Welcome, heroes!
I'd like to take a little time to review builds and talk about our setting and characters before we get started.
Some questions and requests:
1. Where do you character live?
2. Where do you character work?
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you?
4. What are your Complications?
5. Let's look for some connections between characters? Is there one of us who can serve as the Daredevil (who assembled the first Marvel Knights group)/Nick Fury (who assembled the movie Avengers)? Or do we need an NPC to do that? Does anyone know each other in Secret ID but not in Hero ID? (That could be fun).
6. What do you want out of your character development? (broad strokes are fine)
Do you have a city in mind for the setting?
My thinking was that we were in Marvel New York, where pretty much all of the heroing seems to happen. If that seems too crowded, I was thinking we could use the old Champions Hudson City supplement, which replaces the New Jersey cities west of the Hudson (Newark, Jersey City, etc.) with a single vigilante friendly sprawl. I'm using a lot of those materials, so that would be an easy transition.
Dottie-ng in. :)
I think I was online just at the right time to see the results. Thanks for inviting me in!
Apart from general text cleanup/clarification, I've made no further notable changes to her character sheet except adding "prison escapee" to her list of complications, since, you know, probably not being legally a free person might get complicated. :) I also cleaned up the text of her other complications too.
I honestly have not put a lot of thought into stuff like say, where she is living or how she is making ends meet. She's not averse to stealing (from rich capitalists who she believes should be sharing their wealth anyway) though she's got a workman-like attitude and would prefer to earn her keep. Which might indeed be an in to connecting her with one or several of the other characters (either stealing from them or looking for work ;) ).
As an FYI/permissions check with other PCs... this character (who is an adaptation of a character from Marvel's Agent Carter, for those who are unaware) is very very very gray morality. Dark gray morality. Her hero hook is wanting to fill in, to an extent, the legacy of a more heroic individual who passed away, but she's got little empathy or internal value for life other than understanding in a detached way that protecting civilian lives is what the heroes are supposed to do. I'm not keen on PVP and would avoid initiating it where possible, but she wouldn't be averse to fighting anyone she felt she had to to get done what she wants to get done. She also likes to pick people's pockets. And she also can just be generally a little creepy. If any of these things are of a concern to anyone (or alternately if you just want to be clear you're okay with this), feel free to chat about it here or with me via PM. Dottie can be disrespectful of other people's boundaries, but I definitely don't want to be. :)
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ETA! As while I was typing this SuperTumbler posted his questions:
1. Where does your character live?
As noted above, I'm not sure, beyond "in New York." If she's obtained some form of income (whether real work or something such as stealing something very valuable and cashing it out so she can afford rent for a few months), she might be renting out at a place like the Webster Apartments or similar housing for women, just as she used to do when operating in the 20th century before she was captured by SHIELD.
Alternately, she might have just found a reasonably safe place to squat in.
2. Where does your character work?
Again, not sure and her looking for employment of some kind might be a way to hook her into the other PCs. I'm seeing her as really not long after her prison escape and just settling in. She's focusing on figuring out how to do "hero stuff" and any income she might have might be temporary (theft) or doing odd jobs. She may be looking for mercenary work -- or if you want to hook her into an existing mercenary organization that works too.
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you?
Her One and Only True Nemesis is dead of old age and Dottie would never insult Peggy by replacing her.
But generally she would enjoy fighting rivals that are similar to her in skill set (spy/assassin types).
Alternately, for something different, given she hates greed and people who she sees as wasting wealth upon themselves, and sees wealth and capitalism as a corrupting influence, she might target a successful business tycoon type, especially if they can be connected to corruption. Existing Marvel villain types might include something like the Osbornes or Kingpin; anyone involved with Roxxon would also make sense.
4. What are your Complications?
Obsession: Peggy Carter -- living up to her legacy, and just generally anything to do with Peggy
Code: Survival first, mission second, Peggy third, then anything else. Survive at all costs, succeed at the mission at all costs except survival.
Prison Escapee: Dottie escaped from a high security prison not long ago, when some rogue superheroes had broken in to free their compatriots and she snuck out in the chaos.
5. Let's look for some connections between characters? Is there one of us who can serve as the Daredevil (who assembled the first Marvel Knights group)/Nick Fury (who assembled the movie Avengers)? Or do we need an NPC to do that? Does anyone know each other in Secret ID but not in Hero ID? (That could be fun).
