JimLotFP

Re: CHAMPIONS REVISED -- If We Do It, What Would You Like To See?

Re: CHAMPIONS REVISED -- If We Do It, What Would You Like To See? About Champions... There is a fundamental disconnect in that the book talks about adapting comic book traits for gaming, but it barely actually talks about comic books. Also, sometimes the text will mention specific things from comic books (Gwen Stacy's death stood out) yet most of the time it'll reference things in a sly, "you know what we're talking about" *wink wink nudge nudge* kind of way. While I understand that it's probably a bad idea to come out and say "This is Green Goblin's glider" or "This is Rogue's absorption power" in things like USPD and Gadgets and Gear, it really makes an explanatory text like Champions come across as snarky and leaves a me wondering how many references are in there that I didn't recognize. My suggestion is to add an appendix talking about comic books themselves. Create a massive bibliography/reading/viewing list with an eye towards creating a resource that nails down specific runs (with issue numbers and year of release) and describes what comic book themes they created or at least best represent, in order to tie all of the talk of those themes in the main text to their source material. It's not unreasonable to assume that a Champions player is already a comic book fan, but it is unreasonable to assume that they have encyclopedic knowledge on the matter, or aren't up for seeing a new, well-educated take on things.

Re: Dumbest thing...

Re: Requires skill roll Has anyone brought up that RSR imposes a -1 penalty per 10 active points in the power? So, say that the skill is 17-, if that power is 50 active points, you're needing to make a 12- roll. Not an inconsiderable disadvantage...

Re: WWYD: Those Who Cannot Remember The Past ... somebody wanted supers out of the way for some sinister reason! Obviously! The only smart thing to do is find out who... and stop whatever it is they're doing. ... and if that isn't it, then somebody's playing a There’s No Place Like Springfield game with me... and they too must pay.

I'm 5000 words into the first draft, looks like it's going to be 20-25000 words in total. I'm having a lot of the same problems with my players as I did in the early 90s concerning Disads, and I've had enough of it. It's approach/theory/focus kind of stuff, not in-play flow or mechanics so my lack of constant HERO play over the years shouldn't be a problem. I need some help with the article though... If somebody can send me, or post, the explanation paragraphs of what Disadvantages are from the 1st, 3rd, and 4th editions (I have 2nd and 5ER), that would be very helpful. Don't need any specific rules or anything, just the opening explanation fluff. ... and I'm out of the loop with most "popular" game systems. Do D&D 3.5, World of Darkness, Exalted, BRP, or Shadowrun (I haven't read the latest editions of those games) have disadvantage mechanics like HERO and GURPs? ... and if anybody has some time over the next couple weeks, I need somebody to bounce ideas, phrases, and leads off of while finishing the article... get in touch on one of my messenger contacts, real-time feeback and discussion is what I'm after... Thanks!

Re: Would you like some sub-plots with that?

Re: [Character] Sister Bliss That certainly makes a lot more sense with the background! I'd still switch some of the disadvantages around for the following reasons: I think that Rivalry still sounds a bit odd. I'd turn it into a "helping the disadvantaged" or something rather than making it distinctly religious - it was something Sister Elena apparently did anyway, and with her not being a proper nun, and being part imp, there's not even an arena in which to be competitive on a religious basis, is there? Focus the rivalry on out-gooddeeding each other and I'd think there'd be a more logical conflict there. The ex-nun trying to keep to her beliefs versus the nun who finds it important to be better at being good than this fallen tramp who can perform miracles. If she's got a conflicted split psyche, something in the disads should reflect that I think. Maybe one disadvantage for the actual split personality, and another disadvantage split into three parts - a different one in effect depending on which personality is in charge. That would go along with the Indecisive bit you listed in the background.

Re: [Character] Glitterbunny The character is all about "me me me what feels good now me me me," "Oh look at all this attention!", but the most important point of the character was basically making a spoiled brat who, by her nature, never suffers any consequences (which is the only reason for the Life Support to be there, maybe that needed a -1 Limitation: Only vs STDs). We all know a good part of the reason Paris is famous, so I needed something to push that to an exaggerated "super villainess!" level. And I also needed something to show her behavior was destructive to those around her, that she was actually a villain and not just background super-celebrity fluff. But at the same time hardwiring it into the character via disadvantages seemed too "codified" for me; she doesn't do it because she likes wrecking other people's lives, she wrecks people's lives simply because she gets more attention than not doing so. And I was really sloppy with the background text, too. (should be murderer, not murdered, etc...). The one sentence I started and didn't finish should be: "She keeps in tip-top shape as her figure is the only thing she really works at. Being able to perform athletic feats (Acrobatics) and twist her body into unnatural positions (Contortionist) increases the attention she gets from the public in just the right way, too."

