Speedball

Re: Storn's Art & Characters thread.

Alu Demon--yamma hamma! Makes a good man turn bad...

(excuse me while I shove my eyes back in my sockets)

ahem--that's good stuff, Storn. I particularly like the female ash. and the nice job you did with the chainsaw.

Re: NewCharacter for Review: Hurricane

You're right, Whamme, though when I look at the damage the character will likely do against other superheroic characters, I don't see it as overwhelming. I guess I was just saying that I liked the 80 AP cap.

I would still love to hear suggestions for improvement, where others would take the chaaracter with XP, etc....

Thanks!

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

I'll get the game rolling by this Saturday at the latest. Coming up with a reason for your character to be Manhattan or Toronto might speed things up

What self-respecting playboy billionaire would be anywhere other than New York City during its yearly Fashion Week? Models, parties, models, music, mod---you get the idea. A few days before Fashion Week was due to begin, Simon Cooper Windsor thought to tell his pilot to prepare the plane for the transatlantic flight (I'm making an assumption here--the plane is just a flavor device, not a plot piece; Nexus, if you'd prefer that Simon fly Virgin Atlantic First Class, he could manage...). On the trip over, Simon flipped restlessly through the New Yorker, Art History News, the Financial Times, and the Wine Spectator from last month. Sometimes he wished he needed to sleep--though he could sleep if he wanted to, without the sandman's tug of necessity, it just wasn't the same. He paused in the middle of "Shouts and Murmurs," and realized that he hadn't arranged for a place to stay in the City.

Flipping open his phone, he pressed a button and said "W," activating the speed dial for the W Hotel in Union Square, just a few blocks away from where he knew the best parties would be held. In the middle of the first ring, the other end clicked to life.

"Mr. Windsor, sir! The is Georges. I hope your call means you'll be coming to stay sometime soon." Simon smiled--number recognition went both ways, and hotels as highly-priced as the W certainly know what side their bread is buttered on...

"As a matter of fact, Georges, I'm about halfway over the pond as we speak. I thought I should ring and..."

"ahhh...you'll be here tonight, sir? For Fashion Week, yes? I suppose we could find you a room..." Simon could almost hear Georges sweating over the phone. He wondered what it would be like, switching roles with the man, who was between a rock and a hard place. Georges and the W Hotel couldn't afford to offend someone like the young Mr. Windsor, but they would almost certainly have to move someone else as a result.

"A room? Georges--you misspoke, surely. I'll be needing a suite. I'd be happy to call around town, if you're booked..."

Without even the slightest pause, the other end practically gulped. Simon thought he could almost hear the man's heart leap into his throat. "Oh, of course. There *is* a suite available. I can't imagine how I missed it."

"Georges, that's why I love the W--you're all incredibly good to me. I'll see you shortly."

Perhaps trading places with Georges wouldn't be that interesting after all...

Re: Queer Eye for the Superhero Guy

*this* poor bastard could definitely use some help...

Captain Ultra

Re: NewCharacter for Review: Hurricane

My what a lot of points. I hardly ever spend this many, or play in games with this many points as a rule so I'm not in an ideal position to comment on how it will owrk in practive. I did note you can't use spacial awareness in a vacuum, but the same limitation doesn't apply to your multipower - I'd have thought it would. OTOH unless you are spending much time in space it is arguable that it isn't going to limit you at all so shouldn't be on the spacial awareness.

 

Have fun with Hurricane!

You're right--it's a whole lot of points. I think that the 80AP cap avoids over-powered attacks, though. I don't know whether this was what part of the conscious design by the GM (we haven't started playing yet) or what, but I don't think of the character as being cosmically high powered, even though his point total would seem to indicate he is.

You make a good point about the vacuum limitation. I'll bring that up to the GM. Thanks!

Anyone else?

So this is my first attempt at building a high-powered hero *and* my first attempt at building a multi-power. Please feel free to suggest changes. The character was designed to conform to the following rules laid out by the GM.

