I'm going to post setting information and related questions here. My first instinct, since Jaster is running on the east coast, is to set the campaign somewhere else. Any objections to my home city of St Louis? It will give me a big head start on setting up the game, and it's a relatively small city so it's a good fit for lower powered heroes.
St Louis sounds like a good setting.
Out of curiosity, will the game be "current" as far as the year goes? Mainly asking to get a sense of technology in the game world.
Yes, definitely sometime in 2016.
Here's a brief guide to St Louis for those of you unfamiliar.
St. Louis is a city along the Mississippi river on the Eastern border (with Illinois) of the state of Missouri. Though the urban population has diminished greatly since its high point in the 1950s (currently at rought 320,000 people), the greater St Louis area, including surrounding suburbs and satellites is estimated at almost 3 million, making it one of the largest urban areas in the United States.
St. Louis was founded in 1764 by Frenchmen Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau. It was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
Strong industries in St Louis include agro-business, healthcare, transportation and manufacturing. Notable firms include Anheuser-Busch, Express Scripts and Monsanto.
St Louis is home to the Cardinals Major League Baseball team, as well as the St Louis Blues National Hockey League.
St Louis experiences hot summers, with several days (if not weeks) topping the 100 degree (F) mark each year. Due to its position between two rivers, these summers are usually also relatively humid. Winters are generally milder than most of the midwest, often with limited amounts of snow until after the new year. Heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and flooding are not uncommon.
Demographically, St Louis has a relatively even proportion of Caucasians and African Americans, though individual neighborhoods and municipalities tend to be largely segregated along racial lines. The Latino and Asian communities are small in comparison (between 3 and 4% each) and tend to cluster in certain areas. The Jewish population rests at approximately 1.5%, many of whom live in St Louis County not far west of the City. St Louis has the largest concentration of Bosnians outside of Bosnia itself, comprising an additional 1.5% of the total population of the urban area; most Bosnians reside is South St Louis City and South St Louis County.
Religiously, Catholicism is the largest population with roughly 16%. Protestant Christian faiths total approximately 27%. Judaism as a religion comprises less than 1% of the population (approximately 1/3 of the ethnically Jewish population), and Islam just over 1% (largely Bosnia immigrants). The remainder of the population (roughly 55%) does not affiliate.
Income in St Louis is well below national average, but the cost of living is also one of the lowest for urban areas in the United States.
Neighborhoods
Downtown - Downtown St Louis has made several attempts at a comeback from the White Flight of the 1960s and 1970s, but none have quite succeeded. Nevertheless, there are lofts, condos and apartments in the downtown area, and a reasonable amount of nightlife revolving largely around Cardinals baseball. A recent construction, Ballpark Village, is a Cardinals themed location with several restaurants and small clubs. Also popular are the 314 City Bar, 4 Hands Brewing Company, and 400 Olive Bar. A favorite destination for kids is the eclectic City Museum, housing several unusual activities from a multi-story slide to a circus show and a giant ball pit.
Downtown after dark has gotten a bad reputation of being a high-crime area, but the crimes per 100,000 still result in a very low percentage, and mostly involve thefts.
Bevo Mill - This small area in the near-south part of the City is home to many of the region's Bosnian refugees, but still maintains a relatively diverse population of White, Black and Asian people.
Central West End is an affluent neighborhood on the west side of the City. It is borderd by Forest Park, one of the larger urban parks in the United States, which in itself houses a Zoo, Science Center, Art Museum, History Museum, golf corse, and live theatre venue The Muny, and is surrounded by a 5 mile walking/biking trail. The Barnes-Jewish hospital complex, the largest in St Louis, is in the Central West End. Several shops and restaurants permeate the area, and housing ranges from hi-rise appartments to multi-story brick manors.
North St Louis is largely a financially blighted area with high crime rates. The population of the area as a whole is predominantly African American and lower income.
Soulard is home to many live music venues, including many blues and jazz venues. The district hosts regular pub crawls.
