SCUBA Hero

I know it's not the campaign premise you want to run, but you might still find some usable stuff in Digital Hero #39, in the article, "War of the Worlds: Champions." It's set in the era and follows the conventions of H.G. Wells' original novel, with one critical difference. The toxic "Black Smoke" used by the Martian invaders is lethal to the vast majority of humans; but in a very small percentage of the populace it instead engenders a variety of super powers, physical and mental.
 
The article includes a variety of weapons and vehicles, both Martian and human "steampunk supertech" (thanks to at least one mutated supergenius), as well as several NPC heroes suiting Victorian Britain, such as its Superman/Captain America analogue, the mighty Britannic (illustrations by Sketchpad).

My group does it slightly differently:  the attacker still rolls.
 
11 + OCV -3d6 = DCV hit.
 
In your above example, PC "I attack God Monster".  Rolls 3d6 = 10.  11 + 8 - 10 = 9.  "I hit a DCV of 9".  GM "Prayer hits.  Roll damage".
 
GM "God Monster is peeved He attempts to attack Prayer."  Rolls 3d6 = 8.  11 + 7 - 8 = 10.  "God Monster hits a DCV 0f 10."  PC "Prayer is hit."
 
As an alternate, you roll and note where the roll is compared to 11.  For every point under 11, you hit that many points over your OCV.  For every point over 11, you hit than many points under your OCV.  If you roll 11, you hit your OCV.

RAW says it's all energy.  If you split it into physical and energy components, then...do you apply both PD and ED???  That obviously destroys the attack.
 
In 6E, everything adds up.  So if it's 4d6 from STR...it's 12d6.  If there's extra damage from MA DCs or maneuvers, add them as well.
 
In 5E, the material you want is on page 405.  The base rule is you can't do more than double the base damage...but...with HAs, the base damage is treated as STR + HA.  (This is NOT the case with killing attacks.)  There's also the side note about Ninja Hero, allowing martial stuff being counted in the base because non super martial artists rarely have serious STR.

Killer Shrike has an in-depth system.
 
Campaign Guidelines (killershrike.com)
 

Yes.  I plan to use Millenium City and Vibora Bay as models for P:CoC.  History and tie-ins to the wider Champions Universe, like those product have.

A campaign rule like that is probably the best way to approach it

60 AP was 12 END (1 per 5).  So 12/6/3/1/0 was a +1 Advantage for 120 points, not 90.  Or am I missing something?

Excellent!  A wealth of game ideas for the book...
 
How about one villain with four aspects and No Conscious Control on when they switch?

Excellent!  A wealth of game ideas for the book...
 
How about one villain with four aspects and No Conscious Control on when they switch?

Breaking this project off from the Fifth Edition Renaissance thread.
 
 
Working Title:  Pittsburgh: City of Champions
 
Purpose:  Provide a setting and campaign book.  With P:CoC and Champions Complete, GMs and players have everything they need to actually run a Champions campaign.  Bring in new players and folks who want a ready-to-run game and campaign, not a toolkit.  Support with future products, if sales support it.
 
Format:
Introduction - Explain where all of the toolkit toggles are set (Silver Age, Standard Superheroic characters, power levels, and so on) History Geography and Government Transportation, Media/Arts/Entertainment, Subcultures Police, Emergency Services, Underworld, Superheroes, Supervillany Places of Interest GMs Vault Villains (include an organization and master villain) Adventures Continuing the Campaign  
Note that bullet points 2-7 follow the structure of Millenium City and Vibora Bay.  MC clocks in at 135 pages, VB at 157.  Much of the difference in page count is VB's extended GM chapter and adventure seed ideas.  P:CoC would be longer, based on the Introduction and extended Adventures/Campaign sections.  Make the adventure/campaign arc related to why the previous super-team is no longer around and the new PC team has to pick up the mantle.
 
One concern that I have is that CC only has 64 print copies left in stock, and I don't know if it will be reprinted.  Or possibly I'm an old pencil-and-paper grognard and that's not a big concern, folks today buy the pdfs and, if they want, use PoD or the local copy store for a paper copy.
 
Funding: Kickstarter.  Based on previous successful Hero System Kickstarter campaigns, rough estimate of $15,000. Start with a nice color cover and minimal B&W interior artwork; stretch goals would add more artwork and then upgrade it to color. Mention (and have) plans for future supplements: more linked adventures, a city development book; also to use Kickstarter.  Maybe have a second adventure arc, linked to the first, at a high enough stretch goal to fund it.
 
Staff:  Writers. Editor. Proof-reader. Artist(s). Project coordinator.  Mark Rand is providing backgound on Pittsburgh.  Need another writer to do the gamey stuff.  I am neither a writer nor an editor, but I can proof-read and coordinate (I am also qualified to do character write-ups.)

+5 Adder (IMHO)

Use something where they use the first part of a longer phrase to identify themselves.  So, you could use something like The Foundation for Social Justice as the full name.  But when they Say “The Foundation” with an emphasis on the “The” it takes on additional meaning to those who understand it.  It also gives them some cover when overheard or recorded.  

