Michael Hopcroft

The currently popular theory on the mailing list is that Slade is actually Robin's biological father. That is potentially supported by the cut scene at the end of Apprentice when Slade's mask is broken and we see the outline of a hairstyle and color very similar to Robin's. It's a pretty weak support among the other possibilities, though. I don't think Slade is Bruce Wayne. Although the idea of Batman turning evil has a certain dramatic appeal (a man of Batman's capabilities and attitude would make a formidable villain), Batman is not nearly as rational as Slade is. One could even make a case that Batman is, in his own way, insane. Obsessive about "fighting crime" and compelled to put himself in danger to do it. Robin comments how much he is turning out to be like Slade -- driven, almost obsessed. Slade brings out the Batman in Robin. You don't live under the same roof as Bruce Wayne for four to five years without some of his personal traits rubbing off on you. The recent topic of disucssion on the lists (now that it's the off-season) is whether there is any chance of romance blossoming between Raven and Beast Boy. The general response is that it has a snowball's chance in Raven's mind dimension. But if opposites attract....

here she is here is my first try at the schoolgirl vampire character: Yui Kawaiishiko Player: Val Char Cost 30 STR 20 24 DEX 42 20 CON 20 18 BODY 16 20 INT 10 20 EGO 20 25 PRE 15 20 COM 5 15 PD 6 9 ED 2 5 SPD 16 10 REC 0 40 END 0 50 STUN 7 9" RUN02" SWIM06" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 179 Cost Power END 7 Fangs: HKA 0d6 + 1 (0 1/2d6 w/STR), Penetrating (+1/2) (7 Active Points) 1 33 Drink Blood: RKA 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), NND (defense is not having blood or protective skin or equipment too thick to bite through) Standard (+1), Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1) (67 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Fangs Must Do BODY First (-1/2) 64 Create Vampire: Major Transform 10d6 ((humans into lesser vampires, heals back through special exorcisms and holy rituals)), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (225 Active Points); Must Drain All But 1 BODY Of Victim's Blood With Drink Blood, Then Have Him Drink 1/2d6 BODY'S Worth Of Vampire's Blood (-1), No Range (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2), Limited Target Humans (-1/2) 10 Claws: HKA 0 1/2d6 (1d6 + 1 w/STR) 1 70 Hypnotic Gaze: Mind Control 12d6, Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (105 Active Points); Eye Contact Required (-1/2) 60 Undead Body: (Total: 60 Active Cost, 60 Real Cost) Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (Real Cost: 30) plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (Real Cost: 30) 3 Undead Body: Damage Resistance (4 PD/2 ED) 14 Hard To Slay: Healing 3 BODY, Custom Adder, Resurrection (others can stop resurrection by burning the body, driving a stake through the vampire's heart, or cutting off its head and filling its mouth with holy wafers), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (100 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Day (-2 3/4), Limited Power (Doesn't Work in Daylight) Power loses almost all of its effectiveness (-2), Self Only (-1/2), Resurrection Only (-1/2), Does Not Work On Some Damage (Wooden Weapons) One Type of Damage (-1/4) 47 Undead Vitality: Life Support (Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep) 6 Swift: +3" Running (9" total) 1 2 Vampire's Senses: +2 PER with Normal Hearing 5 Vampire's Eyes: Nightvision 11 Mist Form: Desolidification (affected by affected by wind, heat, or cold) (40 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses almost all of its effectiveness (Does not work in Daylight; -2), Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects (-1/2) 4 35 Wolf and Bat Forms: Multiform (assume 150-point wolf or bat form) (150 Character Points in the most expensive form) (x2 Number Of Forms) 52 Call Dark Creatures: Summon 16 90-point wolves, rats, or bats, Expanded Class of Beings Very Limited Group (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Amicable Slavishly Devoted (+1) (104 Active Points); Arrives Under Own Power (-1/2), Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-1/2) Powers Cost: 419 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 4 Fast Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 8d6 Strike 3 Flying Tackle: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, -1 DCV, 6d6 +v/5 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls; FMove 5 Killing Throw: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, HKA 1d6 +1 , Target Falls 4 Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 40 STR to Disarm 4 Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 8d6 Strike Martial Arts Cost: 20 Cost Skill 15 +3 with HTH Combat 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Acting 14- 3 Breakfall 14- 5 Cramming 7 Climbing 16- 3 Concealment 13- 3 Contortionist 14- 3 Fast Draw 14- 4 Language: English (completely fluent) (3 Active Points) 1 Language: French (basic conversation; literate) (2 Active Points) 0 Language: Japanese (idiomatic; literate) (5 Active Points) 5 Rapid Attack (HTH) 9 Seduction 17- 3 Streetwise 14- 7 Stealth 16- Skills Cost: 74 Cost Talent 3 Ambidexterity (-2 Off Hand penalty) 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 10 Follow-Through Attack Talents Cost: 19 Total Character Cost: 711 Val Disadvantages 20 Distinctive Features: No Reflection Not Concealable, Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction, Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses 20 Hunted: Forces of Hell 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 20 Psychological Limitation: Cannot Enter A Dwelling Without Invitation Common, Total 20 Psychological Limitation: Aversion To Garlic Common, Total 15 Psychological Limitation: Will Only Cross Running Water Via Bridges Uncommon, Total 10 Psychological Limitation: Addicted to Drinking Human Blood Common, Moderate 25 Susceptibility: when in contact with holy objects and places, 2d6 damage per Phase Common 10 Vulnerability: 2x STUN Water Attacks Uncommon 10 Vulnerability: 2x BODY Water Attacks Uncommon Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 75 Experience Required: 486 Total Experience Available: 486 Experience Unspent: 0 Yui is, by all appearances, an extremely attractive 16-year-old girl from Japan who attends the PCs high school. In reality, though, Yui has gone from school to school for over 100 years, using each successvie school as a hunting ground and breeding ground for her special cadre of undead. Yui uses the attractiveness she exudes as a weapon and is not afraid us use her own sexuality to lure victims to her of both genders. She has attracted the attention of hell's leigons, demons who haunt the borders between life and death and are determined to claim the souls of the undead. the forces of heaven aren;t too keen on vampires, either. Over the years, yui has learned her own vairety of martial art manuvers to fend them off. One of the other thorns in her side right now is the local miko (Shinto shrine maiden), who goes to the same school and suspects that Yui is a vampire. If she ever catches her enemy alone, Yui plans to kill her very horrifically as a warning to any who might try to oppose her.

