with seeing what you come up with. I've attached an updated, more social version of the background story that grounds him a little more, while making him a little less unusual physically...tell me what you think.

[Checkmate]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

...That said' date=' I will deny “Requires a Skill Roll” -1/4 limitation with a high skill level (the max roll for this limitation is 14-).[/size']

You may want to rethink this. I can take Activation 14- for -1/2, which would net me more points and isn't anywhere near as limiting.

 

What about active point penalty? For example if I have RSR with an 18- roll but a 60AP power brings the roll to 12- is that good or bad?

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

You may want to rethink this. I can take Activation 14- for -1/2, which would net me more points and isn't anywhere near as limiting.

 

What about active point penalty? For example if I have RSR with an 18- roll but a 60AP power brings the roll to 12- is that good or bad?

 

Requires a skill roll (Like Acrobatics) gives you the you the use of a skill and a limiter. Anything more than a 14- is not really a limiter (a 15- is pretty much a shoe in). Now, we have not thrown in the active point penalty in the past (we saw it as an optional rule really). With the Active point penalty the roll (as you described) is fine.

 

You can take the Activation 14- and get more of a flat -1/2 limiter (and no secondary benifit of a skill). However, I dont see many heroes take a activation roll off a power, skill roll usual goes more in line.

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

You know, I had armor in my head, and as a zero end power, that just precluded an EC. Given a forcefield, I could totally see that.

 

With your NEW history (which is better BTW) a force field is very appropriate.

 

The flash defense is all in the eyes of fire. Mental defense, well, I guess I was just getting greedy. Maybe the flash defense has a limitation on it that says "only light based flashes" for either a -0 or a -1/4?

I can see flash defense (sight) attached to your force field. Power Defense (weak), Mental Defense (No), Lack of Weakness (No).

 

That text feels like a cut and paste - is that from the 5th Ed rules, and I just missed it in all my previous reads? Because I like it!

It comes from the Master List of Disadvantages. Use it. Love it. I dont agree with all the point breakdowns, but it is great source material.

 

Re-work Requiem with your new history. I would either put in an elemental control (Fire Body) for your force field and movement power. I would put all your attack powers in the multipower.

 

Skill set looked pretty solid before, but you many want to revisit.

 

Zac

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Re-work Requiem with your new history. I would either put in an elemental control (Fire Body) for your force field and movement power. I would put all your attack powers in the multipower.

 

Okay, how does this look now?

[Vox]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I've been reworking my ex-criminal, adding contacts and editing his skillset. I also took another look at his powers, and I was wondering how you'd react to a Sapphire Jian: HKA 1d6 NND (Any Magical Defenses, +1), OAF Unbreakable (-1), Independent (-2).

 

I know the risk of Independent powers, but I didn't see any other way to represent a weapon that could be stolen/taken and used against him. Any thoughts?

 

~Gabriel

[Fedifensor]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I've been reworking my ex-criminal, adding contacts and editing his skillset. I also took another look at his powers, and I was wondering how you'd react to a Sapphire Jian: HKA 1d6 NND (Any Magical Defenses, +1), OAF Unbreakable (-1), Independent (-2).

 

I know the risk of Independent powers, but I didn't see any other way to represent a weapon that could be stolen/taken and used against him. Any thoughts?

Focuses can be used against you if defined as universal instead of personal. I can tell you that Independent would probably be disallowed...I think Zac and I are of similar mind about the limitation. Plus, it can't really be used against you, because you have magical defenses...which means you have the defense against the NND.

 

Now, the advantage of a universal focus is that you can give it to other people to use. So if the criminal organization Rising Sun attacks the bank, you could give the Sapphire Jian to the security guard (or another PC) while you use your other powers.

 

As to the actual power, you'd basically be dishing out 2d6 HKA NND (Stun only) as long as you have 30+ STR. That's the equivalent of a 60 AP power. So, whether he allows the power will depend on if he'd allow a 12d6 normal damage melee attack, which is the same active points. The defense is fine - magical defenses are common enough to qualify.

[Vox]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I forgot about the stun-only part of NND.

 

Would probably work better if it were Armor Piercing and just OAF.

 

~Gabriel

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Okay' date=' how does this look now?[/quote']

 

OCV is ok, OCV with +3 to hit is a tad high. Recommend taking +2 Range Modifier vs all attacks and the +1 with Multipower. Right now anything past 4 hexes is going to be at a -2. Take the Range levels and you will be able to hit a little farther out before you start taking penalties.

