Takaholic

I know: I already said all I could say advice-wise; but I have a question for you, Sir:
 
What is this?  I have heard this reference a number of times on this board, and have absolutely no idea  what it is.
 
 
 
Yep; this is a serious pet peeve of mine.  I don't require you to be a drama major or anything, but I will beat you with a wooden spoon for this kind of crap: "Oh, and if I push, I can max out at sixteen tons" and that sort of thing.  Or "Oh!  It's 12 already?  Never mind then; I'm going to use this instead, because my post-12 will pop my END right back to where I am anyway, so I can do that first thing right after" and "No; I counted it out on the map and my explosion will lose two dice, averaging 2 BODY, which is just enough it won't get through his DEF (which I have already taken meta-steps to calculate while everyone else was roleplaying)"--
 
you know: things that don't actually happen like that in either the real world or the source material.  Gad but it's irritating!
 
 
 
 
That one doesn't usually work-- no; I apologize.  It has never worked for me.  I've tried it three or four times, and every time it simply results in a brawl between "heroes," which is just as irritating at the table as it is in the movies (Sure; why wouldn't Thor and Iron Man take just a minute to beat the crap out of each other?  That makes perfect sense, and it's absolutely _certain_ to solve the crisis at hand, right?), then grudge matches-- it just gets ugly.  It's almost like you're putting up a sign that says "I'm ready to play things your way."
 
Though to be honest, there are more than the three or four people I've tried it on out there in the world, and I may have just mishandled it top to bottom.
 
 
 
This I absolutely _love_!
 
Why?  Because it's one of those great, insightful little lines that when read causes an entire scenario to pop completely-formed into your mind!   
 
The last few villains (or TEAMS of villains!) who have been on the wrong end of unnecessary force have been waiting to get their licks in: "Hey, there's something of a protocol here!  Sure, we'd take them down if we had two, but we're not gonna stomp on their skulls when they're down!
 
"Look, you, me, Yeager over there-- we've all been in the freakin' HOSPITAL for _weeks_ because of that over-reacting ass hat.  Even the LAPD won't beat you like that mustard does, and he does it just because he can.  So I've been thinking.  More than that, I've been _studying_.   You guys ever notice why they ain't been sued?  Or arrested?  Or even called out?  Yeah; that little guy with the wand.  He goes out, waves his hospital-in-a-stick at whoever that schmuck just plastered and it's 'okey-dokey, Dan!'
 
"It's crap!  And guys, I think I got a way to give him a taste of his own medicine....  You remember those jobs I was pulling a while back for that outfit with the science motif?  No?  Well anyway, they been working on this "power booster" thing.  You take a few doses of the wonder ray, and whatever natural powers you got, they get like _tripled_ for twenty-four hours.  They ain't never said it, but they know they couldn't have done it without me and a few other guy helping them uh...  "raise capital" for the initial investment.  They owe me a pile of loot as it is, but suppose I was to work out a trade with them?  Maybe a dose or two of wonder ray for me and six or seven of my good friends-- friends who all have a grudge in common?
 
"Yeah...  That's what I thought.  Yeah, I'm grinning, too.  But first, here's the way I see it:  we all know them; we know their tactics.  We know their powers.  We also know _other people_ who might be able to help us with planning, or just giving us the counter-powers we need.  But no matter who gets to go and get their sweet repayment from that big mustard, remember, first thing is that we _ignore_ everyone else.  We don't split up; we don't get distracted.  We all bum rush the wizard, and we beat him like that meat-headed dingus has been beating us.  Then it's _his_ turn...."
 
Yeah.  I like this a lot.
I'm pretty sure the cleric's player will _hate_ it thought, but all for a good one-shot cause.
 
 
 
Be a shame if a well-respected and reliable high-powered telepath just happened to be nearby, wouldn't it?
 
 
 
 
No; you can't.  But you _can_ do this.  You can show them something that sums it up so perfectly for me that I've kept this bookmark for years.  Show them this:
 
http://www.cellularsmoke.net/rpgs/newchampions_cvk.php
 
You tell them to read that-- or better, read it to them. Print it tape it to your screen.  Tuck it in your books in the Disadvantages section.  Never lose it.  Tell them that _this_ is what CVK means in your games, and if they really want that 15-pt bonus, then _that_ is how they are going to ask.  If they want that 25-pt bonus, then _that_ is how they are going to act.  Be completely clear that they don't _have_ to take that Disad, but if they do, then they know precisely what it means.  Going forward, at least in Superhero games, consider making it one of the campaign ground rules: everyone has it for the minimum value at least.  Or point out to them that the word "hero" is actually in the job title.  Act like it.
 
 
 
And in regards to that, well I just want to say that I don't know how to get rid of that.
 
 
 
Let us know how it turns out.
 
 
Duke
 

Here's how I created an HD Character using the CCC Cards:
 
To start the Character build, I chose Open Character and picked the Characteristic Card I wanted to use.  In this case #4 - Dexterous.
 
To add the other cards, I just chose Load Prefabs and chose the card file I wanted to use, then went to the appropriate tab, clicked on Prefab sub-tab, chose the now-loaded prefab and selected it to add it to the build.
 
It wasn't exactly intuitive, but it seems to work, and I had a rough build of my desired character in just a few minutes.
I hope this helps everyone who is as confused as I was.

Here's how I created an HD Character using the CCC Cards:
 
To start the Character build, I chose Open Character and picked the Characteristic Card I wanted to use.  In this case #4 - Dexterous.
 
To add the other cards, I just chose Load Prefabs and chose the card file I wanted to use, then went to the appropriate tab, clicked on Prefab sub-tab, chose the now-loaded prefab and selected it to add it to the build.
 
It wasn't exactly intuitive, but it seems to work, and I had a rough build of my desired character in just a few minutes.
I hope this helps everyone who is as confused as I was.

Here's how I created an HD Character using the CCC Cards:
 
To start the Character build, I chose Open Character and picked the Characteristic Card I wanted to use.  In this case #4 - Dexterous.
 
To add the other cards, I just chose Load Prefabs and chose the card file I wanted to use, then went to the appropriate tab, clicked on Prefab sub-tab, chose the now-loaded prefab and selected it to add it to the build.
 
It wasn't exactly intuitive, but it seems to work, and I had a rough build of my desired character in just a few minutes.
I hope this helps everyone who is as confused as I was.

You know, I didn't either!  
 
Let me attempt to address that.  To be fair, I'm not going to spend near the amount of time on it that I did last night (wife works tonight, so it's double-daddy-duty for me), and even then, saying I scratched the surface of our shared world is a gross overstatement.
 
 
1) I have provided a very tiny sample.  Honestly, until my recent attempt to move our existing universe to an entirely new set of players (as opposed to a new player here and there joining one of the existing groups, where they can be coached in as we go), I didn't really appreciate just how much it had changed and grown over the years.  I have to say I am very, very proud of the depth and complexity that has been created merely by the stories we have told since 1981-ish.  I shan't waste your time with more examples; I will only say that I have just recently become fully aware of just how rich it is.
 
2) Movers and Shakers
 
The players, always.  I'm not a big fan of the Harry Potter spectator-to-his-own-life style fiction.  Further, I can't imagine wanting-- or even being able-- to get really invested in a character who will forever be in the shadow of some plot device NPC or worse-- some GMPC.  The great movers and shakers who are in our universe were all PCs once: Willoughby Daniels, creator and founder and still CEO of Daniels Industries-- one of the earth's premier technological research institutes, was Projectile, a PC from our very first adventure  (Jim's brother's character, if I recall correctly).  His origin included him being wealthy with the profits of his tech research and development firm, as well as directly attributing to his gaining powers (lab accident sort of thing).  When he retired the character, the character continued with his private life, and Daniels Industries has continued to set a shining example to the world.  Every time the PCs need to consult with trusted pros for a technical problem in electronics, biology, robotics-- Steven can get a little beam of pride that our help is going to come from his very first character, even if he's an NPC now.
 
And things like that are critical, I think: the game is about the players (and in this case, I include the GM, even if you don't round robin the way we do from time to time).  The story is about the players.  The players _should_ be the movers and shakers.  How many really great books have you read or truly fun movies have you watched (other than Harry Potter) where someone else made all the decisions, took all the moves, made all the actions-- you know: the main character was just an observer?  I don't mean Sherlock's Watson, either.  While he _is_ the narrator, he is _not_ the main character.  Not to say these movies don't exist; not to say these books don't exist.  They do.  And they're terrible.  Sure, in comics, you have a hero who is "of a level," and is affected by X / can affect Y; subservient to A / master of B.  He will only ever be 'so' great.  That's fine-- for a book.  You know: where one writer really is _all_ the characters: he _is_ the lonely detective and he _is_ the powerful congressman.  He is everything he wants to be, and by default, even if his main character is a simple beat cop hunting a clue, he is also the powers that be.
 
