jkwleisemann

Re: TV to rpg Actually, (plug-plug-plug) there's somebody out there already working on unofficial games based off the Transformers concepts (yeah, there are others, but this one's more dedicated) and Bonkers/Who Framed Roger Rabbit, of all things (no, not Toon, but one where Toon/human interactions are a focal point). If anybody wants to look at/beta them, *PLEASE* let me know. I'd love to send some interest his way.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... She's not permanently metallic, she switches from human to statue. Earlier, the vamp had hypnotized her and made her turn back so he could put the bite on her.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Earlier in our episode, Steele was hypnotized and partially vampirized by the villains. Fortunately, she was cured before going full vamp (ever try to stake somebody made of metal?) She's just met the vampire whose mind control screwed her over before again (and is wearing a PRIMUS psi-screening helmet, to prevent this from happening again so easily). Vamp: "You have such beautiful eyes. Why don't you raise that visor so I can see them?" Steele: "I've got a better idea. Know how to spell 'orthodontist'?" *punches him in the face - hits DCV 13, deals 14 Body, and '2' on the Knockback Reduction* Steele: "Time to learn, jackass." Sometimes, the dice *do* recognize dramatic moments.

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

Re: Multiform a la Carte? As I pointed out in the initial post, that's the approach I'd probably go with... but it's also the approach that misses out on one of the recurring abilities that shows up - mix-and-match. In the show, they'd... well, not routinely, but fairly regularly... mix up components from different suits so the strengths of one suit could offset the weaknesses of another (for example - the Hornet system would sometimes be mixed with the higher-firepower Detonator weapons systems). Multiform can't do that.

Re: Multiform a la Carte? I can see the argument, but if they've got a very, very limited number of options, I think the Multi-MultiPower will work better. And it simulates the idea of 'slots' better.

Re: Multiform a la Carte? Mmm... I think, in the end, that the most cost-effective approach will probably be to either: A: Use a series of very small MPowers that fill "slots" in the weapons systems or B: VPP, heavily limited. I'll see what I can accomplish with the small MPowers though. That might work, especially since it means I should be able to 'dedicate' systems to various abilities.

I'm mulling over (very, very, very loosely) the idea of a Centurions-related campaign. The problem is... how to do it? Obviously, Multiform with a baseline including the Exoframe is the obvious approach - leaves you with a nice bundle of points to use for building the various weapons systems. THe problem is... well.... In the show, the Centurions always had the option of 'mix and matching' parts of their weapons systems. They could, for example, mount the motorcycle getup from one system with the freeze ray from another, or the spaceworthy outfit from one with the heavy missiles of another. How would you do that? Or am I overcomplicating what should basically be a huge, albeit limited, Gadget Pool?

Re: in the spirit of christmas! Good Lord, I'd forgotten about that program. ^^ Excellent pic, I recognized it in an instant.

Re: Vaudevillain! I'll have to check my list - I think I did, I just misplaced my basic gimmick sheet. And I don't play him too much yet - in time though, in time.

