"Intro to Champions" adventure

[Derek Hiemforth]

I'm putting together an adventure for Champions, and I'll be running it at a regional convention in February. I'm aiming to make it enjoyable for new players who may have been curious about Champions, but never played it.

 

I'm interested to hear what you all think would make an adventure a good "Get people hooked on Champions" adventure. Imagine that you're brand-new to Champions/Hero games, and you sit down at a table to play it for the first time.

 

What aspects of the game would really have to shine to intrigue you enough to want to buy the book and keep playing with your friends? Conversely, what elements might turn you off if they came up, and might make you not want to buy it or play it again?

 

These things can be related to the game rules, the character sheets, the GMing style, the storyline... whatever comes to mind. Thanks!

[steriaca]

Keep all characters pre-generated would help. Also concentrat on more simple powers for the PCs.

 

As for an adventure, try something rather simple, like stoping a bank roberie. VIPER agents and a superpowered lowlevel Dragon Branch-er should do. If the players want, the game can be expanded for "who" and "why".

[Tom Cowan]

Yes, pre-gen the characters.  Try to show that once you 'build' a power then things are simple.  i.e. make a Ball-Lightning attack other other power that have power modifiers.  Then put the power and how it works on the character sheets.  On the back of the sheet show how you built the power.

 

Ball-Lightning: you call fourth a 4m radiusspher of ball lightning that lasts for some time. the 8d6 normal Blast that can move up to 12m per Phase that you get to act in.  This will hit ever one inside the Ball-Lightning.   Ball-Lightning costs endurance only to activate.

 

Blast 7d6, Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+1/4), Constant (+1/2), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +3/4), Mobile (12m per Phase; +1/2) (87 Active Points)

 

on the back you would cover how and why you build the powper that way

 

or some other power that shows you can create the hero as you want and once you made the hero it is as ez as any other system

[Cassandra]

The original Champions adventure had a group of heroes gathered together by UNTIL to foil a VIPER plot.  It involved preventing the assassination of a defecting VIPER agent.  Going up a squad a 100 point VIPER agents with the back up of a villain on the same level as your heroes would be a nice way of debuting a team.

[PhantomGM2602]

You may have to include a villain option for the PCs as well as some pre-generated villains. Also include some NPCs for the adventure and make it no more than about three to five scenarios.

[bigbywolfe]

Having villains to fight kind of goes without saying Phantom.  I really don't think a villain option for PCs to play is really needed in an introductory adventure though.  How many intro-level D&D modules had an "oh, and if you want to play as the orcs raping and plundering the village do this" option?  

[Derek Hiemforth]

You may have to include a villain option for the PCs as well as some pre-generated villains. Also include some NPCs for the adventure and make it no more than about three to five scenarios.

 

 

Having villains to fight kind of goes without saying Phantom.  I really don't think a villain option for PCs to play is really needed in an introductory adventure though.  How many intro-level D&D modules had an "oh, and if you want to play as the orcs raping and plundering the village do this" option?  

 

Remember, this isn't for a book/module... I'm seeking suggestions for an adventure that I'm going to be running myself at a convention.  There will definitely be pregenerated characters, but it will just be the one scenario, I'll run the villains, etc.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, folks!  Keep 'em coming! 

[bigbywolfe]

Heh, sorry, got caught up responding to other people's posts and forgot the details of the OP 

[bluesguy]

Well I will toot my own horn but I think a GM at a convention would find Hero Combat Manager very helpful because you can remove the 'burden' from the players in tracking the Stun, End, and Body for the PCs by using Hero Combat Manager.  Basically you can teach the players how to do the tracking and then give them the option of tracking it themselves or saying "The software I use to help track the combat allows me to watch the results for your characters in addition to the NPCs.  So if tracking Stun, End and Body is a bit confusing just say so and we will focus on the rest of the system during the game."  

[Alverant]

I actually ran one earlier this year and learned a few things from it.

1) Give the players options for their characters (have male and female versions of each character for example) and give them different personality types

2) Have a general idea of what you want the adventure to be but don't get bogged down in specifics. Players will do what you don't expect them to do.

3) Someone sent me a link to a 2 page summary of the 6th edition rules. Sorry I don't have the link now but if you can find it, print out a few copies for your players.