When you have four, six authors, each contributing through control of one single character...   it's frustrating if they are not allowed to affect the world; if they are not allowed to grow into one of the prime forces in your little shared universe.  It will take time, cooperation, and effort, but if they will never leave the shadows, they will eventually leave the table.
 
4) elements of the Champions Universe
 
None.  Well, mostly none.  our first adventure featured the GM using a couple of villains I _assume_ are from the 1e book.  When I bought 2e, Jim ran us through the little adventure that came with it, and he used the villains from the second little pamphlet (the one with the weird staples in it).  For reasons I don't really understand, Cheshire Cat remains in our universe (though not the new one with the goofy cat hat.  "Our" CC hasn't changed his look since 4e.  He also talks like a news anchor.
 
Foxbat is on-again, off-again, and almost exclusively to help new players get familiar with the system or to complicate a situation that has gone wrong in a genuinely humorous way.  He doesn't pop up often.  I think he's popped up in a non-introductory fashion maybe five?  Six times?  Like since his inception.  I used him and Leroy a few weeks ago to demonstrate to the youth group I've been conned into running  to introduce them to the system in a fun and non-threatening way.  That's about what he's good for, in our group anyway.
 
We sort of use the 4e, 5e, and 6e Champions:  They all died in horrific ways, and some of them are vaguely remembered.  Defender is still alive in a wheelchair and makes a living as a TV repairman.  Before everyone looks at me like I've eaten the sacred cow, it wasn't my doing.  To be fair, I'm not unhappy about it.  But the other GMs were so unhappy about the "replacement Champions" that they took measures to make sure they never popped up in our games in any way, shape, form, or fashion.  Each died a humiliating, ignoble death; I remember that.  Don't ask me what they were, because I don't remember.  My contribution was that the only Champion still active is Seeker, because I just couldn't imagine anything that would add more salt to the wound than that. And he has never, and will never, be a part of our game sessions or impact our world in any significant way.  The last anyone heard of him was his press conference that he was off to search the planet for the malevolent force responsible for the deaths of his teammates.  And his 5e replacement teammates.  He took out his 6e replacement himself, believing that this was the person behind the deaths of the others.
 
The bulk of our "elements" come from two sources:  the real world around us, and the character sheets of the PCs.  if a player takes a particular Hunted-- or Hunting-- then that character must exist.  Who is he?  What does he do?  Where does he do it?  _How_ does he do it?  Is it a he, or a they?  Same questions, over and over, until they get answered.  If it becomes a major piece of the set, it gets easily, casually, and co-operatively ret-conned in.  For example: the original concept of our universe was super-humans started showing up (at least publicly and in costume) around WW1, with their numbers and incidence slowly increasing ever since.  Then, a few years ago, while I was working up a couple of villains for a session, my daughter, just past her toddler years, wanted to "help."  She "made" a character.  She told the story she wanted, and I fleshed it out.  Owing to the nature of the character's origin (to pull together all the disjointed elements a five-year-old thinks are coherent ) , the universe changed again, and Big Jack Brass became the world's first superhero in the 1860s.  He would remain a force for good, showing up here and there, every now and again, until the great awakening that occurred during WW1.
Further, we have no history of great superheroes and individuals from the past (beyond the real greats of the real past, of course).  Why?  Because comic books don't, either.  Sure: you can point to a hundred examples in thirty seconds of superheroes from the thirties or forties.  But you know what?  I can, too!  Why?  Because they are not in the past.  They are still active.  They are still published.  They get ret-conned and brought forward, over and over and over again-- Tony Stark was first captured during the Korean War, if I'm not mistaken.  How old would that make him today?  I'm not precisely sure (because I don't know what age he is supposed to be), but if my grandfather was any example, I'm thinking "pretty damned" is accurate enough.
 
Our set pieces come from origin stories and Disadvantages and Contacts and professional skills-- all sorts of places, but they all have one thing in common: they can be found on character sheets dating back to 1981, and they run on as recently as six (seven?  Yeah; definitely seven) weeks ago.  Not only does it give us a rich and full backdrop, but it gives us a _mutually-created_ backdrop: I promise, in the long run, your players will enjoy having had as much--perhaps even more-- creative input as the GM did.  And it's so stinking _easy_!  It's not a matter of having to make huge changes (usually.  Once in a blue moon you have to add an alternate Wal-Mart around the globe, or note "except for the first guy, who appeared in the 1860s"   It's just a matter of folding into the story a few elements that the player thinks are important for his new character, and letting it grow on its own.
 
I suppose this, maybe, counts as using published elements (?)  We have used some of the location names.  Not the settings, even a little bit, but the fact is that from the earliest days we have fought the good fight in Campaign City (which I have explained elsewhere), which has led to a tradition of fictional locations (we use real ones, too, but most of us aren't familiar with any "real" metropoles (yes; I know it's wrong.  Laugh with me!   ).  Sometimes, when things are so far off track that the locals have never even seen a railcar, you've got to wing it for a minute until you can get your bearings.  Sometimes "Cooperston" doesn't just flash to mind, but you remember the name of that setting book you saw online a couple days ago....  If that counts, then we do have some "official" place names, even if we can't tell you p-turkey about the official setting.
 
5)  Eliminated or changed:
 
We have eliminated everything.  Well, we have "eliminated" (best read with a nice, Schwarzeneggerian accent) the Champions-- at least, all of them who weren't the originals, in the manner that various GMs though most fitting for usurpers to the various thrones.  But that could be simply "not using," since they DOA in our universe.  Other than that, we use nothing official.  Sure, we-- the various members of various groups- -have various sourcebooks for this, that, or the other.  We want to support our brand, like anyone else, and we do enjoy reading them and looking for inspiration ---
 
On that note, why is every damned 5e PDF missing the cover and in full-on greyscale?!  Do the colored electrons cost more?  Jeez.  Sometimes you _want_ the book, but either can't afford-- or, more commonly under the new model, weren't around for one of the two hundred printed ones ever published (I know; but I swear that's what it feels like, and _don't_ tell me "POD!" because _NO ONE_ is doing it, despite what they claim.  "Sure, so-and-so .com sells the book POD."  "Hello, so-and-so .com?  I'd like to purchase a POD of this book. "  "are you on crack, Buddy?  We did that for like a week, and we ain't ever doin' it again."  "But your add--" "is wrong.  It ain't hap'nin'.  Why don'cha buy a nice greyscale PDF?  Ya kin print dat.  Oh, you might want three or four "black" cartridges for the splash page, though, cause they painted the thing solid black on every one of them."--  Do us less-financially-able fans not deserve color?  Or cover art?  Don't say it's file size, because memory has been cheap for a couple of decades now.
 
Sorry.
 
Moving on---
 
We don't use anything published.  It's not snobbery; we just don't need to.  Character sheets gave us our earliest (and some of our best) villains and organizations ( evil _and_ good), and we filled in the blanks as we played.  Character sheets _still_ give us our best stuff-- so much so that, unfortunately, some of it _has_ gone unused.  It exists, but it never got explored.   Adding anything from outside would just be clutter, really.  Heck, we don't even use all the rules!
 
6) Characters from other game sources?
 
No.  For all the reasons listed above.  The Iron Duke tempted me, but that was likely just a personal conceit.
 
 
7)  Your own personal universe from whole cloth?
 
Yes!
 
No!
 
Yes?
 
No?
 
Yo?
 
I'm going with "yo," just to be safe.  As noted: our first adventure, and one other, used published characters.  Cheshire cat pops up every couple of (real) years.  Foxbat serves a specific purpose for "one-off" non-cannon training events.  The Champions _exist_.... sort of....
 
But I can't say "I built it," either.  I inherited it from my first GM: I became his co-GM, and eventually his job took him far, far away from us.  I had a new co-gm, and he added stuff.  There are currently 3 "GMs" in both of my regular weekly games and my monthly game.  I am the only GM for the youth group, but I also think that as school turns fun in the winter (festivals, dances, football games, etc), it will draw to a close shortly enough, and likely unfinished. 
 
But the GMs didn't make it all themselves, or even as a team.  As noted above, the bulk of our universe came straight off character sheets, right down to retired characters being active as important (or unimportant) NPCs.  Our world was and is and as it never really stops growing likely will always be the end result of some delicious "group think."  It started out that way from a necessity that quickly became a habit that has grown into a much-loved tradition.  In the end, it was built exclusively by every single player who has ever sat at our table.
 
8) What about you?
 
No; of course I'm not in there!  I'm old, fat, have two kids and a bad heart.  I have no business what-so-ever running around in spandex (aren't you lucky!) taking swings at evil masterminds.  The very notion is ridiculous!
 

 
 

Wow.
 
This is well-timed.  Today's youth group game was...  
 
_derailed_ because of this very thing.
 
The whole youth group gaming was a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing, and I really had no time to prepare.  As a time-saving device, I didn't create a new background; I figured that I'd just drop them into the existing background (you know: the one my main supers group has been playing in since '82.
 
Yeah...  I didn't think that through.
 
