Doctor Agenda

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign I've been thinking about the costume thing, and I know this isn't original, but on one level it's a bit of an oxymoron: a unique uniform. Like a police or soldier's uniform, a recognizable superhero costume attached to a reputation for competency and heroism would both make someone instantly recognizable as a protector and prioritize them over civilians as targets. Even a police officer who has been shot down has been known to save a civilian's life by giving them a chance to escape or take cover. Someone conscious of that and willing to make that choice might prefer bright, primary colors to distract bad guys from less capable targets.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign How long these regular joe costumed crimefighters have been around will be an important factor, including in weapon laws. If they got good press and were around before weapon laws got so restrictive, they might have special exemptions if they maintain a good reputation. I'm really imagining the usual array of non-firearm combat technology: bows, crossbows, slings, slingshots, throwing knives, tonfas, staves, canes, cestii, etc.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign My bad, it was a fictional character, The Clock, I was just making the point that there was no expectation that a character had to be 'super' in some way to put on a mask and fight crime.

Re: Non Powered Superhero Campaign Hey, back in the forties a college athlete turned Assistance D.A. who hated seeing people he KNEW were innocent get off could put on a mask and fight crime and nobody thought the idea was too farfetched. Using disguises to create a partition between regular life and crimefighting makes sense if you want to be a free agent...the cops would probably arrest you if they knew who you were. There's also image considerations: you want to anonymous, not unrecognizable. You probably want to make some sort of statement, which a costume can help you do. You may want to conceal some tools and weapons, and a custom costume can help you do that, too. There might be hundreds of people who have done something like this to get even, commit crimes, or whatever, then hung it up when they accomplished their goal, admitted failure, or just lost their drive. What would be really rare is a personality dedicated enough to make a real go of a career as a costumed crimefighter. Obsession, exhibitionism, delusion...can someone who puts on a costume and goes on patrol every week for years really be in good mental health? The main challenge for any real life superhero is finding crime: there's no writer that's going to throw a jewelry store robbery in your path every few weeks. A big part of a successful crimefighter's strategy will be their method of finding crime. Are they good detectives? Do they set up bugs and hidden cameras? Listen in on police calls--pretty nervy, not a good idea to be in the same place as the cops when you're wearing a mask. Network of informants? To really be effective, they have to be able to be alerted to a crime and take off at a moment's notice to respond...an independent cab driver could do this fairly readily, for instance, and would certainly know the area. For every competent crimefighter there would probably be several posers, incompetents, or even 'hobbyists'. I wouldn't dismiss DC, it can easily be run as this sort of game. Without powers, characteristics, skills and equipment rule.

Re: US Government's reaction to superhumans The government will cover it up if it can, for as long as it can, while it tries to figure out a response. In the scenario you're describing where supers are appearing all over the world and they're VERY powerful, that might not be for long. The superhero IDEA has a lot of appeal, every government will want to use these people as agents, whether militarily or for PR. If they're patient, a body to examine will turn up soon enough, they don't have to waste the live ones. I can see each super agent having handlers to keep them focused, happy, and in-line. In my Alts setting I kept the government off-balance by having so many low-powered supers that there was no way they could get away with violating their rights en masse. Everyone had paranormal relatives and/or friends, with nearly ten percent of the population showing SOME sort of strange ability. Heck, 39 members of the House of Representatives were affected.

Re: No Horses For You

Re: league of extraordinary PULP HEROs He's been known by many names, some legendary, most lost to history. He forgot his first name before the dawn of the current era of history. A being who can change his appearance, as strong as ten strong men, who can heal from any wound, he does not know what he is. He fought as a Legionaire in WWI and remembers only flashes of his life before the last fifty years. Of late, Lance Griffin (memory: a coat of arms?), a big game hunter in Africa, now a gentleman adventurer in the US. Respectable, married to a socialite, the former Olivia Dubuque (she looked so much like...?). Taken from him by American bandits, (gangsters? cultists?), by violence, like so many before her, too soon. He hunts them, ALL of them, wearing a face glistening with blood. The underworld dreads the vengeance of the Crimson Mask!

