Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 240

From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 1999 12:30 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #240


champ-l-digest Thursday, March 18 1999 Volume 01 : Number 240



In this issue:

Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See... (fwd)
Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See... (fwd)
Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Hair Fighter
Re: Captain HERO
Change of Address and a Call for Players
Re: Change of Address and a Call for Players
RE: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Captain HERO
Medusa Hair
Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Captain HERO
RE: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Captain HERO
RE: Desolid Martial Artist
Re: [Captain HERO]
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...
Re: Captain HERO
Re: Change of Address

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 09:54:08 -0500
From: Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See... (fwd)

At 09:09 PM 3/16/99 -0500, SURGAT wrote:
>
>What Characters would you like to see written up?
>
>My list is as follows:
>
>AEon Flux (the MTV cartoon character from _AEon Flux_)
>
>Ash (from _Evil Dead_ and _Army of Darkness_)
>
>The Avengers: Emma Peel and John Steed (from the 60's show _The Avengers_)

Yes - these would all be fun.

>
>Dr. Calagari and Ceasar (from _The Cabinet of Dr. Calagari_)
>
>Professor Cavor and an average Selenite (from "The First Men in The
>Moon," by H.G Wells)
>
>Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde (from _"The Strange nge Case of Dr.
>Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," by Robert Louis Stevenson)
>
>Dr. Griffin (from "The Invisible Man," by H.G. Wells [I think Surbrook
>did this one already])
>
>Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson (from "The Adventures of Sherlock
>Holmes" et. al. by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
>
>Dr. Fu Manchu (from "The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu" et. al. by Sax Rohmer)
>

Them too. I take it you're reading The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

>Mannimal (from the not so popular TV series _Mannimal_ [who recently
>reappeared on the not so popular series _NightMan_])
>

I think I saw a write-up of the Greatest American Hero once, but I don't
remember who did it.

>Vampires from different genres (Bram Stoker, Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
>Vampire$, Count Orloc of Nosferatu, White Wolf Vampires, Fright Night,
>Lair of the White Worm, and the list goes on...)
>

I've seen about all the vampires I need to see. There have been interesting
takes in many different sources, including the Hero Bestiary & Horror Hero.

>I'd also like to see: The Phantom (Comic Book and Movie), The Shadow
>("...who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"), more Pulp
>heroes, Phileas Fogg and his baloon, Captian Nemo and the Nautilus,
>Professor James Moriarty, Dr. Moreau and his Moreauian Beast Men, MadMan
>(of Allred comic book fame), and The Elementals (of the 80's Comico
>comic book fame)
>

And since you mentioned Aeon Flux, how about Phantom 2040? Pulp heroes are
always nice to see. Somewhere I have a bunch of character sheets for Tarzan
at different stages of his career which I wrote up last time I re-read the
books - his language skills alone are amazing. I'll see if I can dig them up.

I'd be curious to see somebody try to do a detailed write up of Doc
Savage's skills - though with Doc, you're probably better off just giving
him a VPP and letting him put Skills in it.

>A list of John Woo type Hollywood maneuvers might be nice, too (for
>firearms).
>

Eye for an Eye has several; unfortunately most of them aren't much in
keeping with the logic of the Hero System rules.

Surprisingly, I don't think I've seen anybody do full write-ups of the Star
Wars characters, though I've seen countless lightsabers. I'll be surprised
if somebody doesn't do this once Episode I hits the theaters, though.

The write-ups which most interest me, I'd say, are the characters whose
abilities are the weirdest. Since I rarely use existing characters in my
games, I look at write-ups either just for fun or for models of interesting
powers.

On the other hand, I sometimes find it interesting to see the Hero System
modelling characters who aren't so action/adventure oriented. While the
systems isn't exactly tailored toward complex but "normal" human
characters, it's fun to attach Characteristics, Skills, and Psych Lims to
noncombatants too. I've been tempted to write up the characters of Twin
Peaks; it might even make an interesting application of the Spirit Rules.

- - Bill Svitavsky

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:06:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See... (fwd)

On Wed, 17 Mar 1999, Bill Svitavsky wrote:

> >Vampires from different genres (Bram Stoker, Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
> >Vampire$, Count Orloc of Nosferatu, White Wolf Vampires, Fright Night,
> >Lair of the White Worm, and the list goes on...)

