Maelstrom

Re: Songs that inspire(d) you to make a Champions Character

I get a lot from Disturbed, too.

Another mission,

The powers have called me away.

Another time,

To carry the colors again.

My motivation,

An oath I've sworn to defend.

To win the honor,

Of coming back home again.

No explanation,

Will matter after we begin.

Another dark destroyer that's buried within,

My true vocation.

And now my unfortunate friend,

You will discover,

A war you're unable to win.

I'll have you know,

That I've become...

Indestructible.

Determination that is incorruptible.

From the other side.

A terror to behold.

Annihilation will be unavoidable.

Every broken enemy will know,

That their opponent had to be invincible.

Take a last look around while you're alive,

I'm an indestructible master of war.

Another reason.

Another cause for me to fight.

Another fuse uncovered,

Now, for me to light.

My dedication,

To all that I've sworn to protect.

I carry out my orders,

Without a regret.

A declaration,

Embedded deep under my skin.

A permanent reminder,

Of how we began.

No hesitation,

When I am commanding the strike.

You need to know,

That you're in for the fight of your life.

You will be shown,

How I've become...

Indestructible.

Determination that is incorruptible.

From the other side.

A terror to behold.

Annihilation will be unavoidable.

Every broken enemy will know,

That their opponent had to be invincible.

Take a last look around while you're alive,

I'm an indestructible master of war.

I'm...

Indestructible.

Determination that is incorruptible.

From the other side.

A terror to behold.

Annihilation will be unavoidable.

Every broken enemy will know,

That their opponent had to be invincible.

Take a last look around while you're alive,

I am indestructible. (Indestructible.)

Indestructible

Determination that is incorruptible.

From the other side.

A terror to behold.

Annihilation will be unavoidable.

Every broken enemy will know,

That their opponent had to be invincible.

Take a last look around while you're alive,

I'm an indestructible master of war.

Re: Songs that inspire(d) you to make a Champions Character

Yeah, I built a Veteran of the Psychic Wars.

"Perfect Strangers" by Deep Purple gave me a few characters and an entire WH40k Marine Chapter

Can you remember remember my name

As I flow through your life

A thousand oceans I have flown

And cold spirits of ice

All my life

I am the echo of your past

I am returning the echo of a point in time

Distant faces shine

A thousand warriors I have known

And laughing as the spirits appear

All your life

Shadows of another day

And if you hear me talking on the wind

Youve got to understand

We must remain

Perfect strangers

I know I must remain inside this silent well of sorrow

A strand of silver hanging through the sky

Touching more than you see

The voice of ages in your mind

Is aching with the dead of the night

Precious life (your tears are lost in

Falling rain)

And if you hear me talking on the wind

Youve got to understand

We must remain

Perfect strangers

Re: ideas/name for my character?

Carrera

Scirocco

Re: Maelstrom

OOOOKAAAAAAY! Well he has been played awhile. WOW.

Yeah. He was my second character. My first, O-kami, has more xp, but is spread around two or three different writeups for different campaigns, including World 3 and World 6. Ah, those were the days.

Re: Ratchet & Clank HERO?

Hey, baby! Why don't we get together, and kill all humans?

-- Bender

Re: The Addams Family

He's talking about bobobobobobo and his nose hairs of justice.

CES

I thought you were kidding until I looked it up. Now I just WISH you were kidding.

Re: martial Arts Comedies

[*]Improvised weapons: Really cardboard tubes do not make efficient bludgeoning weapons

Hm! How are they at cutting?

http://www.penny-arcade.com/uploads/2008/07/30/pax_cover.jpg

Re: at 43 spetsnatz kolossus

They are certainly very cool, even if the description makes no sense. They also look heavy, and slow, with massive weapons (front-arc only) and difficult to turn. Max Dex maybe 13, max speed 2 or 3. Heavy front armor, not so much in the back. Superjump as a jet pack.

Re: No Horses For You

Actually, I think the use of magic in this way is what I hate most about fantasy. Maybe that's why I like Game of Thrones so much.

Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

This was really funny and something I never really thought about using before - but now I will. Real life story' date=' my Dad used to work on a big farm here in New Zealand when I was a nipper. he had this horse that just loved killing sheep when she was alone. If there were sheep in the next paddock, she would let them amble up to the fence line to chew on the nice longer grass that grew alongside the fence, then reach over and grab them by the back and try to flick them into her paddock. If she succeeded she would chase them around and stomp them to death, if the act of grabbing and tossing them hadn't killed them in the first place. Could never work out why Dad didn;t shoot her but he said that apart from that trait, she was a damn fine working horse.[/quote']

 

The horse let the grass grow long there on purpose. That horse is lethal.

Re: Heroes

They've been doing a lot of promoting for season three of Heroes: Villains. Not only do I see it on TV' date=' but it's advertised at the movie theater as well. While I'm glad that the producers have acknowledged mistakes they've made, I feel this season will make it or break it for me.[/quote']

 

Hm. Already kind of broken for me. I doubt I'll bother with 3 unless I hear it's better'n sex and almost as good as . . . oh, never mind.

Re: Maelstrom -- man, I can never get the hang of posting character sheets

Maelstrom

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

15/70 STR 5 23- Lift 409.6tons; 14d6 [3]

18/23 DEX 24 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8

13/33 CON 6 16-

11/16 BODY 2 12-

20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 17-

11 EGO 2 11- ECV: 4

35 PRE 25 16- PRE Attack: 7d6

10 COM 0 11-

15+14 PD 1 Total: 15/29/35 PD (0/26 rPD)

10+14 ED 3 Total: 10/24/30 ED (0/26 rED)

6 SPD 27 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

21 REC 0

80 END 7

80 STUN 11 Total Characteristic Cost: 125

Movement: Running: 7"/14"

Flight: 22"/2816"

Leaping: 14"/28"

Swimming: 2"/4"

Cost Powers END

Forcefield manipulation, all slots OIF (Powered Suit; -½)

46 1) Enhanced Strength: +55 STR, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) (69 Active Points); OIF (Powered Suit; -½) 2

10 2) +5 DEX (15 Active Points); OIF (Powered Suit; -½)

27 3) +20 CON (40 Active Points); OIF (Powered Suit; -½)

7 4) +5 BODY (10 Active Points); OIF (Powered Suit; -½)

42 5) Most-advanced force-field created by humans: Armor (14 PD/14 ED), Hardened (+¼), Difficult To Dispel (x2 Active Points; +¼) (63 Active Points); OIF (Powered Suit; -½)

Quark-fusion-driven particle emanation (Almost positive this is a misdirection), all slots OIF (-½)

41 1) Energy Blast 10d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) (62 Active Points); OIF (-½) 2

45 2) Flight 17", Position Shift, x16 Noncombat, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) (67 Active Points); OIF (-½) 2

Sealed Systems

24 1) Faster-Than-Light Travel (2 Light Years/week)

23 2) Life Support (Eating: Character does not eat; Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing)

21 Stupid Armor Tricks: Multipower, 25-point reserve, all slots Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) (31 Active Points); all slots OIF (-½)

2u 1) More Blasting Power!: Energy Blast -- Adds to main blast only 5d6 (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

2u 2) Concentrating Firepower: Armor Piercing (+½) for up to 50 Active Points of Energy Blast (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

2u 3) Does x1 ½ Knockback (+½) for up to 50 Active Points of Energy Blast (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

2u 4) Lingering Effect: : Cumulative (+½) for up to 50 Active Points (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

2u 5) Multi-dimensional! How does that work again?: Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+½) for up to 50 Active Points of Energy Blast (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

2u 6) Additional Flight: Flight 5", x16 Noncombat (25 Active Points); OIF (-½) 1

Sweet Enhanced Senses Suite, all slots OIF (-½)

8 1) High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group) (12 Active Points); OIF (-½)

15 2) Passive Sonar: Spatial Awareness (Hearing Group) (22 Active Points); OIF (-½)

8 3) +4 PER with all Sense Groups (12 Active Points); OIF (-½)

Just stuff I picked up. I don't have any training, honest.

