Zac

Re: Control Machines

I recently built a cyberpath that desolidifies to take controll, so heres what I learnd from the build...

the mind control (machine) covers the computers. but it takes telekinisis to controll a 1993 Grand Marque, since a car has no intelegence or ego, and the electronices isnt advanced enough to let you steer.

to rewrite code needs a major transform if you want the changes to stay.

the downside of my build is that every power requires "affects real +2" and that makes it expensive.

the bug might be built as a follower with duplication (if you want it to spread). I was thinking of this but I was out of points.

I was not really worried about the pets/followers. In Mechanix's heyday he had a huge pool of followers (army of robots) and some nice bases. After the fall, he is not in as good a shape. However, he still has a LOT to pull from. I was really likening his control to the old Stephen King, the machines take over the world book/movie. Now, in no way are most cars contol boards tied into stearing/brake/acceleration BUT they were in the movie/book. Same kind of thought for Mechanix.

Mechanix is really scary when he can get ahold of a factory, when he can start punching out real tools for destruction not just ad-libing off someone Ford.

Zac

I have a question to the community at large concerning a new Villian: Mechanix, aka the Machine Master. Here is his game bio:

Mechanix – aka The Machine Master, weilds almost total control of technology. He is somehow able to corrupt computer logic and reprogram technology on the fly. Time and time again his schemes for domination were thwarted by the Ministry of Justice. His last plan was to attach his floating sky fortress to the industrial section of the city. This would give him a huge supply of raw materials and power to produce an immense robot army. He vanished after the Battle of Center City, thought to be destroyed when his floating sky fortress was scuttled by Liberty Belle.

He can do this in two known ways:

1. He personally takes control of the machine and subverts it to his will (Mind Contol, Machine only)

2. He use a small machine to slowly subvert another machine to his will (same as above but it is done through a created being that has been nicknamed a Tick - ie a machine parasite)

This is scarry because he could do this not only to a 1993 Grand Marque, but a factory that use computers or a supers technological battle suit.

I was thinking the "Tick" would be a penetrating Mind Contol (machine only), continous. The device uplinks some sort of viral code that attacks the machine until it takes it over. X amount of hardned mental defense would keep it at bay. A minor, culmulative transformation (your control to my control) would also do the trick. This is the subtle way Mechanix get things to bend to his will, he seeds an area with his miniture troops. Once they all go online he beings to control as needed.

Mechanix himself is just a cannon form of this control, he uses raw power to take control. I thought about telekinesis (only to control technology) but once he has something, it is his.

What is the communities thoughts about this major campaign level villian. The players should NEVER really see this guy. Its his influence and corruption are what you really fear.

Any advise for a GM would be helpful. The age old mass scale mind control is an option, but that is more of an adventure plot not his standard power (ie he builds a device that does X until the players destroy it).

Thanks,

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Hey' date=' how about a Multiform character with limitations such that he cannot change form in a short period of time?[/quote']

 

Multiform and Duplicates are seperate animals.

 

Duplicates can be exploited really quickly (no offense meant to Hawk). I will give a prime example: would a team of 5 supers want to fight a villian team of 5 supers who all had the abilitiy to duplicate? I would not. There is a villain group who has one member named Posse, his is a duplicate villian. How do 4 villains throwning NNDs or Entangles sound. Sounds nasty, and it is. Just because you can pay points for something does not make it balanced. BTW, I mis-read Hawk's Duplicates and "read in" multiform -- that is why I was pointing to the Foci.

 

Multiforms can easily fall into the same catagory, especially if each form has a whole new set of skills. If all the forms share the same "mind" and only have different combat abilities it can be... ok. The problem again arrise that with all the forms where is the weakness.

 

There is only one comic/manga multiform I have really like: Naurto. Now, I can't believe I am pointing to Americanized Manga, but the Naurto character does have a duplication power. And wow can he duplicate... the problem arrises that one hit and they are down. So they can do damage, but the are glass cannons so to speak. If I were to run a game and a hero wanted the power to make 20 clones (even with the disad dispelled after taking body/stun) I would still say no. The HERO system does not really do justice to the whole Duplicate abilitiy. Its overpowering for the players which makes the GMs job that much harder. In the GM compensation it is easy to over-react or under-react, making the adventure to easy or to hard.

