Prometheus

A couple of things, editing-wise: The last line of the second paragraph under Campaign Theme Guidelines drops off with an ",and". The Venusian template lists "2 KSs at 11-" and "2 Sciences at 11-", each for 2 points. Those should each be 4 points. At first blush the templates struck me as a little heavy, with the racial and Ranger template combos giving the Venusians and Vimdrani the fewest options and the Humans given carte blanche. Having stared at it for a while though, it doesn't seem so severe as I'd thought, and it's within the genre to have some marked differences between species. Systems Operations seem to be the skill to have, at least in terms of getting the most out of your ship. I was wondering how high of a skill roll you're expecting characters to have (in general). Rolling at -4 also feels a little steep if skill rolls are on the low end; I think you'll be unlikely to see anyone take advantage of the bonuses that you've defined at that level. Having it at just -2 too strikes me as too little, so maybe -3? This is a great read. I'm a big fan of this kind of setting and wish I was fortunate enough to be a player in this campaign.

Exactly. Consider that a 6 Def Entangle needs 7 Body done to it to affect it at all. If your villains can't do that, or can't avoid being hit in the first place, then anyone she hits is effectively eliminated.

I'm kind of with massey on this one. While I do think that heroes should have a healthy respect for agents, I just don't see them as something that should be mopping the floor with heroes, much less wrecking entire teams (and I admit to some hyperbole here). Agents typically have a mission and goals, and it should seldom--seldom, mind you--be sitting around in brigade strength deployments waiting for heroes to ambush. But that doesn't mean they can't come prepared to deal with heroes. It's been mentioned already, but Teamwork can go a long way to making agents more effective. It's simple, and at 3 points (or 5, or even 7) it's dirt cheap. Even if this isn't a particularly militant group, it's likely its members have trained together; with the Multiple Attacker bonus of a Coordinated Attack, a group of five agents can bring a hero to -4 DCV, and have a better chance of Stunning. Match it with Autofire and a modest OCV, and you can create some pretty powerful synergies without going overboard.

Well, I don't think he missed the point so much as he actively ignored it. There was an internal logic to it, it just didn't jibe with what we as players expected and with the cinematic durability that HERO characters tend to have.

I've played in a game where the average man on the street was a match for PCs. It was an exercise in frustration, and the players--myself included--fell to minimaxing their characters just to survive a pickpocket on the street. As a group we started instinctively opting for "flight" over "fight" if it was an option. Having become invested in our characters we really didn't want to see them die to a street thug with a blackjack. I'm not even kidding about that. Speaking with the GM at one point to figure this all out, his basic philosophy came out: if the PCs weren't facing the threat of death he didn't see the dramatic tension and couldn't imagine we would either. When I got a look at some of the NPCs we'd somehow vanquished I saw that he was also building characters with far more points than a PC, but that a disproportionate amount of that was going to characteristics and skill levels. To take the example above of your mob boss, he'd build him on 300 pts in a 150 pts campaign (those numbers are pre-5E, so they may sound dated). He wasn't really building a 150 pts character with 150 pts of experience though; some 250 pts were invested in characteristics and combat alone, and that's not the same thing at all. What struck me immediately was the question "why?" Why is a mob boss that physically awesome? Why is a urchin pickpocket a nigh-undetectable ninja? Why is a random guy in a bar an Avatar of Death? There's some hyperbole in there, yes, but the point I'm trying to make is that a challenge to the PCs doesn't have to threaten them with annihilation. And if it does it should be rare, or explicitly understood as part of the campaign (Only the Strong Survive as a "World Law" or something), or eventually the message the players will get is that the GM only wants to kill their characters. And that game just ain't much fun.

This strikes me more as a Movement Power with a special effect-- there's at least one published example in the 5E Pulp line that I can think of. Teleport with Only To Places Character Could Go (-¼) and Must Cross Intervening Space (-¼) covers the effect of disappearing from one spot to another via misdirection. You can flavor it with Requires a Stealth Roll, No Non-Combat Multiple, etc., and even link it to Flash or Darkness as you like.

I wasn't thrilled with the system, but Cosmic Patrol by Catalyst Games has some good world-building bits. I could see most of it dropping into a Solar Smith game pretty easily.

Without knowing the game show's feel, I'd say items that provide an artificial home field advantage, and small comfort/survival items. So it the first category you have maps, gps or compass, observation instruments (binoculars, etc.), lightweight tools, and environmental gear. In the second are things like insoles, survival blankets, hand warmers, lip balm, and sunscreen.

