Doctor Agenda

I don't have my 6th Ed handy, so pardon if this has already been addressed, but I noticed when designing team communicators for my players (a gift from the GM) that there were a couple of things that seemed odd about the advanced concealed tactical headset I got from the equipment guide. Although it is audio only, it costs more points than a model that has visual reception/transmission would be. This is because Affected as Sight and Hearing as well as Radio Groups is a (-1/2) limitation, while just Affected as Hearing and Radio is just a (-1/4).

Because clearly not being able to view or send visual transmissions is a limitation compared to the HRRP full monty, I'm using an additional limitation: Audio Only (-1/2).

I also noticed lack of directionality is a (-1/2) limitation, and to my knowledge, directional radio is not a feature of radio headsets, so I added No Direction, too. Here is what I wound up with:

Advanced Concealed Tactical Radio: HRRP (12 active points), Affected as Hearing as well as Radio (-1/4), Audio Only (-1/2), IIF (-1/4), No Direction (-1/2), One Continuing Fuel Charge of six hours (-0). Real Cost: 5 points.

I figure they could be creative and get a direction finding by using a couple of the radios in tandem and making a System Ops roll, but this would only be out of combat so I figure it's okay as a gimme.

So, do you think this is a good build, or am I letting my experience as a former radio comm analyst in the AF make me a radio martinet?

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

This storyline takes place in the same universe as My Superhero Universe. The basic premise is that superhumans have always existed' date=' and were originally worshiped as gods. Later as human technology advanced they were persecuted as witches and demons. During the American Revolution King George III attempted to use superhumans against the colonist, and George Washington offered the world's superhumans a safe place to live in exchange for fighting on our side. Costumes were worn to protect the superhumans from Tories, and the tradition stuck. Over the years superhumans have operated technically as bounty hunters. No one complains when disasters are prevented, and vigilantes (those who kill) are hunted by superheroes as well.[/quote']

 

Supers can be very useful to the powers-that-be, a super-favor in return for a political favor could help keep the laws favorable to costumed crimefighters. DAs who go after superheroes may find that supercriminals like communities where heroes are as hampered by the law as they are. Most places may well have an understanding that you don't turn the full force of the law on superheroes who act in good faith if you don't want the villains to get out of hand.

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

I am stealing the bounty hunter framework for superhero operations for my just-started Secret History campaign, as well as assault's 'supers are the reason why the world is the way it is' reasoning. Of course in Secret History, the familiar modern world is largely a facade constructed to conceal the activities of Reptoids, Grays, and an Inhuman-like hidden race.

The useful thing about conspiracy theories, is that you start at the end and work your way back. The same can be done with a superhero setting (which tend to be at least partly conspiratorial anyway), to explain why your setting is the way it is, both in its differences and its similarities to the real world.

Re: The City of ????

Good point, Doctor. With all the unknowns, though, the government would probably have an 'enter at your own risk' policy rather than actively encouraging relocation to The City. The USA takes in thousands of refugees from around the world every year, the sales pitch might go something like: 'You may have heard about the mysterious City that appeared a short while back that has a great infrastructure and resources but no population, well, there are a lot of unanswered questions about it so we really can't recommend you settle there.'

Re: BioFix - We're here to help!

A more realistic energy source would be the host, and more conducive to interesting side effects, such as having to eat more to maintain adequate body mass. If the bacteria are basically dormant unless the host is holding a breath or generating a lot of lactic acid, this would probably not be noticeable. If you're trying to live underwater, on the other hand, you'd need to consume a lot of calories to fuel the process.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

I hadn't thought about that aspect of having a Secret ID, McCoy...excellent point.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

It's not really doing. It's been out of print for a while. This is not to say there aren't copies available. It's just not a "Live" book at the moment. Of course' date=' I highly recommend reading it![/quote']

 

I have ordered it and am looking forward to a good read.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Offtopic...Querysphinx, I heard your book is pretty good. How is it doing?

Re: My Superhero Universe

No offense take, Cassandra, and LOL!

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Another option for involuntary unmasking is the traditional comic book way: after the episode involving the revelation of the super's secret identity, everything resets to normal. We expect Hunteds to generate stories not kill off characters, same for Secret ID, it shouldn't normally result in the ultimate consequence. The 'Icon Effect' suggested earlier might manifest in the form of witnesses getting amnesia or deciding to keep the secret, a convenient double being handy, and so on.