Tower Grove East and Dutchtown are historically German areas south of downtown, and have many ethnic restaurants, bars, and low-to-mid income housing.
Municipalities
St Louis County is a separate political entity from St Louis City, and houses over 100 often small municipalities. In general, North St Louis County is predominantly African American, West St Louis County is largely wealthy, and South St Louis County is largely Caucasian.
Bridgeton - Gaining recent notoriety due to the presence of toxic waste left over from construction related to the Manhattan Project of the 1940s, Bridgeton is a relatively low-income municipality with several business parks on its west side.
Chesterfield - Located 25 miles west of Downtown St Louis, Chesterfield is a wealthy outlying suburb with its own malls and restaurants.
Clayton - The seat of St Louis County, Clayton has a large downtown area that in many ways is more modern than Downtown St Louis. Home to many lawfirms, banks and reality companies, the municipality is one of the most wealthy in the so-called "Mid-County" area.
Ferguson - Though achieving international notoriety for the death of Mike Brown and the resulting Black Lives Matter movement, most of Ferguson is a relatively calm, middle income, sleepy municipality. Crime in this area is no worse than any other area in North County, and probably a good deal better than many.
Florissant - A large, integrated area on the far North of St Louis County, Florissant is a rather average midwestern suburb.
Richmond Heights/Brentwood - South of Clayton, this area is a largely retail area housing the Galleria Mall, several chain restaurants, and other shopping opportunities. It can be a high crime area, owing to retail-related theft.
St Ann - St Ann is a Northwestern suburb bordering the Lambert International Airport (which is home to Boeing Defense, Space and Security unit). Incomes range in the low and middle area, and the population is mixed, with a higher portion of Latino residents than most areas in St Louis.
Town and Country - Located just west of Highway 270 (which loops around St Louis), Town and Country has the highest Median Household Income of any city in Missouri. If you're among the wealthiest in the St Louis area, you probably live here.
University City - A very diverse area, University City is home to the China-town-esque Olive Blvd, as well as several synagogues and Jewish communities. It is also home to the Delmar Loop district, a several block long shopping and entertainment area known throughout the region.
Illinois
Known as the "Metro-East", most of the small cities and towns on the other side of the Mississippi river appear anything but Metro. The areas immediately near the river are known for higher crime rates and strip clubs (the laws governing adult establishments are much more lenient in Illinois than in Missouri), while the areas further East and North strive for the "small town feel" while maintaining proximity to the jobs of the urban area.
Alton, IL - Perhaps the Northernmost city that can be considered part of St Louis, Alton is home to a casino, and is known as a relatively high crime area. It is also home to "Fast Eddie's Bon Aire", which advertises the "Coldest Beer and Cheapest Eats" in the St Louis area, and is a popular small concert venue as well.
East St Louis - This area is well known as a high crime area infested with drugs and gang activity. Gang members West of the river often get in gun fights, but gangs in East St Louis have been known to shoot civilians who, though obviously unaffiliated, just happen to be wearing the wrong color. The area is also under a heavy urban blight, with very few businesses remaining open. A casino rests on the Western edge of East St Louis, right along the river.
Edwardsville - This area has grown by leaps and bounds. Formerly a small commuter city with few ammenities, recent growth has included a new explosion of restaurants and shops. Edwardsville is also home to SIUE, the Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.
Fairview Heights - This town contains the largest retail shopping area in the Metro East, with a mall and several chain restaurants.
Washington Park - A low to middle income area, this town is home to two strip clubs, and has occasional incidents of violent crime.
Righto then. So, how exactly is everyone meeting up for the first time?
Without giving away too much, everyone who has a character made by the time adventure 1 starts will be gathered in relatively close proximity for a normal event when something "bad" happens that draws their attention (I know more details then that, I just don't want to give the plot away).
If your characters have been active locally, it's quite possible some of you would have run into each other or "teamed up" previously, but not for as major an event.
Hm hm, alrighty then, sounds fine by me.
Reece will have a modest two-story estate in the Town and Country area. He's currently 'slumming it' by only having two servants, a maid and a cook.