Re: league of extraordinary PULP HEROs Raised by circus-folk, Louis "The Astounding Louis" Lambert, is the magician also known as "The Ghost-hunter", who uses his skills as a magician to solve hauntings and expose frauds with the help of his faithful assistant, Mitzi Dunkirk. A magician-detective as deadly with his concealed throwing knives as Mitzi is with her revolver, Lambert's sense of justice and powers of observation are as quick to get him into trouble as his sense of misdirection, bag of tricks, and tumbling-style of fighting are to prevail over it.

Re: No Horses For You Talislanta is a setting where all the critters are mythical/fictional, and even all the humans seem to have pointed ears.

Re: Superhero Skills What, no Homeless? Well, then: Homeless Person Concealment Stealth Streetwise Survival (Urban) AK: City of Operations 11- KS: The Poor and Obscure 11- 15 Points of Poverty Sadly, only adds up to zero points. Thanks for the packages, I saved them for future use!

Re: Unusual Powers True, points should be based on what it does, not the special effect. If you want fish to ram or hold or push someone around, you can buy that directly. No RKA if you don't think Aquaman would have his fish bite or otherwise pierce his opponents--I don't recall him ever doing that, but maybe he had an Iron Age makeover I missed. Summon would be another valid build, and probably not too pricy if you're not summoning whales and sharks and such.

Re: Setting: World of Alts Gracias, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Next time I try something similar I'll know in advance to post vertically like I did The Harvester to avoid squishing, Much easier to read that way.

Re: Setting: World of Alts After having their most and least cosmic members de-powered by Dr. Markov and getting their place of business seriously damaged, the team re-grouped while Markov's plans were moved much closer to fruition by his new powers of FTL Flight and Extradimensional Travel. Consulting psychics, digging trophies out of the Vault, calling in favors from the BPA, the team took advantage of Markov's explorations to load for bear and prepare a trap. One of the PCs, Sideswipe, can turn into any kind of vehicle no bigger than a semi truck. In the form of a Mecha he concealed his teammates inside his robot form, so Markov wouldn't be able to sense their power, only his. Having 'let slip' their intentions, they went to the site of Markov's lab, the origin point of the Vibe. As expected, eventually Markov showed up and attacked Sideswipe. Sideswipe managed to survive the attack without getting stunned, took a half-phase to Shapeshift into a robot form with gunports, and everyone took a coordinated attack at Markov: .50 cal round + mind stab + ranged stun drain x2 + tk was enough to stun Markov and give the ERT the initial advantage it needed to defeat Markov. I've been running this campaign almost 2x a week since October, it was originally intended as a pick-up game, but it kinda got out of hand. That was the climax and I'm going to take a break from GM-ing for awhile, but I'm not planning on putting the whole thing on permanent hiatus, just limit it to when I'm inspired. Thanks for bearing with my ramblings, I hope there was something useful in this for someone.

Re: Superhero Skills I think here we need to separate archetype from concept a bit. So you're a Gadgeteer. Do you build your own stuff? Do you have a patron or team that builds this stuff for you and you just use it? Did you find some kind of omnigadget in a dumpster? Do you draw your gadgets and your imagination makes them real? Are you a mage crafter who imbues handy objects with magical powers? From the above options your Gadgeteer could be a scientist, an engineer, a mission specialist, a homeless person, an artist, or a sorceror and that is where the skill list will come from. Packages for these concepts could be very useful, if only to help come up with skills that should be included in the concept. Another interesting idea from Cassandra! Must spread, etc., etc.