Base Character Points: 600

Disadvantage points: 150

Maximum Disadvantages from one category: 75

Active points: 80

Dmg Classes: 16

Defense: Normal: 40/ resistant: 30

Combat value: 15 with levels

Hero Name: Hurricane OCV: 7 (12 w/lvls)

Civilian ID: Simon Cooper Windsor DCV: 7 (12 w/lvls)

Score Stat Cost Roll Notes

60 STR 50 21- lift 100 tons; 12d6 dmg; 12” leap

20 DEX 30 13-

30 CON 40 15-

30 BODY 40 15-

20 INT 10 13-

20 EGO 20 13-

20 PRE 10 13- 2d6 PRE attack

20 COM 5 13-

40 PD 26 30rPD/30rED

40 ED 30

8 SPD 50

20 REC 2

60 END 0

70 STUN

313 Characteristics Total Cost

Powers

Cost Name END

80 Power Of The Wind: Multi-power, 80-point reserve

6u 1) Can't Breathe: Energy Blast 3d6, NND (defense is Life Support [self-Contained Breathing]; +1), Continuous (+1) (45 Active Points) plus Drain REC 1d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), Ranged (+1/2), Continuous (+1) (27 Active Points); Linked (Energy Blast; -1/2) 7

15m 2) Control Winds: Telekinesis (40 STR), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (75 Active Points) 3

6u 3) Flying Debris: RKA 1d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Area Of Effect (2" Radius; +1), Selective (+1/4) (41 Active Points); Requires Objects Of Opportunity (-1/4) plus Sight Group Flash 3d6, Area Of Effect (2" Radius; +1), Selective (+1/4) (34 Active Points); Linked (RKA; -1/2) 7

3u 4) Right Back At You: Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel), Missile Reflection, Reflect At Any Target, Full Range (+1) (60 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Will Not Work Against Heavy Missiles (-1/4) 6

6u 5) Spin Me Right 'Round, Baby: Drain DEX 4d6, Ranged (+1/2) (60 Active Points) 6

16m 6) Wind Blast: Energy Blast 9d6, Double Knock-back (+3/4) (79 Active Points) 8

16m 7) Wind Riding: Flight 26", Variable Advantage (+1/4 Advantages; Combat Acceleration/Deceleration, Rapid Non-combat Movement, Mega-Movement (1" = 1 km), No Turn Mode, Usable As Gliding, Usable Underwater; +1/2) (78 Active Points) 8

Multi-power Cost: 148

18 I Can Feel the Air Moving: Spatial Awareness; won’t work in a vacuum –¼, 0

45 Wind-toughened Skin: Damage Resistance (30 PD/30 ED), Hardened x2 0

10 The Wind at My Back: Knockback Resistance –5” 0

15 Just Fine the Way I Am, Thanks: Power Defense 0

10 No Thanks—I Brought My Own: LS: Self-Contained Breathing 0

3 I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: LS: Needs no sleep 0

5 Hard Gear: Flash Defense, 8 points, OIF (Mask lenses) 0

260 Powers total cost

Skills

Cost Name Roll

3 Linguist

3 Scholar

3 Traveler

3 Acrobatics 13-

3 Breakfall 13-

3 Bureaucratics 13-

40 CSLs—5 levels, all combat

3 Conversation 13-

3 High Society 13-

2 KS: British History 13-

2 KS: Royal Family and Nobility of UK 13-

2 KS: English and American Literature 13-

2 KS: European and American Art History 13-

2 KS: Heroes and Villains 13-

2 AK: UK 13-

0 CK: London (home city) 13-

1 CK: Paris 11-

1 CK: Berlin 11-

1 CK: Rome 11-

1 CK: New York 11-

1 CK: San Francisco 11-

1 CK: Los Angeles 11-

1 CK: Boston 11-

0 English (Native)

1 Spanish (Fluent conversation)

1 German (Fluent conversation)

1 Italian (Fluent conversation)

1 Latin (Fluent conversation)

1 French (Fluent conversation)

1 Russian (Fluent conversation)

1 Ancient Greek (Fluent conversation)

1 Japanese (Fluent conversation)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Persuasion 13-

3 Seduction 13-

3 Riding (Horses) 13-

0 Everyman Skills (GM’s discretion)

103 Total Skills

Perks

Cost Name

5 Access to English and NATO military and government facilities

7 Computer link to English military and police systems

8 Contact 11-, extremely useful resources, major institutions, significant contacts of his/her own, good relationship. (NAME: GM Discretion)

