VIPER

Re: Weird Coincidences Ok, nothing to do with RPG but... Ever see the movie "the ring"? First time I saw it in my old apartment, my wife left the room to go talk to her parents on the phone- she hates horror films. Anyway, I'm watching the film alone and it comes to the part where the main character has watched the freaky film and then in the movie the phone starts ringing. No joke, same time, my own remote phone which happens to be sitting beside me starts ringing. Now, I can actually hear my wife still talking in the back room on the phone, while the one sitting right beside me is ringing away! Needless to say, she happened to have used her cell phone for the call to her parents. But I hadn't figured that out when I answered. I don't think my voice has cracked like that in 15 years or more. Certainly made it a memorable film for me. V

Agreed Levi #1 is nothing new. Viper agents with 12d6 attacks have been around since 3rd edition, if not before... and that was before the point inflation that made 350pt hero characters a standard. #2 would seem to be the bigger problem; it would seem that either the GM is trying to steer the PC's towards _something_ they just aren't getting (teamwork, innovation, better planning or execution) or the GM is suffering from the "don't hurt my babies" mindset. V1

Question (apologies in advance- still working from 4th ed memories here): Do targets "know" they are victims of a cumulative attempt at Transformation? Or do they just feel they were "hit" by "something" that had some sort of effect but did no damage? Similarly, do targets with high levels of power defense also "know" when their defense is high enough that they are effectively impervious to a lower level Transform attack? V1

Hi Nexus Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting do nothing when agent attacks have become too effective. I'm thinking more along the lines of the Flash getting so sick of being blinded by smoke bombs he learns to spin his arms real fast and 'blow' the smoke away, or Superman performing some sort of modified groundstrike to clear area effect entangles, or Green Lantern making Images of himself to mislead the agent's tossing the bombs, as opposed to all three skulking over to Batman and asking him to bail them out with his gadgeteering. I see the former all the time in comics, the latter approach less commonly. V1

Hi Metaphysician I don't know what CKC (or other recent supplements) has to say about the Ultimates, but I am assuming from your reply that their attitude has changed. I know that in the earlier Enemies Assemble!, Binder becomes the Ultimate Master Mind, who was described as wanting to become the most powerful being on earth. The other ultimates in that supplement (except Slick) were described as research nuts who sought scientific secrets as a means of control over the laws of nature, and "Once that is achieved, then control of the earth and all those living upon it is a mere afterthought." So, at least they used to be interested in world conquest, via scientific research. V1

I'm not sure I'd agree with the perception that the "arms race" is so one-sided and unfair. Villianous agents in our campaigns always face foes who have superior firepower, mobility, and speed. And this is a constant problem (for the agents). It doesn't matter which groups or individuals they face, when they go against superheros, they are always outclassed in those areas. So it would seem that well funded agent groups who find themselves having to contend with supers would always have pressure (and funds) to develop weapons designed to thwart the speed and dexterity advantages the supers hold. Particularly with groups like VIPER, groups that are supposed to be feared (in theory if not in individual circumstances) this doesn't seem out of line. On the other hand, I'm not sure I've seen too many self respecting Bricks or EBers who stoop to wearing toys like IR goggles and such out of fear a bunch of agents are going to outclass them if they don't. I'd be surprised if your GM wouldn't let you spend experience points in more appropriate ways to develop stunts designed to counter these threats. In Strike Force Allston wrote that he used inferior forces to beat up on his PC's as a way of guiding their development along obvious but overlooked avenues as a team... sure your GM's aren't just following his example? V1

What about Binder / Ultimate Master Mind from The Ultimates? Or does he no longer exists in the CU (I'm a bit behind in my supplements) V1