Dottie is not one to form the group, but would definitely look for suitable employers. (Although.... if she's really wanting to live up to Peggy's example, maybe she'd try, but it's not her forte). I'm also fine with an NPC doing that. She could definitely have run into the other PCs either laying low and meeting their alter egos, OR alternately running into them as heroes while patrolling the streets. I'm open to whatever.
6. What do you want out of your character development? (broad strokes are fine)
Dottie's goals are to fight and have fun. My early goals are just to get herself established and figure out how to do this heroing thing--just figuring what she really WANTS is kind of a big thing (it's seldom been something she's been able to consider). On broader strokes while I don't see her as ever becoming reformed in the way, say, Natasha Romanoff is, aiming to soften some hard edges and find some connections with others would be nice--although if events turn in such a way she hardens further, that's also a possibility.
And in the same vein, this is a street level campaign with the Marvel Knights logo. To me, that means morally dubious or conflicted characters like Daredevil, Dagger, Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, Luke Cage, and Punisher (who the "team" in the comics were formed to capture). They deal with crimes more grounded in the real world, and villains like mobsters and business men and some who might are both. They also deal with real world crimes that might include drugs, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, child abuse.
Obviously, this being on the Paizo boards, we aren't going to be graphic about any of these topics, but if you have any specific thoughts on tone or these or other issues, now is probably the best time to talk about it. That obviously doesn't mean we can't talk about anything later.
Also, any heroes or villains that you just completely hate and don't want anywhere near this campaign?
Answered the initial question set in a post edit above.
On gritty stuff: obviously playing an assassin, I can deal with gritty. I do prefer to keep things not gratuitously graphic, and need a warning before dealing with stuff involving sexual assault and other abuse, which isn't to say I don't want to deal with it (though I have no special desire to see it either), but just a heads up to prepare myself, and definitely would want that to be non graphic.
Hated heroes/villains: There's no one off the top of my head I can think of that I'd absolutely need to stay away from the campaign. Certainly I have my likes and dislikes but can deal with whatever. If something comes to mind that I'm not thinking of right now I'll let you know. I think I'd prefer tonally appropriate characters... like meeting Jessica Jones would make more sense than Squirrel Girl. (But Squirrel Girl's awesome so who'd complain about her showing up? :)
I get you're going for a questionable "hero" but seeing as some characters like my own are device characters they might not take being pick pocketed kindly... and besides people hate kender pcs for a reason.
I should have something up for the questions tomorrow hopefully.
I get you're going for a questionable "hero" but seeing as some characters like my own are device characters they might not take being pick pocketed kindly... and besides people hate kender pcs for a reason.
To be clear, are you saying you just don't want me to try to pick your character's pocket at all--which is totally fine, this is why I am running it by people--or are you just noting people will annoyed if she does it?
Also, the goal is very definitely not kender. Why did you have to remind me they existed? :(
I've never played with you so I hold up the old bywords to firmly say please not this.
My character is gadget focused, in his pocket could be a wallet (it wont, thats just begging to be a problem) and or a death ray so unless given good reason he wouldn't be shrugging it off. He'd either avoid working with her or prepare a device to stun someone pick pocketing him.
I was actually hoping that once he starts trusting people to let some of the other PCs come to his headquarters, maybe expand it to become a base for the group (it's a good foundation for such) but he'll need to trust the group not to be trying to break into other peoples rooms or trying to hack his computer.
If it's more her going around pick pocketing the bouncer of the vile drug lords dance club sure but lets be honest if you tried to pickpocket Punisher you'd end up with a sore jaw at the least.
Now if she pickpockets people and we don't realise, well then our characters can't get upset. Once they have a rapport and respect such things might be easier to handle but initially it'll be at best "Since you've got your hand in my pocket you better be planning on buying me dinner first or really like getting shot with energy weapons."
Kevin, to keep this simple, I'm interpreting your post to say, no, my character does not have permission to pick your character's pocket, and I won't have her do it. No problem.
We can review as needed after some gameplay has been established and discuss special cases as they arise. FWIW, she's not a thief per se, she'd take something because she needed it or didn't want someone to have something. (E.g., take someone's gun so they can't use it on her.) Up above, I was talking about her stealing rent money as a means of getting herself established, not something she'd do on a regular basis.
