Tech

I gotta check to see if I can even find the logo I created on my computer. So far, cool logos!

When designing an NPC, there are generally two things that assist me in creating an NPC: 1) inspiration and/or 2) the need. Sometimes, I see or read something that inspires me to create an NPC, whether villain, normal person or whatever. Let's not forget that normal people are those the characters interact with in life the majority of the time. If inspired, I may create a new cab driver that Captain Fist happens to need to get to the crime scene and becomes someone intertwined in the plot, much to Captain Fist's displeasure. When a NPC is around for awhile, sometimes a player wants to know a specific statistic, such as how intelligent the NPC is (genius, average, dumber than a doorknob, etc), attractive or something else. If I intend to have an NPC around a long time before introducing them, stats will be created. If it's a non-written NPC and players like the NPC, I'll create stats. It's surprising how often players will grab onto a NPC you just introduced (& didn't intend on keeping arond) and suddenly, that NPC is popular with the players. For villains, I always create statistics, even for a 1-shot appearance villain. For those villains, it's sufficient to give basic stats and powers and don't worry about rounding them out. As mentioned before, if I intend from the start to have the villain around awhile, I give careful consideration as to which hero or hero team will be meeting them and adjust the power level and skills accordingly. (It's really interesting & fun to take a villain designed to handle one hero and throw them against a different hero in a different team.) One team may be technologically skilled whereas another team may be more medically or more versed in languages and diplomatic skills. All of these have to be taken into account at villain creation for long-term use. I hope this made sense. This didn't come out as concise as I hoped.

I agree though I personally favor 17d6 RKA AoE Megascale. If the character survives that, the character deserves to be alive.

I do not think the Hero System is flawed. It has had awards given to it and deservedly so. It was #1 in the top 50 or 100 lists of all games (unfortunately, I forgot which magazine ) However, there are a few things I do not like: a) The 5th ed mandatory use of Continuous on Damage Shields. The 5th ed Regeneration or Instant Change. c) The costs of acquiring full Life Support. For 4 editions, 30 pts or so would take care of it. Now, it's up to 45 or 50 pts. I do however, like the break downs in 5th ed. d) 5th ed Hardened defenses needed on regular & damage resistant defenses. e) Freebie break-out rule on Mind Control nullifying it easily. Still, used carefully, Mind Control is effective. Of course, that opens up another can of worms - a world class villain like Menton shouldn't have his Mind Control easily broken. f) 5th ed Shapeshift. Too costly to get achieve an effective shapeshifter. g) Not being able to take Density Increase, Growth or Shrinking as Always on, instead being forced to take it as a disadvantage. There are others but these will do. Since I don't care for them, I intend to change them in the campaign.

I also like the coloring. Are the words intentionally a little blurred?

Y'know, after reading some of these concepts, I have only one suggestion for some of your players: Get some therapy. I had a player make a Gloop clone. It worked real well and the character is remembered fondly. The group had aliens in the group and was space oriented anyways. Now, on to the strangeness! Corn King - a friend had a villain he fortunately never pulled out on us: a humanoid that had a 100 STR, more durable than anything I know of (30 PD/ED + 30 PD/ED Armor), super agile and a Speed of 8 or 10. The basis for his powers? He's made of corn husks. Photogen - the original concept went something like this: the hero got camera implants in him so he could take pictures with his eyes and pull the photograph out of his stomach. That's it. That's all of his powers. Man, am I glad my group convinced him to change the concept! Now, he's a cyborg and has light powers with quite a few Enhanced Senses. I've mentioned Amoeba Man before in a different forum so I won't bring it up again.. unless you insist.

Just to be difficult I've already created someone with Disease powers, although mine was more simplistic in it's damaging abilities. I don't have the write-up in front of me. Depending on the disease inflicted by the villain, it was either a CON drain or/and STR drain and/or END drain and/or STUN drain and/or BODY drain. Again, depends on the disease. Fortunately, my mom, a nurse, had a book on diseases and the effects on the human system so I could see how the disease should effect statistics. I don't avoid reading books like that unless you have strong willpower. Regardless of the damage inflicted, the defense of the power worked out like this: AVLD (Power Def), not vs LS: Disease, target gets CON/5 as automatic Power Def. Someone with a high CON would automatically be more likely to fight off the disease faster. I think that's how I wrote up the power at any rate.

Ah, yet another discussion on STR. Bricks are often the subject matter used in this subject of STR costs. IMHO, it really depends on the use of STR. I present an example: Villain A uses Telekinisis to lift Brick A up into the air. "Go ahead and break out hero; fall to your doom if that's your wish." Lifting up a STR-based hero into the air via TK negates his attack. Energy Blasting a STR-based hero with EB at a distance negates his STR. (Even if the Brick picks up something, it's likely not aerodynamic.) Ego Attack a STR-based hero. These are but a few examples. There are plenty of ways to say something else is better a STR-based hero. Hence, I simply like STR as is, as do my players. Ok, I'm off to another topic.

