Power Armor Ideas?

[Kajaro]

To simplify the current game world - imagine your standard high power (350pt) campaign with the color somewhere close to the Justice League cartoon.

 

Would anyone care to share some ideas for a power armor characters - power armor?

 

Help!

[Hermit]

Well, anything you need ideas on specifically? That's pretty broad.

Are you asking for a cool concept for power arrays?

Who is the guy(Or gal) Behind the armor and how did they get it?

or both?

[Hermit]

Oh well, in the mean time, some ideas for Powered Armor characters... most you've seen before I'm sure:

 

[*]The character builds his own suit of power armor

[*]The character tests the suit (Military R&D?) and ends up using it as a super hero

[*]The character finds an alien crash site, and the suit is within. Good luck figuring it out.

[*]The character somehow gets his hands on a villain's suit of armor (Spare or otherwise) and must use it his own way, hopefully other heroes won't assume he's the same guy.

[*]The Character inherits the suit, and others may never know he's not the same guy!

[/list=1]

[Kajaro]

Oops

 

Didn't mean to be so broad - I guess I was in a hurry.

 

I'm looking some of the following:

 

1. Cool links where I could get some artwork on power armor.

 

2. Ideas for Power Armor-esque Powers besides the standby of ARMOR and ENERGY BLASTS.

 

2a. movement powers, sensory powers, defensive powers, etc.

 

3. Colorful concepts for how/why the power armor works?

 

I have kind of an idea for one type of attack - but don't know how to build it either. Imagine the power cells overheating or corrupting - and having the ability to eject them or force the eject so they explode. So I would have to work through what that does - does it render the suit at partial power running on backup or shut it down? Just one idea I had.

[Storn]

This discussion came up recently as we are all crafting new characters or fitting existing ones into a New Champions game. Our player, James, was leaning towards a powersuit character... and this is what I came up with as an idea for one (pasted below). However, now I think James is leaning towards an Empath. There is a kernal of an idea in there...

 

 

from my e-mail:

 

I came up with this character while inking

> Spycraft stuff. It occurs to me, James, that you

> are steeped in video games (I remember seeing you

> play Street Fighter at your house)... and because of

> that, a certain awareness of anime and manga.

>

> Lets take advantage of that... because that

> sensability exists next door to RDU. I'm gonna

> sketch out a character concept and bracket why I

> think these things work for RDU.

>

> The PC is a young Korean-American who's uncle is

> a the head scientist/engineer on a Paolo Alta power

> suit project. The Uncle is brilliant and the suit

> is a step forward in some quirky way (maybe it has

> teleport... making it different than ALL other power

> suits).

>

> [Why Korean? Because Gearhead was japanese and

> there are plenty of Japanese in RDU and yet no

> Koreans. Why Paolo Alta? Because it immediately

> says something about the character, she/he's West

> Coast. That is a very different, yet still

> American, vibe than Star Demon's midwest upbringing,

> Impetus's NYC upbringing or Barracuda's Inner

> Beltway upbringing.]

>

> Now, why is the PC the suit's pilot? Well, the

> PC has some physical problem that the suit

> compensates for.. Blindness? Lameness? Deafness?

> and the kindly Uncle design the suit to help his

> niece/nephew... yeah, yeah, it such an Astro Boy

> trope, I know. But the physical rehab in order to

> pilot the suit is the precise reason the PC is SO

> good at it. Classic comic book. Also, great, GREAT

> P.R. for Champions... a physically challenged Hero,

> taking his/her place among this high profile team.

> Freakin' gold, I tell ya! .

>

> Now why is there only one suit? Because much of

> the suit design was in the Uncle's head. And the

> Uncle had the unfortunate timing to be going to a

> Engineer symposium in Japan right before the Jade

> Shield went up. The suit was finished based on

> sketchy Uncle details and notes by the corporation

> that Uncle worked for. And there is the

> compensation for the physical disability that makes

> the pilot-suit interface unique.

>

> Also, this gives Neil a *chance* of exploring

> Japan's situation from another angle... or it

> doesn't have to. My belief is to give Neil as many

> hooks as I possibly think of.

>

> So, if it was my character, I would do a female,

> blind, teleporting powersuit with the targeting

> sense *allowing* for that teleporting (something

> like spatial awareness). Teleport technology is a

> closely guarded aspect of RDU... it makes the

> character really special. Lot of technology and

> philosophy of the tport powersuit comes from UNTIL's

> exploration of Tport space... maybe legally exchange

> of info OR illegally by the Corp (another hook).

[Rechan]

Re: Oops

 

Originally posted by Kajaro

Didn't mean to be so broad - I guess I was in a hurry.

 

I'm looking some of the following:

 

2. Ideas for Power Armor-esque Powers besides the standby of ARMOR and ENERGY BLASTS.

 

2a. movement powers, sensory powers, defensive powers, etc.

 

3. Colorful concepts for how/why the power armor works?

 

Okay, how about these:

 

1. A suit that basicly is a speedster. It moves at incredible rate; this creates a lot of heat and friction. The suit then absorbs the heat and friction caused by the fast movement (And this could be considered fuel, energy for blasts, damage shields, etc). The suit could allow for your speedster powers; teleportation (with open space availible), powerful jumps, reflex additives, etc.

