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Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation? OK, new challenge. The vampire Salicia from _Thud_ by Terry Pratchett. Since she is a "black ribboner" (sworn off human blood), she is having problems with her "changing into a bat" vampire ability. Instead of changing into *a* bat, she can't handle the excess mass transference, and has to change into a number of bats equal to her weight (say, 30 or 40 normal bats). This has some advantages, as she can be in more than one place at a time, split up to search an area quickly, etc. It's also got drawbacks, the bats aren't as smart as she is (but not 1/30 as smart, maybe 1/2 or 1/3). Sometimes one of them will get lost and wander off and the rest of them have to track it down before she can change back. Also, when she changes her clothes just fall off, so a couple of the bats have to remember to carry along her clothes, or she has to find some wherever she is when she changes back.

Did anybody else catch this last night? I watched it last night and it was a pretty fun little show. Pretty campy, but that seems to be what they were going for. Might make a good DC:The Animated Series campaign. From the website: Mike Fukanaga thought dealing with his jokester best friend, Owen Reynolds and trying to win the heart of his long time crush Amanda Mckay would be the biggest challenges in high school. But it's got George Takei as the hologram of his dead grandfather who is teaching them their supah ninja mad skillz. He does a pretty good job with the sensei bit in this one.

Re: Any reviews coming for the various Champions Villains books? I wasn't questioning the source so much as the quantity. I know it's traditional for comics to be North American-centric, but there are more Canadian themed master villains than all of Asia.

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man The incarnations are actually based on the superhero gallery from the Champions book, and of course subject to tweakage. The CVs range from 6-9, I guess the export format left them out, I didn't notice. Ralph is still around when the incarnations are out, so his job is mainly to stay out of the way and not get splattered. They can't "take him out" because they have to perodically recombine with Ralph, or lose their powers eventually (see the Dependency). If Ralph was to get killed, the greater powers would choose other people to be their loci. Tough luck for Ralph, but the universe goes on. Could be a PC, could be an NPC, but they are standard superhero level because the Greater Powers want to mainly observe and see what naturally happens, not try to be a major player on Earth. The Chaos agent also has Deflection as a defense, and of course can create some defenses from the VPP if needs be. The Rivalry is for the benefit of the watchers mainly. Each one wants to score points so they will be called upon next time. For us mere humans it mainly consists of disparaging remarks about the others, or attempting to undo, or do-over something one of the others did. And as was said, it's only 5 pts. If I ever do actually start a campaign, Ralph would be an NPC. The PC supers wouldn't even know about him at first, they would just know that the incarnations show up at various times to "help" them, and spend a lot of time bad mouthing the others. The incarnations aren't even actually human, they are minor powers from a higher plane in human form. Hence the English not their native language, and the mind link to Ralph so he can advise them.

Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation? OK, I posted Ralph & Friends on this thread here in the Champions Forum.

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man Advocate of Law Val Char Cost 25 STR 15 23 DEX 26 18 CON 8 16 BODY 6 14 INT 4 14 EGO 4 20 PRE 10 7 OCV 9 DCV 3 OMCV 6 DMCV 15/25 PD 13 15/25 ED 13 6 SPD 40 14 REC 10 50 END 6 40 STUN 10 16m RUN 4 4m SWIM 0 4m LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 228 Cost Power Sword of Justice, all slots OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2) 18 1) Sword: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (3d6 w/STR), Armor Piercing (+1/4), +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4) (45 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) 16 2) Blast 6d6, STUN Only (+0), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Power Defense; +1/2) (45 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) 20 Heavy Armored Costume: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 20 Wings: Flight 30m (30 Active Points); Restrainable (-1/2) 15 w/Ralph Mellish: Mind Link , One Specific Mind, Psychic Bond, Unlimited range in this dimension Powers Cost: 89 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver Sword Mastery 4 1) Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike 4 2) Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 35 STR to Disarm roll 4 3) Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 4) Counterstrike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike, Must Follow Block 4 5) Weapon Bind: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Bind, 35 STR 3 Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, 6d6 Strike, Target Falls Martial Arts Cost: 23 Cost Skill 10 Defense Maneuver I-IV 16 +2 with HTH Combat 3 Teamwork 14- 7 Paramedics 11- 3 Persuasion 13- 3 Tactics 12- 3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate) 0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) Skills Cost: 45 Cost Talent 15 Combat Sense 12- Talents Cost: 15 Total Character Cost: 400 Pts. Disadvantage 0 Must recombine with Ralph: Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Very Common; 1 Day) 10 Voice of Law: (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Watched by the Greater Powers: Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching) 15 Advocate of Law: Code of Honor (Common; Strong) 20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total) 5 Rivalry: Professional (other aspects of Chaos and Balance; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry) 15 Secret Identity: Ralph Mellish Frequently, Major 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Chaotic Powers (Uncommon) Disadvantage Points: 85 Base Points: 400 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Appearance: Very tall, nearly 7 feet. Looks like a classical Angel, heavy suit of armor, large white wings, glowing aura, large two-handed sword.

