Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 327

From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 1999 3:07 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #327


champ-l-digest Sunday, May 9 1999 Volume 01 : Number 327



In this issue:

Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is Dead?
Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)
Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)
Re: Superman tecnicolor
Re: Superman tecnicolor
Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: CHAR: Darth Vader (fini?)
Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is Dead?
Re: CHAR: Flying Polyp
Re: CHAR: Succubus
Be A Hero: Give to OK and KS Tornado Relief
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: My problems... as per your request
Rikou Nezumi, the Geek of the Five
Re: New age elementals.
Re: Rikou Nezumi, the Geek of the Five
Re: Classic Super Team
Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is dead?
Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)
Re: Superman weaknesses
Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: My problems... as per your request
Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is dead?

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 10:33:49 -0700
From: jayphailey@juno.com
Subject: Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is Dead?

>It may not be, but I agree with you completely. If I didn't have an
>established campaign setting, I'd likely be using the New Millenium
>one >myself. Personally, I think some of the hostility to it because
>peopleassociate it with Fuzion, which, true or not, many people consider
to
>have been an attempt to abandon the Hero System.

My hostility to the New Millenuim is not great. But I percived it as an
attempt to pander to the "Dark and Scary" sensibility that is very
popular right now (White Wolf Games, Most comics right now, etc).

I don't generally like "dark and scary" excepting that it's *about*
something. I just saw the whole mess as jumping on a stylistic band wagon
that had no real justifcation.

I was not overly impressed with Fuzion, myself but I figure that it would
make a lovely replacement for RTG's native "Cyberpunk" game system which
is a little crufty in places...

And yes, I was afraid that Hero and RTG were basically going to
marginalize or abandon HSR altogther in favor if their new, slick thing.

> Some more is people overly
>fixating on the art style and deciding it was and Image Comics
>knockoff settting. In practice, other than the catastrophe in the
recent past
>of the setting, it seems pretty much a traditional superhero setting
with a
>lot of nice twiddly bits to me.

Ah. I think Image Comics are the triumph of style over substance. They
weren't terribly gameable at all (Unless you cut the power levels to at
least 1/5th) To me it looked like pure munchkinism set some eye catching
art.

JMHO


Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]

Read Star Trek- Outwardly Mobile At-

http://www.geocities.com/~tesral/jay/

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 13:55:08 EDT
From: Akirazeta@aol.com
Subject: Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)

In a message dated 5/8/99 11:48:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
bob.greenwade@klock.com writes:

<< Which brings to mind... how many female bricks can people think of in
comics and animated TV? The ones I can think of offhand include:

Big Bertha (of the Female Furies)
Ms Marvel
Power Girl
Rogue
She-Hulk
Supergirl
Wonder Girl
Wonder Woman >>

The leader of gen13
the femal kryptonian from the superman movie
inque from Batman Beyond
American Maid, from the tick

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 18:15:47 GMT
From: mhoram@relia.net (Curtis A Gibson)
Subject: Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)

On Sat, 08 May 1999 07:02:32 -0700, you wrote:

>At 04:49 AM 5/8/1999 -0400, geoff heald wrote:
>>
>>Another female brick can be found on the team The Southern Knights (it =
was
>>a small press comic). She looked like a cheerleader but could punch =
out a
>>building.
>
> Which brings to mind... how many female bricks can people think of in
>comics and animated TV? The ones I can think of offhand include:
>
> Big Bertha (of the Female Furies)
> Ms Marvel
> Power Girl
> Rogue
> She-Hulk
> Supergirl
> Wonder Girl
> Wonder Woman
>---
Big Barda=20
Knockout (a superboy Villianess)
Night Girl (legion of Subs- at least at night)
WonderGirl 2 (the one in young justice)
Titania
Arclight
Winged Victory (she caught falling ships)
Valkerie (defenders)


>

I mean, Karmicly, self defence is really quite cool.=20
-Dr. Cozy Carlisle Dead Again

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 12:12:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Superman tecnicolor

>On Sat, 8 May 1999, geoff heald wrote:
>
>> Kryptonite came in different colors and had different effects on Superman
>> depending on the color. One was Red, one was Green. I don't know if there
>> was a Yellow.
>
>There is a gold kryptonite... I forget what it does.

Permanantly remove a Kryptonian's powers. I tend to give it as an example
of a bogus disad, since in practice it can't be used by the GM against a
player-character without taking him out of the game.

