Arkham

Re: Looking for Ideas/name for UMA villian group

First thing I thought of was a typical Bond style villain group. International high tech assassins. Not a totally a Martial World themed group, but using primarily martial arts and gadgets in their work.

To emphasize the Martial Arts aspect, could have them run a massive Kumite or other No-holds-barred annual tournament for recruitment purposes. And then in their daily operations add a veneer of eastern style, even for the Capoeira, Krav Maga, and Savate practitioners.

For a name, anything vague and sinister, or even totally understated would work.

"The Skull Society", "The Company", "The Builders", "Brotherhood of the Black Lapine".

( I think I'll be adding the Brotherhood of the Black Lapine to my world... )

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

Sounds dangerous for the other person...

Unless the other person is also a brick...

Re: June 2nd

How is he violating the NDA?

Initially, part of the NDA was not being allowed to even let people know you were in the Alpha/Beta.

But that part has been relaxed many months ago. So he would have been violating the NDA back then if he let someone know he was in, but not now.

Re: What would your sidekick be named?

Ok, so Lone Ranger and Tonto are like old college friends who call each other the most insulting things they can as a form of Male Bonding. Got it.

I still think midget sidekicks are the way to go.

Like Octagon has Octagoncito, Defender should get a Mini Defender. And Foxbat needs a Mini Foxbat. Grond should get a Grondito. That'd be awesome.

Re: What would your sidekick be named?

I think in this modern age of responsibility and avoiding endangering minors, we should be looking to Lucha Libre for inspiration in such things as sidekicks.

You need a midget that looks just like you with similar powers!

Senor Mysterio already has Mini Senor Mysterio.

The Paladine would have a plucky young-woman as a 'sidekick' who is actually the brains of the operation. She is called the Paladin-ette.

Satire could totally have a midget ninja sidekick called Parody.

Bingo the Clowno could have a team of midget clown acrobats each named a letter. B. I. N. G. O. That'd be awesome. I need to write them up.

Re: City of Heroes/Villains Mission ARCs

I finally logged into CoH since the new issue came out. I published one of my arc's from beta. Don't have the arc # off hand, but its called 'Pirate Shinobi Magic'. It has pirates, ninjas, ninja pirates, and piratin' ninjas, and a piratin' ninja dinosaur. It is very silly.

Re: Superhero Generator Project

No' date=' there are no obvious flaws. He seems a little light on base STR and DEX for a pure martial artist, and the staff element, again, might be a little weak (6d6 when he has all the other more powerful options), but that's balanced by the reach. And the MP is neat.[/quote']

 

Actually, the staff element means the martial arts applies to the staff as well, bringing him up to a 13d6 with the offensive strike. At a 9 OCV with that strike, its pretty good. Or with the legsweep, he can dish 10d6 with a 13 OCV.

 

The only thing I'd consider changing is switching out the +3 HtH levels for the cheaper levels with all martial arts. The only cause against that would be the 3d6 HKA in the multi-power which, then, wouldn't benefit from skill levels anymore. Or since that has the special effect of a special maneuver, would that be covered as an 'empty hand' element? If it does, then switch out the +3 for +5 of the much cheaper CSLs.

Re: How Do You Handle Machine-Class Mental Powers?

Machine Class of minds, to me, means 'computers'. Just by itself, machine-class mind control doesn't let you drive a car (mess it up by manipulating the parts that a computer *does* control, yes, but computers don't control the gas pedal and steering wheel).

 

Well, the steering wheel. Any car with cruise control has a computer that can take over control of the acceleration and brakes.

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

Huh... Combat Luck is considered Hardened?

Yup.

My question is... the GM gave combat luck to meteroic metal plated robots? Doesn't that seem excessive?

Re: My Craziest Idea Ever?

Yes...if they can see anything other than a giant shoe anyway.... Then again I suppose there is the whole eclipse aspect....

Now if that giant shoe is a squeeky clown shoe....

Re: My Craziest Idea Ever?

Countered to an extent, I feel, by the increased mass and rotational forces not being addressed by massively increased strength, causing your legs to snap like matchsticks and all your major organs to fail.

 

Sure, everyone would be staring in awe...however...

Your 'realistic physics' have no place in my complex world of timetravel and jet-powered apes.

Besides, the megascale would apply only to the height/width, not the weight. Because that's not measured in inches. And unless you buy side effects for the power, organ failure and other negative effects wouldn't be a factor either.

Re: Challange rating and balanced encounters

Really, it breaks down to the players and how well they built and can play their characters versus how efficient the opposition is. 4 350 point characters built with a 15 DC soft cap played by people who know how to maximize what they've got can easily take down two 800 point villains that are not built with a mind towards maximizing combat efficiency. Tactics like AIDing the brick's STR, while tripping or Flashing the villain tends to let the lesser pointed characters come out on top.

Personally, I use whatever villain is appropriate for the plot and let the PCs either succeed or fail to stop his/her plans. Even if they fail the first time, they inevitibly come up with a better tactic for the rematch that allows them to win the day.

[edit What I mean is, if opposition doesn't have both numeric and qualitative advantages, then well motivated players will find a way to come out on top. If they don't, there is always a re-match, as long as the oppositions primary goal is something, anything, other than actually killing the PCs. Robbers get the loot and flee, conquerors take another step on their way to global conquest, etc. But as long as the PCs survive and you don't go out of your way to play to their weaknesses, they'll find a way to overcome.]