Still having a really hard time coming up with a name...
@Anoirtrou The Molecular Savant?
Theodore likely also lives in Town and Country, in his parent's very modest castle mansion. Wait, how can a mansion be modest... Ahem, it's likely a very big place. They might even own a property some distance nearby, for privacy. I imagine his parents, either both or one, are big time scientist types who have their own tech company. A very successful one, it would seem.
Hijack (actual name still in development) would probably either be staying at a government owned facility, being kept under watchful eye.
@Anoirtrou The Molecular Savant?
Actually, I wanted something more generic. Defender, Guardian, Shield; something like that, only one that hasn't already been used.
I guess for now I will go with Guardian.
Hijack (actual name still in development) would probably either be staying at a government owned facility, being kept under watchful eye.
Aegis is the organization in the setting that interacts with supers on behalf of the government. There could easily be an Aegis owned private suite set up for you in the Federal Courthouse building downtown.
Bridger has a small loft downtown. Top floor with a couple of skylights. His parents retired and moved to Fort Myers, Florida.
Axel is in a hostel for the collage =^^=
When i make an alias, ill have to spoiler his stats to show both 2nd and 3rd ed seprately
Axel, who happens to exist in two separate universes at the sameeee timeeee!
He's just that funny. No universe should be without one =^^=
Too true, mate, too true.
For those of you who aren't aware, the Gameplay thread won't give you an update until your first post.
There is an update. Go post. That is all. :)
So, just as an update to where I'm at, I've ditched the 'werewolf' themed melee character and am, instead, looking at a portal-type teleporter instead. I'm all good with stats and skills and feats, but powers are a bit complex. Help would be,..... helpfull.
** Teleport 5 (with portal and change direction, free action... ~21PP
And an array including:
** Deflect 4 (all ranged attacks, redirection, reflection, indirect 3 (any point, any direction) (free action) ~ 20PP
** Strike X (Penetrating, extended reach) (3 PP per rank)
** Another, combined power which simultaneously creates a:
****** Stike X, area (5ft radius), penetrating
and a
****** Blast X, range Y, 15 ft. blast, penetrating
This last power is to represent using portals as weapons, one located above the PC, the other near a target. However, I cant figure out if its possible to have to simultaneous effects that target different areas.. linked can't because both must have the same range (etc.).
Anyone willing to help?? (feedback welcome).
P.S. I'll put a post in the Gameplay thread soon, even if I havn't finalised my character,... if that's OK?
So, just as an update to where I'm at, I've ditched the 'werewolf' themed melee character and am, instead, looking at a portal-type teleporter instead. I'm all good with stats and skills and feats, but powers are a bit complex. Help would be,..... helpfull.
** Teleport 5 (with portal and change direction, free action... ~21PP
And an array including:
** Deflect 4 (all ranged attacks, redirection, reflection, indirect 3 (any point, any direction) (free action) ~ 20PP
** Strike X (Penetrating, extended reach) (3 PP per rank)
** Another, combined power which simultaneously creates a:
****** Stike X, area (5ft radius), penetrating
and a
****** Blast X, range Y, 15 ft. blast, penetratingThis last power is to represent using portals as weapons, one located above the PC, the other near a target. However, I cant figure out if its possible to have to simultaneous effects that target different areas.. linked can't because both must have the same range (etc.).
Anyone willing to help?? (feedback welcome).
P.S. I'll put a post in the Gameplay thread soon, even if I havn't finalised my character,... if that's OK?
That is fine.
I want to make sure I'm understanding your character, since I did say I would limit the changing of Action types.
Under the Action Extra for Deflect, it says that if you change it to a free action, you don't take the -2 penalty to deflect multiple shots IF you take a standard action to block that round; otherwise you have the normal penalty. So basically you get the normal Deflect for free; to get no penalty you have to take a Standard Action. This sounds like it will work because all you get for "free" is a rapidly diminishing attempt to avoid attacks.
I'm a little concerned about Teleport as a Free Action. I'm going to have to place some sort of limit on how often that can be used.