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 12:15:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Superman tecnicolor

>On Sat, 8 May 1999, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>> On Sat, 8 May 1999, geoff heald wrote:
>> > Kryptonite came in different colors and had different effects on Superman
>> > depending on the color. One was Red, one was Green. I don't know if there
>> > was a Yellow.
>> There is a gold kryptonite... I forget what it does.
>
> Green K would weaken superman.
> Blue K effected Bizaro creatures.
> Red K would do somthing weird, like change Superman into an
>infant, or a giant, or split him into two supermen, or make his hair grow.
> White K had two powers... it effected plants or could grant
>someone temporary superpowers (not sure about the second one)

Nope. That was X-Kryptonite...it was the cause of the powers Streaky the
Supercat exhibited for years.

> Gold K would permantly strip superman of his powers.
>
> I'm not usre if there are more... I've been searching for my
>Superman Encylopedia since this post began.

Rainbow Krytonite did basically nothing. It was a combination of various
types, and they all neutralized each other.

Tells you something that I remember this when they haven't used the exotic
forms in years, doesn't it?

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 12:25:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)

>At 04:49 AM 5/8/1999 -0400, geoff heald wrote:
>>
>>Another female brick can be found on the team The Southern Knights (it was
>>a small press comic). She looked like a cheerleader but could punch out a
>>building.
>
> Which brings to mind... how many female bricks can people think of in
>comics and animated TV? The ones I can think of offhand include:
>
> Big Bertha (of the Female Furies)
> Ms Marvel
> Power Girl
> Rogue
> She-Hulk
> Supergirl
> Wonder Girl
> Wonder Woman

There's Monstress, Andromeda and Thunder of the Legion of Super-Heroes; and
I can think of a rather long list of female brick villains, though it might
take a while to put them all down.

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 12:32:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

>>The problem with that is that at that point Consitution is probably
>>too expensive. Most of what it does for you is give you figured stats;
>2
>>points a point is too expensive just to make you harder to stun.
>
>CON checks are also quite useful for determining resistance to disease,
>long term fatigue, and massive, quick changes in temperature or other
>environmental conditions.
>
>In my games we do't use it just for STUN.

Most of which don't exist in the rules, you'll notice. When they do, I'll
include it in my evaluation. As it is, that's nice for your campaign, but
as written, 2 per point is still overpriced. In fact, even with your rule I
think it's overpriced in most settings.

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 12:52:02 -0700
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

At 09:35 AM 5/8/99 -0700, jayphailey@juno.com wrote:
>>We have also put in some suggestions for those who are concerned about
>the=20
>>costs of stats such as STR. Our main suggestion (remember, this is an=20
>>option) to "fix" the perceived problem that some have with STR, CON,
>DEX, etc.=20
>>is this: Remove the relationship between the primary stats and the=20
>>figured stats. All figured stats start at the current base level (that
>is,=20
>>figured as if the primary stats were 10); you buy up figured stats if
>you wish.=20
>>Figured stats get no benefit at all from higher primary stats. This is a
>
>>simple house rule to implement, and solves the perceived problem with
>no cost=20
>>changes required.
>>
>>=97 Steve Peterson, Hero Games=20
>
>
>That's a very clever hack. I have a question- You say "cost changes" as
>if it's a bad thing. Why would it be bad to snmply say "STR now costs 2
>CP per level"?

Build a brick now. Even a low-powered one in a standared 250 pt campaign,
you know, the guys that can pick up heavy things? You cant all the sudden,
do you really want to strip one of the main archetypes and standards of
comic books out of the game?

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 99 21:00:03
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Darth Vader (fini?)

On Mon, 3 May 1999 14:52:49 -0400 (EDT), Michael Surbrook wrote:

>300 Force Manipulation Variable Power Pool: 150 Point Pool
> No Skill Roll (+1), Can Change Powers as 0 Phase Action (+1),
> Limited SFX: Force Powers (-1/2)

Here's one wrinkle: all Force Powers are Fully Invisible, so how about
adding

75 Additional Control Cost for Force Powers: Cosmic +2, Only for

Fully Invisible Advantage (-2)
qts

Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 12:39:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is Dead?

>>It may not be, but I agree with you completely. If I didn't have an
>>established campaign setting, I'd likely be using the New Millenium
>>one >myself. Personally, I think some of the hostility to it because
>>peopleassociate it with Fuzion, which, true or not, many people consider
>to
>>have been an attempt to abandon the Hero System.
>
>My hostility to the New Millenuim is not great. But I percived it as an
>attempt to pander to the "Dark and Scary" sensibility that is very
>popular right now (White Wolf Games, Most comics right now, etc).