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man Agent of Chaos Val Char Cost 15 STR 5 18 DEX 16 19 CON 9 13 BODY 3 18 INT 8 16 EGO 6 21 PRE 11 7 OCV 6 DCV 5 OMCV 5 DMCV 10/20 PD 8 10/20 ED 8 6 SPD 40 10 REC 6 60 END 8 40 STUN 10 12m RUN 0 4m SWIM 0 4m LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 185 Cost Power 105 Chaos Power: Variable Power Pool, 60 base + 60 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed As A Half-Phase Action (+1/2) (105 Active Points) 0 1) Bolt Of Mystic Power I: Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 2) Mystic Lightning: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), +2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/2) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 3) Bolt Of Mystic Power II: Blast 8d6, with any +½ Advantage (+1/2) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 4) Invoked Iridescence: Sight and Hearing Groups Flash 11d6 (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 5) Invoked Illusions: Sight, Hearing, Touch and Smell/Taste Groups Images, +/-3 to PER Rolls, Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +3/4) (59 Active Points) Real Cost: 59 0 6) Mystic Chains: Entangle 6d6, 6 PD/6 ED (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 7) Wizard’s Hand: Telekinesis (40 STR) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60 0 8) Spells from Chaos, Magic, and other sections of Champions Powers as appropriate Real Cost: 0 20 Spell Of Protection: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2) 20 Mystic Blocking: Deflection 30 Flight Spell: Flight 30m 15 w/Ralph Mellish: Mind Link , One Specific Mind, Psychic Bond, Unlimited range in this dimension Powers Cost: 190 Cost Skill 19 Power: Magic 21- 3 +1 with a small group of attacks 3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate) 0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) Skills Cost: 25 Total Character Cost: 400 Pts. Disadvantage 0 Dependence: Must recombine with Ralph once per day Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Common; 1 Day) 10 Distinctive Features: Chaotic Voice (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Watched: Greater Powers of Law and Balance Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching) 10 Psychological Complication: Agent of Chaos, promotes change (Common; Moderate) 20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total) 5 Rivalry: Professional (incarnations of Balance and Law), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry 15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Law powers (Uncommon) Disadvantage Points: 80 Base Points: 400 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Appearance: Average height, on average. Appearance is constantly but slowly shifting, skin color, hair, eyes, facial features, height and weight change among different human features. The agent has no control over these changes, and they don't look like any specific person.

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man Arbiter of Balance Val Char Cost 20 STR 10 24 DEX 28 20 CON 10 15 BODY 5 14 INT 4 15 EGO 5 20 PRE 10 7 OCV 7 DCV 7 OMCV 7 DMCV 12/24 PD 10 12/24 ED 10 6 SPD 40 13 REC 9 40 END 4 40 STUN 10 22m RUN 0 4m SWIM 0 4m/34m LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 219 Cost Power 40 Mystic Martial Arts Attacks: Multipower, 40-point reserve 3f 1) Ch’i Punch: Hand-To-Hand Attack +8d6 (40 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4) 4f 2) Dragon’s Breath Fist: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (3d6 w/STR), Armor Piercing (+1/4) (37 Active Points) 3f 3) Ch’i Phoenix Fist: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Alternate Combat Value (uses OMCV against DMCV; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2) (35 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4) 3f 4) Projected Ch’i: Mental Blast 4d6 (40 Active Points); Limited Normal Range (20m; -1/4) 3f 5) Drain Characteristics 2d6, Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics simultaneously) (+1/2), Variable Effect (any two Characteristics at a time; +1/2) (40 Active Points); No Range (-1/2) 4f 6) Ch’i Sunburst: Sight Group Flash 8d6 (40 Active Points) 20 Acrobatic Leaping And Running: (Total: 25 Active Cost, 20 Real Cost) Leaping +30m (4m/34m forward, 2m/17m upward) (15 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Acrobatics roll; -1/2) (Real Cost: 10) plus Running +10m (22m total) (Real Cost: 10) Powers Cost: 80 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 4 Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 30 STR to Disarm 4 Joint Lock/Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 1d6 NND ; Target Falls 4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 Martial Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 35 STR vs. Grabs 4 Martial Flash: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Flash 4d6 3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 30 STR for holding on 3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 4d6 +v/10, Target Falls Martial Arts Cost: 30 Cost Skill 10 Defense Maneuver I-IV 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Breakfall 14- 3 Climbing 14- 3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate) 0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) Two-Handed Fighting 5 1) Rapid Attack (10 Active Points); HTH Multiple Attacks Only (-1) 5 2) Two-Weapon Fighting (10 Active Points); HTH only (-1) Skills Cost: 32 Cost Talent 24 Combat Luck (12 PD/12 ED) 15 Combat Sense 12- Talents Cost: 39 Total Character Cost: 400 Pts. Disadvantage 0 Dependence: Must recombine with Ralph once per day Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Common; 1 Day) 10 Distinctive Features: Silent and Inscrutable (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Watched: Greater Powers of Chaos and Law Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching) 15 Psychological Complication: Arbiter of Balance, seeks the middle path (Common; Strong) 20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total) 5 Rivalry: Professional (incarnations of Chaos and Law), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry 15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major Disadvantage Points: 75 Base Points: 400 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0