Re: [Character] Sister Bliss I'm confused... is this character a hero or villain? (Being part of a team, as noted, prevents her from just being a neutral or non-affiliated super, right?) A "lusty" nun doesn't make much sense for a hero, and a "lusty nun" who wears a "slutty nun costume" certainly doesn't make sense for a real nun, and the whole idea seems disrespectful so I'd think villain. But having Holy powers and being vulnerable to Unholy attacks implies that this character is a hero, perhaps even a real nun (especially if another Sister is a "professional" rival). (And how can a nun be or have a romantic rival? What kind of convent is this?) For an "edgy" modern loose morality game, OK. For any sort of traditional supers game (or anywhere that someone could ask "What would a religious order think of one of their sisters looking and acting like that?"), the character makes no sense. Drop the "real nun" bit and give the character religious identity issues instead (you know, the cliche story about the unbelieving party-girl suddenly visited from on high and given abilities and responsibilities, and figures dressing up like a religious figure makes sense, but with her background messes up the details...), or push the "real nun not living up to her vows" and eliminating the public aspects of her lack of discipline, maybe combined with the "terribly conflicted because she's been given these powers yet is still doing that"... something to make the character internally consistent.

Re: [Character] Weregild - The Viking of Vengeance!

Re: [Character] Weregild - The Viking of Vengeance!

Re: [Character] Weregild - The Viking of Vengeance!