Let's say that the day we started this campaign-- well, the day Jim started it, in 1982, the world was _exactly_ like it was, up until that very moment, except that super-powered individuals have been popping up and doing things for a few generations.  For the most part, they first appeared around WW, and the rate at which they appeared increased ust before WW2.  That was it.  That was the only difference.
 
That world today, though---   Wow.
 
One of the things I believe in whole-heartedly is that the players should have lasting effects on their world.  Dump the joker in jail and fight him again next month?  No.  That's not going to happen in my universe.  First, it's silly.  Second, it works against player satisfaction, and player satisfaction is my most driving force as a GM.  Giving in to them?  No.  But making sure that they are happy with the long-term results of their efforts, and that the time they devote to the story of the game has an effect on it.  If they are playing characters with the ability to "make a difference in the world," then by Crom, they should see that difference as the world evolves.
 
There is absolutely no way I can detail in a forum post all the things that (now) separate our world from the modern world in which we live, but let me touch briefly on the handful of differences I had to explain this afternoon.  (Oddly, these kids loved hearing about the "history" of their new world.  We had a pretty good time today).
 
This all started because a new player (who had been watching us the last couple of sessions and wanted to give it a try) wanted to build a telepath.  Reflexively, I told her that her connection to Opal was a zero-cost power, and if she wanted to be able to block out the other Telepaths in the background she would need a dedicated point of Mental Defense, but it could also be used as regular Mental Defense.  The look of confusion on her face slammed it home to me:  That's nothing that makes sense.
 
So here we go (the much-shorter, likely less-explained version (because typing sucks) of what we discussed today) with a small taste of the things that are different in "the world" today:
 
Opal:
 
During the mid-90s, after the creation of the Hole--
 
oops.  The Hole:
 
A large chunk of the eastern seaboard is now a massive crater.  It runs from W. Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.  End result of badly-organized alien attack using un-refined gravitic ore.
 
Opal:
 
The way that Marvel fears mutants-- Jim began a slow burn distrust of telepaths in the late 80s.  After all, what is more scary than someone who can read your mind?  Especially if you're a high-level corporate?  This lead to a love / hate relationship with telepaths and massive corporations.  They were perfect spies and moles, and often hired as such.  But how do you trust them?  How do you know that they aren't selling your secrets?
 
Government agencies, politicians-- military brass.  There was a huge push to keep telepaths at a distance from government anything.  Corporations followed suit (publicly, while hiring them regularly).  Tech agencies made hugh profit selling both effective and bogus "psi-blockers" to an increasingly-nervous public.
 
After the creation of the Hole, and the Texas Stand-off.
 
Oops again--
 
The Texas Stand-off:
 
--
and before that--
 
GM'ing in our group has always been a round-robin sort of affair.  Not everyone in the group, but two, and sometimes three, people share the duties.  Some evenings you're burned out and pass your notes to a sub.  Sometimes you can't make it.  Sometimes you need a break from the "main story" and someone else will run a short-arc for a session or four and give a chance to taste play yourself.
 
One of the subs followed comics and at that time there were inklings of this idea that all superheroes should be arrested and prosecuted as vigilantes.  Doug took this idea and ran with it, mandating that there should be a federal registry and anyone who refused was a criminal.  Ironically enough, it wasn't a year or two later that there was some big comics thing about just that sort of thing: giving up secret IDs and reporting to field agents, etc.
 
At any rate, none of us liked it (it was just so...  anti-comic book; to this day Doug won't tell us if he did it to goad us against it or because it was something he really wanted to see happen.  Good on him.  At any rate, he handled the absolute failure of it with great aplomb).  The build-up led to a showdown between three deputies, two federal agents, and Martin Power, who simply refused on the grounds that he wasn't a super hero.  He was a super-powered individual who helped people who needed his help.  No mask.  No costume.  No Secret ID, and he wasn't going to be drafted into government service.  He was also the most powerful superhuman (by a factor or two) in the universe at that time.  There was no violence, but lots of media coverage.  Martin used this opportunity to announce to the world that anyone with any sort of ability (it wasn't just costumed heroes they were after: all metahumans were required to register, even if the only "power" they had was a photographic memory) to find a way to get to  his farm.  Get to his farm, and he would help them.  Within a few weeks, his farm held over one-thousand alleged "potential threats" to humanity.
 
There was a military show of force and an attempt to split focus.  While a high-ranking group of officials tied up the the players at the main entrance, an armed column attempted to storm the property from the rear.  The alarm was sounded by a sixty-eight year old Baptist minister whose only power was ballistic flight.  He had discovered his powers as a child, and never told anyone.  He never used them for anything but the occasional self-serving joy ride.  Now he was expected to become a government agent, in complete defiance of his religious beliefs.  He wrapped a scarf around his face, launched himself to the Power ranch, and served the others of his kind as best he could.  To protect his family, his mask remained on and he called himself the Red Rocket (his SFX featured a red rocket-like contrail, and South Park hadn't ruined the term "red rocket" yet).  He launched himself to the pow-wow at the front gate, informed the PCs there, half of whom remained to "deal" with the envoy, and the others beat feat for the armed advance.  Red Rocket carried one of the PCs, as she was a T-porter who had not memorized that location.  Red Rocket flew in over the hills, sonic booming and red fire raining down behind him.  As soon as she could see the refugees standing in defiance of the armored column, she teleported to them to organize their resistance.  The moment she disappeared, there was a burst of weapons fire.  Moments later, a handsome sixty-eight year-old black baptist minister fell into the crowd, eyes glazed, blood soaking his modest brown suit.
 
All the PCs had arrived then, and the crowd opened, letting them see Red Rocket.  I was very proud that at as the GM detailed this scene, all the players moved as one.  Within just a few Turns, the entire column was disarmed and the more powerful PCs were destroying the tanks and vehicles.  They went out of their way to hurt _no one_.
 
And the media saw it all.  Martin Power carefully took one of the camera men by the hand and led him directly to the body of Red Rocket.  One of the most poignant images ever aired on television was Martin Power gingerly carrying Red Rocket's body, as two small twins lay holding him, crying "please, Mr. Red.  Please be okay.  Who is going to protect us from the soldiers?"
 
The mandate was instantly struck from all government motions.  It was decreed that Super Heroes apprehending villains was no different from a Citizen's arrest, and no one need be a member of any agency to perform one.
 
Now, Opal:
 
A recurring general in our group was one General Hammond "Ham" Kerrigde.  He had his fingers in several pots under the banner of "national defense."  Like most others of his archetype, his favorite stuff was super weapons and super-surveilance.  He had carefully been working against protocol with regard to telepaths.  His agents had spent nearly two decades searching for "like-minded patriots" who were gifted with Telepathy.  Others of his agents worked tirelessly for technology to increase their abilities while still others focused on training them to be able to merge their gifts into a single signal or a super-acute receptor.  Project Opal was a resounding success, far in excess  of Kerridge's dreams.
 
In a single instant, Opal was born.  A sentient mind of pure psychic energy piggy-backing on the minds of a small group of psychics.  It's first sentient self-directed action was a powerful explosion of psychic energy that momentarily wrapped the earth in a warm, loving blanket, welcoming every telepath on earth into its mind.  In an instant, every living telepath within lunar orbit of earth was connected, irrevocably forever.  Opal itself has little dealings with humans.  It is a mind of a complexity that cannot be understood by mere humans, even the telepaths who's slightest thoughts continue to give it life.
 
Short version:  made for a wonderful story arc fraught with action, confusion, adjustment, and the death and insanity of thousands of telepaths world-wide.  Those who survived are forever linked to Opal (giving them random glimpses of thoughts and concepts so far advanced as to mystify them or temporarily put themselves into a vegetative torpor if they focus on them too closely) and each other.  Further, they are all far more powerful than the were before.  All telepaths are connected to all other telepaths, and not just in thought.  Their minds and emotions are open to each other.  A telepath cannot keep a secret from another telepath.  What one knows, all know.  Obviously, this doesn't make them instantly skilled at everything:  the knowing of a field and the knowing of a procedure are far different than the understanding of it or the practiced technique itself.  Just throwing that in there before someone comes along to tell my why we are all wrong for doing this.  Fact is any Psi has always been beyond rare in the history of our group, and this story arc played out so beautifully that we wouldn't write it out of our world now for anything.  Further, no telepath will harm another, ever.  Because of their bonding under Opal, while each maintains individuality, their over-all sense of self now includes the close connection they share with all others.
 
At this point, Opal is two things: Opal is the sentient gestalt mind with little concern or interest in human activity beyond the occasional need of a human telepath (which Opal has a very slight parental instinct for) to be soothed or reassured (though some of the telepaths who went insane from the onslaught of the initial connection and are now comatose are very well-cared-for by Opal.  When it has finished restoring their minds and helping them adjust, it will release their consciousness back to their bodies.  Periodically, one wakes up and returns to "life."
 
Opal is also that part of all telepaths that is now, forever, involved in global politics.  Having the support or rejection of this aspect of Opal is a powerful thing, and has forever changed the face of politics globally. Fortunately, this aspect of Opal prefers peace, as the telepaths, joined as they are via their senses of self, find it in their own best interest, and the best way to protect each of its component "selfs."
 
