steriaca

Who is to say they aren't Martial Arts films? You remember that Greece is the home of Greco Roman Wrestling and Pancration (sp!) after all. 

Nice to see IHA finally getting some love. Just a note for Tomas Stadley: try to minimize true mutants as willing IHA agents or rulership. There are various ways to have supervillains who agree with their outlook. Cyborgs, tech wielders, martial artist, power suits, the infamous Minutemen robots...no need for mutants.

"The Community"
Never intended to become a name, just like the classic name for the Mafia: "La Cosa Nostra" is literally just the phrase "our thing", used to refer obscurely to the crime organisation you're running. In the case of "The Community", it was a case of people involved always providing themselves with plausible deniability and even a veneer of respectability, as they do things on behalf of "The Community".
 
They don't expect you to pay for protection or anything. They simply prefer you to be a generous donor, providing the community with "necessary funding". They don't try to recruit impressionable young mutants or metahumans, to serve as lieutenants of a street gang. No, they simply welcome them to the super-powered community. And if it ends up with them implicated for, or even involved in, some initial crimes, that's just more evidence that the rest of the world is out to get people like us, and only people in The Community really have your back. The super-"heroes"? They're all just sell-outs.

After famously playing Johnny Lawrence in the Karate Kid, actor William Zabka was forever cast as the heel. At the same time, Zabka took up learning martial arts, earning an advanced belt in Tang Soo Do, on top of his already impressive wrestling skills. He knew that the world would never accept him as a hero, but wanted to do good in the world. Unable to come up with a way to reform his reputation, Zabka donned an update Halloween costume and took to the streets to play the part Hollywood would never give him: The hero. 
 
http://i.imgur.com/zF36GGQ.jpg
Included for reference. 
 
 

Hero System Book of Templates Book 4.
 
 
Heavenly Body Magical Princess (Sailor Moon).
Punching Spirit Holder (Jotaru Kujo/Star Platinum).
Vampiric King of Punching Spirits (Dio!).
Youngest With Obedient Giant Mecha (Giant Robo).
Summoner of Monsters (Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite, Kunzite, and basically any mid level bad guy from Sailor Moon).
Gifted Card Game Wizard (Yugi Muto/Pharaoh Atem).
Jealous Alien Princess (Lum).
The Nasty Duo (Yuri and Kei, the Dirty Pair).
 
Humm....who would you add to the list. Note: I use anime/manga characters but it needs not be just that.

Humm...the possibilities. 
 
Doom Patrol: The original three might be doable. Size and Shape Altering Lass (Elastic Girl), Mechaman (Robotman), and Anti-Positive Alen Spector and Anti-Positive Alen Spector Holder (Negative Man) are doable. Multiple Personality Girl (Crazy Jane ) and Sentiant Roadway (Danny The Street) are not. One of my favorite Doom Patrol characters who I loved before he became a Doom Patrol member is Anoying Transdimentinal Insect Guy (Ambush Bug).
 
Justice League: Martian Manhunter is out because he might cost a lot of points (Superman + Mental Powers + Shapeshifting + Desolification), but out of all the characters I haven't listed are Sonic Songbird (Black Cannery ), Vibrating Breakdancer (Vibe), and of course Sea King (Aquaman).
 
Additional Villain Characters: If we have Sea King we must have Devilfish (Black Manta). With Vibrating Speedster comes Sargent Snow ([b]Captain Cold[/b]), Mister Reflection ([b]Mirror Master[/b]), Throwing Stick Guy ([b]Captain Boomarang[/b]), I could go on. There is also Silly Lady Clown ([b]Harlly Quinn[/b].
 
Who would you add?

Book of Templates 1 already has a version of Spiderman, and I am not writing the book. I'm predicting what may be in it.
 
And the writer is going to be the one to scrub the details out of them to make them generic enough. 
And talking about the writer...well it's his book. And yes Question and Hawkman are damm good substitutes. 