Ralph Mellish, an average man living an ordinary life in a typical American city. A man so ordinary, if you looked up 'Ordinary' in the dictionary, you wouldn't find a picture of him, because that would be extraordinary. And yet he was destined for greatness... On a spring day, much like any other day, Ralph was walking to work, as he often did. When suddenly he was struck by 3 lightning bolts simultaneously. He heard a voice. Or was it voices? It/they echoed strangely in his head Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Agent of Chaos Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Arbiter of Balance Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Advocate of Law You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to promote harmony You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to assist change You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to defend order Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Arbiter Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Advocate Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Agent Those were the last words Ralph remembered before he blacked out. The Masters of Chaos, Judges of The Balance, and Keepers of Law had sensed great changes ahead for the small speck of cosmic debris known to its inhabitants as "Earth". They had decided to appoint an observer to closely monitor conditions, but were unable to agree on what it should do. So they agreed to each appoint a separate proxy chosen at random from among the inhabitants. All 3 of them chose Ralph. Was it merely a coincidence? Was it the workings of some even greater power? We may never know. Ralph Mellish Val Char Cost 6 STR -4 7 DEX -6 9 CON -1 10 BODY 0 12 INT 2 11/24 EGO 1 12/24 PRE 2 3 OCV 3/9 DCV 3 OMCV 3/9 DMCV 2/17 PD 0 2/17 ED 0 2/4 SPD 0 4 REC 0 20 END 0 20 STUN 0 8m RUN -4 2m SWIM -1 2m LEAP -1 Characteristics Cost: -12 Cost Power 80 Incarnate Avatar: Duplication (creates 3 400-point Duplicates), Altered Duplicates (100%; +1) (180 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Only one duplicate active at a time; -1/4) [Notes: One of the 3 avatars is summoned. This is controlled by a complicated system of points and privileges by the greater powers, but it might as well be random to Ralph. Or which ever one the GM will find most amusing for the situation.] 54 Visions of Trouble: Precognitive Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing Groups), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), MegaScale (1m = 1,000 km; +1 3/4) (162 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) Shielded by the Greater Powers 6 1) +12 PRE (12 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only to defend against PRE attacks; -1) 10 2) +13 EGO (13 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Only to defend against mental attacks; -1/4) 30 3) +6 DCV 18 4) +6 DMCV 20 5) +2 SPD Powers Cost: 218 Cost Skill 3 Bureaucratics 11- (14-) 6 KS 14- 3 PS 12- 0 KS (Custom Adder) 16- 0 Language: English (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) Everyman Skills 0 1) Acting (Custom Adder) 8- 0 2) Climbing (Custom Adder) 8- 0 3) Concealment (Custom Adder) 8- 0 4) Conversation (Custom Adder) 8- 0 5) Deduction (Custom Adder) 8- 0 6) Paramedics (Custom Adder) 8- 0 7) Persuasion (Custom Adder) 8- 0 8) Shadowing (Custom Adder) 8- 0 9) Stealth (Custom Adder) 8- 0 10) TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Custom Adder Skills Cost: 12 Cost Talent 12 Danger Sense (general area, any danger) (35 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) 11- 30 Combat Luck (15 PD/15 ED) Talents Cost: 42 Total Character Cost: 260 Pts. Disadvantage 15 Wife: Bessie Mellish Infrequently (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID) 15 Nearsighted: Must wear glasses (Frequently; Slightly Impairing) 10 Nebbish: Waffles, reluctant to get involved (Common; Moderate) 15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major 15 Pawn of the Greater Powers: Gets involved in Superhero Situations whether he wants to or not Frequently, Major 5 Unluck: 1d6 Disadvantage Points: 75 Base Points: 400 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Personality/Motivation: Ralph is an office manager for an insurance firm in [Campaign City]. Prior to his epiphany, he had no interest in the super hero world. His greatest ambition was to complete his collection of 19th century US postage stamps. Now he is a pawn in the interests of the Greater Cosmic Balance. Well, maybe not a pawn, perhaps a bishop or even a knight. Quote: Are the new paperclips in yet, Enid? Powers/Tactics: Ralph has basically one power, to incarnate one of the avatars of Chaos, Balance or Law. He is sometimes granted visions of distant events, or premonitions of imminent danger by the Powers, but he has no control over those, he only sees what they want him to. Ralph chooses when to change, but the greater Powers control which of the avatars incarnate. Campaign Use: Even though Ralph is a reluctant hero at best, the Greater Powers often arrange matters so that he has no choice but to get involved. If he goes on vacation, the hotel will be subject to attack. When he goes out to lunch, the bank across the street gets robbed. If he stays home, weird unearthly plants start springing up in the neighbor's back yards. Things of that nature are always happening to him. Appearance: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3285162240/tt0058230 (The one on the right)

