Steve

Re: [Character] Carmen the Cynthian Hmm. I confess I'm not seeing much value in having a 12 INT and EGO, since the character is not taking any INT or EGO-based skills. Since combat is where the character focused his talents and skills, I would suggest dropping those two characteristics back to 8, boosting DEX to 14 and picking up an extra CV point in the process, SPD to 3, CON to 13 and PD to 4. That would give the character a better fighting chance, I think. Experience can be used to add on more later. In the beginning, concentrating more on character survivability would seem a wiser course. YMMV.

Re: [Character] Kessa Iceraven It looks like double-dipping to take both Barbarian and Outlander, because Barbarian pretty much covers the Outlander social limitation. Since the character is female, I would suggest the Outlander one be swapped for one of equal points: "Woman In A Man's World." Since the character looks mannish, not taking it at the 15 point level (as suggested in Valdorian Age) but instead at 10 would seem reasonable. I would also suggest the 11 PRE be dropped to 10 and that extra point be added to PD instead. Call me crazy, but a 4 PD seems a little light for a barbarian berserker.

Re: Women in Pulp adventures? For less action-oriented characters, I would suggest mining Agatha Christie novels for ideas. Actually, Agatha herself might make for a fine Pulpish character. She was married to a fighter pilot for her first husband, and her second husband was an archaeologist. She also worked as a nurse during the first World War.

Re: Victorian Hero (Sorta) What? With the writing speed you've demonstrated in the past, I find that hard to believe. You must be getting slower in your old age.

Re: Which villain needs an overhaul?

Re: Which villain needs an overhaul? And that raises some questions. Is that where her very best forces are stationed, holding Tyrannon at bay across a front line that can be measured in universes? Is said front line (if you can have a front line when we are talking multi-dimensional combat and conquest) a punishment detail that puts steel in the spines of her troops elsewhere? The Germans in WW2 had the Russian Front, and getting sent there for failing elsewhere was a fate to be avoided. Is there a Tyrannon Front somewhere?

Re: Ghostbusters HERO

Re: Which villain needs an overhaul?

Re: Ghostbusters HERO I think the STR levels are high, even if just 13. A score of 10 would seem more likely, which would show them as being in shape. They weren't really physical sorts.

Re: Women in Pulp adventures? Nancy Drew might be a good example too.

Re: Sense of Humor

Re: Chainmail Bikini Effects Oh, this just means that STUN Drains won't allow it to work. It has to be some kind of physical trauma. The description comes from how some defense abilities are built in Dark Champions.

Re: Chainmail Bikini Effects YIKES! You might want to add a limitation on it that it can only be used on minion types.

Re: Which villain needs an overhaul?

Re: Chainmail Bikini Effects I appreciate it, too. Anyone else have any suggestions for talents usable by nearly naked sword babes?

Re: Jonny Quest How much do you think the characters were built on? Jonny and Hadji, I am thinking 75-100 each, Dr. Quest 125-150, and Race seems a solid 150-175. I'm not sure what points Bandit (Jonny's dog) might be built on, maybe 25-50?

Re: Chainmail Bikini Effects These are pretty cool effects. My original post seems to have gotten sidetracked from its original intent though, talents for the sword babe in skimpy armor.

This cartoon series is more modern in setting (well, the 60s), but it definitely has a pulp feel. They dealt with creatures created from science gone mad, arch-villains with nefarious plots and deadly cultists as they traveled the world. Here are some links I found in my search of the Hero boards: Pulp TV Shows Doctor J.A. Quest

Despite it's more modern setting, there are a number of elements in this movie that seems more Pulp than any other genre. I only found one thread when I searched on it. Ghostbusters HERO I mean seriously, a campaign about ghostbusting with the toys they were running around using just seems to scream Pulp.

Re: Pulp-style Anime I was browsing through my anime collection, and I can't believe I forgot to mention Spirit of Wonder. It has a plucky girl hero (Miss China) who reminds me a bit of the Lili Winchester character in the back of Pulp Hero. She runs a boarding house and restaurant in the late 19th century called the Tenkai, and she has one boarder, a mad scientist inventor named Breckenridge who is chronically late with the rent. His inventions are straight out of the pulps.

