Battlestaff

Re: the 5th Edition CU is by far the best

I have to disagree. The 4th Edition CU had a stronger comic book feel. The premise for 5th Edition is actually too uniform. Consistency of theme and so on aren't necessarily the hallmark of a comic book universe. Marvel and DC comic universes thrive because they have multiple authors and support immense variety in story-telling.

 

I have to argue with the constraint of trying to place every Hero official genre in the same timeline.

I have to agree with this view to a certain extent. While 4th Ed. did start with a basic framework (Champions Universe, etc.), that framework was pretty loose. The individual writers were free to come up with new ideas that the original framers may not have thought of. And this appeared to generally work. I don't recall any product that directly contradicted or invalidated any other product.

The only time this loose set up worked was in the creation of published characters. There was wide gulf in quality between one author's characters and another. But this could be fixed by simply tweaking the character.

Now, with the universe so organized and set up, I'm afraid that creativity may be a bit stifled. When an author thinks along a specific line of work, they may reject valid and creative ideas because they can't make the idea "fit" into the organized world. While I understand the importance of having a framework, I think that the framework and any guidelines need to be general.

Re: Supermage Sanctum Suggestion Request

You could try building the sanctum with a gate to Babylon (EDM movement, only to one dimension). This way you can get there without having to build there. This is assuming that your motivation is to be able to get to Babylon. If you're looking for ways to get the base out of the way, there are other ideas available.

Re: H.P. Lovecraft, Otto Skorzeny, and the CU

To "Battlestaff"Okay please explain 'what was "Wings Of The Valkyrie"and what was it about ?

I agree with Von D-Man that this shouldn't have been the reason for it to be pulled. But no one in the real know has ever given me a good explanation.

As for the Plot: SPOILER

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The characters start out investigating the murder of a security guard at a college campus. After following the clues, they find a scientist has assembled a team of holocaust survivors and children of holocaust survivors, and he plans to travel back in time and destroy the Nazi high command before it can start WWII. They succeed, and because the characters are near to the time machine, they retain their memories as time changes.

They are now in a repressive US, which is the result of no WWII. They are chased by the Bureau of Genetic Purity, who attempts to kill the mutants and other supers. The characters then track down the scientist who first created the time machine, and are sent back to the 1930's.

The part that some people might have qualms about is that, to save history as we know it, they have to stop the other team sent to kill the high command. Yep, your characters have to save Hitler's life and allow WWII and the holocaust to occur!!

As we were discussing, this is the kind of adventure where you have to know your players before you could even consider running it.

Re: Help me build the Civic Guard

Hermit - Nice take on Monument. Now I want to read more....

Re: Help Needed with New Character

You may want to check out the UNTIL Superpowers Database for ideas. You can find the link here:

http://www.herogames.com/USPD/thedatabase.htm

Read the descriptions, and maybe we can help you work out final forms for the powers you like.

Re: H.P. Lovecraft, Otto Skorzeny, and the CU

Talking about showing real life Nazi's in a positive light and all, could this be one reason "Wings of the Valkyrie" was pulled from the shelves?

Re: OT: Was I even missed?

Sorry to hear about the break. No more kicking butt as a crimefighter for a while, eh?

Re: Internet and cell phones

How about viewing the new movie "Cellular." That appears to be about cell phones and the problems that might arise from their use.

Re: DEMON cover previews out!

Nice Cover. I can't wait for the book!!

Re: Internet and cell phones

I agree with Proditor.

The internet is a great way to give the players information you want them to have. They will have sites they trust the information from (which will usually yield little beyond basic information), and the less trustworthy or sites of unknown trustworthiness (which will yield more information, but could be wrong, intentionally or not).

As for cell phones, remember that they have to be on to receive phone calls, or you just get voice mail. And if their system is like mine, it could take an hour or more sometimes for the phone to alert to a waiting voice mail. Also, you have to have reception, and most villain bases have some sort of shielding. Oh, and pray you have extra batteries along, because recharging if the battery dies takes a lot of time......

Re: Iconic Champions ( 4e )

In Watchers of the Dragon there was an expanded character sheet for Seeker, who used a lot of experience and became a lot tougher than he was originally.

The Ultimate Mentalist did the same thing for Solitaire.

