Ninja-Bear

I recomend it highly _if_ you are running the entire campaign book, as it helps the extended story feel more complete, and because it is another opportunity for the heroes to figure out just what is going on.
 
Even if you are just doing VIPER's Nest, this scene helps provide some context and framing.
 
 
If I recall, Steve Jackson Games offers the PDF relatively inexpensively (I know he did; I have picked up a couple over the years, but it has been _while_, as I prefer print).

@Duke Bushido, I found the Space Gamer magazine (# 61) that has the Microfilm madness in it. If I get some extra change, I’ll buy it.

What about pushing guards into each other and it seems to tie them up for a few phases? More than the Speed chart would indicate? And throwing them to the ground also stalls them a bit too.

What about pushing guards into each other and it seems to tie them up for a few phases? More than the Speed chart would indicate? And throwing them to the ground also stalls them a bit too.

What about pushing guards into each other and it seems to tie them up for a few phases? More than the Speed chart would indicate? And throwing them to the ground also stalls them a bit too.

That's about the way my undead work too.  You're not going to KO one, but a good whack can buy you a moment to retreat...

Do any of you use anything like this for a Natural 3 or 18?
 
I know that we have the Critical Hit mechanic but I'm talking about specifically the buzz of a rolled 3. Namely, there has never been one in HERO games that I've played - not like rolling a Nat 20 in a certain other well-known system.
 
Let's face it, a 3 is just so much more impressive than a 20, too, by a factor of 10 or so! 
 
Typically, a 3 has tended to be something like "I'll give you a couple of extra DCs damage" and a catastrophic 18 has only been "make a DEX roll or fall prone/ drop your weapon". I think that for Heroic level games, especially the next one that I run, I want to have something like this in place, so I've run up some tables of my own (still a work in progress).
 
I like the idea of a 3 standing a chance to turn the tide of battle, regardless of whether it's a Crit Hit or not.

I just had a Powerhouse versus Bulldozer smackdown. And well it was closer than what I thought it would be. Bulldozer had PH on the ropes and literally on a Firetruck. PH missed a slam on BD which I think would’ve taken him out. PH was able to recover before the next onslaught and managed to get hit even though he Dodged. (I was hot rolling the dice!) Then PH had a breather and a Firetruck to smackdown on BD! 

It is funny you took this tack.  Way back in the 2 and 3e days, our group had decided, based on results and effect on the campaign world through the various publishwd items that we shared between that VIPER was very much doing mankind a  service, as they were cranking out superheroes left and right, and actively hunting down supervillains. Sure, they wanted do control and harness the villains, but they were better at nabbing them than UNTIL was.
 
In fact UNTIL, by the books of that era, was responsible for creating or driving more existing supers toward villainy that VIPER even dreamed of achieving themselves, and UNTIL worked harder to tie the hands of superheroes than any secret agency, and did so with the full support of the law (which they could evidently override or recreate at will).
 
UNTIL was the most dangerous-to-the-public organization there was in the early editions; only VIPER stood a chance of stopping them.
 
 

And the PDF of Champions 2e is only five bucks, and only 80 pages long (88, if you count the character sheets), and slightly less, since 5e and later do not use the Elemental Control rules (they were replaced by the "Unified" power modifier), so you skip those.
 

 
 

Ninja-bear:  if you don't have it, pick up the campaign book for Champions 3e: more than just VIPER's Nest: there are a couple of scenarios leading up to it as well.  If I can find it in my collection, I can also point you to the magazine in which Microfilm Madness was finally published- it was cut from the campaign book (I think because if a page count vs printing cost decision, but I cant say for certain).
 
 
Now, I _am_ getting old, and I have a serious (Diet) Coke habit, and,I can confirm the rumors that long-term addiction affects the memory,  but I believe I recall Taylor discussing revamping the 3e campaign book to 6e, complete with Microfilm Madness reinserted.
 
I dont know if it came to pass, or if it was just a (Diet) coke-fueled dream...
 
 

I just ran a battle of 4 standard viper agents versus Powerhouse. And they were able to knock him out for a phase but luckily he was able to recover in time. Still I’m definitely going to reduce those agents to 6D6 EB. And not have them use Find Weakness.  

@Lord Liadenyou know who stays with just the BBB? Poor ones. 😜

I have played in a game where VIPER made a lot of the villains.  They also only got one super out of 100-1,000 'tests' the rest... missing person.
We got a tape of a nest leader saying 'So, Five Supers with only 2,500 dead from treatment Xz-123-a16-alpha.  So, the answer is, yes, we can create Super at will.  The next 'test' better work better.  How is Xz-123-b3 coming along?  You need to boost the power levels of our new Supers and get the cost down. If you can't cut the dose cost then work on cutting the death rate, and see if you can cut the rogue rate to. I hate to see us lose a Super that we made."

Yes, Powerhouse is basically a thug. But even a thug has a mother ( he wouldn't be here otherwise).
 
Yes, VIPER being responsible for 75% of all supervillains in the campaign is rather stupid. If they could create supervillains at will, why have normal agents? Instead, I would like to think of VIPER as opportunist minded guys. They didn't create Powerhouse. The accident did. They were there to simply persuade him to work for VIPER. They are always on the lookout for young mutants with power problems (Power Crusher for example), bad seed types who just want an easy pay day, mercenary types who feel the need to have a permanent backing group, etc.

Like I said, you can interpret these characters however would be most fun for you. But we do seem to be going to considerable lengths to justify one minor villain who's basically a thug.
 
Besides, what kind of Herophile sticks to just the BBB? Nobody on these forums, I'm betting.

Thanks, but briefly: that was another poorly-chosen opener;  I wanted to pull focus away from soap-opera level complicated and toward a mini "workshop" of sorts,  I shouod have gone with "more soecifically" or something, but I went with the first thing autocorewct spelled properly.
 

 
 

Sorry, never thought that you weren’t serious.

In 6th you can change MCV to CV. I think its called Alternate Combat Value. In other editions it would be a custom Advantage or Limitation.

They offer him the 'promise' of money and being able to push superheroes around.... until reality kicks in.

"You know that shard of Kelvarite which is slowly creeping into your brain, killing you? We at VIPER can make sure that piece doesn't creep further and kill you. Just sign on the bottom line big guy and you'll live a long life. Everyone deserves a long life, right?"

I also see him being less about the greed of football and more about the glory of football. Just wondering why he would still work with Viper.

Do you hear that noise? That sucking noise is the money leaving your wallet! 😁

Again, coming in blind on that. However, to me a Hallmark of Power Armor is to have some Resistant Defenses. I’ve worked her so she has the same PD/ED overall. She actually has 8 PD/ED out of suit and 5 PD/ED Armor. I also gave her a END Reserve too.