 

I think for duplicates it is just better to say No. Multiforms are usual a big maybe.

 

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Realizing that a multiple personality character (thanks btw ) might be a shot in the dark at this point, here are Johnny 6's alters. Now their Disads are the same as Johnny's with minor tweak here or there. Only johnny is nearsighted for example, so I didn't bother listing them.

Ok... you have multiple forms and some of them have foci'? So, they come into being equiped with all manner of tech?! How is the armored suit a dis advantage? Will the duplicate EVER have to worry about the suit being disabled? Now if you had a transforming suit that enabled the duplicates, that I could see (lose the suit, loose the powers). As it stands now if a form somehow lost the suit, you would just switch forms.

The recurring problem with duplicates (no pun intended) is players try to make a character that can cover every base and not have any weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses? Most heroes are defined by how they operate in the presence of thier weaknesses (and their major enemies).

The other issue is that IF this is some sort of dis-associated Multiple personality issue, do all the forms want to play along? If you turn into the alien brain form, does he want to resumbit to the will of another? He is the smartest after all, the rest are just apes (see where I am going with this)? Also, the easist disad to exploit as a GM, is to make ANOTHER form you are unaware of (could be Capt Fantastic or Major Destruction), or more than one form. I could form a whole adventure with the players chasing your tail, only to find at the end it was you all along.

Multiple forms are a mine field of possibilities and promblems. You best tread lightly.

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

primal sounds good

As an FYI, Totem already exists. He is a villian and a really BIG one.

What about Animaul (An-i-maul)?

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Okay here is my Vixen like character. His name is Animax, simply because I can't think of anything better. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

 

ANIMAX

 

 

43 Animal Shift: Multipower, 65-point reserve, (65 Active Points); Visible (-1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4)

Notes: A Spirit form of the animal called apon can be seen when the slots of the multipower are switched, telling everyone what power is in use.

3u 1) Animal Mastery: Mind Control 8d6 (Animal class of minds), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (60 Active Points); Limited Class Of Minds Non-Aquatic (-1/2), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4) 2

1u 2) Ape's Strength: +20 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2)

4u 3) Cheetah's Speed: (Total: 45 Active Cost, 42 Real Cost) +3 DEX (9 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2) (Real Cost: 6) plus Running 18" (Real Cost: 36) 4

4u 4) Rhino's Charge: (Total: 65 Active Cost, 40 Real Cost) Force Field (13 PD) (13 Active Points); Only vs Move-Through/by Damage (-1) (Real Cost: 6) plus +30 STR (30 Active Points); Only For Damage with Move-Through/By (-1), No Figured Characteristics (-1/2) (Real Cost: 12) plus Running 11" (Real Cost: 22) 6

1u 5) Condor's Flight: Gliding 20" (20 Active Points); Lockout (-1/2)

2u 6) Python's Grip: +40 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Only for Grabs and Sqeeze (-1), No Figured Characteristics (-1/2)

1u 7) Lion's Roar: +20 PRE (20 Active Points); Only for Fear Effects (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2)

1u 8) Lizard's Healing: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Lockout (-1/2)

5u 9) Crocodile's Body: (Total: 55 Active Cost, 55 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4), Continuous (+1) (45 Active Points) (Real Cost: 45) plus Swimming 10" (Real Cost: 10) 5

4u 10) Tiger's Limbs: (Total: 52 Active Cost, 45 Real Cost) +10 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2) (Real Cost: 10) plus Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points) (Real Cost: 22) plus Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); Cannot Resist Knockback (-1/4) (Real Cost: 8) plus Leaping 5" (Real Cost: 5) 1

 

 

Some neat stuff and some scarry stuff. 1st Visible for a -1/4?! I can see you character having an "outline" or whatever showing the power effect. Do you really think that is worth a 1/4? Plus, some of you abilities have effects (like a HTH Killing Attack), which is already visible. So you are taking a disad on a power that already has the disad inate.