My problem with that is that it's not a particularly dark and scary setting.
It had one fairly dark incident (done larglely to explain why there aren't a
lot of old experience heroes to take over things if they get too hard for
the PCs) and other than that it's pretty much the same kind of place as the
modern DC Universe, which I'd hardly characterize as 'dark' on the whole.

>
>I don't generally like "dark and scary" excepting that it's *about*
>something. I just saw the whole mess as jumping on a stylistic band wagon
>that had no real justifcation.

As I said, I just can't see it.

>> Some more is people overly
>>fixating on the art style and deciding it was and Image Comics
>>knockoff settting. In practice, other than the catastrophe in the
>recent past
>>of the setting, it seems pretty much a traditional superhero setting
>with a
>>lot of nice twiddly bits to me.
>
>Ah. I think Image Comics are the triumph of style over substance. They
>weren't terribly gameable at all (Unless you cut the power levels to at
>least 1/5th) To me it looked like pure munchkinism set some eye catching
>art.

And that's the point. The New Millenium setting has some visual look things
evocative of that, but is otherwise nothing like it. This sort of response
is why I say I think the response to the setting is people seeing what they
want (or rather don't) want to see in it. It may not be a Silver Age
setting, but on the whole, it's hardly Dark and Gritty.

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 99 21:08:55
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Flying Polyp

On Fri, 7 May 1999 14:21:51 -0400 (EDT), Michael Surbrook wrote:

>FLYING POLYP

<gibber>

:}
qts

Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 99 21:19:30
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Succubus

On Thu, 6 May 1999 15:24:01 -0400 (EDT), Michael Surbrook wrote:

>104 Open Demon Gate: Summon upto a 1000 point creature, Limited Group:
> Demons of the Abyss (+1/4), Activates 10- (-1 1/4),
> Extra Time: Full Phase (-1/2), END 29

How about making this 'the better the roll the better the response'?
Either work out a series of Partial Limitations (starting with a 200 pt
creature on a 14-, +200 pts per -1, getting the full 1000 pt Demon Lord
on a 8-) or just give it a -1

qts

Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 15:55:49 -0500
From: Gary & Kim Miles <miles.kim.gary@mcleodusa.net>
Subject: Be A Hero: Give to OK and KS Tornado Relief

Flame me if you must, if you consider this spam, but I feel I have to
offer a challenge to all those on the Hero and San Angelo mailing lists.
After all, we play heroes in our games...here's a chance to actually be
a hero.

Here in Des Moines, Iowa, a local trucking company is donating a
half-dozen semi-trailer trucks to collect stuff for the survivors of the
massive tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas last week. In less than 24
hours, they have filled 5 of the trucks with donations. My wife and I
filled 14 bags with clothes from our closets, then went and spent $60 on
dog food and cat food (the critters need help too).

If any of you have collections in your area, please give something.
Every little bit helps. I'm sure that there are tons of clothes in your
closets you never wear, etc. If there is no organized relief in your
area, give whatever you feel you can spare to the Red Cross... they can
put it to great use.

If any of our regulars are actually from any of these hard-hit areas,
our best wishes and prayers are with you. Good Luck...

Now get out there and be heroes...

Gary and Kim Miles
Champions players since 1983

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 14:39:13 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

At 09:59 AM 5/8/1999 -0700, jayphailey@juno.com wrote:
>>The problem with that is that at that point Consitution is probably
>>too expensive. Most of what it does for you is give you figured stats;
>2
>>points a point is too expensive just to make you harder to stun.
>
>CON checks are also quite useful for determining resistance to disease,
>long term fatigue, and massive, quick changes in temperature or other
>environmental conditions.
>
>In my games we do't use it just for STUN.

Don't forget the effects of Mental Powers Based on CON, too! :-]
- ---
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: Sat, 8 May 1999 18:14:45 EDT
From: HeroGames@aol.com
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

In a message dated 5/7/99 8:21:38 PM, shaw@caprica.com writes:

>The problem with that is that at that point Consitution is probably too
>expensive. Most of what it does for you is give you figured stats; 2 point=
s
>a point is too expensive just to make you harder to stun.

I think that it's a reasonable tradeoff. What will happen is that there will=20
be some "evolution" with CON; after getting Stunned too many times, you'll=20
see it bought up more by characters tired of being taken out of the fight to=
o=20
easily. Anyway, for those really concerned about costs of stats, this should=20
be less of an issue than getting a "bargain" for STR or DEX.