4) If you have a regular gaming group, test the game with them first.

5) Have the adventure be flexible for different numbers of players.

6) Keep the powers easy to explain.

7) If your villains have suspectabilities and/or weaknesses give the PCs powers to exploit them

 

In my game I had Deathstroke trying to reform by recruiting villains and planning for a break in at a Chicago natural history museum. My plan was for there to be a fight at the museum itself but both times the players found out where Deathstroke was hiding out and ambushed them at the warehouse. I'm not sure if it helps or hurts to put the game in a real world setting because in the convention game one of the players knew more about the area than I did and it turned out that I got some things wrong. OTOH putting it in a real setting means you can print out actual maps and get ideas. Like in my game the museum was near Lake Micigan so the villains were going to steal a boat and use it to escape. Chiller planned to use his ice powers to create mini-icebergs to keep the police boats at bay.

[GhostDancer]

"Deathstroke trying to reform"...heh, totally read that the wrong way 'til I finished the sentence.

 

Use the convention format character sheets, doesn't show Characteristic costs, etc.

 

Use pregens based on famous characters- include pictures and at least one paragraph Backgrounds.

 

Stress cool stuff, like Knockback and ambushing your foes and....

[psyber624]

This wont apply to all gamers so you may have to "read your audience" but make sure that the pregens have limitations/complications that can be roleplayed and bring the player into the game more. Far to many convention games I have played in have been bare bones slugfests and that can turn me off to a system quicker than anything. Remember that your players will likely NOT have read a rule book or genre book or anything so their decision to continue in HERO is likely to be based less off of the mechanics of the system than how "fun" you made the game. They wont get a firm enough grasp of the mechanics in a one shot scenario to make any kind of true opinion of it, that's not your job (unless your giving a technical demo of the system). You need to make it fun and unique.

 

Sorry, kind of rambling there :/

[kahuna's bro]

don't make the heroes TOO powerful but not pushovers either make them at low or street level or tv level

[GhostDancer]

Since it will be February, maybe the adventure relates to Groundhog Day or Valentine's Day or Presidents' Day?  The former could include a mole machine that is severing gas lines...

[GhostDancer]

 Robocops (Robocop remake screening Friday February 7)...multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years – and it’s meant billions for OmniCorp’s bottom line.  However, there is a security concern at the OmniCorp Willow Run Assembly plant in greater Detroit.  Should be no problem for your crack team of troubleshooters, yes?  

[GhostDancer]

Just a general note, not an issue for the experienced Derek Hiemforth, but there have been one or two times when I suggested several combat options to a newbie.  Go easy on that- it's not often needed.

[Hugh Neilson]

This wont apply to all gamers so you may have to "read your audience" but make sure that the pregens have limitations/complications that can be roleplayed and bring the player into the game more. Far to many convention games I have played in have been bare bones slugfests and that can turn me off to a system quicker than anything. Remember that your players will likely NOT have read a rule book or genre book or anything so their decision to continue in HERO is likely to be based less off of the mechanics of the system than how "fun" you made the game. They wont get a firm enough grasp of the mechanics in a one shot scenario to make any kind of true opinion of it, that's not your job (unless your giving a technical demo of the system). You need to make it fun and unique.

 

Sorry, kind of rambling there :/

 

The nice thing about a Con game is that you can tie the PC complications directly into the scenario.  As well, opportunities to use unusual powers can be built into the game.

 

One of the best things about Hero is the fine customization, which is hard to build into pre-gen's (I suppose each could have some fine tuning choices, like picking 2 of 5 possible slots to round out a multipower, but hat makes it tough to build those powers into the game).

 

I agree with getting creative on the character sheets.  The point buy details aren't necessary, so give the power a flashy name and a quick description of the mechanics, and provide a real Hero sheet with the build details that isn't needed in the actual game so they can see the builds after if desired.  I also agree with using recognizable homage characters, but I think the guy who's run the Super Friends games can likely figure that one out.  Given their prevalence, the movie avengers  might be a good choice.

 

I'd avoid a lot of exotic attacks or defenses, but a villain with a Drain (or Flash, or mental powers) and no (or only one) hero with Power Defense (Mental Flash; Enhanced Senses) would showcase his abilities.

