Dome City

[Hugh Neilson]

2 hours ago, steriaca said:

Ok. The helmet and vest/belt/boots/gloves and Bone Blaster are "mass produced 4-color", the outfits under that are one piece outfits more fitting of Mike Myers (of slasher film fame) then Cob-hydr-per.

 

No flash anyways. At least they are not wearing black turtlenecks with there crime name written across them.

 

I think Scott hits a key point - what subgenre of Supers are we looking at?  In the comics, the agents would wear very distinctive uniforms.  In the comics, AIM wears beekeeper suits and Hydra wears green and yellow jumpsuits.  But MCU Hydra's most identifying uniform trait has been a signet ring.  Which feel are we going for?

 

How much resources can the Skull bring to bear?  He was cheated out of his riches, as I recall.  Maybe he should not have three tiers of uniformed forces with differing armaments, right out of the gate.  Street toughs with special tech (blasters, grenades and a one-use force field that lasts, say, a minute) seems more like both his resources and the MCU subgenre, assuming we are aiming for the latter. 

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Hugh, my friend, 

 

I don't know where you're getting the idea that the town remains unnoticed after the dome goes up.

 

The idea is that this is a busy, largely unnoticed minor metropolis.  Then something happens.    I totally grant that _I_ am reading something wrong and it spells out that this town is immune to observation under any circumstances, but I think you're reading too much into something that was said.   The instant 30,000 people don't pay their cell phone bills, someone is _going_ to notice; I promise.

 

 

[Hugh Neilson]

The bills come once a month.  I think the dome will be noticed in hours, although "How do we respond?" may take a couple of days.  I think the first chapter can easily be in the timeframe of "nothing has happened yet" to "the outside world is aware, but just starting to react".  We will have to consider that reaction for Chapter 2, but not for the up-front parts, as long as we don't assume we're taking a couple of weeks to investigate the dome when it pops up.  But that also means we're not seeing starvation in the streets yet.

 

This is another place where we need to consider our wider setting.  Is this "nothing like this has EVER happened before!!" or "Man, I took the job here to get away from the Monthly Supervillain Disruption in NYC and LA - why can't I ever catch a break?".  This could also affect the reaction of the outside world.

[Duke Bushido]

12 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

The bills come once a month.  I think the dome will be noticed in hours,

 

Likely immediately, since the Skull is going to call attention to it, just to make sure it's noticed.

 

12 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

although "How do we respond?" may take a couple of days.  I think the first chapter can easily be in the timeframe of "nothing has happened yet"

 

I believe  (and if the phone wasn't sort of a pain to flip around the forum with, I'd double-check) that Steriaca put the idea of investigating illegal dumping out in farm country as some "pre dome" activity that would allow players to feel around a bit and experience a bit of combat by catching dumpers in the act.  And personally, I would _like_ to see someone perhaps study the stuff being dumped, or at least take some kind of sample of it for later study, since I think "Hmm...  This very same horrible compound is leaching from the ground at regular intervals around the dome" should come up during the "investigate the dome" stage.  But that's just me.  As we have a Captain Cluebat, if the players really get stumped, it's not as critical to me as it once was that the players should just "know" to do this thing.

 

 

12 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

to "the outside world is aware, but just starting to react".  We will have to consider that reaction for Chapter 2, but not for the up-front parts, as long as we don't assume we're taking a couple of weeks to investigate the dome when it pops up.  But that also means we're not seeing starvation in the streets yet.

 

This is another place where we need to consider our wider setting.

 

Honestly, the biggest draw this adventure has to me as a new player orientation is that we _don't_ have to consider the world outside _at all_.  We can't see or hear them; they can do nothing to get in and help (if they are so inclined) because they are not the heroes.  We will likely have to consider their reaction once the players save the day (or week, or however long it takes), but for the bulk of this adventure, the outside world might as well not exist.

 

 

12 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

Is this "nothing like this has EVER happened before!!" or "Man, I took the job here to get away from the Monthly Supervillain Disruption in NYC and LA - why can't I ever catch a break?".  This could also affect the reaction of the outside world.