Re: Setting: World of Alts The genius behind the Vibe, Dr. Markov, or 'The Harvester', as precognitives have been referring to him almost since the day of the Vibe, is out to collect the power that rightfully should have been his: the power to become God, to go back in time and create the universe. If he doesn't, we will never have existed, don't you see? Note that Markov's protectiveness of children won't stop him from relieving them of the burden of their misappropriated powers. Markov has spent the time since Oct 12 learning to make the most of his powers, which were originally significantly weaker, damn that Quantum AI! He discovered Vibe Glass and devised ways to use it to make himself more powerful, to make him able to get back that which was 'stolen' from him. Markov's superhuman characteristics reflect what he has taken from the Alts he has already 'harvested'. His reserve points can be used to further improve them if he encounters an Alt with superior characteristics. Markov already has a variety of abilities (about a dozen) he can draw on from his Mimic Pool, but due to the rarity of the more powerful Alts, he doesn't yet have anything with more than fifty active points he can use. He's working his way up the Alt food chain, and now he's ready to ambush a few of the highly-visible Alts working for Power X. After neutralizing the Monticello Academy's main defenders he plans to stalk the Academy halls and relieve the poor children of their powers...it's been so hard on them, after all. Markov has some limitations in how much he can do to an Alt. First, he only drains actual Alt powers, many lower-level Alt abilities are the result of the Alt's molecules being rearranged, and don't require quantum nanotech to operate (although they might fade over time without the quantobots to maintain them). Second, Power Defense gives some extra protection--an Alt can protect as many Active Points in each Alt Power as they have points in Power Defense. For example, someone with 10 points of Power Defense and a 60-point Multipower could walk away from an encounter with Markov with a 10-point Multipower. Since untapped Vibe Glass can provide this kind of protection, this can be a serious limitation once it is discovered and understood. As far as non-nanotech powers retained, Alts can retain characteristics up to 150% of Normal Characteristic Maximums, a power like Regeneration would become the Fast Healing talent, powers like Density Increase, Plasma Blasts, and Teleportation would be lost. Thus far, Power X is only aware of vague warnings and premonitions of a 'Harvester' who is a danger to all Alts. The Pantheon is so worried about him they've made extraordinary arrangements to protect their island from an Omega-level Alt invader.

Re: Setting: World of Alts ‘The Harvester’ Value Char Base Cost 50 Str 10 40 29 Dex 10 57 25 Con 10 30 22 Bod 10 24 33 Int 10 23 23 Ego 10 26 30 Pre 10 20 18 Com 10 4 25 PD 10 15 25 Ed 5 20 6 Spd 3.9 21 15 Rec 15 0 50 End 50 0 60 Stn 60 0 Cost Ability 20 Detect Alt Powers with Sense, Range, Analyze and Discrimination 16- 50 Life Support: Full, Including Immortality 3 Low-light Vision (+2 vs. Darkness Sight Penalties) 5 Mental Awareness 16- (Psionic Awareness) 60 Multipower: 90-point ‘Taking It Back’ Pool, Alt Powers Only (-1/4), Extra Protection from Power Defense 6u 6d6 Major Transform Alt to Normal at 9 End 6u 6d6 Major Transform Power Object to Normal Object at 9 End 90 End Reserve: 150 End, 75 Rec for All Powers 350 Variable Power Pool: 200-point Mimic Pool plus 150-point Control Cost, Cosmic (+2), Only to Create Powers Copied from a Transformed Target (-1/4), Powers May Only be as Powerful as Target’s Powers (-1/2), Requires a Successful Transformation to First Acquire a Target’s Powers (-1/4) 100 Reserve Points to Mimic Abilities Inappropriate for Power Pool 3 Analyze Technology 16- 7 Languages: English (Complete), Mongolian (Complete), Russian is Native 3 Computer Programming 16- 3 Electronics 16- 3 Scientist 8 Sciences: Computer Science 16-, Nanotechnology 16-, Physics 16-, Quantum Physics 16- 3 +1 with Science Skills Points Disadvantage 10 Distinctive Features: Omega-level Alt 20 Hunted 11- by Light Siders 10 Monitored 11- by Alt Community 25 Psych Lim: God-complex from Hell 20 Psych Lim: Megalomaniac 15 Psych Lim: Protective of Children 10 Psych Lim: Vengeful 15 Reputation 11-: The Harvester 10 Soc Lim: Public ID-Anton Markov 15 Vuln: x2 Effect from Attacks vs. Power Defense Characteristics: 280 Abilities: 720 Total: 1000 Base: 750 Disadvantages: 150 XP: 100

Re: Heroes from All Fifty States The Idaho Spud?

