Amorkca

I agree with your statement. Problem with MSOffice is that it has become such a powerhouse that regardless of how bad it is it sets the bar for everyone to go by.

I just found out about this. I would have posted it earlier if I had known.
 
 

We just held a "drive-by birthday" for my 9 year old. 

These neopixel blades are pretty neat!
 
 

Hi, Everyone!  I just posted some character write-ups for heroes featured in the fantasy RPG game Shining Force for the Sega Genesis console in an exercise of fun nostalgia. I tried to keep the write-ups simple and are intended for new players in the Hero System. Special thanks to Killer Shrike for his package deal write-ups on Centaurs and Dwarves that helped me develop these character conversions.
 
Enjoy! 🙂
 

I've set up a new site http://cassandra-harbingers-5th-edition-champions.fandom.com
 
I haven't had much time to work on it, but if anyone wants any help with character design just contact me there.

Here's something to keep in mind -- the actual stats of the mook don't matter so much as does how much lower they are than the PCs.  Telling you that Vinnie the Snitch has an OCV of 5 doesn't help you if you don't know where the PCs should be.
 
A difference in OCV/DCV of 3 or more will mean that the character with the higher number will have a much easier time of hitting his opponent, while the character with the lower number will have a much harder time.
 
https://www.thedarkfortress.co.uk/tech_reports/3_dice_rolls.php#.XtFulkRKiUk
 
This page has a 3D6 distribution chart at the bottom.  In the middle column they have percentage chance to roll under a given number.  So let's say that Vinnie the Snitch has an OCV/DCV of 5.  If Captain Amazing has an OCV/DCV of 9, then that means he needs a 15- to hit, whereas Vinnie will need a 7- to hit the good Captain.  15- means the Captain is hitting 95% of the time, while 7- means the gangster hits only 16% of the time (about 1 in 6).  Of course if Captain Amazing decides to dodge, his DCV goes up by 3 and Vinnie needs a 4- (less than 2%) to hit.  Whereas if our thug dodges, his DCV goes to 8 and the Captain still hits on a 12- (74% of the time).
 
So the OCV/DCV difference is important.  Another thing to look at is the Speed differential.  Having an extra 2 points of Speed is a big advantage in combat.  A Speed 4 character will have a lot of trouble with a Speed 6 character if all other things are equal.  The Speed 6 character can afford to block, dodge, take recoveries, or other defensive actions that the Speed 4 character can't.
 
Then look at the average damage of an attack compared to a character's Def + Con, and Def + Stun.  If your heroes throw 12D6 attacks, the average damage is 42 Stun and 12 Body.  Hitting a character with 8 Def means they take 4 Body and 34 Stun.  If that exceeds their Con score, they are stunned and lose their next action.  If it exceeds their current Stun total, it means they are unconscious.  What this means is that superheroes can often "spread" their ranged attacks and affect multiple characters who are standing side by side.  If Captain Amazing shoots his Optic Vision at a crowd of thugs, (4 guys sitting at a card table), he may be able to hit all four of them by only spreading a few dice.  If his 12D6 attack lowers down to 8D6, then he's still doing 28 Stun on average, minus their 8 Def and each character is taking 20 Stun.  He will almost certainly cost all those thugs their next phase, and might knock them all out.
 
In general, because I'm lazy, I tend to give generic thugs and mooks straight 15s in their primary physical stats.  15 Str, 15 Dex, 15 Con.  Give them 10 PD and ED and a 3 Speed.  5 OCV/DCV and about 25 Stun is good.  They'll carry weapons that are in the 6-8 damage class range.  These are not meant to be threats to superheroes.  They are very dangerous threats to normal people though.  But most of the heroes in our games have OCV/DCV of 8 or above, Speeds of 5-7, and Defenses of 30 or so.  They chuck 12+D6 attacks and so mooks are little more than targets for them.  But that's how we like to play, mooks are just the warmup for the real fights.

THE GOAT
 
Ever since he was cursed by a mischievous witch 'hero' who caught him in his first bank robbery with the head of a goat, Gordon Atleigh was determined to make sure the GOAT would be 'greatest of all thieves', and not, well, goat.  He ended up a ruthless killer and rose quickly in Mafia ranks, becoming of of Hudson City's Family leaders gathering a group of unique outcasts with him to form the heart of his 'business executive committee'.  He is always impeccably dressed, the leader and mastermind of heists, murder for hire, protection rackets, and illigal bookies in his territory.
 