Second, some of your Rhino charge is going to allow a 6 speed and over 30 defense. They way I am trying to read this is the forcefield is only for moveby/move thrus OR is it on when you are doing move by/move thru. If someone attacks you while you are doing a move by/thru do you get the def?

Third, you are taking HTH Killing attacks, when you could just as easily take a martial style that had a HTH killing attack in it.

There is more, but those were the top three I saw right off.

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I understand.

 

The Time travel bit was just a bit of fluff that occupies a small part of the Anywhere EDT, and even the EDT is a MP slot that makes the backstory valid. johnny is meant to remain in his home dimension and bring other versions of himself here.

 

The part about the other dimensions and no superpowers makes sense, although the option was stated to change this particular part. Still the character concept intrigued me and I wanted to send it out there so to speak.

Not to offend Hawk, but could the person just THINK they are from other dimensions/times? Sort of a way to come to grips with what he can become.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Based on the above' date=' I don't think Rhino Beetle will be a good fit for the campaign. I respectfully withdraw my submission with the intent of submitting a new one. Thanks again for your time.[/quote']

 

Doc,

 

I am with Fedifensor as far as the Monster Bug goes, so tone down the monster in the bug. In a world of Primes, something like this is not immediately a "Its a HUGE bug! Run for your lives!" kind of world (like ours). Start to snack on people at an all you can eat, sure the military is going to come rolling in. However, since you don't plan on playing that way... make some sacrifices.

 

Maybe keep the cant speak option, but who is to say you could not have telepathy with a touch, or some other way to communicate. What if you antenna could do the talking for you? They could vibrate in such a way (at close range) it was picked up by the human ear as something audible, but only in one person's head (directional, very short range). Would be a bummer for hero's with different anatomy... so you may have to carry a whiteboard with you

 

Also, this concept feels very Ben-10'ish.. which is not a bad thing. Could you change into other Weird forms later?

 

Thebes is gonna need a Brick and this BUG really seems to fit the bill. If Fed's game is a wash... keep the bug in mind. With some tweeks you could drop the Frankenstein Agnst and come up with a winner.

 

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Disadvantages - I'm not sure a spider tattoo under your clothes is very distinctive in a world with people that manifest force fields and fire energy blasts' date=' but as it's only 5 pts I'm willing to let that go. Weird Bio-Chemistry at 10 pts means that while you look human, you're nowhere near human biology anymore. The crime family hunted being more powerful means they would have access to advanced weaponry - a thug with a machine gun isn't a big threat to you. Finally, I think "Devout Christian" needs to be defined a bit more, especially when one of the Commandments is "Thou Shall Not Kill" - which you have as a separate disadvantage.[/quote']

 

Thou shall not kill - is taken out of context. Sure Christians can kill... the actual quote (from Greek) is "Thou Shall not Murder". Huge difference. Considering, if they were commanded not to kill, how could they Protect the Ark, Protect the People, march against Gods enemies, etc.?

 

Maybe something heroic, but not in the Thous, would be Protect the Innocent, Defend the Weak, Always make it to Hooters on Wednesday

 

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Ok I will give her a few tweaks and repost her for you. Actually I have not read any of the Spider-Girl comics' date=' what little I know about her is from reading the Wikipedia page on her.[/quote']

 

How do you get a 10d6 ranged attack from a ball of webbing. Now, if the attack was the hero grabbing a manhole cover and slingshotting the cover as a projectile... I would be cool with that. Just wadding up some webbing and hurling a fastball? Sounds kinda weak, like webbing allowing for a +any d6 hand attack.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Okay, I've given at least one post of feedback for every submitted character. Here's the current status list:

 

• Engram, gregarious mentalist (jwpacker) - feedback given, revisions made by applicant
  
• Luminous, shining detective (quozaxx) - feedback given, HD file submitted, revised HD file sent back to applicant via email
  
• Guardian, reconstructed powersuit (Checkmate) - feedback given
  
• Rhino Beetle, four-armed powerhouse (DocSamson) - feedback given, revisions made by applicant
  
• Ladon, shifter with dragon form (Fabricati) - feedback given, full character sheet submitted
  