 

Burst into Flames: Energy Blast 5d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4) (69 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Powers do not work through or into water; -1/4)

You realize this wont frighten agents right. Recommend changing this to a NND. It would be EVEN BETTER if you put it in you elemental control. Then you could have your damage shield up all the time and still hurl out attacks.

 

Fireball: Energy Blast 8d6, Indirect (Same origin, always fired away from attacker; lobbed overhead, in a parabolic arc, like a grenade; +1/4), Explosion (+1/2) (70 Active Points); Range Based On Strength (-1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Powers do not work through or into water; -1/4)

This is a 70 active point power. A TAD high for an 11 DC. Now, I dont mind 11 DC with 1/2 enduarnce. Bring this down to a 7d6 explosion without the indirect.

 

Now for: Powers do not work through or into water -1/4. Just letting you know that your powers will not work in a rain storm. Your powers wont work indoor under a sprinkler system (warning... you have fire powers... sprinklers respond to heat). You run into a water based enemy and he puts up a water wall or has a force field defined as a water your attacks will not get through. If you take the disad, it will come up. When it comes up you attacks will be snuffed, period.

 

 

Disads:

Distinctive Features: aura of heat emanating from his skin (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

 

This is going to put a hamstring in your Secret ID. You mother is going to think you have a fever all the time. Also, if you hunted every figures out you are a heat source over a certain level, they will be able to find you a lot easier. Drop this down to concealable. You will have to mentally control the heat level of your body, like slowing down your breathing. It will take effort but you can do it. I take 5 points here. Dedicated to Protect the Weak = Common, Total. I take 5 more points.

 

Change Hunted Local Gangs to Hunted = Dealer (organization). Add Mystery hunted as powerful, 8- (10 points).

 

Think this over and re-submit.

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Now for: Powers do not work through or into water -1/4. Just letting you know that your powers will not work in a rain storm. Your powers wont work indoor under a sprinkler system (warning... you have fire powers... sprinklers respond to heat). You run into a water based enemy and he puts up a water wall or has a force field defined as a water your attacks will not get through. If you take the disad, it will come up. When it comes up you attacks will be snuffed, period.

I'm looking for less "it's foggy out, and that's water, so you're a wet fuse" than "he's dove into the Mississippi, your fire blasts are powerless against him." What do you recommend? Is that purely SFX?

 

I've updated it based on your suggestions, and removed the quarter point lim, just in case it is SFX only.

[Fedifensor]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Quick update on the selection process. The first choice the group had to make was Cagliostro or Engram, as I had mentioned in a previous post. Both are good concepts, and it really came down to one issue which I will mention below. However, we finally decided on...

 

 

...Cagliostro.

 

I want to say that the sticking point for Engram was more an issue with fitting into the campaign than any problem with the concept. I just didn't come up with a good way to fit the Metahuman Studies department into the game, given that Silverstone doesn't have a previous history of Primes.

 

There is a consolation prize, though. If Engram is submitted for Thebes, Zac has assured me that the application process will be expedited, as the character has already been vetted. You could submit Requiem instead...or submit both and see which wins out. The point is, Engram has a leg up on being accepted into Zac's game. Good luck, and I hope to see you in Thebes!

[jwpacker]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

There is a consolation prize, though. If Engram is submitted for Thebes, Zac has assured me that the application process will be expedited, as the character has already been vetted. You could submit Requiem instead...or submit both and see which wins out. The point is, Engram has a leg up on being accepted into Zac's game. Good luck, and I hope to see you in Thebes!

 

I'm going to leave the decision entirely up to Zac. He's seen both, he'll know best who fits into his plans, if either one make the cut... we've made pretty good progress on Requiem today, so I can definitely go either way.

[Vox]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Ditching the sword for consideration at a later point.

 

What do you think of adding Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate; -1/4) and Gestures (Two Hands; -1/2) to the water control abilities granted by his armor?

 

My line of thought is this: I need points for Contacts and Skills, and since he already has some melee potential, it doesn't seem as though putting a few thematically consistent restrictions on his other abilities would be crippling.

 

Also, adding a few restrictions would keep ordinary folk from being able to use his armor and explain why the Chinese military had it in storage rather than out in use.

