Supreme Serpent

Of course it varies by character. That being said, I tend to favor full-bodysuits w/full mask - think Spiderman, Blizzard from Marvel, etc. I like gloves & boots, and capes when I think it'll work. Objective from character's point of view usually to protect Secret ID, sometimes protection (ie armor bought through costume). Usually nothing too risque. Sometimes lots of skin showing, again depends on character/powers. Our games tend to at least try to be "traditional" in terms of costuming - ie heroes/villains have "Codenames" and costumes, not just "First Name Last Name" wearing normal clothes who happens to have powers.

How about...Twins/Triplets/etc have strange psionic synergy in this setting that the gov't doesn't know about. The injections don't quite work on them. (not all twins/etc) have powers, but the ones that do aren't as effected by the shots). Plus, if there is a set of twins where only one is getting the shots, the effect is even less due to this odd synergy. ie 1) twin A and twin B. Both get shots. Both have X level of abilities. 2) Twin A gets shots, Twin B on the run and does not. A has X+Y level of ability, B has full power. 3) Neither A nor B gets shots. Both have full (perhaps even more extensive) powers. Uses: - people who don't know they had twins/lost contact (orphans, etc) start showing powers even while taking shots. - twins "on the run" seek to drag their siblings into the resistance, partially to increase their own ability. - lots of angst with one twin working for gov't, other one on the run. Once the gov't knows, will they still trust the twin? Are they a double agent? - if the gov't finds out, what will their reaction be? Will they give twins stronger doses of the drug? Will they die from resulting overdose? Will it backfire and give them stronger powers?

I'm not getting into the morals of the situation, but having seen his sheet, I'm wondering HOW he took the whole floor away. His normal teleport choice in the VPP could not handle that - did he make some massive extra mass area affect usable vs others selective target T-port? With 90 active points? Maybe there's a way, I just don't see it just lookin' at it.

Why not have the experienced gadgeteer character play the role of mentor himself? He will get "free points" in the form of the group's starting base/vehicles/etc. If the game world's not anti-mutant, being mutants shouldn't be a big problem. If you're doing a Marvel-mutants-are-either-evil-or-misunderstood-verse, then yeah, could be a pain. It's your world - your choice. Worried about not having a brick? Why not give the team an NPC robot member (maybe designed by the gadgeteer, maybe just found and activated/befriended) that can function as a brick. Fills a hole in the team, and can be a convenient temp character in case you have a new player sit in for a test session. Also handy for plot ideas - where did he come from? Who made him? When will he end up becoming Mechanon?

The ideas you already have are good. Speed can sometimes be an issue for new HEROs. May want to make all of the characters/villains the same speed to start with to avoid confusions about "do I act this segment or not". If everyone in the fight goes on 3, 6, 9, and 12 it can make it easier. You said ignore BODY - for characters, I agree. But I would still introduce the concept, for affecting inanimate objects and knockback (KB can be complicated, but is just too fun to leave out altogether! ) Leave out mental powers and presence attacks.

In a combat situation, I'd give priority to villains that affect someone's Vulnerabilities. Measly 40 stun attack suddenly a big problem when it gets doubled! After that, Egoists.

Exactly. Keep it moving along. If it advances the plot, allow it. If it looks good/fits the genre, allow it. Go with first instinct/quick lookup for rules. Don't get bogged down. Make a ruling, if that would change player's action, allow them to change action. Save detailed rule lookups/discussions till after the session is over. Keep the momentum going.

(Don't have CKC or CU yet, so basing things on pre-5th ed villains.) Stat-sheet wise, pretty much any villain would work. Change disads/origin/motivation - voila! As for who would work with the least effort? To use as NPC heroes to help populate the world? I'd pull the Ultimates in whole-hog. Some of the generic villains, like Pulsar, Ogre, Green Dragon, Icicle, etc could make a good team. Foxbat of course. Who would I personally enjoy playing as a heroic PC? Have to go back to the Ultimates again. Binder - how can you NOT have fun annoying villains with a jet pack and a glue gun? Blackstar - desoldifying brick? Yes please!

