nitrosyncretic

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

1) Teen ninjas with hi-tech face an alien invasion. 

2) We must take care of the Earth, or else!

 

1. Hi-tech ninjas defend the Earth.

2. Teen angst and drama.

4 hours ago, Michael Hopcroft said:

Setting doctrine aside, is there a better, proper way to address this statement? The existence of supers does change a setting. Or is Nitro dismissing the whole idea of superfight promotions as a campaign device out of hand?

 

Because that is something my new-formed party would probably enjoy playing.

1. Flashy Super-fights in controlled conditions are a popular spectator sport.

2. Family conflict in Baltimore.

8 hours ago, Pariah said:

Reasonable point/power levels under Champions Now rules:

- Attacks: 8-10d6 (or equivalent)

- Defense: 18-25, with up to 5-8 Resistant if desired

- Body: 10-15 (any more than 15 seems prohibitively expensive)

- Speed: 2-3 for most characters; maybe 4 for speedsters and Martial Artists

I don't think there's any mathematical sweet spot and the group sets it's own standard by what it chooses. That said, these are close to what I see in my game -- but that might be the legacy of playing 4th ed. The only exception is that resistant defense is often zero and rarely more than 3.

I know that focus is on building a character as envisioned. So beware spending too much thought on covering every basic action (eg offense, defense, ranged, movement).

Yup. Statement two should make no mention of superpowers or related things. Without the nonsupers statement, a whole aspect of what a game can be about is missing. It's like defining starting Spider-man without high school.

I know that gamer culture generally says "well just use the rules you like and ignore anything you don't." This doesn't work for CN. I know Ron's work and philosophy and have also closely read the rules -- the game text is carefully designed to produce a particular experience. The more rules you ignore, the less you'll get to see what the game is aiming at. That's fine, but as you do that, you lose any right to make any judgments about the play experience. At some point, you won't be playing Champions Now. 

3 hours ago, Michael Hopcroft said:

Batman has been known to take these down repeatedly, without any powers and usually without even armor (Whether the Batman: TAS version wears armor is unclear -- he doesn't look like he does.) How does he do it in a what heroes in CN can replicate?

 

Check out the rules for normals on 160. That answers your question.

On 5/23/2020 at 11:28 AM, Michael Hopcroft said:

Another idea to throw out is:

 

1. Powers are flashy and exciting

2. Super-fights in controlled conditions are a popular spectator sport that sometimes spills out into the main world

 

Any major problems with these?

 

I have about a week to settle on statements for my Roll20 game that my players are likely to agree to. I don't know if they would go for something like "60s Batman with real superpowers", but I know I would enjoy it. I have to find a statement set that I'm reasonable sure my players would want to play.

Review page 32 for an answer to your question.

Champions Now is a set of rules for creating superhero comic book adventures in roleplaying in the way they emerged in the comics of the 60s and 70s. It is not a universal system or an attempt to codify the fictional reality in points. This is the divergence between Champions Now and Hero System.

2 minutes ago, Tywyll said:

 

I am aware of the expanded scope, but that seems to be a matter of 'zip' I'm in the next city instantly, like a speedster. Not really the causal patrol flight/run/swinging. 

How expanded scope works for your particular hero depends on how the special effects are defined. For a speedster like the Flash, it might be zip! For Spidey, it might involve swinging across the length of greater New York in just enough time to get somewhere.

Ron often suggests thinking in terms of panels on a comic book page when dealing with this sort of thing. It's not about miles per hour, it's how many panels from here to there.

The author just confirmed to me that you don't have to keep track of endurance, recoveries, or segmented action outside of combat.

I think one way to read p.172 is that segments only need to be applied once combat starts. I don't know if that's the actual intent, I'm just making a suggestion.

Also, I just remembered something that is explicit, at least in the case of long distance travel -- the expanded scope advantage allows one to convert 10 hexes of flight into, for example, interstellar travel, which would then still cost only 2 endurance per use.

Good point, Pawsplay. Is there reason to believe that the phase mechanic applies when one isn't in combat?

2 hours ago, pawsplay said:

I'm not sure it has a narrativist bent. Ron seems to have gone all-in on the "let the dice fall where they may" aesthetic for this one.

Well, Ron hasn't used the term "narrativist" for more than 12 years. 