If you like the name, I have no trouble with us being 2nd cousins or something like that.
I'm a little concerned about Teleport as a Free Action. I'm going to have to place some sort of limit on how often that can be used.
Sorry, the portal rules are kind've interesting... Its a free action to create a portal, but concentration (i.e., a standard action) to maintain it. So really, a portal takes a standard action (at least)... to move through it is an additional move action.
What is not stated about the portal's created though, is how close one of them has to be to the user (presumably one is at the power's full range): I'm happy if one has to be within 5' of whoever creates the effect.
Other thing:... how about the last question:
** Another, combined power which simultaneously creates a:
****** Stike X, area (5ft radius), penetrating
and a
****** Blast X, range Y, 15 ft. blast, penetratingThis last power is to represent using portals as weapons, one located above the PC, the other near a target. However, I cant figure out if its possible to have to simultaneous effects that target different areas.. linked can't because both must have the same range (etc.).
Is there a way to do this within the rules?
I'm a little concerned about Teleport as a Free Action. I'm going to have to place some sort of limit on how often that can be used.
Sorry, the portal rules are kind've interesting... Its a free action to create a portal, but concentration (i.e., a standard action) to maintain it. So really, a portal takes a standard action (at least)... to move through it is an additional move action.
Okay, that should work as you explained it.
What is not stated about the portal's created though, is how close one of them has to be to the user (presumably one is at the power's full range): I'm happy if one has to be within 5' of whoever creates the effect.
I think either can be anywhere within the power's range. Obviously you'll usually want to limit it to sight range, just because who knows where the other end is, but hey, not always an issue.
Other thing:... how about the last question:
This last power is to represent using portals as weapons, one located above the PC, the other near a target.
Sorry, I'm not sure I 100% understand the logistics of what you're trying to do here. I'm sure there's some combination of powers and power feats that can accomplish it, I just need a little bit of a clearer picture. Can you maybe describe a scene where this happens?
Sorry, I'm not sure I 100% understand the logistics of what you're trying to do here. I'm sure there's some combination of powers and power feats that can accomplish it, I just need a little bit of a clearer picture. Can you maybe describe a scene where this happens?
No problem! So, Imagining her portal power as one where one portal must be close to her (5ft.) but the other can be anywhere within her range (depends on rank).. I'm envisioning a situation where she wants to use the portal as a weapon (blast, area, indirect) attack. Since she has to open two portals with one next to her (in my imagining of her power's limitations), she also need s to open a portal next to herself (same size as the other portal),( so... strike with area effect). My concept is that she either has to use these powers at the same time.... I was thinking maybe a dynamic array (although a very suboptimal one with fixed values of both effects). Linked is supposed to be used if both peers affect the same target, so that won't work (although i think this effect would actually be worse, in most situations than if that were the case.)
Is that clear?? (probably not)
I like how I made a mistake in picking the same last name of another character, but making them related is ironic since Atticus is all about mental manipulation while Reese uses telekinesis
Clearly, they're long lost brothers. Both with psychic powers... but separated from birth, or something equally cheesy.
Rando, do you have anything specific you want to see in our profile summary line under our name? Thinking HP, Notice mod, anything else?
Saves and DR would be nice.
Roger that. Will update tonight.
Ditto
-Posted with Wayfinder
No problem! So, Imagining her portal power as one where one portal must be close to her (5ft.) but the other can be anywhere within her range (depends on rank).. I'm envisioning a situation where she wants to use the portal as a weapon (blast, area, indirect) attack. Since she has to open two portals with one next to her (in my imagining of her power's limitations), she also need s to open a portal next to herself (same size as the other portal),( so... strike with area effect). My concept is that she either has to use these powers at the same time.... I was thinking maybe a dynamic array (although a very suboptimal one with fixed values of both effects). Linked is supposed to be used if both peers affect the same target, so that won't work (although i think this effect would actually be worse, in most situations than if that were the case.)Is that clear?? (probably not)
So in essence the portal near you would cause a strike effect (presumably not to you, but to someone near you) while the other one would cause a blast effect in a radius?