Combat Skill Levels are a load of fun, even if a little harder. Let's pic a normal person with Dex 10 but very skilled. Oh, say 4 Overall Levels for arguments sake. Those levels thrown all in OCV while he's shooting a gun means he's taking a careful aim but leaving himself open for attack. Throwing them in DCV while shooting means he's really trying not to get hit and while hopefully maybe hitting something. CSL help add a ton of flavor. When combat is inevitablely starting, I start either on 12's or 1's of a completely new turn, dependent on how combat got initiated. I then go by Speed then Dex; it doesn't matter what your Dex is if you're not acting on a certain phase. On the 'To Hit' and OCV/DCV situation, I'm a wiz at math so I can instantly figure out what I need to hit a player when GM'ing or being player. For anyone new to the campaign though, I suggest the usual formula to them: 11 + your OCV - opponent DCV = to hit on 3d6 or less. As others have stated, there are different ways to suggest what # is needed to hit your opponent.

If you mean the anime article in Digital Hero, I liked it! It was put together quite well.

Creating a good villain team is, in itself, a task not to mention creating good villains. When I create a team, the team has to have an objective purpose in the campaign or else I don't know what to do with them. ("Should I use this team to help someone steal a UNTIL prototype? Um, I don't know. Nah.") The team has to have a specific purpose and a specific goal, even if that goal is get rich. Even a general answer like 'Get rich' begs the question: How do they plan to get rich? I've built an entire team with the sole purpose of fighting a particular hero group. They are the hero group's antithesis and archenemies. (archenemy or archenemies?) They have only shown up to fight that one hero group, although after 2 or 3 years in real time existance, I finally had them meet a difference group. Boy, did I surprise the players! An enemy group can be 10+ in numbers or as few as two; it depends on the concept. As I mentioned in another forum, I have a duo villain team: Razor & Rage. It depends on the team and how they're created.

I don't consider 400-500 pts 'Low level' but to answer the question: Oculon (Enemies 2 version), Foxbat, Fire & Ice, Icicle, Terror Inc, the Geodesics (great fun to have an entire team beat on a hero and the hero shrugs them off), Razor & Rage (a duo team I created, each at about 260 pts).. well, lots of villains from Hero Games and even more I created.

Hold on, I'm thinking here I have yet to kill a character - although I have had villains try quite hard to kill the characters. Hm, that wasn't very clear. As a GM, I do not look for ways to kill characters. Not one character has died while I've GM'd. I'm glad to be able to say that my players are veteran players and generally do not make stupid moves. The PC's look out for each other and teamwork is generally the action performed by them. I consider it the DnD mindset when a GM goes out of his way to actually kill a character and as we all know, building a good character takes a lot of thought, energy and time on a player's behalf. As many have already pointed out, there are many avenues out to killing heroes. Brainwashing, putting them in a deathtrap, letting the heroes wake-up realizing their defeat and licking their wounds, trapping them suddenly, etc. Mind you, I have a few villain nuts who would try to kill the heroes, given the chance. However, the heroes go out of their way to avoid such an incident occuring and it works. Even the villainous nuts, who don't care if a hero dies, can realize there may be a way mucho big bonus if they bring home the hero tied-up to their boss than simply killing them outright. Wounding a hero can effectively neutralize a hero, also. For those who can't be hurt, generally bricks but not always, the threat of loved ones getting hurt or innocent bystanders injured works. There is no need to kill a hero. One time I asked a player to the side if he'd be willing to set his hero in extreme danger and told him the specifics of the danger and he said 'Sure! Sounds like fun!' It was a small atomic bomb. (FYI, I use my own ideas on the damage an A-bomb would do.) He survived the bomb and came after the villain who set it off with tremendous heroic effect! Yes, the dice rolls actually worked with the player that time. The thing is, neither he nor I knew what the outcome of that adventure would be and the heroes likely death was a 50/50 chance in theory. (More like 0% since I so badly wimped out on the damage.) To close, I haven't killed a hero yet because there are so many things that can be done to them otherwise, but that doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

I'm pretty sure it's 3rd ed but I'd have to check the cover at home. It's certainly not the Champions II or Champions III supplements. By the way, did anyone ever notice the error with the guy swinging? Check his cape then the direction he's swinging.

I actually have to think about this because, as I know my friends & brothers, they'd never do this in my campaign. However, we are looking at the theoretical here, so.. Roger - not applicable. There's simply no way he'd lose his hand. If it appeared he did, it'd be because he pulled a trick. You'd have to know the character to understand. Neutron - Yes, I know it's the same name as Neutron of the Conquerors but I named my hero before Enemies I ever hit the shelves.. and I'm dating myself here, aren't I. Anyways, he'd get a bionic replacement that looks as close to a real hand as possible. Then, I'd feel sorry for the person who did it. Kill? No. Beat him to a pulp and make sure he'd be incapable of doing it to anyone else? Yes. It'd probably make him a little more 'stern' in his dealings with people like that.

