Vondy

The Midrash suggests that the King of Nineveh from the book of Jonah was Pharoh from the book of Exodus. In my game I ran with this. He's the worlds first trillionaire (Ramses Abakar), is the head of the neo-cult of Set, and has lots of artifacts and super-mage powers, let alone corporate resources, paramilitary strike teams, cyborg super soldiers, and whatnot. One of the spin off projects his illegal scientific project came up with and then got out of hand (their his enemies), and the children of Bast. Human-Hunting-Cat hybrids who worship their completely insane and still human creator as the cat goddess herself. She has a headdress with some cool abilities, the traditional eqyptian dress, and uses them as burglars to finance her operations against Ramses, who decided to scrub the project when it didn't get the results he wanted. Feline mutates, mmmm....

He and Muhammmed Ali are exchanging brain damage stories.

I've been playing since Champs III, too. I consider the EC a legacy thing. "We can't take it out because too many fans will be pissed". I have a nose for cheese, too. I see far more of it with EC's than I do with other constructs. I also don't like "free points". Here's a hypothetical: I as a GM decide I'm running a 200+150 game. I picked that number because I had a certain power range I was expecting. I also handed my players a sheet of construction guidelines, because total points isn't the only measure. The character who has an MP has two very real restrictions: 1. he can't exceed the maximum number of active points in the MP, so the number of powers he can activate is generally limited to one or two. In my experience, its usually 1. The character is relatively limited by this. The reason slots are cheap is that you can't use them all at one time - if you could you'd lose the savings in paying for the reserve. It would just be a VPP, with the slots counting as the control cost. 2. any points he gets from limitations are guinuine. They suffer for them. 3. my experience as a gamemaster is that the MPs inherent drawback - 1-2 powers at a time, and the fact that they are generally used to simulate "many EB SFX" or "untility belts" instead of "all my powers" in superheroic games, means they aren't abused as much. Its not a "feeling". Its my experience. The character with the EC has one restriction - a common drain, which is only worth about 1/4 as a limitation. The inherent limitations of the EC do NOT make up for the point savings the way an MPs inherent limitations do. Its just a 50% price break without any real drawbacks. They're freebie points based on "conception", which means they unfairly benefit character types that lend themselves to narrowness. In addition, total points, when characters fit the game masters other design requirements, DO matter. The character with the EC is more effective than anyone else on the team. He got more powers for less. The guy with the MP can only USE 350 points at one time, even if his slots would total out to be more than that, but the guy with the six slot EC I mentioned above can USE 530 points at one time - which is 180 points more than I wanted for the game I was running. The EC - in my games - is dead.

I killed the brick advantage by requiring all characters to take NCM (for points) and then outlawed the EC altogether, becuase I loathe them, consider them massively abusive, and unfair in that they benefit certain character types more than others. Most players will pay double to go over on Con, or a Few points of Dex, but its really balanced my game considerably - I get more reasonably character conceptions. I understand the theory that ECs make up for the bricks point advantage (not that I think thats why their in the system, but lets go with that), but I'd prefer players used multipowers. An EC becomes progressively more abusive with the addition of extra slots. A thirty point multipower with six slots has saves 180 points. I don't know of too many bricks who got THAT much of a kickback on their figured characterisitics! If I wanted characters to start with 530 points (such as the character who has six slots in an EC) I would have given ALL the characters that many points. The EC is majorly broken, despite its "internal controls", which hardly make up for the cost break. With an MP I can only use a maximum number of AP as are in the reserve, regardless of how many slots I have, and the points saved on the reserve via limitations are actually paid for with the limitations, wheras the EC is designed to give a point break without making up for it by limiting its effectiveness. I have no issues with multipowers and VPP

