GrooveD70

Re: Super Origins I think Champions handles this pretty well by having a "normal characteristic maxima" of twenty yet their is a catagory above this called "Legendary" that comes before the "Superhuman" catagory. Legendary is beyond what most normals can achieve but not quite enough to be classified as Superhuman. To me Bats would have a legenday Dex and Int for example... where some shmo like me could maybe reach a stat of 20 with a lot of work.

Re: Super Origins

Re: Super Origins I think it would. To me one of the kewlist things about Batman is that he is a normal human that rises to the level of these godlike beings. In a way he represents us. I love your Thors, Supermen and so on. But the thing that is kewl about the Batman archetype is that he is not "handed" abilities. He has to work hard and be smart to be victorious. Of course batman could never exist, but that is why comics are awesome. Thats why they fill a need not filled by Sci-Fi, Fantasy and what not. Here is a quote from Stephen King's "Danse Macabre" "whenever I run into someone who expresses a feeling of, "I don't read fantasy or go to any of those movies; none of it is real," I feel a kind of sympathy. They simply can't lift weight of fantasy. The muscles of the imagination have grown too weak". Comic Superhero stories are about "possibilities" not skepticism. What if a person could fly? What if a person could be smart enough and well-trained enough to be equal to a god like superhero? I studied martial arts for about 8 years and it always makes me laugh when people talk about realism when comparing different movies and comics. Batman is not even close to a realistic depiction of the martial arts. Niether are Jet Li movies. Even the stars of these Kung fu flicks will say this is not what real fights are like. But I love them. Why? because they are freakin kewl! Who wants to see Neo and Agent Smith roll around on the ground like some UFC fighters? Who wants to see Superman nock Batman's brains out? (well maybe Wanderer) Not me. Where is the entertainment in that? Again, everyone has there own taste but I like to spend hours justifying mine.

Re: Superhero Images Thanx for the kind words! That pic really was pretty easy to do. I got most of the stuff I used for free and changed it in photoshop. His constume used to be a Spiderman, DAZ cloak for the cape, daredevil billy clubz. It's pretty kewl once you start messing with it.

Re: Super Origins None. We play in the Champs U and as long as it doesn't contradict the setting, anything is game. We play with the Standard Super hero Guidlines with a few tweaks and that (hopefully) balances the power, but one of the kewl thingz about the Supers Genre is the hodgepodge of concepts. Sci Fi, Fantasy, Action Hero, and Mythological concepts all fit well into the Genre. The only thing I try to limit is the number of a single concept in the same group. A team of five "Wolverines" sux. I'm not sick of gaming in the Champs universe and I like to give my players the ability to play any kind of super hero that comes to mind. Concept is wide open, power is limited by points.

Re: Superhero Images

Re: Superhero Images Here is an attempt to post a pic I did of my champs character with some free stuff from Animotions site, Photoshop, and DAZ Studio. Let me know what you think.

Re: why the UNITED NATIONS? (for global super-agency) Yes you are right. I din't mean to try to de-rail the topic. Sorry guys.

Re: why the UNITED NATIONS? (for global super-agency) I can see where you are coming from but I never have seen in the comics or in my games a Batman type character punching through steel or beating a superman with karate. In comics the writers are able to provide these characters with the means to win somehow (kryptonite, some kind of preplanned strategy or gadget). In games this becomes more difficult but most of my players have the sense to know that their "bat clone" cant "brick" his way through a wall but could have something in his utility belt to help him accomplish the same task. One of my MA/Gadgeteers fights bricks toe to toe with his MA skills and fighting sticks that have a "taser" function (usually con or stun drain)... You can do alot with different types of "batarangs". I like to play in superhero games that feel like the comics I read. For a more realistic feel I would play in a cinematic action film kinda game. When I think of comics I look forward to suspending my disbelief. I know these stories are often ignoring reality. But thats the thing that they deliver that othere genres do not. I would have the same gripes as you if we were talking about Star Hero or Western Hero or watching a Tom Clancy blockbuster, but with superheroes I like to go to a place were men can catch jets and Batman can figure out a way to beat damn near everybody. I like to see Sidey almost get killed but then defeat the villian at the last moment. I like realism in terms of characters actions, emotions and personality but as far as powers and combat the more over the top the better. Just my opinion, to each his own. I think if there were a Justice League hero game it should be just as fun to be Batman as it is to be Superman. Again not trying to argue taste, I am just trying to express why I don't feel these Archetypes are stupid.