• Cagliostro the Alchemist, master occultist (Vox) - feedback given, changes requested
  
• Hesperides, gene-spliced plant controller (Revenant) - feedback given
  
• Black Arachnia, web-casting heroine (Corven_Ren) - feedback given, full background requested
  

As it stands, it seems that Luminous (if he accepts my suggested changes) is in final submission form, and won't need further comments. For everyone else, I will be doing my best to reply to you as I have time. I have spent a lot of time this week on feedback, and so I may be a little slower to respond for the next few days as I catch up with other things. I've also been talking with the players whose characters have already been accepted (Miracle, American Steel, and Tempest) to get their opinions. For good or ill, that discussion is ongoing as everyone has a different ranking order for the current submissions. So, no final decisions have been made, nor will they be made until after the deadline of 11:59 pm on Friday, February 20th.

 

 

 

 

Now, without stating who brought them up, I'm going to list the biggest concerns about each submission:

• Engram - There's a worry about how you will be using your Telepathy and Emotion Control. Would you use the former to establish communication without having agreement from a teammate beforehand? Would you use the latter to calm down a teammate you felt was getting a little too angry?
  
• Luminous - The biggest worry is something out of your control. Your combat role is going to overlap with Tempest, and your noncombat role is going to overlap with Miracle.
  
• Guardian - Like Luminous, the biggest concern is overlap with an accepted character...American Steel. I think we'll be able to come to a meeting of the minds on everything else, but that is a concern. Rest assured that if Guardian isn't accepted for Catalyst: Silverstone and another Catalyst game opens up, you'll probably be invited without having to go through another round of applying.
  
• Rhino Beetle - The biggest problem is the form. You're bigger than American Steel (which means problems with indoor situations), have trouble speaking, and have a 14- monster rep. Even with the changes, you may just be too handicapped in social situations to be accepted.
  
• Ladon - The form is not as big of a problem as it is for Rhino Beetle, but it is a concern. I'll be honest and say the biggest problem is on my end rather than your concept, and is summed up in four words. Been there, done that. After running Amber/Dragoness through a long campaign, I'm not sure if I want to have another dragon superhero as a PC, even if it is human turned dragon instead of dragon turned human.
  
• Cagliostro - More than one person had the same response as Miracle posted. With your current writeup, "squashed like a bug" is a big concern.
  
• Hesperides - Biggest issue is combat capability...she's a very specialized character, that may find herself not doing much against certain opponents.
  
• Black Arachnia - The top concern was character sheet issues, particularly the total defenses of 10.
  

Let me throw a bone out to all the people currently submitting characters, Catalyst is not a one campaign game. I will be starting a second campaign a few weeks after this one goes live. It is Catalyst: Thebes, a fictional city south west of Mephis along the Mississippi River. While Silverstone is a new city for Primes, Thebes has been a playground for them for almost 20 years. IF you do not get accepted into this game don't throw away your character!!! Finish ironing out the kinks and I will see if we can fit you in. Thebes will need 6 heroes as well, and right now only 1 spot is taken (Fedifensor already has a charatcer... he wants to play too).

Here is a little peek at the city...

• Center City – aka Cinder City, is the completely renovated urban hub. Not ten years ago the section of town was raised in the battle between Mechanix’s robot forces, lead by the hero turned traitor Psiborg, and the Ministry of Justice. It is now a gleaming example of eco-friendly high-rises containing about 50% of the cities population and non-industrial work base.
  
• The Rookery – Named after the Catholic Church that was the foundation in this section of town. Its tightly packed row houses have been stained by the constant use of cheap coal for heating. Now it is a slum that police will only come into with significant backup.
  
• Gunnison - is a bustling center for various light industrial plants and manufacturing facilities. The Concordia Correctional Facility is located at the south eastern section of this sprawl.
  
• Waxhaw - A community of brownstone row houses punctuated with small parks every other block. The tree lined streets, ample lights and involved community make this a relatively crime free area. Points of interest include Community College, Waxhaw Symphony, and the Thebes School of Dance and Art.
  
