Karmakaze

Re: Musings on Random Musings

DayStar - quick 5th ed rewrite Is anyone reading these? [b]DayStar - Alex Chandler[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 15 STR 5 15 12- HTH Damage 3d6 END [1] 16 DEX 18 16 12- OCV 5 DCV 5 13 CON 6 13 12- 15 BODY 10 15 12- 13 INT 3 13 12- PER Roll 12-/15- 13 EGO 6 13 12- ECV: 4 18 PRE 8 18 13- PRE Attack: 3 1/2d6 18 COM 4 18 13- 5 PD 2 5/20 5/20 PD (0/15 rPD) 8 ED 5 8/28 8/28 ED (0/20 rED) 3 SPD 4 3 Phases: 4, 8, 12 10 REC 8 10 40 END 7 40 40 STUN 10 40 8 RUN 4 8" END [2] 4 SWIM 2 4" END [1] 3 LEAP 0 3" 3" forward, 1 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 102[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 6 +3 PER with Sight Group - END=0 20 [b][i]LIGHT POWERS[/i][/b]: Elemental Control, 40-point powers - END= 20 1) [b][i]INVISIBILITY[/i][/b]: Invisibility to Sight Group , Usable By Other (+1/4) (25 Active Points) - END=2 20 2) [b][i]LIGHT ILLUSIONS[/i][/b]: Sight Group Images Increased Size (4" radius; +1/2), +/-3 to PER Rolls, Increased Maximum Range (700"; +1/4) (33 Active Points) - END=3 20 3) [b][i]LIGHT BURST[/i][/b]: Sight Group Flash 8d6 (40 Active Points) - END=4 20 4) [b][i]FORCE FIELD[/i][/b]: FF (15 PD/20 ED/5 Flash Defense: Sight Group) (40 Active Points) - END=4 32 5) [b][i]LASER[/i][/b]: EB 12d6 (60 Active Points); Beam (-1/4) - END=6 41 6) [b][i]ILLUSION DISGUISE[/i][/b]: Shape Shift (Sight Group, limited group of shapes), Imitation, Instant Change, Usable Simultaneously (up to 4 people at once; +3/4) (61 Active Points) - END=6 [b]POWERS Cost: 179[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 3 Bureaucratics 13- 11 Criminology 16- 7 Deduction 14- 3 Interrogation 13- 2 Language: Spanish (fluent conversation) 3 Lockpicking 12- 3 PS: Police Officer 12- 7 Paramedics 14- 5 Stealth 13- [b]SKILLS Cost: 44[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]PERKS[/u][/b] 2 Fringe Benefit: Local Police Powers 18 Contact (Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Contact limited by identity, Good relationship with Contact), Organization Contact (x3) (18 Active Points) 13- 5 Contact (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact) 11- [b]PERKS Cost: 25[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity Frequently (11-), Major 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Killing Common, Total 15 Psychological Limitation: Fear of Dark (Common, Strong) 15 DNPC: Kid Sister, Alys 14- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC) 5 Rivalry: Professional (twin brother, villain), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry 20 Hunted: GM option 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Dark-based Attacks (Uncommon) 15 Psychological Limitation: Honorable Common, Strong 10 Social Limitation: Day Job (Frequently, Minor) 5 Money: Poor [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first ten rows of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Alex is fairly strong, agile and tough, about average bright, and really cute. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The Notes - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. Speed (SPD) and dexterity (DEX) tell me who goes first in a fight, and determine moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed in the notes in the SPD row). If a skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 against the number in the Roll column (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Alex has a secret identity, a deep moral objection to killing, a fear of the dark, a kid sister, a problem with the identical twin, and needs to keep a schedule for the day job. Powers - DayStar has light powers. Alex can shoot bursts of concentrated light (lasers) from the hands, make light illusions and disguises, and turn invisible. Daystar is also protected by a force field of light. Skills - Alex is a hero. And a cop. And has the requisite skills, as seen. The rolls work the same as the skill rolls in the "useful" section. Alex's Spanish is heavily accented, but pretty good. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/Background - Alex, his/her twin sibling Sandy, and his younger sister Alys, grew up in orphanages. When the twins grew old enough to be on their own, they took different paths. Alex became a police officer, and in the off hours, a hero. Alex was recently able to locate his sister and has taken custody of her. Alys is sixteen. Alex lives in a small apartment in the city. Alex does have to live on a cop's salary and has very little margin.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Yeah, sometimes the song connections on last.fm can be just a touch... tenuous. Tom Lehrer singing "New Math" was just off the bottom of that list. I'm on DJ Shadow - Originals now, although not on the "similar to Annie Lennox" thread anymore - I'm on a paid user's favorites thread instead.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Listening to Similar music to Annie Lennox John Hiatt - Stood Up Go West - King Of Wishful Thinking Dan Fogelberg - Longer Sade - Maureen Tom Jones - Thunderball Beastie Boys - Girls Alison Moyet - Love Letters Seal - Violet Janis Ian - Black & White Mary Chapin Carpenter - Quittin' Time

