pawsplay

Like the mainstream comics companies' universes, Champions Earth features its share of scientific super-geniuses who have invented near-miraculous technologies, and more advanced alien societies who have left samples of their tech behind on Earth. Many comics fans have difficulty accepting that in those universes these inventions and discoveries seem to have had little or no impact on the average person. Technology in the wider world seems stuck on the same level as the real Earth. Many rationalizations have been offered for why that should be, and the Champions setting shares them to a degree: heroes guard the best tech as too dangerous to release; governments classify inventions with military or security applications or risks; many devices aren't cost-effective to mass produce; most people can't grasp the principles discovered by true geniuses or older civilizations; some inventions are irreproduceable accidents, or actually channeling the "inventor's" innate powers.

However, some of the PnP source books -- notably Champions Universe, Champions Beyond, and Millennium City -- illustrate that new technologies have filtered out to the general public to some extent, and have made qualitative differences in people's lives. Let me run down some of the more significant, obvious, or pervasive differences.

Advances in medicine and genetics have eliminated, or diminished the impact of, many diseases. Scientists have adapted cybernetic technology first developed for powered armor and similar super-technology to devices that allow people with spinal injuries to walk again, and people with neurological disorders to function without significant impairment.

Communications has advanced significantly. Throughout the United States, Europe, and many other developed or wealthy countries, virtually everyone has access to computers, smartphones, and similar devices that are easily carried, lightweight, fast, high-memory, extremely user friendly, and have extraordinarily long battery lives. Even in Third World countries, ownership of cellular phones and computers may exceed 50% of the population, thanks to advanced manufacturing processes and materials. Holography has improved to the point where Millennium City features animated three-dimensional advertising billboards.

High-tech fibers and materials discovered by superhumans, and scientists working with their data, beginning in the Sixties have led to stronger and more comfortable bulletproof vests, lightweight armored panels for military vehicles, more crash-proof civilian cars, and many similar advances.

Internal combustion vehicles and manufacturing are much cleaner and more environmentally friendly than the machines of old, and major strides have been made in the field of alternative energy. Significant efforts have been made to clean up and repair damage to the environment, and to prevent further damage going forward.

Travel, whether by air, water, or land, is quicker and safer than ever before. Flights from the East Coast of the United States to the West Coast can be comfortably completed in just two hours in some cases. The "Smart Roadway" system in Millennium City interacts with Vehicle Control Chips in all cars within city limits, allowing traffic authorities to automatically track them, and if necessary shut a car down remotely. When driving on the Millennium City Highway surrounding the city, the VCC lets a central computer take direct control of the cars, practically eliminating accidents.

While humanity is not yet colonizing other worlds in the solar system, near-space exploration is advancing rapidly. Since 1996 UNTIL has had a fully-functioning space station, GATEWAY, orbiting Earth, with up to 200 inhabitants. The United States launched its own orbital facility, the United States Space Station, in 2006. UNTIL also has the distinction of being the first entity to establish a permanently-manned base on the Moon, Moonbase Serenity, in 2000. It now has over 40 personnel. In late 2004 the United States completed work on the Venus Scientific Outpost, an orbital station designed to study the hothouse planet in detail. It has a crew of eight, six unmanned sensor drones, and three one-man vehicles capable of descending to the middle ranges of the atmosphere. The United States established Ares I, also known simply as the Mars Research Base (or “Marsbase”) in 2008. Marsbase currently houses a dozen scientists, though plans call for expanding it to almost four times that size over the next twenty years.
 
(More to follow.)

