Slim_McCoy

Re: The Last Word

Boobies! :bounce:

 

and rubies

W W!

Will have to make an effort to keep it then.

Re: The Last Word

So what do you get for having the last word, anyway?

Re: New Villain Team: Thrill Kill

I'll throw a few ideas out for your group:

Possibly a common "father"? Not in the strict biological sense, but an otherworldly influence on each of them in the womb. Rather than escape from a lab, have their powers initially manifest at some significant astrological event (full lunar eclipse at the solstice?) and have them drawn to each other from the time of the event. Once together, they recognize their common bloodlust (Daddy's influence at work), mayhem ensues. If this is a new campaign it also suggests a hero group origin as each Hero tracks one of them from some corner of the world.

Slasher: reminds me of an old Marvel villian whose name I forget. Skinner, maybe? He had the ability to manipulate his skeleton into spines/claws/etc. Had to skin his victims from time to time to patch his torn skin. Very gruesome, if you play it that way.

Brain Death: Did you consider cumulative mind control? Given enough time to work on a victim, they would do nearly anything that would amuse her... no matter how much it hurts.

Requiem: hmmm, not getting any vibe here. Maybe combine him with your teleporter idea for a "living shadow". Teleports from shadow to shadow, striking and vanishing just to work the victim's nerves.

Lady Killer: Here's an odd idea: Multiform, one female, one male, with widely different power structures. Assumed to be 2 different killers working together, but in fact 2 sides of a single coin.

Rapture: I seem to keep coming back to the term "Euphoria" in relation to drowning. The Online USPD has some hydrokinesis powers, IIRC. Might want to give it a glance.

Ok, I've whittled your group down to five with no suggestion of a brick. Beef Slasher up, maybe? You said he's already got high defenses, so possibly make him the one to soak damage for the others. Probably also want to make sure that the team's powers cover each other's weaknesses. The classic Zodiac is a great example of this. OTOH, you might want to leave one common weakness that your Hero group can exploit if they're clever.

The KA problem is a sticky one. Have to keep the offense serious enough to be a threat without blowing through the heroes' defenses like tissue paper. I'm not really experienced enough in this system to help with this one.

Good luck!

Re: Answers & Questions

A: Thirty pieces of silverware.

Q:What are those forks and spoons, Judas?

A: Cause it feels so good when I stop, Dude!

Edit: don't sleep and post... Bad Slim! No Donut!

Re: Fantasy coinage

Went looknig through the U.S. Mint's website for some coin facts. Learned that silver was pegged at $1.00 a troy ounce (.1.1 standard ounces). The half dollar' date=' quarter, and dime were a half ounce, a quarter ounce, and one tenth ounce respectively. The 5 cent piece, or half dime, was one twentieth of a troy ounce, and so small people had trouble handling it. So the switch was made to a cupro-nickel alloy, which gave us the Nickel.[/quote']

 

Interesting. I love these little historical factoids.

Re: Is this sick or what?

She was using them for WETWARE! They've been non lethally wired into her latest series of combat robots that use their brains as organic processors!.

Reminds me of an old Shadowrun plot hook. Dr Halberstam is using children's brains as Uber-Hackers. The children are raised "jacked in", so they don't realize that there is any reality other than the Matrix.

And for the record, the sourcebook was published in 1996, some years before Neo and his Merry Men became a cultural icon.

Re: Martial Arts to represent "Basic Training"

And...if Airborne is not the special branch of the Air Force' date=' then what is?[/quote']

 

Airborne is an Army designation, but I can't give any specifics.

 

The best-known AF Spec Ops folks are Combat Control Coordinators and Para-Rescue.

 

COMBAT CONTROL APPRENTICE

 

The job of the Combat Control Apprentice is to set up assault zones in remote and sometimes hostile areas. To ensure that you can perform your job anywhere at anytime, you will receive training in precision parachuting, fast roping, rappelling and amphibious techniques. Survival training in various climates enables a Combat Control Apprentice to function under the most demanding conditions. The unique qualifications of Combat Control make them the farthest reaching communications, command and control asset for both ground and aircraft commanders

 

PARARESCUE APPRENTICE

 

When an injured soldier is down, the Pararescue Apprentice must penetrate hostile areas to rescue and recover the survivor. Specializing in Air Force and Special Operations Combat Search and Rescue/Personnel Recovery, Pararescuemen provide specialized aerospace rescue and recovery support for NASA’s Space Shuttle flights. This career field is restricted to males. Pararescuemen are certified scuba divers and skilled in surface water operations – both scuba and amphibious. They are trained Combat Medics and certified Emergency Medical Technician Paramedics (EMT-P). As a Pararescue Apprentice, you will also learn to perform emergency medical procedures in the field to correct life-threatening conditions.