[b]Weregild - Patrik Österlund[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 20 STR 10 20 13- HTH Damage 4d6 END [2] 21 DEX 33 21 13- OCV 7 DCV 7 25 CON 30 25 14- 25 BODY 30 25 14- 13 INT 3 13 12- PER Roll 12- 21 EGO 22 21 13- ECV: 7 40 PRE 10 40 17- PRE Attack: 8d6 10 COM 0 10 11- 10 PD 6 10/17 10/17 PD (0/7 rPD) 10 ED 5 10/17 10/17 ED (0/7 rED) 5 SPD 19 5 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 9 REC 0 9 50 END 0 50 48 STUN 0 48 9 RUN 6 9" END [2] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 4 LEAP 0 4" 4" forward, 2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 174[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 46 [b][i]Hammer of Retribution[/i][/b]: (Total: 115 Active Cost, 46 Real Cost) HA +8d6 (40 Active Points); OAF Unbreakable (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) (Real Cost: 16) [b]plus[/b] HA +9d6 (45 Active Points); Limited Power Only Against Portals While In Direct Pursuit of a Murderer (-2), OAF Unbreakable (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) (Real Cost: 10) [b]plus[/b] +5 with Hammer of Retribution (Real Cost: 10) [b]plus[/b] Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack) (20 Active Points); OAF (-1) (Real Cost: 10) - END=8 33 [b][i]Fire Cloak[/i][/b]: (Total: 92 Active Cost, 33 Real Cost) HKA 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/2), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (52 Active Points); No STR Bonus (-1/2), OIF (-1/2), -2 Decreased STUN Multiplier (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4) (Real Cost: 19) [b]plus[/b] Sight Group Images 1" radius, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Only To Create Light (-1), OIF (-1/2), Linked (HKA; -1/2) (Real Cost: 5) [b]plus[/b] +20 PRE (20 Active Points); Only For Intimidation Based PRE Rolls (-1), OIF (-1/2), Linked (HKA; -1/2) (Real Cost: 7) [b]plus[/b] +1 with DCV (5 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Linked (HKA; -1/2) (Real Cost: 2) - END=0 30 [b][i]The Dead Cry Out For Vengance![/i][/b]: Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, Cannot Be Escaped With Teleportation (+1/4), Takes No Damage From Attacks Limited Group (+1/4), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+1/4), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Indirect (Any origin, any direction; +3/4), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1) (120 Active Points); Only Effective Against an Unpunished Murderer When There Is Proof Of His Crime (-1), Eye Contact Required (-1/2), Limited Class Of Minds Human Minds (-1/2), Mental Defense Adds To EGO (-1/2), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Visible (-1/4) - END=12 15 [b][i]Staring Through the Eyes of the Dying[/i][/b]: (Total: 90 Active Cost, 15 Real Cost) Retrocognitive Clairsentience (Hearing, Sight And Touch Groups) (60 Active Points); Retrocognition Only (-1), Only to Experience Last Moments of a Murder Victim's Life (-1), Corpse of the Deceased Must Be Present (-1), Side Effects: Takes the same BODY damage as killing blow against victim (12 BODY max), Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-1), No Range (-1/2), Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2) (Real Cost: 10) [b]plus[/b] Telepathy 4d6 (Human and Additional Class of Minds classes of minds) (30 Active Points); Only to Experience Last Moments of a Murder Victim's Life (-1), Corpse of the Deceased Must be Present (-1), Receive Only (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Linked (Clairsentience; -1/2), Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4) (Real Cost: 5) - END=9 14 [b][i]Chainmail[/i][/b]: Armor (7 PD/7 ED) (21 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) - END=0 11 [b][i]I Know This Area Better Than You[/i][/b]: Teleportation 20" (40 Active Points); Only To Get In Front Of Fleeing Target (-1), Can Only Be Used If Target Is Not Looking At Origination Point, Destination Point, Or Intervening Space (-1), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4), no Noncombat movement (-1/4) - END=4 10 [b][i]Sign of the Hammer[/i][/b]: Drain COM 1d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Year; +2 1/2) (35 Active Points); OAF (-1), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2), rPD Applies (-1/2) - END=3 4 [b][i]Judgement Passed[/i][/b]: Healing 1 BODY, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Only Heals Damage Done By Staring Through the Eyes of the Dying, and Only After The Murderer is Branded By Sign of the Hammer Or Confirmed Dead (-2), Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Minute (-1 1/2), Self Only (-1/2) - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 163[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 4 Language: English (idiomatic) 3 Interrogation 17- 3 Climbing 13- 3 Streetwise 17- 0 Language: Swedish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points) 0 Acting 8- 0 Concealment 8- 0 Conversation 8- 0 Deduction 8- 0 Paramedics 8- 0 Persuasion 8- 0 Shadowing 8- 0 Stealth 8- [b]SKILLS Cost: 13[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Murder (Common, Total) 20 Psychological Limitation: Obsessed with Bringing Murderers to Justice (Common, Total) 20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Heat/Fire (Common) 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID: Patrik Österlund (Frequently, Major) 15 Social Limitation: Homeless (Frequently, Major) 15 Psychological Limitation: Paranoid: Believes Everyone is a Possible Murderer (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Believes in the Norse gods (Uncommon, Total) 10 Hunted: Norse Gods 11- (Mo Pow, Watching) 10 Psychological Limitation: Justice, not Law (Uncommon, Strong) 5 Enraged: Confronted with Unpunished Murderer (Uncommon), go 8-, recover 14- 5 Psychological Limitation: Resentful of Heroes that Don't Suffer for their Powers (Uncommon, Moderate) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Background/History: Patrik Österlund was a man from Northern Sweden who had moved to the USA in order to become employed with a large corporation and get better tax benefits; as an accountant he was acutely aware of how money could work for or against him. He fell in love, married, had kids, and became a naturalized citizen. One summer day while he was at work, his home was burglarized - while his family was home. He came home to discover his home ransacked and his wife and four children dead. As he cradled his wife's body and cursed the gods, he was visited by a Valkyrie, sent by the Norse god of revenge (and survivor of Ragnarök), Váli. Österlund was offered the opportunity to be given the power and the tools to identify his family's murderers and bring them to justice... and in exchange, he must agree to then continue identifying and tracking down murderers in the name of justice. Of course he agreed, and experienced his terrible power for the first time. At first, Patrik was able to balance his normal life and his new responsibilities. But in time, the strain of feeling all those murders, seeing too many unlikely people turn out to be vicious killers. He could no longer deal with a normal life. He quit his job, and now lives on the streets... always looking out for the next killer he can bring to justice. Personality/Motivation: Patrik is tired. He hates what he does, he hates what it does to him, and he hates being suspicious of everyone around him. But he can not deny that what he does is important. He can not deny that what he does is *good*. He remembers what he felt when he experienced his family's deaths. He remembers feeling their relief when their murderers were caught. He remembers that every murdered human being has loved ones that grieve for them and cry out for justice. As Weregild, Patrik will give it to them. The one thing he will not do is become a murderer himself. If a murderer is killed by accident while fleeing, or in self defense if they are fighting, fine. But Patrik knows all too well what it feels like to be killed in cold blood, and he will not be one to commit such an act. Not now, not ever, no matter what the gods on high think about it. And they hate it. Blood for blood, they say. To Hel with them. Quote: "..." Powers/Tactics: Weregild's powers are as horrific as they are fantastic, and it is no wonder that he is weary of the responsibility that goes with them. Staring Through the Eyes of the Dying - By concentrating near a person's body (including at graveside), he can see, hear, and feel what they experienced as they were killed. The terror they felt, the pain as their bodies were violated by rope, blade, or bullet. Their wounds become his wounds, and as his body bleeds as the victim's body bled, the hunt for the killer begins. The Dead Cry Out For Vengeance - When a murderer is in sight, Weregild can summon the spirits of his victims to fly to him and surround him, rooting him to the spot in sheer and abject terror. So relentless is his pursuit of the guilty, and so keen is his awareness of his surroundings, that he can anticipate where murderers are running, and take shortcuts to cut off their escape. When he has finally caught a murderer, he brands them with The Sign of the Hammer. He has a Thor's Hammer pendant which burns when pressed to the flesh of a murderer. As Weregild's reputation grows, this mark will increasingly be universally known as the mark of a murderer. When Judgement has been passed - either the marking with the Sign of the Hammer or the death of the murderer, the spirits of the murdered visit Weregild and their joy heals any wounds he took on by using Staring Through the Eyes of the Dying. He has weapons and armor to aid him in his quest: His suit of chain mail is a mundane suit of armor, but made of the best modern materials and design. His Hammer of Retribution is a fearsome magical weapon, capable of delivering mighty blows, and mightier blows still to any door between him and his prey. It is made of indestructible minerals forged by the same Svartalfheimr that forged Mjolnir in ages long past, and can block any attack aimed at Weregild. His Fire Cloak is a normal looking (and awfully ruddy) cloak until it is commanded to ignite, which gives Weregild an even more threatening visage. Weregild himself is not affected by the flames as long as he is wearing the cloak. The thing also helps obscure his features whether ignited or not, and makes it easier for him to evade attack. Appearance: Patrik Österlund is an unkempt urban outdoorsman who keeps as clean as he possibly can... but of course true cleanliness is near impossible. As Weregild, he wears his cloak which obscures his features - even moreso when it is alight! Wearing his chainmail and carrying his war hammer, he is a most fearsome and impressive foe... and may the gods have mercy on the one he seeks.