Opal will not go away, either the gestalt mind or the connected telepaths of earth.  When a new telepath is conceived, or someone gains the power of telepathy, Opal senses it, and expands its abilities enough to make the link.  Opal is not cruel.  It teaches each of its selves how to block out the connection while the self needs to be a single self, but the connection is always there.
 
 
Commercial flight:
 
There is no self-powered commercial flight in North America.   A small airplane was used as an attempted murder weapon at some point in the eighties (real world); I remember hearing about it on the news: pilot flew it into a small apartment house or something like that.  At the end of all the hullabaloo, it was determined to be completely accidental, and the fact that the pilot and one of the people living there had animosity toward each other was coincidental.  For a day or two, it had the local media thinking "what if?!" until it was resolved.  
 
Well it had us thinking "what if" as well, and when 9/11 happened, it was cemented.  During the moratorium on air travel after 9/11, in the game world, one of the players decided to use his powers to create a small commuter company calling itself Telekinetic Continental and began soliciting for powerful telekinetics, powerful flying bricks-- anyone who could conceivably use their powers to move something the size of an airplane any great distance.
 
Within two years, all civilian "airplanes" are in fact powered by super-humans.  There was no government mandate; it was a logical development made from a unique idea.  In our game world, many super-humans chose to neither defends the world nor destroy it, but simply to live in at as the majority of humans do.  Many of them use their powers commercially, and for them, this was just another opportunity.  Early adopters of super-human-powered flight were lauded with accolades that they were taking steps to remove "flying bombs" from our skies and the companies themselves loudly tooted their horns about the shocking reduction in fuel consumption (and therefore pollution), etc, that this innovation provides.  Eventually, these companies implemented similar programs in Canada, as did some of Canada's own airlines.
Today, there are simply no engine-powered air flights in North America, and very few in Mexico.  Super-human-powered flights are available in Europe and the far east as well, and in India, where this development has made air travel affordable to far more people than ever before.
 
Air travel otherwise is much as it was before: scheduled flights, connections, over-booking, and delays.  Though it is a lot quieter now that "planes" are essentially gliders being lofted and propelled essentially by "human power."
 
Engine powered flight will likely always exist (small craft owned by hobbyists, other countries, etc), but it is nearly defunct in North America.
 
Anyone who remembers the skies and the weather during the post-9/11 moratorium on flight will know just what I'm saying when i tell you that the skies and the weather have never been more beautiful.
 
 
There are many, many more, but it has taken me my entire "computer time" to type up this little bit.  
 
I guess what I wanted to say most of all is that when my players change the world, it stays changed, and they will always have something to look at and say "that was because of us.  We made a difference."
 
Even if it's just weird.
 
 
 

The History of the Champions Earth
 
Mid 1920s through the early 1940s
   The Pulp Era began in 1925 with the first major adventure of Doc Savage and his Fabulous Five; it lasted until the early 40s overlapping with the later heroic age. Among the most active heroes were: Savage (1925-1945), The Shadow (1929-1940), globetrotting explorer Jack Colt (1927-1939), private eye Blake Diamond (1930-1944), Agent 13 (1932-1937) and adventurer Preston Walker (1926-1932). Most kept fighting as long as they were effective, some (Agent 13 for example) dropped out of sight as soon as their “mission” was accomplished, a few like Jack Colt had the end of their careers written in blood, one – Doc Savage – vanished mysteriously only to reappear half a century later un-aged and in perfect health.
 
Late 1930s through early 1950s
   World War II brought forth the Golden Age of Heroes, and for the first time the super-powered hero made his appearance. The late 30s and early 40s gave birth to many heroes whose legends have lived on throughout time. Among the most famous were: Captain America (1940-1945), The Flash (1940-1954), The Atom (1941-1954), Steel (1942-1959), Union Jack (1939-1956), Tricolor (1940-1944), The Human Torch (1942-1947), Bullet (1940-1946) and the man who had started the age - Patriot (1938-1946). One by one the heroes appeared, in July of 1941 they were united by President Roosevelt to partake in a secret mission overseas. From this early gathering came Team America, the greatest gathering of heroes ever seen. Not since the days of Mount Olympus had the world known such power. This was truly the Golden Age of Heroes. Then on the Day of Infamy naval and air forces from the Empire of Japan shattered the US Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor, aroused from her peacetime slumbers America entered the Second World War. In January of 1942 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill brought forth all the various Allied heroes and proposed to form them into a single all-powerful group, this was the birth of the Liberty Legion.
 
   But the real heroes of the war were not those who donned colorful costumes and had strange powers. They were the Americans and Canadians, the French and Greeks, the British and Norwegians, the Australians and Poles, the ordinary citizens who joined their nation’s armies in the fight for a free world. These men fought in khaki and green and navy blue, marched through winds and rain, trudged across parched deserts and sailed through icy Atlantic swells. These soldiers risked - and many lost - their lives and to them all specially gifted heroes bow in reverence. And there were yet those brave men and women who fought their war in the shadow world of espionage: Nick Carter, Matt Helm, Hugh North and Jessica Mason. All too often these heroes paid the price of valor with blood. Until at long last their sacrifices were rewarded with victory and with peace.
 
   The war was over and so came the decline of the Heroic Age. The 1940s began with the birth of the superheroes and ended with their slide toward obscurity. The final crushing blow came in 1954 when the successor to the wartime Liberty Legion – The Justice Society of America, came under suspicion by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Rather than divulge their secret identities the Society disbanded, its members retiring to private life.
 
Early 1950s through Early 1980s
   The McCarthy Purges brought on the Age of the Superagents; government founded and operated combined paramilitary, espionage and law-enforcement organizations. The most active agencies were: UNTIL – the United Nations Tribunal on International Law (1950-1970), Task Force X (1954-1969), SHIELD – the Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Directorate (1964-2003) and UNCLE – the United Network Command for Law Enforcement (1960-1983). Armed with high technology and nerves of steel they battled the multi-national cartels of crime, terror and conquest: Viper, the Secret Empire, Hydra and Thrush. For thirty years they turned back the tide of evil that threatened to swamp the world. Alone, they stood unflinching and afraid of nothing save the return of the one menace that they were ill equipped to handle. In September of 1983 the menace returned when in the tiny Balkan nation of Latveria, Doctor Doom seized the throne. The Supervillains had returned.
 
Early 1980s onward
   The time had come at last! This was to be the greatest Age of Heroes. It was heralded in by the return of the fastest man on Earth – the Flash in 1983. Among the first of the new breed was test pilot Hal Jordan summoned to the side of a dying alien and given a fabulous ring of power to become – Green Lantern. A freak accident during the testing of an experimental nuclear reactor transforms scientists Mark and Angela Stoddard into Sunburst and Solar. The test flight of an experimental spaceship transforms Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm into Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the second Human Torch and the Thing; thus is born the Fantastic Four. Genius Industrialist Anthony Stark creates the high-tech armor to become the Invincible Iron-man. Mythology and reality collide with the return of the Norse God of Thunder – the Mighty Thor. In Gotham City a child orphaned by a killer’s gun had sharpened his mind and body to a razor’s edge, Bruce Wayne became a cancer on the Underworld in the form of the Dark Knight Detective – the Batman. As the world rushes headlong to the future the rate of genetic mutation is given a violent surge by nuclear research giving rise to the mutant children of the atom and thus emerge – the Uncanny X-Men. 1987 saw the return of the Sentinel of Liberty, the greatest human combatant of all time – Captain America! As a teen Peter Parker learned a hard lesson about power and responsibility, since then he has lived up to that responsibility as the Amazing Spider-man. The child from Krypton, raised in Smallville, had moved to the city of Metropolis where he fights a never-ending battle for truth and justice, this last son of a destroyed world has become the greatest hero of all time – Superman! Schooled by the master mage known only as the Ancient One this former surgeon has become the Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme – Dr. Strange, the Master of the Mystic Arts. A victim of mob violence Zack Thomas became the living terror of mobsters everywhere as the dark avenger known only as the Wraith. And still more followed them.
 
   This was now the Silver Age of Heroes and inspired by the teams of the Golden Age some of the greatest that ever lived banded together to face menaces that no one hero could defeat. Taking their inspiration from the post-war Justice Society – The Flash, Green Lantern, Atom II and Blue Beetle became the first Justice League of America. In Canada - Blue Star, Sprint, Green Arrow and Apache Chief are the Avant Guard. Across the globe are the four teams of fire and purpose collectively known as Strike Force. But foremost of the teams of the Silver Age are the Earth’s mightiest heroes – the Mighty Avengers.
 
