Champions GMing: Similar archetypes on the same team

[phoenix240]

Have you run PC groups with two characters with the same general archetype and abilities like two bricks or two mentalists? How did it work out and do you have suggestions or advice about running groups like that?

 

[DusterBoy]

Well, I've got a version of the Champions with two bricks... one's very quick, essentially an ex-football player version of Colossus, the other is much more the classic brick: very big and tough with the classical brick tactics: stand there and take and dish out lots of damage. Both have Speed 3, by the way and good Dex scores, it's just they fill different tactical niches. Also, the secondary brick is a back-up member in case they need more muscle.

[Hyper-Man]

Just as in the comics it's also important in a game setting to emphasize the differences between similar characters like this.

 

I loved how the Justice League Animated series established that Wonder Woman (Flyer/Martial Artist/Brick) could hold her own vs. Superman (Speedster/Flyer/EnergyProjector/Brick) with no issues but she had problems against some of his enemies like Mongul and Kalibak (Pure Bricks) that Superman had previously defeated*.

 

*Part of this boiled down to WW almost always fighting all-out whereas Superman holding back until he's sure he is not in danger of hurting someone if he cuts loose.

[IndianaJoe3]

Have you run PC groups with two characters with the same general archetype and abilities like two bricks or two mentalists? How did it work out and do you have suggestions or advice about running groups like that?

 

I played in a game where both I and one of the other players decided (independently) play armored characters. He had a medieval theme, but mine was technological. We both had a good time with it, even though we both wound up in the same tactical niche in combat. (Out of combat we were very different.)

 

I suppose that if everyone is having fun, it doesn't matter if archetypes overlap.

[Rails]

In college, I played in a big campaign--15 or 16 players at one time--where virtually all archetypes had multiple characters.  It worked pretty well for us because it allowed us to split into squads without any glaring combat weaknesses.  We often had multiple gaming sessions in a week with small teams, then one big session to bring everyone together.

 

The characters' and players' personalities were varied enough to avoid serious out-of-combat overlaps most of the time.  In the few cases where overlap developed, the characters went the friendly competition route.

 

Overall, the campaign was a lot of fun even though the big sessions tended to drag because of side chatter developing and players not paying attention to the action.

[lemming]

During college, there was a period where we had seven bricks and one martial artist.  However, everyone had different schticks, so it was fine.

[BlueCloud2k2]

During a game I ran in college a couple of friends both wanted to play twin bricks.

 

They managed to KO pretty much any enemy in the first phase of combat because they would do coordinated Move-Throughs or Move-Bys.

 

Once I caught on, I had planned on sending them up against Grond but we had to indefinitely postpone the game before I could do it.

[st barbara]

Just as in the comics it's also important in a game setting to emphasize the differences between similar characters like this.

 

I loved how the Justice League Animated series established that Wonder Woman (Flyer/Martial Artist/Brick) could hold her own vs. Superman (Speedster/Flyer/EnergyProjector/Brick) with no issues but she had problems against some of his enemies like Mongul and Kalibak (Pure Bricks) that Superman had previously defeated*.

 

*Part of this boiled down to WW almost always fighting all-out whereas Superman holding back until he's sure he is not in danger of hurting someone if he cuts loose.

 

I liked the fact that the animated Justice League series always played up The Martian Manhunter's other abilities (desolid, mental powers etc, even if it DID make him come across as a copy of Marvel's "Vision") rather than his super strength.

[Balabanto]

Multiple bricks are easy. Do not forget that people can martial dodge. Or martial throw.

 

Offense is impressive, but remembering that you can abort and hold wins the game.

[rjcurrie]

I guess this just shows how people differ.  I'd worry more about characters with similar personalities than characters with similar powersets.

[Badger]

I never saw much trouble in that type of thing. But, I tend to have fun dreaming up unconventional tactics, anyway.  If worse, comes to worse, you can always have the bad guys split up forcing the good guys to split to go after them.

 

In any case, out of combat, more than likely the 2 archetypes have different skills/personalities, so that can offset a bit.

 

 

Note: I really dont like to play characters that completely fit into one certain archetype, I seem to end up building guys who might lean to one, but has a "minors degree" in at least 2 others.

[Hermit]

I find Bricks to be the easiest to pile up on as long as the players are cool each having their sub niche. One brick might be have better defenses while the other is just a bit stronger, then add to that differences in appearance, background, and attitude and each stands out pretty well. I'd say blasters are a close second depending.

[TheQuestionMan]

I have never found it a problem as a GM or Player.

 

I tend to worry more about Skills though.

 

QM

[phydaux]

I had one gaming group where this was never an issue as all the players went out of their way not to step on another player's "stkich."  

 

My more recent gaming group this WAS a problem as every player (other than me) played the SAME type of character EVERY time.  Different setting, different points level, but they all just played the SAME type of character EVERY time.

[BlueCloud2k2]

One guy in my existing DnD game only plays mages (he claims he played Paladins and Fighters before I moved here, but I believe it when I see it).

[TheQuestionMan]

I always thought the idea behind gaming was to have fun and let the Players play what they like.

 

IIRC

 

QM