> I've seen about all the vampires I need to see. There have been interesting
> takes in many different sources, including the Hero Bestiary & Horror Hero.

Oops... oh well, you won't like my current project then.

> >I'd also like to see: The Phantom (Comic Book and Movie), The Shadow
> >("...who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"), more Pulp
> >heroes, Phileas Fogg and his baloon, Captian Nemo and the Nautilus,
> >Professor James Moriarty, Dr. Moreau and his Moreauian Beast Men, MadMan
> >(of Allred comic book fame), and The Elementals (of the 80's Comico
> >comic book fame)
>
> And since you mentioned Aeon Flux, how about Phantom 2040? Pulp heroes are
> always nice to see. Somewhere I have a bunch of character sheets for Tarzan
> at different stages of his career which I wrote up last time I re-read the
> books - his language skills alone are amazing. I'll see if I can dig them up.

Le'ts toss John Carter into the mix as well.

> I'd be curious to see somebody try to do a detailed write up of Doc
> Savage's skills - though with Doc, you're probably better off just giving
> him a VPP and letting him put Skills in it.

And he gets *all* the Talents. Well, almost all.

> >A list of John Woo type Hollywood maneuvers might be nice, too (for
> >firearms).
>
> Eye for an Eye has several; unfortunately most of them aren't much in
> keeping with the logic of the Hero System rules.

I tried to simulate this sort of effect with straight powers. See my Chow
Yun Fat character for more.

> Surprisingly, I don't think I've seen anybody do full write-ups of the Star
> Wars characters, though I've seen countless lightsabers. I'll be surprised
> if somebody doesn't do this once Episode I hits the theaters, though.

I am considering (and working with) a Darth Vader adaption that uses only
the triology as a source. (No SW RPG info).

> The write-ups which most interest me, I'd say, are the characters whose
> abilities are the weirdest. Since I rarely use existing characters in my
> games, I look at write-ups either just for fun or for models of interesting
> powers.

Man, I hope I win out in that contest!

> On the other hand, I sometimes find it interesting to see the Hero System
> modelling characters who aren't so action/adventure oriented. While the
> systems isn't exactly tailored toward complex but "normal" human
> characters, it's fun to attach Characteristics, Skills, and Psych Lims to
> noncombatants too. I've been tempted to write up the characters of Twin
> Peaks; it might even make an interesting application of the Spirit Rules.

I did write up the Time Traveller and the Invisible Man some time ago...

- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:03:31 -0500
From: Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

At 12:21 AM 3/17/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>
>Hmmm... I have to wonder, has anyone used any of the 200+ characters I
>have sent to this list?
>
>What happened to them/you?
>

I haven't actually used any of them, yet. I did take the trouble of
reformatting your Big Trouble in Little China source materials into a nice
layout, though - I even added pictures. (It was a slow work week, and I was
playing with my new office computer.) I've long considered running a BTiLC
game, and if I do, I'll use your versions as a starting point.

The only commercial characters I've ever actually run in a game are the
Watchmen, and that was long before I saw your versions of them. I loved the
DC Heroes modules, and translated the characters into the Hero System so I
could GM them.

- - Bill Svitavsky

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:23:44 -0500
From: David Stallard <DBStallard@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Hair Fighter

Message text written by Black Bishop
>Hi again,
well I was wondering... I would to design a chatacter like Medusa of the
Inhumans and I though about =


Extra Limb : Hair
Stretching

but now there are a lot of probs
Medusa can grab several opponent in her hair... how I can simulate this ?=

and then the hair work just to grab and choke and so but a lot of people
together... I though about a "AE Entangle No Range" but it is not and
entangle I think, seeing that she can squeeze or choke
then I though to buy extra strengh only with hair... but what is the
modifier about this ?
What about a AE on Grab ? How design it ?<

All you have to do is buy multiple Extra Limbs (they are free after the
1st, so just define more). Then you can grab lots of different people wi=
th
your various tendrils of hair. You don't need anything special like
Entangle or Telekinesis or anything, just Extra Limbs and possibly some
Stretching. You could also buy some extra Strength for the hair too if y=
ou
wanted, maybe "only for Grab manuever (- 1/2)".