=97 Steve Peterson, Hero Games=20

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

Date: Sun, 9 May 1999 08:22:30 +1000
From: "happyelf" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

in fact, i'd say that ability checks as defence would be a useful power
modifier
or at least condition for nnd defence. The gm can then chuck
less useful stats into the spotlight like this, can makes a great
deal of sense, as does com for superficial 'first impression'
reaction-type rolls.


- -----Original Message-----
From: jayphailey@juno.com <jayphailey@juno.com>
To: hero-l@omg.org <hero-l@omg.org>
Date: Sunday, May 09, 1999 3:55 AM
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request


>>The problem with that is that at that point Consitution is probably
>>too expensive. Most of what it does for you is give you figured stats;
>2
>>points a point is too expensive just to make you harder to stun.
>
>CON checks are also quite useful for determining resistance to disease,
>long term fatigue, and massive, quick changes in temperature or other
>environmental conditions.
>
>In my games we do't use it just for STUN.
>
>
>Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]
>
>Read Star Trek- Outwardly Mobile At-
>
>http://www.geocities.com/~tesral/jay/
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
>Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
>or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
>

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 18:31:53 EDT
From: HeroGames@aol.com
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

In a message dated 5/8/99 10:57:35 AM, jayphailey@juno.com writes:

>That's a very clever hack. I have a question- You say "cost changes" as
>if it's a bad thing. Why would it be bad to snmply say "STR now costs 2
>CP per level"?

Because it would force a rewrite of every single character in existence, and=20
immediately make all previous works "obsolete" (at least in the minds of man=
y=20
players, though of course it'd be easy to use them). Also, I think the game=20
balances better with STR at 1 point per point. I disagree with the simplisti=
c=20
analysis that just looks at figured stats; there's a lot more going on in th=
e=20
game that must be balanced against the cost of STR. Making that cost change=20
would require a great deal of additional work throughout the system. Which w=
e=20
already decided not to do, since the vast majority of the feedback we=20
received told us that players did not want major changes; they felt the=20
system balanced fine as it is.

If you want to see our thinking on more major changes, Fuzion is where we=20
went through and made changes of that nature.

=97 Steve Peterson, Hero Games=20

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 18:57:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: Rikou Nezumi, the Geek of the Five

RIKOU NEZUMI

Val CHA Cost Roll Notes
9 STR -1 11- 100kg; 2d6
12 DEX 6 11- OCV: 4 / DCV: 4
9 CON -2 11-
9 BODY -2 11-
30 INT 20 15- PER Roll 15-
25 EGO 30 14- ECV: 8
9 PRE 1 11- PRE Attack: 2d6-1
10 COM 0 11-

2 PD 0
2 ED 0
4 SPD 18 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
4 REC 0
18 END 0
20 STUN 3

Total Characteristics Cost: 71

Movement: Running: 6" / 12"
Swimming: 2" / 4"

Cost Powers & Skills
6 +10 INT; RSR: Ego w/ Burnout on -14 (-1/4), Side Effects (-1/2)
6 +10 INT; RSR: Ego w/ Burnout on -14 (-1/4), Linked (-1/2)
6 +10 INT; RSR: Ego w/ Burnout on -14 (-1/4), Linked (-1/2)

7 Mental Defense +7 "Complex Mind": 12

Natural Scientific Genius
15 Sense Fine Workings of Machinery, Discriminatory, Range
10 Eidetic Memory
3 Lightning Calculator
3 Speed Reading
3 Scientist
3 Scholar
3 Jack-of-All-Trades

6 EC: "Fix-It"; OAF: Tool kit and appropiate parts (-1), RSR:
Gadgeteering (-1/2), Extra Time: 1 minute (-1 1/2)

5 6d6 Aid BODY, 0 END (+1/2); Limited Group: Machines (-1/2),
Healing Only (-1/2), OAF: Tool kit and appropiate parts (-1), RSR:
Gadgeteering (-1/2), Extra Time: 1 minute (-1 1/2)

5 4d6 Aid, +3 to maxium, Powers with mechanical SFX, One Power at
a time (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2); Healing Only (-1/2), OAF: Tool kit and
appropiate parts (-1), RSR: Gadgeteering (-1/2), Extra Time: 1
minute (-1 1/2)

5 1 1/2d6 Transform: Broken Machine to Fixed Machine, Cumulative
(+1/2), 0 END (+1/2); No Range (-1/2), OAF: Tool kit and
appropiate parts (-1), RSR: Gadgeteering (-1/2), Extra Time: 1
minute (-1 1/2)