Wrong freakin' thread header. *facepalms* Mod, could you please delete the other? A little villain for Vox to play with. Let the anachronisms duke it out. [b]Vaudevillain - Mortimer Calhoun[/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] 23 DEX 39 23 14- OCV 8 DCV 8 15 CON 10 15 12- 13 BODY 6 13 12- 23 INT 13 23 14- PER Roll 14- 20 EGO 20 20 13- ECV: 7 20 PRE 10 20 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 14 COM 2 14 12- 8 PD 5 8/16 8/16 PD (0/8 rPD) 6 ED 3 6/14 6/14 ED (0/8 rED) 5 SPD 17 5 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 10 REC 8 10 40 END 5 40 35 STUN 6 35 8 RUN 4 8" END [2] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 5 LEAP 2 5" 5" forward, 2 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 155[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 56 [b][i]Vaudeville Tricks[/i][/b]: Multipower, 70-point reserve, (70 Active Points); all slots Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END= 3u 1) [b][i]Lucky Pratfalls[/i][/b]: Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack), Missile Reflection, Reflect At Any Target (50 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Falls prone; -1/2), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) [Notes: Falls out of the way; attack ricochets into new target.] - END=0 3u 2) [b][i]Who's On First[/i][/b]: Entangle 2d6, 3 DEF, Takes No Damage From Attacks Physical Attacks (+1/4), Works against Intelligence (+1/2), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1) (69 Active Points); Entangle Has 1 BODY (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=7 3u 3) [b][i]Eight balls at once, ladies and gents![/i][/b]: Energy Blast 7d6, 4 clips of 8 Charges (+0), Autofire (10 shots; +1) (70 Active Points); OAF (Bags of Balls; -1), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=[8] 4u 4) [b][i]Horribly Bad Puns/Jokes[/i][/b]: Ego Attack 7d6 (Human class of minds) (70 Active Points); Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=7 16 [b][i]Armored Costume[/i][/b]: Armor (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) - END=0 15 Luck 3d6 - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 100[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b] Vaudeville-fu 4 1) Eye-Poke: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Flash 9d6 3 2) Trip: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 8d6 +v/5, Target Falls 5 3) Head Bonk: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 12d6 Strike 4 4) Tickling the Funny Bone: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 4 1/2d6 NND 20 5) +5 HTH Damage Class(es) [b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 36[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 3 Jack of All Trades 2 1) PS: Comedian (3 Active Points) 13- 2 2) PS: Dancer (3 Active Points) 14- 2 3) PS: Juggler (3 Active Points) 14- 2 4) PS: Mime (3 Active Points) 13- 2 5) PS: Singer (3 Active Points) 13- Vaudevillian 3 1) Acrobatics 14- 3 2) Acting 13- 3 3) Breakfall 14- 3 4) Contortionist 14- 3 5) Disguise 14- 3 6) KS: Vaudeville History 14- 7 7) Power: Vaudeville Routines 16- 3 8) Sleight Of Hand 14- 3 9) Teamwork 14- 3 10) Ventriloquism 14- 12 11) +4 with Vaudeville-fu [b]SKILLS Cost: 59[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Dependent NPC: Sweet Maggie Dalton (fan and girlfriend) 11- (Incompetent) 15 Psychological Limitation: Glory hound and showboater (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Proud/hates to be insulted (Very Common, Moderate) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Common, Total) 10 Reputation: Obsessive Vaudeville Fanatic, 11- 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Mortimer Calhoun) (Frequently, Major) 5 Money: Poor 15 