As for the others, I could see Jaguar either quitting the hero business altogether and focusing on being a detective, or else buying off some of his disadvantages.

As for the others, I don't know of the top of my head, but I will check tonight when I get home.

Re: the Ultimate Vehicle v. the Vehicle Sourcebook

Thanks. That's kinda what I thought, but since the only FLGS isn't really local (an hours drive) and they don't carry a lot of Hero Books (of which I've complained), I haven't had a chance to glance through them.

Re: Where does this lim/disad go?

Honestly, I like the multiform method, except for one difference: The base form is the weak form with powers bought as OIHID. Then the multiform is the powerful version bought with the appropriate focus limitation.

 

Otherwise, powers could be bought as follows:

 

44 Tough: Armor (10 PD/10 ED); OIHID (-1/4) plus Armor (10 PD/10 ED); OIHID (-1/4), Conditional Power Only if (focus) used to achieve Hero ID (-1/4)

I kinda like this method. It's simple, plus you can modify each power individually. This way there's no blanket reduction in power, so you can have the enhanced sensed unaffected no matter how you transform, but have an EB or Armor that enhances as it does in this example.

Okay, I saw these two books listed, and was wondering what the difference between the two are? Should I pick them both up, or will one suffice? Also, when looking at the online store, they both appear to have the same stock number. Are they really the same book, and I'm missing something?

Re: Bringing up Everyman Skills

I wouldn't allow the players to only pay 2 pts. to upgrade the familiarity to a full skill. But part of that is for a campaign specific reason.

In my campaign, I have a list of everyman skills for the players. However, if they player can come up with a reason to substitute another skill for one in the base set, I will usually let them (raised in another culture, time, etc.). By not allowing them to upgrade for the free point, it keeps the players from trying to get cheap skills they really want.

Re: Help me build the Civic Guard

Duelling Heroes

Captain Confederacy / Hope (Montgomery, AL)

While both these individuals are heroes, they constantly duel over who properly represents the city.

Captain Confederacy represents the history of the city, the birthplace of the Condederate States of America. He is not a small-minded bigot, like so many stereotypes depict. Instead, he fights for the individual, and views this as a symbol of the Confederacy's refusal to give up their individual power to a central government.

Hope represents the future of the city. Born shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott, this young African-American girl grew up during the civil rights movement in the United States. She stands for the hope of the future. She believes in the words of Dr. King, and strives for a world where all people are treated equally.

Re: WWYCD? #105: SuperWeapons & Tactics the Movie

The terrorist jerks to fully face the cameras. "You know that I have money! One hundred million dollars to the one who frees me before I reach Stronghold! One hundred mill--" He swears in Esperanto as the PRIMUS troopers carry him away.

He made his statement in Esperanto? Then we're safe. Besides Fiacho, does anyone really speak Esperanto? Who would know what he said?

Re: Death with Dignity : An examination of the Golden Age

According to what I've researched, the Comics Code was created by the publishers themselves as a way to avoid congressional censorship. Congress was investigating complaints about the contents of the comics, and the publishers, in an attempt to stave off the imposition of rules they had no say in creating, came up with their own set of operating codes to appease Congress. Thus the Comics Code was born.

Here's a website listing the requirements of the Comics Code:

http://www.comics.dm.net/codetext.htm

Re: Published Character List

The main reason I didn't list them as a team was that they were not laid out int the sourcebooks as a team. I had to draw a line somewhere as to where I would list the characters, and since they weren't specifically laid out as a team in the book, I didn't include them as such. I hope this didn't cause too much of a problem.

Re: Published Character List

The List is great!!!

 

one question: could you list the members of GRAB as a team? or are they too informal to rate grouping together?

Glad you liked the list. I posted hoping some people could get some use out of it.

My list only went up through 4th Ed., and in the books I didn't find any list establishing exactly which characters, besides Black Claw (deceased in 5th) and Gremlin, were full-time members. That's why Black Diamond appears with The Raiders, since I was using her there as muscle.

I think GRAB was first officially laid out as a team in 5th Ed.

Re: Published Character List

Wow, thanks for the list. I'll be able to update now. I hope you find the list useful.