Background Skills:
3 Computer Programming
3 Deduction
3 Electronics
3 Gadgeteering
3 Inventor
3 Security Systems
2 PS: Chemist
2 PS: Computer Programmer
2 PS: Electrician
2 PS: Engineer
2 PS: Mechanic
2 PS: Scientist
2 PS: Weaponsmith
2 KS: Random Trivia
2 KS: Artifical & Robotic Intelligence
2 KS: Chemical Engineering
2 KS: Computer Design & Engineering
2 KS: Robotics & Robotic Engineering
2 KS: Mechanical Engineering
2 KS: Electronic Engineering
2 KS: The Science World
2 KS: Polymer Dynamics and Engineering
2 KS: Optic and Sensor Design
3 Mechanics
2 SC: Chemistry
2 SC: Robotics
2 SC: Physics
2 SC: Mathamatics
2 SC: Metalurgy
2 SC: Polymer Chemistry
3 Systems Operation
3 Weaponsmith: Lasers
20 +4 with Mechanics, Electronics, WS: Lasers

100+ Disadvantages
0 DNPC: Parents (As powerful, Useful skills, 11-)
5 DNPC: "Invention of the Week," 8-
10 DNPC: "Shinai's Little Sister," (who looks up to Rikou) 8-
10 Distinctive Features: Overly shy, lab coat wearing eccentric
scientist celebrity fifteen year old with glasses (Concealable)
20 Hunted: "Explotative Villian of the Week" (More Powerful, 11-)
10 Physical Limitation: Needs to wear corrective glasses (Infrequent,
Slight)
5 Physical Limitation: Skinny
5 Physical Limitation: Youth
15 Psychological Limitation: Shy, Withdrawn, and Intellectual; Hides
emotions and feels uncomfortable in social situations
(Common, Moderate)
5 Psychological Limitation: "Never been kissed" Absoloutely tounge
tied and flabberghasted around attractive women who pay attention
to him; Easily duped, fooled, or seduced when this happens,
totally trusting in this regard (Uncommon, Moderate)
15 Psychological Limitation: Scientific Code
Very ethical in respect to the privacy of other's inventions,
knowledge of acedemics or science, and other "great works."
Responsible for his inventions, and duty bound to stop their
missuse or destroy them before they cause any/more undo trouble.
Protective of his machines and designs, and by extention,
"protective" of sentient machines, or other "unknown" sentient
creatures. Progress, knowledge, and learning is important, and
souless science should work towards the betterment and benefit all
of humanity. Must press on in the name of science and sceintific
curosity. Logic, science, and reason are superior to the
supernatural ("which can, eventually, be explained away
scientifically, anyhow...") (Common, Strong)
10 Psychological Limitation: Avoids direct confrontation, a bit the
coward (Common, Moderate)
5 Code Against Killing
10 Public ID: Rikou Nezumi, Boy Genius
15 Reputation: Geeky, eccentric, and reclusive genius scientist
always in the news, 11-, Extreme (He has fan clubs, you know...)
5 Watched: Five Organization, As Powerful, 8-
10 Watched: Parents, As Powerful, NCI, -11

Designers Notes:
Rikou Nezumi is a genius beyond all geniuses. He was born and
raised in a labbratory, and was his parents experiment (of sorts) in
advanced stimulation, teaching, and learning techniques. While he was
home tutored for most of his childhood, he advanced to go on to a number
of colleges. At the ripe age of fifteen, he holds seven doctorates.
Still, he lead a sheltered life, until he was approached by the
director of Five to act as a field consultant. Now he has friends, and
goes on adventures, where is immeasureable knowledge is invalueable to the
team.

Description:
Rikou is a short fifteen year old Japanese male with very fine
brown hair "swept back" look. His eyes are dark, and are often concealed
behind a pair of round, lighty amber tinted thin wire frame glasses. He
often has a look of deep thought or curosity on his face. His
concentration is unshakable, to the point of being distant while blocking
out distractions from the outside world. He is shy, and tends to receed
when he encounters a large crowd of people at a social funcition.
Rikou always wears his glasses. He also always wears
"scientist's" apparel, or a variation there of (he'll wear a black lab
coat with a tuxedo, and you'll never see him in jeans and a T-shirt).
Underneath, he'll usually wear a Japanese school boy's uniform (despite
the fact he has many degrees in a number of subjects).