One way to do it would be for Icons to intervene directly, sending an agent of the store to take care of the mess.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

One way to go on the issue of forceable unmasking is to rule that donning one's super identity is a physical transformation as well as a sartorical one, if the wearer fits the costume rather than vice versa. Although you need the costume to become your 'powered self', the transformation back could be entirely voluntary. Thus a simple unmasking won't rob someone of their powers. Of course there's no reason why mileage shouldn't vary on this matter, with some characters being vulnerable to unmasking and others not.

Your super self appearance could be based on a 'superized' version of your normal appearance, but maybe the appearance comes with the costume: no matter who wears it, they look the same.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

That's true. You'd have real superhumans, trained humans with weapons or gadgets, and the posers.

 

I like the name 'Icon tech ' to refer to the gadgets and equipment available only from Icons. Rep to you for that.

Your humble servant. (bows modestly)

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Speaking of the Tinkerer, Icons would not be the only source of costumed heroes and villains for long. Following the appearance of real supers would be Kickass-type costumed crimefighters and villains. People who became Iconic gadgeteers might not be able to provide 'Icon tech' to others, but cutting edge realistic equipment is another story. Assuming Icons never grants the ability to give other people long-term powers, there would be two tiers of heroes & villains: the Icons, and the training/gadget types. Plus posers.

Re: My Superhero Universe

I really enjoyed Watchmen, but I'm not sure whether because it DOES have some soul or whether I'm too much of a fanboy to realize it didn't have any.

Re: The City of ????

Another possibility is free food, the refrigerators and cabinets auto-magically restock themselves. That will draw an entirely different crowd of immigrants, though.

Re: The City of ????

LL has a point, people go where there's jobs...or a free handout. The machines should be there, because no one's going to move in until someone has invested billions of dollars installing them otherwise. If you want a lower tech level overall, you could probably lure people in with just free energy. Then the only really high tech you would need would be the energy source, preferably distributed, so each building has its own supply. Have the city already set up with wireless, and immigration should take care of itself. The city has factories and free electricity, as soon as the government allows it, someone's going to take advantage of the ready-made facilities and set up shop with extremely low capital outlay costs. They just have to be uninpressed with the possibility that the place is a roach motel for humans. High wages and cheap apartments will get the ball rolling. Oh, and you had better have a bridge built.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Of course, this is an origin that works in a wide variety of superhero settings...most Champions settings I've played in, 'Challenger gets his powers from his costume, which he got from a mysterious costume shop and comes with conditions...' works fine.

Re: My Superhero Universe

Can't agree more! I'm going to say welcome back, because I haven't run across any of your posts in awhile.

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Would they all be normal in their original identity, having to put the costume on or transform into their heroic ID?

Re: Icons - The Costume and Superpowers Store

Awesome concept! Maybe a wearer can choose a successor if they die in costume, maybe anyone they choose, maybe only someone present.

Re: Superhero Channel

Anyone could make that mistake. Really.

Isis, of course. Hero High if they run out of infomercials.

Re: Superhero Channel

And The Flash, Mantis, Nightman, and maybe that guy with the jaguar senses (The Guardian?). Very late at night, Man from Atlantis.

Re: Superhero Channel

Yeah, there's a ton of material, including Brit shows that most Americans have never heard of. Arguably; Angel, Buffy, Hercules, Jake 2.0, John Doe, and Xena fall within superhero parameters. There's a lot of room for nostalgia.

Original programming, like a well-written weekly superhero team series or a superhero news spot would also be cool.

This is partly for game ideas and partly curiosity about what would need to happen for us to get one in real life: a cable channel devoted to superhero programming, like a spin-off from the Syfy channel. I think there's enough movies and old TV shows to get it started. How would you do it? Who would you need? What would you have to know? How much would it cost? Would Hero license Capes of Wrath as a soap opera?

Re: Horror Setting?

Ken Hite's Adventures Into Darkness is available in Hero 5th as a PDF from Atomic Overmind. He provides a Golden Age Champs setting based on the Nedor comic book heroes, with a Lovecraft twist. Includes Dagon, Ghouls, Frog Men (Deep Ones), Outer Ones (Mi Go), Tcho Tchos, Lucifuge (Nyarlathotep), and the hyper-rune casting witch Hezekiah.