• Rosedale – a small community that was absorbed as Thebes grew. Its small southern homes and manicured lawns are a shocking contrast to the Rookery just on the other side of the levy. The areas closest to the Rookery are low incoming houses and have a higher crime rate. The 9th Precinct at Main & Brown, and the K9 Kennels at Clark & Railroad keep anything major from spilling over into more affluent parts of town.
  
• Sugar Hill – an suburban ghetto sprawl
  
• Eastvale - Middle Income Suburbs
  
• Mound City – Gated middle and upper income suburbs and estates
  
• Market District – an area that experienced a renaissance before the Battle of Center City. Known for its redbrick streets with gas lights. It houses the middle and upper class love of movies, wine and song. Something akin to the French Quarter in New Orleans. An upper class red light district rests in the north western edge of the district.
  
• River District – This river flat was once the home of the sprawling markets. The remaining markets are on the northern and southern edge of the district. The remainder is little more than an inner city slum.
  
• Switchback – Heavy industrial, with a signification portion abandoned. More than a few small superfund sites for toxic cleanup exist in this district.
  

And a glimpse to the heroes now past:

The Ministry of Justice (team, defunct) – this collection of Primes defended Thebes for over ten years, before sacrificing themselves in the Battle for Center City.

• Armed Forces – Military attaché to the Ministry of Justice. He mirrored Liberty Belle’s tenacity and patriotism, but not her other abilities. Equipped with cutting edge military hardware, he was normally not likened to a prime at all. Just a normal man with extraordinary talent. It was thought that he and Liberty Belle were at item at one time.
  
• Liberty Belle – unofficial leader of the group but maintained all Public Relations. Her strength, tenacity, toughness and patriotism were her hallmark. It was rumored that she had a relationship with Armed Forces for a time. She was killed scuttling Mechanix’s sky fortress the only way she knew how. She flew a few miles up into the air and power dived into the aft section that contained the ships reactors. The resulting explosion blew a hole straight through the ship, causing a chain reaction of smaller explosions with the vessel. The ship split in two and crashed into the Mississippi River.
  
• National Guard – an unknown benefactor in a metal battle suit, equipped with a pair of arm mounted force shields. He was known to be the toughest member of the team. He had the ability to reinforce anything he could remain in contact with. He had taken blows that knocked Liberty Belle cold and remarked, “That all you bringing to the party chief?!” During the Battle of Center City he was able to catch a crippled hover platform that was falling to earth. He stopped its decent before it could smash into a large brownstone elementary school. He joked under the pressure, “Nothing to see here… move along…” as children streamed past him and out of danger. His actions saved the lives of well over 500 children. The shear weight of the craft was finally too much for his suit to take as it was crushed under a few hundred of tons of steel.
  
• Plasma Core, aka the Living Light – was Psiborg’s best friend and staunchest ally. After the Battle of Center City he was the only one left standing. He fell down at the heart of the city and wept what appeared to be steam. He then looked to the heavens and said to a little girl, “So this is how it ends.” He then glowed internally and dissolved into a stream of plasma. He has not been seen since and is thought to be dead.
  
• Psiborg – battle leader of the Ministry of Justice and end the end a turncoat. During a decisive point in the Battle of Center City he killed Armed Forces and switched sides. Psiborg was destroyed when a burning section of the financial tower sheared off his mechanical legs and pinned him. Plasma Core looked on at his best friend as said, “Your hatred for us has become your undoing” and walked away, leaving Psiborg to be burned alive.
  
• Shiftlock – had the ability to mimic the physical form of natural beings or function of anything not “natural” that she had touched in the last hour, but once in that form she would stay that way until an hour had past. So she could mimic a shark, be able swim, breath water, have a nasty bite, etc. She could touch concrete and take on its resilience, mass, etc. She used her ability to mimic Liberty Belle at the start of the battle and drew a large contingent of airborne robots away from the heart of the city. She was caught unaware in mid-flight when her hour had passed and plummeted to her death.
  
• Wirework – a consummate martial artist whose signature weapons were a pair of metal whips. Confucius Roberts was the only publicly known super and the star of over twenty martial arts movies. He sacrificed his life to give police critical time to reinforce a strategic intersection. Dying atop a hill of robot parts at least 10’ tall, the amount of laser fire his body sustained made him all but unrecognizable.
  

