ThatDarnCat

Re: Need Book Recommendations Ray Bradbury has a lot of good shot stories and novellas. The Illustrated Man is particularly good, though the futurist ideas are far from reality. Some of Larry Niven's books are suitable, but you would have to be a bit more picky. The same with Poul Anderson's books.

Re: Matriarchial Societies The concept of women being weak and evil comes from the rise of some modern religions, two specific religions that I will not name but you can guess at. After all you have to blame somefur for those lustful thoughts if they will send you to hell. "The rape wasn't my fault; it was the woman, she made me lust after her by batting her eyelashes so seductively." I have never found a matriarchal culture that wasn't artificial, but one of the best justifications is from Paladium games. When a ship runs aground on an island and the only spellcasters to survive are women, those survivors choose to make the men the lesser sex by force. As time goes on those who knew another way of life die out and you are left with the new society with no other known form of Gov't. I created a Matrilinial society for my fantasy game world because that makes more sense in a world where men are larger and stronger. You will always know who your mother is so the sperm donor is less important in a survivalist culture.

Re: Predictions for the year 2000 There is an interesting book trilogy by Phil Pullman His Dark Materials that starts in a world a lot like ours, but diffurrent and it was fun to try to pick out what things named in that world are in ours. One was Coal Silk. It took me quite a while to figure out that it was plastic/nylon from the usage. Using these perditions, and a little philology, you could come up with an interesting 'modern setting' that just isn't our modern setting.

Re: Unofficial Welcome Mat (For New Members) I'm not exactly new, just forgetful... I've been playing RPGs of one kind or another for as long as I remember. Started playing published games in 1981. I found Champions(III) when I was snubbed by the other gaming group on post and hooked up with the guys playing BattleTech. They turned me on to Champions and I turned them onto GURPS. I've played and run a vast number of systems including some that many here probably haven't heard of while others will remember with shuddering horror (Other Suns and Stalking the Night Fantastic). I've always liked both GURPS and Hero for the tool kit style of mechanics; where you can make anything you want with a little effort. And I've always disliked Dumb & Dumber for the opposite reason. PS: I am the Housecat of Fiosachd.

Re: A New Use For Hardened In my games agents tend to use a lot of guns (RKAs) with one or purrhaps two advantages to decrease the effectiveness of armor. Sure they don't do a lot to most PCs, but a good roll or two can take out the min/maxer who buys just enough r defense to stop the average body/stun on a 3d6KA. Allowing this in my game would make Hardened even more desirable, since it could be applied against the ISM instead of the AP or Pen Adv. Sure most Heroes are immune to the lowly .22, but the normals in the area aren't and that's often the targets of the agents if the Heroes try to stop them, after all do you chase the bad guys and let the civilians die or help the civilians and let the agents escape?

Re: Cursed Item (?) I created a knife for a game along the same lines. I gave it a Suppress Ego and Mind Control, single command 'Obey the inner voice' that was basically kill this or that person as directed by the GM through notes. It was independent so no points changed paws. I would post the whole thing as it was created, but my Hero stuff is still not within reach.

Re: Need a name for a section Mercenaries Unlimited. When we're bought we stay that way!

Re: What published Champions Universe Miniature would you most like to see? I would like to see an entire line of minis that includes all the heroes, villains, and a nice assortment of agents on all sides, but the one I would like to see it: Mechanon.

Re: Rejected Superhero Names Tankerbell: Flaming brick in a pink leotard and tut with a hell of a wand.

Re: WWYCD: Grrrl Power- emphasis on Grrr Voltiac: having no close female friends it might take him a while to figure out something is wrong. It's like that when you are a social hermit and only interact with people when you have to. Once he did figure out something was wrong he would spend a lot of time desolid and try to contact heroes he has worked with in the past to find out what they are doing and how he can aid them with his multi-billion dollar company. As the ultimate in support heroes (90pt Cosmic Variable power pool) he isn't the most powerful guy, but he does have access to lots of powers and can do a lot to assist others. Rakshasa is the ultimate Tomcat and would revel in the situation until things started to get violent, then he would use his keen senses to try and track the problem. Having a keen nose (discriminatory scent and tracking sense) might allow him to determine the change based on the known scents of the woman normally in his life compared to the scent they now exude. And the fact that nobody knows his secret ID and he is still very competent in said secret ID would be helpful. Paladin would be pretty much hosed, since he is well known and good looking and he would never use his abilities on innocent women.