   But these strides forward are not without the occasional step back and the two most disastrous occurred within four years of one another. In 2003, on the recommendation of its director, Colonel Nick Fury, SHIELD was broken up and disbanded as a result of massive enemy infiltration following which Fury and a handful of trusted subordinates spent the next three years cleaning up the corruption. Then far and away worse, in 2007 Superman was struck down saving Metropolis from the rampaging beast that the press dubbed – Doomsday. The greatest Hero on Earth had made the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted home and the entire world mourned in an outpouring of grief the like of which had never been seen. Was this the signal for the decline of the Silver Age? It seems doubtful, UNTIL has been updated and brought back into operation under Fury’s command following the break up of SHIELD. Patriot has returned and taken up residence in Metropolis where he leads a new Strike Force team that has pledged to follow the Man of Steel’s noble legacy and life goes on. Freedom, Liberty and Justice are anything but free. They must be earned through courage, fidelity and sacrifice. But in the end it is that which makes them worth having.
 
   According to definition a Hero is a man who fights against overwhelming odds for a cause, ideals or the lives of innocents. The cause and ideals will vary with the morning’s headlines; while the innocent, in today’s world of muddy morality, may ultimate prove to be the guilty. Which leaves but one constant in that definition. That a Hero is, above all, a man. A man subject to pressures and responsibilities far above those of other men. After a time those pressures and responsibilities can begin to take their toll upon the soul of even the most valiant of heroes. And it is then that the test of a true Hero begins.
 
The True Heroic Age has just begun.
 
 
 
Major Known Heroes of the Silver Age  (1983 onward)
and select Elder Statesman Heroes
 
Name
1st Appeared
Affiliation
Power type
Current Status
Doc Savage
1925
US Gov.
Highly trained / Super Science
Semi-retired
Patriot $
1938
US Gov / L L / Strike Force
Mutate - highly trained
Active - Metropolis
Captain America
1940
T A / L L / Avengers
Mutate - highly trained
Active – East Coast
The Atom
1941
T A / L L / JSA
Mutate - highly trained
Retired - 1954
Sub-mariner
1941
Atlantis / Avengers
Alien – Sea Powers
Semi-retired
Steel
1942
US Gov./ Liberty Legion
Mutate - Brick
Retired - 1959
Nick Fury $
1943
SHIELD / UNTIL
Highly Trained
Active - worldwide
The Flash II
1983
Justice League of America
Mutate - Speed
Dead - 1998
Green Lantern
1984
Guardians / JLA
High Tech - Ring
Dead - 2004
Power Girl
1984
JLA
Alien - Brick
Dead - 1996
Sunburst !
1984
Solar
Mutate – Density control
Active – L.A.
Solar !
1984
Sunburst
Mutate – Energy control
Active – L.A.
Atom II
1985
JLA
Mutate - Shrinking
Active – San Francisco
Ace of Diamonds !
1985
US Gov.
Highly Trained
Retired - 2001
Blue Beetle
1985
JLA
Gadgeteer
Active - Dallas
Mr. Fantastic
1986
Fantastic Four
Mutate - Stretching
Active - NYC
The Invisible Woman
1986
Fantastic Four
Mutate - Invisibility
Active - NYC
Human Torch II
1986
Fantastic Four
Mutate – Flame control
Active - NYC
The Thing
1986
Fantastic Four
Mutate – Brick
Active - NYC
The Hulk
1986
Avengers / Defenders
Mutate - Brick
Dead - 2005
Thor !
1987
Avengers
God of Thunder
Active – East Coast
Iron-man !
1987
Avengers
Powered Armor
Active – West Coast
Doc Pym
1987
Avengers
Gadgeteer
Active – West Coast
Wasp
1987
Avengers
Mutate – Shrinking
Active – West Coast
Professor X
1988
X-Men
Mutant- Egoist
Active – Shiar Galaxy
Cyclops
1988
X-Men / X-Factor
Mutant – Energy blaster
Active - NYC
Jean Grey
1988
X-Men / X-Factor
Mutant - Telekinesis
Active - NYC
Beast
1988
X-Men/ Avengers/ X-Factor
Mutant – Agile brick
Active – NYC
Iceman
1988
X-Men / X-Factor
Mutant – Ice powers
Active – NYC
Angel
1988
X-Men / Defenders
Mutant – Wings
Semi-retired
Midnight $
1988
none
Mutate- Darkness cont.
Active – Hudson City
Captain
 Mar-vell
1989
Kree Militia
Alien – highly trained
Dead - 1998
Lightmaster
1989
Justice League of America
Mutant – Light control
Semi-retired
Doctor Druid
1989
Avengers
Egoist
Dead – 1992
Atomic Knight
1989
Defenders
Powered Armor
Semi-retired
The Batman
1990
Justice League of America
Highly trained
Active - Gotham City
Spider-man !
1990
none
Mutate – Spider powers
Active – NYC
Hawkeye
1990
Avengers
Highly trained
Active – West Coast
Captain Atom
1990
Justice League of America
Mutate – Atomic cont.
Active – mobile
Power Man !
1990
Crusader & Starburst
Mutate - brick
Active – Seattle
Samson the Strong !
1990
Strike Force
Mystic Brick
Active – Metropolis
Superman
1991
Justice League of America
Alien - Brick
Dead - 2007
Crusader !
1991
Power Man & Starburst
Martial Artist
Active – Seattle
Starburst !
1991
Power Man & Crusader
Mutate – Energy cont
Active – Seattle
Black Canary
1991
Justice League of America
Mutate – Sonic Powers
Active – Gotham City
Daredevil
1992
none
Mutate – Hyper Senses
Dead – 2008
Scarlet Witch
1992
Avengers
Mutant – Probability cont
Semi-retired
Doctor Strange
1992
Defenders
Sorcerer
Active – Vibora Bay
Hercules
1993
Avengers
Demi-God – Brick
Inactive
Black Knight
1993
Avengers
Highly trained
Inactive
Mockingbird
1993
Avengers
Highly trained
Active – West Coast
Wonderman
1993
Avengers
Mutate – Brick
Active – West Coast
Blue Star
1994
Avant Guard
Mutant – Electric cont
Active – Canada & UK
Sprint
1994
Avant Guard
Mutant – Speedster
Active – Canada & UK
Green Arrow
1994
Avant Guard
Highly trained
Active – Canada & UK
The Wraith !
1994
none
Highly trained
Inactive
Apache Chief
1995
Avant Guard
Mystic – Grower
Active – Canada & UK
Major Victory
1995
Justice League of America
Mutate – Brick
Active – D.C.
Centurion $
1995
Strike Force
Powered Armor
Active – MA & Hong Kong
Copperhead
1995
Captain X
Powered Armor
Dead – 2000
Storm
1996
X-Men
Mutant – Weather cont
Active – NY
Wolverine
1996
X-Men
Mutant – senses & regeneration
Active – NY
Colossus
1996
X-Men
Mutant – Brick
Active – NY
Black Widow
1996
Avengers
Martial Artist
Active – East Coast
Captain X
1996
Copperhead
Martial Artist
Inactive
Captain Marvel II
1997
Avengers
Mutate – Energy cont
Inactive
Karate Master
1997
Justice League of America
Martial Artist
Active – San Francisco
Ms. Marvel
1997
Avengers
Mutate – Brick
Retired – 2001
The Vision
1997
Avengers
Android – Density cont
Semi-retired
Black Dragon
1997
Strike Force
Martial Artist
Active – US
Atomic Force !
1998
Strike Force
Mutate – Magnetic cont
Active - Florida
Nightcrawler
1998
X-Men
Mutant – Teleporter
Active – NY
Amazing Man
1998
Fantastic Four
Mutant – Phaser
Active – East Coast
Nightmare $
1998
Strike Force
Mutate – Brick
Active – New England
The Flash III
1998
Justice League of America
Mutate – Speedster
Active – St. Louis
The Scarlet Spider !
1999
Strike Force
Mutate – Spider powers
Active - Boston
Gunmetal Silk
1999
Midnight Archer
Highly trained
Active – Chicago
Midnight Archer
1999
Gunmetal Silk
Highly trained
Active - Chicago
Shadowcat
1999
X-Men
Mutant – Phaser
Active – NY
Mind-Star $
1999
Strike Force
Mutant – Egoist
Active – Boston
Tigra
2000
Avengers
Mutate – Cat powers
Active – West Coast
She Hulk
2000
Avengers/ Fantastic Four
Mutate - Brick
Active - LA
War Machine
2000
Avengers
Powered Armor
Inactive
Blademaster !
2001
Strike Force
Highly trained
Active – Paris
Rogue
2001
X-Men
Mutant – brick/ power-leech
Active - NY
Ultrahawk
2002
Strike Force
Mutate – Energy blaster
Dead - 2005
Guardian $
2002
Justice League of America
Mutate – Cosmic power
Active – MA & NV
The Sandman!
2002
none
Highly trained
Active - Hudson City
Starfox
2003
Avengers
Alien – Brick
Inactive
Ms. Marvel II
2003
Fantastic Four
Mutate – Brick
Active - NY
War Chief !
2004
Strike Force
Mystic Brick
Active - Europe
Shadowalker !
2004
Strike Force
Martial Artist
Active - Metropolis
Green Lantern II
2005
Justice League of America
High Tech – Ring
Active – CA
The Ghost !
2006
none
Mutant – Invisibility
Active – Vibora Bay
Wonder Woman
2006
Justice League of America
Amazon – Brick
Active – D.C. and NYC
Jack o’ Lantern !
2007
none
Martial Artist / Gadgeteer
Active – Hudson City
Psi Force $
2007
Strike Force
Mutant – Telekinesis
Active – Metropolis
Harmony $
2007
none
Highly trained
Active – Northeast US
Dark Angel $
2008
none
Highly trained
Active – Hudson City
Longbow $
2008
none
Highly trained
Active – Hudson City
Sea Sprite !
2008
Strike Force
Mutate – Sea Powers
Active - Miami
 