Dreamer - 4th ed Dreamer was originally (see below) "Beautiful Dreamer" after the musical piece. I later thought that 'beautiful' was a bit odd for a male character though, and made it just "Dreamer". Although it is one of those code names that gives away a character secret... This makes all of the 4th ed versions. Beautiful Dreamer ================= Name: Noah Webster Kensington Age: 14 Gender: Male Hair: Red, dk. Eyes: Green, lt. Height: 5'4" Build: slender Race: Caucasian It should be noted that while Noah is a kid in person, his astral form appears significantly older and larger. He's also precocious enough that most of the other heros take him for a somewhat immature adult. And a lot of heros are pretty immature, so it's not really all that noticeable. Statistics 10 STR 2 PD 13 DEX 3 ED 13 CON 3 SPD 12 BOD 5 REC 18 INT 26 END 18 EGO 24 STN 13 PRE 14 COM Useful Numbers to Know Offhand OCV 4 STR ROLL 11- DCV 4 DEX ROLL 12- ECV 6 INT ROLL 13- DEX 13 EGO ROLL 13- SPD 3 PER ROLL 13- MOVE ON PHASES 4,8, & 12 Disadvantages NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA SECRET ID CODE VS. KILLING - PsychLim [common situation; total commitment] PARENTS - DNPC's [normals; often] Powers ASTRAL BODY - Desol [astral] MIND BLAST - 5d6 Ego Attack [no range] MIND READING - 5d6 Telepathy [no range] SEIZE BODY - Mind Control [no range] RESIST MIND CONTROL - Mental Defense SENSE MENTAL - Mental Awareness Skills COMPUTER PROGRAM 14- SYSTEMS OPS 13- FRENCH 3 Maneuvers BLOCK [«phase;abort] DODGE [+3 to DCV; abort] GRAB [« phase; -1 to OCV; -2 to DCV; abort] STRIKE [« phase; 3d6 HA] Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first column of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. For Noah, this translates as unimpressive strength (for a hero), fair dexterity/agility, and pretty good looks. He's very bright and very strong willed. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The "useful" stuff - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. The speed and dexterity tell me who goes first in a fight, and who moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed at the bottom of this section). The rolls are just what they sound like. If one of those skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Noah has four. Don't worry about NCM. It only comes up when you're advancing the character. Secret ID means just what you think. Ditto code vs. killing. Noah's parents are DNPC's because there's an off chance they'll wind up in the line of fire. Powers - Noah, or Beautiful Dreamer at this point, rarely adventures in person. He separates an astral self from his body and physically stays at home. This is how nobody's caught on to the fact that he's a kid. The mind blast is performed by "touching" the victim. Ditto mind reading. Dreamer can "posses" a physical body by moving his astral form "into" the body. Skills - Noah can use a computer, basically. He also speaks accented, but understandable French. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/Background Noah started having unusually vivid dreams when he was twelve. Being a fairly bright child, he soon realized that the stuff he was dreaming really happened. He'd already developed a reputation as the Dreamer, so he stuck with it. He joined up with his current hero team last year and is having a ball. Noah always wanted to be a hero, and now he is! Cool! Noah lives with his parents (surprise, surprise) and goes to school like a normal 14-year old. He's geeky enough to have no real social life, so he spends a lot of his afternoons and weekends "doing homework" in his room (really out being a hero). His parents have no clue. It's the family that's always the last to know.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Listening to Similar music to Enya The Alan Parsons Project - Genesis Ch.1 Vs.32 Gustav Holst - Planets - 7 - Neptune (The Mystic) Norah Jones - One Flight Down Noa - Dala Dala Tracy Chapman - Hard Wired Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby (Tribal As A Mojo Mix) Hilary Duff - Metamorphosis Underworld - M.E. Radiohead - No Surprises Enya - Deora Ar Mo Chroi

Re: The Death Note and How To Stop It Actually, from what I've heard of it, they could just take him out with a sniper. He doesn't have danger sense or anything, so he has to do the same legwork as any mortal to identify an enemy.