The big issue I see with Multiform is that you don't really become someone new. Especially if you retain spellcasting or other abilities, you end up having to buy a lot of your abilities twice. And how does that work with adjustment powers?
I think Shapeshifting with a Multipower is the correct approach. I see the "no multipowers" rule cited above, but that has to do with putting unrelated spells in a Multipower. I don't think it applies to a standalone supernatural power, and certainly, I've never seen issues with creating a multipower for a spell that does multiple things.
The D&D 3e version of a druid, which involves paging through a half dozen books to pick out the most advantageous "animals" and casting in animal form is probably more like a VPP, but I don't think that was the intention. Assuming a druid has a number of forms related to local species, I think you could get away with a Multipower that lets you slip in Growth and Shrinking, natural weapons, movement changes, special senses, boosted STR, and a little ED and PD. If all you do is turn into a wolf or a bird, all the easier.

OK I am going into history back.
 
The Fox.  A teleporting thief.  He's basically Danny Ocean (Ocean's Eleven) with super powers.  He'll form a crew to rob something, but usually try to be non violent.  
 
Also Thunder and Lightning.  A husband-wife duo who were caught, outed, forced to serve as law enforcement, and now that they have done their time, find a normal life impossible.  They commit crimes just to maintain a middle class life style.  Basically Blue collar criminals.
 
Finally I am going to go out on a limb and say Firewing.  Yeah he wants a good fight.  Yeah he'll throw down just to prove himself tougher.  But on the whole he's not a conqueror, and can even be persuaded to fight on your side IF you can appeal to his sense of honour!

Magneto is another "edge case" as AlgaeNymph put it. A lot depends on which incarnation of Magneto we're talking about, he's varied a lot over the years. The most extreme versions have thought nothing of murdering large numbers of "normals" who get in his way. His vision of the world is one in which a minority rule the majority due to an accident of birth. There's also the question of how much of the harsh reaction toward mutants is provoked by the actions of Magneto and other mutants like him.
 
But no "villain" sees themselves as a villain unless it's as some form of mental illness. They always have a rationale justifying their actions to themselves, however twisted it may seem to the rest of us. It should be noted that one of Magneto's biggest motivations is ego. He sees mutants as his people in need of protection, but he has not doubt he's the one who should lead them. When they're elevated to their "rightful place" as rulers of the Earth, he expects to be their ruler. And he'll brook no questioning of that, no dissenting opinion. If you're not with him, you're against him, even if you're a mutant. In his own eyes Magneto is a king, a god, and a messiah, and the position he aspires to is his due.

I own a lot of Aberrant material... never played it, but thought about using the setting with Hero.  Also thought about Wildcards, but Wildcards is so close to "anything goes" that it wouldn't look all that different from a lot of other superhero RPG.  (Modular Man being a good example of how far they stretched the idea of "alien virus gives you super powers".)  So I kind of see Wildcards as being that "narrow focus, but the GM has given you so many 'outs' you don't really need to adhere to the theme too strongly.  Plus you can play aliens."

I ran a magic based game set in the 1920’s.  Even though all the characters were magic based there was enough diversity that the game worked really well.   A lot of the characters were spell casters of some sort but there was also a dragon, a character who was cursed with immortality and a fey who was banished to our world and stuck in the form of a cat.  
 
One of the characters was playing a Dorian Grey type character and was the best Hero and Villain in the game.  He had split himself into good and evil and for the most part kept the evil locked up in a painting.  But occasionally the evil side took over.  He had an accidental change when knocked out.  The most memorable thing he ever did was to summon up a school of Holy Piranha to eat the aquatic ghouls the party had to get past.  
 

The big issue I see with Multiform is that you don't really become someone new. Especially if you retain spellcasting or other abilities, you end up having to buy a lot of your abilities twice. And how does that work with adjustment powers?
I think Shapeshifting with a Multipower is the correct approach. I see the "no multipowers" rule cited above, but that has to do with putting unrelated spells in a Multipower. I don't think it applies to a standalone supernatural power, and certainly, I've never seen issues with creating a multipower for a spell that does multiple things.
The D&D 3e version of a druid, which involves paging through a half dozen books to pick out the most advantageous "animals" and casting in animal form is probably more like a VPP, but I don't think that was the intention. Assuming a druid has a number of forms related to local species, I think you could get away with a Multipower that lets you slip in Growth and Shrinking, natural weapons, movement changes, special senses, boosted STR, and a little ED and PD. If all you do is turn into a wolf or a bird, all the easier.