Hunted: Cavalier 11- (As Pow, Capture) 20 Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 10 Distinctive Features: Dresses 50+ years out of date (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) [Notes: Always dressed in old suits, hats, usually carrying a cane, occasionally wears a cape] 5 Rivalry: Professional (Vox), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Background: "Mortimer Calhoun is an anachronism. A charming throwback to the era of vaudeville stars, the fact that his art died out about fifty years ago doesn't seem to have dissuaded him from his course. I have to admire his dedication, but I'm afraid that I can't recommend his show, unless you too are looking for a nostalgic throwback to a bygone era... but hey, what am I saying? You're listening to my show. Of course you are." And that was the best review he got... albeit, in Mortimer's eyes, the most scathing. He'd sunk most of his life's savings into restoring the Majesty Theatre, trying to get a vaudeville revival going. But nine out of ten audience members - literally - his opening night had been critics... and they'd all been getting in on comp tickets. The only person there who hadn't been comp'ed was Maggie... his sweet, faithful Maggie, who'd always tried to encourage him. Mortimer turned off the radio and buried his face in his hands. What was he supposed to do? The review had been right... he *was* an anachronism. A creature of a bygone era, gone out along with radio plays and Norman Rockwell. Movies had replaced the vaudeville star, and even if he could talk somebody in Vegas into hosting his show... he'd be replaced by a ventriloquist within a week. That was the sad part, really - that *ventriloquists* were more popular than he was. Now, granted, he *was* one himself... but he was *more* than that. It was enough to drive a man mad, really... and, in many ways, it did. It was a small step at first, a bill he couldn't pay, a threat to his precious theatre. Mortimer dressed up, put on a mask, and pulled off his first bank heist. While he might have been an anachronism on the stage, in the world of crime he had potential. He quickly found ways to put his skills to use, twisting them around so that he could make some money. As things progressed, and he became more bitter, he expanded his repertoire - he went after the radio host who'd given him that scathing, if positive, review. He was stopped by a new hero, Vox - and a rivalry was born that hasn't ended since, the two representatives of dead arts both trying to one-up each other in the field. Of course, Cavalier hadn't taken it so well - the materialistic hero did *not* take being publicly humiliated by "some joker in a ratty suit" well, and he's been dogging 'Vaudevillain' ever since, right along with VIPER, who didn't take well to being double-crossed in the middle of a robbery (when one of the Dragon Squad went after a bystander, Vaudevillain was instrumental in stopping him, and turning the whole lot in to the police, costing them a newly established Nest.) Now, Vaudevillain conducts a one-man war against modern entertainment, stealing relics of his beloved art, and money to keep his theatre going (though, due to the cost of maintenance, he's always short cash). Through it all, Sweet Maggie stands by him... though why she's so accepting of his criminal behavior, nobody (not even Mortimer) quite knows. Appearance: A man of fairly non-descript appearance, Mortimer is *somehwat* handsome, but usually stands out instead because he dresses like a reject from a period piece on vaudeville - plaid searsucker suits and corduroy pants are his usual uniform, with an added cape, domino mask, and straw hat added when he goes out as Vaudevillain.