What about a modern-day HERO campaign where the PCs are pilots flying 'super high-tech jet fighters"? We're talking the ultimate cutting-edge flying war machines, sent on the secret and most dangerous missions by the government while having to spend the rest of their time on the carrier engaging in all sorts of pursuits, from black market activity to trying to figure out what is really behind all the more unusual missions their squadron has to take on. One could even have memebrs of such a group find out their squadron is being used on "rogue" missions that advance some secret agenda of some secret agency rather than their country's true interests, and that they're going to be used as the fall guys in case something goes wrong....

One other question about the schoolgirl vampire -- who would her adversaries be? Would she be so powerful that a bunch of normal schoolkids who stumble onto her secxret would just be more prey, or is there actually a way to destory her (preferably without leaving behind an embarassing corpse that would lead to murder charges -- I remember the scene in Werner Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre where Docotr Van Helsing is led off by the police with a bloody stake in hand -- he'd killed the title vampire but was going to hanged for it.

If two players are creating their characters together and decide to link them in some way, how can this best be simulated in the write=ups? Some examples: The PCs are boyfriend/girlfriend before the campaign beings or are a married couple. One PC is the parent of another. One PC has an unreqited crush on another. One PC is, under the law of the campaign world, the property of another. One PC is the commander of a military unti and the other PC (perhaps all the other PCS) are under his command under the military table of organization, and have to follow his orders (but are free to interpret them to best get the job done). The entire party consists of a family unit or extended family.

In one of the things I've been watching recently, five teenage girls in a military unit have the ability to summon suits of power armor from within their spirits. fair enough. the trick is -- THEY DON'T WEAR THEM! They control the suits remotely with their bodies and stand on platforms in the open while doing so. The suits have complete freedom of movement, but offer no protection to the girls, who are just as vulnerable to attack as normals 9maybe even more so, since they're out in the open and too busy controlling the armor to really defend themselves). If you wanted to give a player-character this kind of ability, with this kind of weakness, how would you go about creating the character? is the fact that the armor is not worn by the Pc and offers her no protectiona a limitation on the armor? how big a limitation is the concentration required to control the armor and the fact that you need to be within line-of-sight to control it properly? (The enemy armor does not \seem to have that restriction -- in fact, although it seems to be based around the same principle it can be controlled from quite a long distance away from the action.)

Apprentice, parts 1 & 2 Anyone see the season-ending two-parter "Apprentice"? I can see some supervillain putting a hero in a similar situation and the superhero reacting possivbly in much the same way Robin did. Slade is rapidly becoming one of my favorite TV supervillains ever, because his ice-cold rationality is so darn scary for that audience level. How would you write up a device like that mimics the nanoprobes in that episode. Finally, there is a lot of speculation on the teen titans mailing lists I've on (which specialize in the animation rather than the comic, that is) on Salde's true identity and his connection to Robin. When Slade realized his hold over Robin was gone, probably forever, his reaction was very unusual. He gave the Titans the advantage and got himself beaten up rather than kill Robin along with the Titans, which he could easily have done (what Robin had done bordered on the suicidal given what he knew). slade is not particularly honorable or moral as supervillains go. He is, however, calculating (often within a split-second) and highly rational. Most villains who would put the heroes in a situation like that would have simply let Robin die with his friends. Yet Slade didn't. Why?