William Rodrigues is his chief bodyguard and physical muscle.  20 years ago, he was an up and coming boxer, but took money to fix games. In spite of looking like an aging bodybuilder,  he can still hit someone like a ton of bricks (STR 25) and he is a marksman with pistols and submachine guns
 
Crystal Sami claims decent from an Egyptian priestess from the times of the Pharaohs and gypsy fortune tellers and wears an outfit to match.  Skilled at magic and divination, she is his other bodyguard, protecting hin from mysical attacks.  She thinks of him as an avatar of Set, and he does nothing to make her think otherwise
 
Annabel and Ravenna Huron: Gordon's twin femme fatales. Both sisters, he elevated them from street hustles to the top of the international crime scene. They work as spies and assassins, or as hostesses for lavish parties as Gordon needs.  Both revel in bloodspray, but tend not to stick around for stand up fights, preferring amushes, sniper shots, and poison to direct confrontation, but capable of holdinfg their own long enough to escape.

Interesting premise. I'll try to answer your request in relation to the official Champions Universe, because these characters are derived from it and the CU provides a common reference. It's easiest to consider Franklin Stone, since his entry in CV1 mentions allies and enemies. David Sutherland has insulated himself more from the Superhuman World, and his public reputation as a superhero makes it less likely for supervillains to associate with him. But some possible connections can still be derived.
 
Stone's most probable "super" ally would be VIPER. ACI and VIPER have conducted covert but highly profitable business for years. Moreover, VIPER's leadership holds a considerable grudge against Sutherland from his battles with them as Invictus. It shouldn't be hard for Stone to contract any of their assets he needs, including prominent Senator Arthur Bolton, secretly one of VIPER's governing Council of Thirty.
 
Franklin Stone could also receive support in this presidential race from another very influential Senator, Phillip Glassman. Glassman has lobbied fervently against superhumans ever since the death of his daughter in a super battle, and the prospect of a superhuman occupying the Oval Office might be his worst nightmare. It would certainly be high on the nightmare list for Glassman's allies, the Institute for Human Advancement. We would expect the IHA to launch a PR campaign against David Sutherland for President, and maybe launch their Minuteman robots against him as well.
 
ARGENT considers Advanced Concepts Industries to be a major rival, and would love to remove Franklin Stone from its list of competitors. But there would be no compelling reason for them to side with the former Invictus, even to hurt Stone... unless some of Sutherland's Century Corpsmen have made inroads into the ranks of ARGENT, and make a connection between the corporation and their mentor. ARGENT technology, and the mercenary supervillains it often hires, would make very useful assets for Sutherland.
 
Because the Century Corps are indoctrinated in the cult of Sol Invictus, some of them may also have been drawn into the Circle of the Scarlet Moon, whose members commonly propitiate pagan gods in exchange for power. The Archdruids of the Circle are bound to see the benefits to having an ally sympathetic to their methods, and sharing their goal of global domination, in the world's most powerful office. The Scarlet Moon brings to the table a ton of money, political and social influence and savvy, and subtle magic.
 
Geoffrey Haganstone is noted as "socially acquainted" with David Sutherland, and the two of them share much in common in their backgrounds: scions of famous politicians, raised in wealth and privilege, having many contacts in politics and high society. They also both have super powers, Haganstone secretly being the master villain Holocaust. If Sutherland sought to bring Haganstone onto his team, Holocaust might see the benefit to his own ambitions to form at least a temporary alliance. Maybe even act in his costumed identity to Sutherland's benefit.

Hello everyone,
 
I'm going to a 2020 Champions Presidential election featuring a contest between Franklin Stone and Invictus.  I need allies that both would have- that would be potential or actual enemies for the players.  
 
Here's the game description below:
Champions: Presidential Smackdown 2020 (Stone vs Invictus)!: The controversial business mogul Franklin Stone was elected President in 2016 in an upset, and is now running for re-election. He's up against the charismatic ex-superhero David Sutherland aka Invictus. Is this a classic case of good vs evil or is all hell about to break loose?

The players are a member of The Punishers, a super-team in the great city of Freedom City (what name New York CIty adopted to celebrate the Allied victory in WW2, although many residents still call it by its old name out of nostalgia). Their rivals, the Freedom Legion (the city's premier super-team), are away on a mission out of the country for PRIMUS (this world's equivalent of SHIELD). Conveniently enough, the two Presidential candidates are going to have their final debate in the Freeport section of Freedom City (where the Punishers are based out of). The game starts out with The Punishers making their decision on how they want to approach this latest turn of events (they're a private team, unlike the city-sponsored Freedom Legion). The players are Very High-Powered at 650 points and 100 points of complications (roughly Justice League)..

The game does contain allegories and jokes about contemporary American and global politics that skewer all sides and ideologies, so please be aware of this.
 