Powers Notes:
His powers are not a mutation. They are merely represent a
freakishly high ammount of intelligence and skill. He is till relatively
young, but possesses a 30 INT (which is "peak" human at age 60+).
His "additional Intelligence" construct is meant to represent an
outrageous push. They all function together, and activation rolls should
be made for each. If the second or third component of the construct
should fail, then these individual parts cease to function. If the first
component shuts down, then the entire constuct can not be used. In
addition, the character suffers from a "Side Effect", which should be
anything from migrane headaches, a moralistic dilemma represented as a
Psychologial Limitation, X2 STUN when hit in the head, or some other
appropiate drawback linked to the task, his brain, or his intellect.
His mind is complex. If you are famaliar with the Ultimate
Mentalist, there is an optional rule that states "alien minds" are harder
to read and control. I gave him Mental Defense to represent this,
irregardless of wether you decide to use this rule.
His "Fix It" EC is meant to represent a vast ammount of skill in
fixing various technologies. You should use your judgement when running
this power. Since the power requires a skill roll, you can allow
complementary skill rolls, or negatives for complex or alien technologies.
Also, it requires both a tool kit and parts, so field repairs may be
difficult if there has been some great ammount of damage done to whatever
machine. It should also be noted that this power effects mostly
mechanical SFX, so a robot PC drained of STR would be wise to have Rikou
fix him, but would be out of luck if his INT, memory, or programming were
effected.
His Sense power represents his ability to look at technology and
assess it's use and function, and then reference it with his appropiate
skills to find out what's wrong with it. Feel free to modify rolls as
above.

Disadvantages Notes:
His DNPC's are his Parents, who are also scientists, Invention of
the Week, which could be plans or inventions he is responsible for, and
Shinai's Little Sister, who looks up to Rikou like a big brother.
Rikou is not only a celebrity, with fans, repect from various
colluges, and media attention, but he is also a particularily distinct
one. He is very thin, timid and quiet to the point of being conspicious,
wears a lab coat and a distinctive style of glasses. He is also only
fifteen years old. He needs to wear the glasses to correct his
far-sighted condition (You could also buy this ability as a Phys. Lim
Farsighted and add on OAF with Fragile). Being skinny, his physical stats
are very low, and will probally not get any higher any time soon.
Players playing this character should be discouraged buying them above 12
(even after adulthood). Being a youth means that he is denied getting
into various places and can suffer penalties to PRE rolls in certain
social situations.
Many, many villian groups will try to capture him to either use as
a hostage (due to his lack of combat ability and his public image), for
ransome (his parents are rich), or to utilize his scientific skills.
Rikou is shy, withdrawn, and intellectual, which means he will
approach all situations with this mind set. He rarely speaks, and when he
does speak, he considers what he says very carefully. It's hard for him
to think in ways that don't go along with his rational way of thought. In
fact, he over intellectualizes. Rikou has also "never been kissed," which
means he has a very innocent and naive perception of love and sex. He is,
in Anime, the proverbial "blushing" boy who is easily duped by "the girl,"
and with just a few kind words and a flash of a smile, he's instantly
protective of her to the point of turning on his friends against better
judgement. His Scientific Code is pretty well defined, as is his "Avoids
Direct Confrontation," and CAK.
Last thing to be noted, he is watched by both the Five
Organization AND his Parents, who are his legal guardians and can ground
him (hence the NCI).

(Rikou Nezumi created by Jason Sullivan, character sheet created by
Michael Surbrook)

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 22:51:21 EDT
From: ErolB1@aol.com
Subject: Re: New age elementals.

In a message dated 99-05-05 08:43:00 EDT, jonesl@cqnet.com.au writes:

> But in
> any event, i need some ideas for contemporary versions of the 'elements',
> and no i don't mean the periodic table. Concepts of modern life like
> capitalism and
> industrialism, except not as weenie, whihc cna be converted into
reasonably
> non-goofy supervillains.
>
> The obvious one is 'firepower', which is a
> guy with a seemingly limitless supply of weapons and ammo, who represents
> the military-industrial complex, and maybe an internet guy.
> I need at least two more, and each one has to be able to hold their own in
> combat,
> preferably in a non-corny way. Any ideas?