 

In his earliest postings of this idea, Steriaca suggested that there were already perhaps as many as 6 super heroes already operating here, and I can't remember how many super "others" there are.  We can assume from that fact that people are at least passingly familiar with superheroes elsewhere as well, and the villainous machinations of their nemeses.

 

Personally, as the city develops, I more and more want to donate Armstrong to the cause, but it requires a sizable tenement area, and I hate to throw out the "ugly stuff" on people who are-- hopefully-- jazzed about trying an exciting new game.

 

 

The hardest thing for me is going to be re-reading Champions Complete  (it's a time thing; not a dislike thing), as we want to be sure all the write-ups can be built using CC as the only rules book.

 

 

[Scott Ruggels]

The Famous versus Non-famous.

 

Well the Dome would certainly attract the attention of the Cable news networks. There would be dozens of news trucks. I remember the wall to wall coverage of what happened in Joplin Missouri, or the floods in Houston a couple of years ago.  It would get even more  notariety, if the Dome anihilates a passing airliner  on it's way to Denver. Pretty soon 

 

Does the done cut off Telephone and net traffic? What can, and what cannot pass through the dome, when it's on? Air?  sound? water? heat? Light? Something to figure out soon. Having the Cel Phones go out and being unable to Google search things would make that disfigured investigator a lot more useful, as he may have good pre-internet skills. If the dome is reflective and impenatrable, people outside of it will assume Aliens. XD. 

[Hugh Neilson]

18 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

 

Likely immediately, since the Skull is going to call attention to it, just to make sure it's noticed.

 

 

I believe  (and if the phone wasn't sort of a pain to flip around the forum with, I'd double-check) that Steriaca put the idea of investigating illegal dumping out in farm country as some "pre dome" activity that would allow players to feel around a bit and experience a bit of combat by catching dumpers in the act.  And personally, I would _like_ to see someone perhaps study the stuff being dumped, or at least take some kind of sample of it for later study, since I think "Hmm...  This very same horrible compound is leaching from the ground at regular intervals around the dome" should come up during the "investigate the dome" stage.  But that's just me.  As we have a Captain Cluebat, if the players really get stumped, it's not as critical to me as it once was that the players should just "know" to do this thing.

 

As I recall, he wanted to test it somewhere that it would not be noticed.  But the story has certainly evolved, and it seems like he would want the credit.

 

21 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

Honestly, the biggest draw this adventure has to me as a new player orientation is that we _don't_ have to consider the world outside _at all_.  We can't see or hear them; they can do nothing to get in and help (if they are so inclined) because they are not the heroes.  We will likely have to consider their reaction once the players save the day (or week, or however long it takes), but for the bulk of this adventure, the outside world might as well not exist.

 

Unless the Dome is opaque, we CAN see if the media, the military or 75 other SuperTeams are gathering outside the Dome.  If it is opaque, so much for plants, and we have to consider how people see as well.  Those Skull agents wandering out of the Dome will be a lot more visible if they have to carry light sources, and if the gap now lets light through.  I don't think it is opaque, though. 

 

If it does not block sound, we can even talk with those outside the Dome.  Even if it does, I can type on my keyboard and turn my laptop screen to face the Dome, can't I?  As a player, "there is no ability to contact the outside world" needs to be plausible.  We are not floating in the Negative Zone, "just" separated by a barrier.

 

25 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

In his earliest postings of this idea, Steriaca suggested that there were already perhaps as many as 6 super heroes already operating here, and I can't remember how many super "others" there are.  We can assume from that fact that people are at least passingly familiar with superheroes elsewhere as well, and the villainous machinations of their nemeses.

