Heroes of Today

Game Master Ironperenti

Hop in, say hi.

What is the relationship between the various heroes? Do you know one another but work separate? One big team? A couple of smaller teams?

This is DQ with my character. I may change his name from Windrider to something else (Galeforce, maybe?), so right now name is under his secret identity. (Or Gale Force could be a good name for the team. ;) )

I was thinking Nick already knew Freefall and Voltage. He's into adventure sports and bicycling, so he might have meet Freefall surfing or something (maybe even helped him out). Nick is the descendant of the Greek god of wind Aeolus so with Voltage being son of Zeus they might have found a connection there.

One of my brothers died last week. I was away for the weekend. Might take me a few days to get back into full flow of PBP.

I am planning to adjust Freefall some.

Drop the smart phone, raise wealth from default (8 middle class) to 12 (affluent), which will cover getting the smart phone. Use the remaining equipment points for windsurfing board.

Also will have a smallest size (room) HQ with high secret rating (On his 'house boat' which he stores his superhero gear in).

Full wealth and wealth purchasing rules are in the GMG.

Also thinking of adjusting Teleport to include the reaction extra as well, as part of alternate power.

@Freefall: Condolences to you and yours mate.

@Ironperenti: Updated Atlastic's look - went more olde tyme strongman, with a homage to Atlas (and in keeping with the group's Greco-links)

Was thinking of Mr Atlastic but perhaps too "on brand"/cheesy??

Build is pretty much done, just need to transfer to a profile and a character sheet if you want one of them?

I'll try and get him finalised tomorrow or Thursday latest.

My condolences, Freefall. That's really rough.

Thank you.

I might make Freefall a scion of Hermes (Messenger of the Gods would fit with instant teleportation). Part of alternate power could be dimensional travel (to Olympus and other realms of the gods).

I'm very sorry to hear about that Freefall. May God comfort you during this time.

@Everyone: I'm traveling for Thanksgiving. I should be able to check in on a regular basis and I will be targeting to start the week of 1 Dec. I have a world history I am tweaking and catching up. I like to have all of my games in the same universe and you develop the history as you go. Driving all day tomorrow and then Thanksgiving so most likely won't have it out until Friday.

Dropped ranks in Reflex defense down by 1 (so +13 Reflex instead of +14).

Changed Close Combat (unarmed) to Close Combat (disarm).

Dropped close cover from Precise Attack (so only have Precise Attack - close concealment)

Added 1 rank of wealth advantage (wealth rating is 12, which is affluent)

Headquarters on houseboat (0 power point cost)

-4 cost (miniscule size - room)
+4 cost (concealed benefit) (+25 DC to discover hidden cargo storage he keeps his superhero stuff in).

8 points for houseboat (as listed earlier)
2 points for windsurfing board

size medium (0 points, starting toughness of 5, defense of 0)
movement (2 ranks for water walking, dependent flaw - waves/wind) 2 points

Removed Teleport Turnabout from baseline Teleport power (as typed up previously). 2 alternate powers.

1st alternate power (75 point budget)

Teleport 10 ranks (4 miles)

base cost: 2/rank
increased action flaw (move to standard) (-1/rank)
reaction extra (standard to reaction) (+3/rank)
accurate extra (+1/rank)
selective extra (+1/rank)
total cost/rank: 6/rank (60 points so far)
turnabout 1 flat-cost
change direction 1 flat-cost
change velocity 1 flat-cost
8 ranks of increased mass 8 flat-cost (71 points so far)

Senses (1 point/rank)
1 rank (awareness - divine)
1 rank (direction sense)
1 rank (distance sense)
1 rank (time sense)

Total cost of 1st alternate power: 75 points (1 point for the alternate power)

His reactive teleport is when he gets attacked - he teleports 3 miles above the ground. Selective so he can opt to not reactively teleport (such as any woman he is involved with slapping him in the face).