 

Descriptions from http://www.airforce.com/index_fr.htm

Re: Martial Arts to represent "Basic Training"

Basically all bootcamp is for is to give you the basics of military service' date=' get you in shape (and make sure you can handle any physical activity that may be required of you during service) and train you up so you know which end of the gun to point at the enemy. After that, its all about the individual schools and training programs for the various Rates and MOS that are offered in the military. Guys who go to tank school learn to pilot and operate the M1 Abrams, while the guy that goes to Mess school learns how to make Chicken Pot Pie. What skills you are going to leave the military with is [b']completely[/b] determined by your particular job within the service...

True, but the package JmOz was referring to represented AF basic training and tech school, thus the pick one PS. Why get out of the military with only Basic Training under their belt? You've been through the hardest part... now kick back and get paid to learn.

IIRC, AF weapons qualification is one day every other year for most... every 6 months for Security Forces, who qualify on multiple weapons. Obviously things are very different for services based around the Ground Roving Unit, Non Trainable.

Re: Powerguns

0End Suppress is not at all forbidden. In fact' date=' its mentioned in the text of the Suppress power. It just states that if a Suppress has been bought to 0End, then some relatively common effect needs to be able to turn the power off. In this case, its the Armor Repair roll.[/quote']

 

Gotcha. Not having a copy of FREd of my own, I have to make do with HD, Sidekick, and the BBB, so some of my ideas are not 100% current.

Re: Martial Arts to represent "Basic Training"

I have to agree, Dark Champions GREATLY EXAGERATES the stats military men & Woman have after training (Basic & Teck)

 

FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

 

Increased stats to about 10

PS: Airman 8-

Electronics 8-

KS: Airforce history 8-

Rank (E-2)

 

No I did not forget weapon FAM, it was left off because at least at the time I went through training we handled a gun ONCE (The M-16)

 

Obvioulsly some career fields (Cops) would train more with weapons than I did...

Sounds about right for AF basic training. Change the Electronics to "pick one PS: 8-" for tech school, add "Subject to orders" and "Distinctive Features: Military Uniform" and you've got a package running probably 3-5 pts. Less package discount, but I'm not sure how those work in FREd.

And the 80 rounds every other year I fired to keep qualified on the M-16 does not qualify for a WF, IMO.

Re: A Modern League of Extroardinary Gentlemen

I didn't find this thread 'til today, but I did run LXG 2004 at Gen Con this year. The cast I chose to use was:

 

Michael Emerson (older brother, temp vampire from The Lost Boys)

Seth Gekko (From Dusk til Dawn)

Charlene McGee (Firestarter)

Edward Scissorhands

Dr. Peyton Westlake (Darkman)

Elijah Price (Mr. Glass from Unbreakable)

Willard Stiles (Willard)

Serefine Pigot (American Werewolf in Paris)

Nice team! A great variety of abilities/skills... should be able to mix it up in almost any arena.

My brother and I actually planned this out - including most of the cast - on our way back from Gen Con 2003. The villains of the piece were Steve Austin and Skynet / Terminators.

So Steve was the origin? Interesting. Will have to file that away for future consideration.

Re: A Modern League of Extroardinary Gentlemen

At the risk of being pelted with numerous stale fried-banana-and-peanut-butter

sandwiches, I have to ask:

 

Are you by any chance referring to Elvis?

 

Major Tom

Elvis? I never even thought of Elvis.

I assumed it was a reference to Ash, that loveable Chainsaw Warrior. And if he's on the team we get an employee discount at S-Mart.

Re: Powerguns

Once you stop shooting' date=' wouldn't all the DEF come back?[/quote']

 

Well, in the definition of Supress, it states that Supress "remains in effect as long as the attacker spends END" (SK p 59). Seems to me that a 0 END Supress is something that GM's should look closely at, if it's not explicitly forbidden somewhere that I don't know about.

 

Why not a Drain vs Armor? The armor would return at 5 active points/turn, longer if you buy up the time increment. This could reflect an attack that temporarily liquifies the armor, but the armor begins to resolidify when the powergun is shut off.

Re: Kinetic-Kill Missile

FYI:

The Navy is currently planning a kinetic-kill missile for the DDX (I think this is the program acroymn) advanced technology program. The new warships would use electricity (a LOT of it) to speed a 6 foot titianium rod to target. This "spear" travelling at high mach speed should penetrate deeply buried targets (up to 300 feet deep). This sounds like sci-fi but it is in experiemntal stages now.

Do you have any links to this?? Sounds interesting.

Re: PLEASE ! No more 'What would your character do ?' threads

Personally, the only use I find for them is the initial question. I'd prefer to see one thread of WWYCD to pose situations to consider. No need to discuss what your character would do, just take the opportunity to think about it.

Maybe the GMs can incorporate some of the more appropriate ideas into campaign hooks...

Maybe the players will gain a new insight into their character...