This thread is a think of what would be in the third book of Templates. Christoph has voiced a desire to do one of DC Comics proxies. Here is my list of characters most likely to be included and whyish.
 
The Big Three
Basically it would be fully to do a book of DC Comics proxies without Flying Mammal Man (Batman), the Man of the Future (Superman), nor the Woman of Wonder (Wonder Woman). Because they are the big names, they should exist in the two cost range of all the big characters of the books.
 
Also I expect that they will have some of the support characters in the book. Bird Boy (Robin), Clownman (Joker), Science Buisnessman (Lex Luthor), Alien Android (Braniac), Wicked Cat (Cheetah), and Grow Woman (Gargantuala) might be included. That's nine already. 
 
The Silver Three 
One can't have a book of DC Comics proxies without the Wielder of an Alien Artifact (Green Lantern), Vibrating Speedster (The Flash), and Shapshifting Alien Detective (Martian Manhunter). That increases it to twelve.
 
The We Bought Them From Other Companies Three
DC Comics has a nasty habit of buying characters from failed comic book companies. Three of the biggest are Mystical Avatar (Captain Marvel aka Shazam), Plastfied Prankster (Plastic Man), and Blue Insect Man (Blue Beetle 2). Now we have fifteen.
 
The Vertigo Three
We can't exactly forget the adult branch of the DC Comics Universe.  We have the Sleep Inducing Detective (the original Sandman ), the Living Vegetation (Swamp Thing), and Mystical Detective (John Constine ). Now we have 18.
 
So...what would your list be?

Humm...the possibilities. 
 
Doom Patrol: The original three might be doable. Size and Shape Altering Lass (Elastic Girl), Mechaman (Robotman), and Anti-Positive Alen Spector and Anti-Positive Alen Spector Holder (Negative Man) are doable. Multiple Personality Girl (Crazy Jane ) and Sentiant Roadway (Danny The Street) are not. One of my favorite Doom Patrol characters who I loved before he became a Doom Patrol member is Anoying Transdimentinal Insect Guy (Ambush Bug).
 
Justice League: Martian Manhunter is out because he might cost a lot of points (Superman + Mental Powers + Shapeshifting + Desolification), but out of all the characters I haven't listed are Sonic Songbird (Black Cannery ), Vibrating Breakdancer (Vibe), and of course Sea King (Aquaman).
 
Additional Villain Characters: If we have Sea King we must have Devilfish (Black Manta). With Vibrating Speedster comes Sargent Snow ([b]Captain Cold[/b]), Mister Reflection ([b]Mirror Master[/b]), Throwing Stick Guy ([b]Captain Boomarang[/b]), I could go on. There is also Silly Lady Clown ([b]Harlly Quinn[/b].
 
Who would you add?

DC also has a fetish for numbers. Both 3 and 52 are sacred to them. (Ok. We might be the one who fetishize 3.) So between two books could we have 52 characters between them?
 
Ok...some rules.
1) No redos. if a character can be expressed in a past book with a different skill set, than that character shouldn't be reprinted.
2) No VPP's in the based character. The Batman proxy can have a VVP in the second write up, but John Constine should instead use a Variable Special Effects on his mystic blasts. Constine also probably has Variable Limitations on his magic, which explained why he would rather play cons against the supernatural than cast spells (Side Effects anyone?).
3) Cult characters are ok, but the reader has to be able to identify them. So Like Hippy Dippy Doll Man (Brother Power, the Geek) and Teenage President of a United Country (Prez) may not do.

Book of Templates 1 already has a version of Spiderman, and I am not writing the book. I'm predicting what may be in it.
 
And the writer is going to be the one to scrub the details out of them to make them generic enough. 
And talking about the writer...well it's his book. And yes Question and Hawkman are damm good substitutes. 

This thread is a think of what would be in the third book of Templates. Christoph has voiced a desire to do one of DC Comics proxies. Here is my list of characters most likely to be included and whyish.
 