Hypoxia from freefalling 3 miles above the ground

Time it takes to fall to ground from 3 miles above the ground

Note: The second alternate power is for his 'divine mandate' to deliver messages for the gods. I included it as it makes sense for a scion of Hermes to have the power to reach the gods to deliver messages he is charged with delivering, regardless of which dimension/planet the god the message is for is at, but can effectively be a power that does need to have the dimensional/planetary travel come up in play).

2nd alternate power (75 point budget)

Senses (1 cost/rank)

4 ranks (awarenesss -divinity, direction, distance, time) (4 points)

Movement (2 cost/rank)

3 ranks Dimensional Travel (6 points)
3 ranks Space Travel (6 points)
8 ranks of increased mass (8 flat cost)

Senses (4 points) & Movement (20 points) = 24 points

Teleport (base 2 cost/rank)
Accurate (+1/rank)
Increased action flaw (move to standard) (-1/rank)
Reaction (standard to reaction) (+3/rank)
Selective (+1/rank)
Easy (+1/rank)
Extended (+1/rank)
Portal (+2/rank)
Total cost/rank: 10/rank
4 ranks (40 cost) (500 feet, extended range 16 miles)
Change Direction (flat 1)
Change Velocity (flat 1)
Turnabout (flat 1)
8 ranks of Increased Mass (flat 8 points)

Senses (4 points) + Movement (20 points) + Teleport (51 points) = 75 points (1 point for the 75 point alternate power).

His default power is the first alternate power (with the reaction 3 mile above ground 'freefall' port).

Can a human freefall from 13,500 feet without hypoxia?

How long does it take a human to freefall 13,500 feet?

Freefall's reactive port is 13,500 feet above the ground, not 3 miles.

Here's WIP for Black Dow's stretching strongman Atlastic.

So with all the myth allusions, feels like we have the makings of an already established team. Freefall has suggested how my character and others may have met, Voltage what about you? Atlastic maybe we helped you out of a jam at the circus?

I know some folks are hitting delays (and BTW I'll be slow the next few days) but any thoughts on that?

Looks like we have four. That’s a good number. I’m driving on Monday, about ten hours or so. Will try to get my history out on Tuesday and discuss what you’ve been up to the last year or so.

@DQ: Yeah that would make sense - not fleshed anything on the circus bar its name as Circus Fantastik/Fantastique or some such. Given the unusual nature of acts and curios could easily make them a target for exploitation or victimisation...

I'd envisaged part of Atlasic's "strongman act" as lifting a prop of the world - maybe there was a message or prophecy from an oracle or the like about seeking out "the titan who bears the heavens" etc - leads the mythic trio to Atlastic and the circus, overcome the threat (internal or external) and three become four :)

Here is Freefall updated.

One of Freefall's biggest saves was saving all the people on a passenger plane that was out of control and was falling to the ground (by porting aboard, then safely porting the plane (with the passengers) to the ground (with at rest velocity).

Very important:

What's the better name:

Galeforce
Windrider
Gust

My 2 cents worth (for what its worth):

Galeforce and Gust are both cool. Gust is giving me mutant/X-trainee vibes and Galeforce works as a more forceful "Iron Age" style monicker.

Not feeling Windrider - but probably just me.

Of the three - Gust is probably my favourite!

I like the name Gust as well.

Nick's middle name could be Augustus (or one of the variations of the name) as well.

onlooker 1 to the group of heroes "Who are you?"

Gust "Gust."

onlooker 2 to onlooker 1 "I told you they were part of the Justice League!"

onlooker 3 "He said Gust, not Just."

onlooker 2 "Oh, the Gust League. A play on Justice League."

onlooker 1 asking the heroes, "Does one of you go by the name Ice? For Gust Ice."

Timeline above in the game header.

You'll see that the Guard was a collection of supers across the world that was disbanded in 2017. We will be starting October 31st 2018. Were you members of the Guard or were you solo or not heroing? Were you working with the Guard as a group or did you meet up later after the Guard disbanded?

I have read the full timeline. That was a lot of info. No quizzes, please. :)

Superman (arrived as child in 1959). If using 3 years at time of arrival (think that is Christopher Reeve version age in the movie scene), he is 62 (give or take) during campaign start.