And what are the heroes without some notable villians...

Mechanix – aka The Machine Master, weilds almost total control of technology. He is somehow able to corrupt computer logic and reprogram technology on the fly. Time and time again his schemes for domination were thwarted by the Ministry of Justice. His last plan was to attach his floating sky fortress to the industrial section of the city. This would give him a huge supply of raw materials and power to produce an immense robot army. He vanished after the Battle of Center City, thought to be destroyed when his floating sky fortress was scuttled by Liberty Belle.

Warpath (team) – this is a loosely organized group of primes, who come together for common goals. Members have been seen across what was once the Native American lands of the South Eastern United States.

• Ghost Dance – the binding force behind the group. A known shaman who is deferred to by the other members out of respect and fear. He is able to call on the spirits of his ancestors in battle. He seeks peaceful co-existence between all races, however is very quick to take offense. He will meet out tribal’esque justice to those who defile Native American historical sites or Native American hate crimes. He went to trial over eight years ago for attempted mass murder and pleaded insanity, holding the memories of over 100 Native American warriors. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to an undisclosed mental hospital for treatment. He was recently released and claims to be “cured.” His current location unknown.
  
• Iron Horse – a technology based prime who rides a mechanical horse into battle. She is equipped with a lance that has been seen to fire particle blasts or cut open the side of an armored car. A mercenary thru and thru, her only motivation is money. Currently wanted for a myriad of crimes and is at large.
  
• Totem – a large entity composed of earth, boulders, grass and trees. It would be considered the “heavy” of the group. It has only been seen twice, and both in the presence of Ghost Dance. It has only been heard to wail or moan in response to stimuli. Its current location is unknown and is wanted for questioning.
  
• Ten Bears – a circus performer / martial artist / cat burglar who was freed from apparent slavery by Ghost Dance. He is a free agent and loose cannon, with a pen-chance for robbing museums holding Native American exhibits. Is the only known prime to have escaped from PIT more than once. Currently wanted for escaping PIT (and the host of previous convictions).
  
• The Raven (deceased) – a flying prime who used sonic powers. A force for good, she would warn the Ministry of Justice when unknown forces were aligned against them. When Liberty Belle asked her why she was with Warpath, she replied “You only protect what you know, let me protect what I know.” Her last known appearance was during the Battle of Center City, where she was killed.
  

So, keep up the good work. A few submitted primes might not be a good fit because you would step on other heroes toes. With a new group, we would need those core primes. Here are my guidelines so far...

The New Beginning setting of Thebes is ripe for opportunities for primes.

• Characters will be 200/150 for a 350 point prime.
  
  • 50 points in Psychological Limitations is required. It would be nice for a Psychological Limitation to point to why the character is a hero. Patriot (Common, Strong) is good while Likes to Party (Common, Strong) is poor. If there is not a limitation, then it needs to be explained well in the back story. The “mutant” back story is just a reason not to be creative.
    
  • Buying down stats is frowned upon, you are a prime after all.
    
  • Standards are 11 DC attack, 25/25 defenses, 23 DEX and 5 Speed.
    
  • Standard skill/talent set is 40 points. Some perks and talents count against this, some do not. Martial Arts, combat levels and overall levels do not go against the skill minimum. However, levels with Intelligence Based skills would go against the minimum (this is just an example). Maximum roll on most skills should be 15- (with levels), exceptions for a 16- will be given for honed character concepts. That said, I will deny “Requires a Skill Roll” -1/4 limitation with a high skill level (the max roll for this limitation is 14-).
    
  • Any power with a stop or warning sign, probably means no. Ask and we will talk but don’t assume just because you stick it on your sheet it will be taken. Also, don’t ask about Damage Reduction. It’s not for you, nothing to see here, move along… move along.
    

  [*]Expect a crossover with Catalyst: Silvercity.

These hooks already exist in the campaign city. It is no means the historical definitive for power origins, just something to help.

• Native American based. This will get you watched/hunted by Warpath, and/or by particular members of Warpath, and/or by the Local Tribe.
  
