Champions Begins - the GM Starter pack

[rnadams2]

Just to offer a reality check, it was my understanding that this was to be a freely-offered PDF, with production accomplished through volunteers. However it's decided to ultimately produce the project, I'm still good as far as volunteering layout, typesetting, and design*. I've worked in the printing industry for over 20 years, so I know what's required and "speak the language," if this ends up being a printed piece.

 

That said, if it's decided that the project deserves more, then maybe setting up something like a Patreon -- or even a Kickstarter -- would be an option. Just keep in mind that the latter (in particular) assumes a lot of commitment.

 

* I am not, however, an artist capable of producing illustrations.

[TheQuestionMan]

I recommend using San Angelo: City of Heroes as a Template.

[Spence]

Ignore...double post.

 

 

Sorry. My cell phone hickuped.

 

 

Temperamental 4-g cell phone.

 

Proof that our machine overlords are in control.....

[Christopher R Taylor]

I, for one, welcome them.

[Christopher R Taylor]

OK I'm going back over the characters and tweaking them.  For example, with Ace, the pitcher with specialty energy pitches... I dumped the multipower for the intro character.  When the players get their first premade and know nothing about the game, the fewer options, the better.  The cost ended up being identical to have just the one energy blast pitch as the full multipower, interestingly enough.  Now he has the one ranged attack and one hand to hand attack with the bat.

 

I am going to go through all of the characters and break them down further to greater simplicity and direct builds, then when people get experience they can start to build complexity.

[Ninja-Bear]

Printable range rulers and area of effect templates, that can be scaled as desired by the user. Also 60 degree turn keys for movement.

Since I learned to play.Champions, the group never used turn.modes or made you roll for leaping. Since this is a beginner game, either ignore or all characters have accurate.

[Ninja-Bear]

Temperamental 4-g cell phone.

I feel your pain. I use my.android a lot. So if yiu see extra periods where they don't belong, you know why.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Since I learned to play.Champions, the group never used turn.modes or made you roll for leaping. Since this is a beginner game, either ignore or all characters have accurate.

 

 

I agree, for the base game of just a tutorial, I'd leave out the turn modes acceleration rules, aiming to leap, etc.  That kind of thing can be introduced in the Campaign book later.

But AE templates, character cards, and paper minis are all cheap and useful.

[Christopher R Taylor]

OK I just read this through all the way from the beginning again and I disconnected somehow from people, I think I got so interested in getting started I stopped reading carefully.  I apologize to anyone I blew past or ignored.

 

 A couple things stand out

 

1) We were going to do Deathstroke, with maybe some elements of Viper's Nest slipped in to extend the mission

2) The spy character was going to be Swallow/Raven, not Specter, so I built a totally different character for no good reason.

3) Most of the builds I did were too complicated and had too much stuff for starters, I've begun stripping then down to a more simple and direct build.

 

I'll make the rebuilds available here in a while, but for now I'm working on building Swallow.  I'm not sure she should have a Russian background just because that might nudge up a bit too much against Black Widow, but maybe we could just wink at it with the name and mention "a foreign government once hostile to the USA" and leave it at that.

[Joe Walsh]

Simpler builds sounds like the right thing to do for a starter set!  

 

In fact, I've recently been thinking it's the right thing to do, period, in the modern age if you want to be able to attract players.

[steriaca]

Humm...any updates on this?

 

And, which version of Deathstroke team are we going for? Before rebranding? After rebranding? Or 'everyone is new to the group except for Requime and Frost' group?

 

And whatever we choose, the villains should be as simple in powers as the heros are (remember, the GM would be a newcomer also).

[steriaca]

Looking over Deathstroke's stats, Frost does not need to be dummed down much. Requime, on the other hand, has two nakide advantages on his multipower. Either they must go, or we have to build him an armor piercing attack and a penatrating attack.

 

Now, the 'new Deathstroke' idea is fine. We can always put the four standard new players villains into this group (Amarillo, Green Dragon, Oger, and Pulsar).

