GDShore

LL yes people can change. Those that do however are in the extreme minority. I too, have seen change, but for each one that has changed I know 50 or more that not only will not change, refuse to even contemplate that they might be in error and that there is a need for change. There is still a lot of work to do, both north and south of the border. Today up here any government that today suggested restarting the residential school system would be metaphorically be hauled out of parliament, tarred and feathered and sent south. Their party turfed on the next election and out of power for a verrry long time. Yet not five years past a member of our senate (in Canada an appointive body) stated the the Residential School system had some positive aspects. Idiots can be found everywhere.

Good point LL, but have you ever tried discussing native Americans with a hater. It is like talking to a wall, except that with a wall the worst that's coming back at you is an echo, with a hater depending on your arguments strength or your debating skills you may get a fist. I have on more than on occasion (once they pulled a knife). {sometimes I am a slow learner, but even now if I hear such crap I cannot help but call them out} The Xenoveres did not change until nearly destroyed, you see changing cultural mores is very hard. If generation A teaches B to hate, and B teaches C and C to D ect. ect. ect. it is to be expected that generation X (enovores) will hate. It takes a long time to change a cultural "truism" to find and dig out the last pockets of that behavior nearly impossible. One just has to have observed Florida for the past two years. It takes a lot of work to change a cultural truism, it can be done but there is great risk of recidivism. The bombing of a church, the kneeling on a neck these are evil acts BUT it does not make the race from which the perpetrators came from evil just the evildoers.

The Xenovores are not evil, if they are following their biological imperative then they are prosecuting a positive good for their species. The EVIL is what was done unto them. Now I do not intend to let them eat me, my family or any of my friends, thus I will hunt them unto extinction acknowledging that this is a genocide. But in a choice of my species or theirs, I choose mine. I will not call them evil and vilify them, for that will cloud my judgement, slow my reflex's and render me vulnerable to them.

In my universe I have Alchemists, and Artificers to create potions and magic items. AS an alchemist the player can create the potions with a massive limitation ie. a heal potion which cost 5 real points to create (1) will produce 50 for the alchemist, the artificer can create magic items either on speculation or on commission. ( on commission a player transfers saved points to the artificer who uses them to create item.) Neither the alchemist or artificer can cast magic spells. Your right Mr. Taylor, If you build a Legolas on 1200 points then "he would have an amulet that would analyze a target and find it's Achilles heel, and another that would toss Superman to a world with a RED SUN. No more Superman."

As I stated earlier, I no longer use good/evil races. I use inimical. Species that simply cannot tolerate another, I recently read a book (I cannot remember its title, a sequel to one written in the 20 th. century) in which a change caused by humans had wiped out the physics of the old world and substituted magic and mythical creatures. The author had postulated that centaurs and humans hated each other because of pheromones (human) which drove the centaurs into a blind berserk rage that could only be slaked by killing the offending originator. I do not use evil races but evil acts instead. With that the phrase the "only good ----- is a dead -----" doesn't occur and players that wipe out an entire village adult, child and infant alike will probably face consequences.

Ultimately, Fantasy Hero characters are the more powerful than are Champions. Take the Legolas - Superman example, Superman is without argument more powerful than Legolas, unless Legolas has a magic bow and arrows or some other magic weapon. The other big issue is that FH is not restricted to being lawful stupid. FH can KILL, Champions cannot, they must be noble, honourable, upright and if by happenstance someone should die, suffer an angst ridden existence for a loooong time to come. A point, when we setting up our house rules for campaigns, we decided from the start that all goodies had to be paid for. Players, in particular the fighter classes would bank a portion of their construction points to pay for that magic sword, shield, helm or other magic goodie that they might stumble upon. This was a group decision from the very start and it worked very well in the games I ran and those I played in.

You are correct Mr. Taylor, originally out-law's were horrendous people, most today still are, I once studied pre-law, and remember an article which generally studied the premise that if "the state charges you with a crime you must be guilty". The article put great effort into looking at those declared outlaw in England in the middle ages defined as mid 11 th. century to late English renaissance late 17 th. century. Allowing for destruction through conflict (civil wars, world wars ect.) a review of the azzises show that a greater % of those declared outlaw were almost certainly innocent of the original crime or thru despoiling daughters or killing of sons, taking of lands ect. usually at the behest of or actions of the English aristocracy. You do not get a legend like Robin Hood out of thin air.