 

That was part of what lead me to ask "how big is the city, and how common are Supers?".  If there are 30 or so Supers (6 NPC heroes, 18-24 villains and the PCs), and that is a typical demographic, there are a lot of other Supers outside that Dome.  No issue with them being unable to get past the Dome (at least,  in fairly short order), but are they just sitting at home?  When we move beyond this scenario, if there are hundreds of SuperHeros in the US (which is small if every city has 6 - 12), what were they all doing while we were stuck in The Dome?  If there are only a handful, why are there so many here, and why has no one noticed that before?

 

If we are looking for the MCU feel, 30 Supers in this one location seems very strange.

 

13 minutes ago, Scott Ruggels said:

The Famous versus Non-famous.

 

Well the Dome would certainly attract the attention of the Cable news networks. There would be dozens of news trucks. I remember the wall to wall coverage of what happened in Joplin Missouri, or the floods in Houston a couple of years ago.  It would get even more  notariety, if the Dome anihilates a passing airliner  on it's way to Denver. Pretty soon 

 

Does the done cut off Telephone and net traffic? What can, and what cannot pass through the dome, when it's on? Air?  sound? water? heat? Light? Something to figure out soon. Having the Cel Phones go out and being unable to Google search things would make that disfigured investigator a lot more useful, as he may have good pre-internet skills. If the dome is reflective and impenatrable, people outside of it will assume Aliens. XD. 

 

Good questions that will need answers. 

 

Does Hepzibah have an airport?  Most cities that size do.  When is the first plane turned back?  Does it turn back, or crash on the dome?

 

In addition to "what passes through the dome", does it change when the Skull agents shut it off to pass through?  Can we track them by tracking those signals?  If you can't communicate through it, how does the Skull communicate with the outside world?  Does he have a hidden base outside the Dome as well?  Can he reach it unseen with the attention on the Dome once it goes up?

 

What would get criticized in an MCU movie on the NGD?  That's what will be challenged here!

[Scott Ruggels]

33 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

As I recall, he wanted to test it somewhere that it would not be noticed.  But the story has certainly evolved, and it seems like he would want the credit.

 

 

Unless the Dome is opaque, we CAN see if the media, the military or 75 other SuperTeams are gathering outside the Dome.  If it is opaque, so much for plants, and we have to consider how people see as well.  Those Skull agents wandering out of the Dome will be a lot more visible if they have to carry light sources, and if the gap now lets light through.  I don't think it is opaque, though. 

 

If it does not block sound, we can even talk with those outside the Dome.  Even if it does, I can type on my keyboard and turn my laptop screen to face the Dome, can't I?  As a player, "there is no ability to contact the outside world" needs to be plausible.  We are not floating in the Negative Zone, "just" separated by a barrier.

 

 

That was part of what lead me to ask "how big is the city, and how common are Supers?".  If there are 30 or so Supers (6 NPC heroes, 18-24 villains and the PCs), and that is a typical demographic, there are a lot of other Supers outside that Dome.  No issue with them being unable to get past the Dome (at least,  in fairly short order), but are they just sitting at home?  When we move beyond this scenario, if there are hundreds of SuperHeros in the US (which is small if every city has 6 - 12), what were they all doing while we were stuck in The Dome?  If there are only a handful, why are there so many here, and why has no one noticed that before?

 

If we are looking for the MCU feel, 30 Supers in this one location seems very strange.

 

 

Good questions that will need answers. 

 

Does Hepzibah have an airport?  Most cities that size do.  When is the first plane turned back?  Does it turn back, or crash on the dome?

 

In addition to "what passes through the dome", does it change when the Skull agents shut it off to pass through?  Can we track them by tracking those signals?  If you can't communicate through it, how does the Skull communicate with the outside world?  Does he have a hidden base outside the Dome as well?  Can he reach it unseen with the attention on the Dome once it goes up?

 

What would get criticized in an MCU movie on the NGD?  That's what will be challenged here!

 

We want it to be the type of MCU movie that  while a group origin story, is NOT one that Red Letter Media would trash XD.  

[Duke Bushido]

We've got two options here:

We can either back up and start with the Big Bang so that we understand everything that underpins everything else, 

or we can work on an actual story, with an actual plot and an actual script, and actual encounters, and then tweak that as needed.