Modus Operandi can be a big part of what "makes" a villain. A brute that keeps a small gang of thugs has a very different feel than a brute that uses his physicality to stay on top of a mob family. Likewise, a psychotic contract killer with blatant sex appeal will garner a different reaction than a consummately professional mercenary whose code--and oblique compliments--earn her the occassional pass. A distinct signature is another way to set a villain apart. As goofy as they may sometimes seem, themed villains are memorable because they are so over the top.

Ugh. It's not that the article reads like someone with a distinct agenda/bent, paying lip service to the classics while shilling their favorites in the most condescending way-- it doesn't really, despite some odd bits. It's that the author's attitude on RPGnet makes it feel like it does. I admit that I went through the thread just to see how it turned out, but almost checked out when I hit the author's CliffsNotes description of playing Champions at the bottom of page five.

I can't say that this is an assumption I'd make, really. His genetic quirk-- which I can't remember from Day of the Destroyer (that was a long time ago!), but is in more recent material-- seems to be flavor text to lend a sense of urgency to his schemes and give him some weakness. There may be a disconnect somewhere, but his write up includes a substantial amount of Life Support, implying health and (arguably) longevity aren't a real problem. I understand that it's a separate issue, but regardless, I don't see the details in Destroyers background making him any less of a credible threat. I'd posit that the issue is linking him to Nazis. Tying Nazis exclusively to the Third Reich (and the WWII era) is hardly a stretch, and that group casts a long shadow. If Destroyer's background were shifted to de-emphasize the association would he feel as dated? Lord Liaden makes mention of Vandal Savage and Ra's al Ghul, both of whom are less about being Cro-Magnon or an Arabian nomad than about being very old and having historically colorful backgrounds.

DC Comics had a the miniseries Salvation Run a few years back, which was all about a prison planet which the Suicide Squad/Task Force X boom-tubed villains onto. Riffing off the above, the big reveal... Honestly, I'm not going to pretend that it's that great of a read. Still, beyond the standard tropes of the characters breaking up into factions, the charismatic leaders with their own agendas, the betrayals and reversals of loyalty, the setting seemed to be just lethal enough to feel really dangerous, but not so persistently lethal as to never allow the character to take their minds off just surviving. The alpha-types could plot out their schemes, but small groups or particularly capable individuals (like Flash's Rogues, or Catwoman) could make it, even uncovering major plot points in the story. And there's also the Safe Zone, a hidden spot on the planet purportedly danger-free. Is it real? Only one prisoner makes a real go at it, and his plan is... interesting.

Re: A starship as a PC for Galactic Champions I'm treading over some of what's already been said, but I wanted to add that Star Hero discusses computers as characters, and I think the point it makes that, "In some cases, the 'computer" character is really a sentient robot for game purposes, even if it conceives of itself as a computer," is an important one. One possibility is to conceive of the character as an intelligence that inhabits a ship, an android body, or whatnot, but for the actual build, don't give yourself the headache of a really complicated design. That said, I can think of a few builds you might consider: 1) The Smartship - Astron the sentient asteroid field from Champions Beyond and the Engine of Destruction from the Hero System Bestiary are both built as standard characters with powers, skills, etc. to represent their abilities. You could scan various Hero products for parts of the build-- the various computer/AI skill and talent writeups, for example-- adapting them as suits you, and then define the rest via special effects. Carrying capacity? STR. Massive size? Physical Complication. Sensors? Enhanced Senses. This build can get pricey fast, since it requires a good amount of Usable On Others (or Usable By Nearby) to simulate the internal workings of a ship that can be used by the crew. 2) The Android Avatar - A straightforward build with a Vehicle, with (again) the special effects taking care of the rest. Not necessarily the munchkin route since ships can also eat through points quickly; the large ship examples in Star Hero weigh in at 100 points on the low end and 500 points for all the bells and whistles. The character functions as a detachable "away party" for the ship, which saves the player and GM some headaches over how to get him involved in the plot. 3) The Core - A combination of the above, but with the character as the ship AI's physical core and all its systems-- a sort of permanent, sessile crew member for the vehicle the player also purchases. If the player wants an "away party", it can be covered with Duplication and the Altered Duplicates advantage. Of course, you can mix and match as suits you, but regardless, I'd say go with whatever you're comfortable with and you feel the player will enjoy.

Re: Fins and Ray-Guns Thought the Synchro-Vox style they used makes is a little weird to watch, another good source may be Alex Toth's Space Angel. It has a little more of an Atomic Age feel to it, but nothing a few fins and some chrome can't fix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnkVbp9Ic4I

Re: Fins and Ray-Guns Most Adam Strange stories can be mined for some material. This shot from The Rann/Thanagar War alone has a haughty Queen-in-Exile, a Finned Rocketeer, and three Hawk Persons. If you aren't big on the modern take, you can still pick up the Showcase Presents collection for a decent price.

