Boll Weevil

Re: Assault on Stronghold Hmm, it would be cool to know ahead of time the player/character intends to kill the mastermind. Then, to Kirby's point, the GM could play the leader. A major character is killed; all the drama without losing a player. I like it. If not, the GM could still play the ring leader but have him/her killed during the assault.

Hello again. Boll Weevil here. I wanted to throw an idea out to see what other Herophiles think. I am among those who are disappointed to hear that Stronghold is being delayed. That's OK. I will wait. In antici...pation of the release, I have been thinking a lot about the incorporation of Stronghold in my games. What I would like to do is build a story around the new and improved facility that will likely be detailed in the book. My campaign world is set, mostly, in the Champions Universe. I can do that with relative ease since Cincinnati doesn't really exist in the CU canon. Cincy is conveniently located 5 hours south of Millenium City; close enough that events there impact my campaign but far enough that I can make my game city important enough for my players to care. To build a story I thought I would try something kinda weird but not unprecedented. I would love to play (or run, if I have to) in a game where all the players played a villain from the CKC. Of course, players can make changes and additions from such wonderful sources like the USPD to better flesh out the characters and make them more fun to play as PCs. I thought one player could run a Mastermind villain (Holocaust or the like) and recruit other villains for an assault on the Cincinnati-based Stronghold. The first chapter of the game would be roleplayed in various villain hangouts while the team was formed. The second would be the actual break-in, which I can only guess would be more combatty. In my modified CU, Cincinnati's Stronghold was built around the time other bigger cities were building theirs. Without the budget enjoyed by other cities, Cincinnati retrofitted an existing prison to deal with super-powered criminals. Cincinnati's real-life city counsel is comically ineffective and this makes a lot of sense if you live here. While Costa Mesa and Millenium City (to name just a couple) have modern, almost futuristic, facilities, Cincinnati's Stronghold is an accident waiting to happen. The reasons to attack are many. The Mastermind could plan to kill a character while he/she is stripped of powers. This plan would allow a lesser villain to take care of a more powerful foe, either out of his/her armor or under the power-suppression of the jail cell. Another scenario could involve breaking in and releasing all the prisoners. The resulting chaos as the city's supers are trying to mop up the mess could allow the mastermind or his team to accomplish another crime unimpeded by capes. If the mastermind is the member, or even leader, of an existing team (ex GRAB), he/she could merely put the team together to break out his/her comrades. Would (or have) anyone play in such a game? If you were to play a character, modified and updated or course, from the CKC, who would you play? Which would be more fun for you in an online game, the recruitment and planning portion or the actual assault? Thank you in advance for your feedback. This close to an election, honestly, this is about the only forum I even read any more. The ideas and suggestions I read in the Champions forum are just great! Ultimately the outcome of the adventure will form the backstory of why Cincinnati will (re)build a new Stronghold facility.

Re: Bay City Rollers Campaign Log Mr. Frisbee, Your Bay City Rollers game doesn't happen to meet on S-A-T-UR-DAY Night, does it? Boll "So so horribly old" Weevil

Re: The Champions Universe and the mutant cure All, thanks for your input. For my game, I think the cure may be just a mcguffin. I don't think any of the PC's would be interested so it could just be a plot point to add some drama. While definitely more Marvel than DC, my games don't really play the mutant card very often. Upon further reflection, I'm sure Radium would gladly rejoin the ranks of the mundane human.

At the risk of having my Nerd License revoked, I have not yet seen X-Men III but I plan to ASAP. I have, however, read some of the Astonishing X-Men and am intrigued by the mutant “cure†story idea. Now, the mutant idea itself has been argued ad nauseum on these boards and I certainly don’t want to start all that business up again. What I would like to know if such a “cure†were to become available in the Champions Universe, who would accept it. Although out of current continuity, my first thought goes to the likes of Giganto from Terror Inc. I’ve used Terror Inc a lot over the last decade and always thought Giganto was just a sad character who would gladly give up his powers and go back to mundane life. Who else do you think would come out of hiding and risk capture to take advantage of a cure for their super condition?

For one of my upcoming games, I am compiling a list of heroes who fought in the Battle of Detroit. I know the official Champions Universe canon but I am interested in knowing what players and GMs here have played that scenario. Even if you haven’t actually played but rather have the story as part of your character’s origin, I want to know your story. How did your character get involved? Did he/she survive? If so, how? How has it affected him/her since?

OK, so there’s this billionaire playboy who, in his spare time, dons a suit of something or other and fights crime. All his toys are bought with some sort of foci. Easy so far. Let’s say Mr. Billionaire has some Contacts. He is, after all, a wealthy industrialist. My problem is that his costumed persona cannot have the same Contacts as his Secret ID. Is there a way to apply a “Not In Hero ID†limitation on perks and things? Your input, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Re: Fire as an effect? I agree. Whether or not an attack (fire, laser, whatever) starts a fire when it hits something depends, not on the attack, but the susceptibilities/vulnerabilities of the object hit by said attack. Although perhaps common sense, I think it is important to call this out. This makes 10d6 of Energy Blast cost the same no matter the SFX, IMHO, a strength of the Hero System. A fire blast will be more effective than a kinetic blast on a wall of ice because of ice's (Vulnerabilty: Fire attacks).

Re: Funny game voices Guyon you are repped for no other reason but using Captain Nice on a character sheet. Thanks for the chuckle.