Dynamic array would work for that, sure, but you'd have to limit the dynamic effect by PL for damage reasons (i.e. you could have a 9 dynamic effect and do a 4 blast at the other end and a 5 strike on your end, but you couldn't do a 6 blast and a 4 strike, because 6 ranks of damage breaks PL damage cap (it standard rules it would be a DC 16 Toughness Save, here it's 4d6 damage).
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Alright!
Mind if I step in? =)
(He's basically an incompotant professor that has an unwieldy exoskeleton. He can fly, but not fast; he has a couple of powers, but they're not world-cracking. His big thing is gravity manipulation, but mostly because A) He can and B) he thinks it's funny.
I took the Toughness/Defense trade off because he is awful in combat and just hopes his Force Field can save him.
So he's basically Tesla, but in this reality he patented wireless energy transmission which made him filthy rich...and also immortal because tachyons.
You could technically say he's like Iron Man except the direct -opposite- on the coolness scale. =)
Tally ho?
Alright!
Mind if I step in? =)
Tally ho?
Go for it. I always forget the trade-offs can be so extreme. We'll see how it plays; might need to tweak later on.
Clearly, he's the chief opponent of Lucas Technological Implements in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Here's Hymenopteryx's PC ... I think everything makes sense??
Yet to add a description but very quickly, she's a mutant, freshman music student (18YO)... not yet known, at all, for her powers. She's never used them in public before....
Going to wait just a bit longer before joining the action.
Hmm, Emily and Theodore could possibly know one another if they go to the same school. Heck, she could even be one of the very friends he was waiting to show up at the dinner.
Hmmm,.... possibly, although I think I want Emily to not yet know anyone (unlike my usual preference). If you want to retcon a bit though, you could have been waiting for her as a blind date?..
Ohh, I'd be fine with that.
This might have been foolish of me, but I have nothing in defenses. This was one of my first two Mutants and masterminds characters. Have I made a terrible mistake?
Naw naw, Just a simple mistake as far as I see. Happens to all of us, ya know?
I'm guessing what I'm asking is, am I probably going to get taken out really quickly?
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You have no defense, no toughness, and no con bonus? Um, yeah, that's something you might regret. I've got Gather info., so that would save you one skill point right there. Maybe shave a few off and give yourself some Con. Rando is being generous with the HP for Con bonus, so that get you some boku HP. You don't have to worry about healing up, because I have that as an alt power, so at least you can wake up healed every morning--if you survive the combat. =)
Thought the healing was my thing.
I think that's Tesla's thing; he can do anything we can do, only better...
;)
Have to admit I'm confused. What's happening to the people who were floating up from the reverse gravity? They're 100 feet down in a hole, and combat started right after they were lifted up.
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They'd only take a little nudge to get them off to the side and on to safe ground. I assumed that while we were at the speed of narrative one of the flying heroes (or a telekinetic one) got them to safety.
Or, technically, I could -still- have them, and now I've got a katamari ball of floating innocents and killer ants and could really, really use some help sorting them out. =)
Ya know, when I heard your initial idea, I imagined something more... electricity themed :v But ah well, I guess. Two healers is better then no healers.
I'm guessing what I'm asking is, am I probably going to get taken out really quickly?
I haven't really reviewed the characters as well as I should have; there are a couple other issues cropping up. I would definitely suggest avoiding combat type things as much as possible until you've had a chance to up your Defense, and throw some into your saves as well. At this point, you can control minds, but someone else with mind control could snag you pretty easily as well, as you'd fail the will save unless you got lucky.
That said, you have a couple things going for you. One: your character lends himself to staying on the sidelines. Take advantage of that until you can raise some stuff.
Two: In M&M, everything works on Power Points, so you can start raising those things as soon as you get a reward from the first adventure.
So yes, I could probably one-shot you, but if you play smart and try to stay out of the line of fire, you'll probably be okay most of the time.