WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

[Kraven Kor]

Friend of mine, who has been absent from gaming for a bit now, is starting up a 6E campaign. "WWII Fantasy" - pulpy occult setting, Hitler has werewolves, etc.

 

As he wants to do 6E, he helped me convert my 5E write up and I thought I would share.

 

Basically, it is a pulp version of Blade to an extent. Just a bad arse soldier who is hopped up on a serum derived from Vampire blood. Mostly a speedster.

 

I couldn't figure out a better way to do what I envisioned. Basically, the serum gives him all his powers, and only lasts so long. So I built an END Reserve with recoverable (under limited circumstances) charges. This reflects that I have 4 doses on me, usually, and that - in a pinch - he can "recover a charge" by drinking vampire blood. All the powers either burn END from the reserve, or only work if the reserve isn't empty. Once empty, he is just a normal (though skilled) guy.

 

Now, with the limits on the power level, I didn't want to go insane on the speed, nor did the GM. So we went SPD 5, then an extra +2 SPD "Only for abort or move actions." Curious if that is even legal - it would basically let me spend END from the reserve to have those extra non-attack actions. But how would one rule that? I'm assuming I would only be able to use those actions on phases other than 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12, and only if I hadn't already aborted between my last action and my next?

 

Any input or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Also, I'll be updating my own campaign to 6E soon, now that I've had a look at HD6 and 6E character creation and such.

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Hmm......Coulda sworn I saw the + additional Speed only usuable for defense stuff, in both the core 6e Rules and the new HSMA book. Yes it's legal. Off the top of my head though while I'm multi tasking converting some other game stuff, I'm not sure I'm drawing on the correct explanation, but esentially, you look at the chart for the increased Speed, and your new Phases you get, are the ones you can use for defensive and or movement.....Yeah, your normal Full action speed is 5, so 3,5,8,10,12....but 7 is 2,4,6,9,10,11,12 .......Now if you Buy the 7 Speed as Seperate (As in another whole Speed Stat), and Limit it to Move and or Defensive actions, you get to Over lap them. If you just get, +2 Speed only for etc, it basically would give you a free Move Action and Defensive schlock on 6, and then on 12, you can have a full normal action, and if the DM is nice, another move/defense.......OR, if you went full defensive, you could use the full 7 speed but have no offensive actions.....The example is in the books though I'm just not recalling if it's in HSMA or the core 6e. Still...Defensive only and movement only Speed IS in the 5th Ed Dark Champions book if I recall, and their compatible in that regard.

 

Either or, it's an interesting build, I like it, though the point total seems a tad low since 225 is what I would set a Sgt. Rock/Nick Fury game at, including Supernatural elements for the PC's against the new scale, another 25 opens up the door for a better spread of skills.

However, it's got a nice Creature Commandoes feel to it, so I am jealous that once again, there is better Green on the other side of the HERO fence, heh, really need to just move someday.

 

When I get home I'll double check the speed thingie because I just cobbled up something similar to that kind of speed build via the examples in the books, but right now I've got far to much Villains and Vigilantes to Marvel Super HEROES to DC third Edition to Hero 6e Conversion math locked in the forbrain on top of prepping for the 6e game tomorrow night (Go 1950's Arc!), that I'm not recalling very well.

 

~Rex

[Kraven Kor]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Yeah, the examples he quoted for "power level" were Golden Age Cap', GA Batman, Phantom, etc. Definitely not supers. So I think 225 is about right for the setting, if I'm reading his intent correctly. Kind of Cthuluh meets Wolfenstein meets True Blood

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Golden Age Cap and all.....especially factoring in the GA Batman and Phantom, would all sit at the 275 point Heroic Cap......it's all about Scale, and if those are his examples, he's a tad short though 225 will catch up fairly quick. One could argue considerably if the GA Cap is used, it's still short at 275 (Since every Physical Stat is going to be Maximum Human ie: Lots of 30's before skills and csl's and wheteher or not some NHCM is in the mix as well).

 

Either way, 275 is my go to point level. It let's you build, the GA comic physicality AND skill base without have it plumb the stats, and then Present it, as if you were reading one of the comics. Novel based folk can be built for a tad less because the scale is more subjective to interpretation, yet, comic books give you a visual reference to work with, hence, more points.

 

My Current 6e Campaign, is a sort of Modern Pulp environment, similer to DC's First Wave Material, and Ed Brubakers Incognito. Charachters are built as 275 High End Heroic first, but ARE technically, 400 point full supers. The Campaign imposses Normal Huiman Characteristic Maxima, and the players have to develope the remaining 125 points plus complications, in play. This so far has led to some nice, GA type Super Hero's.....more The Bat-Man ish or The Black Bat, The Shadow, Hugo Danner, Hour Man, Less, Wolverscream, Iron Age Gunslinger of Choice, Planet shoving Aliens or City Devestating energy blasters. Equipment follows Heroic rules as well, so Wealth is useful, and the Batman guys can REALLY hang with the Super Powered Folks as well.