Background origins? Who needs origins? All we need are generic stats with no origin backgrounds (or if backgrounds, generic backgrounds) and everyone will be happy? Right? Getting serious now, I really don't know anything more about STAST than what I've read here but it's about the villain Cobra, now known as King Cobra, correct?

I've been thinking about a power for a villain for over a year now and can't nail it down. I'll describe the effects and let you figure it out, O' Ye Knowledgable Ones: Villain Concept: Villain has average innate brick-level stats (Str 30, PD/ED are still being though-out). Power: The villain can neutralize any defense that is not artificial. If someone has a high PD because he is a superpowered brick, that high PD will be neutralized (leaving a brick surprised and possibly injured) when he attacks in physical combat. A Forcefield or Forcewall will be easily penetrated/neutralized. Armor, defined as innate will also be of no help to the hero. Should a hero have some innate armor and high PD due to superpowers, both will be neutralized. If he did a sweep manuever on 2 heroes, 1 having a high PD and the other a forcefield, both will be neutralized. Any defenses through a focus will not be bypassed or neutralized, i.e. Forcefield belt, Hi-tech armor, Bulletproof vest, etc. Suggestions?

All I can say is thank you Hugh Neilson and the others who've tackled this worthless review!

I know I will! Superb pic & write-up! Kudos to the authors. Isthva is a point-bloated pathetic version of Ming the Merciless IMHO.

So much to write with so little time. Oh well, here's a little then: Angel - swear, cheat, lie, hurt someone on purpose, etc. She's very strong morally and ethically. Kick a puppy? Thought wouldn't even enter her head. Date Foxbat? Ditto. She's in love with someone else. Go Iron? Nope. Kill? Not unless it was life or death and even then, she'd probably get in the way of the attack and take the lethal blow, not that it'd likely kill her. Give keys? Not applicable - don't have a base. Roger - he wouldn't stop bugging his teammates. He likes doing ridiculous stuff. As a matter of fact, he views that it's his life's goal to prevent one of his teammates, Jay, from dying from being terminally boring; Jay seems things differently. Kick a puppy? Not unless it was like Molly's kitty from the Tazmania series. Date Foxbat? He's a guy! No way! Go Iron? Nope. Kill? 99.9% no. He only tried it once against a villain who wanted to kill a friend's entire family and the world. Give keys? You bet! He is the sidekick!

Re: Do you use the "Optional Effects of Damage" No, I don't use the Optional Effects of Damage because I don't see it as helping the game. On a rare situation, a hero might be injured and have a temporary handicap. No, I don't use Critical Tables other than a Perfect 3 hit means more damage and an 18 means loss in DCV; variations of statement of 3 & 18 greatly varies. Now, if this was a Fantasy Hero campaign, I might.

Finally... It's amazing what a scanner can do: take old pictures, scan them into a computer and clean them up. Just stuff you don't think about doing even though it's so obvious and I've had one for years. The point of this post? I can finally post a pic or more like I said I would way back on page... um.. page something or another. More later. Finally, this is a wonderful thread. Great pics from all.

Who is your most dangerous villain, either past or present? I'll add specifics: I'm referring to those nuts/maniacs/assassins/cutthroat villains who can hurt the heroes. I don't necessarily mean powerful, although that may be the case If you want, you can list your not-so-dangerous villain but he still has to be a threat. My first villain, long since now-in-jail-forever, was Exterminator. Typical mercenary for hire with nothing more than body armor, skill and a hi-tech energy rifle. He fought an entire group of heroes regularly, sometimes for turns. As I looked back on his sheet, I wonder how he ever did it! The heroes averaged 10d6, 6 Spd, 20 PD/ED back then. He had a 27 Dex, 24 Con, 6 Spd, 12d6 attacks, 27 PD/ED, Mental defense, 2 Overall Levels. Not much more powerful when thrown against 4 or 5 heroes. I suppose the weapons with the AE Flash attacks, Entangles w/NND attacks, NND, RKA and Martial Arts he had made all the difference, hm? I later pulled him out once against a different hero group.. and was promptly defeated by phase 5. That's what happens when you design someone for a specific group. On the low point side, one of our GM's has a guy called Blade. He's actually less powerful than the heroes - I'm guessing he costs like 250 pts under 4e rules. The thing is: he has so many knives, seen and unseen, that it's very difficult to disarm him. The small sawblade on his gauntlet top always makes heroes wary of him. Still, he's effective! He remains on our heroes minds whenever a crime with knives is involved.

It's difficult to tell what you mean by 'high-level' campaign, since a point total (550+) is given. I have a 670 total point character with about 670 experience (Cool, huh?) but he's like 11d6 EB with 7 SPD. I'm going to assume you mean like 20d6 Attacks, 50 PD/ED and stuff like that. If it's 20d6 etc, nope, I don't have one.

Howabout the: Ultimate Hero Sourcebook of Everyone Requesting More Sourcebooks? Ultimate Sourcebook of City Sewers Ultimate Sourcebook of Jungles