Butterfly - 4th ed build And Butterfly... the shapeshifter Butterfly ========= Name: Ruby-Kaye Nevill Age: Player's Choice Gender: female Hair:? Eyes: ? Height: ? Build: ? Race: ? There's no real way to tell what Ruby really looks like. As a shapeshifter, she can pick any look she wants. Her standard form is up to the player. She is very flamboyant and a little frivolous. She has very little patience for the doom-and-gloom types. She's into this hero stuff as much for the thrill as anything. Statistics 13 STR 3 PD 18 DEX 3 ED 13 CON 4 SPD 10 BOD 6 REC 13 INT 26 END 10 EGO 23 STN 13 PRE 18 COM Useful Numbers to Know Offhand OCV 6 STR ROLL 12- DCV 6 DEX ROLL 13- ECV 3 INT ROLL 12- DEX 18 EGO ROLL 11- SPD 4 PER ROLL 12- MOVE ON PHASES 3, 6, 9,& 12 Disadvantages NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA INSECURE - PsychLim [common situation; strong commitment] PRANKSTER - PsychLim [common situation; moderate commitment] WON'T KILL - PsychLim [common situation; total commitment] SECRET ID Powers SHAPESHIFTING - Shapeshift [no end;remain humanoid] - Shrinking [4 levels] wings - flight [23"; only when small] claws - 2d6 HKA [reduced penetration] tough skin - 20/10 Armor Skills BREAKFALL 13- DISGUISE 12- ACTING 12- Maneuvers BLOCK [1/2 phase;abort] DODGE [+3 to DCV; abort] GRAB [1/2 phase; -1 to OCV; -2 to DCV; abort] STRIKE [1/2 phase; 3d6 HA] Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first column of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Ruby is average strong for a hero, pretty nimble, moderately bright and not very self- controlled. Obviously, she's a knockout. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The "useful" stuff - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. The speed and dexterity tell me who goes first in a fight, and who moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed at the bottom of this section). The rolls are just what they sound like. If one of those skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Ruby has an insecure streak, a habit of playing tricks on people, and a strong moral problem with homicide. NCM is only important for development. Powers - Ruby can change her shape at will. She can mimic just about any other person as well as change her size. She is called Butterfly after her flying form. She has to get small enough to be light enough to fly, but she then "grows" wings and can fly about. She also can shape her fingertips into claws and toughen her skin for self-defense. Skills - these are what they sound like. Rolls work the same way as the skill rolls in the "useful info" section. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/Background Ruby might have been a changeling. She was awkward and creative in a family of don't-rock-the-boaters. In the small, conservative town she grew up in, nothing she did seemed to quite fit, and having a beautiful, popular, sister didn't help. Ruby became convinced that if only she were really pretty, people would like her. When the promised "blossoming" of growing-up never happened, Ruby decided that if anything was going to happen, she was going to do it herself. Against her better judgment, she answered an ad in the city paper, miles away. "Do want to change yourself?" it asked. She did. The ad was a front for a group of scientists wanting to create a new race of pliable servants. Except Ruby didn't go along with the plan. When she realized what the researchers were really doing, she went in to destroy the lab. She managed to blow up the machines - while she was still inside. By some miracle, she survived, and came out a changed, or at least changeable woman. Ruby decided that she was never going home. She could make a fresh start just where she was. Ruby lives alone. She works as a model, when she works. The hero thing is like a hobby.