Re: Any reviews coming for the various Champions Villains books? What's with all the Canadians, eh? Somebody got a lifetime supply of Tim Hortons or something? 13% of the World's Master Villains are Canuck related, and only one African? And a ghost Nazi who wants to annihilate Canada? Really? Really?

Re: The Crimson Claw and The Great Supervillain Contest

Re: Can you summon a vehicle? Just flight might work, but since he's already got a summoning multipower, he might as well use that.

Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation? So was the base character paying for *all* the duplicates, i.e. one duplicate and 255 more. Or was he only paying for the original 8, and then each other one also had duplication? Because that's one of the things the power description specifically says you should do, IIRC. Oh, and I've almost got my character(s) done. I decided to give the base character a few defenses as well, so he wouldn't be instantly splatted. The others are mostly done, just need a little tweaking. Based on the Superhero Gallery characters for the most part. I'll be posting them in the Champions forum, not here though.

Re: Criticals While players like to see the big crits, most of the time crits work against the players. Your average monster only lasts through one fight, it's going to die whether the players crit it or not, most of the time. Players have dozens and hundreds of fights, they are going to end up suffering many many critical hits against themselves.

Re: Any reviews coming for the various Champions Villains books? Yep, there it was, in the pile with my copy of Champions (3ed), Champions II, Champions III, various adventures, and for some reason, 4 copies of Bad Medicine for Dr Drugs.

Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation?

Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation? I don't think you'd have to go so far as a multipower. If you get 100% altered duplicates, and more than one, you should be able to make each one different. I'd even go for a -1/4, or -0 limitation on the adder that you can only have one duplicate active at a time (probably -0 if it's only +5 pts for 2 more duplicates). Ralph would be a "50 pt normal" (or whatever it's called these days), plus whatever the multi-dupli thing ends up costing.

Re: Any reviews coming for the various Champions Villains books? Are vols 2 & 3 going to remain PDF only? I got the volume 1 hard cover and it looks pretty nice, lots of good stuff. I'm going to vote for a PDF bundle too. I don't buy many just character books, so besides Dr Destroyer and Mechanon, The Warlord is the only one I could spot right off as one I owned for 5ed or earlier. I am pretty sure I've still got my copy of The Island of Dr Destroyer arond somewhere though.

Re: Multi-Dupli-form-cation? Meh, not really the effect I was looking for.

I have a character concept for a 6ed super-hero, and I'm wondering what would be a good way to build it. Ralph Mellish is a perfectly ordinary man, except that when danger calls, he can split in two. Ordinary Ralph, and one of three Super Guys. I'm thinking either duplication, with altered duplicates built on more points, or multi-form with the alternate forms having duplication of the normal form. The key points are Ralph is a normal, with a huge wad of points spent on the one power to spawn the super guys. The super guys can only turn back into Ralph, not directly one to another.

Re: Best book for a Victorian setting is... Cthulhu By Gaslight has lots of good period information too.

Re: Build a Vanship? I think you mean "spit and baling wire".

Re: Redneck Ninjas! "Big city life? No, thank you!" That ain't right. It should be "City Folk? No siree-bob!"

Re: Can you move backward? I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but isn't there a section about this in the vehicle rules? Backing up is at half speed. Can't move sideways with any power that has a turn mode, unless you buy an advantage, etc.

Re: Building a Good Base Yeah, Ultimate Base has a lot of good stuff. Champions has a couple of sample bases. Book of the Destroyer & Book of the Machine have a variety of bases, since both Mech-head and Big D have a extensive evil infrastructures.