 

2. A stealth-assassin suit; it offers invis powers (light bending), clinging, jumping. It only compliments the powers of the person inside (you could attach silencer guns, blades, or just have the guy inside a Martial artist).

 

3. Instead of treating the suit like a tech suit, treat it like a Mystic: Imagine riding around inside a suit made of fire/water/energy, a hollowed out plant/animal/etc. Instead of powered armor, the PC could go unconcious and enter a Golem and thus his unconcious body has to be guarded.

 

4. Unused powers: Absorption (either ED via converting energy to power, or PD converting kinetic energy to power due to paticular alloys which could conduct heat/electrity or vibrations). Desolidication (Vibrating the suit and whover inside fast enough to move through particals). Find Weakness (computer processing allowing to analyze weaknesses in a paticular target). Damage Reduction (Hey, it could be not just armor, but it could soften the blows too!). Gliding/Running (Ever seen MegaMan X? Dashing/sliding). Clinging (again Megaman X; imagine jumping up walls and then leaping off the wall onto another). Summoning (A small mecha that can break apart and form various things by the command of the controller). Images (Light manipulation). Stretching (Firing limbs at people). Extra-Limbs (Doc Oc anyone?).

 

 

[astralfrontier]

The "Spawn armor" from the movie would make a pretty unique "power-armor" suit. If you don't like mystic origins, create a chameleonic "active weave" using nanotechnology, and give it similar powers. Stretching, Images (no range), various HKA/RKA attacks, possibly Regeneration, various movement modes..

[Kajaro]

Armor?

 

I'm thinking more along the line of an Iron Man-esque armor suit from the Ultimates combined with Alien technology.

 

Long story short - the character discovered a crashed spacecraft in the ocean with alien technology. Holograms of the original inhabitants share alien physic concepts and such and advanced schematics to allow this character to build an advanced technological suit.

 

Obviously with that kind of technology it's highly likely this character would own a corporation like Wayne Tech or Stark Enterprises.

 

I'm not copying these from the comics - but saving time for anyone reading this so they can understand the kind of color I'm going for quickly.

 

I guess I should have put it in the original post - I just didnt want to get too involved in detail.

 

Thoughts?

[Storn]

B]I'm thinking more along the line of an Iron Man-esque armor suit from the Ultimates combined with Alien technology. [/b]

 

THEN why ask us?

 

Geez, if you want the most cliche'd, basic Iron Man rip off, why not say so?

 

Instead, you led me to believe you wanted some cool variations, something OTHER than the usual.

[JmOz]

Try this:

 

The suit creates "Force", the suit it self provides almost NO defense (5/5 Armor, it is normal in my games for characters to have protective Spandex), then provide a force field, and FF effects, so Flight (Force Propulsion), EB, TK, and FW all are naturals

 

Another idea is for it to provide access to amazing enhanced senses that make the wearer a great Brawler (HA, Dex, Etc...) essentialy a MA based around HA...

[Hermit]

Methinks Storn isn't getting enough coffee, either that or too much

 

 

Kajaro, if you have a lot of official 5th Ed Champions stuff. Conquerers, Killers, and Crooks, Champions Universe, etc... or Terran Empire (Which is admitedly, a STAR hero product instead of Champions) might have some references to alien races that would have had the crash. I'd pick one. It could definitely affect things and become a creative hook.

 

In fact, A H'zeel shipcrash is (If I recall correctly) how the Warlord got some of his armor Tech. Sounds like a built in hunted and storyline right there

[Dog Soldier]

Intelligent armor with its own secret agenda is always fun:D

[Rechan]

Originally posted by Dog Soldier

Intelligent armor with its own secret agenda is always fun:D

 

I once played in a game where we were working for a secret organization, and were sent to investigate this superhacker.

 

It turned out that the hacker was actually an AI, one of three; the AIs were designed from technology scalvaged from an alien ship, and one of the AIs was taking over the other two. The AI planned to call back the alien race to come pick him up; the alien race were not... nice. In the least. o.o

[Kajaro]

Cool

 

Well I definitely had no intention to insult anyone. Power armor is somewhat a new territory.

 

I only used the iron-man-esque armor example to represent mass. Most of the suits ideas I'm hearing sound more like spandex than clunky power armor. I'm going more for the color of the bulky suit.

 

How would you build the power cells - would that be an END RESERVE? If so, how would I build a last ditch attack that allows me to eject the power core and detonate it into a massive explosion. Bearing in mind the consequence that this is the suits main power unit and that it would have to go on some sort of backup.

 

Anyone know of links to find power armor related artwork?

[Storn]

I have a couple of power armor artwork kicking around my website. Check color interiors, private commissions and doodles. Site is in the sig.

[Vorsch]

As a extra power for armour, a EC of mental powers vs machines, and mind link Vs machines.

 

Dont know if you have read the book Fallen Dragon by Peter F Hamilton, but give the armour PRIME.