Re: Setting: World of Alts Power X is the PC-invented organization play centers around. The founder only got a 'magic' pair of sunglasses out of the Vibe, but they've taken him a long way because they let him see and analyze Alt powers. With that resource, the good fortune to be an associate of some of the most powerful Alts in the state (the other PCs) and an imaginary CEO known only as 'Mr. X', he started Power X, the world's first Alt Employment and Talent Agency. Power X has had an enormous influence on the acceptance of, and especially the appearance of, Alts. One of Power X's services is branding and marketing an Alt Identity, including professional costuming, advice on codename, and incorporating the identity so it has a legal life of its own. Most don't go for that, but enough do to be noticed, and it's a requirement to be on one of Power X's government-contracted Emergency Responce and Intervention Teams (ERITs). The founder used the success of his company in a variety of ways, including collection of power objects, discovery of Vibe Glass, and the founding of the Monticello Academy, a private school (sixth through twelfth) for Alt children considered to be too much of a risk to have in public school. He lost his sunglasses eventually to a rival with a knack for acquiring power objects. Her satisfaction was probably short-lived, as he anonymously informed the BPA of what she had---something they REALLY want. He used the most powerful piece of Vibe Glass he had found to become Legion, with the nearly-unique ability to copy other people's Alt powers (just a sixty-point MP with empty slots that he 'fills up' to copy new powers). He then transformed a lesser crystal into a new power object in the form of a ring that gave him the same abilities his old 'power shades' did. Now he's not only the visionary behind Power X and the Monticello Academy, he's one of their first lines of defense.

Re: Setting: World of Alts On the other side, stressing the fabric of society, in addition to criminals who got powers, and people who decided to become criminals because they got powers, and people who decided to use their powers as terrorists to further radical agendas, there are the basically good guys who want to do the right thing, feel their power comes with additional responsibility, but advance their worldview in ways that make the public nervous. Like the Levellers in San Francisco who are so anti-authoritarian they are almost as likely to side against the cops as help them. Or the Pantheon, who think their first duty is to other paranormals. Or Change the World, who engage in acts of ecoterrorism and violate national sovereignty to rescue political prisoners. Or Genesis, which has been known to harass abortion clinic personnel as well as fight crime? It's human nature to associate with others of like mind, when Alts get together to advance an agenda, it's scary to the authorities and the neighbors. Imagine a heavily-armed group starting a chapter of PETA...wouldn't YOU be nervous? Everyone wants change, THEIR change, and they want it now, and a lot more of them can back up that desire with power now. CO2 levels are dropping at an alarming rate, and Alts are being blamed for it...everyone just KNOWS one or more Alts, probably with good intentions, is altering the atmosphere recklessly.

Re: Superhero-Crimefighter Civil War Kudos, Cassandra, from one of your throng of admirers. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents was cool, though!