Inspired by the Paris Hilton: Villainess thread... destroying the limits of good taste here, just as the villainess herself should. [b]Glitterbunny - [/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 10 STR 0 10 11- HTH Damage 2d6 END [1] 18 DEX 24 18 13- OCV 6 DCV 6 20 CON 20 20 13- 15 BODY 10 15 12- 10 INT 0 10 11- PER Roll 11- 10 EGO 0 10 11- ECV: 3 10 PRE 0 10 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 30 COM 10 30 15- 2 PD 0 2 2 PD (0 rPD) 4 ED 0 4 4 ED (0 rED) 2 SPD 0 2 Phases: 6, 12 6 REC 0 6 40 END 0 40 30 STUN 0 30 7 RUN 2 7" END [1] 3 SWIM 1 3" END [1] 3 LEAP 1 3" 3" forward, 1 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 68[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 61 [b][i]See My Beautiful Expensive Toys![/i][/b]: Variable Power Pool, 46 base + 15 control cost, (69 Active Points); VPP Can Only Be Changed Between Adventures (-1/2) - END= 32 [b][i]Glamorous Beautiful Celebrity Attention Whore[/i][/b]: Elemental Control, 64-point powers - END= 59 1) [b][i]I'm Famous![/i][/b]: Mind Control 14d6 (Human class of minds), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Area Of Effect (14" Radius; +1) (210 Active Points); Set Effect: You Can't Blame Me, I Didn't Do Anything Wrong! (-1), No Range (-1/2), Always On (-1/2) - END=0 46 2) [b][i]Starstruck![/i][/b]: Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF, Takes No Damage From Physical Attacks Limited Group (+1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), Area Of Effect (12" Radius; +1) (160 Active Points); Entangle Has 1 BODY (-1/2), Mental Defense Adds To EGO (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4) - END=7 30 [b][i]You Can Do It For Me, Just This Once![/i][/b]: +10 Conversation, Persuasion, Seduction - END= 10 [b][i]Disease-Free![/i][/b]: LS (Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) - END=0 8 [b][i]Fabulous Wardrobe![/i][/b]: Cosmetic Transform 2d6 (Clothing, Healed By Another Use of Transform), Improved Results Group (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (17 Active Points); Limited Target: Own Clothes (-1) - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 246[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 15 +3 with DCV 3 Seduction 11- 3 Persuasion 11- 3 High Society 11- 3 Conversation 11- 3 Contortionist 13- 3 Breakfall 13- 3 Acrobatics 13- [b]SKILLS Cost: 36[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 25 Psychological Limitation: Hopeless Self-Absorbed (Very Common, Total) 20 Psychological Limitation: Bored! Bored! BORED! (Very Common, Strong) 15 Reputation: Loose Celebrity Criminal, 14- 15 Public ID: Dawson Vanderbilt: (Very Frequently, Minor) 15 Psychological Limitation: Coquette (Common, Strong) 15 Enraged: When They Aren't Paying Attention to ME! (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 14- 15 Social Limitation: Completely Oblivious To Real Life (Frequently, Major) 15 Hunted: Paparazzi 14- (Less Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) 15 Psychological Limitation: Must Be in the Spotlight! (Common, Strong) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b] Base Pts: 200 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 350 Background/History: Dawson Vanderbilt was such a spoiled brat that when her parents died after a freak lightning strike, she screamed at their bodies during the funeral about having the nerve to leave her alone and have their funeral on her tennis day! Poor, poor Dawson. Everything is never enough. She's a selfish and spoiled rich girl who became so spoiled and selfish that her sense of entitlement became real: She could make other people believe it. Her reign of public terror (if terror it be) began when she was 16 and decided to be an actress. The movie was awful, and bombed, but the real story was that she slept around on the set, and bragged about it during the publicity for the movie, and because she was underaged a full dozen of the cast and crew (including the famous director) were arrested and sentenced. Her testimony at the trial made her the most famous person in America - becoming simultaneously hated and the focus of intense media scrutiny. She loved it. Everywhere she went, everything she did, she had people following her, writing about her, paying attention to her. Nobody could say no to her. She was intensely disappointed when she turned 18 because her favorite personal power trip could no longer land people in prison. So she found other things to do. Petty, ridiculous crimes, announced beforehand, media rights for coverage sold... and even when she was arrested, juries wouldn't convict her. Her cases never even went to trial unless she thought it would be front page news. And so her reign of celebrity terror continues on and on... Personality/Motivation: She's bored, rich, and beautiful, and can do anything and get away with it. So she does. The more outrageous and controversial the crime, the better. Quote: "Hello to all you handsome men out there in TV-Land! I'm going to rob a jewelry store! Watch me, will ya, tomorrow, 8pm, only on FOX! *mwah*" Powers/Tactics: Glitterbunny's powers all serve her need for attention and inability to be responsible for anything. First, she can change her clothing at will. When simply out and about, she has the most expensive designer clothing imaginable. When "on a caper," she always chooses shiny, glittery outfits with either skintight outfits, or short skirts, or otherwise taking advantage of her pefect body. Often news coverage has a problem since getting a full-body shot results in FCC complaints (that outfit doesn't just look painted on...)... but this just adds to the outrage, and thus the attention. She has the preternatural ability to avoid blame for whatever she is doing. She explains this away as "Everybody loves me!" while the rest of the world describes it as celebrity gone mad. Dawson is no murderer, thankfully, but the world is increasingly incensed at her flaunting of society's standards of morals and decency... from afar. When she needs a moment to think, she can strike a pose and just freeze everyone in their tracks with her shining brilliance. She keeps in tip-top shape as her figure is the only thing she really works at. Being able to perform athletic feats (Acrobatics) and twist her body into unnatural positions (Contortionist) increases the attention she gets from the public in just the right way, too. Also, because she is so rich, she always has some sort of toy (be it mechanical device or hunky follower), relating to her latest caper. It's never so impressive a thing, but minor little contrivances (a gang of loyal followers, a jetpack, a frost gun, armor that accentuates her curves, whatever). But they always look great and match her outfit. Campaign Use: Glitterbunny is obviously not a master villain or serious threat to PCs - she is taking NO ONE in a stand up fight - but can certainly be used as a nuisance plot device (she steals some device just after the PCs realize they need it, or kidnaps some person just when they need to meet them). If she needs combat power, then her VPP could be used for a follower (even a robot bodyguard!) or minor combat gear. If the GM is cruel, Glitterbunny may even decide she wants one (or all) of the PCs for her very own.