Make her a reclusive artist. She makes bizarre modern-art paintings by painting what she "sees" with her energy-sense. If anyone gets too close to the truth, she gives the cover story of being very sensitive to reading "auras" and such.

Re: Redemeable Villains Why, I'd use the *all* as villains! Or do you mean which ones would we use as heroes?

The Second Coming? Oh wait, they're supposed to be humble... Unity The Watch Overwatch (implying significant oversight by UNTIL) N.E.S.T. (Newly Established Super Team) Sorry, couldn't resist. Vindicators

I don't remember the limit values I gave it, but some time ago I did something similar for a knock-out attack (poison dart, etc). Wanted to be able to easily KO a normal, but not heavily affect characters w/high CON/STUN. Ended up doing 4D6 NND, with extra 4D6 if target stunned by attack, extra 4D6 if target stunned and KO'd by attack. Average hit on normal would end up at 42 stun, which would stun them and put them to -22 stun, but to most supers would only do 14 stun.

...not like it was a collie or something.

Dr. Divagao, look for "heromachine" online. I think it was at "www.heromachine.com" . Program that has some templates and you choose lots of possible add-ons like hairstyles, outfits, weapons and such. Very cool.

OK, first off, TheEmerged, that was cool. First secret message I've ever seen on a message board! I'm going to have to start secretly including parts of the Master Plan in my posts... OH - TheEmerged's players - if you're reading this thread, DON'T reply to it, or you'll see the spoilers! OK, back to the question. In my now departed but long-running campaign, out of the five main characters handed in, three had VIPER hunteds - one just had a nasty grudge, one was the result of an experiment, and the third used to be an agent before he got enlightened. Since VIPER was so important to their pasts and they would probably be showing up a lot anyways, might as well make them central. So, the struggle against VIPER was the central goal of the campaign, leading them all over, eventually stopping VIPER's massive plan after years of gameplay. Plenty of other long-running plots/subplots, recurring villains and such, but that was the ultimate "goal" of the campaign.

Hmm...maybe: Red Lightning White Suit Lady with Glowing Red Hand Woman who Fights Crime and Strives for Justice but Has a Bad Temper so Don't Cross Her or She Will Zap You Oh so Bad and That Would Hurt so Instead Be Good and Don't Be a Criminal or You Will Get Yours Buster! Yeah, that's more workable.

I'll second that. The main focus of the book should be the gadgets themselves, but secondary sections would be good. Briefs on organizations that churn this stuff out, some guy like the Tinkerer in Marvel who makes/repairs foci for villains, etc. And if it hasn't already been presented in some 5th Ed book already...TURTLE ARMOR!!!! :D

Good luck on your new direction, your "solo book", if you will. Hope you can drop in and guest star from time to time.

I could see the gov't "imminent domain"-ing a lot of captured villain foci if they could understand it and/or felt it would not be a danger to use. I imagine if there's a lot of this, you could see a government hero team using this stuff with a large tech-support staff backing them up. "OK, Sinestro's in prison for life now. Fill out form 1028-J-7 and get his power ring over to Department H for assignment to a suitable recruit."

Let's see... Red Lightning Red Thunder Crimson Sky Scarlet O'Hare (Chicago based heroine) Fateful Lightning (as in "...he has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword...") Red Storm Red Bolt Amp Crimson Dynamo!

And don't forget to take over when he gets knocked out...

Glad you liked it. Just doing my part for Nests everywhere...

Oh, and PULSAR! Great villain sorta in the Electro mold. Drunk with his own power, etc. Fun to run, fun to play against. Once had a character in secret ID distract him by asking for his autograph - half DCV and no force field anyone?

Destroyers/Deathstroke - Deathsinger, Frost, Death Commando, Arrowhead, Stinger! Ultimates - Binder, Plasmoid, Blackstar, Charger, Slick Anklyosaur VIPER DEMON as an idea, not really how they were written up. old school Dr. Destroyer - the bada** in blue.

Or just take a Physical Disad: Cannot move faster than a half-move.