 

Make the decision, and stick with it.

 

 

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Hugh, my friend, 

 

I don't know where you're getting the idea that the town remains unnoticed after the dome goes up.

 

The idea is that this is a busy, largely unnoticed minor metropolis.  Then something happens.    I totally grant that _I_ am reading something wrong and it spells out that this town is immune to observation under any circumstances, but I think you're reading too much into something that was said.   The instant 30,000 people don't pay their cell phone bills, someone is _going_ to notice; I promise.

 

 

The town is "unnoticed" untill the dome goes up. And even then, it will take some time before news agencies start converging near the dome. I say about 24 hours, 12 hours if we are a bit more realistic.

 

Of course, the government might want to keep what is happening secret from the public. At least till they rule out tje usual subjects.

 

Then we have the surounding superheroes. Theyare going to immediately do there thing once they find out. In a cinimatic world, if heros are just starting to come out of the wood, then no.

[steriaca]

Ok. What do you think? The dome is an alien transport device, something The Skull couldn't figure out. Once the dome is down, they are not in Colorado anymore. Mahahahaha!

 

Seriously, that is one "option" out of many. It is not a solid barrier. Anything which touches it gets disintergrated (option 1) or shunted to another world or dimension (option 2). There is nothing left when once stood, say Job the drunkard.

 

Week light still goes through. It is semi-opace. Air can also get through. Turning yourself to light or air or gas will still disintegrate you. Oddly, cell phone reception still goes in and out, but less reliably. Of course, the alien world option, it might mater not...what is out there might not understand what Pornshack.sex is, nor care.

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

I think Scott hits a key point - what subgenre of Supers are we looking at?  In the comics, the agents would wear very distinctive uniforms.  In the comics, AIM wears beekeeper suits and Hydra wears green and yellow jumpsuits.  But MCU Hydra's most identifying uniform trait has been a signet ring.  Which feel are we going for?

 

How much resources can the Skull bring to bear?  He was cheated out of his riches, as I recall.  Maybe he should not have three tiers of uniformed forces with differing armaments, right out of the gate.  Street toughs with special tech (blasters, grenades and a one-use force field that lasts, say, a minute) seems more like both his resources and the MCU subgenre, assuming we are aiming for the latter. 

 

 

Skull's resources. He has had to take hefty "loans" from the mob, so he is far from rich. But he IS smart enough to "invest wisely" once he has modivation.

 

As for his technology, he manufactures it out of stuff he finds in junkyards, tech he steals, and things he has worked out. This should give his agents an "uneven" feal to them. Some stuff they use are litterly soddered and modified flashlights placed into a new caseing (Bone Blasters and Skull Grenades).

 

The heroes will probably laugh at them, at least untill they get hit by the first 12d6 energy blast.

[Hugh Neilson]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

The town is "unnoticed" untill the dome goes up. And even then, it will take some time before news agencies start converging near the dome. I say about 24 hours, 12 hours if we are a bit more realistic.

 

Of course, the government might want to keep what is happening secret from the public. At least till they rule out tje usual subjects.

 

Then we have the surounding superheroes. Theyare going to immediately do there thing once they find out. In a cinimatic world, if heros are just starting to come out of the wood, then no.

 

I think half a day to a day is reasonable.  It will take at least a bit of time.  The fact that the response will differ depending on our choices for the setting as a whole would be one reason we need that "setting as a whole", especially if this will be designed by committee.  It's also needed as guidance for building PCs, assuming they will build characters.

 

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

Ok. What do you think? The dome is an alien transport device, something The Skull couldn't figure out. Once the dome is down, they are not in Colorado anymore. Mahahahaha!

 

Seriously, that is one "option" out of many. It is not a solid barrier. Anything which touches it gets disintergrated (option 1) or shunted to another world or dimension (option 2). There is nothing left when once stood, say Job the drunkard.