The Big Three
Basically it would be fully to do a book of DC Comics proxies without Flying Mammal Man (Batman), the Man of the Future (Superman), nor the Woman of Wonder (Wonder Woman). Because they are the big names, they should exist in the two cost range of all the big characters of the books.
 
Also I expect that they will have some of the support characters in the book. Bird Boy (Robin), Clownman (Joker), Science Buisnessman (Lex Luthor), Alien Android (Braniac), Wicked Cat (Cheetah), and Grow Woman (Gargantuala) might be included. That's nine already. 
 
The Silver Three 
One can't have a book of DC Comics proxies without the Wielder of an Alien Artifact (Green Lantern), Vibrating Speedster (The Flash), and Shapshifting Alien Detective (Martian Manhunter). That increases it to twelve.
 
The We Bought Them From Other Companies Three
DC Comics has a nasty habit of buying characters from failed comic book companies. Three of the biggest are Mystical Avatar (Captain Marvel aka Shazam), Plastfied Prankster (Plastic Man), and Blue Insect Man (Blue Beetle 2). Now we have fifteen.
 
The Vertigo Three
We can't exactly forget the adult branch of the DC Comics Universe.  We have the Sleep Inducing Detective (the original Sandman ), the Living Vegetation (Swamp Thing), and Mystical Detective (John Constine ). Now we have 18.
 
So...what would your list be?

This illustrated the problem of our current situation. The push of the Hero System as a "work book", and forgetting than many of us don't have the time to build our own worlds and build our own adventures. We need supplements and adventures and pre-built settings, not a "here are all the options, put them together however you wish".
 
I miss the days of once a week adventures, and once per month supplements, and once per season settings book.

My turn for the gauntlet. Left to right:
 
Red Vector: A powerful power suit. He gets his name because his armor is red, and the triangle on his chest looks like a 'v". It is capable of your standard power suit stuff, none of them involving vectors.
 
Shadow Slash: Skinny black suited professional assassin who wields two purple energy blades from his fists. The suit has some stealth technology built in it.
 
Voidspector: Voidspector was once a galactic police officer who went rogue when his spaceship crash landed on our moon. He can phase through objects and shoot various odd beams from his wrists, and can survive in space (probably thanks to his uniform).
 
The Yelliw Orb: A space alien criminal once chased by Voidspector and is now stranded on the planet. His outfit stores a glowing yellow energy ball which he can pull out and use for various effects. He has decided to become a superhero after Voidspector turned into a villain. Mostly because his heart wasn't exactly into villainy. 

I know who the final member of the Sinister Six is.
 
 

If mutants are ok in the Avenger's book (enough to join the group), who am I to complain about it?
 
Scarlet Witch
Quicksilver
The Beast
Wolverine 
Wolverine 
Wolverine 
Did I mention Wolverine already?

To many of these points, I can only say "When did we conclude that bigotry is rational?"
 
I did like an old Avengers where a cop asked why he should trust the Beast - "is he related to that mutant X-Men Beast?"

I do believe there are a few Mutates as members of the X-Men over the years.  So it is possible for those who have powers but got them artificially to join the club.
 
They are:
 
Mimic: Ok, Mimic blackmailed his way on to the team, and didn't last long. But he wasn't a mutant.
 
Juggernaut: Well, he is Professor X's step brother. His powers come from a magical gem created by a demon/god.
 
Deadpool: People forget that his powers are artificially induced by Frances.
 
Ok...not a lot, but we got three of them. Go figure. 
 
Also, could Mimic copy the 'human Shroger's cat' property of Forget-Me-Not?

Ah...you probably misunderstand. It is not that only mutants are hated and feared. It is that they are hated and feared MORE than gods and armored suits and aliens and robots.
 
IHA doesn't discriminate after all (well, they DO discriminate, they are not choosier about it). It is just that mutants and evolution are low hanging fruit, and easy to pluck.  After all, it builds upon the fear of thoes who are 'not us' we already have.