Thanks for all the input folks.  I'll get the FHC for now and pick up the FH and HS6e later.  My wife accuses me of being addicted to buying gaming material.  But I only have two book cases full of gaming material so that can't be true.

Playing in an imaginary world, you have a choice: either all-imaginary names (which requires a certain level of creativity and means you can't use certain evocative choices) or borrowing from the real world (which can have connotations you don't want). I'm generally fine with anachronistic or atopic names popping up in pure fantasy, but one particular thing I find jarring: Biblical names in a world that doesn't have Christianity or anything like it. To me names like Miriam or James or Jericho have a very specific connotation to specific Biblical characters and mythology which I find distracting. I don't struggle as much with old Celtic names, or with Latin names (which of course have been used, reused, and abused all over Europe anyway).

I cannot add any more reactions today!  😭
 
To that I'll add, male artists that draw female characters adventuring in lingerie.  I don't have a problem with porn, but when I want porn I look at porn, and when I want gaming I look at gaming books. 

While greater height can mean greater strength that is not always the case.  I am a lot taller than my brother in-law, but he does a lot more physical work than me.   When we moved to a new hose he was able to move stuff a lot easier than I could.  If you think just because you are taller you are stronger than someone who engages in hard physical labor you are mistaken.  Historically the average height has gone up because of better nutrition and medical care, but that does not translate into stronger people.  Obesity has also dramatically increased from the past.   The average modern man is probably weaker than the average man in the past.  The modern athlete on the other hand is probably a lot stronger than those in the past.  

It's not a Real Weapon, it's the farthest thing from it. It has whatever characteristics you assign it, can't really be lost, requires no maintenance, and can be instantly repaired by resummoning it. I don't think it's even Restrainable, since you can already add your Strength to it, meaning it inherits the requirement for movement already.
The 3e mindblade is just a multipower with two or three slots. It's just a standard KA, with RKA in the other slot, and Lockout (the weapon is thrown or disarmed). More advanced users have a third slot where it creates two weapons, with a smaller damage bonus. The weapon type is probably immaterial; if you think crushing versus slashing will make a difference, and you can do both, add Variable Special Effects to each power.
The inspiration is a reliable ability. If you want to add Requires a Skill Roll or something, go for it. To imitate a low level user who has to use a "move action" to manifest it, take Extra Time (Full Phase, only to activate the first time, -1/4).

My first Champions character GI Jones (don't judge me) carried an M-16.  Nothing superpowered, just a normal assault rifle.  However, the GM and all of us players were completely new to Champions, so the GM saw in the rulebook that an M-16 was "2d6/6d6" and thought the 2d6 was the damage and the 6d6 was the knockback.  And he also thought that you added up all the knockback for multiple hits.  During our first battle, I fired autofire at Brick, hitting with most if not all of the bullets.  (Hey, it's been like 40 years, I can't remember everything.)  Due to the combined misunderstanding about the rules, my shots did enough knockback to send Brick back into - and through - a building, then across an open space behind that building into a second building.  The bullets themselves did little damage to Brick, but slamming through multiple walls ended up knocking Brick out cold.

You made me go back and look at ancient character sheets that I have kept for decades! 🙂
 
What I found was that, in my group at least - I have no other reference - that secondary characteristics were indeed bought up, but only after we had bought up primary characteristics to the point that one secondary had already been bought down drastically and a second had reached an acceptable point and the gains from buying primaries could no longer be realised because the system forbade you buying down more than one secondary.  It shows that the designers had already seen that primaries were too good a deal and that the astute player would ramp up CON and STR until every possible secondary had been bought down, exploiting the value in that relationship.
 
The reason, in my group, that secondaries were bought up was because, after a certain point, the rules prevented us exploiting buying them down...
 
