Allandrel

Re: Anyone got a Superman Write-up? I've been working on a Superman writeup myself, but I'm really more interested in it as part of my effort to get a really good grip on the Hero System than for any kind of game use. Without referencing other people's writeups, I've had a few serious brain-twisters as well as a few great ideas. One thing that's troubling me is how to handle the incapacitating effects of Krytonite. The lethal damage is easy (it's the most obvious use of Susceptibility), but what about the fact that he's in such intense pain that it requires every ounce of his will to take any action? I've come up with three different options, but all of them have drawbacks. 1) Affected abilities have Requires a Skill Roll (EGO) while exposed to Kryptonite. Reflects the "every action is an act of will," but complicated and RSR is normally needed EVERY time the power is used, not just under certain circumstances. 2) Dependence: Not being exposed to Kryptonite, resulting in Powers gaining an activation roll, characteristic loss, and incompetence. Simple in execution, but properly a Dependence involves penalties for lack of a dependence, and this is sort of the inverse. 3) Superman has no Kryptonite related traits. Instead, Kryptonite is built itself, with EB and Drain (all Powers and Characteristics); both built with NND (defense is lead shielding), Continuous, Always On, Reduced Endurance (O END), Explosion, Limited Power (only affects Kryptonians), no Range, IAF, and Side Effect (prolonged exposure causes radiation poisoning). This has the advantage of making people like Lex Luthor pay points for their Kryptonite rings, but it just seems... wrong to make the "Kryptonite Effect" a feature of Kryptonite rather than Kryptonians. (Obviously, all this addresses Green Kryptonite only. The others are a whole 'nother matter. Pre-Crisis Red Kryptonite would be far better represented as it's own power (Variable Transform) rather than any disadvantage on Superman's part.) There was one power issue that proved easier than I'd anticipated: the classic "intercepting a bullet meant for someone else" stunt: Fast Than a Speeding Bullet (3 parts): Missile Deflection (all ranged attacks), At Range (+1) (40 Active Points); Limited Power: Can only be used to deflect attacks aimed at targets other than Superman (-1), Conditional Power: Only if Teleportation (below) has been set (-0), Side Effect: If successful, Superman is automatically hit by the deflected attack (-1). Real Points: 13. Teleportation 200', No Relative Velocity, Position Shift, Trigger (use of Missile Deflection, above, +1/2)(623 Active Points); No Noncombat Movement (-1/4), Must Pass Through Intervening Terrain (-1/4), Only to Fixed Location (below, -1). Real Points: 249. Fixed Teleportation Location: Hex adjacent to subject of Missile Deflection (above), directly interposed between subject and the attack. 1 point. Total cost: 263 points. The effect is that Superman can abort or use a held action for Missile Deflection, flying at superspeed to appear directly in front of the attacks's target, bouncing the attack off of his chest. I gave the Teleport a speed of 200" to match the range of the missile deflection, but a more accurate portrayal may increase the Range of Missile Deflection and increase the Teleportation appropriately. Patrick J McGraw

Re: Superman for President? Actually, Captain America has been offered a Vice Presidential nomination. He declined. Patrick J McGraw

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

Re: What?? Bruce Wayne isn't Batman??? I doesn't parody them, it pays homage. Only one guy gets made fun of: while the kids are talking they pass a kid in front of a Shoemaker store. He mentions how much he loves Batman's rubber suit, and how he hears the Batmobile can drive up walls. The other kids respond "Yeah, whatever, Joel," and go on. Patrick J McGraw

Re: What super hero concepts would you like to see more of? Top 10 is great. (Of course, since it is by Alan Moore, that should go without saying.) It manages to both satirize comics while telling a serious story at the same time. It also features some of Moore's best dialogue ever, which is saying something. Patrick J McGraw

Re: The Authority:What the heck? Admittedly we haven't elected a bald man since Eisenhower... Superman has agaonized over what to do about Luthor's winning the Presidency. I find the path he took (attempting to expose Luthor for who he really is, rather than simply declaring "he's bad" or forcibly removing him) very commendable. He was presented with a moral problem, and he did the best he could. And ultimately he succeeded: Luthor was not simply removed from power, but exposed to the world for the vile, vile man he is. Because of how Superman chose to respond to Luthor's election. Patrick J McGraw

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

Re: The Authority:What the heck? Mark Millar is a very interesting writer. It's hard to judge him by any one work. Look at Ultimate X-Men for example: they want to change the world, but they are doing it ethically. They are doing it by example. Professor Xavier could have simply rerouted the President's mind to be mutant-friendly; instead he did it the hard way. Actually, Ultimate X-Men does include characters who act exactly like the Authority. There's an image early on of a "morally superior" man standing over the naked, humilaited President, holding a tattered American flag in his hand. It's Magneto, of course. The bad guy. However valid his grievances, his actually are clearly marked as villainous. (The Authority would agree, but that's only because Magneto isn't a member. If her were, he could do whatever he wanted.) If you want to read the wierdest story Millar has ever read, pick up Marvel's Trouble. It's about a bunch of horny teenagers being stupid. That's all. It's essentially an old-fashioned pregnancy melodrama. Patrick J McGraw

Re: Early Marvel Age x Silver Age What about pre-Vertigo titles like Moore's Swamp Thing and Gaiman's early [/i]Sandman[/i]? Pretty dark stuff. Patrick J McGraw

Re: What superhero character concepts are you tired of seeing? I hate the characters that have tremendous, city-destroying power, but no control over it. So, you want to play a character that could potentially take out pretty much any villain, but might accidentally kill thousands of people? How often will he "lose control?" And how angry will you be when he does? Patrick J McGraw

Are attacks made with natural weapons (teeth, claws, tusks, etc.) considered to be armed or unarmed attacks? Would a character need to buy Weapon Element to use Martial Maneuvers with natural weapons? Would a character apply extra damage classes to the base damage of Martial Maneuvers using natural weapons? Patrick J McGraw

Re: Superhumans pulling an Authority You know who would work well on this team? Magneto. He's got all the self-righteous posturing and genocidal impulses they could want. Patrick J McGraw

Wanderer - you've mentioned being a fan of Millar's work on the Authority. Have you read his Ultimate X-Men? His entire run is available in TPB, and deals with many of these same issues from the other perspective, as Xavier tries to accomplish these same objectives through a much less violent form of radical activism. Patrick J McGraw

Here's one scenario to try out early on: There's a factory that produces quite a lot of pollution. The people in charge refsue to close it down - they're not violating current environmental laws, who gave these guys the right, etc. If the PCs go to the facotry to forcibly shut it down, they find 500 or so employees assembled there. The factory is the town's major emplyer, and losing it will mean that they all lose their jobs, with no other prospects. The employees refuse to leave. What do the PCs do? The workers are engaging in passive resistance, but their occupation of the factory prevents the PCs from shutting it down. These aren't mindless drones or powerful, corrupt people. They're the people that the PCs are trying to save the world for, and they are actively opposing the PCs actions because it would destroy their livelihood. Do they forcibly relocate the workers? Such an action could provoke a violent response. Even if it doesn't (say, a PC teleports all the workers 10 miles away), how are they going to deal with the situation they've created? Half a thousand people are now unemployed, and the rest of the town's economy will swiftly go down the tube. The PCs have fixed one problem (the polluting factory) but created many others. It's one thing to say "I'm going to stop people from polluting." Succeeding in this task without harming innocents (and robbing them of their only source of employment is definitely harming them), and dealing with the consequences, are what will determine if the PCs are heroes or despots. Patrick J McGraw