 

Week light still goes through. It is semi-opace. Air can also get through. Turning yourself to light or air or gas will still disintegrate you. Oddly, cell phone reception still goes in and out, but less reliably. Of course, the alien world option, it might mater not...what is out there might not understand what Pornshack.sex is, nor care.

 

Not a fan of "instant death" scenarios.  "Transported somewhere and cannot return" is death as far as the game is concerned, unless getting those affected back is part of the scenario.  Even then, a PC out of the action for 3/4 of the sessions is not likely to love the game, even though that's not a "system thing".  Knockback into the barrier becomes an issue (or, for a nastier PC or NPC, a tactic).

 

If they can still access the internet and cell service, then they can still communicate with the outside world, for all the consequences that may have.  It will also mean awareness of the situation does not rely on anyone from outside discovering the dome.  That's fine as long as it's considered in the plot - they still can't get in and the PCs still can't get out.

 

52 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Skull's resources. He has had to take hefty "loans" from the mob, so he is far from rich. But he IS smart enough to "invest wisely" once he has modivation.

 

As for his technology, he manufactures it out of stuff he finds in junkyards, tech he steals, and things he has worked out. This should give his agents an "uneven" feal to them. Some stuff they use are litterly soddered and modified flashlights placed into a new caseing (Bone Blasters and Skull Grenades).

 

The heroes will probably laugh at them, at least untill they get hit by the first 12d6 energy blast.

 

This opens up the question of power level - standard DCs, defenses, etc. for the campaign.  If a glorified street tough has 12DCs, I'm not feeling too Super with less than 15 DCs, if then.

[Duke Bushido]

I've mentioned this before:

 

I _can't_ write up the characters: I know bugger-all about 6e from a perspective beyond "read it and didn't like it."  I read CC when I first got it, and not once since.

 

I do not _know_ what "beginners" are in CC.  Someone posted not too long ago about porting old 250 pt characters into 6e and they ended up being something like 300; maybe 350 pts.

 

Thus far, we have two NPC characters, who will serve as both "examples" of (and this is important here) _uncomplicated_ character design: we have The Skull, who should be powerful enough to stand his ground against two "beginning CC characters, and possibly be difficult (but not impossible) for 3 such characters.

 

We have the Raven, who might be a PC in a pinch, but is intended to be a "background" character and possibly a Captain Cluebat if needed as such.

 

There has been mention that there are as many as six supers operating in the city already, at least part time.

 

 

We have _plenty_ of opportunity to present "power levels" and "sample builds." 

 

If any of the fine folks reminding us that we need to have these-- apparently yesterday-- would be kind enough to stop reminding us and actually _do_ something about it, well that'd be great.

 

 

Steriaca:

 

Just a 'frinstance:  the dome can be completely opaque, as long it emits it's own light that serves as a suitable replacement for sunlight, at least short-term.  It need not be quite as brilliant, either: plants don't wither and die because it's overcast for a week or two.  Additionally, as long as we're playing around with fictitious tabletop plasma, who's to say you can't slam into it harmlessly, and don't take the damage until you actually _penetrate_ it in some way?

 

I only offer this because at some point, someone is going to take knock back into it.  Great if it's a mook; not so great if it's a player character.  

 

As far as communications go, that's up to you, but remember that all the phone calls and internet searches and military whozits and state patrol and panic mothers and brothers will all be played by what we _hope_ is a brand new GM.

 

Just something to think about. 

 

 

Duke

[Scott Ruggels]

Unfortunately, like Duke I am not in possession of  6th Edition, I do own 5th Edition. (I will have to see if it's original or revised). So I am out.

 

I can still draw, them, though.

 

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

I've mentioned this before:

 

I _can't_ write up the characters: I know bugger-all about 6e from a perspective beyond "read it and didn't like it."  I read CC when I first got it, and not once since.

 

I do not _know_ what "beginners" are in CC.  Someone posted not too long ago about porting old 250 pt characters into 6e and they ended up being something like 300; maybe 350 pts.