Alright, thanks for clarifying
Here
1. Where do you character live? I am cool with Hudson City. I would live in a penthouse apartment. He would also have an old manor house as well as a summer home.
2. Where do you character work? Well as seen he works as the co-owner of Oracle Technologies. He currently is the only available heir of the company and is known as an eccentric thrill-seeking millionaire.
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you? Parker Robbins(aka Hood), Chameleon, Batroc, a few other more street level villains. (DD and Spidey villains).
The mysterious Chemo, a deadly monster of a genius who has serums for MGH, a Chimera Formula(creatures animal people temporarily), as well as distilled super soldier serum, amongst others.
Silence: A sound obsessed mute who can manipulate sound that cancels all sound in an area, as well as superhuman durability with minor regeneration. He even can repeat any sound or words uttered perfectly like a parrot.
4. What are your Complications?
Professionally he is known to have a reputation as a thrill-seeking playboy. If often is seen shirking responsibility. Which is true as he often uses it to focus on cases. Which have involved theSilence and Chemo.
His responsibility lies in Oracle Technologies. Even though he doesn't seem to take the whole business seriously he is devoted to it and its employees. For him, he really wants to keep the company going. Often he has to make hard decisions on whether to go out heroing or attend meetings/events for the company.
As for a relationship he had one living relative left. His older Sister Adrienne. She is a super genius of some sort that works for some secret organization(DMs choice). Xavier has some contact with her via emails and snail mail but all in all, he knows little about what she does or where she is at.
The last two are something that really defines him first is the Secret Identity. No one right now knows his identity. He has kept it secret and intends to keep it that way as long as possible. If he can trust others he would reluctantly give his identity up.
Last is his obsession of the Truth. Whether good or bad he wishes to uncover the truth about what he sees. This is in all aspects of his life. It was born out of the tragedy of his parent's deaths that made him want to know who was behind the attacks and who to punish. It still makes him strive to seek out the truth and bring it to the surface so all can see it. Which is strangely hypocritical when you note the fact he leads a double life and lies about it.
5. Let's look for some connections between characters? Is there one of us who can serve as the Daredevil (who assembled the first Marvel Knights group)/Nick Fury (who assembled the movie Avengers)? Or do we need an NPC to do that? Does anyone know each other in Secret ID but not in Hero ID? (That could be fun).
Well as a corporate mogul and rich eccentric I would think people would know who he is as Xavier. Nite Owl is a different story he has no real confidants and thus tends to keep it close to him. As for those getting us together, I think a Nick Fury esque guy would be fun. Clandestine service seeking us out to do things others can't.
6. What do you want out of your character development? (broad strokes are fine)
I would like him to develop into a master Detective.Eventually with gadgets. Possibly the ability to fly? not sure but something along these lines. oh and shurikens lots of shurikens.
Hey, thanks for having me! Are we doing modern time? I assume so.
I'm fine with Marvel New York, btw.
Wow, I found an avatar that works! Hard to do for a modern game.
1. Where does you character live?
Felix has his own penthouse apartment. Except it's not so much an apartment as a converted maintenance shack on the roof of his building. It's probably not legal to rent or up to code, but it's cheap and it's relatively private. It's not in a great section of town, in fact it's adjacent to the abandoned warehouse district. (I can work with NY or NJ)
2. Where do you character work?
Currently, he's being supported by his parents. He's going to school during the day and a crimefighter at night. He'll occasionally do short term temp jobs for extra money.
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you?
Blackwing would be an appropriate for an established enemy. Since he is a mutant, any of the anti-mutant forces could be after him.
4. What are your Complications?
Secret identity, Motivation: Doing Good, Mutant, Relationship: Parents
5. Let's look for some connections between characters?
Perhaps the wings on his suit were a stolen prototype of Doc Icarus? This plays into Doc's Nemesis idea. While this unit has some limitations, Felix likes how quiet it is.
Perhaps Lucy Marshall works for the purchasing department of Oracle Technologies. While she doesn't lead the department, she's good at finding hard-to-source items. Perhaps she has been involved in some "special requests from R&D".
Knack seems to be involved in the grey market gadget trade, so there could be a connection there.
6. What do you want out of your character development? (broad strokes are fine)
The character's eventual goal is to become a big-name superhero. Joining the Avengers is the dream that appears unattainable.