 

~Gabriel

 

P.S. Oop, didn't see Fed's post. Hurray! =p

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Ditching the sword for consideration at a later point.

What do you think of adding Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate; -1/4) and Gestures (Two Hands; -1/2) to the water control abilities granted by his armor?

 

My line of thought is this: I need points for Contacts and Skills, and since he already has some melee potential, it doesn't seem as though putting a few thematically consistent restrictions on his other abilities would be crippling.

 

Also, adding a few restrictions would keep ordinary folk from being able to use his armor and explain why the Chinese military had it in storage rather than out in use.

 

If its YOUR foci, oridinary folk would not be able to use. It takes that certain knack to use foci: luck, expermentation, specific knowledge, etc.

 

I dont mind gestures on the armor abilities, but it means a grab or entangle is going to keep you from using them. Adding extra time to activate is also fine. If you go from Water power (extra time) to melee and back to water power... you are going to need extra time again. Also, you get you power up and running THEN someone drops an entangle/hold on you... poof.

[Vox]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

Also' date=' you get you power up and running THEN someone drops an entangle/hold on you... poof.[/quote']

 

I thought that was only the case if you took the additional option, Requires Gestures Throughout.

 

To clarify, they would both be common modifiers, not only on the multipower.

 

~Gabriel

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I'm looking for less "it's foggy out, and that's water, so you're a wet fuse" than "he's dove into the Mississippi, your fire blasts are powerless against him." What do you recommend? Is that purely SFX?

 

I've updated it based on your suggestions, and removed the quarter point lim, just in case it is SFX only.

 

The way you had it was fine, fog and whatnot would not do it. Sprinkler system, rain, having to get through a water force wall... not happening.

 

Disads: Protect the Weak is anywhere. You stomping grounds are the Rookery, fine. But you see it anywhere and you will step in to stop it. Give you an example: Agent X says let me go or this kid get it... you let Agent X go. You see a thug robbing a lady on the street, you step in.

 

Powers:

3 points of Power Defense is not enough to protect from an NND where Power Defense is required. 5 points is the minimum for that. But it wont take much to get 2 more points of Power Defense (xp wise).

 

NND in elemental control is fine... but NND with only LS: Intense Heat is not enough. LS: Intense Heat, 10 pts resistant ED, Hardened ED. Agent level enemies who will be able to withstand this are going to be someone who uses fire (has a special suit), or Agents with darn good armor. Some villians will be able to handle the heat (suits, bricks, etc) and some will not (martial artists, speedesters, etc). Most of the heroes in the group are probably going to be able to take the heat. This is a power I would put the "does not work in water or intense cold" (-1/2). That would drop it from 29 points to 19 points. Do you see it working in a deep freezer or in a rain storm? Take the 10 points and....

 

The standard attack is 11d6 and your main is 10d6... I know reduced endurance is nice, but the extra damage is nice too. Something to think about. 11d6 1/2 end is 69 points. Up you multipower cost by 7 (you have 10 more points) and get you main attack up to specs. The powercost goes up from 6u to 7u. You now have 2 point left.

 

Your 8d6 explosion is going to have a damage range of 8 hexes. It will only be a threat to agent level opponents for 2 or 3 hexes (max). Drop the range based on strength... its not an indirect anymore... you just lob a good ole fashioned fireball. Cost goes up from 5u to 6u. You still have a point.

 

Take Smother fires up a d6. Cost goes up from 5u to 6u.

 

Now your PD is 20 and ED is 30. You are GREAT against ED, but PD is what you are going to run into at least 60% of the time. I suggest taking a 22 PD/28ED. Just move your Force Field around.

 

I notice you are 10 points over, really 5 points over as soon as you send me a character picture to go with this background. I will leave it up to you to scrape 5 points. I recommend dropping 2 BODY, the Easy Targeting and put 1 point in STUN (so your net STUN loss is only 1).

[Zac]

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

 

I thought that was only the case if you took the additional option, Requires Gestures Throughout.

 

To clarify, they would both be common modifiers, not only on the multipower.

 

~Gabriel

 

Each time you activate the power it is going to take Gestures. So, Gesture for a water blast, gesture for another water blast while Force field would just be a gesture to start. Imagine it like a spell caster... each new spell... more gestures.