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 16:17:10 GMT
From: samael@clark.net (Acid Rainbow)
Subject: Re: Captain HERO

On Wed, 17 Mar 1999 08:49:38 -0500 (EST), SURGAT <ravanos@NJCU.edu> sent
these symbols into the net:

Captain Hero does not have skeletons in his closet
>(literally or figureatively); that means he's not the son of Baron Von
>Klemp, nor is he a closet homosexual, nor some political extremist,
>regigious zealot, racial supremist, drug cartel leader, or superpatroit
>(in other words, there's no intrinsic trait in his personal life or
>background that the Media can exploit, and no secrets that can ruin his
>super hero career).
Not even the skeleton Cousin Hermione has because she's studying to
become an osteopath?
> Captain Hero is a bit of an overgrown Boy Scout, prone
>to soliquies (when appropiate), valuing life, saving cats from trees, =
and
>good PR. Captain Hero dosn't kill, or use Killing Attacks. =20
Personally I think a KA vs inanimate objects would be appropriate, and
downright *useful* if Captain Hero likes to pull people out of burning
wrecks, dig people out of collapsed buildings and the like.
>Captain Hero
>is very humane, and would risk his life selflessly for the saftey of
>others. Captain Hero may or may not have Super Powers. If he does have
>Super Powers, they are most likely to be straight forward, not
>particularily glitzy, and not necesarily deceptive. Mental Illusions,
>Teleportation, Growth, Shrinking, most Special Powers, Darkness,
>Desolidification, EDM, FTL, Images, Invisibility, HKA, RKA, Shape Shift,
>and Stretching, in most cases, aren't very Captain Hero.
Mmmm, I don't know, Mind Control persistant, OHID, single command "I
don't look anything *like* Twerp Nebbish." (the Secret ID). Then again at=
a
250 base he probably can't afford it.
>
> Captain Hero's costume is Red, White, and Blue. He has a mask
>that covers his forehead and cheeks, with no top (so his hair can be
>seen), and a wedge, so his mouth and chin are visible. His mask and =
body
>suit (top and tights) are blue. His top ends at his wrists, leaving his
>hands naked. He has a white star in the center of his chest, and a white
>belt. He has red underwear type bottoms and red bucket boots (the type
>that hang over). His cape is red, though it might be two different =
colors
>(inside one, outside another, and/or striped, like a flag).
What? No bar code on the chest?
> Captain Hero has a comic book physique.
I don't know. Just for *once* I'd like to see a scrawny pot-bellied
type with the ability to function as a brick.
**********************************************************************
*Lissajous patterns and windmills and don't ask about the connection.*
* Acid Rainbow: Semi-professional windmill-tilter. *
**********************************************************************

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 16:40:43 -0500 (EST)
From: chris@ergmusic.com
Subject: Change of Address and a Call for Players

I guess the Powers That Be(tm) didn't get my last e-mail message so I
will repeat it: please change my address to chartjes@littlehart.net and
remove chris@ergmusic.com from this list.

Secondly, I'm looking for three players for a PBEM set in the Quantum
Universe, the one I share with my sister Lisa. The characters in the
game will be members of the Mercury Foundation, the equivalent of the
early X-Men in our universe. This game was supposed to be a
face-to-face one but only two members could make it on a regular basis.
Since they have e-mail I decided to move it online.

Anyhow, characters are built on 100+100 with active point limits of 60
points for powers and 12 DC for attacks. Complete rules and guidelines
for this game can be found at www.littlehart.net/quantum. Also go to
the Quantum Universe home page at
roswell.fortunecity.com/daniken/79/quantum.htm

I am looking for characters with good background stories to them so
that subplots can be developed from that (I love subplots). I WILL
REJECT YOUR SUBMISSION IF IT'S OBVIOUS YOU DID NOT READ THE ABOVE
LISTED WEB PAGES! I can't stress that enough. I look forward to many
submissions.

I would like character IDEAS (not fully completed characters) to be
sent to me first. If I like your idea then I will ask you to make up
the character. House rules are on the two above listed pages as well.