How about:

* Electron - Electricity & electronics powers
* Petrochem - Flamible liquid & plastics powers
* Cryogen - Cold powers
* Metalurge - Power over metals & alloys

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

Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 03:10:40 GMT
From: samael@clark.net (Acid Rainbow)
Subject: Re: Rikou Nezumi, the Geek of the Five

On Sat, 08 May 1999 18:57:31 -0400 (EDT), Jason Sullivan =
<ravanos@NJCU.edu>
sent these symbols into the net:
<snip>

>100+ Disadvantages
>10 Physical Limitation: Needs to wear corrective glasses (Infrequent,
> Slight)
<more snippage>
> Rikou always wears his glasses. He also always wears
>"scientist's" apparel, or a variation there of (he'll wear a black lab
>coat with a tuxedo, and you'll never see him in jeans and a T-shirt).
>Underneath, he'll usually wear a Japanese school boy's uniform (despite
>the fact he has many degrees in a number of subjects).
> Rikou is not only a celebrity, with fans, repect from various
>colluges, and media attention, but he is also a particularily distinct
>one. He is very thin, timid and quiet to the point of being =
conspicious,
>wears a lab coat and a distinctive style of glasses. He is also only
>fifteen years old. He needs to wear the glasses to correct his
>far-sighted condition (You could also buy this ability as a Phys. Lim
>Farsighted and add on OAF with Fragile).=20
I think you mean nearsighted, aka myopia, or perhaps he's astigmatic.
=46arsighted people only wear glasses when they need to read, and don't =
wear
them all the time.

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 23:47:18 EDT
From: ErolB1@aol.com
Subject: Re: Classic Super Team

In a message dated 99-05-07 17:48:19 EDT, jeffj@io.com writes:

> This is an old theory called '5 character theory', although the original
> form I heard it in was: Hero, Other Guy, Big Guy, Chick, and Pet.
>
> The 'Pet' is not always a geek, but is almost always a 'comic relief'
> character. There's also an optional 6th character: the "Mentor'.
>
> The best examples actually come from Star Wars rather than from anime...
>
> Hero: Luke
> Other Guy: Han
> Chick: Leia
> Big Guy: Chewbacca
> Pet(s): R2D2, C3P0
> (Mentor: Obi-wan)
>
> Sometimes the genders aren't always the same - the 'other guy' can be a
> girl, or in rare cases (Shurato: Heaven War Chronicles) the 'chick' role
> can even be filled by a guy (usually an effeminate one)

Hm - how about an 'inverted gender' team where the 'chick' role is filled by
the only guy on the team, and the Hero, Other Guy, Big Guy and Pet are all
female?

Can't thank of any examples "in the literature" - but it might be worth doing
in a game just to do it.

Erol K. Bayburt
Evil Genius for a Better Tomorrow

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 23:19:17 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is dead?

At 06:41 PM 5/7/99 -0700, you wrote:
>>Well whatever the motivations, at this point it appears that the
>>realization or decision has been reached to print books and support
>>Hero instead of using digital exclusively and abandon it, which clearly
>is
>>the wisest choice.
>
>I disagree in the strongest possible terms.
>
>I *like* professionally produced Hero games books that I can use to death
>with love and enthusiasm.
>
>
>Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]


While his sentance structure is awkward, that's what he was saying: The
wisest chice is to print books rather than relying in electronic media.
Furthermore, it appears that Hero has made the wisest choice. That's what
he was trying to say.


============================
Geoff Heald
============================
So this is Earth. Not what I expected. Oh, well, I'll have to make do.
"Behold Earthians! Your new lord has arrived!"

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 23:28:22 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)

At 01:55 PM 5/8/99 EDT, you wrote:
>In a message dated 5/8/99 11:48:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>bob.greenwade@klock.com writes:
>
><< Which brings to mind... how many female bricks can people think of in
> comics and animated TV? The ones I can think of offhand include:
>
> Big Bertha (of the Female Furies)
> Ms Marvel
> Power Girl
> Rogue
> She-Hulk
> Supergirl
> Wonder Girl
> Wonder Woman >>
>
>The leader of gen13
>the femal kryptonian from the superman movie
>inque from Batman Beyond
>American Maid, from the tick
>


I don't think Inque is really a brick. She's tough and all, but maybe a
martial artist would be a better description.



============================
Geoff Heald
============================
So this is Earth. Not what I expected. Oh, well, I'll have to make do.
"Behold Earthians! Your new lord has arrived!"