Fantastic Four get powers in 1959.

Ironman (born 1974) - 44 years during campaign start

Batman (born 1975) - 43 years during campaign start

Vibora Bay (our heroes' stomping grounds)

2006: The Cirque Sinister terrorizes Vibora Bay by using the Janus Key to remake reality in the city; in the wake of the villain team’s defeat the Key is once again lost.

2012: An extra dimensional invasion from the shadow realm is stopped by a group of independent heroes in Vibora Bay.

2013: Several heroes from Vibora Bay again team up to stop an Elder Worm invasion.

I included all (I might have missed some?) events that occur in Vibora Bay from the timeline for quick reference for the others if they want to be part of the heroes during 2006, 2012 and/or 2013.

* *

I am thinking Freefall did not come onto the superheroing scene until after the Guard was disbanded.

Kenny started competing in windsurfing competitions around the globe when he was 18 (after competing in local/national teen competitions in New Zealand and Australia).

Early in 2018, while recreationally windsurfing (in a blue wetsuit that day) he saw two planes in the sky collide, knew there were some motorcyles in the parking lot at the current beach he was at, dove into the water (out of sight) to teleport to parking lot, grabbed a motorcyle helmet with a tinted visor, then ported aboard one of the planes, teleported it to rest just off shore (away from the swimmers), then did same with other plane. Afterward he returned the borrowed helmet, and teleported to a different country to buy his own blue tinted visor motorcyle helmet, and created some secret compartments in his boat to conceal his heroing gear.

Gust (Nick) and/or Voltage (Hector) could be part of the saving that day too - and could be the day Freefall met Nick and/or Hector for the first time. Nick and/or Hector might be suprised that Freefall knew they are divine scions (due to Freefall's divine awareness sense).

Maybe sometime later in 2018, Atlastic's Circus Fantastik was in Vibora Bay that coincided with a windsurfing competition. Kenny was in attendance at the circus, as well as the other Greek deity-descended heroes, to which Kenny became aware of due to his divinity-awareness sense (if have not already met either/both of them). Something occurs that causes the 'off-duty' heroes to 'hero-up' to save the circus spectators.

Part 2 of Freefall's background is not done yet. I am currently debating between Kenny having already solved the mystery that his father is not Zephyrus, but the trickster god Hermes, or if he has not solved that mystery yet. Any suggestions/preferences from the rest of you regarding whether Kenny thinks his father is Zephyrus because he has not figured out his true father's (Hermes) trickery yet?

Interesting read on the history timeline - didn't realise we'd have an amalgam universe - which was a pleasant surprise.

With that in mind I might tweak my characters background to have him a descendent of Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan of the Howling Commandos. Before beign a soldier he was a circus strongman, so Atlasic may well have been inspired to become a performer by tales of his relative...

Yeah, I tried to meld the several comics I like together. The earlier history will probably go through a few more iterations. The 2012 and 2013 incidents were both games as was most of 2017.

Gust it is! Apparently alias was taken so did stupid things with asterisks. Didn't want to leave Nick's name in case I need to reuse the alias for something else.

Although if I'd known it was an Amalgam universe I might've submitted my Amalgam character Fusion, but Nick fits better thematically with the group.

I still need to finalize my character and tweak some things, but before I do, any questions/suggestions for the build?

I still need to finalize my character and tweak some things, but before I do, any questions/suggestions for the build?

Adding in 1 rank of movement (2 power points) for Safe Fall. Your Flight is sustained, so even if knocked out, the wind always ensures you land safely if you fall.

How do you guys operate? Are you like Mr Incredible and Frozone getting together for “bowling night”? Perhaps you meet at someone’s house? Do you have communicators or relying on cell phones?

I’ll scan through the characters this evening with a particular eye to complications and plot interests such as jobs, friends, and family.

Freefall -- good idea!

I need to write Nicks bio but he's a professional courier and loves adventure sports--hiking, rafting, etc. I see him at least with Freefall getting together for windsurfing and whatnot.