Re: Converting From Older Editions Normally you only pay End for your Str when you use it, but in this case you pay End for every phase it's active, whether you use it or not. On the phases that you actually use the extra Str (like attacking) you would pay the End cost again. I've had a player do this for increased Str, he paid End for every phase his increased Str was 'turned on' and for using it.

Re: CHAMPIONS REVISED -- If We Do It, What Would You Like To See? How about some example supers with interesting and or complicated builds. Most of the power examples in the book are fairly straight forward. How about a few that aren't straight forward, like Blindness based on a Transformation attack.

Re: WWYCD: Dead Enemies are no fun. Voltaic would laugh and 'go to the mattresses', trusting his teammates to assist him, since he is a good guy and has never actually killed a villain. Blinded yes, killed no. Rakshasa *chuckles* would call on his 'special friends' for assistance. While Thunderpussy and her friends kept the police busy he would go to the crime scene and do a bit of investigation, using his tracking senses to catch the scent of the real murderer and start tracking that purrson down. It's not always a disadvantage to be the love toy of super villainesses, even if it does make you suspect to your friends and teammates...

Re: Super Names Some of these I have used in games, others are names used by my players and the rest are NPC heroes and villains I've created. Heroes: Voltiac: Electro-magnetic energy projector. Also my long time superhero persona. Weretiger: Shape-changer MA. Always getting in trouble for seducing the female villains... Swift Justice: Speedster with a baton, has hair that always waves in the breeze, even indoors... Cripple without his symbiotic organism suit. Plasman: scientist with a bulky powered armor suit with a wide variety of EBs. While not a good combat hero he does have lots of science skills. Psyman: mentalist with a 'power of positive thinging' EC... His biggest gimmick is Invisibility that isn't affected by remote viewing or recording devices and has a limited range. Slinger: Flying energy projector who's powers are based on TK. Dark Archer: An arrow for every occasion. Sun Pack: Light based energy projector. Alley Cat: Skill based martial artist with mostly normal human stats (Spd 5) Safari Jack: Detective with a big honking gun. Porcupine: Martial artist with spiky exterior. Jaguar: pocket brick with a killing attack and enhanced senses for tracking. Dr Medusa: hero mastermind, good selection of skills to run a super group and one hell of a presence attack (-20 Com). Mirror: Reflection vs everything with some MA. Shift: Shape-changing pocket brick can assume any form, even inanimate objects. "The end table body blocks you out the window..." Golem: Brick, silicon based alien. Impulse: Speedster with Flight touching surfaces, also a computer geek. Boom: Brick with a no range explosion linked to his Haymaker. Lady Lightning: electical energy projector. Copy Cat: Duplicating shapeshifter with lots of skills and some MA. Manly Mann: Vainglorious Brink, scietist, athlete, painter, media hound, sexist pig. Villains: Ingot: Brick with a gambling problem... Hammer Hand: MA with some gadgets and a serious HA. Blacksnake: High speed MA with a whip. LowBlow: female MA with a Recovery drain that only works on men. Slaughter: AE RKAs designed to kill bystanders. Terror: MA with a Pre drain with a linked presence attack. Wraith: Desol who pays End to become solid so he can make his stat drain attacks. Ghetto Blaster: Hoodlum with sonic powers. Mean Streak: Speedster, MA, mercenary. Tank: Power Armor, this guy started out as an NPC scientist researching power armor for the Gov't. An accident in the lab, caused by an idiot PC, nearly killed him and left him horribly crippled and blind. With the aid of his brother Vincent he completed his best suit to date and became Tank to get back at the imbecile who caused him so much grief. Other: Auntie Freeze: Female with ice powers, but not ranged. Started out as a teen heroin Ice Princess and was taken advantage of by Manly Mann and dumped in a very public way. Went to the Dark Side as Frost Queen and humiliated M. Mann several times until jailed. Has returned as a super for hire under her current name. Group names: PRI: Parapsychological Research Institute. Good guys that seek out and train people with mental powers of all sorts. P.O.W.E.R.: Bad guys, Political Overthrowers with Energy Rifles. My good friend Jesse Blankenship came up with the acronym while we were working on a champaign in Germany. T.H.U.G.: Bad guys, Teenage Hoodlums Usurping the Government. Another great name from Jesse. Night Shift: Vigilantes, horrific/mystical powers. MaS FaBeT: Not sure. Mad Scientists for a Better Tomorrow. Yes, like in the INWO Card. MaS FaBeY: Bag guys, Mad Scientists for a Better Yesterday (Yes, Yesterday!) Tank Corps: Bad Guys. Powered armor group with military overtones. Leader: Tank.