Like LL I know it when I see it and I have seen it. I am 71+ years old and have met 2 evil persons, one male one female. The female is dead killed in a automobile accident that I have always believed was divinely orchestrated to the betterment of the world. The male is in prison and will never get out. Canada long time past forbade executions, and a life sentence 20-25 years, we also have the Dangerous Offender Act, and if you "get put on that" they can keep you there for forever. He is one of those that's there forever. Not sure I can define what is evil but I think I can start,, - One who commits murder (the taking of life without cause) for personal gratification.

I try not to use the concepts of Good/Evil. My present campaign has supporters of the life gods vs supporters of the death gods. The problem I think lies in the use of the word "RACE" it has become so loaded in the past two generations. I've stopped using race for the most part and gone to using Species, as Grailknight suggests orcs and goblins can be dealt with bumps but dealt with. Things like the Illithids or Xenomorphs cannot. (unless you like being cattle)

I agree with LL the primary function of the GM is to ensure the players fun. I ran a campaign in the early days of Champions in which one of the player characters was called Waterbug her primary ability was to walk on water, str of 13 and a gadgeteer. Over time I had introduced a series of villains tailored to specific player heroes, usually a 2-3 session arc in which the "baddie" would either be captured or escape to make an appearance later. I eventually created a villain for her. The ENTOMOLOGIST. His stchick was creating giant bugs. I had planned a a 6 session story arc, in 1 introduction, thru 2+3 defeating and humiliating the heroes, in 4 kidnapping Waterbug, in 5 the team tracking him down and the Entomologist torturing and attempting to extract her DNA to enhance his bugs, finally in 6 the "rescue", capture, trial and imprisonment of the Evil doer and the end of his reign of terror. Everything went as planned up to session 5, the team was tracking and had located the Entomologists lair, I had arranged the lighting to be lowered to enhance the torture scene, and that is when I screwed up. I had planned on the use of a spinal tap needle (in my youth I had under gone such a procedure you do not want to do so,, ever). I was sitting in a corner of the room, in the dark, and was basically a disembodied voice coming out of that dark. I got too involved in the story and stopped watching the players. I described in excruciating detail the needle, the insertion, the pain the pain that lasts for weeks after. End of session 5, and I flicked the lights on. BOOM!! She is pale, sweating and races to the loo. The group I was running at that time was 7 people, 4 gentlemen 3 ladies and a soon as the loo door closed the other two ladies began to beat me about the head and shoulders both figuratively and literally. When she returned.,, we had planned to have a group supper that we all assisted in making, she wanted to continue right away so we decided on take out. (things like Doordash are not new). The other two ladies were still going after me and she came to my defense. So session 6, heroes arrive, massive combat, derring do, rescue, bad guy to prison and an end to his reign of terror. When I planned the arc, I did not know she had an absolute horror of needles. Lesson learned, Know your players, talk to them out of game, learn what makes them tick, I had already used the kidnapping thing in a previous arc on someone who had been a friend for twenty years and everybody had raved about it. Know their strengths and their weaknesses, I am an Aliuraphobe I hate cats my wife loves them. We would continue with champions for another year, then move to FH.

This is a heavily situational dependent question. Is the object you are trying to grab attached to something, level 1 not attached = no damage, level 2 light attachment (held down with scotch tape) little to no damage, level 3 medium attachment (held down by screws or such like) up to 50% move by damage, level 4 strong attachment (held down by ropes , chains, bolts and the like) up to 100% move by damage. Extreme attachment.... ? . in game terms , You are the speedster and will attempt to grab a weapon from the grip of, Charlie Milquetoast - level 1/2, the Bruiser (gangland enforcer/body builder) str. 15 - 18 level 3, and finally Super Brick str. 50+ level 4. Now as for grabbing a being, dependent again, if the "grabbe" (the grabber is the person doing the grabbing) is willing or unresisting level 1, (Charlie) if unwilling or resisting level 3 (Bruiser) actively resisting or surprisingly dense (Super Brick who gains his str. thru multiple density increase and weighs 5 tonne level 4 maybe level 5. [ potential great cartoon moment as the Speedster rips his arms off trying to grab and carry off the S.B.]{or dislocates, wrenches, sprains ect. ect.}

old men who carry brooms, ..... or those who plant trees.

I grew up on "Reserves" (a despicable term) and the "nits make lice" concepting results in centuries of resentment and hate. Treating any group as sub-human and therefore "killable indiscrimanently" will have consequences down time. You see some always survive, and that will affect your grandchildren and their children and their children. For historical precedent look to Ireland and the Balkans.