Thank you. We try and publish one a month. The Burning Earth supplement, really came out of everything going on with covid-19. Because people are currently suffering financially I delayed our Kickstarter plans for this year. Then just found myself writing that supplement. It may have just been in some way of processing my thoughts about what's going on but I'm also a huge fan of bad 80s sci-fi so there's that as well.

“And that's pretty much the story,” Jason said. He sat between Marlene and Leah. Both women had their legs drawn up, knees pointed towards Jason. He had a hand on the leg of each. Neither seemed to notice or care.
 
“Sounds like a delusion,” Brad said.
 
“It is a bit far-fetched,” Warren said. “Even for us.”
 
“Jason, who is this?” Kate turned the sketchbook around so he could see.
 
“Kira. Aaron watched over her. And the other younglings.”
 
Ash looked at Jason in thought. “What happened to your other self?”
 
“He... His body was destroyed.”
 
“That was the flare that was on the news that day?” Warren asked. Jason only nodded. “And the flares you sometimes exhibited?”
 
“Bolt reconfigured the absorption device that he used on Leah last year. Attuned it to my power. I used it. After that it was a matter of me containing too much power. Some of it was bleeding off. Some of it had to be discharged.”
 
“You were still having that issue before the wedding. This seems...”
 
“Far-fetched?” Jason added.
 
“Yeah.”
 
Lisa moved and opened the double doors wide. Lightning crashed right outside. Rain was still hammering down. Cool air swept in. The fire roared as it if were trying to escape up the chimney.
 
“I don't want it to seem like we're doubting you, but with your artistic talent you could just draw anything and say who it is,” Ash said.
 
“Jason disappeared for the better part of an hour,” Leah said.
 
“But to where? Honestly Jason, do you have something else that might be evidence?”
 
Jason looked at her. “Catch.” He whipped his hand towards her underhanded. A crimson flash brought a cylinder into being arcing through the air when it left his hand. Ash caught it. She released the mechanism and it extended, the tines folded out.
 
“Hydron,” Ash said.
 
“If that isn't sufficient, I also have Elyse's honor blades in her harness.”
 
“That is an interesting story, Jason,” old Joe said. “But that isn't all you brought back. Is it? You said your enemy's body was destroyed. Not killed. He is inside you along with the power you absorbed.”
 
Jason's hand shot up. A crimson lance blasted towards the old Indian. Only to be intercepted by Trese's shield. “He's still fighting!”
 
“How can you tell?” Brad called.
 
“Because my shield held!”
 
Warren took all of it in. He still had time to think. This was why the sheriff had come. To warn them. You may have to fight him.
 
Warren slammed into Jason, shoulder into his gut. He carried him out into the storm, realizing that Lisa saw this all coming. That was why the doors stood open. He released Jason. From Warren's speed, Jason kept moving away.
 
Warren's fist shot up into Jason's jaw.

Greeting all.
 
Player / GM in Ontario, Canada looking for a group for on-line play. Sounds like half a Craigslist ad! Anyway, old school Champs player looking to reconnect. Respond here and let's talk!
 
-Sean

A while back, we spent some time discussing how Hero needs a way of introducing people into the game for modern players.  In the past, it was fine to print a book of rules and hand them to people, because folks were more accustomed to long-form reading, studying, and figuring rules out on their own.  For those who like this sort of thing and still do it, well that's great.  But for many others, especially younger players we want to draw into the hobby, we wanted something more. Also, its not that Hero is complicated or difficult to learn, but it has gained that reputation in recent years, and its useful to help people see that isn't the case.
 
From this discussion came the idea of building a "tutorial" for Champions, a scenario that each session gave the players and GM more of the rules until they knew the full structure of the game and how to play it.  The name we came up with for that was Champions Begins (a riff on Batman Begins).
 
The concept was this: a simple scenario of superhero-ing in several parts, each of which introduces more of the rules step by step.  With that would be tips on how to run a game for the GM and how to play RPGs for players.
 
I've started writing on the main sections of the book, and am almost done with scenario 1.  My idea was this: use the old Viper's Nest scenario as expanded in Viper 4th edition, because its great at bringing players into the scenario a little bit at a time and is a classic for the game. With its six chapters, that gives us 6 sections to teach people the game with.
 
I figure for each character we give them only what they will use for each scenario, adding with each one points and abilities then added in the next chapter.
For example, chapter one is just pereception rolls, very basic combat (no END use, Body damage or special attacks), and movement.  So Character X gets stats, a few powers that let them hit things, move, see, and not be hurt.
Chapter two adds skills and presence attacks, so Character X now gets a list of skills added to the sheet!
These upgrades can be treated as "experience points" in lumps that help players get used to the game.
 