Re: My Craziest Idea Ever?

Megascale Growth would certainly give a nice boost to presence attacks...

Re: The Reason Behind Teleios

Teleios is a lousy villain, IMHO, because this isn't explained. If you require detailed backgrounds from your players, you can't expect to have a villain with a hole a mile wide in his origin like that.

 

Oh?

Do you, then, not allow players to build characters with mysterious circumstances in their backgrounds? Do they have to have their entire history plotted out with nothing that can appear in play as a surprise to the player?

Personally I feel that having these 'holes' that can be filled in later adds more depth, or at least potential depth to the game. The only thing worse than a character with a completely blank background, is one with a completely filled in and explained background that leaves no room for expansion.

Re: The Reason Behind Teleios

It is all a Nemesis plot. ( Sorry, City of reference )

Dr. Destroyer did it to create a new pawn, and perhaps find a way to extend his own life.

A wizard did it.

He sold his soul for knowledge, and part of the deal was he wouldn't remember the deal itself.

Actually, I always just assumed he was sleep-writing.

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

Yeah... I'd thought' date=' at first, that it would turn out to be a Grateful Dead quote, given we're talking about BtL here.[/quote']

 

Googling the phrase itself, the only hit is this thread...

Re: Nothing can stop me now!

I'm a fan of DR on major villains, as well. Coupled with good defenses and a decent REC, it can make for an epic fight.

But that depends on the style of villain, too. Minions joining in the Boss fight definitely extends the battle, even more so when they throw themselves in front of attacks meant for their boss.

My personal favorite, though, is to let the villain win or flee repeatedly after horrendously offending the PCs sensibilities. Then even if the final battle doesn't last until the second Post-12, the players are stoked enough not to notice.

Re: The best questions you can ask!

Who does number 2 work for?

Who is number 1?

What is the ultimate answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything?

Do you know the muffin man?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Tell me what you want, what you really, really want?

Re: Lucha Hero

Los Lobos! The "Leader" (Prime) is Lobo: "Grey" (need the spnish name), and Lobo Roho, Lobo Verde, Lobo Azul, and Lobo Oro.

 

Hight 5'6" (5'8" when "combined")

Weght 155-165 (175-180)

 

ST 30 (40)

Dex 23 (26)

Con 25

Bod 12

Int 10

Ego 11

Pres 20

Coml 14

PD 12 (18)(r6)

ED 12 (18) (r6)

Spd 5

Rec 11

End 50

Stun 40

 

 

Total 137.

Rojo is red, though it is pronounced Roho.

Gris is gray, pronounced Greece

Lobo de Plata, meaning Silver wolf might sound better.

And Lobo de Oro is more proper, if talking metallic gold rather than tincture.

Re: Senses in a multipower--legal build?

Yeah but so is everything. An OCV 1 hits a DCV 300 on a 17 or less with GM permission.

Not within the rules, no.

An OCV 1 hits a DCV 300 on a 3 only. The book does not allow it to hit on a die roll of 17 with GMs permission. Doing so is called 'breaking the rules', and while Steve Long isn't going to come and break down your door if you do that, it also isn't specified as an option in the rulebook.

But putting senses in a multipower is specifically permitted with GM oversite.

Re: Senses in a multipower--legal build?

So to answer your question' date=' no it isn't legal.[/quote']

 

Except that it is legal, with GM permission. And he, being the GM, gets to choose.

Re: Your Gaming Group's Jargon

We call that a "Cutscene."

 

There's also "You can't die in a cutscene," used ironically because, in fact, there are some ways you can die in a cutscene. It just takes a bewildering amount of idiocy to do so (he says, embarrassed).

 

Generally, when a character or player is acting up during a cutscene, the GM will warn him with a stern "You can't die in a cutscene." Meaning that if the character keeps fooling around, he may discover a new way to die.

Heh heh.

We generally still call it 'boxtext', even if it isn't read from a box in a module anymore.

And when someone is trying to interrupt the 'boxtext' I ask them to 'save vs. boxtext'.

Re: Senses in a multipower--legal build?

They aren't prohibited from being in a Multipower, but they are allowed only with GM permission. That makes it entirely up to you. If it seems like the appropriate way to build the concept, then I would say 'Go for it'.

Re: Picking a codename that, like, a million other characters haven't already used.

I usually start with a name and then build a character off of that. Sometimes the reverse, but usually name first. Non-english words often make good names, sometimes just using a 'stereotypical' name and translating it makes it that much cooler. I'm awefully fond of Eisenmaid, german for Iron Maiden, for a feminine android I created. Also, Dr. Nachtpferd ( literally Night Horse aka Nightmare ) and Voltaic Leiche ( Electric Corpse ).

As long as it doesn't draw too many giggles from the Players and just 'sounds' ok, its meaning doesn't need to be obvious. And even names that would normally be hard to take seriously can become very serious if presented well. i.e. The Penguin. In my own game, a 'silly' sounding name, Ragamuffin, on a scary evil villain doesn't draw any chuckles anymore.

Re: Utility Belts

Why IIF for the belt' date=' especially with the picture of the character I would think te source of the abilities would be obvious?[/quote']

 

Because to put a Focus limitation on a multi-power, you cannot put a lesser version on any of the powers inside the multipower. So to plant IIF bugs or something like that, you can't have OIF on the Multipower.