Has anyone taken any of the spells from Slayers, the classic fantasy anime comedy, and adapted them to FH? I am terrible at calculating spells, but I was wondering how one would buld not only the powerful attack spells like the Dragon Slave, Giga Slave and Ra Tilt, but also the minor cantrips like the spell Lina Iberfse uses to attrack the fish ion the stream to her hook. I also wonder if there is a way to write up the power to restore lost END by consuming food -- this would certainly explain Lina's enromous appetite, and she probably burns a lot of END on a daily basis casting spells. Or maybe she just likes food one heck of a lot.

How does one go about linking a spell effect to a weapon attack? An example would be a warrior/wizard who delivers all his spells by either hitting the target with an arrow, a crosswob bolt, or their sword depending on the circumstances. In effect, he would cast the spell on the weapon and it would remain charged into the weapon until it struke a target. Then he could cast a different spell on the weapon, or on the next arrow, etc. In theory, such a izard could craft a ressurection spell, cast it on an arrow, and shoot it into a crpse to bring a dead character back to life. Mind you the formerly dead character would have an arrow sticking out of him, which he might not be too pleased about, but at least he isn't dead.... On the other hand, if you shoot at the intended target with the arrow and miss or hit something you didn;t intend to, the spell affects whatever the arrow hits. This could range from merely annoying (you've wasted the End you put into the spell) to dwonright devastating (you've accidentally set your friend on fire in the midst of battle!)

Storywise, it HAS been improving. The "Red X" episode was very good and "Apprentice" so far has been pure dynamite. Slade the terminator is becoming one of the most cilling villains I've encountered in American animation, mainly due to his ice-cold rationality. His total LACK of insanity is, in its own way, as frightening asd the Joker's utter madness.

Don't forget the referneces to The Prisoner (Mad Mod rides a penny-farthing bicycle in one scene) and A Clockwork Orange (the chair that forces Starfire's eyes open so she can see things she doesn't want to, casting Malcom MacDowlell as Mad Mod) and a few other things. the ending is also a nod to the Batman: TAS episode "What is Reality?". mad Mod may have been mad, but he was sensible enough to fight the Titans from what he thought was a safe distance....

This is indeed exiting news, although I was hoping for more than six episodes. The BBCi series sounds exciting too -- I've seen the BBCi adaptation of Shada and found it quite exciting -- I want to see it again. It kept me up all night a few weeks ago watching it, i was that enthralled, and the story was that good. Of course, what could you expect from a faithful adaptation of the lost Douglas Adams episode? I wish i remembered the URL.

Care to post the link for the rest of us?

Re: Re: British SF HERO 5) There are usually two or three stories going on at once, each happening to different characters. They all add up to one complete story at the end when they all come together. One of the storytelling reasons for the Doctor to have a companion instead of traveling alone is that "the poarty can split up" and the story can be in two or three places at once. 6) Huge ship does not euqla huge crew. One man can pilot the almost-infitely large and complictaed TARDIS. Liberator is the largets and most advanced ship in the galaxy and it effectively flies itself (to the point that its AI computer is a member of the crew). 7) Computers aren't just smart -- they have personality, quirks and fobiles. Orac's intellectual arrogance is at times utterly astounding. K-9 is as loyal and faithful as a dog,but still gets frustrated when its "master" ignores its repeated warnings of impending danger because he;'s occupied with something else. 8) Even seemingly unintelligent characters are witty, quick-tounged and scarily observant. Witness Vila -- a slave-grade Delta petty thief who sometimes seems to be the only sane man in the whole friggin' unoverse. 9) Everyone -- herpoes, villains, passers-by -- has secrets. BIG secrets, that sometimes even they do not know.

I just got this strange idea for a power -- Stretching: USable Against Others. You have the power to elongate and twist OTHER PEOPLE'S limbs in any way you desire. It deoesn;t do damage to them, but it can certainly lead to a great deal of inconvenience and discomfort. And if you're really creative you can cause some nasty effects with it ("No, Doc, i did NOt want to stick my head under that pile-driver! That accursed Stretcho!") Has anyone ever used this construction? has any GM ever allowed it? And what sorts of uses can you think of for a power like this?