 

For those who would use them, consider providing specific maneuvers on the character sheets as if they were "powers".  For example, a speedster's move by or move through, a Brick could show Grab, maybe Trip.  It's tough to highlight the various combat maneuvers if the players don't think to use them, but at the same time you don't want to bury them with options.  Perhaps show standard maneuvers, and two or three that are that character's "signature move".  eg.  this guy likes to Grab or Trip, that one uses Strafes and Move Throughs, the third will Haymaker on occasion, etc.

 

don't make the heroes TOO powerful but not pushovers either make them at low or street level or tv level

 

Depending on how many encounters you expect, some mooks that allow the players to see how powerful their characters are, compared to Normals, might be worth including in one encounter, although that creates the risk of "oops" casualties as the players don't realize how powerful they really are. 

[GhostDancer]

I'm with psyber624, do something special to emphasize roleplay, such as shooting a PSA (public service announcement) or attending a funeral or retirement or birthday or such where the characters are encouraged to speak up.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Thanks again, all!

 

I've run many convention games in the past, so I know that most of the advice surrounding those considerations is right on the money. I'll likely go with a hero team that isn't actually the Justice League or the Avengers, but where each of the characters is an easily-recognizable homage to a famous comic book character.

 

With character sheets for introductory games, I'm always a little torn between using simplified/customized sheets that go light on the numbers, and using "normal" sheets like they're going to see in the books or from most Hero Designer exports. I don't want to scare them off with a sheet that makes gameplay seem more daunting than it really is by including a lot of accounting, but I don't necessarily want them to be completely lost looking at a full character sheet either.

 

I think maybe I'll do both... I'll give them the simplified sheets for the initial game, but also provide them with full character sheets (for the same characters) at the end, so they can see the full thing with a character they've already become familiar with. That way, they'll have a better idea what all those numbers on the full sheet mean before they confront it.

 

Great suggestions so far! Keep tossing 'em out if you've got 'em!

[Christougher]

If you don't already have a handout like I'm building in this thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/index.php?/topic/87521-how-to-play-hero-in-two-pages/

something like that to get them into the game, quickly, seems like a good idea.  Of course, if you already have one, I'd appreciate some comment on mine.  

 

Please, please DON'T use the cliche bank robbery story.  Make it interesting, make it personal to the characters involved.  Give them some investigation or chase, a little fight, a little more investigation or chase, and then the big fight.  Show them that the HERO system (and the GM) an do so much more than just 'a bank robbery'.

 

Chris.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Please, please DON'T use the cliche bank robbery story.  Make it interesting, make it personal to the characters involved.  Give them some investigation or chase, a little fight, a little more investigation or chase, and then the big fight.  Show them that the HERO system (and the GM) an do so much more than just 'a bank robbery'

I was actually thinking of using the cliche, but turning it on its head. I'm considering having a "hook" scene early in the scenario that starts out seeming to be a classic/routine comic book bank robbery, but quickly turns into, or is revealed to be, something different and more unusual. I want the scenario to include a mix of familiar supers tropes and less "expected" fare, and was thinking of using the "bank robbery" as the point where things really transition from one to the other.

[Greywind]

There's a reason for clichés.

[Cassandra]

In the first Justice League Animated Series episode the heroes were gathered by a telepathic call for help from the Martian Manhunter.  He was trying to warn them of an alien invasion.  Unfortunately they didn't get the message until the alien invasion had actually started.

[Cassandra]

All Star Squadron's first Annual had a number of heroes gather when they discovered they were trained by the same man, and had to solve the mystery.  A group of new heroes could meet when they are looking for someone they didn't know they had in common.

[JohnTaber]

I ran my introductory adventure Infectious Enthusiasm at DunDraCon last year.  It went really well.  After a LOT of thought and after looking at LOT of sheets I ened up going with the straight HD PDF output.  It is clean and easy to read.

 

I went over the sheets carefully with the group and highlighted concepts as I went.

 

I had a GM shield insert with basic Hero fomula in huge text.  I can see if I can dig that up if you want it.  Things like the to hit formula, rolling damage and counting body/stun,etc.  In HUGE font.

 

I have most of the handouts available if you want a copy...just let me know...