Chimera / Facet Hey, what do you know, that code block thing works pretty well. It's still not as pretty as the Word file was, but we're not losing all of the space-based formatting anymore. In later iterations I changed the name Chimera to Facet. Chimera ======= Name: Morgan Anselkin Age: 20's Gender: Player's Choice Hair: Brown, med. Eyes: Brown, lt. Height: 5'9" Build: slender Race: Indeterminate Morgan won this magic amulet in a poker game. Though a little too drunk to remember exactly what the loser looked like, Morgan *can* remember that by the time s/he sobered up, there were a bunch of guys in funny outfits after the amulet - and willing to kill to get it. Morgan ditched them but can't seem to ditch the amulet. It seems to like it just where it is... Statistics 10 STR 2 PD 13 DEX 3 ED 13 CON 3 SPD 10 BOD 5 REC 18 INT 26 END 10 EGO 22 STN 10 PRE 12 COM Useful Numbers to Know Offhand OCV 4 STR ROLL 11- DCV 4 DEX ROLL 12- ECV 3 INT ROLL 13- DEX 13 EGO ROLL 11- SPD 3 PER ROLL 13- MOVE ON PHASES 4,8, & 12 Disadvantages NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA SECRET ID SQUEAMISH - PsychLim [common situation; moderate commitment] HUNTED BY EVIL GUYS - Hunted [more powerful; frequent; kill] Powers MAGIC AMULET - 50 pt. Power Pool [NCC, OAF] - Instant Change [OAF] - Teleport 20" [OAF; 1 floater] Skills GAMBLING 17- COMPUTER PROGRAM 15- SECURITY SYSTEMS 15- SYSTEMS OPS 15- CONCEALMENT 14- LOCK PICKING 14- SLEIGHT OF HAND 14- STEALTH 14- KS: STATISTICS 12- KS: TRIVIA 12- CRAMMING 2D6 LUCK Maneuvers BLOCK [«phase;abort] DODGE [+3 to DCV; abort] GRAB [« phase; -1 to OCV; -2 to DCV; abort] STRIKE [« phase; 3d6 HA Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first column of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Morgan isn't very strong as heroes go, or very impressive, or tough or... He is rather bright, though. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The "useful" stuff - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. The speed and dexterity tell me who goes first in a fight, and who moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed at the bottom of this section). The rolls are just what they sound like. If one of those skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Morgan has a secret identity. He's also kind of squeamish and has a bunch of nasty people after him trying to get the amulet. Powers - Morgan's magic amulet will do practically anything. Unfortunately, it rarely does quite what he wants it to. He has figured out how to make it teleport him around and to change him to a superhero disguise. This character is suggested for people who know Champions a little already. Skills - These skills work the same way as the skill rolls discussed in the "useful stuff" section. They're just what they sound like. Cramming means that he can learn new stuff quickly. The luck part is something I roll for you. Sometimes you just get lucky. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/Background Morgan dropped out of college in the junior year. It just wasn't what Morgan wanted. So it was time for a little wandering. Well, Morgan had always been pretty good at poker, so falling into that barside poker game didn't seem like much. Everybody at the table had an awful lot to drink. Except this one funny guy in the corner. Against the laws of nature, the sober guy just kept losing and losing. If the rest of the group could have conceived of such a thing (or for that matter, counted their toes...), they might have thought he was trying to lose. Finally, the guy had nothing left but a beat-up looking old pendant. With a great show of reluctance, he put it into the pot. Morgan won that round and the guy went off. Morgan woke up with a pounding hangover, the amulet-thingy, and a horde of red-robed lunatics trying to commit homicide. Morgan barely escaped alive. They've been on the hunt ever since. Morgan discovered that the amulet had magic powers and could make disguises, teleport, and other nifty things. Morgan now lives in the basement of the Downtown Racquetball and Swim Club and has the superhero identity of Chimera. This setup seems a little silly to Morgan, but at least if the crazy guys in red attack, they'll have to go through a lot of other heros first.

Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers One of my taglines used to be "Raised in the forest by wild rhododendrons... It's Gladiola Gal!" She's an herbopath. That is, she can talk to plants, and hear their replies. She can't make them do anything a plant couldn't normally do (no entangle vines, unless you can talk someone into standing still for a couple of days), and, well, plants are not traditionally sentient and have a somewhat different perception set. Of course, it's impossible to sneak up on her anyplace with grass around. ("oof"! "oof!" says the lawn.) She got the name Gladiola Gal sitting with some (more usefully powered) friends having the "what kind of superhero could I be" conversation. When they got to her, she rolled her eyes and said "I talk to plants! What am I gonna do? Dress in pink and green and call myself Gladiola Gal?" And thus a nickname was born, much to her general annoyance.

Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers clairsentience/psychometry is useful, yet not combat effective.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