 
 
Major Known Villain Organizations
Name
Leader (s)
Approximate Size
Goals
Viper
Serpent Council
12,000
World Domination
Demon
Inner Circle of Morbanes
8,000
Mystical Power
Hydra
Madame Hydra & Baron Strucker III
11,000
World Domination
A.I.M. 1.
Scientist Supreme
14,000
Recognition of Sovereignty
C.O.B.R.A.  2.
Unknown   3.
1,000
Unknown
The Secret Empire
Unknown  4.
7,500
Rule of America
 
 
Major Currently Active Villain Teams
Name
Members
The Destroyers
The Black Skull II*, Star Smasher !, Sonic Spirit !, Blowtorch !, Ares, Black Paladin !
The Masters of Evil
Baron Zemo III*, Goliath, Mr. Hyde, Living Laser, Boomerang, The Grim Reaper, Tachyon $
The League of Thieves*
King of Clubs*!, Jack of Spades!, Ace of Hearts!, Queen of Diamonds!
The Sinister Squadron
Terminator*, Blacklash, Force!, Shadowdragon!, Bullseye
Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Magneto*, Mystique, Sabertooth, Blob, Toad, Pyro, Juggernaut, Destiny
Femmes Fatal
Cheshire*, Moonstone, Titania, Howler$
Grab $
Black Diamond*, Bluejay, Cheshire Cat, Hummingbird
The War Machine
Warlord*!, Warbird$, Warcry$, Warhead$, Warmonger$, Warpath$
Eurostar $
Fiacho*, Durak, Feuermacher, Mentalla, Scorpia, Ultrasonique
 
 
 
 
 
Major Active Villains
Name
Stomping Grounds
Power Level
Doctor Doom
Latveria, New York City
Extreme
Loki
Asgard, Northeastern US
Extreme
The Mandarin
Valley of the Dragons in China
Extreme
Ultron XII
Continental US
Extreme
The Joker
Gotham City
Moderate
Ras Al Ghul
Middle East, Gotham City
High
Juggernaut
New York
Very High
Ronan the Accuser
Kree-Lar
Very High
Hobgoblin!
Metro New York
Moderate
The Kingpin
New York City
High
Baron Mordo
Transylvania, Vibora Bay
Very High
Baron Zemo III
Eastern US, Germany
High
Batroc the Leaper
France, New York
Moderate
Thermostar $
Eastern US
Moderate
Green Dragon!
Boston, San Francisco, Hudson City
Low
Star Smasher!
Eastern US
Very High
Crimson Dynamo
Mobile worldwide
High
Force!
New England
Moderate
Grond
Western US
Very High
Blacklash
Los Angeles
Moderate
Boomerang
San Diego
Low
Ares
Olympus, Eastern US
Very High
The Fixer
Western US
Moderate
Goliath
Metropolis
Moderate
Living Laser
Western US
Moderate
Nebula
Mobile - Deep Space
Very High
Moonstone
Continental US
High
Stormfront $
Mid-western US
Moderate
Magneto
Eastern US
Extreme
Galactus
Mobile – Deep Space
Incalculable
Tigershark
Atlantic Ocean
High
Cheshire
Northeastern US
Moderate
Terminator
DC, Baltimore, Gotham City
High
Taskmaster
Hudson City
High
Sinestro
Western US
Very High
Madame Hydra
Western Hemisphere
High
King of Clubs!
Northern US
Low
Jack of Spades!
Western US
Low
Ace of Hearts!
Southern US
Moderate
Queen of Diamonds!
Eastern US
Moderate
Terrax
Mobile – Deep Space
Very High
Mystique
Eastern US
Moderate
Annihilus
Negative Zone, New York City
High
The Absorbing Man
Seattle
High
Kraven the Hunter
Africa, New York City
Moderate
Kang the Conqueror
Mobile across time and space
Very High
Card Shark $
Hudson City
High
The Red Skull
Philadelphia, New York City
High
Mechassassin $
Europe
High
Anubis $
Egypt, Metropolis
Moderate
Blowtorch $
Hudson City
Moderate
Firewing $
Eastern US
High
Howler $
Metropolis
Moderate
Shadowdragon $
Hudson City
Moderate
Icicle $
Chicago
Moderate
Tokofanes $
Southern US
Extreme
Black Skull II
Metropolis, Europe
High
Penny Dreadful !
Hudson City
Low
Baron Strucker III
Eastern Hemisphere
High
Black Paladin $
England, France
Very High
The Riddler
Gotham City
Low
Tachyon $
Chicago
Moderate
Masque $
Eastern US
Low
Talisman $
Vibora Bay
Moderate
The Imperial Khan $
Taqiristan
Very High
 
 
Known Hero Teams of the Silver Age
 
The Mighty Avengers
Founded: 1988   currently active
Sanctioned by: US Gov., UN & UNTIL
Current Bases: Avengers Mansion, New York City
                       Avengers Compound, Los Angeles
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Iron-man
1988 - F
yes
Inactive
Thor
1988 - F
no
Active - NYC
The Hulk
1988 – F
no
Inactive - Dead
Doc Pym aka Ant-man, Giant-man, Goliath & Yellowjacket
1988 – F
no
Active – LA
Wasp
1988 – F
yes
Reserve
Captain America* - EC
1988
yes
Active – NYC
Hawkeye* - WC
1990
yes
Active – LA
Scarlet Witch
1992
no
Reserve
The Beast
1993
no
Reserve
Sub-mariner
1997
no
Reserve
Hercules
1993
no
Reserve
Black Knight
1994
no
Reserve
Mockingbird
1995
no
Reserve
Wonderman
1995
no
Active - LA
She-Hulk
2003
no
Active – LA
The Vision
1998
yes
Reserve
Starfox
2003
no
Reserve
Ms. Marvel
1999
no
Inactive
Captain Marvel II
1997
yes
Reserve
Doctor Druid
1991
yes
Inactive - Dead
War Machine
2001
no
Inactive
Tigra
2001
no
Active – LA
Black Widow
1999
no
Active – NYC
Sersi
2008
no
Active - NYC
Quicksilver
2009
no
Active - NYC
 
 
 
The Fantastic Four
Founded: 1986   currently active
Sanctioned by: US Gov., NYPD & UNTIL
Current Base: Four Freedoms Plaza, New York City
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Mister Fantastic *
1986 – F
yes
Active
The Invisible Woman
1986 – F
yes
Active
The Human Torch II
1986 – F
no
Active
The Thing
1986 – F
yes
Active
She-Hulk
1999
no
Inactive
Amazing Man
2002
yes
Inactive
Ms. Marvel II
2006
no
Inactive
 
The Uncanny X-Men
Founded: 1988   currently active
Unsanctioned Organization
Current Base: Unknown location in New York State
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Professor X
1988 – F
yes
Inactive
Cyclops
1988 – F
yes
Reserve
Jean Grey aka Marvel Girl
1988 – F
no
Reserve
The Beast
1988 – F
no
Reserve
Ice-man
1988 – F
no
Reserve
Angel
1988 – F
yes
Inactive
Storm *
1996
yes
Active
Wolverine
1996
yes
Active
Colossus
1996
no
Active
Nightcrawler
1998
no
Active
Shadowcat
1999
no
Active
Rogue
2002
no
Active
Gambit
2008
no
Active
 
 
 
 
Avant Guard
Founded: 1996   currently active
Sanctioned by: Canadian Gov., UK Gov. & UNTIL
Current Base: Akiminski Island, James Bay, NT
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Blue Star
1996 -F
yes
Active
Sprint *
1996 -F
yes
Active
Green Arrow
1996 -F
yes
Active
Apache Chief
1996 -F
yes
Active
 
The Dynamic Defenders
Founded: 1997   inactive as of 2002
Unsanctioned Organization
Former Base: The Retreat, Arizona
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Doctor Strange
1997 – F
yes
Inactive
The Hulk
1997 – F
no
Inactive
Atomic Knight
1997 – F
no
Inactive
Angel
1999
no
Inactive
 
