Durzan Malakim

From my reading of the Here There be Monster's Mystic Wards & Circles skill, creating a basic Ward in a two meter area requires 5-15 minutes and imposes a -1 to the skill roll. The ward lasts for 3-6 months or longer with additional degree of success. To receive extra time bonuses, we'd start at the 20 minute time interval, and get bonuses for 1 hour, 6 hours, 1 day, and so on of extra time. Since the degree of success boosts both the duration and effectiveness of wards, there's every reason to take extra time with their creation. Warding our home base could therefore take weeks to months of time even if I do a rush job rather than careful work. Murgatroyd could easily spend all day every day just making wards, but I suspect he'll limit himself to one 6-hour roll so he has some time to do other things in a day.

Murgatroyd has these priorities for our home defenses.

1. Mystic wards to provide protection against scrying.
2. Hermetic wards to provide supernatural resistance.

Jack can add necromantic wards to provide protection against undead as he is able. Again this is potentially weeks to months of work so perhaps something done in "down time."

Based on the additional information provided, I'll amend our business model to cover these services:

• Warding Work for Hire: Murgatroyd with one or more bodyguards to watch over him while he's concentrating.
• Hunter logistics and research consulting: Potentially all of us, but I suspect Joey runs the computers, network, and IT infrastructure and the rest of us provide information related to our various specialties.
• Hunter backup personnel and bounty-sharing: Potentially all of us, but I suggest Beretta uses her social skills and Striking Appearance to find new clients/customers, and Drew uses his operations skills to coordinate/organize/lead strike teams.
• Hunter financial services: Kilroy has the most prior experience in financial matters, albeit in real estate, but he could perhaps expand his knowledge or just invest in real estate.
• Teleportation services: This is a potential long-term investment where Kilroy finds real estate in strategically useful areas of the US, and Murgatroyd creates a warded teleportation circle for rapid and discrete transportation. Game mechanic-wise I'd need to spend future XP on known teleportation locations. I'm not sure how we'd buy new teleportation target locations. Would we pay with money/resource points, or invest XP in bases?

We might get potential customer leads from:

• Berreta's relationship with Harker if/when he has a case not worth his time and attention
• Jack's contacts in the Ordo Sanguine if/when a non-vampire supernatural comes to their attention
• Our collective reputation for being effective Hunters

Much like real investigation and security, I suspect the vast majority of the work is boring baby-sitting and surveillance. Here's some thoughts on what each monster-hunter member might be doing for Unconventional Solutions, LLC.

• Drew probably specializes in physical protection services (Drew certainly has Murgatroyd's recommendation. "I'm not just the CEO of Unconventional Solutions, I'm also a customer.") Whether he'd bring Beretta and Jack into this side of the business would be up to them. Drew would also lead our violent solutions team whenever force needs to be applied to a problem.
• Killroy could be our CFO and real estate broker. If he wants a hands-on job his sniper skills would make him good at surveillance. He'd also make a deadly assassin for those jobs where a well-placed sniper rifle round fixes your supernatural problem. I somehow suspect he's doing that job on his own anyway.
• Joey probably does all things computer-related such as dealing with cyber-crimes, being office IT, and building us a good web site. He might also make a decent field investigator since his nigh invulnerability allows us to send him into unknown situations and reasonably assume he'll survive them.
• Jack may be most useful as a point of contact with potential customers. I'm sure there are lots of problems the Order hears about but don't act upon because they aren't vampire-related. And of course when there is a vampire problem, Jack is our specialist. His alchemical protections would make him a good body guard, but I don't know if Jack would waste his alchemical supplies on "mundane" (to him) jobs. In any case, he's part of the violent solutions team.
• Beretta could potentially funnel us jobs Harker doesn't want to deal with because they're beneath him. She might also make a good bodyguard if she's willing. I suspect she may have more issues with handsy clients than supernatural threats, but Murgatroyd can always whip up a non-lethal "Grope-Zapper" charm if need be to dissuade them. She's obviously part of the violent solutions team.

I believe we have several revenue streams and customers:

• Mundane (likely corporate) customers with problems that we can solve better, faster, or cheaper with magic
• Mundane (likely corporate) customers who've had past supernatural problems and want protection from future issues
• Supernatural entities who have problems in either the mundane or supernatural world (This might require either a Contact or favor from SAIC Harker or Matthews)
• Referrals from section M for supernatural issues that don't clear the "open a bounty" threshold (This might require either a Contact or favor from SAIC Harker or Matthews)
• (Hopefully in the future) Referrals from other happy customers

As CEO, Murgatroyd would master sales pitches for each customer, although the first one would be tricky since he can't exactly say how they achieve their "magical" results.

