Villain Theme Teams

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

(while waiting for the Muerte author to pop back in)

 

Ack! I almost forgot the Aces, a superhero team from Houston that I created for my campaign years ago. All were based on playing cards in some manner: Diamond Jim (brick), Shuffle (duplicator), Lightning Deal (speedster martial artist), Queen of Hearts (mentalist), and Wild Card (cosmic power pool). They didn't last long -- they were an NPC team on an island along with the PC heroes for a murder mystery weekend that turned far too real, resulting in the deaths of three of the Aces.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

*L* Well, that was almost a problem when I made "The Spider Syndicate" for my campaigns long ago (haven't used them in awhile). They were a homage to Marvel's Serpent Society. They contained Trapdoor, Red Widow, Fiddler and Recluse (Twins), Jumper and Wolf and one or two more than I can't recall at this time.

 

I really ought to write them up in 6th Ed versions, because with fewer disadvantages/complications required, you can avoid the whole 'Beserks at the sight of lidded jars'

syndrome

 

Though I think "Berserk upon hearing the Spider-man cartoon show theme" is perfectly justified.

[Blue]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

Last themed groups I made never got implemented:

 

Power Company: Circuitrix (Electrical weapons), Battery (Converts between Electricity and Kinetic Energy), Bioshock (human/eel hybrid), Pulse (EMF emitter), Binary (Group teleporter via conductive surfaces, like wires), Thunderhead (Weather controller), Killswitch (Mastermind)... I never got to use them so I may end up just recycling the group name (which I really like).

 

Tenpureto: A team of highly trained martial artists (part of a larger organization but generally traveling in groups of 5 to 8--depending on number of heroes encountered) who search a database of known sightings on their foes and use their power suits to adopt a specific perceived weakness. So if your team has fought a number of times on camera and one of your guys went down due to electricity and another due to not being able to break entangles, suddenly one Tenpureto develops a taser-like shock ability and another develops a spider-like webbing. Then their defenses adopt for a specific purpose. As you can guess no doubt, their weakness is beging able to affect in one way at a time and defend in one way (So the guy who puts up ice armor against a fire guy will be vulnerable to other kinds of attacks). That's why they travel in groups, to cover for one another. Very high in team tactics, often with the same SPD and DEX.

[Cygnia]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

There was a 4th Ed. Dark Champions module that had a Pack (canine theme). Mongrel (leader. Mixed race activist who was screwed over by The Man, jailed on trumped up charges and became a bitter mercenary), Moondog (werewolf), Hellhound (human caught at the wrong place at the wrong time and was merged with a demon), Rotweiller (mentally retarded mutant w/strength and a healing factor who was saved from participating in human dog fights by Mongrel) & Doberman (augmented psychopath).

[megaplayboy]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

I use a lot of theme villain teams in campaigns:

Assassin Nation--a group of hitmen-for-hire, who also do enforcer work and sometimes other stuff

The Lollipop Guild--a group of extradimensional mercenaries who are basically munchkin gamers equipped with lots of stuff that's game-breaking or illegal in the system that inspired it

The Pretty Young Things--a group of young, attractive villains who are mainly out to have "fun" by committing mayhem

The Zero Gang--robbers and thieves

Army of Darkness--supernatural villains

The Concordium--an alien crime syndicate

The Five Families--a global crime syndicate that is headed by villains based off of famous movie gangsters

The Immaculata--an illuminati group wherein every member embodies some physical or mental ideal--Harmony, Gracy, Perfection, Fortitude, etc.

[Tom-C]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

I recently set up a set of quintuplet mutants - the Pride of Crime. All are feline based.

 

Leo is the leader with strength and sound attacks for his roar. Tigress is 2nd in command, smarter and faster than Leo, but not as strong. Jaguar is the speedster. Alley Cat is small and incredibly agile and acts as the thief and recon. Of course there's a Sabretooth, strong and violent.

[Werehawk]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

Since some have used animal themes, I have the Sharkmen.

 

 

 

Black Tip and White Tip: Twin Atlantean siblings and political exiles with sonic abilities.