Justice League of America
Founded: 1986   currently active
Sanctioned by: US Gov., UN & UNTIL
Current Base: Watchtower space station
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
The Flash II
1886 – F
yes
Inactive – Dead
Green Lantern
1986 – F
yes
Inactive – Dead
Atom II
1986 – F
no
Reserve
Blue Beetle
1986 – F
no
Reserve
Power-Girl
1990
no
Inactive - Dead
Lightmaster
1993
yes
Inactive
Captain Atom
1992
yes
Reserve
Black Canary
1993
no
Active
The Batman *
1997
yes
Active
Karate Master
1999
no
Reserve
The Flash III
2000
no
Active
Major Victory
2000
no
Active
Superman
2003
yes
Inactive – Dead
Guardian
2004
no
Active
Green Lantern II
2006
no
Active
Wonder Woman
2007
no
Active
 
 
Strike Force
Founded: 1998   currently active
Sanctioned by: US Gov., UN & UNTIL
Main Base: Strike Force Mansion Command Headquarters, Boston
Additional Bases: Hong Kong, Paris, Miami, Metropolis
 
 
Membership Roster
Name
Year joined
Served as leader
Current status
Centurion * Bos $
Strike Force Commander
1998 - F
yes
Active – Boston, Hong Kong
Black Dragon
1998 - F
no
Active - Boston
Nightmare $
1998 - F
no
Active - Boston
Atomic Force * Mia!
1998 - F
yes
Active - Miami
The Scarlet Spider !
1999
no
Active – Boston
Mind Star $
2000
yes
Active – Boston
Saturn Five!
2001
no
Active - Miami
Ultrahawk
2002
yes
Inactive - Dead
Blademaster * Par
2002
yes
Active – Paris
El Cid !
2002
no
Active – Paris
Patriot * Met $
2003
yes
Active - Metropolis
Musketeer !
2003
yes
Active – Paris
Witch Hazel !
2004
yes
Active - Miami
Dreadnought
2004
no
Active - Paris
Saber $
2002
yes
Active - Metropolis
Challenger !
2002
yes
Active – Hong Kong
Ronin
2003
no
Active – Hong Kong
Commander Atlas !
2004
no
Active - Miami
Steel Dragon * HK !
2002
yes
Active – Hong Kong
Psi Force $
2007
no
Active - Metropolis
GunRunner !
2005
no
Active - Miami
War Chief !
2005
no
Active - Paris
Tsunami
2006
no
Active – Hong Kong
Samson the Strong !
2007
no
Active - Metropolis
Shadowalker !
2007
no
Active - Metropolis
Sea Sprite !
2008
no
Active - Miami
 
 
Notes:
   An F denotes a founding member.
   An * denotes a team’s current leader.
   Footnote 1. A.I.M. denotes Advanced Idea Mechanics.
   Footnote 2. C.O.B.R.A. denotes Corporate Organization for the Benevolent Return to Autocracy.
   Footnote 3. UNTIL suspects the following individuals have COBRA ties and may in fact lead the agency:
                       Lex Luthor, Bruce Wayne, Justin Hammer, Alvin Roxxon, James Sinclair, Gideon Stevens.
   Footnote 4. UNTIL believes this may be a front organization for the Red Skull, Hydra or both.
   ! = needs updating, $ = ready to go, no symbol = needs to be created.
 
Metropolis is in southern New Jersey along the Atlantic coast side. Gotham City is in southeastern Maryland on the Chesapeake. Vibora Bay is in northern Florida in the pan-handle along the Gulf Coast. Hudson City is in Connecticut turned 90 degrees so that the city is oriented East /West rather than North/South along the bisecting Stewart River.
 
Anti-aging treatments have been available since the introduction of Perpetuon by Stevens Bio-Med in 2000, a one-time treatment known as Anagathics Beta was introduced three years later. In the former case annual treatments purge the build-up of aging toxins from the body resulting in no change in physiological age, while the later treatment slows the build-up of aging toxins by two-thirds resulting in a physiological aging of one year for every three that pass. Perpetuon treatments cost approximately $750,000 each, down from $3,000,000 when first introduced. The Anagathics Beta treatment costs $400,000, down from $750,000 in 2003. The two treatments are not compatible. Some superheroes have taken advantage of the treatments, some haven’t. In some cases the cities that they protect have footed the bills as a way of thanking the heroes for what they have done over the years.

I do love how people talking comics take on quasi-scientific stuff, apply what may be real world scientific principles and then provide quasi-authoritative responses for the quasi science.
 
When my son asks me that kind of stuff my stock response is, it depends on what the writer thinks makes for a better story...
 
It is a great response and often a decent principle when ruling in an RPG...
 
Doc

Pegasus40218- a board member came up with tactical notes mostly like this-
 
A character can stand up as part of an Abort ("Get to one's feet" being a 1/2 Phase Maneuver that has the defensive benefit of improving the character's DCV from 1/2 DCV for being Prone).    Ask the GM to fully describe the SFX, any "wind up" for various maneuvers, various "tells" required by activation Limitations on their abilities, and similar in-game details pertaining to the opponents' actions not only informs tactical decisions, it also results in a much better described and higher quality mental picture of an encounter. And that's just beneficial to good roleplaying, plain and simple.   Similarly that amount of detail makes opponents far more memorable and is particularly advantageous and enriching to the game in the case of reoccurring NPC's.   KNOW THE TERRAIN   The terrain is either your greatest ally or your greatest enemy. More battles have been affected by terrain and environment than any other consideration. Pay attention to the details of the battleground du jour, taking full advantage of sight lines, cover, concealment, avenues of approach, useful objects, and high ground. Use it to your own advantage, deprive advantages to the opposition, and be mindful of hazards. Ask the GM to describe the scene in detail and if not playing on a battlemap, draw a quick abstract sketch and ask the GM if it's accurate. Understanding where things are at in relation to each other is very important, particularly for highly mobile characters.   MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS   Pay attention to events in play. Be aware of where characters are in relation to each other, who has yet to act in a Phase, who has acted in a Phase, and be particularly alert to unexpected opportunities that transpire.   TIMING   Combat is all about timing. Doing the exact same move with the exact same rolls can be brilliant or stupid, all based upon timing. Assuming you Know the System, Your Character, Your Enemy, and the Terrain, you have a plethora of tools in your character's toolbox at your disposal, but without understanding when it is a good idea to use which one it amounts to naught. Some players have a tendency to find one or two actions that work for them and then just blindly apply them to every situation regardless of whether it is appropriate or not. Don't get hung up on a particular stunt or trick. It's not a question of Holding, or Aborting, or Maneuvering, or Alpha-striking, or what have you. All are good options for characters of various designs, but only when timing favors them. Similarly some players have abilities that are only useful in certain circumstances, but they try to use them in situations where they are not appropriate, or success with them is not auspicious. Growing frustrated by failure, the player then disregards the ability and never uses it again. It's like getting frustrated when a wrench fails to drive a screw, and subsequently never using the wrench even when presented with a bolt that needs to be tightened. A good chunk of solid tactics is simply using the right tool at the right time.   RISK MANAGEMENT   An important corollary to tactics is managing your character's risk. Blindly charging about doing dangerous things without a commensurate potential for payoff only works for so long. It's all well and good to take risks, but remember to Cover Your Ass (CYA). Understand when the situation is conducive to employing an all out attack, when it is conducive to holding back, when an all out defense is necessary, and when you should gain space to recover. In a larger sense you should also consider risk to your character's teammates and allies, if any. Sometimes the best thing to do in the bigger picture is to "take one for the team" to protect a crucial teammate, or to set another teammate up. OPPORTUNISM Sometimes events occur that are irregular, unplanned for, unpredictable. It is often worth extra risk to capitalize on these unexpected opportunities. In militaristic jargon this is known as "targets of opportunity". When opponents unexpectedly lower their DCV, turn their back to the character, suffer a fumble, take an action early in a Phase (and thus briefly lose their ability to Abort), have to change clips, or otherwise suffer a momentary impediment it is tactically sound to exploit the opportunity. Characters with "Code of the HERO",  "Honorable", and similar Disadvantages may not be able to capitalize on such boons, but other characters certainly can.   TACTICAL TENETS   Tactics are essentially fluid and situational so it is basically impossible to codify them into  inviolate strictures without rendering them counterproductive. For tactics to remain viable they must remain flexible and agile. However, there are some general rules of thumb that will serve you well in a HERO System combat.   DON'T BE A ROCK EM SOCK EM ROBOT   Do not have your characters just stand around hitting and getting hit. Not only is this boring, it uses like 1% of the Combat System. You might as well just roll dice randomly to kill time, if that's all you want to do. Move around, use Manuevers, Abort to defensive actions intelligently, use things in play to springboard off of, get creative. Combat doesn't have to be a race to the last hit point.   HOLD YOUR PHASE 12 All HERO System combats start on Phase 12. This gives everyone a chance to go in the same Phase and prevents slower characters from getting bent over a barrel before they get a chance to do anything. It is all too tempting to start off the combat with a bang and rip loose with an all out attack, but unless you can totally devastate the opposition or have defenses that are so good you can weather the return fire it is a mistake. Hold your action and be prepared to take evasive / defensive action if necessary. Let your opponent show their hand first, and if possible counter punch after they have committed themselves to something.- EXCEPTION: PREEMPTIVE STRIKE
 
If your character happens to know that the opposition has an attack that is so powerful allowing them to use it results in something between an unfavorable trade and total catastrophe, then by all means take them out first even if it means going in Phase 12.
 