21 Contact 11-, whole organization, extremely useful resources, major institutions, significant contacts of its own, (NAME: GM Discretion)

5 International Police Power

7 Security Clearance

3 Reputation: England’s Greatest Hero and protector (most of world)

15 Wealth: Filthy Rich

71 Total Perks

Talents

Cost Name

3 Absolute Range Sense

3 Total Talents

Disadvantages

5 Margaret Windsor (sister), DNPC: Normal, Infrequent 8-

5 “The girl of the moment”, DNPC: Normal, Infrequent 8-

5 Well-known costume, Distinctive Features: easily concealed.

20 Hunted (GM’s Choice)

5 Hunted: British Government (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)

20 Psych Lim: Fearlessly Heroic: will risk life in obviously lethal circumstances; (Very common, strong)

10 Psych Lim: Must live up to reputation as “England’s greatest protector” (Uncommon, strong)

20 Psych Lim: Must protect innocents (common, total)

15 Social Lim: Secret ID (Frequently, Major)

10 Social Lim: Famous (as Simon Cooper Windsor)

15 Reputation: famous hero who will help anyone who appears to be a victim, 14-

10 Reputation: playboy (as Simon Cooper Windsor) (frequently, 11-)

150 Total Disads

Background/History: Born into a normal, but fantastically wealthy family distantly related to England’s royal family, Simon Cooper Windsor grew up accustomed to a life of privilege. He received an exclusive education, attending the best boarding schools and excelling effortlessly. He was especially interested in languages and went on to Cambridge University, where he spent his years shuttling back and forth from the classroom to whatever vacation his family or friends were arranging for the weekend. Life was not all tea and crumpets for Simon, however. Simon’s widowed father took pains to make certain Simon understood what a burden he would inherit with his wealth, position, and fame. The Windsor family had a responsibility to pay the world back for their good fortune and to take care of those who were unable to take care of themselves. After Simon graduated from Cambridge with his First in modern languages, he spent a summer on the Mediterranean on one of the family’s yachts and it was during these weeks that his powers first manifested themselves. First, he found that he could fly and he would glide into a seaside town after dark each night to find dinner, drinks, and a beautiful woman to seduce. As the summer continued and the sun turned his skin dark, Simon began thinking back to his father’s remonstrations: “don’t waste your life; don’t fail your heritage.” As the extent of his powers became apparent, Simon began to understand just how grave the consequences to inaction could be. Others were beginning to appear and it became obvious that many of them had no such feelings of responsibility as they spread chaos and, in the most unfortunate cases, death. Acting to thwart minor crimes at first, Hurricane (as he began calling himself in the notes he left for the bobbies) eschewed the spotlight, preferring to act as an anonymous patron. After the quiet death of his aged father, Simon inherited the bulk of the family fortune, the care of his younger sister Margaret (still a teen and attending her own boarding school) and a feeling that he needed to be even more engaged in the fight to protect England. As he began to work harder to act as England’s premier champion, Hurricane also attracted the attention of the government; the authorities appreciated the help and Hurricane used their facilities to help him do his job. As he continues to act in Britain’s defense, it is normal for him to travel to other parts of the world, sometimes for long periods, and in order for him to accomplish his job, he has been granted international police powers.

Personality/Motivation: In his civilian life, Simon appears as the stereotypical rich playboy. His love-life is semi-scandalous and his photo is regularly on the cover of tabloid magazines whenever anyone compiles a list of ‘most eligible bachelors.’ This is not just an act for Simon. He sees this as a necessary contre-temps to his ‘professional’ life, which places him under an amazing strain. He is not a superhero because he enjoys it (though there are times when he does)—he is a superhero because he must be. He never betrays these feelings to the press or other ‘normal’ people, but he will sometimes confide in other heroes to see how they deal with their responsibilities. He is alternately surprised and envious when he encounters a hero who does what s/he does because s/he likes it. First impressions of Hurricane are usually of an incredibly earnest, serious young man.