A little villain for Vox to play with. Let the anachronisms duke it out. [b]Vaudevillain - Mortimer Calhoun[/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] 23 DEX 39 23 14- OCV 8 DCV 8 15 CON 10 15 12- 13 BODY 6 13 12- 23 INT 13 23 14- PER Roll 14- 20 EGO 20 20 13- ECV: 7 20 PRE 10 20 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 14 COM 2 14 12- 8 PD 5 8/16 8/16 PD (0/8 rPD) 6 ED 3 6/14 6/14 ED (0/8 rED) 5 SPD 17 5 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 10 REC 8 10 40 END 5 40 35 STUN 6 35 8 RUN 4 8" END [2] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 5 LEAP 2 5" 5" forward, 2 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 155[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 56 [b][i]Vaudeville Tricks[/i][/b]: Multipower, 70-point reserve, (70 Active Points); all slots Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END= 3u 1) [b][i]Lucky Pratfalls[/i][/b]: Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack), Missile Reflection, Reflect At Any Target (50 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Falls prone; -1/2), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) [Notes: Falls out of the way; attack ricochets into new target.] - END=0 3u 2) [b][i]Who's On First[/i][/b]: Entangle 2d6, 3 DEF, Takes No Damage From Attacks Physical Attacks (+1/4), Works against Intelligence (+1/2), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1) (69 Active Points); Entangle Has 1 BODY (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=7 3u 3) [b][i]Eight balls at once, ladies and gents![/i][/b]: Energy Blast 7d6, 4 clips of 8 Charges (+0), Autofire (10 shots; +1) (70 Active Points); OAF (Bags of Balls; -1), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=[8] 4u 4) [b][i]Horribly Bad Puns/Jokes[/i][/b]: Ego Attack 7d6 (Human class of minds) (70 Active Points); Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Requires A Vaudeville Routines Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=7 16 [b][i]Armored Costume[/i][/b]: Armor (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) - END=0 15 Luck 3d6 - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 100[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b] Vaudeville-fu 4 1) Eye-Poke: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Flash 9d6 3 2) Trip: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 8d6 +v/5, Target Falls 5 3) Head Bonk: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 12d6 Strike 4 4) Tickling the Funny Bone: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 4 1/2d6 NND 20 5) +5 HTH Damage Class(es) [b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 36[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 3 Jack of All Trades 2 1) PS: Comedian (3 Active Points) 13- 2 2) PS: Dancer (3 Active Points) 14- 2 3) PS: Juggler (3 Active Points) 14- 2 4) PS: Mime (3 Active Points) 13- 2 5) PS: Singer (3 Active Points) 13- Vaudevillian 3 1) Acrobatics 14- 3 2) Acting 13- 3 3) Breakfall 14- 3 4) Contortionist 14- 3 5) Disguise 14- 3 6) KS: Vaudeville History 14- 7 7) Power: Vaudeville Routines 16- 3 8) Sleight Of Hand 14- 3 9) Teamwork 14- 3 10) Ventriloquism 14- 12 11) +4 with Vaudeville-fu [b]SKILLS Cost: 59[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Dependent NPC: Sweet Maggie Dalton (fan and girlfriend) 11- (Incompetent) 15 Psychological Limitation: Glory hound and showboater (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Proud/hates to be insulted (Very Common, Moderate) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Common, Total) 10 Reputation: Obsessive Vaudeville Fanatic, 11- 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Mortimer Calhoun) (Frequently, Major) 5 Money: Poor 15 Hunted: Cavalier 11- (As Pow, Capture) 20 Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 10 Distinctive Features: Dresses 50+ years out of date (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) [Notes: Always dressed in old suits, hats, usually carrying a cane, occasionally wears a cape] 5 Rivalry: Professional (Vox), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Background: "Mortimer Calhoun is an anachronism. A charming throwback to the era of vaudeville stars, the fact that his art died out about fifty years ago doesn't seem to have dissuaded him from his course. I have to admire his dedication, but I'm afraid that I can't recommend his show, unless you too are looking for a nostalgic throwback to a bygone era... but hey, what am I saying? You're listening to my show. Of course you are." And that was the best review he got... albeit, in Mortimer's eyes, the most scathing. He'd sunk most of his life's savings into restoring the Majesty Theatre, trying to get a vaudeville revival going. But nine out of ten audience members - literally - his opening night had been critics... and they'd all been getting in on comp tickets. The only person there who hadn't been comp'ed was Maggie... his sweet, faithful Maggie, who'd always tried to encourage him. Mortimer turned off the radio and buried his face in his hands. What was he supposed to do? The review had been right... he *was* an anachronism. A creature of a bygone era, gone out along with radio plays and Norman Rockwell. Movies had replaced the vaudeville star, and even if he could talk somebody in Vegas into hosting his show... he'd be replaced by a ventriloquist within a week. That was the sad part, really - that *ventriloquists* were more popular than he was. Now, granted, he *was* one himself... but he was *more* than that. It was enough to drive a man mad, really... and, in many ways, it did. It was a small step at first, a bill he couldn't pay, a threat to his precious theatre. Mortimer dressed up, put on a mask, and pulled off his first bank heist. While he might have been an anachronism on the stage, in the world of crime he had potential. He quickly found ways to put his skills to use, twisting them around so that he could make some money. As things progressed, and he became more bitter, he expanded his repertoire - he went after the radio host who'd given him that scathing, if positive, review. He was stopped by a new hero, Vox - and a rivalry was born that hasn't ended since, the two representatives of dead arts both trying to one-up each other in the field. Of course, Cavalier hadn't taken it so well - the materialistic hero did *not* take being publicly humiliated by "some joker in a ratty suit" well, and he's been dogging 'Vaudevillain' ever since, right along with VIPER, who didn't take well to being double-crossed in the middle of a robbery (when one of the Dragon Squad went after a bystander, Vaudevillain was instrumental in stopping him, and turning the whole lot in to the police, costing them a newly established Nest.) Now, Vaudevillain conducts a one-man war against modern entertainment, stealing relics of his beloved art, and money to keep his theatre going (though, due to the cost of maintenance, he's always short cash). Through it all, Sweet Maggie stands by him... though why she's so accepting of his criminal behavior, nobody (not even Mortimer) quite knows. Appearance: A man of fairly non-descript appearance, Mortimer is *somehwat* handsome, but usually stands out instead because he dresses like a reject from a period piece on vaudeville - plaid searsucker suits and corduroy pants are his usual uniform, with an added cape, domino mask, and straw hat added when he goes out as Vaudevillain.