So I feel the need to re-post this... 😁
 
 
(To the tune of JoDee Messina’s ‘Bye-Bye’)
 
Bye-Bye Seeker
 
Boy it sure looked rough
KO’d on all the covers
Sinkin’ in the muck
 
You could have used a little
Fifth Edition
Combat Luck
 
All you needed was a little time
Just a little more time
For a new write-up, but Steve’s mind’s made up
 
Bye-bye, Seeker, don’t you curse
There’s a reboot on the Champions Universe
And a bunch of heroes torn out
And they ain’t never comin’ back
And that’s a fact
 
I tried all I can imagine
I argued and pleaded in true fanboy fashion
Steve said ‘No dice, the ninja’s gotta take a hike’
Bye-bye, bye-bye Seeker bye-bye
 
Don’t think that silly grin is gonna keep you in
Like it done before
You better sell that sword
Swing from the chandelier
And land out the door
 
I don’t know what you’re expected to do
Keep on searchin’ for the truth
Maybe find the final answer
Then become a dancer
 
Bye-bye, Seeker, don’t you curse
There’s a reboot on the Champions Universe
And a bunch of heroes torn out
And they are really truly gone
Just like you, Don
 
There are others like Professor Muerte
He sank down in the ocean sayin’
‘Que mala suerte’ **
Steve said ‘No dice, junior D has gotta take a hike’
Bye-bye, bye-bye Seeker bye-bye
 
Out of the game I guess
Couldn’t pass the test
And I think it’s sad
But it’s Ironclad
 
Bye-bye, Seeker, don’t you curse
There’s a reboot on the Champions Universe
And a bunch of heroes torn out
And they ain’t never comin’ back
And you can count on that
 
I tried, oh, I tried Mr. Morgan
Said I’d write a source book
Or donate an organ
Steve said ‘No dice, the ninja’s gotta take a hike’
Bye-bye, bye-bye, my Seeker bye-bye
 
Bye-bye, Seeker, don’t you curse
There’s a reboot on the Champions Universe
And a bunch of heroes torn out
And they ain’t never comin’ back
And that’s a fact
 
I tried all I can imagine
I said ‘Don’t turn your back on Watchers of the Dragon’
Steve said ‘No dice, the ninja’s gotta take a hike’
Bye-bye, bye-bye Seeker bye -bye
 
Bye-bye, bye-bye my Seeker bye-bye.
 
 
** (Que mala suerte = What bad luck)

Mighty Protectors (Villains & Vigilantes v3.0).

Did the comparisons:
 
Temporary Big Sword:  Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (2d6+1 w/STR), Constant (+1/2) (45 Active Points); 2 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (-1/2), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Must Roll To Hit For Every Attack; -1/4)  26
 
Temporary Big Sword: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (2d6+1 w/STR), Time Limit (5 Minutes; +1) (60 Active Points); 2 Charges (-1 1/2)  24
 
So Constant has a lower AP cost but (slightly) higher Real point cost than Time Limit.  I conclude that either works.  Would probably default to Time Limit, except for the caveat "Time Limit is generally intended for nonattack abilities" 🤔
 
Anyone else want to weigh in?

And for the first time in the history of the internets, I will decline to retaliate...
 
😁
 

The challenge is always the comparable.  Why should the character lose a half phase every time he uses up 8 shots, rather than just define an "ever-full quiver"?  He is clearly more limited than that.  If it comes up on occasion in the game, that merits a limitation.  It also means, as a GM, there is an onus on me to ensure it comes up on occasion.  Maybe that's a running fight with a horde of agents.  Maybe it's a Big Bad that takes a long time to take down. Or maybe I say "nope, won't come up often enough to merit a limitation at all, so just make the quiver always full".

Breaking this project off from the Fifth Edition Renaissance thread.
 
 
Working Title:  Pittsburgh: City of Champions
 
Purpose:  Provide a setting and campaign book.  With P:CoC and Champions Complete, GMs and players have everything they need to actually run a Champions campaign.  Bring in new players and folks who want a ready-to-run game and campaign, not a toolkit.  Support with future products, if sales support it.
 
Format:
Introduction - Explain where all of the toolkit toggles are set (Silver Age, Standard Superheroic characters, power levels, and so on) History Geography and Government Transportation, Media/Arts/Entertainment, Subcultures Police, Emergency Services, Underworld, Superheroes, Supervillany Places of Interest GMs Vault Villains (include an organization and master villain) Adventures Continuing the Campaign  
Note that bullet points 2-7 follow the structure of Millenium City and Vibora Bay.  MC clocks in at 135 pages, VB at 157.  Much of the difference in page count is VB's extended GM chapter and adventure seed ideas.  P:CoC would be longer, based on the Introduction and extended Adventures/Campaign sections.  Make the adventure/campaign arc related to why the previous super-team is no longer around and the new PC team has to pick up the mantle.
 