Re: Setting: World of Alts Why hasn't society melted down from the stress of such a huge change as the appearance of Alts? Primarily because that isn't the kind of story I wanted to tell. I put in-game justifications, adequate in my opinion, but everyone has one. I also assume there's still enough tension to make that part of the story as well. Society HAS melted down in some cases...a town in Missouri has dispersed following an outbreak of contagious telepathy. Zimbabwe is undergoing a civil war. For the most part, humanity is adapting constructively. Here's why I think that would be, given the parameters of the setting: Nearly 10% of humanity was affected, and nearly 90% of those are Alphas or Latents. Everyone knows an Alt and practically everyone is related to one or more. Those ties are already in place. To turn against Alts, or for Alts to turn against normals means abandoning those ties. That is something I think most people would be reluctant to do. Maslow's Hierarchy-Basic needs are met first. Because of the 'wishful' nature of the Vibe, people's lacks are addressed first. Yes, this can and does go very, very wrong...sometimes. More often, it's a clear boon. The blind see, the lame walk, amputees are restored. It doesn't even have to be the victim who benefits directly from the Vibe, a spouse or loved one can direct that benefit to the handicapped or dying person, or gain healing powers that allow them to do so. Such healing abilities, often specialized, are among the more common gifts of the Vibe, because so many people want to help their suffering loved ones. You can be a pretty effective healer on +25 base points and +25 in disads. The impoverished gain something that will help them prosper, the starving gain a way to eat (or a way to do without). It can be a boon to have a relative or buddy with such abilities. I think the Vibe would be taken as an overall good despite the problems super-powered trouble-makers cause, at least at first. Of course, Invisibility and Mind Control are relatively common powers, as well.

Re: Setting: World of Alts Gracias. I just want to give credit where it's due, but I might be overdoing it a bit. Adapting all that inspiration is hard work!

Re: Setting: World of Alts

Re: My Superhero Universe Darkman? I'm just sayin'.

Re: Setting: World of Alts And STILL it squishes everything to the left. Sigh. I wish there was a character form you could fill out for posts. Shablam is an example of what can happen if you let the press give you your code name. A Drama Major at USC after a brief career as an EMT, LaTechia used her brains and natural flair to escape the street life she had gotten tangled in, inspired by the fate of her sister, who was murdered over drugs. The Vibe buffed her a bit (she only had about 5 points in characteristics previously) and gave her power over an unknown type of energy--she would never be helpless again. She is on the high end of Gamma or low end of Delta. She got into what would have been a mild altercation with her fiance' at the SC State Fair only days after the Vibe, but seared most of his clothes (and hair off). Like many other Alts, she found her Secret to be very short-lived. A couple of the PCs were on the scene and contained her while calming the crowd, managing to do it without losing their own Secret IDs by the skin of their teeth. LaTechia picked up her nom de guerre from an interviewed bystander describing the sound her energy globes make. Shablam is an early example of what would later become the BPA's standard policy: whenever possible, recruit. Homeland Security got her in lieu of her getting a criminal record and possibly prison time. She was transferred to the BPA when it formed. The next time she showed up in Columbia, she had six months of agent training under her belt and was the personal bodyguard of the head of Section Zero, Dietrich Drayton. Later, after the Memphis Incident in which White Supremacist Alts killed local paranormal crimefighter Heatray and severely injured two of his fellows in an act of paranormal terrorism, Shablam was placed in Memphis to help rebuild and formalize Heatray's 'team' as the city's official Emergency Response Team, patterned after similar teams sponsored by Power X (the PC's Alt Employment Agency). As the Memphis Knights' federal liaison and full-time hero, Shablam represents both a good PR move and a way to leverage the Knights' involvement when the BPA needs them. Power X, at the behest of the BPA, recruited two more members for the Memphis Knights: Hot Rod (Alt with superhuman driving ability) and Power Star (a powerful energy wielder who previously operated in Atlanta). As a black male, Power Star, who didn't do a very good job of finding crime to fight on his own, is seen as a replacement for the much-loved Heatray. These developments are important to the course of the campaign, as they represent the effort that the BPA puts in to stave off a much-feared war between Alts and Norms, that could be triggered by a powerful backlash following an act of paranormal terrorism. In combat, Shablam usually runs her MP at 8d6 for her Energy Globes and 11rPD/16rED for her Energy Shield. She's quick to take cover, as her powers are too draining to maintain for long.