5th ed update - Deathwish Because every team needs a brooding martial artist type, right? This, too, I am sure could be more point efficient. [b]Deathwish - Jodi Keaning[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 18 STR 8 18 13- HTH Damage 3 1/2d6 END [2] 20 DEX 30 20 13- OCV 7 DCV 7 18 CON 16 18 13- 15 BODY 10 15 12- 13 INT 3 13 12- PER Roll 15- 18 EGO 16 18 13- ECV: 6 18 PRE 8 18 13- PRE Attack: 3 1/2d6 12 COM 1 12 11- 6 PD 2 6/16 6/16 PD (0/10 rPD) 6 ED 2 6/11 6/11 ED (0/5 rED) 4 SPD 10 4 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 10 REC 4 10 40 END 2 40 40 STUN 7 40 6 RUN 0 6" END [1] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 11 LEAP 3 10 1/2" 10 1/2" forward, 5" upward [b]CHA Cost: 122[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 22 [b][i]STAFF[/i][/b]: EB 10d6 (50 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (Adjacent hexes; -1/4) - END=5 5 [b][i]STAFF VAULT[/i][/b]: Leaping +5" (10 1/2" forward, 5" upward) (Accurate) (10 Active Points); OAF (-1) - END=1 33 [b][i]LIGHTNING PUNCHES[/i][/b]: HA +8d6, Autofire (3 shots; +1/4) (50 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) - END=5 9 [b][i]OBSERVANT[/i][/b]: +3 PER with all Sense Groups - END=0 23 [b][i]Body Armor[/i][/b]: Armor (10 PD/5 ED) - END=0 20 [b][i]DEVICES[/i][/b]: Multipower, 20-point reserve - END= 1u 1) [b][i]NIGHT VISION GOGGLES[/i][/b]: Nightvision (5 Active Points) - END=0 1u 2) [b][i]RADIO[/i][/b]: Radio Perception/Transmission (Radio Group) (10 Active Points) - END=0 1u 3) [b][i]CLIMBING GLOVES[/i][/b]: Clinging (28 STR) (13 Active Points) - END=0 1u 4) [b][i]REBREATHER[/i][/b]: LS (Extended Breathing: 1 END per Turn) - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 116[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b] 5 Defensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, 3 1/2d6 Strike 5 Offensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 7 1/2d6 Strike 4 Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 28 STR to Disarm [b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 18[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 9 Breakfall 16- 9 Acrobatics 16- 7 Combat Driving 15- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Interrogation 13- 3 Streetwise 13- 20 +4 with HTH Combat [b]SKILLS Cost: 54[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]PERKS[/u][/b] 4 Contact (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has useful Skills or resources) 11- 4 Contact (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has useful Skills or resources) 11- [b]PERKS Cost: 8[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]TALENTS[/u][/b] 12 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED) 20 Danger Sense (self only, out of combat) 12- [b]TALENTS Cost: 32[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 20 Psychological Limitation: Honorable (Common, Total) 15 Psychological Limitation: Protect Innocents (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: "deathwish" (undervalues own life) (Very Common, Moderate) 10 Reputation: Violent/Unstable, 11- 20 Hunted: GM Option 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 15 Hunted: Open Contract on Life 11- (Less Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 15 Social Limitation: No Legal ID (Frequently, Major) 10 Hunted: Wanted by Police 14- (Less Pow, NCI, Watching) 10 Distinctive Features: Scarred Face (and body) (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first ten rows of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Jodi is just incredible. She's really strong, tough, agile, smart, impressive, etc. The rest of column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The Notes - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. Speed (SPD) and dexterity (DEX) tell me who goes first in a fight, and determine moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed in the notes in the SPD row). If a skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 against the number in the Roll column (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Jodi has lots of these. She is honorable and will protect innocents with her life. On the other hand, she's violent and doesn't care if she dies. The police want to talk to her and the mob wants her dead. She's easy to recognize by the scar on her face. Devices - She also carries a staff with her as a weapon and as a vault to get over walls. She's a good hand to hand fighter as well. Skills - The skills are just what they sound like. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Backstory - Two years ago, Jodi was a successful model, a member of a large extended family, and engaged to an up-and-coming young executive. All of this changed in one afternoon. Jodi's family had rented a hall for her wedding rehearsal. Everyone who meant anything to Jodi was there. They had no way of knowing that the other half of the floor was a meeting of top government scientists. A terrorist group blew up everything. Jodi woke up in a Medevac (is that a trade name?), terribly injured and disfigured for life, but somehow alive. She was the only survivor. Jodi went a little psycho. Okay, she went a lot psycho. She went into seclusion and emerged, some months later, as Deathwish.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... This falls under "I'm crazy, not stupid." Back when I used to play an actual Malkavian (dressed and behaved like 'the Count from Sesame Street. There was a non-fluffy reason for it, trust me.) I would have people try stuff like that on me. I just treated them like they were mentally deficient.

Re: Rules For Picking A Superhero Name Here are a few scans from the book, which is, sadly, out of print: http://www.livejournal.com/community/scans_daily/1044314.html (Y'all know about scans_daily, right?)