• Android/Cyborg/Robot. This will get you a more powerful mystery hunted that wants to capture you. Hmmm.... (NOTE: take 8 points of Hardened Mental Defense if you want this… fair warning). You can also take a physical limitations because of your unusual origin.
  
• Rogue Guardsman – this will get an automatic watched by local police, hunted by local gangs, and watched by the Guardsmen. You could have Guardsman tech or you could just use them as a basis for training. Also a great chance for a powerful contact.
  
• Passing the Mantle
  
  • The Raven – this prime passed her mantle down to an apprentice. The Raven has one notable power, Serial Immortality, not unlike the old serial hero The Phantom. Her other powers change though she has access to a vast amount of data (last one was mystical, but yours could be through databases!?)
    
  • Liberty Belle – basically a flying brick. I.E. Liberty Lass – Armed and Liberty were an item… giving a player time to make a teenaged hero.
    
  • Psiborg – he was destroyed, but who made him and/or where are the parts that remained after he was burned alive? Note Cyborg above.
    

  [*]Tech Based Suit – highly recommend 8 points of Hardened Power Defense. The mystery hunted above does not seek you. Though if you run into him or his lackeys I would hate for you suit to turn against you, turning you into pawn for evil for the remainder of the adventure!

OK, that was a lot for you to look at and absorb. I will be dropping a thread in here soon after this campaign group is locked in by Fedifensor. So, if you want to respond with something short then all well and good. Keep character ideas and whatnot on topic to this thread please. I am not here to threadjack, just to inform.

I like what I see and I am looking forward to gaming with the lot of you (one one side of the GM screen AND the other).

Zac

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Please see my submission below. He is sort of a mixture of Grond and Ben 10 (but with only one form). He is based off of a character I made for a Teen Champs game I never got to play in' date=' Kid Grond. The background needs a little more fleshing out. I picture the character looking a cross between an Umber Hulk and a Thri-Kreen from another game system, references attached. I'm not sure I'm up to playing a 10 year old so I am thinking about making the character older.[/quote']

 

Overall it looks ok, but 25/25 defenses and 50% Damage Resistance is WAY to powerful. The standard is 11 DC, 25/25 def, 5 spd, and 23 dex.

 

Also, buying yourself down so much in your civilian ID is going to be murder 25% of the time. Those Agents throw one stun gernade into the crowd and you are toast. Speaking as one of the suits, American Steel, I know we are going to get some into some trouble in our Secret ID. I bet your bottom dollar the first combat in the first adventure will be in normal ID. Now, you can change in an instant... but going from Ben to Behemoth is not going to get you any points for your Secret ID

 

Martial Arts, layering defenses (IIF - body suit, then OIF - Power Armor), and taking higher physical stats is not the point effective way to go. Making a normal (or a weakling) and dropping everything into the suit is the point happy way to do things. However, I will be able to hold my own for a phase or two if Agents decided I have a big target on my chest.

 

I have gamed with Fedifensor before, and if you have a 1/4 disad on a power AND limitations (Secret ID, etc)... you bet it will come up.

 

Fair warning...

 

BTW, I like the concept. The antenna as smell and other "buggy" effects is very neat.

Re: Changing Into The Powersuit

Try managing a 'supers' combat to keep said souffle from falling....

Oh! That sounds exciting AND tasty

Re: Changing Into The Powersuit

Build the AI with the limitation: Only available out of combat or when unoccupied (-?).

This would reflect the the pilot's neural-interface override of tactical operations of the suit in times of duress.

 

Such a construct keeps the suit a suit (not a vehicle). It also allows the suit some modicum of independent motivation (and "too the rescue" moments) that would solve your "hero in distress" dilemma.

That is a nice way to roll the dice on the AI. If that is the case, how would you go about purchasing the stats? For instance, I want my total speed to be a 3. Would I purchase 3 for Jess and 2 for the suit? If the suit is solo, its a 2 speed but when Jess climbs in she is bumped to 5.

Re: Changing Into The Powersuit

the Mobile Police PATLABOR approach. highly trained cop in large battlesuit. they had a support team to haul the mech around

That would definately work but I don't want a support team following me around, just in case The Mutant Master of Mars attacks the city.