Much has been said about how we could and should step up more to help our hobby out.  Much has been discussed about how we can reach new players and excite them with Champions by putting out new content and running games.  Well, here's your chance!   You can help out and contribute materially to this goal, by giving the game a tool that would help players learn Champions and become familiar with real role playing games.  They've played computer games.  They've watched movies.  Now they can BE a hero.
 
Pitch in and help us out!

The power level of a villain's attack I would employ as the GM depended on the players' power levels. If they were heavy hitters (e.g. Hulk, Thor, Superman), then Duraig may hit with the full force for a full KA. If their player power level was mid-range to standard (e.g. Cyclops, Iron Man, Vision), then a lower KA would be employed. Additionally, I've had players with a mix of power levels (e.g. Justice League members that with street level heroes like Huntress teaming up with heavy-hitters like Superman and Green Lantern) take on Doomsday-level villains that had higher KAs at conventions for the past few years and didn't have people flipping tables and arbitrarily leave the game as you described. 😉 Even if someone did act that way, that individual would have probably been told to leave the event by the staff; that sort of overreaction is uncalled for at the very least.
 
As a reference point, I used the Champions: New Millennium write-up for Malais the Dragon that was based on 4th Edition rules as my starting point. In that rules set, Malais the Dragon's claw strike is also an 8d6 KA when he uses his full strength, so I didn't arbitrarily make that up (screenshot).
 
If you feel that Duraig is over-powered, that's fine and is why I included the Hero Designer File for you and others to modify to suit your respective campaigns. 🙂

Kira's game of cat-and-mouse with Jason continued until he went down a blind alley. She waited. She waited with the impatience of youth. She crept up to the corner and looked around. Jason was nowhere in sight. Kira walked into the alley and looked around, scratching her head.
 
Unless Jason buried himself in one of the piles of refuse he wasn't in the alley. Movement caught her eye and she looked up. “Got you,” she said to herself. She examined the piles. “If I go up that one I can grab hold of that pipe. Shimmy over to that other one. Maybe I can jump to that platform. Then I can use the old ladder to go up.” She grinned.
 
She began her ascent. At first she found it fairly easy, but as she got higher the piles became more unstable. Debris would shift and threaten to take her down with it. Making her way to the first pipe, things got easier for her once she had hold of it. She shimmied along it, eventually reaching the second pipe. She pulled herself up and sat on it to rest.
 
Kira looked up and caught sight of Jason looking out with something held up to his eyes. He took a bite of something and Kira's belly rumbled. “Time to go,” she said. She stood up on the pipe and began measuring the distance, slowly working up the nerve to make the jump.
 
She leapt out into the void, stretching for the fire escape, and squealed when she realized that she wasn't going to make it. Looking down she saw the piles below coming at her.
 
Something broke her fall. An arm was wrapped around her chest. Looking up, she saw Jason hanging from the bottom of the fire escape platform. “No dying,” he told her.

Duke I ain’t either in the mood to argue. First is the martial arts system the best? Probably not but I’ve been looking now for years and well Hero system is still the best. Second I’m really over people overly analyzing certain things and say “ this is too efficient and this is not” . The pints are a guideline but doesn’t tell the whole story. Third since this is a generic system and you can (usually) buy things on your own and none of the game designers are omnipotent, someone somewhere can figure out how to game the system. That doesn’t mean it’s broke per se just means that you need to use restraint.  Fourth personally over the years some things that I didn’t like about Hero gave me fits but in the end either the work around was more of a PIA than it was worth or the rules ways wasn’t that bad.  (I’m still pretty much a rules follower).  I have no problem saying “hey caution cause this can be abused and here’s how”.  I just say ok how can it work for my game? 

I remember watching a television drama many years ago, in which the late great "little person" actor/singer Michael Dunn was playing a Martian visiting Earth. As is common for that type of story, the character was being used to reflect on Humanity. He wanted to learn everything about Earth as soon as possible, and the humans working with him expressed amazement at how rapidly he absorbed information.
 
"Individually we Martians are very quick-witted. It's only collectively that we're stupid."

I've been following this thread and I have to say, you're not discussing the rules or balance. 
 
You are discussing setting/genre convention preferences as if they were rules.  This with a heavy dose of D&D class restrictions.
 
I have seen MP's used by warrior types with the slots being special swordsmanship maneuvers making them every bit as effective as a mage.  At least in close combat.
 
The real issue here is if you are going to limit warriors to be semi-"realistic", then you have to do the same (somehow) with the magical types.  It is not that MP's inherently unbalance anything.  It is imposed restrictions on one type of character has nerf'd them when compared to the other. 
 