Frostbite, 5th ed, quick conversion I've tried a first conversion for one of these. The Champions Impaired section could probably be a bit more cleaned up, and I am sure the powers could be better minmaxed. For a convention game, I'd probably take a lot of the points back out and go to something closer to the old format. [b]Frostbite - Andy (Andrew/Andrea) Wojciech[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 13 STR 3 13 12- HTH Damage 2 1/2d6 END [1] 19 DEX 27 19 13- OCV 6 DCV 6 18 CON 16 18 13- 13 BODY 6 13 12- 13 INT 3 13 12- PER Roll 12- 13 EGO 6 13 12- ECV: 4 18 PRE 8 18 13- PRE Attack: 3 1/2d6 16 COM 3 16 12- 5 PD 2 5/25 5/25 PD (0/20 rPD) 5 ED 1 5/20 5/20 ED (0/15 rED) 4 SPD 11 4 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 10 REC 6 10 40 END 2 40 34 STUN 5 34 6 RUN 0 6" END [1] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 3 LEAP 0 2 1/2" 2 1/2" forward, 1" upward [b]CHA Cost: 99[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 15 [b][i]COLD POWERS[/i][/b]: Elemental Control, 30-point powers - END= 20 1) [b][i]COLD AURA[/i][/b]: FF (20 PD/15 ED) (35 Active Points) - END=3 16 2) [b][i]COLD ZONE[/i][/b]: Change Environment 4" radius, -3 Temperature Level Adjustment, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (31 Active Points) - END=0 45 3) [b][i]COLD ZONE[/i][/b]: Drain SPD 3d6, Cumulative (+1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2) (60 Active Points) - END=6 45 4) [b][i]FROST TOUCH[/i][/b]: Drain STUN 6d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6 45 5) [b][i]FREEZE BLAST[/i][/b]: EB 12d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6 15 [b][i]TEMPERATURE SENSE[/i][/b]: IR Perception (Touch Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Range - END=0 2 [b][i]WITHSTAND COLD[/i][/b]: LS (Safe in Intense Cold) - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 203[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 9 Bureaucratics 16- 3 Language: Russian (completely fluent) 2 Language: Japanese (fluent conversation) 3 Language: Polish (completely fluent) 3 Paramedics 12- 7 Conversation 15- 7 Persuasion 15- 6 PS: Artist 15- 3 Combat Driving 13- 3 Breakfall 13- 2 Forgery (Art Objects) 12- [b]SKILLS Cost: 48[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 10 Social Limitation: Day Job (Frequently, Minor) 35 DNPC: Spouse and child 14- (Incompetent; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID; Group DNPC: x2 DNPCs) 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity Frequently (11-), Major 20 Hunted: GM Option 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Killing Common, Total 20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Heat (Common) 10 Distinctive Features: Cold Aura (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Synopsis: Andy became Frostbite a few years ago, when apparently latent cold powers were triggered by a refrigeration accident. Alex is married and has an 8 year old child. Neither the spouse nor the child knows Alex is really Frostbite, which is probably just as well. Translation for the Champions Impaired: The Stats - The first ten rows of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Andy is moderately strong for a hero, very agile and tough, and quite impressive. Andy is okay with willpower and intelligence. The rest of column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The Notes - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. Speed (SPD) and dexterity (DEX) tell me who goes first in a fight, and determine moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed in the notes in the SPD row). If a skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 against the number in the Roll column (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Andy has a spouse and child, a secret identity, an aura of cold that makes the secret identity a little hard, and is extra vulnerable to heat. Powers - Andy has cold powers, not ice powers. Frostbite is protected by an aura of intense cold. Andy can project cold from a distance or lower somebody's body temperature by touch (causes them to go into shock). Skills - The skills are just what they sound like. Andy speaks good, but accented Russian and Polish, and can get by in Japanese. Background - Exactly what kind of refrigeration accident Andy was in (or what exactly a 'refrigeration accident' is, anyway) is up to the player. Andy is a graphic artist, married, with one child.

Re: Chronology, Continuity, Comics and Champions We've been known to kick the "start date" back one to five years so that if we wind up with too much between game downtime, we don't wind up in the future. As far as campaign to campaign continuity goes, I tend to use a more alternate universe sort approach than the US Comics sort of major retcon. If you're importing characters from another campaign, it's kind if like the difference between, say, Superman (the comic book), Superman: the Animated series, and Smallville. The general flow of things carry over, but details may be adjusted to fit the new setting. And yes, this can cause some repeat players to think they know how a subplot is going to work out... And if they get too sure, then they are sure to be wrong...