One concern that I have is that CC only has 64 print copies left in stock, and I don't know if it will be reprinted.  Or possibly I'm an old pencil-and-paper grognard and that's not a big concern, folks today buy the pdfs and, if they want, use PoD or the local copy store for a paper copy.
 
Funding: Kickstarter.  Based on previous successful Hero System Kickstarter campaigns, rough estimate of $15,000. Start with a nice color cover and minimal B&W interior artwork; stretch goals would add more artwork and then upgrade it to color. Mention (and have) plans for future supplements: more linked adventures, a city development book; also to use Kickstarter.  Maybe have a second adventure arc, linked to the first, at a high enough stretch goal to fund it.
 
Staff:  Writers. Editor. Proof-reader. Artist(s). Project coordinator.  Mark Rand is providing backgound on Pittsburgh.  Need another writer to do the gamey stuff.  I am neither a writer nor an editor, but I can proof-read and coordinate (I am also qualified to do character write-ups.)

So I was re-reading 5E Champions.  In that book this tactic is called a "Sucker Attack".
 
I won't reproduce the text.  The technique is to get between two enemies and wait for one (or both) to attack.  The character must have a Held Action, then Dodges (Nightcrawler would of course bamf out).  Make the normal DEX vs. DEX roll to go first; if the dodger loses the first attacker's attack happens before the dodge (rather than the normal 'Abort to a defensive Action automatically goes off first', but this is an offensive use of Dodge and so seems reasonable).  If the dodger wins the contest, the attacker makes an Attack Roll using only OCV (no CSLs, maneuver bonuses, or suchlike) against the second attacker's DCV.
 
Aaron Allston had it figured out in 2002. 😁

Use Trigger.  If the Teleport is always accompanied by the Flash, put Linked on it as well.

I reviewed 5ER and 6E Linked and don't see anything indicating that it makes an Attack Action a non-Attack Action.
 
Yes, Linked does reduce utility so it's a Limitation... but changing an Attack Action to a non-Attack Action is an Advantage.  And Trigger explicitly does just that.

So I was re-reading 5E Champions.  In that book this tactic is called a "Sucker Attack".
 
I won't reproduce the text.  The technique is to get between two enemies and wait for one (or both) to attack.  The character must have a Held Action, then Dodges (Nightcrawler would of course bamf out).  Make the normal DEX vs. DEX roll to go first; if the dodger loses the first attacker's attack happens before the dodge (rather than the normal 'Abort to a defensive Action automatically goes off first', but this is an offensive use of Dodge and so seems reasonable).  If the dodger wins the contest, the attacker makes an Attack Roll using only OCV (no CSLs, maneuver bonuses, or suchlike) against the second attacker's DCV.
 
Aaron Allston had it figured out in 2002. 😁

Use Trigger.  If the Teleport is always accompanied by the Flash, put Linked on it as well.

Being 71, almost 72, having bad knees and no car, I’ve compiled a list of  Pittsburgh landmarks.  I have images of some of them on my computer.  This list is, of course, just my opinion.
 
Mount Washington with Station Square and Gateway Clipper Fleet in the foreground
 
Mount Washington with the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel in the foreground
 
View exiting the Fort Pitt Tunnel
 
Point State Park fountain
 
Gateway Center
 
PPG Plaza with obelisk dubbed “The Tomb of the Unknown Bowler”
 
Gulf Tower
 
Koppers Tower
 
Fifth Avenue Place
 
Mellon Square
 
Omni William Penn Hotel
 
Kaufmann’s clock at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street
 
PNC Park
 
Heinz Field
 
Carnegie Science Center
 
University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning (aka Cathy)
 
Saint Paul Cathedral
 
WQED antenna tower
 
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
 
Station Square
 
Waterfront stacks (the Waterfront’s on the site of the United States Steel’s Homestead Works)
 
Dippy (in front of the Carnegie Institute)

 

Forbes Field remnants and plaza

 

Light Up (on the University of Pittsburgh campus between Hillman Library and Posvar Hall)

 

A Song to Nature (aka The Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain at the entrance to Schenley Park and directly in front of the University of Pittsburgh’s Frick Fine Arts Building)

 

Ode to Space (in front of the University of Pittsburgh’s David Lawrence Hall)
 
University of Pittsburgh panthers outside the William Pitt Union, the Petersen Events Center, and Heinz Field

 

Walking to the Sky (on the Carnegie Mellon University campus outside Warner Hall)
 
 
Joy of Life (fountain at Baum Boulevard and South Whitfield Street)
 
George Westinghouse Memorial in Schenley Park
 
Edit: The above list is subject to change based on what I can find.

I reviewed 5ER and 6E Linked and don't see anything indicating that it makes an Attack Action a non-Attack Action.
 
Yes, Linked does reduce utility so it's a Limitation... but changing an Attack Action to a non-Attack Action is an Advantage.  And Trigger explicitly does just that.