Carcharedon: The brick in the group, a huge wereshark.

Hammerhead: A human/hammerhead monstrosity and underwater move through artist.

Leopard Shark: A human who can control herds of sharks to do his bidding.

Mako: A woman in a shark themed dive suit. Replaced Thresher when he was captured by Force Aquarius.

Sand Devil: Another new member. He replaced Angelshark who, like her, can run faster on the ocean floor than the fastest swimmer. He's the team's recon expert.

Wobbegong: Another Atlantean exile, He can become invisable in the water and is the team's infiltration expert.

[death tribble]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

We ran into one themed on the seasons

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I can't recall what they all did but Spring was a duplicator.

 

The Pentacle was the Evil Magic using group but they had tech as well. The Warlock was the boss and had clashed with our group before hand. Warmaster was the head of the agents who had high tech. Basicallly he was created to pay for the agents. The Swampwitch/Mindwitch was a evil witch we ran into who later joined the group. Count Karnak was a Vampire. The Enchantress had a dark field within which lurked a demon (excessive killing attack). Necropolis was a brick. Master Spite was a man killed by the team who came back as the demonic being.

 

The Chemical Compound was probably the best received of the groups with various incarnations being done by the GMs. Members included Carbonate who could turn himself into various forms of Carbon or its compunds ie Diamond or Carbon Dioxide. Magnesium with the powerful flash attack, Uranium who coul neutralise others powers, Iron who was a brick, Arsenic who had a poison killing attack (he died and became Master Spite above). But Gold, Silver, Sulphur, Helium, Chlorine and Copper all were members.

 

The Psycho Circus. Based on the Circus of Crime from Marvel. The Clown was the boss. Big feet and trick nose. Rubberman was a stretcher. Fire Eater was an energy projector. Tumbler an acrobatic martial artist. The Conjuror had magic tricks. Strong Man had strength. Human Cannon Ball flew around like nobody's business. The Fat Lady another brick.

 

I am working on one based on the Chinese Years ie Rooster, Tiger, Sheep, Dog, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Dragon, Horse, Pig and two others.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

For a book I'm working on, I invented The Monster Clan: co-led by Bloodlust (a vampire) and the White Wizard, it also includes Ghost Knight (an animated suit of haunted armor), the Jersey Devil, Kumo Queen, Sasquatch, Shambler (a Lovecraftian horror), and Wolfman.

[casualplayer]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

I had Foxbat's Menagerie, with Wyvern, Leech, Bull(dozer) and a home-brewed safecracking savant named Raccoon. The original Panda and Raccoon would have made good members, maybe Armadillo or Stinger, Hummingbird. There were a touch of lightness inbetween grim storylines, but still turned out to be something of a threat.

 

I had Casino, with all the usual card based themes but also Baccarat (8 additional duplicates,) Big Joker, Little Joker, Pit Boss and some others. Actually just stumbled across my 20 year old notes from that campaign while cleaning the garage today. Good times.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

Kind of a lower-case Doctor Doom meets the Trapster -- yeah' date=' that version of the Ultimates never grabbed me either. Ever see the update/modification to the Ultimates in [i']Enemies Assemble[/i], though? Much cooler team IMHO. Binder experiences an intellect-expanding accident involving Plasmoid and becomes the Ultimate Mastermind, developing far more sophisticated weaponry; and several other members receive "upgrades" of a sort. The group becomes much more focussed on developing or stealing cutting-edge technology, which gives them a stronger theme.

Baron Zemo with out the Nazi was always my thought.

[death tribble]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

Someone on the Deviant Art website did art on the theme of Hercules tasks. All were like video game bosses in that they were single usually armoured and had weapons. It was an interesting idea and one that is worth looking at.

[Christougher]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

I recently posted these to the Project 3000/Names thread.

 

Four Seasons: Spring(Elastic Brick), Summer(Heat Blaster), Fall(Martial Artist), Winter(Ice/Cold Blaster)

 

Rainbow Menagerie: Red Raven, Orange Ostrich, Yellow Yak, Green Gorilla, Blue Bat, Indigo Iguana, and Violet Viper.