EXCEPTION: HIGH ENDURANCE COST ABILITY If your character has an attack that has a non-negligible Endurance cost, then use it before the end of Segment 12 if possible so that the free Post Segment 12 REC will help defray it's cost.
 
ONE IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH aka "Kick em when they are down"
 
A lot of players are used to games without a clean "STUN" concept, and once opponents go down they stay down. Not so in the HERO System. While "agents" or "mooks" might stay down at the GM's option, notable characters get Recoveries and will stand back up again if allowed to regain their composure. It's amazing how even players that have been playing HERO's for a while seem to forget this. When a tough opponent gets staggered or goes below 0 STUN hit 'em again to make sure they stay down (unless it runs against your character's roleplaying of course). LOW DCV = SWEEP, HIGH DCV = OTHER OPTIONS Once they are exposed to the idea and see how it works, many a player becomes enamored of Sweep and Rapid Fire (same mechanic), and proceed to use the Maneuver every chance they get without recourse to the consequences. This is a mistake that they are easily made to pay for as their DCV drops to half and they subsequently get drubbed by return fire. Which isn't to say that Sweep and Rapid Fire aren't good options. They are fantastic options in general, but they favor characters that have lower DCV and higher OCV via combat levels. The lower the character's DCV to begin with, the less impact dropping to 1/2 DCV is. Characters with high DCV should pursue other options to increase their volume of attacks such as Multiple Power Attacks, Autofire, or taking advantage of Two Weapon Fighting to reduce the DCV penalty of Sweep / Rapid Fire. For some characters Spreading is another useful option for affecting more than one opponent, but this has bigger ramifications and is discussed independently below. SEGMENTS (1, 5 ,7, 11) According to the Speed Chart that drives combat's flow, fewer SPD values get actions on Segments 1, 5, 7, and 11 making these Phases ideal for taking Held Actions, particularly if your character has a follow-up action in the Segment immediately following. Its also useful to set up Haymakers to end in 5, 7, and 11 (not so much 1 due to crossing Post-Segment 12). Hold to the end of 4, 6, or 10 and start a Haymaker, and let it land in 5,7, or 11.  
 
TWO-FOR-ONE SPECIAL
 
Using one action to take out two opponents, particularly in a case where one is adjacent (in HtH range) and the other isn't, is a very effective tactic. There are several ways to do this.
 
KNOCKBACK RICOCHET Not in the main rulebook, but clarified in the Rules FAQ and later publications (such as the aforementioned Combat Handbook), a character can Knockback an opponent in such a way as to hit a third character. This requires a to-hit roll using only the attackers base OCV vs. the third character's DCV.
 
PITCHING ENEMIES
 
Similarly, though not as efficiently, it is possible to throw an opponent that has already been grabbed in a previous Phase at another character.
 
SHOVE
 
The Martial Maneuver Shove is quite useful in this regard -- you can Shove one character some distance and into another, also gaining some movement yourself. It is also one of the easier ways to move opponents around against their will, and all in all a very under utilized Maneuver.  
 
MARTIAL MANEUVERS AND MULTIPLE POWER ATTACKS
 
Martial Maneuvers built on different bases can be used together as a Multiple Power Attack to pull off very efficient actions like Nerve Strike + Take Away + Leg Sweep and other such devastating combos. If one is prone to watching Kung Fu movies, a lot of the crazier stunts seen therein are most closely modeled in the HERO System via creative combinations of MPA'd Martial Maneuvers.
 
SPREADING
 
A frequently overlooked gem of a rule, Spreading allows a character to either trade damage classes for extra OCV, or more commonly to trade damage classes to make a non-AoE attack into a small AoE. I've seen innumerable players with characters that could spread their attacks never use the option. There is even an option to allow characters to Spread their Strength, which is a very useful trick. Beg your GM to allow it, but beware the opposition using it on you.
 
KEEP YOUR ENEMIES WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM aka "don't turn your back on a loaded gun"
 
If possible, try to position your character so that no enemies are behind them, particularly if the character has a high DCV and lower defenses.
 
DEFENSE MANEUVER
 
Failing that, if it is at all justifiable for your character's concept, get Defense Maneuver IV. It's just about the best spent 10 points you'll likely have on your sheet.
 
TARGETABLE FOCI aka "How many points did you save with that Focus again?"
 
Don't forget you can target Foci. Even if a Focus is indestructible (most aren't), you can knock it loose if it's Accessible and thus deprive an opponent of whatever abilities were purchased via the Focus.
 
CONCEALMENT
 
When using the Terrain to ones own advantage, Concealment is often available. Use it.
 
SHIELD OF OPPORTUNITY
 
If the situation presents itself and your character is taking ranged fire, feel free to rip up or grab some appropriately useful object and use it as a Tower Shield to provide concealment and if the GM is kind some extra DEF. INTERPOSING In a situation where some opponents are close in to fight in HtH, and other opponents are standing off to use Ranged attacks try to maneuver in such a way to keep the closer HtH opponents between your character and the ranged opponents.
 
DROPPING PRONE
 
When receiving ranged fire, and assuming no opponents are inconveniently close to melee range, don't forget that you can Drop Prone as a 0 Phase Action, which is combinable with an Abort to Dodge or similar. This is not exactly the same as Dive For Cover, though you do go to 1/2 DCV for being prone. The advantages of doing so are three fold; first off unlike D4C there is no DEX Roll involved, secondly if you don't abort to it but do it on your own Phase it can be combined with other Actions (such as Full Move, Drop Prone), and finally you benefit from any Concealment which can either impose an OCV penalty on a shooter or even prevent them from firing at your character at all if they can no longer see you.
 
AERIAL SUPERIORITY
 
Ideally you want to keep enemies on the ground and your character or allies that have the capability off the ground. It is almost always a smart tactical move to ground an opponent or to get oneself or an ally off the ground.
 
ALTITUDE
 
An efficient tactic for characters able to gain altitude via some fashion is to get above an opponent and shoot from above them, seeking to do downward Knockback. This gains three things if successful; firstly the opponent takes damage from the initial attack, secondly they lose altitude at a disfavorable rate (it takes 2" to go up 1" for most forms of movement, but Knockback is 1 for 1), and thirdly enough Knockback will put them into the ground for more damage (and if they are Flying, Gliding, or Swinging they take an extra d6 of Knockback).
 
FMOVE IS YOUR FRIEND
 
Full Move (FMove) Maneuvers are great because they frequently allow your character to take three or more 1/2 Phase Actions in a single Full Phase. That's just good Action Economy no matter how you slice it. The three FMove Standard Maneuvers (Move By, Move Thru, and Grab By) are all decent, but the FMove Martial Maneuvers are all worth their weight and several are among the best Maneuvers in the game.  Whether your character has the Martial versions or must rely on the Standard ones, get familiar with them and apply that knowledge liberally.
 
CLUSTER****
 
This probably goes without saying, but if your character has a respectable AoE or Autofire and several opponents clump together in nice tight little kill radius, it might be a good idea to shift gears from what you were planning on doing that Phase and taking advantage of the opportunity to punish them for it.
 
CHANNELING
 
Similarly, it is possible to arrange a battlefield to force opponents to clump up for AoE's, and it is also possible to push them together over time via intersecting lines of fire that leave a seemingly safe pocket somewhere. The opposition naturally finds their way into this pocket and then blammo. In games with more unusual abilities this can also be accomplished by using abilities like Force Wall, Darkness, and Change Environment to render areas undesirable or off limits, forcing foes to group up. Knockback and Throws can also be used to cluster opponents; several allies could all deposit an opponent into a tight area to set a blaster or equivalent up for a big finish, for instance.
 
SWITCH UP
 
Often a GM will present a group of opponents that are individually well suited to facing off against one or more PC's. If the GM then engages the PC's individually with these mini-nemesis and the PC's get stuck in with them accordingly, it can make for a long fight. Let the GM have a little fun, but after about a TURN or so consider having your character deliberately disrupt the pairings. Cheapshot an opponent that is giving a comrade a hard time of it, freeing your ally to either finish them off or in turn helping out another ally (maybe even you). This is good tactics (it's never smart to fight your enemies battle), but on the other hand it can be frustrating to the GM, so use responsibly.
 
DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO
 
If for some reason you aren't sure what to do, or no particularly worthwhile target is presenting itself then 1/2 Move and Hold a 1/2 Phase. Consider it your filler action of choice. If you frequently find yourself with nothing to do it's possible you need to reevaluate the character and either get an ability that takes time to use like Find Weakness or Aid so that you can translate all those extra actions into something useful, or perhaps lower your SPD and recoup some points. Alternately you might just be indecisive, which you are on your own to resolve.
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