Okay, I was looking through the files on some disks I have, and I came upon this file I had done, listing the characters and teams from the various Champions supplements, dating from Champions 2nd up through Champions 4th. After updating with a couple of books I recently got, I though I would post it here for others to use. While I did move a few folks around for my campaign (Scorpia, etc.), on the whole these are the teams as published.

I didn't do the various non-super genre books (Ninja Hero, Horror Hero, Western Hero), nor did I do the Normals Unbound book.

After reviewing my list and inventory, I also realized that I do not have several books, and therefore do not have the characters. If anyone can fill in the characters for the books I didn't include, it would be greatly appreciated. Those books are: Coriolis Effect, Enemies: International File, Enemies Villainy Unbound, Scourge of the Deep, Strike Force, VOICE of Doom, Underworld Enemies, Murderer's Row, and Hudson City Blues.

Let me know what you think.

Re: Supernatural beings in the Champs Universe

Most games I've been in have either used them, or would allow their use if they came up. In the campaign I run, I have them available, but only bring them out if someone makes a character that would interact with them (a mystic or magic-wielding character, etc.).

When I do use them, I usually use the 'standard' variety, though I do throw in some surprises now and then. In one campaign, the players didn't realize that the person they met in the daylight was really the vampire they were looking for at night (hey, Dracula walked around in the daylight in the book). He claimed to be so pale because of anemia (yet another clue they didn't pick up).

I don't really use demons as much. Though if there was a specific need, I'm sure one could be arranged.

Re: The Executive Branch

Interesting. I think that is actually much more interesting than the original idea: how do you oppose a completely legal government agency' date=' which is not doing anything new (whether you agree with it or not, the draft, jury duty, gag orders, etc. are all well within the sphere of acceptable use of government power in the USA, even before the Patriot Act was enacted), without making yourself a criminal in the process? [/quote']

 

I appear to have misinterpreted your original post. In your original post, you said that supers were being drafted to assassinate someone that had been sentenced to death already, and all the draftees have to do is go kill someone. Here, you are saying that they are also being drafted for jury duty.

 

In the original post, I don't believe that what the government is doing is fully legal. While yes, the target could have been found guilty in a court of law (as long as it was a public trial, not a secret tribunal, all proper procedures were followed, etc.), and could have been sentenced to death, I don't think a secret hit squad would be fully legal. Executions of inmates, while not heralded and advertised, are also not held secretly. Thus, a program like this, if discovered (as I believe it would eventually be), would most certainly raise all sorts of legal challenges. And please be advised, I'm only arguing legality here, not morals.

 

However, if the supers are also being 'drafted' to act as a jury, I believe that there would be a little more legality, but not by much. And before someone asks, this has nothing to do with being tried "by a jury of his peers." In this case, the drafted supers would be deciding guilt or innocence, and the sentence if death was asked for by the prosecution (again assuming that the trial followed all procedural requirements, the trial was publicly held, the defendant was given a public defender, etc.). They would then be being asked to carry out the sentence they imposed, because of the abilities of the jury. This may be legal. But if this was all done in secret, behind closed doors, this would not be legal at all.

Re: The Executive Branch

It's an interesting idea. However, your players would have to be willing to run characters that would go along with this without revealing what's going on. I only see a few problems.

First off, you would have to have supers that were already willing to do such work, or have some incredible blackmail material to force reluctant heroes to do such work. Otherwise, the organization would spend as much or more time keeping the heroes in line as they do giving them assignments. This might work in a Dark Champions campaign, or an Iron Age campaign, but I don't see it working in other styles.

The other problem is with the gag order. Again, you would have to have supers who don't mind doing this type of work, or you are going to find that someone will eventually spill the beans. And that someone, if doing this type of work, is probably already a sneaky S.O.B., and would have recorded meetings and kept all the evidence he could. The only people who wouldn't report what's going on are supers who enjoy this type of work, or see it as a necessity. I don't care how strong your gag order is, it would not last if you tried to draft someone from the Avengers or JLA for this type of work. The Punisher or Hitman wouldn't mind, but any four-color super would turn these guys in as fast as they could.

Now, if we're talking a form of mind control, or control device that explodes if they do not comply, that's another story. Also, your 'gag order' could actually be a sophisticated form of mind wipe, so that only someone who knows what to look for would be able to recover those memories (and without the memories, the assassins wouldn't have any reason to ask the local mentalist to look for the memories).