It would be a good idea to have communicators; should one of us have a minion who can be our Guy in a Chair?

** Freefall spoiler omitted **

Good question! For melee I think it's reasonable he could as a reaction go unsolid and avoid being hit. Mechanically I think that's possible also for ranged. You can only have one reaction a round so he could still get pretty messed up though.

I also recognize that could be super cheesy even with the once per round limitation however. I'm open to suggestions about how it could or should work.

I also forgot, frankly, to add a force field type power that would basically add to his Dodge (and should probably do that rather than just raise Dodge), with the idea that he's surrounded by winds that buffet away projectiles.

I'm sure you're itching to get going and I'll try to get my character finalized soon. Do you have a deadline for us to get our characters together?

@Ironperenti: Nah chief you're right enough I'm over the PL on those. Let me have a dig and rejig into the numbers and work out a happy medium.

Echoing DQ I'll try and get him nailed down o'er the weekend, but if there's a deadline for kickoff I'll keep that in focus.

Hello, I missed that we had moved to Discussion. Voltage should be ready to go.

I do not think his background would fit to him being in the Guard before.

I added the build rules to the campaign tab.

Things of note that some of you appear to have missed and a mistake I made.

Use 2e skills. Skill points are 4 points per character point except for combat skills which will be 2 points per character point.

We have a couple of reactions that go either intangible or move when attacked. I don't think this is a good way to use the reactive trigger if it happens before the attack is completed. It essentially gives you immunity to Toughness saves but that normally costs 80 points alone. I think using it as a reaction to use your power in tandem with being struck or with avoiding the strike is fine. This would mean if Strong guy punches you and misses, you could use your power protecting you from further attacks or if he lands the punch and you remain conscious from the blow, you use the power as a reaction. The bonus is of course the ability to use the power outside of your turn.

The 2e skills aren't in the prebuilt spreadsheet I use to build characters. I did change the formula to calculate skill points though.

I'll see if I can find my 2e rulebook and swap out the skills manually.

Question about 2e skills though: IIRC in 2e they didn't have specific combat skills (like you can just build out bonuses to a very specific attack rather than broad fighting capabilities). Are we using the 3e combat skills or do we have to use advantages/fighting/dexterity only for attack bonuses?

The character sheet I linked at the top has the 2e skills I'm using and their attribute.

Tentative Updated Skills with combat skills costing 1 point per 2 ranks.

Acrobatics (5 ranks + 7 Agility) = +12 (cost 1 1/4)
Athletics (12 ranks + 1 Strength) = +13 (cost 3)
Drive (4 ranks + 1 Dexterity) = +5 (cost 1)
Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) (1 rank + 0 Intellect) = +1 (cost 1/4)
Close Combat (Disarm) (9 ranks + 0 Fighting) = +9 (cost 4 1/2)

Total cost of non-combat skill ranks: 5 1/2
Total cost of combat skill ranks: 4 1/2
Total cost of skills: 10

Question: for Windsurfing are you using Athletics or Drive as the revelant skill to use?

Question expanded: for non-motorized water vehicles, are you using Drive or Athletics?

As you have Athletics (3E skill) on the sheet, I take it Athletics includes climbing, jumping and swimming...is that correct?

Okay think I've ironed out the skills and Offensive bonuses...

Am also not envisaging Atlastic being part of The Guard previously either.

@Freefall: I think Athletics would be better for the non-motorized water vehicles. Yes, Athletics should include climb, jump, swim, and most sports.

@Gust and all: Lets use the following that the 4e rules look to be going to:
Close Combat focus
Array, Blades, Bludgeons, Disarming, Grabbing, Tripping, Unarmed

Ranged Combat Focus
Array, Guns, Throwing

An array just refers to a power array you may have or it could just be an individual power.

Thanks. I also think Athletics makes more sense for such vehicles (and ground vehicles such as skateboards and skis).

Athletics will cover bicycles as well then?

Will post final sheet tomorrow, as I made some tweaks I pushed myself over by 3 points so need figure out what to give back up.