Maneuver OCV DCV Notes

5 Defensive Block +1 +3 Block, Abort

5 Defensive Strike +1 +3 14d6 Strike

3 Defensive Throw +1 +1 Block, Target Falls

5 Disarming Throw +0 +0 Grab Weapon, 75 STR to take weapon away; Target Falls

5 Flying Dodge -- +4 Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove

5 Flying Grab -2 -1 Grab Two Limbs, 80 STR for holding on; FMove

3 Flying Tackle +0 -1 14d6 +v/5 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls; FMove

Perks

3 Anonymity

3 Computer Link

10 Government Contacts: Favor

3 Fringe Benefit: Federal/National Police Powers

Talents

On-board computer, all slots OIF (Goggle Lenses; -½)

2 1) Absolute Range Sense (3 Active Points); OIF (Goggle Lenses; -½)

2 2) Absolute Time Sense (3 Active Points); OIF (Goggle Lenses; -½)

2 3) Bump Of Direction (3 Active Points); OIF (Goggle Lenses; -½)

2 4) Lightning Calculator (3 Active Points); OIF (Goggle Lenses; -½)

12 More DevGroup training. No, don't ask. Yeah, there was negative biofeedback involved. Shut up.: Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

Skills

Government 'employee'

3 1) Aerobatics: Acrobatics 14-

3 2) Enemy Tactics: Analyze: Combat 13-

3 3) Breakfall 14-

3 4) Bribery 16-

3 5) Bugging 13-

3 6) Combat Driving 14-

3 7) Combat Piloting 14-

3 8) Demolitions 13-

3 9) Electronics 13-

3 10) Interrogation 16-

5 11) Navigation (Air, Land, Marine, Space) 13-

3 12) Paramedics 13-

3 13) Persuasion 16-

2 14) PS: Soldier 11-

3 15) Security Systems 13-

3 16) Stealth 14-

3 17) Streetwise 16-

3 18) Tactics 13-

2 19) WF: Small Arms

4 20) WF: Flamethrowers, General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers, Shoulder-Fired Weapons

24 +3 with All Combat

20 +2 Overall

10 +2 with DCV

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 514

Total Cost: 639

200+ Disadvantages

30 Hunted: DRAGON (campaign agent group) 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)

15 Hunted: NSA, agency of the US Gov't 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

15 Psychological Limitation: Fanatic Patriot, but in the closet about it until it pops, often quite suddenly (Uncommon, Total)

10 Psychological Limitation: Hates Hippies. No, I mean he REALLY hates them, like one of them killed his dog or something. Don't even joke about it, man, he'll mess you up. (Common, Moderate)

15 Reputation: Protects Sterling Enterprises -- First responder at the big plant in Richmond, 14-

5 Rivalry: Hates that guy at NSA, what's-his-name, with the attitude and the recoil compensator. Yeah, that's him. Whatta jerk. Where'd he get that tie? I haven't seen a tie that narrow since Jack Webb.: Professional (Rival is As Powerful -- when he's not in the armor; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

349 Experience Points

Total Disadvantage Points: 639

Background/History: When the MAELstrom armor was first in testing, its inventor/creator Alexander Sterling wore it. Back then it was standard power-armor -- a metal shell, with various advanced weapon systems, but not much, physically, different than the armor worn by medieval knights. Others did it better, even within the Omega Force: a group of similar power-armored heroes he had joined. Back to formula.

Instead of a heavy, powered, metal shell, the new MAELstrom would be the first in a line of force-field driven battlesuits. Creating the forcefield technology cost a mint; more than Sterling had. He was finally forced to create a conglomerate, and then get DoD funding. No more armored antics for Alex, who now gets to see the suit only to work on it.

Enter DARPA. Enter DevGroup. And enter Raymond St. John, a government 'employee' with a classified past, who takes the battlesuit into the world to fight evil, stop crime -- and protect American interests.

Personality/Motivation: Cocky to the point of overconfidence, Maelstrom is a leader, a warrior, and a slow-moving suicide. He knows he'll be retired by 40, and the closer he gets, the more he pushes the envelope, to be the "best" before the suit gets passed off to another 'employee' who might go even further . . . .

Quote: "Heh. Watch this sh%&."

Powers/Tactics: Close with energy projectors, snipe bricks.