The dice falling where they may is a perfect partner to the "now." The concept is to establish a starting condition full of motivated and planful NPCs, let play determine how any conflicts turn out, then visit how that changes the motivations and plans of the NPCs.

Each now is a list of NPC cast members with their motivations and any actions they intend to take in the next session. You can read about this in the chapter called "The Now."

During a session, the GM plays the NPCs to follow their plans until the players get in the way. If the players don't get in the way, the NPCs just proceed uninfluenced. If the two collide, then play (including but not always dice rolls) determines  outcomes. No planned outcomes. No gifts from the GM. 

Then the GM creates a new Now sheet, where the NPCs adjust their attitudes and plans based on what just happened.

Things the GM does not do include: require a particular outcome from a conflict, require a particular course of action, set things up so only one path will work, or invent discoveries and conflict in front of the characters wherever they decide to go.

This evolution aims to create what Ron has termed "Story Now."

Micheal,

I don't get any sense of what role this character would play in a superhero comic. I strongly urge you to come up with two statements that fit the rules requirements then build the character from there. 

As reference for Champions Now, it's really worthwhile to buy access to the Marvel Comics online and read the 60s through early 70s of Spider-Man and the FF and whatever else takes your fancy. You can also get anthologies from most libraries. Ron sees the original Champions as inspired by this era and that is indeed what he's trying to capture.

On 4/22/2020 at 12:12 PM, Michael Hopcroft said:

How about:

 

1. Powers are colorful and fun. Heroes are treated like celebrities -- with targets on their backs.

 

2. Fighting crime as a way to grab attention in Hollywood. ("I want my TMZ!)

 

 

Here's what the rules say about Statement 2:

"This part says nothing about powers or superhero/villain material. It’s really tempting, but resist."

Your statement 2 is all about superpowers. I'd suggest changing the statements up like this:

1. Powers are colorful and fun.

2. Celebrity careers live or die in front of and behind the cameras in Hollywood.

See how the second statement could be about non super activity? That's what you want for a second statement.

7 hours ago, assault said:

You can then ignore the "three corner" stuff as you see fit. That's just a sop to "deep immersion" GMs. ....

 

Apart from that, the first formal step in character design is deciding on your character's situations. That can be a bit tricky in the absence of any guidance.

First, I'll say I am by no means an 'immersive GM" so I don't need sops.

Like the two statements, the three corners approach provides the guidance one needs to create an exciting character. In my experience with the game over the past two years, trying to brainstorm the three corners one at a time in advance doesn't work well -- instead it's a set of categories to be aware off. Think of one element inspired by the two statements and/or the location and put that tentatively in one of the corners. Maybe scribble down which situation or power that suggests, then look around the three corners again and see what else pops from the creative impulse. It doesn't have to be executed before you start playing with points, instead it's valuable to jump between them as inspiration. 

Also, choosing situations is not a "I just need points so I'll throw this on there" -- situations define what you will be playing with, so choose things that interest you. As Assault said, it doesn't have to be clever, you don't have to sweat blood, just choose what seems interesting given what you've already come up with and the two statements. 

It's okay to leave holes in a character's capabilities too. It can force players into thinking of teamwork so one character compensates for the weakness of another. And if the hole makes the character vulnerable to defeat, you get to find a way to return from defeat. The game is not going to remove your character from play permanently unless you decide that. 

20 hours ago, Pariah said:

1. Do enhanced senses other than Awareness exist? For example, if wanted a character that had night vision, how would I go about buying that? Or, based on the stated assumption that supers are inherently better, the character can just have it as a special effect?

Yes, just take base level awareness and define the special effect with more detail than just "night vision." The special effect should determine how you get the night vision. The special effect will then have consequences on how the power works. For example night vision based on light enhancement will have occasional advantages and drawbacks different from night vision based on infrared vision. Light enhancement might increase the effect of Flash when in use while IR would have trouble distinguishing room temperature objects and beings, for example. 

Quote

 

2. There is no current listing under Life Support for extreme temperatures (hot or cold). Based on costs for similar environments, I'm thinking this could be a 5 point power. Thoughts?I

 

Any insights or direction that you could provide would be helpful. Thank you!

Hm. It's not listed in the rules or in Champions 3. I don't know what Ron would say. Maybe 5 points to be immune to heat or cold based environments. That would usually manifest as a hazard in the game. But I would not allow immunity to heat or cold based attacks, such as blast. For that you'd have to buy conditional Defense. Decide at your own table. 