[steriaca]

Pulsar: Can be used as is.

 

Oger: He has a nakid advantage on his Strength ("Roomsweeper": Area of Effect). That might have to be left out of his sheet.

 

Green Dragon: His stances multipower might be problematic to a new GM. Also, he has a lot of martial arts manuvers (more manuvers = more choices = slowing down the game). I vote for using a new martial arts villain.

 

Amarillo: Lots of options, much like Green Dragon, but he looks right. His options could be wittled down to just tunnelling, and making him more like a brick than an energy blaster.

[Christopher R Taylor]

This could really go in any genre, but I'll post it here.

 

A lot of different computer games have "achievements" you can unlock, basically they are little in-game goals with no real reward other than a pat on the back for doing something difficult or unusual.  I was thinking about this and wondering how to put it into a real RPG setting.  Why?  Well in thinking about the Champions 101 project, I was thinking its a useful way to transition people from computer games into real paper RPGS and to reward people in ways other than just experience. 

 

Champions is a bit light on rewards usually other than praise from people being saved etc.  There's no real "loot" to speak of, which might confuse or dismay some new players.  And "Achievements" are meaningless attaboys that people seem to like.  Some in games have minor benefits like pets or titles, I was thinking of ways to get them to translate into Champions so I could add them into the 101 project.

 

Here are some ideas I came up with while considering the topic

 

• A Hero point; a way of earning one
• A favor from someone (you rescued the princess!  She gives you one favor you can call on)
• A contact (the Police Commissioner promises to take your calls)
• A one-shot rep bonus or striking appearance bonus (that's the guy who beat Grond!!!)

[Ninja-Bear]

I love the martial art rules and I have never been a fan of the stances multipower. In a martial arts themed game they might be ok but for a beginner game? I don't think so.

[Ninja-Bear]

I aso second the idea of no multipowers for a beginner play. I would also add somewhere the scenario game build guide lines. I look for these now in any books I buy. It helps me to know that 8D6 blast is considered low and 10D6 is average for example. Iow the characters aren't built in a void.

[Ninja-Bear]

Also another thing I look for when reading a book is not only the How something is built but Why it is.

[Ninja-Bear]

Here's a thought. How about just building Green Dragon as he was in BBB more or leas and rename him?

[steriaca]

Here's a thought. How about just building Green Dragon as he was in BBB more or leas and rename him?

That is doable...

[Christopher R Taylor]

Is he even around in the 6th edition?  I always liked that costume

[JmOz]

Personal opinion:

​Teen Titans would be better than avengers

 

Skilled Norm (Robin)

Brick (cyborg)

Mystic (Raven)

Blaster (Starfire)

[Christopher R Taylor]

I am mulling the idea of giving people only a set group of specific characters for the tutorial: you get one of these six.  I know its fun to have options and such but that means a lot more work, illustrations, etc, and increases the odds you end up with a strange group that can't work well together.

 

This is in my mind turning into 2 products: one freebie super simple intro and one campaign intro product, with more info on how to build characters, etc.

[Spence]

Personal opinion:

 

​Teen Titans would be better than avengers

 

Skilled Norm (Robin)

Brick (cyborg)

Mystic (Raven)

Blaster (Starfire)

 

I'd agree on this one.  I haven't really been following too closely, but if we are still talking about an intro game, then I'd start with a less powered group.  Teen Titans would be a great choice wether you envisioned the comic or the old animated series.  More accessible in play IMO.

[Ninja-Bear]

Is he even around in the 6th edition? I always liked that costume

He's in CC and pretty much built like Watchers of the Dragon

[Christopher R Taylor]

The power level of characters in Hero is determined by their point totals, so using Avengers is no different than using Teen Titans in the sense of power.  What is different is more universal familiarity and recognition.  If we use Justice League/Avengers characters (with say, Spider-Man thrown in) you get familiarity with players and an easier device to pull them into the setting and concepts.