Chris Hartjes
chartjes@littlehart.net

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 11:54:40 -0500
From: "Berengiere" <beren@voyager.net>
Subject: Re: Change of Address and a Call for Players

<<Anyhow, characters are built on 100+100 with active point limits of 60
points for powers and 12 DC for attacks. Complete rules and guidelines
for this game can be found at www.littlehart.net/quantum. Also go to
the Quantum Universe home page at
roswell.fortunecity.com/daniken/79/quantum.htm>>

Everyone should know that the web page at
http://roswell.fortunecity.com/daniken/79/quantum.htm has a more complete
list of the house rules, listing powers, modifiers and disadvantages
specifically.

And a bit of a hint: if an organisation doesn't appear on the Who's Who
list, then it more than likely doesn't exist in the Quantum Universe. The
Quantum Universe is not the Champions Universe, and we have used very little
from the CU in our games.


Lisa
beren@unforgettable.com

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:04:35 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: RE: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

On Wed, 17 Mar 1999, Hudson, Robert wrote:

> I've had the Oriental monsters, and the Celtic-themed critters from
> 'Mage' you have on the site used against me in a Fantasy Hero game very
> successfully. [Really hated that Goblin Spider BTW - it doggoned near ate my
> lunch!]

Heh, I am redoing that page too, expect some revamped critters and a bunch
of new ones.

> The GM also interspersed the more fantasy-oriented Hong Kong Action
> hero write-ups in the game with the names changed to protect the guilty, and
> they worked very well. He took the Fong Sai Yuk write-up and made the
> character a female martial artist we had to defeat in a contest to win some
> vital information. She squished three of us in rapid succession in
> one-on-one bouts, then finally lost when I challenged her to a debate on
> religion and philosophy. [I'm scholar-mage with an Arabian background, and
> had *no* desire to become the next doormat she cleaned her slippers on!]

Whew... sounds pretty cool there. In fact, that sounds very HK filmish!

> He's now setting us up to deal with some demons that I dread are the
> 'Ninja Scroll' guys with new names - looks to be fun, even if I think I'll
> be doing a *lot* of running!

What point level are the PCs?

> I personally have Nieh Hsiao Tsing slated to appear in my Justice,
> Inc. game as part of a series of adventures involving a legendary katana
> that is possessed by the spirit of the swordsmith's daughter. [She was slain
> with it by a ninja who stole the blade before the swordsmith could summon a
> spirit to inhabit the blade, and her soul was trapped in it by the waiting
> spells.]

Oooohhh... I like that plot! Can you tell me more?

> Earlier in the same game, I previously used Chow Yun Fat as an
> exceptionally lethal mob shooter from the West Coast brought in to 'handle'
> the party - they hated him, ran from him for three adventures, and finally
> used his Code of Honor to get out from under by saving his life when
> *another* villain mistook him for an ally and almost killed him. He headed
> back to the Coast, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Damn. What did you call him?

> Overall, I've got to say that I've gotten good use out of your
> material - lots of it.

I'll say.

- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 11:51:35 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Captain HERO

At 04:17 PM 3/17/99 GMT, Acid Rainbow wrote:
>> Captain Hero has a comic book physique.
> I don't know. Just for *once* I'd like to see a scrawny pot-bellied
>type with the ability to function as a brick.

How about an obese speedster? ;-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 14:05:54 -0600
From: "Commando" <commando@mail.com>
Subject: Medusa Hair

Earlier there was a thread regarding a character with Medusa-like powers.
Forgive me for not remembering the names, but someone had suggested using
extra limbs, stretching and extra STR.

In this example, if the character were to hold multiple targets with her
hair, would she have to divide her strength among the targets being held?

John

==========================================
   There can BE only one!
==========================================
 
Send Replies to <mailto:commando@mail.com>

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 15:30:36 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

On Wed, 17 Mar 1999, Bill Svitavsky wrote:

> >Hmmm... I have to wonder, has anyone used any of the 200+ characters I
> >have sent to this list?
> >
> >What happened to them/you?
> >
>
> I haven't actually used any of them, yet. I did take the trouble of
> reformatting your Big Trouble in Little China source materials into a nice
> layout, though - I even added pictures. (It was a slow work week, and I was

Uhm, was this in HTML?