 

Thus far, we have two NPC characters, who will serve as both "examples" of (and this is important here) _uncomplicated_ character design: we have The Skull, who should be powerful enough to stand his ground against two "beginning CC characters, and possibly be difficult (but not impossible) for 3 such characters.

 

We have the Raven, who might be a PC in a pinch, but is intended to be a "background" character and possibly a Captain Cluebat if needed as such.

 

There has been mention that there are as many as six supers operating in the city already, at least part time.

 

 

We have _plenty_ of opportunity to present "power levels" and "sample builds." 

 

If any of the fine folks reminding us that we need to have these-- apparently yesterday-- would be kind enough to stop reminding us and actually _do_ something about it, well that'd be great.

 

 

Steriaca:

 

Just a 'frinstance:  the dome can be completely opaque, as long it emits it's own light that serves as a suitable replacement for sunlight, at least short-term.  It need not be quite as brilliant, either: plants don't wither and die because it's overcast for a week or two.  Additionally, as long as we're playing around with fictitious tabletop plasma, who's to say you can't slam into it harmlessly, and don't take the damage until you actually _penetrate_ it in some way?

 

I only offer this because at some point, someone is going to take knock back into it.  Great if it's a mook; not so great if it's a player character.  

 

As far as communications go, that's up to you, but remember that all the phone calls and internet searches and military whozits and state patrol and panic mothers and brothers will all be played by what we _hope_ is a brand new GM.

 

Just something to think about. 

 

 

Duke

 

The "instant death" is an option. I would go with 1d6 NND (similar energy single), Does Body, Double Knockback, Area Of Effect (Surface) myself. That is just penatrating the first layer, of course. No need to fully stat it. Each inch of the dome twords out of it should double the damage (2d6, 4d6, 8d6, etc).

 

I forgot to mention this is blast. If you want to be more nasty as a GM, change it to a Killing Attack (1/2 d6 first, then 1d6-1, 1d6, 2d6, 4d6...). But I wouldn't recommend that unless you really want dead character.

 

You could compermise by saying "anyone going in is instantly killed" for unimportant NPCs and objects, but for important people (PCs, major NPCs), use the Blast.

[steriaca]

Something for episode two:

 

The mayor and important people of the city meet the superheroes at Prince A. Pal"s Happy Court, the city's excuse for a Chuck E Cheese. It is both a serious discussion on what to do, and a something fun to keep the spirits of the people up.

 

What everyone doesn't know is that the energy of the wall has affected the automatronic entertainers. And you won't need five nights to see them move about 

 

The automatons:

 

It should be noted that stat wise, all these automatronic actors are the same. This, we need to only print one stat bar for each of them.

 

Prince A. Pal: A fun loving prince who also values good morals and learning, he carries a royal scepter attached to his right hand.

 

Sir Face: A faceless knight who carries a shield with a face upon it. Both beings have personalities.

 

Sir Ton: A fat knight who is always right about something. He carries a turkey leg attached to his right hand.

 

Sir Real: A knight who dabbles in art. He has basically "tie dyed" his armor. He permantly carries a brush in his left hand. Thanks Scott.

 

Chester D. Jester: Your typical court jester. His jests consist of really bad puns and jokes your dad though were cool at five years old, and unfortunately think are still cool to this day. His attached to his hand item is his jester's stick. Thanks Scott.

 

Wiz Bang: A rather young wizard unsure of all spells but the Birthday Spell (an excuse to wish visitors a happy birthday). His attached to his hand item is his wand, who's tip glows, but is basically a club (as all the attached to hand items are. Even Sir Face's Shield.)

 

If you guys have any knight puns for names, go for it.

 

 

[Scott Ruggels]

Sir Real,  Carries a Paintbrush 
Sir 

 

Chester the Jester, Bad puns and dad jokes.

[steriaca]

In case you need to know....

 

Prince A. Pal's Happy Court is not a restaurant/arcade chain. The owner/developer is one Mark Bradburn, a electronic expert, and gameing fan. He does have plans to franchise the restaurant into a chain of them, as soon as he figures out how to make it stand out compared to a certain rat and his chain.