I also like how Murgatroyd is looking at Drew with a his "I told you so" face. So much subtle detail to appreciate.

Looking good there @Scything. Am I the only one who captions Drew's face with the thought bubble .oO(What have I gotten myself into?)

Here's how I imagine Drew's departure and return went:

Murgatroyd: "We should band together for mutual protection from L'Éminence Nocturne. They'll be coming for us, but together we can face any threat."

Drew: "Sounds great. Count me in. On a completely unrelated note, I'm taking a vacation in Mexico. See you in two weeks"

Murgatroyd: "I don't think now is the best time to..."

Drew: "Stay out of trouble, Kid, and make me proud at your agent training."

Murgatroyd: "You're risking making yourself a target..."

Drew: "I'm officially off the clock as of... now. Hasta la vista, hunters. Don't call me, I'll call you."

Murgatroyd: "If you'd allow me just a moment to ward..."

Drew: "No time for magic mumbo jumbo now, Murg. I've got a plane to catch." <Departs>

Murgatroyd: "Shit."

<Several weeks later at the Unconventional Solutions LLC offices.>

Murgatroyd: <Holding an old-fashioned phone receiver to his ear.> "Yes, we're well-equipped to deal with such situations. I'll send my best consultant out today..."

Drew: "I'm back."

Murgatroyd: <Speaking into phone> "...to review the scene and give you an estimate. I think your Pixie problem will be a thing of the past..."

Drew: "Those vampires have a long reach, Murg. I could have used your magic mojo down South..."

Murgatroyd: <Looking at Drew but speaking into the phone> "...Yes. One moment please, my associate has some new information." <He covers the phone mic with his hand>

Drew: "It's like you said. Together we can face any threat."

Murgatroyd: "Sounds great. Count me in. On a completely unrelated note, you've got a 2 o'clock appointment to purge some Pixies."

Drew: "Shit."

I'll mention this again in-game and in-character, but Murgatroyd will mention to each of his fellow hunters that it is a matter of when, not if, L'Éminence Nocturne will attack us supernaturally. As the arcane expert of the group, Murgatroyd will recommend either cohabiting in a warded home or having him come out regularly to ward where you live. It's time I start using these Lore skill to protect us.

I'll see you fine folk this Saturday for some vampire slaying. Slayer not included, or are they?

All very good entries, there @King Red. I can just see making business cards with "Lionheart LLC, monster management and magic consulting."

"Oh please don't let us be Murg and the Troyds. Oh please don't let us be Murg and the Troyds. Oh please..."

There are several interesting possibilities involving "Six":

• The Serious Six
• The Surviving Six
• The Quick Six

Taking some letters from our names doesn't produce any phrases that particularly grab me, but there may be better combinations:

• BaD JaM JoK
• DJ Jo KiBaM
• Dr Jo JaM BaK
• BaJa Jo MurDr Kil
• Jo BaD MuJaK
• BJ JaM KiDr 

Everywhere we go, we make new immortal evil enemies. I think our new group tagline should be, "If we can kill it, it wasn't really immortal." Or perhaps, "We find the 'I'm mortal' lurking inside every immortal."

Assuming we survive this arc, I suspect our group will earn itself an official or unofficial name such as "Suicide Squad" or "The Dirty Dozen." Anyone have any suggestions for what our name should be? Let's not leave it up to other Hunters to give us a lame name like, "The Motley Crew" or "Harker's Hubris."

It's nice having our character sheets online so we can always call one up if we need to.

I forget, but are we allowed to spend XP mid-fight? I'd guess no, but thought I'd ask. In your ample free time (insert laugh tracks sound effects here), can you reconcile my 159 point Murgatroyd with yours? I'd like to have the most current version available by the next time we play.

We've finally made web site prime time, boys! Presumably, once we give you character updates, you can post them there for our benefit.

Good luck in Toronto and don't overdose on maple syrup.

I'm available this Saturday. Murgatroyd looks forward to more monster hunting, manly panic, and magic making.

Here are some out-of-context teasers:

• Jack didn't bring enough to share with the rest of us
• "I'll leave my rifle in the car."
• "Reverse Malibu and Venice."
• "Killroy mentioned something about a gunfight."
• "Roll to see what would have happened."
• "90 miles an hour!"
• "I think I made him angry, Drew."
• "Why did he even bother with a shotgun?"