There's also the saga's, there are some very good English translations, the Icelandic ones in particular. Also, archeological dig findings, for clothing, accessories, weapons and vessels. (dimensions, carrying capacity, ect.)

You are right about the publication dates, however they were not published in order of writing, the Hobbit was written between 2 and three and the Silmarillion started before three was completed. I've not read it yet,,, and probably will not find the time in the near future.

Actually I would give it a high to very high def. vs. blunt force, energy and heat weapons, but a low def. vs chop, slash and thrust weapons. After all as someone mentioned diamonds are cleaved by a steel wedge tapped be a mallet.

Actually, the Hobbit written long after LOTR was meant to ease you into the trilogy. I once knew someone who knew the Great and Mighty Never to be Questioned and of Course Never Ever Wrong Tolkien, her description, she studied under him and although his knowledge was encyclopedic the man himself was rather unimpressive. I had tried to read the "the Trilogy" three times got as far as half way through the first book and threw them into the dustbin. She had me read the Hobbit first, the trilogy made sense after that, according to her the Hobbit was written in plain English stripped of the pedantic overworked linguistics of the author. IT was easier to read the trilogy after the Hobbit. (I was an overly serious pompous ass when younger)

As a GM you can spend months creating your campaign, seeding it with clues, novel encounters, villages, towns, cities, colorful and unique terrain and hordes of NPC's and the one area you have not yet completed that can only be accessed by going up a mountain pass and then traverse a narrow ledge above a bottomless gorge. A ledge no sane person would essay, and that is where they will choose to go. "SHEESH"

The crew I played with in the early '80's took the "disad's" as a challenge to help create totally unique characters. They were a team, so their hunted's were pretty much the same and they as a group created the skeletons of them each of them though had their own specific hunter(s). All of us had played D&D, Traveller, Gamma World, Empire of the Petal Throne and Chivalry and Sorcery in fact some of us were testers for C&S. We had done a lot of RPG. The idea of disadvantages opened up a whole new world for us. As game master, I tried to introduce situations where the individual disad's. could/would occur as well as solving the adventure du jour how they dealt with their particular issue became an expected and anticipated part of the gaming. This was not an adversarial thing rather, Champions (HERO system) was story telling, the game master would create the framework for the adventure and the players the dialogue, action and flesh of the tail. Something that most of the RPG systems didn't do, though some hinted at it.

OH, I forgot to describe the Tourist's attire, Bermuda shorts in flourescent lime green, a Hawaiian print shirt, a straw hat and flip flops with knee high socks.

Yes the idea is groundbreaking, I had an occasional player in my first champions campaign, he could only show up for 1-n-3 sessions (which were two weeks apart to begin with) he had two characters which he would use depending on the boundaries of that session. 1 - The Derelict, a homeless drunk, two abilities, alcoholic belch (blast - stun attack) 2 - push back - focus fingerless gloves (telekinetic attack 8 die 6) and the Tourist, a stereotypical Japanese tourist (I know not exactly P.C.) coke bottom glasses that gave him x-ray vision, a set of cameras that gave him flash attacks and a microphone recorder system microphone slightly out of sync giving him a sonic "squeal" attack. He based the first on his father, and the second on an uncle by marriage. When he was playing the sessions dynamic completely changed. When he was not there, everyone was much more serious and laser focused, when there, they were looser and way more fun.

I used to, but I do not do Comics Code and my campaigns tend to be bloody. The bad guys seldom survived more than 2-3 episodes. Hard to reintroduced dead guys and at the time I didn't do zombies. (I do now, it allows me to assess playing characteristics and thinking styles of newbies, so as to tailor the campaign. Of the 12 groups I have run through this format only two went more than 3 episodes, 1 that morphed into a campaign that lasted 18 months) So I do not use premade bad guys [except minions] like the "Duke" I get too big a kick out of making them myself.

Thank you Bunch, I can see some of this being very useful in a FH setting.

Ah yes, killing off an NPC. I did not even imagine that the death of a nobody character could be so devastating. In a campaign in the '80s I had a NPC that from the start I planned to knock and open a whole new avenue for the campaign, my crew blew up 3 of them left saying her death was "cruel and arbitrary". At that point I had already killed off 8 or 9 NPC's. Sometimes people can develop the strangest attachments, after that I tried to be more perceptive about such occurences. (at this point I suspect that any GM who has run games for a whileee has a similar story)

I reread this thread today, Mr. Ruggels. What famous screwup?