 

The food is less pizza and more burgers, fries, and fried chicken (and fried turkey).

[steriaca]

At the end of each episode, we should list a few optional adventures, as ways to expand the adventure while they wait for the next installment.

[Hugh Neilson]

11 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

I _can't_ write up the characters: I know bugger-all about 6e from a perspective beyond "read it and didn't like it."  I read CC when I first got it, and not once since.

 

I do not _know_ what "beginners" are in CC.  Someone posted not too long ago about porting old 250 pt characters into 6e and they ended up being something like 300; maybe 350 pts.

 

I don't think we need sample characters so much as we need campaign standards.  Is a "typical Super" firing around 8-10 DCs, with 15-20 defenses (10-12 resistant), CVs of 6-8 and SPD of 4-5?  Or is the typical Super tossing around 15+ DCs, with defenses in the 30-35 range (15-20 resistant) with CVs of 10-12 and SPD 5-7?  The baseline is needed for anyone to contribute characters that will fit within the setting.

 

To riff from an earlier comment, a sample character is a great cart, but first we need the horse.  What kind of world is that character going to inhabit?  What kinds of stats will he need to be competitive, or a bit weaker than the norm, or a powerhouse compared to his peers?

 

11 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Steriaca:

 

Just a 'frinstance:  the dome can be completely opaque, as long it emits it's own light that serves as a suitable replacement for sunlight, at least short-term.  It need not be quite as brilliant, either: plants don't wither and die because it's overcast for a week or two.  Additionally, as long as we're playing around with fictitious tabletop plasma, who's to say you can't slam into it harmlessly, and don't take the damage until you actually _penetrate_ it in some way?

 

I only offer this because at some point, someone is going to take knock back into it.  Great if it's a mook; not so great if it's a player character.  

 

As far as communications go, that's up to you, but remember that all the phone calls and internet searches and military whozits and state patrol and panic mothers and brothers will all be played by what we _hope_ is a brand new GM.

 

Just something to think about.

 

Does the Dome need stats, or can it simply be "impenetrable"?  It's clearly not airtight, and I am assuming it can still rain on Hebzibah. 

 

Imagine if we could have a dome like this that destroys all that comes in contact with it.  No more landfills.  No more plastics that take centuries to biodegrade.  But that's Standard Supers - putting the superscience to rational economic use would make you rich legally, but robbing banks makes a better adventure

 

I'm not sold on "it does damage" being the best approach.  Especially with short-term, unreliable tech, how many agents will have the loyalty to keep running back and forth, hoping the Dome does not spring back up and turn him into ashes.  Then we get the question how the ground touching it survives, especially as it must go below ground level or people could just tunnel out.

 

 

[steriaca]

I would say keep it on the low side. 60 point attack, 20 Defense, Speed between 4 and 5 (and 6 for the rare speedster).

 

As for the dome, the "it does damage" is great for inspiration of horror, but we can file that under "option". We can default to "solidified energy" if it pleases the room. Just as long as the option is there for game masters who want to run it more horrific in nature.

[Hugh Neilson]

11 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

There has been mention that there are as many as six supers operating in the city already, at least part time.

 

6 Supers operating in a city this size suggests a lot of Supers in the world beyond.  That feels like Marvel/DC Comics when Champions first came out, which was what most players at the time would envision as a game world.  Their Supers were emerging in a world already full of Supers, ready to make their mark. 

 

But Scott is right when he says today's target market is watching Supers emerge in MCU and DCU movies, CW shows, etc. which suggests way less predominance of Supers.  Those players, I think, are looking to play emerging Supers into a world not fully prepared for them, and certainly unfamiliar with them, not a world where every state has a superteam, and larger ones have several, so your characters are nothing special.