Here's the latest version I have for Murgatroyd with the spells he's cast. Feel free to review and update as needed. I know my version of Arcane Armaments differs from your as I built it as an Aid. I'm not sure how you built the original version of 2 DCs. Was it a ranged martial maneuver usable by others?

Murgatroyd_159_ks.hdc

Thanks to @Scything for being nigh indestructible so we get to fight more vampires rather than roll up new characters. We have our very own Tick defending the City. Does that make me Arthur?

10 hours ago, Killer Shrike said:

Possible new PC for @L0rd_Magg0t 

 

Jack Maywood, Vampire Hunter

 

 

 

 

Karl Urban's Kirill in the Bourne Supremacy makes for a good Jack Maywood. 

I'll see y'all tomorrow at the friendly local gaming store. I look forward to facing more blood-sucking fiends, and even some vampires too.

I would avoid potentially bad party mixes such as:

• Characters built for a different type of game such as combat-monkeys for a role-playing-heavy game or a role-playing-heavy character for a combat-focused game. Provide players some build guidelines so they know whether they'll be playing in Superhero Fight Club or Ang Lee's Superhero Art Film.
• Players who unintentionally build rivalrous characters with the same power set, party role, or schtick. For example, two players build scrappers, but one consistently outshines the other and makes that player feel useless or underpowered. While Champions is "classless" you still may want to encourage players to build toward a desired party role. However, there is fun to be had for groups who intentionally build rivals. Just make sure your players want that fun.
• Players who unintentionally build characters who are antagonistic toward other characters in party. This is usually some poor mix of Complications like player one has a hatred of aliens and player two makes an alien. It's fine when intra-party conflict is a dynamic your players want, but such interactions should not come as a surprise. Again, build guidelines such as, "no brooding loners or murder hobos" can prevent these issues.
• Groups where one or more players have attacks against alternate defenses or attacks with no normal defense that make other players feel useless or underpowered. These attacks should have diminishing returns over time as foes adapt to them. "This time the Malta agents have come prepared for Internet Troll's NND mental attacks." Essentially, everyone should have a time to shine. Don't consistently reward or punish one power build over another.

7 hours ago, Commoner1 said:

Are there some powers or power groups that are probably detrimental for the gaming experience in general? The best examples I can come up with are Save-or-Die-spells from Pathfinder that turn the game into russian roulette or basically unlimited Teleport spells at medium levels. My group hated them instantly in our first campaign and it was a much more enjoyable ride once we got rid of them in our second campaign for players and 99% of the oppostion.

The Game Basics section on page 8 of Champions Complete explains the four icons you can see for certain rules. Rules with exclamation points and stop signs are the ones I suggest you pay the most attention to. It's possible to build some "I win" power combinations where there is little to no defense against it. For example, making a teleport power usable as an attack that you use to port enemies away or into harm's way. Or an attack with no normal defense that does body damage. Players may think it's great to use such a power on others, but they generally don't like it used on them. In general, every attack should have a defense. I suggest violating that rule sparingly so that when it occurs it has dramatic consequences. There are already plenty of power mechanics and interactions for you and your players to learn, and you can always add in more complex builds as you become more comfortable with the rules. There is a recent thread about Cheesy-munchkiny builds you've seen that will give you an idea of the kind of powers you may want to avoid.

Character points are just a starting point. Things like campaign limits, decisions about which "stop sign" powers you want to allow, and just talking with your group about the type of game they want to play also factor into a fun game. I would suggest adding in rules and powers as you feel comfortable rather than starting with all the bling, but your mileage may vary. Welcome the boards, and I look forward to hearing about your games.

I suggest starting around the Very Powerful (mystery men) 275 point to Low-Powered (youthful superheroes) 300 point level to make Alpha and Beta level villains a credible threat. Player teamwork and skillful use of game mechanics make straight character point comparisons an unreliable mechanism for determining whether something is a challenge. If you start smaller, you can always be generous with experience points to grow quickly if you don't like the scale.

Having played Champions from 400 point characters to almost 800 point world-shapers, I have found that more points does not always lead to more fun. While I could do more stuff with 800 points, I didn't have twice the fun I had when I started off with 400 points. Since I know you've played City of heroes, ask yourself was it fun for a level 50 toon to smash those level 1 to 10 Skulls? Probably not. You enjoy struggling against a comparable threat. You want to work your way up to those Gunslinger Malta agents.

At the moment, I'm playing in a low powered 150 point supernatural hunter campaign and loving how well HERO scales down: all the flavor for half the calories. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you check out Killer Shrike's website for HERO resources.

Splitting infinitives is almost as bad as ending a sentence with a preposition, and that is something up with which we shall not put.