Re: Would you allow this power It's less crazy/bizarre than some characters I've allowed in my games. I would allow it so long as the player and I have discussed the details of how it works and they stick to the agreed upon limitations.

Re: Red Herrings Needed Two words: Evil Twin...

Re: Sexual Orientation=Psych Lim? What if the character has homosexual tendencies but never acts on them? The only way being a closeted gay would be a disad is if they are in secret relationships. Then they have something to be outed for. If you are physically attracted to farm animals but never act on this desire you can't have villains show up with blackmail photos. So having said attraction to sheep isn't a disadvantage. But if Captain Heroic and Mr Toughguy are having a secret love afair then there is the chance of something going wrong and photos of them in flagrante dilecto just might show up in the Weekly World News and is worth points.

Re: Focus inquery So the spell requires the animal as a compotnent to cast and the summoned creature takes the place of the animal? This sounds more like a Charge than a Focus to me. Does the animal have to be alive when the spell is cast?

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers But the point of this thread is that The Souljourner didn't understand that the power in a slot is limited to the Active Points of the power, not the real points. This isn't uncommon, I did the same thing when I created my furst character 19 years ago... This stems from people not reading the material throughly. Very common in a world where the instructions are for losers... The point of a Multi-power is that you can spend your active points over more than a single power. Given a 72pt Multipower Reserve you can put 2pts into flight, 20 points into a FF, and 50pts for your NND. Or 72pts into flight to get somewhere very fast. Or 2pts in flight and 70pts in your EB. Or 40pts in Delosid and 32pts in flight. But at not time can you you spend more than 72 active points.