This is the latest MAELstrom, after almost twenty years of play. He's had two major 'radiation accidents', including the one that made the original Secret ID retire. Note that it's easy to find Maelstrom, not as easy to find Ray. My last GM disallowed the Elemental Control for the particle beams, since that wasn't the 'real' special effect anyway and technically the flight and the energy blast could be completely different in nature. Sneaky b@$tiche.

Re: Royalty Character

In the real world the Head of State is simply not going to be free enough to go "superheroing". However' date=' members of the royal family very well migh be able to, especially if they are no closer to the monarch than second cousin.[/quote']

 

Depends on the country. You could be the "True King" and still not rule, or even reign -- You could have been displaced by a dictator, for example, and living in exile. Romantic! I may use this.

Re: Maelstrom

lol No thanks, I HAVE a Maelstrom. No worries.

Re: Maelstrom

I didn't mean to be .....insulting' date=' when I chose the name. The name popped into my head and the character followed. I usually work that way, start with a name then the powers. Others are powers and name to fit it but alot less often.[/quote']

 

'sokay, I wasn't really mad.

You'd know: --> --> -->

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

First self-portrait -- because I'm vain, but also so because I know the costume well enough to use for a first try.

Re: Gothic Fantasy Hero

Ten years of isolation on an island? Must be a big island, to support all those people. Can't live on just fish -- are there smugglers?

Re: Superhuman Bender

Community property law only applies to property obtained AFTER the marriage. So a short-term spouse would probably not be entitled even to support. So you need a PLAN:

Count Genericmindcontrolguy finds the long-term spouse of Hero, and convinces the spouse to divorce Hero. (Heh heh, never have a floating NPC in MY game, sucker!) Now, the spouse takes the technology (ostensibly to patent) instead of the cash. The spouse's argument is that access to the cash puts the Hero into a better position to create more technology to pay more support. Never happen in real life? Who cares? Although there are analogies to stock options. Some of the best (or, to the villain's mind, most damaging and effective) may be ordered to be patented, again to make more money. Patenting, of course, lets the villain know how the gadget works, so he can create counter-measures. Mwahahahaaaa

Now, the villain is one unscrupulous lawyer (only for effect -- an innocent lawyer might well do a better job) away from a treasure trove of cash and technology.

Re: Attack of the 150-point Housewife

Ninja housewives fighting battles with each other on the rooftops while their husbands are at work?

First saw this in Ninja High School.

Re: Between a Brick and a Hard Place: Martial throw

[*]Heroes do not throw babies

GAWD, it was JUST that ONE TIME! Let a guy forget once in a while!

Re: Royalty Character

One of my favorite NPC's is a port from my CoH charcters. Windsor' date=' the Trick arrow weapon master sometimes called Harry by his chums.[/quote']

 

Harry Windsor.

Re: Maelstrom

I don't like it.

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

Using an old, favorite PC as an NPC in a background roll is OK. I've done it several times, usually with 'retired' PC's from an earlier game in the same timeline. That can help establish continuity with the earlier game.

 

The problem that crops up is when an NPC is a subtitute PC for the GM...

Knew a guy who did this, and gave his PC, who was NPCing for the run, as much xp as the players got. Also, his wife 'ran' his characters every night, so when he played his PCs, they had tons more xp than the other PCs. But, we were all young.

Re: Hilarious article about vigilantism!

i love it! Especially this bit: "and when you charge your opponent in a distressed cotton half-shirt ($18, available in kids’ sizes) with a giraffe decal ($5), your velour cape ($53) trailing in the sticky summer air, the beating is just a formality."

 

that's so funny....

Wait! Velour cape? Half-shirt?? Giraffe decal?!?

My gods, do you know who they're talking about!?! Don't you recognize the description! It's...

 

There's only one person that could be...

 

 

It must be....

 

 

 

Here's a close-up of his "symbol"

my . . . Eyes!

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

MY worst problem as a GM is that I'm too much of a cheerleader for the players. I drop hints, and run combats by time rather than actual damage done. (They've been fighting this villain for a while -- next really good roll will put him down.)

This is partly because of recent bad experiences with a Champions game with a GM who brought in an undamageable brick -- with a constant damage field. Everything in that game was so tough, I gave up after two or three game sessions. He was a good GM, but his villains were just too uber. I like having players think, but I hate to see them frustrated.