> playing with my new office computer.) I've long considered running a BTiLC
> game, and if I do, I'll use your versions as a starting point.

Thanks!

> The only commercial characters I've ever actually run in a game are the
> Watchmen, and that was long before I saw your versions of them. I loved the
> DC Heroes modules, and translated the characters into the Hero System so I
> could GM them.

Yeah, that was why I did my set.

- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 15:48:08 -0500
From: Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

At 03:30 PM 3/17/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>On Wed, 17 Mar 1999, Bill Svitavsky wrote:
>
>> I haven't actually used any of them, yet. I did take the trouble of
>> reformatting your Big Trouble in Little China source materials into a nice
>> layout, though - I even added pictures. (It was a slow work week, and I was
>
>Uhm, was this in HTML?

No, in MS Word '97. I'd be glad to send you a copy if you're interested.

>
>> The only commercial characters I've ever actually run in a game are the
>> Watchmen, and that was long before I saw your versions of them. I loved the
>> DC Heroes modules, and translated the characters into the Hero System so I
>> could GM them.
>
>Yeah, that was why I did my set.
>

While the DC Heroes system had some major flaws, I've always thought their
modules were excellent. They did a lot of experimenting with the
possibilities of RPG adventures, with the Watchmen's imagery, Ambush Bug's
metafictional in-joke wackiness, JLI's mix of humor and superhero action,
Booster Gold's game within a game, and the cleverly devised one-on-one
modules. It's been a long time since I've seen a module that was half as
enjoyable to read as those were.

- - Bill Svitavsky

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:02:23 -0800
From: Scott Bennie <sbennie@dowco.com>
Subject: Re: Captain HERO

You might want to change the name. Captain "Hero" leaves him open to the
charge by the media that he's got an ego problem; isn't it up to other people
to determine who's a hero and who isn't? Unless the media gave it to him, of
course.

And remember, unless you're playing in a very Silver Age flavored game, if the
media can't find some intrinsic trait they can exploit, they'll invent one. I
do wonder why you're going to so much trouble to emphasize he's a nice guy. It
sounds more like you want to flame modern approaches to superheroes than play
or design an interesting character. Which is, of course, your right; satire or
reactionary vitriol *is* as legitimate a motivation for character design as
any other (I've used it on more than one occasion myself).

As to powers, you pretty much know what you don't want, so pick a concept that
you do like, and run with it. Traditional brick? The concept pretty much
screams Silver Age Supes or Captain Marvel. How about a quirky power set
designed so the character can be helpful in times of trouble (teleportation
usable against others, only to help them in times of distress, dispel vs. all
flame powers, area effect, mind control, invisible, extra time, linked to a
conversation roll, SFX: Persuading people to accept the truth)?

Anyhow, good luck.

Scott Bennie

SURGAT wrote:

> I am working on a generic 100 Base point 150 Maxium Disadvantage
> point generic Hero called "Captain Hero."
>
> Captain Hero is currently a sketchy concept. I am designing him
> for my new HERO Campagin Web Page.
> I was hoping the collective of this web page would be willing to
> kindly contribute advice on Captain HERO as I contruct him.
>
> Captain Hero is an caucasian American male of slighty above
> average height with brown hair and brown eyes. Captain Hero is not a
> mutant, nor is he of magical or other-worldly origins. He is a
> licenced Superhero. Captain Hero is a "good guy" and would not have any
> Disadvantage like Beserk, Compulsions to Killing, Sadism, Misogyny, or
> Necrophilia. Captain Hero does not have skeletons in his closet
> (literally or figureatively); that means he's not the son of Baron Von
> Klemp, nor is he a closet homosexual, nor some political extremist,
> regigious zealot, racial supremist, drug cartel leader, or superpatroit
> (in other words, there's no intrinsic trait in his personal life or
> background that the Media can exploit, and no secrets that can ruin his
> super hero career). Captain Hero is a bit of an overgrown Boy Scout, prone
> to soliquies (when appropiate), valuing life, saving cats from trees, and
> good PR. Captain Hero dosn't kill, or use Killing Attacks. Captain Hero
> is very humane, and would risk his life selflessly for the saftey of
> others. Captain Hero may or may not have Super Powers. If he does have
> Super Powers, they are most likely to be straight forward, not
> particularily glitzy, and not necesarily deceptive. Mental Illusions,
> Teleportation, Growth, Shrinking, most Special Powers, Darkness,
> Desolidification, EDM, FTL, Images, Invisibility, HKA, RKA, Shape Shift,
> and Stretching, in most cases, aren't very Captain Hero.
>
> Captain Hero's costume is Red, White, and Blue. He has a mask
> that covers his forehead and cheeks, with no top (so his hair can be
> seen), and a wedge, so his mouth and chin are visible. His mask and body
> suit (top and tights) are blue. His top ends at his wrists, leaving his
> hands naked. He has a white star in the center of his chest, and a white
> belt. He has red underwear type bottoms and red bucket boots (the type
> that hang over). His cape is red, though it might be two different colors
> (inside one, outside another, and/or striped, like a flag).
> Captain Hero has a comic book physique.
>
> Your comments, critiques, and criticisms are appreciated.
>
> If this discussion annoys some of you, or you don't think it's
> particularily relevent to Champions and the HERO system, please e-mail me
> privately, and I will ask that this matter be discussed between private
> e-mails.
> If you're feeling particularily considerate (or secretive, or
> paranoid), you can e-mail me privately from the get go.
> To all those involved, you will be credited on the bottom of the
> charcaracter sheet. I will keep you updated on the status of the Captain
> Hero project.
>
> Thank You for your time,
> Jason Sullivan

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 15:38:45 -0600
From: "Hudson, Robert" <x2rhudso@southernco.com>
Subject: RE: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

At 12:05 PM march 17 Michael Surbrook wrote:


>Heh, I am redoing that page too, expect some revamped critters and
a bunch of new ones.

Cool! It looks like this group of characters are going to be in the
'Jade Empire' for a while to come, so that'll be a plus!

>Whew... sounds pretty cool there. In fact, that sounds very HK
filmish!

I was really hoping it was going to work, since I had nothing but a
basic WF: Common Melee, no martial arts abilities, and no CSL's at all, and
my character felt it was grossly dishonorable to use a spell on her. [Not to
mention I wasn't entirely sure that I could A) get one off before she
squished me too; and B) wasn't sure I could stop her without either killing
her, or at least severely injuring her.] It worked out pretty well, since
I'd been studying the local culture and religions for a couple of months
game time as we travelled on foot/horseback through the countryside.
>
>What point level are the PCs?

I'm at a little less than 275 points now, but not much of that is
combat-effective point-cost. I ate a fair number of points at the start to
replicate the 1/2 djinn ancestry of the character. His best two 'tricks' are
a really big Change Environment to alter the weather, and a Multiform with
the Variable Effect advantage to replicate the classic Arabian sorcerer's
shapeshfting power. [Turning into lions and the like is a good trick - but
of limited usefulness against the odd Chinese demon or Goblin Spider.]

> >I personally have Nieh Hsiao Tsing slated to appear in my Justice, Inc.
> game as part of a series of adventures involving a legendary katana that
> is possessed by the spirit of the swordsmith's daughter. [She was slain
> with it by a ninja who stole the blade before the swordsmith could summon
> a spirit to inhabit the blade, and her soul was trapped in it by the
> waiting spells.]
>
>Oooohhh... I like that plot! Can you tell me more?

One of the PC's [who trained in japan under a renegade Master from
the same clan that stole the sword and killed the girl] has just recieved
the sword as a dying present from his Master, and is going to start having
visitations by the ghost, who wants to be freed from the blade. [I'm
limiting her to appearances within a certain radius of the blade - probably
enough to appear wherever she needs to inside his house and not much more.]
What I'm aiming at is the two of them becoming attracted to each other in
true cinematic fashion. If that works out, there's a future opponent from a
bit further down the road who was trained by a rival master, and who's sworn
to destroy all of the PC's master's students. If I work things right, the
future enemy can *also* fall for the PC, go through some appropriate angst
there, and allow herself to be killed [with the possessed sword] rather than
kill him. If that happens, the ghost will escape the blade and merge with
the former enemy, healing the body and allowing her to be with him.
[Assuming, of course, that it all doesn't collapse somewhere down the road!]