Re: Variable Power Pools If you are afraid the character will go hog wild in creating spells you can make each spell a seperate skill roll required to cast that spell. Effectively an activation roll, but costs points outside the pool rather than lowering the active points of the power. After all, you only use the real point cost when determining how many powers you can have active at one time and with enough limitation you could have 4 to 6 powers going at one time. As an example, 20pt VPP Magic (powers can be changed as a half-phase action +1/2) Active: 20, Real 35. Skin of Ar-Luz, purple and green gragon scale armor that covers the caster: 6PD/6ED Armor, Activation roll 13- (-3/4, this is for the armor to activate against attacks, not the powewr to activate), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Costs End, only to activate (-1/4), Requires a skill roll (-1/2).(Active:18, Real:6) End 2 Shield of Arna, a shimmering light field that forms an aura around the caster: +3 w/ DCV; Costs End (-1/2), Extra time, delayed phase, only to activate (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Requires a skill roll (-1/2).(Active:18, Real:6) End 1 Wings of Beleth, feathered wings that sprout from the casters back allowing flight: Flight 10"; gestures (both paws, complex, -3/4), Incantation (-1/4), Increased End Cost (x2 END, -1/2), Restrainable (only by means of Grabs or Entangles, -1/4), Rewquires a Skiill Roll (-1/2).(Active:20, Real:6) End 4 Sting of Ar-Luz, a large yellow wasp comes into being and speeds at the target; EB 2 1/2d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Gestures (requires both paws, -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2), Limited Range (20 inches, -1/4). (Active:19, Real:8) End 2 Vapor Shroud, creates a cloud of vapors that block vision: Darkness to sight groupv 2" radius, Consentration (1/2 DCV, -1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations ( Complex, -1/2), Extra Time (delayed Phase, Only to activate, -1/4), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2). (Active:20, Real:7) End 2 Nimble Fingers, allows the caster to open simple mechanical locks, requires the caster to use normal lockpick: Lockpicking 16-, Gestures throughout (Requires Both Paws, Complex, -1 1/2), Consentration (0DCV, Character is unaware of nearby events, -3/4), Incantations (-1/4), OAF, lockpicks (-1), Costs End (-1/2), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2).(Active:17, Real:3) End 2 Charm of Arna, grants the caster unearthly charm and appearance; +10 Presence; Costs End (-1/2)Increased End Cost (x2 End, -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase,Only to activate, -1/4), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2). Plus: +10 Comeliness; Costs End (-1/2)Increased End Cost (x2 End, -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, Only to activate -1/4), Power only works in common circumstances (only against those physically attracted to the caster's gender, -1/2), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2). (Active:15, Real:4) End 4 Speed of the Deeer, enables the caster to run very fast: Running 5" (11" total), 8x Noncombat; Gestures (Required Both Paws, -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Restrainable (Only with Grabs and Entangles, -1/4), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2).(Active:20, Real:8) End 2 Haste, increases the reaction time of recipients; =1 Speed, Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once, +1); Gestures (Requires both Paws, Complex (-3/4), Incantations (-1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, only to activate -1/4), Costs End (Only to Activate, -1/4), Requires a Skill Roll (-1/2).(Active:20, Real:8) End 2 Spell Skills: Skin of Ar-Luz, Int+2, 7pts Shield of Arna, Int+1, 5pts Wings of Beleth, Int, 3pts Sting of Ar-Luz, Int+1, 5pts Vapor Shroud, Int, 3pts Nimble Fingers, Int, 3pts Charm of Arna, Int+2, 7pts Speed of the Deer, Int, 3pts Haste, Int+2, 7pts Cost of VPP, Control, and skills: 108pts The Skill Enhancer Mage, Wizard, or Enchanter would reduce the cost of each skill by one point bringing the total cost down to 99pts. Increasing the number of powers is a function of adding skills rather than buying more slots. Since there are no limitations on the VPP the character can invent variations of the same spell with diffurrent limitations on the spell, having a spell that requires no Gestures, but complex Incatations works for when you are bound. No incantations, but complex gestures that require both paws for when you need to be quiet, but aren't being observed is also spiffy. You can also increase the VPP itself to have more powers active at one time. You don;t have to let the player increase the powers to match the pool.

Re: Sexual Orientation=Psych Lim? And don't forget that some players like to delve into social issues and live for drama. Just because you don't doesn't mean somefur else doesn't live for it. If you use these kinds of hooks in your game you might discover an aspect of the game beyond 'beating up the bad guys'. So talk to your players and find out if they want to before you rule it out.

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers My long time character is a flying energy projector with a multipower. I've played this character in one version or another for some 18 years and I learned one important thing about his multipower. Always have at least 2 points more in the pool than you highest power. 77pt reserve with 75pt slots. 62pt reserve with 60pt slots. 52pt reserve with 50pt slots. After all, 1" of flight allows you to hover in place.

Re: Variable Power Pools When I ran a character with a VPP I created all my 'spells' well before game time and cleared everything with the GM so there would be no misunderstandings during play. The problem most GMs I've delt with is that the GM can't control what you do with your VPP. But that's not the real problem, most just can't figure out how they work and won't take the time to learn. Now a creative player can ruin your plot, but if you allow a VPP you need to expect the player to get a little crazy sometimes. Now in my Fantasy games I allow VPPs, but they all have to have a slew of limitations like limited special effects, gestures, incantations, concentration, and requires a skill roll.

Re: Post padding? You forgot gestures throughout.