Re: DC meetings I seem to recall Wayne Enterprises and Luthor butting heads in the aftermath of No Man's Land, and continuing into the Vesper Fairchild storyline. Bruce Wayne dumped WE's government ties when Luthor got himself elected President, and I remember Lexcorp arms developed for American forces being smuggled in an old Checkmate! storyline, implying that they've likely competed in that arena, though not necessarily for weapons contracts.

Re: Galactic Champions: Federated Super Teams Is it safe to assume that parts of your 5E FST package can be converted over using published 6E material? The equipment seems to translate over to the Space Ring and Radio Communicator, Advanced from the HERO System Equipment Guide. Dropping the Scrambled Transmission Function from the Communicator you get the same build at the same price, but the Space Ring is trickier though, since it's more of an emergency measure than a reliable source of Life Support.

Re: Galactic Champions: Federated Super Teams Oh man, that's rough. I'd actually been holding off posting anything until you'd filled out everything, but I'll get something up by the end of the weekend.

Re: Federated Super Teams (Galactic Champions) I'd say my one question would be what kind of tone and/or style are you looking for in characters? I imagine that Green Lantern or any of the Legion of Superheroes might fit, but would Adam Strange or Nexus? Certainly, the details and background of a character can be what really places them in a setting, but I just want to make sure my concept(s) fit your game. Looking forward to seeing more of the setting and character guidelines!

Re: Federated Super Teams (Galactic Champions) Sounds great. I assume this is 6E, but are you looking for fully idealized character sheets with all the trimmings, basic character ideas, or more of a "everybody in the pool" discussion? Regardless, definitely put me down as interested.

Re: THE BOOK OF THE EMPRESS -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'm showing up very late to the game, but there's three things (or at least three answers) I'd like to see: 1) Is there any advantage that comes from a multiverse that includes V'han? She's obviously a foil to Skarn and Tyrannon, but is her policy of extermination the only thing keeping the Elder Worms in check across dimensions? Or anyone else, for that matter? V'han doesn't have to be a force for good, but the Necessary Evil is the stuff of Plot Seeds. 2) How does V'han interact with heroes (specifically the PCs) on a personal level? Darkseid would be much less interesting if all he did was start shooting when Superman showed up. Does V'han have a grudging respect for superheroes capable of resisting her? Secret attraction? Unwavering hatred? Maybe matching herself against the heroes is the only thing she finds stimulating anymore. Or are all beings far below the notice of the Empress? 3) Who does the Empress trust? Barring that, who is she at least willing to delegate to?

Re: The Sinister Secret of the Silver Serpent. I've been looking at the several posts you've put up, and while I think your take on Pulp Hero is a little different than what most people would come up with, you're definitely putting together something pretty interesting here. Are you familiar with either Whisper A'Daire from DC Comics or Benisato from the anime Ninja Scroll? If you haven’t already nailed down a concept for Kala, both characters are worth looking at (fair warning should you look to do any research online- Ninja Scroll is most certainly rated R, and Benisato is in no small part responsible). Michael Surbrook has a write-up for Benisato, and Whisper A’Daire is pretty easy to find info on, but long story short, they both have some snake-based abilities that would be right at home in the weirder and wilder pulps. Also, while the serpent-lady may be a little clichéd, I think that in this case having the female of the couple seeking revenge for her mate would be a little more interesting. And who’s to say she might not suddenly feel conflicted when encountering the square-jawed hero? It would certainly complicate things.

Re: Pulp Figurines Artizan Designs also has the Thrilling Tales line of pulp miniatures.

Re: STAR HERO Reading List I don't think anyone has mentioned Nova by Samuel R. Delany. While I can understand being wary of it given Delany's other works (some, extremely graphic), it's a very good example of Space Opera. Quite honestly, it reads a little like a Star Hero campaign.

Re: Steampunk-like world setting needs hero/power ideas Steampunk can also be the place for "Best of the Best" character builds-- the World's Strongest Man, the Fastest Draw in the West, etc. Depending on the power level of your campaign, you can get these characters to truly epic levels by overlapping abilities to create some powerful synergies. Something as straightforward as Gunslinger Rory Calhoun's Fast Draw 18-, SPD 4, and CSLs can add up to a formidable combatant. Likewise, "Big Jim" Steele may not seem that strong with a mere 25 STR, but tack on Freedom, his Penetrating, Double Knockback sledgehammer, and (ahem) More Powerful Than A Locomotive,-- +15 STR with Increased END and Side Effects-- and he can pull off some truly impressive feats.