 

Complicated, but in it's end considering only 2 of the 6 PC's have figured out anything in the "super" range of potential, it still plays primarily as a high end Heroic, think, Pulp-ish Expendables. They are however learning to really dislike the limitation, Real Weapon. 275 works well for that, because it let's you make folks at the knowledge and physicality level, of your cinematic hero.

 

Right now though, since I use the players to flesh out the world I started them all in the 50's Arc, more Silver Age-ish, Less "restrictictions", very much a Wild Cards feel to it, so that they can play more....super hero-ish for a bit and flesh out some of the history because in the main arc, the thought required, apparently is going to cause an brain hemorage in a few of the players.

 

Now, if you are running along more the lines of Just the Phantom, or Dan Dare, The Witness, that kind of guy, then 225 is fine. I went through all my old Sgt. Rock comics and G.I. Combat stuff, and pretty much figured Rock at 275, the rest of Easy Co at Solid 250 with a 225 hang on......but a lot of the stuff in GI Combat (Like GI Robot), don't work at 225.....even Unknown Soldier, needs the 250 or more, just for the skill base.

 

Then you get into the Haunted Tank where the crew is all 175 or so, but the Tank, is a beast.

 

~Rex....all about the scale.

[tenebre]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

225 is fine ;-) GA cap would be the uber experiment for this setting.

 

First Wave is a good comparison (especially factoring in Bat-Man's incompetence in that series). I would rate Rock at 225... which is why i settled on that point value. My reasoning is that in this world the general populace does not believe in anything supernatural. So a character that can achieve a SPD of 5, while technically impossible, can be reasoned out in a normal persons mind without it needing to be supernatural.

 

I thought about higher points to allow more skills, but worry that the "powers" section will become too much. The general enemies are still going to be soldiers with guns.

 

So Kraven make a 275 writeup and let me check it out. I will see if i think its too much for the campaign. :-) if it works out we can go 275 (75 from complications)

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Oh don't get me wrong, 225 is plenty fine that's what I tend to use for Pulp games where I know I have a group of players that function well as a Team. Going to the First Wave example, The Bat-Man let's say, at around his beginning level (They were aiming for the Early Detective Comics days......getting to hang out around Azzarello and crew during C2e2 was more then a blast) bumping into the obviously higher point total Doc Savage, is a priceless moment. Then again though we're still talking, two Experienced Characters. Not just, Beginning to get into the swing of things.....

 

Kraven's write up looks tight. It's a solid interesting build, has that nice combination of Hourman meets the Creature Commandoes that I always liked....Great campaign idea as well.

 

Still say you have to start the Rock, at 275 though, granted, I've got ALL the comics (Well, the 422 issues or so of Sgt. Rock. Don't have all the GI Combat issues though), so I'm a touch biased and such towards the character, but you are talking about a guy, that can shoot down several me109's.....with a single thompson sub machine gun, throw grenades accuratly the distance of a football field, and wades through winter ice and water, in a shredded uniform, .30 cal bandoliers (often mistakenly cited as .50, but .50 is HEAVY, .30 makes for better lucky charms, heh), bleeding out from multiple frag wounds and several direct bullet hits.....and still go on fighting to win. The Rock is brutal. Not to mention he had some interesting villains other then just your typical Axis troops. The Iron Major was no slouch, and the Nazi Ghost Wolf, was downright evil. His Team Ups are pretty good as well. Rock has to be the guy that you see in the movies, the Juggernaut Action Hero, that's the last guy walking out of the woods leaving a battlefield of pure carnage behind him, or, a dead and dying Predator, that sort of thing.

 

I always keep this kind of element in my games really, being a huge Pulp fan and a long term fan of Comics like Sgt. Rock and all the others that came with it. It was always important for me as a military brat and what not afterwards, to make sure that in the history of "war", there were respectable Heroes in my games, that weren't nessesarily, in tights so to speak. Now, you get into the rest of Easy the points drop back since obviously, Rock is the Man, the rest are no slouches. I used 225 to 250 back in 5th ed for some "Our Army at War" con events, Hellcats, The Losers, Viking Commando etc ....Oh, Blackhawk Squadron as well, worked great, but whenever I backed Rock down from 275, he would just die instead of being last man standing.

 

Either or, a campaigns comfort zone is always felt and controled by it's GM and 225 is a solid number and a great base to start with. Sounds like a fun time, so keep up the information flow. Always on the look out for fresh ideas myself.

 

~Rex......Says, Doc Savage could take The Bat-Man, but would put his money on Frank Rock vs Either.....

 

[tenebre]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

hahah yes i concur if we go with Rock as written he might even well break 500 ;-) I mean how many Tigers did easy take out in their career? haha (i too have all the Rock comics, in fact every DCU title published since Jan 1966) yes i am severely OCD

 

My purpose in keeping the points low was to force the realism of easy company over the tights of Justice society. I can see how it would work either way. I thin he did a really good job with 225. I could see more points going into skills and whatnot. but then again they are starting out so they have something to move towards.