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Listening to Similar music to Suzanne Vega Tori Amos - Baker Baker The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger Eurythmics - Don't Ask Me Why Prototype 909 - signals The Cranberries - God Be With You Moloko - The time is now (edit) Aimee Mann - She Really Wants You Suzanne Vega - 99.9F Joe Loss - Woodpecker Song Natalie Merchant - San Andreas Fault

And for the trenchcoat set - Chris Craven Chris Craven ============ Name: Christopher/Christine Fischer Craven Age: mid 30's Gender: player's choice Hair: brown, med. Eyes: brown, lt. Height: 5'7" Build: average Race: Caucasian Chris Craven is an eccentric, but reputable, private investigator, specializing in missing persons. Clairvoyant from birth, Chris learned early not to admit to paranormality, but appreciates the edge it provides in investigations. Like most telempaths, Chris is uncomfortable in crowds and dislikes being around death. Statistics 13 STR 2 PD 14 DEX 3 ED 13 CON 3 SPD 12 BOD 6 REC 18 INT 30 END 18 EGO 23 STN 10 PRE 16 COM Useful Numbers to Know Offhand OCV 5 STR ROLL 11- DCV 5 DEX ROLL 12- ECV 6 INT ROLL 13- DEX 14 EGO ROLL 13- SPD 3 PER ROLL 13- MOVE ON PHASES 4, 8, & 12 Disadvantages NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA WON'T KILL - PsychLim: [common situation;total commitment] FEAR OF CROWDS - PsychLim: [common situation; total reaction] SECRETARY - DNPC [normal; appears occasionally] Powers PSYCHOMETRY - Clairsentience: [see into past: sight sound and empathy, or as appropriate; concentrate to 0 DCV through-out; must be in physical contact with object] EMPATHY - Extra Senses: [sense emotion; range; 360§] SPIRIT CALL - Summon: [up to 150 base spirit; activation roll at 14 or less; -1/2 variable limitations; concentrate to 1/2 DCV throughout summoning] Skills CRIMINOLOGY 16- DEDUCTION 16- FORENSIC MEDICINE 16- PARAMEDIC 16- TACTICS 16- TRACKING 11- BUREAUCRATICS 13- INTERROGATION: 13- LOCKPICKING: 12- PS: PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR 17- EIDETIC MEMORY Maneuvers BLOCK [1/2 phase;abort] DODGE [+3 to DCV; abort] GRAB [1/2 phase; -1 to OCV; -2 to DCV; abort] STRIKE [1/2 phase; 3d6 HA] Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first column of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Chris is moderately strong and tough, very bright and strong willed, and rather good looking, if not awe-inspiring. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The "useful" stuff - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. The speed and dexterity tell me who goes first in a fight, and who moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed at the bottom of this section). The rolls are just what they sound like. If one of those skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Chris has four. Ignore NCM. It's a trick of the game to balanc out points. The rest are pretty self-explanatory. Powers - Chris can sense the emotions of those nearby. Chris can read past events and images or information about the owner from physical objects. Chris can also call manifestations of psychic energy. Usually these are ghosts of dead people, but long used objects and buildings will often have "spirits" of a sort. Skills - The skills are just what they sound like. PS is short for professional skill, a category some skills fall under. Chris has an eidetic memory. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/background Chris was born with the paranormal abilities, and is well-adjusted. The powers are something of a secret. Some people are uncomfortable around telempaths. It's only fair. Chris is uncomfortable around some people. It's not always fun to hear other people's hysteria. Chris maintains an office in the outskirts of Hellenback and a house an hour into the 'burbs. The secretary, Liz, is shared with a two-person accounting firm in the same office building.

Re: Here Goes: Frostbite If you have any good ideas about how to better format or explain more clearly, I'd be glad to hear it. I do plan to update that part, too.

Re: A Blast From The Past - old 4th ed pregens http://www.mactyre.net/october/HEROCHAR/HELNBACK.ZIP (Or you could wait for me post here...)