 

Major Crime/Crime Wave: Arson(Fire Blaster), Blackmail(Darkness demiBrick), Counterfeit(Shapeshifts objects, buffer/debuffer), Fraud(Egoist), Kidnap(Teleporting Martial), Murder(VSFX HKA), Robbery(Power Adjuster), Smuggler(Desolid ASW). Sometimes hired Assault(Autofire Speedster), Battery(Electric Brick) and Accessory(VPP Speedster). No Rape.

 

Arachnaphobia: Arachnette(Martial Lasso/Net), Black Widow(Egoist), Cyb3rSpyd3r(Tech Blaster), Daddy Long Legs(Stretchign Power Armor), Dr. Spider(Mutated 8 limbed Scientist), Recluse(Ninja with spiderized weapons), Spinner(Jailbait spellcaster), Tarantula(Giant Spider), Trapdoor(Teleporting Speedster) and Venom(Capoerista with poisoned blades)

 

Seven Deadly Sins: Envy(Transfer), Glutton(Brick Absorption to Stun), Greed(Speedster with Telekinesis), Lust(Egoist, obviously), Pride(Blaster/Buffer), Sloth(Martial Speed Drain), Wrath(Damage Magnet)

 

A few more... Gun Club, Faery Tales, Earth First, Girl Power, Americana...

[Christougher]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

Gun Club: (All are built as blasters, but some lean towards other archetypes. Big Shot(Giant Power Armor/Vehicle Brick), Drive By(Speedster), Firing Squad(Duplicator), Gun Bunny(Ranged Martial Arts), Psniper(Ego/ECV Attacks), Volt 45(Electric), War Glock(Magic).

 

Faery Tales: Beauty & the Beast(Brick & Egoist, in that order), Cinderfella(Fire Blaster), Jasmine(Speedster with flying carpet and Djinn's magic lamp), Little Red Riding Wolf, Mermaid(Female Aquaman demibrick), Pandora(Entangle/Force Walls), Prince Charming(Antipaladin), Rapunzel(Stretching prehensile hair), Sleeping Beauty(NND Sleep Damage Shield), Snow White(Ice Blaster, Summon 7 ice golems), Tankerbell(Cyborg Ballerina)

 

Americana(Hero Team): Justice(Brick), Truth(Egoist), Liberty(Speedster - refused to be Pursuit of Happiness), Freedom(Radiation Blaster), joined by US Gov't sponsored Guardian(Kinetic demibrick), Patriot(Captain America homage), Sentinel(Magnetic Cyborg), recruited Valor(Mage) and Anthem(Sonic demibrick)

 

Girl Power: Cow Girl(Minotaur Brick), Dream Girl(Egoist), Gadget Girl(Gadgeteer), Glamour Girl(Light Blaster), Immaterial Girl(Always Desolid), Material Girl(Mimicry Brick), Raver Girl(Light and Sonic Blaster), Riot Girl(Duplicating Martial Artist), Skater Girl(Speedster)

 

Second Chance(a way to explain villain escapes): Alibi(Mutant VPP Power Mimic), Ambush(Invisibile Martial), Amnesia(Egoist), Escape(Teleporter), Imposter(Shapeshift), Respite(Healer/Buffer)

 

Earth First (Anti-Technology/Ecoterrorists): Ragna Rock(Giant Stone Brick), Mother Nature(Plant Egoist), Kudzu(Plant Speedster), Alligator(Martial Artist), Crystal(Crystal "power armor"), Great White(HKA Brick), Leopard Girl with Wings(demibrick), Monarch(Shrunk Martial butterfly), Piranha(HKA Speedster), Porcupine(Archer/Weaponmaster), Tae Kwon Doe(Martial), Tar(Sticky Damage Shield)

[JohnTaber]

Re: Villain Theme Teams

 

I made up a fun team called the Halloween Party. They were all Halloween themed. You can download the entire team from my site at this URL.