An anecdote isn't evidence. Its not even an argument. Different departments have different entrance requirements, and some departments have different entrance requirements based on age or gender. In my area people who qualify for the Seattle Police Department or King Country don't necessarily qualify for the State Police (a very hard test physically in my state), or several of the smaller suburban departments who have more exacting requirements (often requiring highter written scores with picky oral boards). Some departments even require officers to pass the same test as firefighters, and those can be very rigorous, physically. And many, gasp require at least two years of college, while many require a 4 year degree. The average cop depends on the department in question, and there are thousands of local departments in the united states. Thus your experience with a ditz cop in bad shape, or your presumption that what you've seen in your area as average, may not be representitive of the profession as a whole, or the department another person has experience with. The cop you use as an example wouldn't make several of the departments in my local area - including the one I used to volunteer for - but she probably would have made Seattle or King County. Your assertion requires some sort of statistical evidence, or a broader examination of the profession as a whole, preferably in an active participation role. Impressions from people not in the trade aren't typically accurate or informed. You knew an officer who... so what? On the squad I worked with when I volunteered (11 +1 Lt) there were four expert marksmen (one was on the swat team which required additional time per week), six who took martial arts at least two nights a week (four passable, two black belts), one who had been trained as a crime scene investigator, and one who was a hostage negotiator. The hostage negotiator had been a combat controller in the air force (special ops) before becoming a cop, and the lieutenant had been a fighter pilot in the air force for 12 years when he decided to enter the civillian sector because his wife was tired of moving around. He liked to call his squad car his strike-eagle. All of them had at least two years college, and three of them had 4 year degrees. As you can see my anecdote, which comes first person as a volunteer who suited up and rode with these cops, is very different. Its still just an anecdote, however. Its not evidence. Its not indicative of the profession as a whole. I knew a bunch of officers too... also so what? There are so many variations that a GM will make a call for his Campaign City and will be right, even if their call is different from yours. Cops are people, not cardboard cutouts. And even if the GM could come up with the archetypal average cop based on accurate statistics - it might not work in the game. The GM will have to decide how professional the department in their city is, how well trained its officers are, and how much of a challenge they want them to be for players or villains. If you want out of shape bumpkin cops in your game with IQ scores that put them on the lower end of chimp that your call - and in your game you'd be right. Some of us may not share your impressions and prejudices and put them nigh on the end of 25+25. We'd be right too.

Okay - for the high power hero game I ran the mentalist had: 80 Points Variable Power Pool (80) Control Cost: Base 40 No Skill Roll +1, Psionics Only -1/2 (60) For 140 Points If you don't define the SFX as Psionics (which would allow ECV transforms, TK force fields, and the like), and decide to narrow it to Mental Powers Only (meaning they can only use powers marked as being "mental", in the book, then a -1 is probably appropriate. In that case the cost would be 120 You don't need to go to 80 points for the pool, however, if that would blow the power levels for the game. The cheaper the pool, the smaller the control cost. Control Costs are 1/2 the pool cost before modifiers are applied. The modifiers are applied to the control cost, not the pool, generally speaking. I have allowed players who needed big pools to simulate their attacks and defences, to take a Max DC Limitation on the control cost (-1/4), but thats a GM call Based on your description and power level requirements (high hero to low superhero) a pool of 30-40 points is probably sufficient. Lets assume the following: 35 Point Pool (35) Control Cost Before Modifiers (17) --No Skill Roll +1 --Psionics Only (you want the ECV RKA and Transform) -1/2 Control Cost After Modifiers: 25.5, rounds to 25 (25) Total: 35 + 25 = 60 Points

I don't disagree with your assessment of stats and speed, but as to marksmanship and other skills, you might be suprised. A lot of departments require quarterly recertification, not only at the range, but in the simulator, and in essential drills as well. I depends on the department. Some departments are extremely professional, and require stiff standards for their officers.

All of those sharp eyed, quick witted detective types were patrolmen once. Don't underestimate the average patrolman. They can be pretty competent, and many small and medium departments cross train them in other disciplines, such a criminology. Aslo - a lot of departments pull the ranks of their swat teams, bomb squads, and hostage negotiators from people whos FT job is patrol. And a seasoned street cop is going to have developed excellent conversation and streetwise skills. Woe be to he who underestimates a beat cop and finds himself up against a SWAT member with an MP5 and heavy vest in his trunk.

Well, I voted. I even voted the party line for unity's sake. I do NOT think Champions was the best supplement Hero produced this year, however. Left to my own devices I would have voted for UMA or Star Hero. I voted for a couple of things because they had really cool names, too. I especially liked: Sheep on the Borderlands Sucking Vacuum

80 Point VPP Psionics Only - 1/2 0 Phase Action +1 And a killer power roll

I'd buy DC.