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Listening to Similar music to Johann Sebastian Bach Jean Sibelius - Luonnotar Camille Saint-Saëns - Wildasses Johannes Brahms - B II Andante moderato Frédéric Chopin - Mazurka No. 1 in G, Op. 50 Henry Purcell - Second Act Tune Andrés Segovia - Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D II Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Salve Regina in C minor 2 Gioacchino Rossini - The Silken Ladder Steve Reich - 01 First Movement (Fast) Arnold Schönberg - Op. 25 - Intermezzo

Daystar Heh. Nearly forgot about this project. I still don't have the fifth ed conversions ready though. I have more half-finished projects these days... Here's the next one, DayStar ======= Name: Alex Chandler Age: 21 Gender: Player Option Hair: Brown, Lt. Eyes: Blue, med. Height: 6'0" Build: average Race: Indeterminate DayStar was born with light powers. Daystar's identical twin, NightStar, was born with (go ahead, guess) dark powers. There is also a kid sister, whose powers are only just developing. NightStar has, unfortunately, fallen prey to the temptation of greed, evil, and general nastiness, causing all sorts of confusion. Statistics 13 STR 4 PD 15 DEX 6 ED 13 CON 3 SPD 12 BOD 10 REC 13 INT 36 END 13 EGO 35 STN 13 PRE 18 COM Useful Numbers to Know Offhand OCV 5 STR ROLL 12- DCV 5 DEX ROLL 12- ECV 4 INT ROLL 12- DEX 15 EGO ROLL 12- SPD 3 PER ROLL 12- MOVE ON PHASES 4,8, & 12 Disadvantages NORMAL CHARACTERISTICS MAXIMA SECRET ID CODE VS. KILLING - PsychLim [common situation; total commitment] FEAR OF DARK - PsychLim [common situation; total commitment] KID SISTER - DNPC [slightly less powerful; often] NIGHTSTAR - Rivalry Powers LASER - 6d6 Energy Blast LIGHT BURST - 3d6 Flash [sight] LIGHT ILLUSIONS - Images [4"R;-3 to per;sight] INVISIBILITY - Invisibility [usable on others] FORCE FIELD - 5/25 Force Field [not against dark] Skills CRIMINOLOGY 14- PARAMEDIC 14- BUREAUCRATICS 13- DEDUCTION 13- PS: COP 13- SPANISH 3 Maneuvers BLOCK [1/2 phase;abort] DODGE [+3 to DCV; abort] GRAB [1/2 phase; -1 to OCV; -2 to DCV; abort] STRIKE [1/2 phase; 3d6 HA] Translation for the Champions Impaired The Stats - The first column of statistics are the base statistics and mean just about what they look like. The range is more or less from ten to twenty, with ten indicating the level of a healthy, normal human and twenty indicating the limit of human capacity. Alex is about average strong for a hero, pretty agile and tough, about average bright, and really cute. The second column are the figured statistics. If you don't know the system, just don't worry about them. I'll tell you if you need them. The "useful" stuff - Anything ending in CV is a "combat value". I'll ask you for these numbers when you get into a fight. The speed and dexterity tell me who goes first in a fight, and who moves in what phase (a round has twelve phases, the phases you move in are listed at the bottom of this section). The rolls are just what they sound like. If one of those skills comes into play, I may ask you to roll 3d6 (you want to roll under this number to make a successful skill roll). Disadvantages - Champions works on a point system. You pay for skills and powers with points, some of which you get by taking disads. Alex has a secret identity, a deep moral objection to killing, a fear or the dark, a kid sister, and a problem with the identical twin. Powers - DayStar has light powers. Alex can shoot bursts of concentrated light (lasers) from the hands, make light illusions on a small scale, and turn invisible. Daystar is also protected by a force field of light. Skills - Alex is a hero. And a cop. And has the requisite skills, as seen. The rolls work the same as the skill rolls in the "useful" section. Alex's Spanish is heavily accented, but pretty good. Maneuvers - These happen in combat. If you don't already know the system, don't worry about it. Origin/Background Alex, his/her twin sibling Sandy, and his younger sister Alys, grew up in orphanages. When the twins grew old enough to be on their own, they took different paths. Alex became a police officer, and in the off hours, a hero. Alex was recently able to locate his sister and has taken custody of her. Alys is sixteen. Alex lives in a small apartment in the city. It's an okay neighborhood, but not rich. Alex does have to live on a cop's salary.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Sade - Mr Wrong Everything but the Girl - The Heart Remains a Child Anita Baker - Only For A While John Hiatt - Have a Little Faith in Me John Denver - The Flower That Shattered The Stone--- Alison Moyet - This House Sugababes - Soul Sound Seal - Get It Together R.E.M. - Old Man Kensey Shania Twain - I'm Not in the Mood (To Say No)!

Re: GM's "Notebook" I'm a bit lax lately, but I use a livejournal community (http://www.livejournal.com/community/sar_gaming/) to post game recaps, and a Schtuff wiki (http://karmakaze.schtuff.com/) to keep development notes.