Doctor Icarus, I think you are missing a skill rank for Craft Chemical by the way.
1. Where do you character live? Mal has basement-level apartment in Brooklyn where he is also the handyman for the apartment building, and technically stays at his folks' home near Jamaica Bay a lot as well.
2. Where do you character work? Mainly he works as a handyman at his apartment building, but he also helps with the family's auto-garage and junkyard business, Bertram's Repair and Salvage.
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you? Oooh. That's tough. Maybe we could get a Kingpin-type character with powers and/or powered lieutenants. "The Albino" in the Underground, never seen by those who work for him, except his trusted upper echelon, but all pay tribute to him (or so they say). His real identity is that of rich entrepreneur and philanthropist Harold Whitehead (who is not in fact an Albino, but merely playing off his last name for a creepy nom de guerre, even going so far as to wear a white mask and white suit when he must appear as the Albino).
Just throwing out ideas, and if no one likes the above I won't be offended.
For Knack more personally, I don't know there are tons of good villains, Spidey villains especially, in New York! Hm. Maybe someday his older brother will go mad and become his nemesis lol.
4. What are your Complications? Arachnaphobia, Responsibility (Family Obligations and Handyman at his Apartment Building), and Secret Identity
5. Let's look for some connections between characters? Is there one of us who can serve as the Daredevil (who assembled the first Marvel Knights group)/Nick Fury (who assembled the movie Avengers)? Or do we need an NPC to do that? Does anyone know each other in Secret ID but not in Hero ID? (That could be fun). Well, I'm happy to have connections with other PCs, but looking over them briefly I don't know that there would be an easy way around just getting together for their first adventure or being brought together by an NPC.
6. What do you want out of your character development? (broad strokes are fine) Knack is a raw rookie still, so I think it will be fun to see him stumble and eventually come in to his own as a super-hero. I want to occasionally dip in to the family of his - they know his secret identity so one day they may get pulled in to that world. Of course, he eventually wants to meet a great woman and fall in love, but fears he won't get the chance.
Also, for those not Batman (since it's been too long since they posted I believe), you can dot in the gameplay thread and then delete it and it will still count as being added to your Campaigns. And that way we don't have a bunch of "dot" posts in the beginning of the gameplay thread.
I forgot on the nemesis front, I did put in Dottie's background that someone framed her for a terrorist act which is why she was last in prison. (Which is not to say she hasn't done horrible things, but she didn't do THAT horrible thing.) Which I noted she suspected of Hydra (always good to kill Nazis) but could also be someone else she ticked off.
On the issue of finding connections to folks, maybe she was doing some corporate espionage for or against Nite Owl's organization, Oracle Tech?
Knack--you know what's weird, I made up a shady-figure character called Whitehead for a story. Not a crimelord but someone connected in a shadowy way to various gov't orgs who was trying to pit certain factions against each other.
Also, for those not Batman (since it's been too long since they posted I believe), you can dot in the gameplay thread and then delete it and it will still count as being added to your Campaigns. And that way we don't have a bunch of "dot" posts in the beginning of the gameplay thread.
I tried to delete it, but my work connection sometimes get wonky. Or maybe it was Paizo getting wonky.
It won't even let me Dot it
Here, working on responses. :)
If we can't delete posts, can we post just a little character intro on the gameplay post? Would be useful to have this listed in my campaigns.
Everyone can post some character intro day to day material on the Gameplay if they want. I'm thinking its best if we keep working through backstory stuff and try to formally launch Gameplay on Monday. I figure that is better for maintaining momentum rather than let the weekend slow things down.
1. Where do you character live? The Saranac 95 Worth Street Tribeca
2. Where do you character work? ABC7NY WABC=TV as a reporter working behind the scenes.
3. What villain (established or new creation) could be a great nemesis for you? A villain that is powered themselves but with a normal appearance, who could pretend to be a hero to sway public opinion further away from Mothman, so that when they fight Mothman is said to be the villain.
4. What are your Complications?
Monsterously Ugly in hero form
Accidental changes near times of foreseen disasters
Looking out for the little guy
FYI I will be on the road this weekend and then traveling again July 12-16. I'll have my phone and will probably be able to check in at times but it may be irregular.