That said, Jess did not build the suit... she is just piloting the thing. Now, she is learning how to maintain the suit but the brains behind the outfit is someone else (DNPC with mad science skills). The original American Steel was used in WWII but the pilot was hurt pretty bad near the end of the war. They mothballed the suit when they could not find someone with the skills to pilot it. It has recently re-emerged and is a modernized version of the original. All of the people who where involved in the original project have died through the years, except one: Jess's great uncle. The records on the project have long since gone the way of the dodo but the old, original unit is "probably" still sitting in a crate, in a government warehouse. Waiting for Fedifensor to activate it as an enemy/plot device/etc.

Re: Changing Into The Powersuit

Fedifensor is taking about one of my concept toons - American Steel. The actually "suit" looks like a 8' to 9' tall man (one or two levels of growth) but is piloted by a 5'3", female, ex-army chopper pilot named Jessica Holt (you can call her Jess). I was pondering the suit as something smaller than a mini-mech but larger than your traditional powersuit. It comes equiped with all the standard party favors: blaster on one arm, point-to-point multi-weapon pod in the other arm (gatling laser, flamer, cryo spray), mortar on one shoulder (indirect attacks but with the dis-ad requires a parabolic arc) and an SRM rack on the other shoulder. The suit would have some sort of movement power like a jump jet that would allow for long distance movement or low end flight for taking advantage of cover/concealment/firing position. Combat tactics would be more like Army Calavary where helicopters use the terrain to mask their position until they can get into the best possible firing position. Pop up, blast away, and then drop back down. Rise, lather and repeat.

Some of the ideas that have been bounced around I have thought of... and others are quite new.

1. I was actually pondering the idea of Jess having a small catering company with a trailer (containing said suit). I got the idea last night after watching Bobby Flay in his Throwdown show go against some New Yorker's and their Choc Bread Puddin. Yum. So, kudos to the Catering idea. However, having someone go from Chopper Pilot to Chef, sounds like a let down if you are into thrills. Well, unless you think waiting for the Souffle to get golden and delicious is thrilling

2. Having a "flight" suit that offered some protection I had thought about. Like a beefed up nomex flight suit/fighter pilot suit. I had not given any thought to a side arm. Thx.

3. I had given some thought to the suit having some sort of AI (Hello Dave, ahem Jess) but I did not know how that would work within the confines of the game. I mean, having a 4 or 5 speed player with a 2 speed suit?! Do we both get to go? I had not thought about how far the AI personality would go because I did not really give any serious thought to the game mechanics behind it. The RP potential behind an AI and the character is a great idea. Kudos!

4. I was trying to stay away from the "teleporting" armor. I mean, Instant Change is a low cost/minimal brainpower solution to a real problem. However, the idea of putting a dis-ad for time delay on Instant Change would have never crossed my mind. Ok, you can change in an Instant, but just not right now Nice.

5. I had given some thought to having the suit pose as a car and then transform into a suit. A la Ice Cream truck transformer with with battle cry, "And I give you a Triple Scoop of Justice!" or "Nothing says America like Vanilla!" [tries to sound like The Tick]. But, the entire Transformer idea is getting to be pretty old hat and I wanted to try something different. Hence, a 5'3" lady in an 8' tall powersuit.

I could buy the suit and then a transformation/other form/whatever that contained the suit and the pilot... or something along those lines. So, I could be a character that may have an AI suit in one "form" with the power suit being the other "form". I have not looked into the mechanics of this at all.

My real worry in a Play by Post game is getting caught with my skirt down (ie out of my suit) where I may be out of combat for a LONG time (in the Real World). Since the suit is a dis-ad I do expect it to come up. In a person to person game it comes up, you deal with it for the session and move on. Its a big deal but not a HUGE deal. The though about having a more combat efficient character being able to do "something" while trying to suit up is a very nice idea. Maybe having at least agent level abilities can keep me in the game while the opportunity for suiting up arises. However, if I get caught in a Villian/Major Villain event out of my suit I am a gonner (and I should be).