Re: why the UNITED NATIONS? (for global super-agency)

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay? Thanx for all the great responses guys. To give you all a bit more background, one of the PC's has a Voodoo curse on his family (part of his background) and the team is traveling to VB to find a mystic who can dispell it. I was hoping to design the advanture in a way that they will come in contact with a "who's who" of VB and have a solid idea of what that setting is all about by the time the adventure is done. Its not really a whole campaign, but I'm planning on it taking a decent number of sessions. I'd like to find excuses to involve Caliburn, Redsnake, the swamp etc and give them a decent wiff of whats going on there.

My players will be heading to Vibora Bay when we begin playing again. What do yooz guyz think are the coolest aspects of the setting that should be included in the adventure?

(Mild spoilers for those playing in my game) I am thinking of having a climactic "throw down" with Dr D. in my champs game and I have never used his "new" stats in a game. He seems quite deadly. I was wondering how you all have used Doc in your Millennium City games. I'd like to work up to an actual face to face confrontation that will be memorable.

Re: Champion Battlegrounds: What do you think? Duh! In my previous post I used the name Havok, I was reffering to Holocaust. Sorry....

Re: Shazam! I like AMSHIR! Tho Id rearrange it to ASHMIR! I just think it soundz better... Just an opinion.

I've been looking for Cheap stuff to spice up my Battlemat combats for my Champions Universe campaign. I use a battle mat, HeroClix, and a few toy cars. But I was thinking about kewl ways to make some cheaply make buildings and other things you might see in Millenium City. I watched some guys playing Warhammer 40k and it made me jealous of their toys. Any ideas?

Re: Champion Battlegrounds: What do you think? Spoiler! - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ive run the everything in it exept for the last adventure. The battle with Havoc in my game was a serious PC beatdown and that was after ignoring Havoc's Damage Reduction and not having him shoot around corners and what not. I really like the module, but I was curious what happened in other gm's campaigns. I had 4 standard Superhero Pc's and Havoc was Con stunning them almost every hit, and almost takng them to 0 Stun as well. He is a bad mutha!

I recently ran the Construction site battle and the villians seemed ultra tough. I was wondering what other GM's experiences were...

oops sorry...

I've been playing Champs for awhile, and one thing that still feels clunky is using miniatures in large battles with flying characters. Anyone have any hints or tricks to keep track of altitude or figuring actual distances between oppenents when one or both are flying at different altitudes... Maybe I'll have to bust out the Pythagorean Theorum more than Id like.

I am running Champions Battlegrounds after a long break from Hero System. I have 2 veteran Hero System players and 2-3 D20 gamers. Any advice about teaching the system or running that specific adventure would be appreciated.

Re: Caps on Characteristics for Standard Supers My big concern is DEF/rDEF. At what point do you put your foot down concerning natural def/armour/combat luck/force feild stacking. It makes my brain hurt!

Re: Caps on Characteristics for Standard Supers And then we get closer to a class based system. YUCK! But who likes "Icandoeverything Man"?

Re: Caps on Characteristics for Standard Supers I agree with you as well. To clear up my delema... I havent really had problems with an arms race... yet. I generally use the Standard Superhero guidlines in FRed. Yet for some concepts I am inclined to bend those rules. For example the top end for Char in the guidelines is 40. Yet Ironclad has STR well beyond that. So where do I set the upperlimit for pc's? Its just an effort to be fair across the board. Of course character concept needs to be taken into consideration. Would you allow a brick with 90 STR? Can you make a decent brick with 40? Should a Martialatist have 30 DEX? Will he be able to survive with 20? I guess I would just like to set some guidelines and upper limits so my players can be more confident on how to make an acceptable character. Thanks for all of the great comments! I'll be stealing... borrowing heavily!

Re: Your Dream Ultimate Christmas! Thats a good Idea! You beat me too it. I loved these guys as a kid. I wish I could find some cheap back issues.