Powers/Tactics: In combat, Hurricane first likes to make certain that innocents will not be harmed. He will usually use his telekinesis and flight to move potential victims to safety before engaging a villain unless he or she will get away to do more harm to others. He never hesitates to put himself between an innocent and danger and this has nearly gotten him killed on more than one occasion. When engaging the enemy, Hurricane prefers to use the most non-violent method available to incapacitate a foe—dex drain often does the trick—unless that person has proven to be a serious danger to innocents (or, God forbid, England), in which case he will soften his target up by blowing debris at him/her and following up with a move-through to end the fight as quickly as possible. Out of combat, Hurricane prefers to use his contacts, security clearance, and computer link to learn as much as possible about a situation before diving in—he still has a strong academic streak in him and he enjoys the research, since it lets him feel as though he’s doing his job while he’s enjoying himself at the same time

Appearance: Hurricane wears a full-body costume of olive green, with a red, white, and blue bull’s-eye as his chest insignia, like the World War II-era plane he named himself after—the Hawker Hurricane. When in his secret identity, Simon Cooper Windsor is an impeccably dressed, handsome twenty-five year old man. He always seems to have a healthy tan, even in the dead of winter, which sets him apart from most of his pasty countrymen. His hair is a dirty blonde, his eyes are a glowing hazel, and his teeth—in an unmistakable mark of his wealth—are both perfectly aligned and as white as snow.

Quotation: “you’re going to stop hurting people. You can do it voluntarily, or I can make you.”

Re: Speedster Name Needed

"Actually, I like PDQ."

 

I'm missing something... PDQ?

IF you're my mom, it means "pretty darn quick," as in: "you'd better get down here PDQ, mister!"

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

You're essentially correct. Resouces Points are just character points used to accquire normal equipment that the character regularly totes around or uses in the course of their daily life. Weath or Poverty doesn't so much affect the number of Resouces points (though you can sell them off, or accquire more with that as the justification), but they affect the quality and availablility of what you can accquire with your resouces points. Just like contacts and other background material does.

 

Its not problem. I had some minor surgery recently, but I have the questionaires and I'm waiting for a few of them to drift in from the other players.

Geez, Nexus, I feel like a schmuck! I hope you're doing well. Obviously your health has to be the priority. Sorry.

As regards resource points and gear, if I were to pick up a full body-suit of kevlar, some handcuffs (as strong as allowable, obviously), some kind of radio comm device, a computer uplink, GPS, and mini-camera/recording device, does that fit into the spirit of what you were thinking? I don't know if I'm thinking too small or too big. I assume that as the billionaire-playboy type, the character would have multiple homes, cars, etc. and access to some kind of private jet, but if *those* are the kinds of things that resource points are designed for, I might want to rethink it. In addition, I don't know if you'd already considered this, but should the character have retained some points to invest in a base, or will that all be made clear later?

Thanks!

Re: Speedster Name Needed

I think "Stat" if you want to emphasize his work as a paramedic and make that central to his character, but PDQ is absolutely perfect if you want to emphasize him as a corn-fed country boy, since it's something his adopted parents would've used as a common phrase.

I can just *smell* the crisis of character coming down the pike for this guy when he learns that his adoptive parents lied to him and he finds out he's really the son of a couple of villains. ("How can I be good? Am I just fooling myself? What *is* good, if the people who I thought were righteous were lying to me all these years," etc.)

Fun stuff.

Re: PBEM - RDU: The Mavericks - Example & Discussion

Between Neil misreading Storn's post and what actually happened to the SOB, I got a good chuckle out of this post.

I hope Viper has good medical insurance.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

A couple of questions for those of you out in the ether:

1) Has anyone ever played a Champs game with resource points? If so, how are they normally used? I was thinking that they might be like character points, but only for use on specified items, like normal tech, housing, etc. If this is the case, would you think that a character who has a poverty disad--or a wealth perk--have their number of starting resource points affected?