Re: Foxbat and... Actually, if he had a few successful heists under his belt, Freddy would be a suitable boytoy/date for Gravitar... but I still stand by my initial vote of Foxbette. Gravitar would only be a fling, she doesn't think big enough.

Re: TV to rpg The Prisoner? The Avengers? Mission Im-freaking-possible, before Tom Cruise sodomized it? Going to the cartoons that I dearly *want* to see done as RPG's, to the point of being willing to do myself.... Thundarr Pirates of Dark Water Centurions possible Thunder Cats And others, I'm sure....

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... So *that's* how Jack did it! "Nothing to see here, just a severed kidney wandering through Whitechapel, pay no attention to the blood-soaked man behind it...."

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Not gaming related, but brought to mind by recent comments. Relative to boss: "You know, you're a real chum." Boss: "Hey, glad to know you appreciate it!" Relative: "Not *that* sort of chum." *walks out*

Re: Morty The Mugger Still Can't Catch A Break... Void: *sigh and move along* Scarface: *shoot out Morty's kneecaps when he staggers into the attic after falling into the sewers*

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... After the characters on Elements of Change reacted poorly to meeting Count Carl von Cosel's wife... Luzingu: Is there something wrong with keeping your loved ones around after they die? What if I need to ask my Great-aunt Nellie for advice? If she's not in the basement in her jar, how would I find her? And how could Communism With Chinese Characteristics survive without the continued presence of Mao? Ah, Waxy Mao they call him. Red no more that he has paled This ardent warrior who assailed Clench-ed fist of Capitalist Hand Freed the peasants of Asia's Land And don't get me started on Lenin! .oO(Just tossing their relatives in the blender, I bet. Keepin' the best parts fer the dogs. Ingrates!)

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Given what I remember about what happened to his homeworld... are you sure he won?

Re: Possible Online Campaign Sounds like an interesting world - what's the campaign concept you're planning on for the rest of the game? Or did I just miss something?

Re: Balancing Mental Powers Agents automatically lower the character's effectiveness because it takes time to take out a half-dozen mooks with blasters. Yeah, he can mind control the brick, but while the Brick is nailing Mook #1, Mooks #2-6 are shooting the Mind Controller, Coordinating their shots, and sending him to Con Stun central. More importantly, as mentioned, aliens are immune to his powers entirely. Also, you might want to look at my favored approach - the Nemesis Character. Give him a dedicated opponent, so to speak, who isn't designed to completely slaughter him, but to be an equal challenge. Most players appreciate this far more than a ridiculous number of foes they can't affect, and pitting the two mentalists against each other is a good way to keep everybody challenged. Just give your Nemesis a sense of honor or some other compelling reason for him to focus on the opposing nemesis - my personal preference, in this situation? Half-alien Hybrid with an alien mentalist parent. You've got a perfectly logical reason for him to have hefty defenses against this character's mental powers, and his alien parent might well have raised him with a code of honor that means he only uses his mental powers against an opponent with similar powers of their own. Entirely plausible, and it gives them a reason to fight each other while not spending the whole fight turning their enemies into chessmen to be used against each other.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... I love that Star Marine, but between DADT and the darn rules about spreading rep.... *sighs*

Re: Your character's theme music! Having built many a hero around a song, I'm going to focus on those I *didn't* do that with. Steele: "Paperback Writer" Crusader: "The Stranger" Field Test: "Paddy's Not At Work Today" Madame Macabre: "Gypsies Tramps and Thieves"

Re: Your PCs might be Underpowered if... Is it my fault that when they were handing out powers at the Roshambo Finals, I picked rock?

Re: Your PCs might be Underpowered if... ...your wind controller has to Push and Haymaker to blow out the candles on his birthday cake.