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

You could ration it out if you need it. Start with the solid 225 build, and then keep the remaining 50 and complications associated with it, in reserve, then in the course of play and development, you can open up the spigot and toss some of those points out to represent the leap and bound development and or things like learned power stunts etc etc ....

 

That's actually worked suprisingly well for me now and in the past. It's lead to a lot of interesting RP where folks will play within their frameworks yet, strive to achieve past the sheet limits in controled ways. Reaching Deep so to speak. A very common thing in the style of comics we're talking about.

 

It's a spot on solid build though, if it's not broke, don't fix it. Campaign sounds like it would be a lot of fun to. Jealous.

 

~Rex

[tenebre]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

hmm so how do you work that? It seems like a cool idea What an example of earning those points through the complications?

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Well, at the low end like this, where you Aim for what is essentially a 275 point character with 75 in compilications. You have them build as 225/50 characters for a solid foundation. That leaves you 50/25 in reserve.....

 

Now let's say in the course of play, Cpl. Dash up there, demonstrates exceedingly well that he is the God of All Machine Gunner. You can now as the result of game play, just Give him something like "Machine Gunner from Hell!" (something like 15 points worth of stuff), Out of the reserve. He doesn't have to spend XP on that, since it works out like a developed "power stunt" for lack of a better term. Same can be said for tossing in some skill levels, range levels, things like, deadly blow etc or other perks as you as the GM see fit, via what's happened in the game. However in the course of said events where Dash really becomes the Gotterdamderung of all Machine Gunners, he's really ticked off someone on the sidelines who begins an earnest hunt now (associated complication taken care of......)

 

In Short, it allows you to do Comic arc growth, without hampering the campaign limits, and the growth is under the GM's control, but inspired by the Player by the course of their In Game Actions, and doesn't short the player out of spending their own XP as well, or perhaps, trying to capitalize on some unknown facet of that reserve pool of points.

 

There's a lot of potential with it, and it works out like Power Stunting and what not in other game systems, while still fitting within the ceiling and point levels that the GM sets and doesn't break the curve during game play, because you ration out what's in the reserve as needed or as desired.

 

~Rex...is doing this now with a full blown 400 point game, works fantastically.

[tenebre]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

that is very cool. I think we will do this. fantastic idea!

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Yeah I thought it would be clunky when I first tried it, but what it ended up doing, was basically giving me Cookie Treats to toss out for great behavior, that are already pre factored in to the game itself, and the players, get into it, because they start to look at it in terms of serious character development via play, as well as the XP burn style of character development. See I look at Dash's sheet there, and going by the "pooled reserve" set up I worked out, I can scribble down a bunch of possible other "vampire like" powers one could run with.....

 

Then let's say, in the course of a game he get's to meet a Tiger Tank, from the business end of things. Poof, that would normally be a Dead Dash.......

 

Unless of course, he's all hopped up on Vamp Juice, and instead of exploding into fine red mist, he....well explodes into Mist......may not have a lot of control over it (again, another use of complications), but it would be a Growth Aspect of something the Player already built, which in a pulp line of thinking, if you can picture it, adding a "mist form" power to what Kraven already put together, would give you something along the lines of the looks of oh, The Prince of Orphans from Marvel comics, or the fog Effect associated with the Question (the real one not the pretender though she's growing on me, heh), or even, Combinations of both as seen via the Specter and, I Vampire (Andrew Bennett) back in the day....Hells maybe at first it's limited, to just making Fog, and as we ALL know, Fog Heroes are Cool.

 

~Rex Potential can be found in the simplest things, especially in 6e where less is more.

[Kraven Kor]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Then I'll hold off on the 275 write up. The main thing I need right now is CSL's and a few other skills or skill levels, wasn't really going to do any more powers at first. Again, the main power is the Speed, which will evolve into really high DCV, will eventually learn Passing Strike. The only martial art he knows is Pugilism and military HTH training, and I don't know exactly how you handle learning new maneuvers - some GM's require massive training and only allow specific maneuvers per style or whatever, others see them as just another SFX. Might build a low-power multipower with some Autofire and AoE HTH Attacks - run around the room in a blur beating the crap out of people, within the limits of the setting. Or penalty skill levels and +OCV for sweep and autofire maneuvers, if you'd prefer.

 

Am definitely thinking I want to speed up the healing as I progress, probably something where I basically blow a charge of the END reserve just to heal, but waiting to see exactly how you do your vamps

 

You know me, man, I like fun builds over "win buttons" any day. How many times did Pikey die?

 

Looking forward to it, as always.

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

Heh....Regen.....requires Blood Source......possibilities abound.

 

~Rex

[tenebre]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

if you have the KS: MA + at least 1 other skill in the MA and at least 10 points worth of maneuvers to start you can learn additional maneuvers with XP provided you also finishing getting the skills for the that MA.

 

hyper-fighting doesn't have any skill requirements btw ;-)

[RexMundi]

Re: WWII Fantasy / Pulp HERO, and my first 6E character.

 

KS's are under rated.....And Hyper Figting builds even more so. It's all in the SFX.

 

~Rex.... Rock > Fury .....but the Real Fury....is still cool.