I kinda love all Christmas songs, but when they chain countless covers of Rudolf and Frosty back to back is enough to sower anyone's childhood memories of Rudolf and Frosty. 
 
But I really hate "Santa Buddy". "Santa Baby" is bad enough, but trying to make a 'no homo but guys can be gold diggers also' song out of it is borderline spooky.

Don't forget, you can use her VVP to pump up her physical stats using the shape shifting special effect. So she could get away with having a low strength. Or average superhuman strength. 

Just noticed, Fandom took the wiki down. 

It was kinda a joke. "Four Colors For A Dime", an description of a comic book in the Golden Age of comics to, well, most of the 60's.

What do folks think of this?:
 
Son of El Espectro
 
   Val     Char    Cost    Roll           Notes
    15      STR       5       12-            Lift 200.0kg; 3d6 [1]
    15      DEX     10      12-            OCV:  6/DCV:  6
    15      CON      5       12-
    15      INT        5       12-            PER Roll 12-
    18      EGO      8       13-            ECV:  3 - 5
15+10  PRE       5       12- / 14-   PRE Attack:  3d6/5d6
 
     6       OCV     15     
     6       DCV     15     
     3       OMCV  0      
     5       DMCV  6      
     5       SPD      30                        Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
 
    15      PD          7                         Total:  15 PD (6 rPD)
    15      ED         7                         Total:  15 ED (6 rED)
    10      REC       6
    40      END      4
    12      BODY   2
    40      STUN   10      Total Characteristic Cost:  146
 
Movement:       Running:  16m/32m
                            Leaping:  6m/12m
                            Swimming:  6m/12m
 
Cost   Powers                                                                                    END
           The Mask of El Espectro, all slots OIF (Silver Mask; -½)        
7         1)  Know his Opponents:  Detect Supernatural Creatures 13- (no Sense Group), Sense; OIF (Silver Mask; -½)           0
10      2)  Unbreakable Will:  Mental Defense (15 points total); OIF (Silver Mask; -½)              0
12      3)  El Espectro's Grip:  Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+½) for up to 35 Active Points of Las Tijeras Del Muerte, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Only vs Targets with Souls (-½), OIF (Silver Mask; -½)            0
7         4)  Steely Gaze:  +10 PRE; OIF (Silver Mask; -½)                   
                                                                                                                   
18      Luchador Toughness:  Resistant Protection (6 PD/6 ED)       0
           Lucha Libre
           Maneuver         OCV    DCV    Notes
           Mat Holds
           Maneuver         OCV    DCV    Notes
5         Ankle Lock       +0      +0      Grab One Limb;  40 STR  to hold on; Prone
5         Chin Lock         -1       -1      Grab One Limb;  45 STR  to hold on; Prone
4         El Cangrejo       +1       -1      Grab Two Limbs;  35 STR  to hold on; Prone
3         Step-Over Toll Hold   +1      +0 Grab Two Limbs;  35 STR  to hold on; Prone;You Fall; Roll (PS: Luchador)
5         Las Tijeras Del Muerte +1    +0 Grab Two Limbs;  35 STR  to hold on; Prone
           Pressure Squeezes
           Maneuver         OCV    DCV    Notes
3         Basic Pressure Squeeze +0   +0 9d6 Squeeze; Must Follow Grab; Roll (PS: Luchador)
           Takedowns
           Maneuver         OCV    DCV    Notes
4         Bodyslam          +2      +1      5d6 Strike; Target Falls
4         Slingshot Linebacker  +0      +0 5d6 +v/3 Strike; FMove; You Fall, Target Falls; Turnbuckle
           Escapes
           Maneuver         OCV    DCV    Notes
4         Breakout            +0      +0      40 STR vs. Grabs
8         +2 HTH Damage Class(es)
 
           Perks
5         Manuel Guerrero (Biological son of former El Expectro):  Contact (Good relationship with Contact) 13-
3         Positive Reputation:  Nightmare of Those Who Do Not Dream (A small to medium sized group) 11-, +3/+3d6
 