Re: DCTAS: Hit Locations? This seems to be an example of a Heroic-level campaign that should not use them, since it is 4-Color in setup. The multipliers would make things a little too lethal given the levels of defense allowed.

Even though it was not mentioned in Pulp Hero as a gaming resource, Deadlands seems to be a pretty cool example of a "Weird Western" campaign suitable for the genre. Here are a couple of threads I found on it. Deadlands: Hell on Earth..uh....HERO Deadlands Hero

Probably most famous due to Red Sonja in Marvel Comics, but it is also seen in cheesy and/or pulpish swords & sorcery stories. I recently came across a funny little d20 supplement called Chainmail Bikini, and I thought it would be fun to translate some of the feats to Hero System equivalents. These are intended for female characters. If anyone can think of others, feel free to post. Eye Candy: Mind Control 8d6, Reduced END (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Cannot Pay END to Prevent Deterioration of Breakout Roll (-1/4), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Cannot Achieve EGO +30 Results (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2), Effect Ends Immediately If Anyone Directly Threatens Target (-1/2), Limited Normal Range (3"; -1/2), Not When Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2), Only Works On Persons Of Appropriate Sexual Orientation (-1/4), Requires A Comeliness or Seduction Roll (-1 per 20 points; -1/4) (Real Cost: 14 Points) plus Mind Control +6d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); same Limitations as above, plus Only To Achieve +20 "Target Cannot Detect Mind Control" Modifier (-1/2) (Real Cost: 9 Points). Total Cost: 23 Points. Glutton For Punishment: 25% Physical Normal Damage Reduction (10 Active Points), Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-1/4), STUN Damage Defined As Pain/Shock Only (-1/2) (Real Cost: 6 Points) plus +2 with HTH Combat (10 Active Points); Only Works If STUN Damage Defined As Pain/Shock Taken In Prior Or Current Phase (-1/2), Side Effect (-2 DCV; -1/2) (Real Cost: 5 Points). Total Cost: 11 Points. Hot and Violent: +2 with HTH Combat (10 Active Points); Not When Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2), Only Works On Persons Of Appropriate Sexual Orientation (-1/4). Total Cost: 6 Points. My Face Is Up Here: Combat Luck (3/3) (11 Active Points); Not When Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2), Only Works On Persons Of Appropriate Sexual Orientation (-1/4) (Real Cost: 4 Points) plus +2 DCV (10 Active Points); same Limitations as above, plus Linked to Combat Luck (-1/2) (Real Cost: 4 Points). Total Cost: 8 Points. Take Your Mind Off It: Healing BODY 1d6, Reduced END (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn; -1 1/4), Gestures (must hold or cradle target's head against chest or in lap; -1/2), Not When Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2), Only Works On Persons Of Appropriate Sexual Orientation (-1/4), Requires A Comeliness Or Seduction Roll (-1/2). Total Cost: 4 Points. Too Cute To Hit: +2 DCV (10 Active Points); Not When Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2); Only Works On Persons Of Appropriate Sexual Orientation (-1/4). Total Cost: 6 Points.

Re: Ninja / Martial arts questions This is only my personal opinion, and others may differ. The current edition focuses on martial arts that involves more options for high-powered anime and video fighting game style adventuring and abilities as seen in movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as well as more down to earth martial arts action. The campaigning section is larger, with several example campaigns and a lot of example characters for the different power levels. The old Ninja Hero devoted pages to martial arts styles that this version did not need. The new Ninja Hero is more about campaigning and telling martial artist stories, and how to replicate martial arts stunts and abilities that UMA didn't cover, such as anime abilities like you see in Dragonball and Ranma. I own both editions myself, and I really like the new version of it. I would suggest getting both UMA and Ninja Hero to fully cover your needs in the Hero System when it comes to martial arts.

Re: Character: Marie Sanguine