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

Date: Sat, 08 May 1999 23:31:44 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Superman weaknesses

At 10:21 AM 5/8/99 -0700, you wrote:
>>Superman is like a living solar battery; he doesn't immediately lose
>>all his powers when under a red sun, but they don't get replenished
>>except under a yellow sun. A couple of years ago a sun-eater completely
>
>>blocked out all the Sun's radiation, and Superman ran out of juice in a
>few
>>days.
>>Of course, he was really, really busy those few days...
>>--_
>>Guy Hoyle (ghoyle1@airmail.net)
>
However, in The Dark Knight Returns a nuclear blast filled the air with
dust and Superman came crashing down out of the shy and began withering
away visably. So your milage may vary. Myself, I always figured it had
more to do with radiation than just light.


============================
Geoff Heald
============================
So this is Earth. Not what I expected. Oh, well, I'll have to make do.
"Behold Earthians! Your new lord has arrived!"

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

Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 00:07:08 -0700
From: Chad Riley <chadriley01@sprynet.com>
Subject: Re: Female Bricks (was CHAMP: muscular men and slick chicks)

Thundra
Big Bertha (Great Lakes Avengers)
Ms Marvel 2 (She Thing)
Ogress (Hulk Villianess)
PowerGirl
Sif
Power Princess
Namorita
Poundcakes
Stompa (female Furies)
Sabra
Warrior Woman
Polaris (temporarily anyway)
Flint (Stormwatch)
Moonstone
Mankiller


Curtis A Gibson wrote:

> On Sat, 08 May 1999 07:02:32 -0700, you wrote:
>
> >At 04:49 AM 5/8/1999 -0400, geoff heald wrote:
> >>
> >>Another female brick can be found on the team The Southern Knights (it was
> >>a small press comic). She looked like a cheerleader but could punch out a
> >>building.
> >
> > Which brings to mind... how many female bricks can people think of in
> >comics and animated TV? The ones I can think of offhand include:
> >
> > Big Bertha (of the Female Furies)
> > Ms Marvel
> > Power Girl
> > Rogue
> > She-Hulk
> > Supergirl
> > Wonder Girl
> > Wonder Woman
> >---
> Big Barda
> Knockout (a superboy Villianess)
> Night Girl (legion of Subs- at least at night)
> WonderGirl 2 (the one in young justice)
> Titania
> Arclight
> Winged Victory (she caught falling ships)
> Valkerie (defenders)
>
> >
>
> I mean, Karmicly, self defence is really quite cool.
> -Dr. Cozy Carlisle Dead Again

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 23:46:35 -0700
From: jayphailey@juno.com
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

>in fact, i'd say that ability checks as defence would be a useful power
>modifier or at least condition for nnd defence.

That could be interesting.

> The gm can then chuck
>less useful stats into the spotlight like this, can makes a great
>deal of sense, as does com for superficial 'first impression'
>reaction-type rolls.

I "borrowed" the GURPS reaction tables, and adjusted the die modifiers
accordingly.


Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]

Read Star Trek- Outwardly Mobile At-

http://www.geocities.com/~tesral/jay/

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 23:52:54 -0700
From: jayphailey@juno.com
Subject: Re: My problems... as per your request

>>That's a very clever hack. I have a question- You say "cost changes"
as
>>if it's a bad thing. Why would it be bad to snmply say "STR now costs 2
>>CP per level"?
>
>Build a brick now. Even a low-powered one in a standared 250 pt
campaign,
>you know, the guys that can pick up heavy things? You cant all the
sudden,
>do you really want to strip one of the main archetypes and standards of
>comic books out of the game?

I don't. That's why I'd never use this suggested house rule in my games
personally. But but seems to address the original complaint.

Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]

Read Star Trek- Outwardly Mobile At-

http://www.geocities.com/~tesral/jay/

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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

Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 23:35:53 -0700
From: jayphailey@juno.com
Subject: Re: Inquest Gamer: Champions is dead?

>>I disagree in the strongest possible terms.
>>
>>I *like* professionally produced Hero games books that I can use to
death
>>with love and enthusiasm.
>
>While his sentance structure is awkward, that's what he was saying: The
>wisest chice is to print books rather than relying in electronic media.
>Furthermore, it appears that Hero has made the wisest choice. That's
what
>he was trying to say.
>
>============================
>Geoff Heald
>============================

Ah. Thank you for the clairification there.

>So this is Earth. Not what I expected. Oh, well, I'll have to make do.
>"Behold Earthians! Your new lord has arrived!"


Who said this?


Jay P. Hailey <Meow!> [ICQ: 37959005]

Read Star Trek- Outwardly Mobile At-

http://www.geocities.com/~tesral/jay/


___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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

End of champ-l-digest V1 #327
*****************************


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Date: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 03:56 PM