           Skills
3         Acrobatics 12-
3         Acting 12- (14-)
3         Breakfall 12-
3         Traveler
2         1)  AK: Mexico 12-
1         2)  CK: Horizen City 11-
1         3)  CK: Mexico City 11-
1         4)  CK: St. Louis 11-
3         Climbing 12-
0         Concealment 8-
3         Contortionist 12-
3         Deduction 12-
3         High Society 12- (14-)
0         Language:  Spanish (completely fluent; literate)
4         Language:  English (completely fluent; literate)
0         Paramedics 8-
0         Persuasion 8-
3         Scholar
1         1)  KS: Lucha Libre 11-
1         2)  KS: Magic and the Occult 11-
1         3)  KS: Mezzoamerican History 11-
1         4)  KS: Spanish Literature 11-
1         5)  KS: Supernatural Monsters 11-
0         Shadowing 8-
0         Stealth 8-
 
2         Finisher:  Las Tijeras Del Muerte
2         Signature Move:  Step-Over Toe Hold
2         PS: Luchador 11-
 
Total Powers & Skill Cost:  154
Total Cost:  300
 
300+ Matching Complications
15      Social Limitation:  Luchador Identity (Frequently; Major)
5         Rivalry:  Professional (Higo Craneo LLameante; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)
15      Hunted:  Mad Scientists/Monsters 11- (As Pow; Harshly Punish)
20      Psychological Complication:  Honorable (Very Common; Strong)
 
Total Complications Points:  300
 
Background/History:  Born to aged parents, Christian Velasco received a deep education in the classics of Mexican literature and History as well as culture, politics, and all the things a worldly man must know.
Christian was a paragon of a boy. Strong, Intelligent, Athletic. He excelled at his studies and was a star at any sport he pursued, but his first love was always wrestling. Encouraged by his Father’s best friend Manuel Guerrero he became a rising star at his local youth league. Christian was returning home to show his Father the belt he had won at a competition when he discovered the family home in flames and strange, freakishly tall figures fleeing the scene.  His Parents nowhere to be found and sitting in the charred remains of the only life he knew… he felt a great calm wash over him silently walked to Manuel Guerrero’s home & put on the Luchador mask he knew Manuel kept hidden in his study.
Christian tracked the strange figures to an abandoned mansion where he rescued his parents and destroyed the sewn-together horrors that had taken them. When he went to return the Luchador mask  Mr. Guerrero was waiting for him.  He explained that the mask had belonged Guerrero’s Father, and Christian had not stolen it, it had called to him. The Mask belonged to Christian now, but he had much to learn to be worthy of the others that had worn it before him. They had much work to do.
 
Personality/Motivation:  Christian Velasco was a studious, serious, dutiful young man. He did his homework, minded his parents, and did not seek a flashy life. When he puts on the Mask that all fades. When wearing the mask he thinks of himself as “Son of El Espectro”, a bold & dynamic hero who does what must be done to keep everyone safe and see that evil is punished.  While wearing the Mask he feels free to be bigger, bolder, and more decisive. Some thought is strange that he asked to be called by his new name while wearing the mask, but most found “Son of El Expectro” too charming to resist.
His parents have asked Manuel about the change, but he assures them that it is healthy for a boy to find himself at this age, and if he chooses to be a Luchador what of it? Manuels father made a healthy living in the ring for decades.
 
Christian hasn't noticed that in his head he has started calling himself "El Espectro" instead of "Christian".  If someone pointed it out, it probably wouldn't bother him.
 
 
Quote:  "You revel in the Evil your evil, spreading mysery behind you, but Hell-spawned power is nothing in the face of a true Luchador!"
 