>Damn. What did you call him?

He was Darren 'Gats' Gruner.
>
> >Overall, I've got to say that I've gotten good use out of your material -
> lots of it.
>
>I'll say.

Keep up the good work!


Rob Hudson

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:51:32 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filksinger@usa.net>
Subject: Re: Captain HERO

From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>


>At 04:17 PM 3/17/99 GMT, Acid Rainbow wrote:
>>> Captain Hero has a comic book physique.
>> I don't know. Just for *once* I'd like to see a scrawny pot-bellied
>>type with the ability to function as a brick.
>
> How about an obese speedster? ;-]


I do have an NPC, never seen by my players so far, named "Fatman".

He is a fairly standard brick, save that his personality is that of a
computer geek. As a result, he never exercises, and normal movements build
up his muscles not at all. He almost looks like he has muscular dystrophy or
something.

However, every month or so, he decides to have a little fun. Dressed up in a
heavily padded costume, not unlike those ridiculous sumo costumes that
people put on to pretend to be sumo wrestlers, he busts into a local crack
house or gang headquarters. Bouncing around like some demented balloon, he
smashes things, knocks around the inhabitants, and produces general mayhem,
all the while shouting things like, "Evil run in fear, FATMAN is here!" If
he wants to cause real trouble, he will call the police at about the same
time, often on the phone inside the building, claiming anything from "sounds
of gunfire" to "kidnapped my grandma".

Note that the padding, aside from being a costume, is for _their_
protection, so he doesn't break too many bones and such. He is, of course,
bullet-proof.

Unfortunately, it looks as though Fatman's original creator wants to be him
as a sort of third identity, which is what he originally was; a third
identity for his brick, Persuader. I may have to give him back.

Filksinger

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:57:54 PST
From: "Jesse Thomas" <haerandir@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Desolid Martial Artist

On Tue, 16 Mar 1999 "Jim Dickinson" <ethernut@earthlink.net> wrote:

>frowned upon. Well, actually he would be tarred, feathered, drawn,
>quartered, boiled in oil, dragged behind a horse through a brier
>patch, keel-hauled, and then crucified. So it doesn't come up often.
>:-)

You forgot "Then the little pieces of him remaining would be jumped up
and down upon, and would carry on being jumped up and down upon until I
thought of something even more horrid to do."

Jesse Thomas

haerandir@hotmail.com


Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

------------------------------

Date: 17 Mar 99 16:36:00 MST
From: ANTHONY VARGAS <anthony.vargas@usa.net>
Subject: Re: [Captain HERO]

SURGAT <ravanos@NJCU.edu> wrote:
> I am working on a generic 100 Base point 150 Maxium Disadvantage
> point generic Hero called "Captain Hero."
> =

> Captain Hero is currently a sketchy concept. I am designing him
> for my new HERO Campagin Web Page.
> I was hoping the collective of this web page would be willing to
> kindly contribute advice on Captain HERO as I contruct him.
> =

> Captain Hero is an caucasian American male of slighty above
> average height with brown hair and brown eyes. Captain Hero is not a
> mutant, nor is he of magical or other-worldly origins. He is a
> licenced Superhero. Captain Hero is a "good guy" ...
> Captain Hero dosn't kill, or use Killing Attacks. Captain Hero
> is very humane, and would risk his life selflessly for the saftey of
> others. Captain Hero may or may not have Super Powers. If he does hav=
e
> Super Powers, they are most likely to be straight forward, not
> particularily glitzy, and not necesarily deceptive. =

> =


A character that /good/ can ring hollow if he has super-human powers that=

make it easy for him to be heroic. Since you ruled out typical super-
powered origins, I'd suggest something like this:

Buy him max or near-human-max stats accross the board (take NCM, if you
like that disad), and a slightly superhuman EGO (23?). The F/X is not
that he's been 'perfected' by some drug like Paragon in San Angelo, or
that he got lucky when he dipped into the gene pool - it's all from
intensive training and sheer determination, it's his /Indominable Will/,
his determination to do what is right no matter the cost, that allows him=

to exert such near-superhuman prowess.

