Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

[pruttm]

So I have been working on building a high-tech spy organization that I have used successfully with PCs being members of the organization and it seems to work best as gritty and deadly with characters designed around 275 points. However, I have also successfully used the same organization in Champions Universe games with superheroic level villains opposing organization members along with Superheroic PC supers. Most of the villains I have created seem to be more geared for the Superheroic games, but some could be used in a Very Power Heroic game too.

 

I guess what I am trying to figure out how to organize this stuff into a document for use with both power levels. Here are some options I have considered:

 

 

1) Write it Heroic with notes to make it Superheroic.

2) Write it Superheroic with notes to make it Heroic.

3) Just decide already. Make it one or the other.

4) Make separate files for each.

5) Make it all the same power level (Superheroic), but turn on things like hit locations and bleeding to keep the grit.

6) The answer I can't obviously figure out.

 

Help?

 

Pete Ruttman

[Kirby]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

What's the point level difference? You only mentioned the (player?) characters around 275 points. Is this the low-end game? And how Superheroic are you talking? 350? 700?

 

With what you've provided, I would start with the lower-end character write-up first. Then create a higher-end character as well, using the low-end one as the template. If you have Watchers of the Dragon (4E) by any chance, they do a great example of this with the different levels of ninjas.

[pruttm]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

For the Heroic option:

Very Power Heroic

275 Pts

 

For the Superhero option:

 

Standard Superheroic

400 Pts

 

That said many of the NPCs are coming in at 360ish points because they have a lot of skills and Knowledge Skills, in particular. These are high ranking members of the organization though and PCs wouldn't be at this point yet, so I am thinking 275 makes sense for a beginning agent.

 

Pete

[Balabanto]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

Wait for Imaginary Friends

 

Meet SPIDER!

[Christougher]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

I'm with Kirby. Start (stat?) them out for heroic; most of the time the nearer-to-human level gives you better ideas of personalities, motivations and goals and plans and abilities...

 

That, and its always easier to add points than remove them. If you have a heroic starting point, you could do a simple ramp up by adding 30 AP or doubling them.

 

Chris.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

I would design it from a superheroic perspective and work down from there. I find it easier to explain lesser powered heroes in a powerful campaign rather than the other way around.

[psyber624]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

Why not just do both? This organization could clearly be designed to operate at any power level, depending on which "branch" of the organization you are dealing with. Look at most of the existant organizations in CU. They can have grunt agents built as competent normals with some equipment, all the way to bosses built on 1000 points or more. Design your organization the same way. If a GM wants to use it for a low powered campaign the "Superhero" branch doesn't exist. And just because the local boss is 300 points more expensive than the heroes if its all skills and contacts then he really isn't any more "powerful" than the rest of the heroes. If a GM is playing a superhero game then the organization has access to its "Superhero" branch and the PC's could be a team of it if s/he wishes. All the grunt level guys are still around, they just deal with the more mundane threats and aspects of the organization. At least one of the low point guys is probably the PC's Boss in this setup, who gives out orders (if he had superpowers he would be in the field fighting, not sitting behind a desk organizing). That is one of the beauties of a large organization, you will have members of highly different power levels all working together. It is a goal they share, not a point total

[Christougher]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

The point is, they're *not* just branches of the same organization, it's intended to be the same organization in different games - one Heroic, one Superhero. It's not like you can say 'these are the toughest guys(Bosses?) in the Heroic version, but just lieutenants when in the Superheroic version.

 

Chris.

[Cassandra]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

Super Agencies tend to be staffed by 100 Point agents. Their best agents are 150 Point agents built on the same template, but with additional skills and weapons. Their top agents are 250 Points level with Normal Characteristics Maximus, and a VPP for all the gadgets they have.

 

Nick Fury is 250 Points

 

Maria Hill and Phil Coulson are 150 Points

 

The Rest of the Combat/Covert SHIELD Agents are 100 Points

[Burrito Boy]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

I vote for option 3. Just decide already and let prospective GMs decide if they want to alter the power level for their games.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Organization for use in both Very Powerful Heroic and Standard Superheroic gaming

 

Since what you describe sounds like the upgrade from the Heroic version mostly involved adding 400 pt. supers, I would say start with the Superheroic version of the organization. Assuming that's the case, they should be easy to strip out of the group when you want play at a lower power level.