Maelstrom

Re: Witch Way

We had an all-night coffee shop. Not a cafe, not a Starbucks . . . a coffee shop. All the mystics wound up there about midnight. Once, two guys tried to rob it.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign

Remember that these costumed vigilantes may not necessarily be following the laws, or even KNOW about them, which can result in nice, meaty RPing.

"Are those brass knuckles? IS THAT A TRENCH KNIFE?"

"Yeah. What's the problem?"

Re: What happens when a new GM doesn't understand game balance

Wow, dang. I started RPing right out of the box, and it took a while for the tactics to set in. Just the opposite.

Re: Super Stupor Comic

Support Milholland -- he's awesome.

http://unstoppablecomics.com/

Some of the origins are not very detailed, but the pictures are interesting.

Re: What makes a hero?

Angelina Jolie as Wonder Woman's mom? COME ON! (Arrested Development Reference, sorry...)

That Florence Nightengale.. sheesh..

I think that heroism is a personal decision based on individual choices and sacrifice while altruism is based more on societal and cultural influences.

I think you're correct. Altruism in one society can be horror to another.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign

That must be so confusing...

Inconvenient, mostly. Leaves us with fists, that they can't take away (yet) and guns. Nothing in the middle. If you're little, buy a gun, because concealing a knife is a FELONY and you can't get a permit for it like you can a gun.

Big guys like me are different. If I was 125 lbs, I wouldn't want to pick a fight with me. :shrug:

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign

For your viewing pleasure:

http://www.findlaw.com

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign

Is it the same in the US or is it state by state? It would sort of crimp the style of costumed crime-fighting.

It's state-by-state. Oddly enough, the laws in California are similar to Canada with regard to prohibited weapons. Most weapons that are prohibited are so because they're 'scary', not because they are notorious for use in violent crimes or are particularly effective. "Spiked wristbands" for heaven's sake. "Pepper Spray". "Nunchaku". Of the three of them, only nunchuks are effective in a fight, and they take years of training. In California, if you run a dojo, you can have them. So the only people that could use them effectively can possess them. :crazy: Not that I mind, they're also the most disciplined, but it's an example of legislative fuzzy thinking.

Now, add in wannabees armed with nunchucks, and it makes sense.

12020. (a) Any person in this state who does any of the following

is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year

or in the state prison:

(1) Manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the

state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives,

lends, or possesses any cane gun or wallet gun, any undetectable

firearm, any firearm which is not immediately recognizable as a

firearm, any camouflaging firearm container, any ammunition which

contains or consists of any flechette dart, any bullet containing or

carrying an explosive agent, any ballistic knife, any multiburst

trigger activator, any nunchaku, any short-barreled shotgun, any

short-barreled rifle, any metal knuckles, any belt buckle knife, any

leaded cane, any zip gun, any shuriken, any unconventional pistol,

any lipstick case knife, any cane sword, any shobi-zue, any air gauge

knife, any writing pen knife, any metal military practice

handgrenade or metal replica handgrenade, or any instrument or weapon

of the kind commonly known as a blackjack, slungshot, billy,

sandclub, sap, or sandbag.

Re: What makes a hero?

Hmm. I remember this from NGD a while ago. Some of the names of the 'heroes' they have listed make me physically ill. Some of these people have never taken a risk for a selfless purpose, which is my definition.

Re: Young Titans 2008 - Infinite Secret Crisis on Just One Earth!

I' date=' the all powerful Cosmic Observer, grow weary of the endless battles of so called “Good” and “Evil” on your so called “Earth!” Therefore, using my Vast Cosmic Power, I have summoned all of the Earth’s greatest so called Heroes and Villains to my Cosmic Brain-O-Sphere, where, using cunningly designed contests conjured by my own cunningly designed Infinite Cosmic Brain, they shall shape the next revision of what your puny Earth Brains consider to be “Reality”! I have Thought-Spoken![/quote']

 

http://nonadventures.com/2008/01/05/geekret-wars/

Re: New In The Store!

Love HERO books. How much for all three?

Re: Your character's theme song would be?

My favorite for an immortal: "California Uber Alles" by the Dead Kennedies. "Perfect Strangers" by Deep Purple is another one.

Re: Help me retrofit an origin...please.

Actually' date=' the Empyrean section of [i']Hidden Lands[/i] has an origin possibility that I think would work well for Wombat. One of the Empyreans described (but not statted) in the book is "Counselor Brax," the only Empyrean known to have a non-human parent. Brax was born during the Turakian Age, and his mother "was apparently an orcish woman of remarkable intelligence for her species"

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0555.html

Re: Witch Way

Witch Way needs an herbalist, a curandero, and some santeros.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign

Hey' date=' back in the forties a college athlete turned Assistant D.A. who hated seeing people he KNEW were innocent get off could put on a mask and fight crime and nobody thought the idea was too farfetched. [/quote']

 

Who was that?

Re: Clever Future Weapons

It's a good indicator that Heinlein's most famous piece of military hardware doesn't require a UI at all -- " . . . the armor, you just WEAR."

Re: Mimicry

I like special kinds of mimicry. My villain, Nihilist, is "the greatest martial artist in the world" . . . but only at the END of the fight. She has a combination of Martial Arts Drain (damage field) and a VPP only to simulate the attacks used against her. Pretty big VPP.

What makes your mimic different?

Re: What happens when a new GM doesn't understand game balance

In my experience' date=' the one thing love "conquers" least often is being made to look like a fool, or the uncritical companion/supporter of a fool. Hence my observation.[/quote']

 

Not quite sure what you mean. OTOH, I can't drag my wife away from Gruul's Lair long enough to play pen-and-paper games anymore.

Re: martial Arts Comedies

The Big Brawl was awesome. Can't believe how old it is, now.

Re: Clever Future Weapons

Well done, Nyrath!

Re: Pulparize It!

[b]John Morat Gurgenheim  - [/b]

Ok here's a quick go he came out quite expensive because I tend to use lots of skills just trimming down to a more basic package would, bring him down to normal pulp levels he's not much of a fighter but he should be able to con his way out of a lot of situations

 

Nice write up! I like it.

Re: Pulparize It!

The Player of Games: the best chessplayer in America is approached by agents of the US government to enter a tournament in a mystic East-African nation where the winner of the tournament becomes King. It would help diplomatic relations, they say. We only expect you to maybe become an honorary colonel in their armed forces, they say. We're assigning you bodyguards and some of the embassy staff, but they're just to help you with the language and the locals. Whatever you do, hold up the honor of the US, but DON'T WIN THE TOURNAMENT . . . .

Re: DC ruleset used for modern (non costumed) gaming?

MS&PE is Flying Buffaloes and uses the same mechanics as Tunnels & Trolls. I would have to check my copies when I get home for the copyright' date=' but I am pretty sure Espionage/Danger International came out first. I do remember we all played Top Secret as the system of choice for spy type games. Mostly because the gamemaster preferred that set and was good at it.[/quote']

 

'Struth. The original Espionage rules, which IIRC were called "Soldier of Fortune" came out only a few months after I bought the original blue book. This was the first HERO release after Champions. I was seventeen, so this was twenty-six years ago. My first character was just an embarassing Nick Fury ripoff, more a collection of cliches than anything else.

Re: Your character's theme song would be?

Okami -- "Shadow Warrior" from BoC

Maelstrom -- "American Badass" for the longest time, but now "Indestructible" by Disturbed

Psi-blade -- Back to formula "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" but it changes sometimes.