 

You become Cyber Power Armour Guy

 

Vorsch

[Zeropoint]

Here's an idea I've been kicking around:

 

Power armor is usually depicted as being a super-sleek, high-tech affair. Picture, if you will, a suit made by someone who is bright, maybe even brilliant, but neither a super-genius nor a millionare. What happens when your suit is powered by off-the-shelf hydraulic systems and your defenses are oridinary hardened steel? Your suit gets BIG, that's what happens. It looks more like a walking WWII tank than the metallic spandex that Iron Man wears. Why not throw in some WWII super-science weapons, as well? Maybe a Tesla coil based electrical blaster, or a sonic weapon powered by repeated detonations of a flammable gas would be a good fit.

 

To *really* play up the "clunky" feel, make it diesel-powered.

 

Not being able to fit through most doors will be an inconvenience, or a roleplaying opportunity, depending on your perspective.

 

Well, that might be more than two cents' worth, but there you go. Make of it what you will.

 

Zeropoint

[BNakagawa]

Actually, I was contemplating building a PA suit that was powered by either a giant clockspring or flywheel (gyroscopically mounted)

 

Either way, it would have a large end reserve that could recover only when you had a brick buddy turn a crank...

 

REC costs end (that's gotta be a first)

 

low-tech fun. Gotta love it.

[Brandi]

[looks at the comments about clunky power armor]

 

Anyone else remember 4th edition's Juggernaut? Or The Maine?

[Crimson Arrow]

Originally posted by Brandi

[looks at the comments about clunky power armor]

 

Anyone else remember 4th edition's Juggernaut? Or The Maine?

 

I thought of Juggernaut too as I read that post. I never really liked The Maine - just a wee bit too silly and he didn't fit the rest of the Assessinos.

 

Anyone remember there was a film (maybe a TV film) called something like "Exo-Skeleton Man" - no relation to Foxbat's associate. I haven't managed to find a reference to it, so I have probably got the title wrong.

 

Anyway, the main character suffered spinal damage and built a powered suit to allow him to walk again. It gave him huge strength (probably only about 30 in HERO terms, though). His suit was kind of clunky looking.

 

I'm also thinking about the "Spider-Man" film and the exo-skeleton which was being built by Norman Osborne's rival. That was big, but realistic-looking.

[Dog Soldier]

Wasn't the TV series "Mantis"? Some sort of high-tech internal combustion engine powering air muscles might be a neat idea.

[zornwil]

Originally posted by Dog Soldier

Intelligent armor with its own secret agenda is always fun:D

 

Self-aware "bio armor", a suit that is actually a whole other being, is a nice variation on this, too.

[Archon]

Originally posted by Dog Soldier

Wasn't the TV series "Mantis"? Some sort of high-tech internal combustion engine powering air muscles might be a neat idea.

 

Not that one. It was a made for TV movie in the late 70's. They creator of the armor was a parapalegic that created a PA suit. I don't remember the name of the movie either.

[The Monster]

OK, here's a concept: gravitron manipulation

 

Density control, obviously, maybe also usable on/against others

 

Flight - with the weird limitation that you can only fly *toward* some object, 'cuz what you're doing is riding its emitted gravitrons. You can "fly" toward the sun or moon if you want, but you can't automatically just fly through the air. This may not be much of a serious game limitation, but it adds flavor and calls for a bit of imagination.

You could also just buy Jumping with the rationale of gravity shift (a la John Carter of Mars).

 

Missile Deflection - by emitting negative gravitrons, or by increasing the graviton emissions of some nearby object, you can deflect incoming objects. Theoretically, you could even bend light rays this way, but that's a lot of gravity! It seems easier to swallow if it's just solid objects.

PD Armor by the same principle.

 

Telekinesis - works like Flight; maybe even you can only lift/crush objects by manipulating the prevailing gravitational tides, not move objects sideways.

 

Change Environment obviously.

 

I seem to recall (maybe from a peek at the UNTIL database?) a way to reflect increased gravity against a target by using Drain/Suppress STR; this could also become an odd form of Entangle. Drain Flight comes to mind as well.

 

Depending on the campaign, there would be a fine rationale for getting FTL travel - IIRC, gravity doesn't seem to obey relativistic speed-of-light rules. If it doesn't, just rubber-science around that.

 

This character would likely have a hard time defending against true energy blasts, but can mess with opponents in interesting ways.

[freakboy6117]

This is my inaugural post to the forum so I hope its not to dumb an idea and I know it’s not what you’re looking for but I thought it was intresting enough to share.

 

 

How about a fake suit one composed entirely of force fields and holograms. the strength is produced by repulsor beams. Armour by a protective force field with anti gravity capability for flight.

 

And of course because its holographic you have stealth capabilities built in and you don’t have to appear as a power Armour you could look like a demon or Norse god or what ever.

 

I kind of see it as being the space suit of an alien anthropologist sent to earth to investigate the various cultures. With Force fields for protection, anti gravity for flight and holographic array for stealth and changing appearance a universal translator for interaction and some sort of compact alien weaponry for defense. Also environmental support etc. the whole unit contained in a utility belt type arrangement a human being could hide under there cloths.