I tend to avoid these conversations because I am a characteristic extremist, well out of alignment with most others on the boards.  However, what Chris said resonated with me
 
 
We had no access to anyone else, we had to learn it among ourselves and, like Chris, our first characters both players and GM were not viable in combat - they failed in multiple ways as we found out what worked, what didn't and settled on values for baselines in the game that the figured characteristics did not help very much at all beyond giving us vague suggestions that characters with a high con might be expected to have higher ED (but not PD) higher REC and much higher END than baseline characters. 
 
Unlike Chris, those unviabe characters were indeed supposed to be played, and they were.  We learned by making those mistakes and changing how we did things. 
 
Doc

 

Arithmetic is easy. It's decisions that are hard. A question I would pose is, if CON is how healthy you are, why do I then also have to decide how much damage I can take, how much endurance I have, and how tough I am, separately from my Constitution? What does DEX represent, if it's completely divorced from combat ability? If I'm creating a fighter for a fantasy campaign, how much PD and ED should I have? These might seem like second nature to long-time players, but to the novice, we've gone from a system where you have eights traits to decide, and a few things to calculate, to one in which you have sixteen or so, including a vestigial OMCV for many characters. The current system is what you get when you keep refining something to appeal to an expert user base who are comfortable with odd legacy items.
Splitting off SPD, in order to get rid of decimal purchases for that one trait, and because it doesn't necessarily have a strong relationship with DEX, was a good idea.

Arithmetic is easy. It's decisions that are hard. A question I would pose is, if CON is how healthy you are, why do I then also have to decide how much damage I can take, how much endurance I have, and how tough I am, separately from my Constitution? What does DEX represent, if it's completely divorced from combat ability? If I'm creating a fighter for a fantasy campaign, how much PD and ED should I have? These might seem like second nature to long-time players, but to the novice, we've gone from a system where you have eights traits to decide, and a few things to calculate, to one in which you have sixteen or so, including a vestigial OMCV for many characters. The current system is what you get when you keep refining something to appeal to an expert user base who are comfortable with odd legacy items.
Splitting off SPD, in order to get rid of decimal purchases for that one trait, and because it doesn't necessarily have a strong relationship with DEX, was a good idea.

While I understand some of the advantages of getting rid of Derived Characteristics, it drastically increased the mental load needed to make a simple character.

While I understand some of the advantages of getting rid of Derived Characteristics, it drastically increased the mental load needed to make a simple character.

Agreed.  Legend of the Galactic Heroes (First version), and Lensman, (books)  the preferred melee weapons were single handed axes. Spear, the preferred weapon of infantry in the open would be a liability in tight hallways inside spacegraft, and without gravity, you don't have the base of leverage to take advantage of a spear.  If you aren't expecting armored space suits, rock hammers would be a good melee weapo, with the spiked end making nice holes in Vacc suits. (Took Geology in College so we all got Rock hammers and collection bags.)
 

Basically the Sad Puppies came up with their own alternative slate and then used bloc voting to try to push their preferences for the Hugos. Nothing more than a desperate grab by bitter white men. Meanwhile Correia has continued to write (and win awards), undercutting his complaint.

Honestly I haven't bought any comics in ten years except DCAU adaptations, and a few indie books like Invincible and Astro City. I've glanced through some recent JL stuff and it's okay. I wouldn't claim to know the current state of the industry, but if there's a lot of good stuff happening in mainstream books out there I don't know what it is.

I've won real-ish armor, and I think the greatest danger you would face in medieval combat was cooking alive like a Hot Pocket from your own body heat after 10-15 minutes of heavy combat.

It might be a "psionic power" but it's not a Mental Power. Decide whether the pool can do Mental Powers, or Psionic powers, and price accordingly.

Oh man, so true. Fighting in mid summer SoCal heat required constant water intake. You basically sweat out everything you take in. I would imagine fighting in a long pitched battle all day would be horrendous.

It might be a "psionic power" but it's not a Mental Power. Decide whether the pool can do Mental Powers, or Psionic powers, and price accordingly.