 

Maybe that suggests a two-tiered approach.  To the world at large, Supers are rare and unfamiliar.  Maybe we even mention "the supers that, so rumour goes, stopped an alien invasion a year or so back".  Is that the Avengers?  Justice League?  Heroverse?  Don't know, and don't care until it becomes relevant (like if we want a "public facing" Super like Iron Man or Superman to show up in Chapter 2).  But the side effects of Skull's experiments here have produced a catalyst for Supers, including MuckMan and at least some PCs (they may think they are mutants or such, but how do they know?).  That's not the only possible source of Supers, but it's the one which will create most or all Supers in our introductory scenario.  Which also means the most likely demographic to develop Superpowers are Skulll's agents, a convenient source of low-morals Supers who may keep working for Skull, or may strike out on their own agenda.

 

That doesn't preclude the world having Supers that have worked outside the limelight, Supers from space or realms of myth, secret societies dating back to the Middle Ages, lost tribes of Superhumans hidden in remote regions, etc., but those all come later as they are not relevant to our Dome City scenario (except as needed for our PC or perhaps occasional NPC backstory).

 

[Hugh Neilson]

2 minutes ago, steriaca said:

I would say keep it on the low side. 60 point attack, 20 Defense, Speed between 4 and 5 (and 6 for the rare speedster).

 

I lean toward "lower power rather than higher power" - 10 to 12 DC, 18-23 defenses, 7-9 CVs, and 4-6 SPD (which does NOT mean one character with 12d6 attack, 23 defenses, 9 CV and a 6 SPD - except, perhaps, our Master Villain). I'd also curb DEX right out of the gate - there's no reason every Super needs 23 DEX to be marginally competitive.  High DEX should be an indicator of agility-based powers, not a prerequisite to being a Super.  10-12 DC and 18-23 defenses suggests CON 23-28, simply so the average attack is not likely to Stun its target.

 

We could drop lower, if desired.  It comes down to setting the expectations.

 

That is something I think Champions missed right out of the gate.  Just noting in the back of the book that these sample SuperVilllains are intended to give a SuperTeam of four PCs a run for their money, not to be competitive one on one, would have suggested lower-powered PCs.  Anyone remember the Geodesics?  They were the wimps in the Enemies book, but I often wondered whether they were supposed to be a team comparable to a starting group of four PCs.

[steriaca]

One idea could be that bonified men and women with superpowers are rare. Most supers in this world are self trained guys with martial arts skills and specialised equipment. "Mutants" exist (The Skull is one of "the evolved" after all), but mutations tend to be physical/mental in nature, and less "look, a freek".

 

Also mutations are not anything one can point to and say "mutant" in the game world. Skull looks the way he does because of lifestyle choices and poisons from his experiences, not because he is a mutant.

[Hugh Neilson]

The catch is that all of these ideas and approaches are valid, but we need to flesh out which ones will guide our setting so that character design, and even overall plot, will be consistent within it.  That is, design the game which we will power with Hero System.

 

Your description may fit with a player thinking Avengers (Black Widow, Hawkeye and even Cap fit the "martial artist with equipment" category), but one thinking Justice League only sees one normal human in the mix.  Let's assume our third player is a fan of the X-Men and the fourth is thinking that Spider-Man movie.  Player #5 shows up with Captain Marvel.

 

We need to set the parameters for the game.  Practically, these guys can probably all fit together, but they have to know what the expectations are - what we don't want is 20 DC Captain Marvel with 40 defenses and double digit CVs, and a Black Widow with a 6d6 Offensive Strike, CVs of 7 - 9 and 8 PD/ED.  Capt Marvel needs to come down to the game's standards, and Black Widow needs to be beefed up.  Maybe we end up with 12 DC, 23 Defenses, 6 CV, 4 SPD Captain Marvel, and 8-10 DC, 7-9 CV, 15 PD/ED, 6 SPD Black Widow.  Perhaps CM is top end damage and defenses, bottom end CV and SPD, and BW is the opposite.

 

Just spitballing with the numbers here, but BW should be able to lay a bit of STUN on even the Hulk with her best attack, and be hard to hit in return - but if Hulk or CM get in a solid hit, BW can expect to be Stunned at a minimum.