Maybe it will give you and your group something gaming-related to chat about while you wait for the one player who's always late...

YMMV

Re: Removing the Speed Chart

at the start of each Segment have each of the players roll a d12 (from one of those "other" games ).

I'd talked to one of our co-GM's about a similar idea, borrowed from the 7th Sea system. Roll a number of d12's equal to your speed. Whatever the dice show are the segments you get to act in. Roll all 1's? Go get 'em! Roll all 12's? Get ready to abort... a lot. Makes it VERY random; maybe too random for some people's taste.

He didn't go for it, but it was worth a try.

Re: Fantasy coinage

Money was not decimalized in the UK until February 15, 1971. Until then, the exchange rate was 1 pound = 20 shillings, 1 shilling = 12 pence.

IIRC, in the pre-decimal system:

2 Farthings = 1 Ha'penny

2 Ha'pennies = 1 Penny

3 Pennies = Thrupenny Bit

2 Thrupenny Bits = 1 Sixpence

2 Sixpence = 1 Shilling

10 Shillings = 1 Half Crown

2 Half Crowns = 1 Pound (240 Pennies)

1 Pound, 1 Shilling = 1 Guinea

The Decimal System (100 Pennies = 1 Pound) was initially resisted by many because they felt it was overly complicated. (shrug)

Re: Character: Captain Jack Sparrow

Also a Psych Lim: Overconfident wouldn't be too out of character, IMO.

Re: p.s.l. for hit location

Suggest that it might be a bad idea.

 

If done anyway, send over a few bad guys with the same training.

Outstanding answer! And if the players whine, remind them EVERYTHING works both ways when it comes to game mechanics.

Re: Champs Universe Question

The main detrrants to rampant super-solidiers are...

[*]Hysteria (Think Mutant Hysteria; As soon as one of these guys decides he doesn't want to do the 'right thing' then you've got a fearful public)

Or the Super Soldier decides that he is a better judge of what the 'right thing' is.

"Guilty or innocent... is a matter of timing."

-Judge Rico

Re: Are you Judge, Jury, and Executioner?

It used to be longer' date=' but they revised their FAQ recently and now this is the only answer they got up there:[/quote']

 

Good reference, and surprisingly well-written for a government guidline. Leaves a fair amount of leeway for personal evaluation of the situation, which is absolutely vital, IMO.

Re: Dealing with Hunteds

Actually, I can't remember the last time our group had a player show up knowing his Hunted. We've run on the theory of "mystery hunted's" for so long it's just second nature now.

Got to be careful with the "mystery disad" of any type in our group. I made the mistake once in an L5R game of telling the GM, "I want to take a Nemesis, but I'm not familiar enough with the material to flesh him out. I'll leave it up to you." Found myself with a powerful person (Doji Kuwanin, for those familiar with L5R) who couldn't stand the sight of me. Fortunately, we were both honorable enough not to go at it without provocation. Now that I think about it, it was actually rather fun role-playing through the process of figuring out WHY we hated each other so much... maybe it wasn't such a mistake after all.

Another thing that comes to mind on the subject of Hunteds: their target may spread to the entire group if they're interfered with too often; i.e., Bob's Hunter is now dead, but he's interfered with Dave's enough to earn personal attention).

That'll be $.02, please

Re: Developing Shadowrun Hero, could use some input!

IMHO, it's not Shadowrun magic without the potential for the caster to harm his or herself through failure to properly deal with the spell's drain.

Side Effect is the best I can come up with for this one, but I'm not sure if Side Efffect takes effect only on failure (it was in 4th, IIRC).

Mage takes Xd6 Stun (or Drain to End??) if spell activation roll fails, maybe??

As far as Phys Spells vs Mana Spells.... maybe Mana Spells should all be BOECV??

Re: Code VS Killing Poll

I think the statement in the first post was meant as:

 

Superheroes don't murder.

 

Superheroes shouldn't kill.

After some 15 pages, someone has finally hit the nail on the head.

Killing in self-defense, or in the defense of others, must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Murder is certainly not (super)heroic. But there are cases where nothing less than a (hopefully swift and merciful) death sentence will do... hopefully by authorized persons. The recent thought of an "Executioner Squad" is in interesting one, though. IMO, you have to have a little darkness in your RPG's from time to time, and this is a nifty campaign idea.

As a side-note, I have found this board to be one of the more civil I have ever frequented. Until this thread. While I understand that this is issue raises serious questions, it is in the end just a game we're discussing. Again IMO, this is not the place to air personal grievances, vendettas, etc. The last couple of pages have been splattered with the worst kind of cr*p imaginable, on both sides of the argument. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that these personal attacks should be just that: personal and private.

Can we all loosen our sphincters just a notch and try to keep the flames to a minimum out of respect for everyone??

Re: Need a name for a hero...

Why not just call him "Doc"?? Everybody's going to call him that anyway