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Hey guys, since about the time of the first interest check thread I decided that I was tired of being limited by the lack of an online srd for Mutants and Masterminds 2e. Motivated by that frustration, I've been working on one for the past couple of weeks. It is far from finished. So far I have a decent chunk of the Core book up, as well as the Power Creation chapter from Ultimate Power. It isn't at all ready for prime time. It needs lots of formatting work and most importantly needs all of the references to power points and hero points and character names removed, as those are not open content.
I'm excited enough about it to share it with you guys, though. It may be of some help to you, and certainly will become more useful as I get things typed in and formatted.
Anyway, here is the link.
Very cool! Thank you!
I'm thinking for our first scenario let's go with something that may not necessarily be linked to a big plot. I might be able to tie it in, but if it goes really sideways we won't have lost anything big.
I'm going to riff on the first two posts and say that we'll start with an announcement of a product by Oracle Technologies. One of the head developers of the operating system is making a presentation. He is a genius and makes a good target for a kidnapping and theft. If it makes sense to Nite Owl, this is a sort of Apple announcement kind of event with lots of press in a big ball room on the lobby level of his building. Each of you can come up with your own reason to be either at the event or on the street nearby. I don't usually use a lot of detailed maps for superhero games, but since you all have reasonable movement speeds, I'll post one. Don't feel like you have to use it as a tactical map. We will try theater of the mind for a bit and see if that is good enough.
The announcement is happening in room 11.
I'll cross post the map in the campaign header.
Thanks for the link to the Reference Doc! If you need help with formatting I can probably help with that once I get back from my travels--let me know if you are interested. Are you using "Victory Points" and "Character Points" as names for the IP-protected mechanics?
This way of getting us started works for me!
I am a big fan of visuals and maps. Helps my very visual-learner brain a lot. I'm cool with running combat in "theater of the mind" but having an image of what an area looks like still helps me immensely. (Also I love Christopher West's maps!)
Did we already lose a couple people? :(
BTW, what ARE your posting expectations, SuperTumbler? 1/day? 1/week?
I'd like 1/day. I'm going to post an something tonight. If they don't post by tomorrow morning, I'll go pick up a couple people from recruitment.
Given the inexperience of our heroes and the fact its the beginning of the comic, I don't really expect our heroes to fair all that well in this opening encounter.
Sorry for the lack of great artwork for this version of the Ani-Men. I failed to anticipate difficulty finding art with the aesthetic I want for this game. I have been running Justice League games for two years, and finding art for those is super easy. I'm working on putting together a gallery.
Sorry for the lack of great artwork for this version of the Ani-Men. I failed to anticipate difficulty finding art with the aesthetic I want for this game. I have been running Justice League games for two years, and finding art for those is super easy. I'm working on putting together a gallery.
I am so disappointed in you. Shame! Shame I say again. Exposing my sensitive eyes to sub-standard pictures. It is a travesty and you will be hearing from my lawyer over this abomination.
Really?! I don't know how I could GM without art. Even more in a comics game. I've managed to collect a few things today, and resorted to Hero Machine to create a Frog Man. I'll post them when I get some time.
Nite Owl, I'm assuming that building security would go with a fairly conservative approach to the situation. Contain the area, wait for demands. Typical Die Hard stuff. If you would have more aggressive policies in place, just let me know.
I'll post the Ani-Men actions tomorrow.
Yeah they would follow standard suggested security protocols deemed appropreate via the standard method
By the way, when did you decide on the Ani-men? Because I expect a hero point if anybody mistakes my tech-enhanced, animal-themed, animal-named hero for one of the tech-enhanced, animal-themed, animal-named villains.
I was looking for a fairly stupid team to try to modernize and redeem. It was over the weekend, so definitely after we got started. I'm hoping for some confusion! I love that sort of stuff in Supers games.
Wait, so no one else in the crowd is trying to get away from the guys with guns? I figured there would panic and Mal could move with them but okay.
People are pretty much following directions, but that Hero Point should make sure the shot doesn't affect you too badly.
Uh not really since I got shot before I got my armor on, which means unless I roll a nat 20 I can't make it, but even with a Hero Point still pretty hurt, lol.
Well, it was nice knowing you Knack. But you can rest easy knowing that you will be avenged!
...Once the Avengers show up.
Sorry Knack. At least I didn't kill you in the first round of combat, I guess. Now that you are on the ground, maybe when you become unstunned you can roll behind a screen or something to change.