For offense, buy him Classic Comic Book Martial Arts. If you want
levels, make the OCV, if you want DCs, make them cost END to represent
a sort of 'extra push' power.

Some minor gadgets might be reasonable, too. An 'advanced polymer' suit
good for Damage Resistance on his 8 PD & ED (IIF). Maybe a swing line.

His main powerset, though could be his increadible Will and Determination=
=2E

Buy him Damage Reduction (P,E, & Mental), put it on a 14- (to =

represent his EGO roll), and give it a small limitation... this is going
to be hard to phrase... 'suffers full effect for 1 phase.' On the phase
he gets hit, he takes full damage, but, on the top of his next phase (if
he makes his Activation (EGO) 14- roll) half of that damage is just gone
like it never happend. Thus, he'll be stunned by a massive blow like any=

other 'mere' (CON 20) mortal, but, on the top of his next phase, the =

amount of STN he took is halved, and, if that makes it less than 20, he's=

not Stunned... The idea is, you get the F/X of the increadibly determine=

Hero who shakes of the pounding he's just recieved and keeps going, but,
without having to spend half your (only 4) phases Recovering... ;)



____________________________________________________________________
Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 12:20:00 +1100
From: Hamish Laws <h_laws@postoffice.utas.edu.au>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)

At 06:27 AM 3/4/99 -0800, Steven J. Owens wrote:
>
> Back in late '95 the two authors of the _first_ screenplay for the
>puppetmasters posted an apologia to the net, a several-hundred-line-long
>description of what happened. It makes excellent reading for anybody
>hoping to go into script writing, or anybody who doesn't understand why
>so many movies have such lousy writing. If anybody knows where I could
>get a copy of that, I'd appreciate it. I want to keep it in my permanent
>files :-).

http://www.ns.net/~gifford/archives.htm

has the article if it's

Q: When is a Spaceship Not a Spaceship?
A: When It's a Brain Coral.

Writing the Screen Adaptation of
Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters

Terry Rossio (1995)

****************************************************************************
The Politician's Slogan
'You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all
of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
Fortunately only a simple majority is required.'
****************************************************************************

Mad Hamish

Hamish Laws
h_laws@postoffice.utas.edu.au
h_laws@tassie.net.au

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 08:28:14 -0500
From: David_A._Fair@fc.mcps.k12.md.us (David A. Fair)
Subject: Re: Character Write Ups I (We?) Would Like To See...

susano@dedaana.otd.com writes:
>Hmmm... I have to wonder, has anyone used any of the 200+ characters I
>have sent to this list?

>What happened to them/you?

Well, I've never used them in a game, but I have used your write-ups of
Anime characters. You see, my son is into anime (DragonBall Z
especially, but also Silent Mobius, Ranma 1/2, and probably others) and
your write-ups put those shows/comics, which I never watch/read (I've
tried, but just don't seem to "get it"), into a form *I* understand.
Now we talk about DragonBall Z and Son Goku and understand each other.
Maybe I will try to use them to draw him into role-playing (not yet
though, at 9, he's still a little young...)

P.S. I have used your BTILC characters as NPC's in my version of San
Angelo's Chinatown. Egg is especially fun to roleplay...

Thanks,
Dave

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 09:43:13 EST
From: Leah L Watts <llwatts@juno.com>
Subject: Re: Captain HERO

>>> Captain Hero has a comic book physique.
>> I don't know. Just for *once* I'd like to see a scrawny pot-bellied
>>type with the ability to function as a brick.
>
> How about an obese speedster? ;-]

It's been done -- Veltro from Golden Age Champions (later in his career).

Leah

___________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 09:29:59 -0800 (PST)
From: John Desmarais <johndesmarais@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Change of Address

- ---chris@ergmusic.com wrote:
>
> Could the Powers That Be change my e-mail address to
> chartjes@littlehart.net.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Chris Hartjes

It's done, but you know, you can actually do this yourself by
unsubscribing the old address and subscribing the new address (Send
email to champ-l-request@sysabend.org from the appropriate addresses
with UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE as the body of the message. The
listserver reads your email address from the header of the message).

- -=>John D.
_________________________________________________________
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------------------------------

End of champ-l-digest V1 #240
*****************************


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