I use Damage Reduction for this: The Alternate form of Combat Luck: 50% Resistant PD Damage Reduction Non-Persistant Luck Based Or: 50% Resistant PD Damage Reduction Must Be Aware Of Attack Requires DX Rill Both of these work really well for simulating the little nicks and cuts. If you add a level of Combat luck two samurai with 2d6+1 KA's and 15 body could potentially fight a long time: Average Damage 8 Body 8 - 3 (combat luck) = 5 5 / 2 (damage reduction) = 2.5 2.5 rounded in the characters favor = 2 Stun is a different problem. Of course - the GM has to make a ruling about stacking combat luck or DR with armor, but in games where armor isn't a major convention it works well

I use metahumans in my game, but the phrases paranormal and transcendent often crop up. Actually, in my games history paranormal was the standard jargon until the early 90's, when metahuman supplanted it as the PC reference. Its just a campaign history thing. People without powers who can compete with people who have powers are generally called supernormals. I'm a fan of psychotics, however. Anyone who runs around in colorful spandex with a cape and mask calling himself by some silly moniker like captain Supreme or whatnot has had a serious break with reality. Derogatory terms that have come up are: Capes Pajama Boys (love bullet) The Underoos Brigade Crackerjacks Then again my players were paramilitary government intelligence agents with superpowers for 13 years, so we're just settling back into some of the campier genre schticks with my new street level game. The in joke was that they all dressed in MIB suits, matching sun-glasses, and fed ear pieces, and viewed costumed crusaders as cracker-jacks who posed a threat to national security. There were some interesting subplots as characters struggled with where the line was between them and their unsanctioned counterparts.

I've finally settled on 150+150 for starting characters. Even the street level ones. In that case its just a different distribution of points. My current street level game uses (with some variance) the heroic power levels defined in dark champions, and most characters have NCM, but they still need 300 points to buy the skills, gadgets, vehicles, bases, and whatnot. I think 350 is a good number too, but characters tend to start at the campaign limits, with players who want to "grow"

A dark haired britney spears with superpowers? I'll pass.

Well... its the old submarine reactor room story: The heroes, a group of government superheroes working for the intelligence community, decide to conduct a boarding action on a villainous organizations super-sub, wh. ich can go WAY down. The one whose securing the reactor room while the others secure the bridge and manual ballast controls runs into some mild resistance. He wants to make a big display so he says: I'm going to blast away! I say, alarmed: at what?! The player blurts out: the reactor! Whoops.... Fortuanately the government had more than one team.

I agree. I think great beaty or ugliness is a Distinctive Feature. With that said: if it does have measurable game effects it might make for a cool Perk!

My wife says I'm nice to look at so I'm going with a 10, which presumes 8 is average.

Shhhh... don't tell the born agains about the Midrash. It confuses them.

I got tired of running German villians as Nazis so I brought back a suped up Junker Count from WWI! Hows that for a stereotype?

No, but my modern orthodox jewish brick is in charge of America's superhero team - his codename is Anthem. However, here are a few possibilities: Mesada ("fortress") a good brick name with history Baal Milchamah ("battle master" or "war master") Mystery Meidl (humor can be good) Din (judgement, generally stringent in context) Merkava (chariot, but also the israeli tank) Shimshon (Sampson - big warrior) Sheid-Adom (Red Devil or Red Demon) Magen (shield) - star of david throwing stars? An israeli cap? Tzevakot (host, as in heavenly host, or military horde) Uzi Ha'Sayif (The Sword) The Keruvim (fiery angels) as a team name - has a lot of kabbalistic significance, or Keruv (for a fire guy) And lets not forget the ultimate JEWISH brick - Kal-El. His Hebrew... er, alien... name means all powerful in, yep, Hebrew.

I admire munchkinism in moderation (elegant point savers as opposed to abusive ones). I'd let them use the cheaper one if it met my criteria. Fortuanately I'm the one who looks at the massive point wastes my players hand me (with one notable exception) and makes suggestions on how to do things a bit cheaper (and simpler). The exception is the reason I have to go over fine characters with a fine tooth comb at all.

I'd just smile, tell them they couldn't spend their XP on SPD, and then inform them that they should have read my house rules doc (so few do until its too late! and I warn them, too...) because rewrites after play starts are only with GM permission. That character will have a 5.9 speed for a long time:D

D-Man's House Rule #1: Ignore meta-rule #6 I don't care how much it costs. Instead I apply the following criteria: Is this the easiest way to accurately build this power? Is this unbalancing compared to campaign standards? Is this bereft of cheese odors? Relying on the accounting side for power management and design is devoid of both perspective and common sense.

Oh, hell. This is ridiculous. If you want to pay all those points just by: Desolidification, 0 End, Persistant, Only To Protect From Attacks. If the GM is nice you won't even have to buy your other powers as Affects Physical because your really still solid according to the SFX. If not, you just by the APW, because for the costs of some of the constructs I'm seeing here its not THAT expensive.