Powers/Tactics:  Since gaining the mask and with months of intense tutelage from Mr. Guerrero Son of El Espectro’s Lucha Libre has grown in Leaps and Bounds. Not only has his skill increased, but he has gained 3 inches in height and 60 lbs of muscle on his already athletic frame!  He can already defeat most adult Luchadors but Manuel Guerrero insists he is not yet ready to turn pro.  His knowledge of Lucha Libre is expansive but does not yet match his predecessors.  Mr Guerrero insists his time is coming and takes pains to show him all he will need to know.
 
Son of El Espectro has also had several encounters with the Supernatural and once crossed paths with a woman claiming to be the daughter of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein (although she was way too young to be the daughter of a 18th century man). 
 
He knows that he learns what he learns not only to reign over the Lucha Libre ring, but also to use this manly power to punish the forces of the underworld.  When he comes into his full maturity, with Strength and Intellect to match, the Son of El Espectro will be a great enemy of all those who would perpetrate evil upon the world.
 
 
Campaign Use:  I will be introducing Son of El Espectro as a "legacy" character who comes to his name not by blood or by influence but by his worthy heart.  Mr. Guerrero, The biological son of the last El Espectro, was too materialistic and too in love with his father's glamorous image to truely be worthy of his mask.  He has truely learned his lesson but was too old to take on the mask himself and is now honestly humbled to see a heart as pure as Christian's.  He knows Christian will be as great an El Espectro as Salvaje or Guerrero's own father Pepe.  Mr. Guerrero teaches him everything he knows about Lucha Libre, the occult, and the world.  While others might find it odd that Christian is increasingly thinking of himself as "El Espectro" Manuel finds it perfectly normal.  His father was El Expectro and Christian is becoming him now as well.
 
I'm running a Ravenswood Academy game & a prominent NPC is the 2nd child of Black Mask X.  She feels somewhat resentful that her brother is being trained as Black Mask XII and has a deep rivalry with him.  In actuality her Mother (Black Mask X) and Godmother (Black Mask XI) are in agreement that while her skills aren't in doubt her ego gets her to make bad choices and are trying to put her in an environment (Ravenswood) where she will need to learn some humility.  I intend to use Son of El Espectro as another example of how to deal with a legacy: Thinking of it as a gift and a responsibility rather than an inheritance someone is owed.

I *knew* I recognized El Espectro from somewhere!!  Thanks.  Even better, that El Expectro is the son of the original Golden Age El Expectro so my intention of giving them a 21st century descendent is indeed appropriate.
 
Now, how to translate him into a full champions Universe incarnation?  Thinking out loud, It looks like in the Champions Universe El Expectro was active in the 50s and 60s which means his power level as written probably is appropriate for the Era.  On the other hand he apparently defeated Stalker, likely by wrestling him, so an inheritor of the title needs the goods to be able to hang with modern heroes.
 
Lucha Libre is on a lower power level than Supers, but I suspect only because of the budget of the movies it is based on.  A MCU El Espectro for example could likely give Captain America a run for his money... so figuring out how to give the modern one that ability without just making him a 60 STR brick is the challenge.  This is complicated by me needing him to be a teen hero.  So he shouldn't be as strong or as skilled as an adult, but should still plow through thugs.
 
His Luche Libre writeup makes it clear his Mask is a powerful artifact that gives him godlike power in the lands of the Dead.  In the Earth realm it lets him detect the supernatural.  All the rest of his ability is just pure physical skill and machismo.
I think his inheritor needs to be a skilled Luchador (or what's the point?) but with a Str in the teens (so he can come into his muscles as he grows).  The Detect Supernatural is a given, but should we also let him have fun stuff like Affects Desolid on his Str (to wrestle Spooks) or a characteristics boost in the presence of the divine (to reflect the mask making sure its wearer "keeps up" with foreign gods like Hercules?)  Or do overt things like that take it too far away from El Espectro's origins?
No matter what, he needs to be able to keep up with modern Aztek mummies and Frankensteins.. who likely have better stats in the Champions U than they do in Lucha Libre Hero.
 
Thoughts?