Got my quota for now, so not looking any longer. Check out AdeptPlay.com if you're interested in finding a game of Champions Now.

Looks like I've got all I can handle right now, so I'm no longer looking.

Flash might also work for Vertigo. There's no one right way to represent a particular special effect. You might also consider combo powers like 4d6 Mind Control and Weaken 2d6 Presence.

2 hours ago, assault said:

Here are a couple of powers I'm rather fond of, but which are a bit tricky. Any ideas?

 

Causing fear.

Causing vertigo.

Think about what mechanical effects you want the special effect to manifest. Mind Control. Weaken PRE, Extra Presence, Flash, Weaken Dex, and Entangle (maybe ego based) are all possible.

Are you stuck at home by the COVID-19 restrictions?
Do you want to play Champions Now? (See below for more on what Champions Now is about.)

Seeking two, maybe three players who can commit to four weekly sessions.
Thursdays 3pm-6pm Pacific Daylight Time online. (Probably Roll20.net)
(4-7 MDT, 5-8 CDT, 6-9 EDT; UTC 22:00 to 01:00) 

Weekly for four weeks, with possible continuation as our schedules and possible return to regular work schedules allow.

Champions Now starts with the original Champions rules of 1980 and adjusts and polishes them to support game play that reproduces the feel of superhero comic book stories for the 1960s and 70s (think early Spider-Man or Fantastic Four.) I have the final rulebook from the kickstarter and will be teaching how it's different from Hero System as we play. check out the Champions Now subforum here on Hero Games community website and also seethe kickstarter info at 

Are you stuck at home by the COVID-19 restrictions?

Do you want to play Champions Now?

Seeking two, maybe three players who can commit to four weekly sessions.

Thursdays 3pm-6pm Pacific Daylight Time online. (Probably Roll20.net)

(4-7 MDT, 5-8 CDT, 6-9 EDT; UTC 22:00 to 01:00) 

Weekly for four weeks, with possible continuation as our schedules and possible return to regular work schedules allow.

Yes, somewhere in the kickstarter comments or updates it says that the game will be available through several venues including drivethru, with hard copies available through local game stores.

On 3/15/2020 at 12:38 AM, astralfrontier said:

A comment about power frameworks, in the context of Breakthrough, one of the PCs.

 

Aside from using powers in play, the choice of frameworks affects how the characters develop. For Breakthrough, I wanted to leave room to expand his abilities in new or interesting directions. The game gives a couple ways to do this: manifest a new power during play (as with a VPP), or pay for a new power with points (as with an EC or MP). The point cost for a new slot in the EC is higher than that of one in the MP, and I wanted to be able to manifest maybe one new power every couple of sessions, so I went originally with the MP.

I had not considered the design considerations for growing the character. I can see that a multiform slot would be a faster way to add something new.

Let me unpack my thinking, not as a defense, but so you can follow the logic even if it would not be your preference. The changes were in response to two new rules about MF, ie it takes a half phase to reallocate the slots and the only limitations that reduce cost must apply to all slots. Because one power was flight limited as superleap and another was a clinging effect, the limitation on the superleap slot would have been worth nothing. Also, I made a call thinking that an EC would allow use of both modes of movement in a single phase without having to spend half a phase to shift.

On 3/15/2020 at 12:38 AM, astralfrontier said:

 

Another part of the choice is cultural. Among the gamers I've talked to, many have expressed distrust or dislike of VPP or similar anything-goes power frameworks in other systems (e.g. modular abilities in Mutants & Masterminds). For purposes of the demo/playtest, I wanted to keep my PC simple for the sake of the other players, because a VPP can be complex in play.

 

These are things that won't directly show up in the rules, but I hope we keep them in mind as we design more characters in the future.

I thought I was the only one who avoided the VPP in order to keep the character easy to handle in play! As GM or player I don't want to be trying to formulate a power under pressure during play. I solve this by spending extra preparation time creating a list of options -- and this has its downside of requiring more prep.

Another factor you mention is the "fuzziness" of the VPP. I think this framework puts a lot of responsibility on the player and GM to define and apply the conceptual limitations of the pool's special effect If one runs fast and loose with the special effect, the character of the pool feels more like an excuse than a fictional element..