They would have to. Beast Boy's normal STR is 10 -- 13 at most. But he's much stronger when he's an elephant or a dinosaur and much weaker when he's a kitten or rat. Likewise, his dexterity goes up as well when he's a chimpanzee, but he loses the ability to manipulate objects whee he takes most animal forms (very few of the animals he changes into are gifted with opposable thumbs). The one stat that doesn;t change is his INT. Although he gains some instinctive animal reactions when he changes, his mind is intact. As the episode withj Aqualad demonstrates, his thought patterns are just as coherent as they always are when he's in animal form. Beast boy is actualkly a quite intelligent and creative idividual. His chice of forms is good, and he makes good use of the forms he chooses. Very few other supeeroes would choose a squid as a combat form, and none would use it so effectively.

I wouldn;t read too much into Starfire glomping the green kittne. For all intents and purposes, Starfire is taken. Further, beast Boy knows this and wouldn't dream of interfering (he may be a prankster, but he isn;t a letch). Now, though, I'd REALLY like to see some writeups. Sounds like raven and beast Boy would be the toughest characters to write up. beast Boy would be tough to play because he has hundreds of different animal forms he can take at whim, each with its own set of abilities and disadvantages. We're talking a buy who could be anything from a rat to a T-Rex. Raven would mainly be tough to write up because we haven;t seen all she can do. IOn the comic., she was powerful enough to do significant damage to the pkanet while under the control of her demonic father.

Why do i expect that in the next epsidoe Robin is going to have the mother of all hissy fits? Apparently Aqualad shows up and he's a hunk. I've only seen two episodes so i don't know whatbthe Robin-Starfire relationship is like really in the TV series (as opposed to the comic) but surely there's going to be some jealousy seething in there. Makes me wonder -- what kind of boyfriend would Raven attract? Surely not Beast Boy, who although he has a high opinion of himself is probably not all that popular with girls 9and certainly isn;t popular with Raven!). Loved Starfire's attempts in the most recent episode to drag raven to the "mall of shopping". Starfire and raven are rapidly becoming my favorite characters because they're such polar opposites. By the way, i prefer the japanese theme. I'm sure the lyrics make more sense. I wonder if this show is being released in japan and whether it would catch on there.

The character I;'d liek to see the character i'd like to see from that seires 9indeed, n\my favorite character in the series0 is kagome, the 21st-century teenage girl who finds herself in fedual japan mixed up with inu-Yasha in more ways than one. Takahashi is so in love with coupled-in-denial, and she seems to absolutely hate to resolve relationships -- and since I think the Inu-Yasha manga is still running I don't think they HAVE declared themselves ye. At least ranma and Akane TRIED to get married at the end, and there is a very strong hint that eventually they will be married. Complaining about that particular Takahashi habit is a favorite hobby among anime fans. How many of you think the would would be a lot more peaceful should Lum ever succeed in seducing Ataru?

I'm not a purist about my DC Comics characters, and actually I like the new takes on some of these characters. I've only seen one episode, though. I was hoping someone had tapes of some of the earlier episodes so I could catch up. I've heard about a couple of the other episodes and they sound really interesting.

Juts saw an episode of the very weird TV version of Teen Titans and wondered if a.) anyone else had seen it too, b.) would anyone like to write up a few of the characters and c.) which Robin is this supposed to be anyway? (Traditionally, it's supposed to be Dick grayson who helped found the Titans, but the animated version looks an awfullot like Tim Drake).

Dran those typos!

I wonder if anyone would like to take up the challenge of trying to model their favorite fantasy characters (book, film, TV, comic, manga, etc.) on 150 points (75+75 in disads). Some characters would be obviously impossible (Gandalf, Conan the Barbarian, Lina Inverse, etc.) But some others (Gollum, Elric, Thundarr, Deedlit, Dr. Van Helsing) might be entirely possible, especially if they don't have magic weapons they rely on. I imagine one could post the character sheets they come up with right here. I have fond memories of the old 250 point project for superheroes from 4th Edition days and figured such a 'contest" (although there is no prize other than the satisfaction of a job well done) would be a perfect way to celebrate, and practice with, the new edition of FH. (Would anyone be interested in a similar project for SH, or a 350-point project for Champions?)

Did anyone ever post a HERO writeup of the movie Legolas from the LOTR films? I'm curious to see two things. 1. How high a DEX you would give him, and.... 2. How to write up some of the amazing things he can do with a bow and arrows (including using an arrow as a melee weapon).

That sort of trick sounds like just her style. I don't know hwo she'd feel about the school's goth clique -- would they be useful to her, or dangerous? How would the goths respond to a real vampire in their midst -- they may be even less likely than PCs to believe it. One thing about the campaign idea I had in mind is that both angels and demons may be active in the setting -- and neither one likes vampires very much. The vampire might have a very high DEX and even some martial manuevers to face off against them. The PCs best chance against her would be to find out all they can, discover her weaknesses (a stake in the heart would ruin her day, but whose day would it not ruin?) and find a way to confront her where they have the advantage. Even then it may be a close run thing and one or more PCs may die in the final combat.