2) Have any of the players heard back from Nexus as yet as regards the questionnaires we filled out? Are there just the three of us, or are we just the three newbies?

2.1) PS--Nexus: let me know if I'm being too much of a pain; I'm just not sure how about game pacing.

Re: Money is no object...

I meant that the character has a wind-based multipower and is also a brick; his powers are internal, not created by technology.

The personal armor and armored car are good suggestions. I think the other stuff is too borderline sci-fi for the GM.

Imagine you're a stereotypical billionaire playboy-turned-crimefighter. What equipment would you buy yourself? The caveat: the equipment must be real-world teachnology available legally circa 2001.

Just FYI, the character is a brick/energy blaster with flight.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

I've picked the final characters:

 

Hurricane

Android and Gadget

Slider

 

I'll be sending the players out a questionaries for a few things by this weekend. QUOTE]

 

Just checking with everyone to make sure I didn't miss the questionnaires this weekend...Anyone get one? A delay is fine--just don't want to stall things if I accidentally deleted it or anything.

Re: Terminator 3; T X

oh, jeez. we're toast.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

I *got* that you were Android and Gadget, I was just curious to have a teaser about their concept.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

My character is Hurricane. He is a Energy Projector (wind, duh) and light brick. I don't feel badly sharing at least that much, since he's a very public hero and I assume both your characters would've heard of him, though he's based in England.

And y'all?

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

Re: Storn's Art & Characters thread.

Hey BC, here is yours... Afreet. I'll let you talk about him.

 

Cool art. But how's he going to get seated in a restaurant--or on a plane? They've all gotten rid of their smoking sections. /lame laugh/

Re: Hitman: Your Next DC Campaign!

The whole thing's gotta be a joke, but that doesn't stop from thinking about hiring them to knock out W. They charge a little extra to impliate innocents, but it might be worth it to take Dick Cheney out of the line of succession...

Maybe I should start a site to raise the donations I'd need to cover the cost. Bet if I put it up on eBay, I'd raise the money in half an hour.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

Is anyone else beginning to feel like they're being teased?

Re: Skill Suggestions, need help

It depends on how far 'in' to the eco-tage/eco-terrorism movement he was before he got scared out, but many of the folks I know who have been connected with that stuff might also have the following skills talents and perks:

Mechanics

Demolitions

Climbing/Repelling

Skiing (is that TF?)

Bump of Direction (only in the woods or suitable habitat)

Stealth (habitat specific)

Deep cover/alternate identity

Contacts (within the movement--but only by alternate i.d.--they never use real names)

Animal Husbandry?

I know there are a few I'm missing, but anyone who's ever read through the Anarchist's Cookbook and Dave Foreman's old book on Eco-tage would pick up more than a few nasty tricks...

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

Hello everyone. I'm sorry I've been neglecting this thread. I'll be taking submissions until Sunday if anyone still wants to drop them off.

 

*snip*

 

Thank you all for your patience.

Hey--I think we're all just excited at the prospect of the game getting off the ground. I know I'll want to lurk, even if my character isn't selected for play. Knowing a few of those involved from their posts online, I suspect the level of writing will be very high--and that's a lot of what makes a PBEM enjoyable.

Re: An odd question

Someone needs to call the FBI, because this thread has been hijacked in the biggest way.

In any case, I think the question has been addressed, if not conclusively decided. Nexus--I'm glad you brought up the question, but I, for one, can stop reading now that the thread has been taken over by the Fascisti...I mean really: "might makes right?" Yikes.

Re: An odd question

Indeed' date=' this is sadly the most likely result of a scenario of cosmic-level superhumans suddenly arising among the world's teen population. Proactive supers of different worldviews clashing among themselves and with pro-status quo supers. World Superpowered War I. Probably small coalitions of supers with similar ideologies would coalesce, and it would end (provided not too much damage is inflicted to the framework of civilization) in either the world apportioned among a pattern of neofeudal superhuman warlords, or the winning faction becoming the de facto overlords of the world.[/quote']

 

If we're not careful, we're going to get slapped for a copyright violation for Kingdom Come!