If the intention is to restrict non-magicals to real world (or near real world) levels, then magical builds will either not exist or they will be overpowering. 
 
MP's are a normal and easy way to build spells.
MP's are also a great way to build combat abilities for warriors.
 
Artificially limiting one use does not mean the other use is suddenly broken.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Here are a few superhero characters I created using some form of CGI a few years ago: Fiero, Firephoenix, and Interceptor.
 
 

“And this is the pool.” Jason opened the mini-fridge and took out a bottle. “You want something to drink?” Trese nodded. Jason stepped out of her way while holding the door open so she could make her choice.
 
Marlene was busy coating herself with sunscreen. Beth was reading something from an SE brief. Both wore bikinis. “And if the urge to skinny dip strikes you, Marlene can give you pointers.” Marlene quirked a knowing, teasing smile at Jason.
 
“That's really not my thing,” Trese said.
 
“You could take your t-shirt off and get some sun,” Marlene said.
 
“I'm comfortable,” Trese mumbled. Marlene simply smiled. Movement caught Trese's eye and she watched a blonde go off the diving board. The blonde tucked in and did a double somersault before hitting the water badly. When she broke the surface she slammed her hand down on the water and yelled her frustration.
 
“Dani, what are you doing here?” Jason asked.
 
Dani dove under to the ladder and pulled herself up. “Spending time with my mom.”
 
Both Jason and Trese looked around to see if they had missed anyone. “So, where's your mom?” Jason asked.
 
“She's in LA. One of her students has a match this weekend. She wants you up there. Hey! How come you get to bring home strays?”
 
“For starters, she isn't a stray. She's a guest. Theresa, this is Danielle Anderson. Dani, this is Theresa Gardner. The next point, this isn't your home.”
 
“It is when I'm here. Chuck said so.” Dani stuck her tongue out at him.
 
“And the last time you brought strays here it was both the men's and women's basketball teams.”
 
Dani pouted. “Yeah? And? It improved my chances for a date.”
 
“And as I recall you never made it off the bench that season.”
 
“It wasn't for lack of me trying.”
 
Jason nodded his chin towards the diving board. “Trying to work on your form?”
 
“My form is just fine. It's the landings,” Dani said.
 
“Jason,” Beth called.
 
“Make yourself at home,” he said to Trese before heading over to see what Beth wanted.
 
Dani smiled. “Take your shirt off. Enjoy the sun and the pool.”
 
“I'm fine,” Trese said.
 
“Come on,” Dani said, grabbing hold of the hem of Trese's shirt and tugging on it.
 
“I said no!” Purple energy poured from Theresa. It slammed into a table sending it flying. Chairs tumbled in its wake. Dani, closer to the source of the event, went flying back into the pool. Trese paused, looking much like a deer in the headlights, and the power faded away. Then she broke into a run, not knowing where she was going.
 
“Go!” Marlene called out. “I'll get her!” Jason ran after the girl. His longer stride more than a match for her rapidly pumping legs. He slowed his pace to a jog.
 
Marlene dove into the pool, angling towards Dani. Dani floated below the surface. When Marlene got to her and rolled Dani over, a single large bubble broke from the girl's mouth and raced for the surface.
 
Pulling her up, Marlene swam for the shallow end. “Give me a hand,” she called to Beth. Beth met her in the water, chest-deep. Marlene got her legs under her and the two of them pulled Dani to the steps. With Dani on her side, Marlene opened the girl's mouth. Beth compressed Dani's stomach and water came out of her mouth.
 
Dani coughed. “What? No mouth to mouth?” She coughed again, bringing up more water.
 
“That was quite a scare, Dani,” Marlene said gently, smiling.
 
“Oh. I can't believe I got blindsided by a rookie.” Using the handrail, Dani pulled herself to her feet, further aided by Marlene and Beth. “Where did she go?”
 
“Cemetery. Are you okay?”
 
Dani nodded. “I will be. I guess I should have listened.”
 
“Maybe,” Beth said.
 
“If she's anything like me, she's probably terrified right now,” Dani said, punctuated with a hacking cough.
 
“Jason followed her.”
 
“I'm going after her.” Dani started off towards the woods, stumbling a step or two.
 
“You need help?” Marlene asked. Dani just shook her head. Her steps became more steady, but she never broke into a run.

I let players use Heroic Action Points to offset death. The character suffers some kind of non-lethal mishap instead.

Sorry to hear that, Cancer. I know what a pain identity theft can be. At least you were alerted soon after the incident, so you can take the appropriate steps quickly.