Re: Looking for a fair Limitation value Let's see how my HERO-fu is developing... This is a Side Effect limitation... I'd think it's -1 3/4 looking at the Side Effects Table... It's a Drain equal to the original Heal so that's a -1 base Extreme Side Effect limitation. x2 because it takes effect anytime the power is used... 1/4th less limitation because Side Effect has a pre-determined effect (to be the same as the Heal, never more...)... equaling the -1 3/4.

Re: Who are your favourite Superhero Artists? Neal Adams. http://www.comicartcommunity.com/gallery/categories.php?cat_id=76&page=1

Re: I am a comic book dinosaur. Yeah, movies are pretty much the reference points for the players. I've seen all the movies mentioned except The Incredibles. I loved Mystery Men - The Shoveller is my hero. People say that movie's a parody of superheroes but I find that it is not, it's a real superhero story, with comedy added to it, which is not the same thing! When it comes to movies about established characters though... I can't stand the Marvel ones. Because I know these characters. And the movies screw up everything I knew! (it's interesting that the X-Men movies all concentrate on characters I was quite familiar with when I stopped reading 12 years before the first one came out). DC movies like Batman Begins and Superman Returns I just took as they were (and liked them).

Re: I am a comic book dinosaur.

Re: I am a comic book dinosaur. I was unclear, when I said I was looking at "titles/series" I meant TPBs in all cases... it wouldn't be economical for me to go after the monthly issues... As for the Justice League cartoons... well, I'm never looking for an excuse to sit in front of the television more, but I'll take it under advisement. (I am going to get Heroes in a couple months on DVD though... never seen it, and avoided reading anything about it once I found out what it was... don't want to spoil it. ) It's disturbing how much people disavow current comics though.

I'm gearing up for my superhero game, and I realized my understanding of superhero comic books is decades out of date. The newest item in my collection (in terms of when it was originally published) in my collection is The Long Halloween story (Batman). That's 1998 I do believe. Before that? Watchmen. I stopped reading DC continuity with Crisis on Infinite Earths. I stopped reading Marvel continuity with Fall of the Mutants. I have never read a comic book with Gambit or Cable... The bulk of my purchases the past few years have been Marvel Essentials, and that's a good deal of money and a LOT of reading... but that's all 60s and 70s stuff really (or non-supers stuff like Bone and Cerebus), so I've only fooled myself into thinking "I'm into it!" (a friend let me borrow the Rising Stars story so there is a hint of modernity to my sensibilities) (I have an order on the way, but that's Green Arrow/Green Lantern reprints from 1970 I think it is, plus Marvels, which is 1994...) So I need suggestions of where to go from here. In the near future I'm going to dump a decent order on Amazon (if I was still in the States I'd use a comic shop)... Here are titles/series that I'm looking at. Tell me which would be the best choices, and what else I should be looking at. My preferences go towards villains who have intelligent motivations (ideally thinking they themselves are doing good things - I always hated villain groups that used the words "evil" or "crime" in their names), the effect of supers on the normal population, and stories of heroic redemption. Astro City The Authority Identity Crisis Infinite Crisis Justice Kingdom Come Powers (What about the Marvel side? Reading DC stories 20 years later won't much affect me, I have no real attachment to those characters in the first place. Discovering what's happened to all my old favorites on the Marvel side, well, that might be depressing... but I guess I'll deal. No Civil War, please!) Also looking at (not necessarily modern stuff): Moore's Swamp Thing, Batman stuff (Arkham Asylum, Dark Knight Strikes Again, Year One, Year One Hundred, Dark Victory, Hush), Morrison JLA and Doom Patrol collections, JLA: The Nail... Help me narrow things down.

Re: Malign Hypercognition Disorder (MHD) Yeah, I just re-read Watchmen yesterday, seems to fit right in with this.

Re: GM-ing advice The players will tell you what kind of game they want to play according to the characters they make. If a character makes a speedster, then he wants to be put in situations where moving really fast is important. If a character makes a brick, then he wants to be put in situations where lifting great weight and being able to shrug off lots of punishment is important. etc. When designing adventures that will challenge them and their abilities, make sure you also have situations that don't challenge them, where their powers let them breeze right through the situation. Look at the disadvantages as well. Players are still telling you what kinds of conflict the character wants to have. If they pick "Psych Lim: Fear of Cherry Trees", then cherry trees are important for the character. Make sure you develop that, not just in the terms of "I have to use this disad every so often so it wasn't just free points," but in terms of "if the player didn't want this to be part of the character's story, he wouldn't have chosen it."

Re: GM-ing advise

Re: Need a cool superhero picture... Thanks everyone! OK, I put something together... critique my flyer.