I am curious if any of Herodome Assembled have ever run or participated in a game where the characters were provided for you and of the success thereof. Specifically for newcomers or for those daunted by the character-generation process, this can be a good way to jump right in to play. I have read on these boards where folks have run, say, a Marvel Universe game and players ran published characters but even still I think the players did the write-ups. A second, more selfish reason I have thought about this is the fact that, as a GM (and evermore shall I be apparently) I have good characters that have not seen a battlefield, bar or Evil Volcano Base in years. It would be good for the soul to see my old team fight together again and by fresh players to boot! So whattyathink? Does anyone have any success/horror stories about such a game?

Re: 70's and 80's Master Villians

Re: Help with plot seeds thread I have used HowStuffWorks.comfor many details of my games including the Detroit Tunnel, sewer systems and subway works.

Re: Hydro (Millenium City Hero) If there isn't a writeup for Hydro, the CKC villainess Riptide is a great place to start. And I am not just saying that because of Nato's sexy depiction of her in the USPD!

Re: Champions Universe Movie Casting Call Ugh! I have looked through all my books and I can't find the picture I am thinking about but one Ironclad pic looks dead on Christopher Lambert (Highlander, Mortal Kombat).

Re: Campaign cliches we love Hee hee. "Hey, boss. I don't know if this helps or not, but Socrates has detected a shipment of sharks and head-mounted lasers being delivered to the old inactive volcano on Fire Island. Maybe we should investigate."

How would you describe a character who is a good liar? Acting would be a bit much, this guy just has a knack for lying. He probably would not fool a lie detector or even a Detect Lie. Some people lie so often they can do it without thinking. The really good ones can believe their own lies and possibly could evade a Detect or Mind Reader. Since this is the Champions thread and not the NGD I won't mention anyone by name but some noteable politicians have perfected this to a science. Once they get caught in a few, a Reputation:Liar precedes them and the effect is ruined. I personally know people with this skill. While they don't have a public Reputation, I am now immune to their Liar roll What do you think? Acting with an "only to tell lies" Limitation?

OK, this is separate from the Plot Seeds thread. There are some campaign cliches some would find tiresome but we love them both from a GM and player standpoint. For me, I love the old gem where a villain has found one part of a mystic/alien atrifact and is looking for the other three pieces to complete a weapon or transdimensional portal. The heroes must find the other pieces before Big Bad(s) can. I like this one because the campaign is serial with each adventure tidied up before questing for the next piece. This campaign can be run with multiple groups each running toward the same goal. If Big Bad beats them tonight, the cause is not necesarily lost. This campaign in it's many iterations has been done and overdone but I still love it. What about you?

Re: Campaign cliche: The demise of the Champions Cool. Like teleporting in and futzing with the Danger Room, replacing the Panda and Bulldozer program with Dr Destroyer and Takofanes? Eee-viilll!!!

Greetings, Hero enthusiasts. I will be starting a new campaign in the spring, my first in several years. I’m not too worried about many of the details of the campaign as the players have told me what they want. It will start as many campaigns do, the demise of the current heroes and call to arms of the second string heroes. My question comes in two parts. First, if any of you have done this in your games please share your stories. How did the team bite it? Battle Royal or sniped one by one? I will relay the news via newspaper articles. Second, I wonder if anyone would be interested in playing it out if I were to run it on Hero Central. Let’s say I use the Champions (I would add some members and make some subtle character sheet additions) in Millennium City. I would accept any characters but I think it would be fun if the players picked a character from CKC to play. I don’t mind different power levels, loners are OK. I wouldn’t really submit too much of a scenario, the players would decide how to take the team down and execute it on their own. I just play referee. I’m not saying I will do this but if a lot of people are interested how could I refuse?

Re: Old vs new: Obsidian vs Ironclad Dude, you just blew my mind.

Re: Old vs new: Obsidian vs Ironclad Yes sorry, I used the 4th ed CU version and, at some point, converted to 5th. I had forgotten the Big O had paid for Growth and DI.

So? Who would win in a fight? Obisidian or Ironclad?

Re: Star Wars: Empire at War I for one LOVE Star Wars Rebellion. It is the only game on my computer.

Re: Your PC's might be underpowered if... You have never seen segment 2.

I have seen the polls and read the discussions surrounding the big upcoming release(s). I didn’t put in my two cents because my number one request is not a genre or ultimate book. The book I am waiting for with giddy antici……..wait for it….pation is Stronghold. When it is released, I plan to buy it on the first day. Later, I will buy the PDF. In short, I want my Stronghold. In 20 sumpn sumpn years of playing Champions, Stronghold was the most influential and constant part of our adventures. Our super team, the Abnormals, eventually became the main security team at a Stronghold facility. At first, game night meant quelling riots, foiling escapes and holding off all-out assaults from the outside. Eventually, as the campaign (and we) matured, the players wanted more role-playing opportunities. The Stronghold prison environment offered that too. The characters got to know the villains through daily contact. As a GM, it was cool because I got to really play, then Classic Enemies, baddies with all the personality and no (or limited) firepower. I tried as best I could to imagine what power structures might arise between inmates. Only in Stronghold could Panda ally with Wyvern. The Midwest Stronghold was much like the Abnormals themselves. Definitely second string. Most of the Strongholds were new, modern, state-of-the-art facilities built exclusively for its intended purpose. Ours was a converted prison, retrofitted and aged. The location of our Stronghold was chosen for its location. Captured supervillains with exotic or poorly understood powers were brought there until a cell could be configured at a better facility. Suffice it to say, we had a much higher escape record than most. The attitude of the Costa Mesa security team who came to pick up the baddies was fun to role-play. “Don’t worry; we will take him to a real prison. He won’t escape Costa Mesa so easilyâ€. It was also fun to play the city’s resident superteam (to which each of the Abnormals applied) when they brought in the bad guys. Much like a real cop talks to a mall security guard. How have you used Stronghold in your games?