Can post IC in the meantime certainly to RP.

PS Freefall, Voltage, Atlassian... shall we have busted the crimes together? I like the idea we've already been patrolling together.

Do we have a team name? I was thinkng something with Scion in the title. SCION. Superscions. Scions of Justice. Something like that. Any ideas?

I changed the range he teleports himself to and his foes to. He typically reflexively ports himself 2 miles high, and he ports foes 1 mile high. He typically ports himself and others 'at rest' velocity, so if he is Turnabout teleporting each round while he falls - so starting at 2 miles high (which would take him 25.62 seconds to fall to the ground if he just fell after porting), but with Turnabout porting each round, he falls 579.133 feet each round (6 seconds) [as he turnabouts then ports back to where he was with at rest velocity].

He ports foes 1 mile above the ground, which takes 18.117 seconds (3 rounds) for a foe to reach the ground.

Using Turnabout each round while falling from his initial height of 2 miles, will take him 9.1170767336691226367691013981244 rounds (9 rounds) to fall 1 mile (at the height he ports the foes to)...so on the ninth round the foe he ports 1 mile above the ground would be a bit underneath him when he ports back to his space in the sky.

Potential teamwork tactics - starting with 3 round after Freefall ports first foe 1 mile high, there could be a single foe reaching the ground every round - setting up teammates to dealing with each foe as they drop down to close range on the ground.

PS Freefall, Voltage, Atlassian... shall we have busted the crimes together? I like the idea we've already been patrolling together.

Do we have a team name? I was thinkng something with Scion in the title. SCION. Superscions. Scions of Justice. Something like that. Any ideas?

I also like that idea.

@Gust and Voltage: Do you want to be part of the day Freefall ported the two falling passengers planes (after they crashed into each other) to safety?

@Atlastic: Does a crisis happening at your circus while it was in Vibora Bay sound good for when you met the the three Greek deific scions?

For team name ideas....

Working with you all like the three scions meeting Atlastic during a crisis at his circus...before that day, our team name could have been...

Scions of the Sky (since all three of us tend to be in the sky for our most overt powers).

After meeting Atlastic and him joining us...occasional team-ups or if we form a new group that includes him, with a new team name that does not exclude him.

Oh, @Atlastic....could Heracles (or if you prefer, Hercules) be an ancestor of Attie and Timothy Dugan? That would make the Scions work for all of four of us (CrisisChild and Mr Nevets' heroes might not be scions though...)

If Atlastic's circus becomes a defacto HQ/hang-out spot for the team, it could be "The Scion's Lair". :) Does the circus have lions?

@Gust and Voltage: Do you want to be part of the day Freefall ported the two falling passengers planes (after they crashed into each other) to safety?

Yes, I would. I think Nick is relatively new to heroing and that was one of his first big deeds.

@Freefall: I'm thinking that Atlastic is very mortal - albeit one enhanced beyond the human ken, and without any blood or ancestral connection to the old gods. He's Atlas in name, but its a apt homage to the Titan and his strength than by design/destiny.

The crisis at the circus would definitely work as a way to being him into the fold. Also means while the circus is rebuilding or reforming after said crisis, he's free to roam with this new team (and build on his heroic fame) - didn't see us being based at the circus per say - but open to the idea.

Guess it depends on how what the other two players come with?

Regards names we could also riff on the Olympian or Titan themes since we're in an "amalgamverse" of sorts? Dunno...

I think it's still fine to call us all "Scions" and think of Atlastic as a spiritual successor. Doesn't need to be literal. After all a lot of times superheroes don't fully fit into the team theme precisely. Just look at the Birds of Prey! Only two at most were ever bird themed...

Anyway, character sheet is updated. LMK if any other issues.

I'm thinking we can sort out other issues in gameplay.

@Ironperenti First, I love your timeline. Marvel, DC and Champions all mashed together. I stopped regularly playing Champs before the Millennium stuff, so I enjoyed the development to recent years, especially the reveal of Achilles as the leader of both UNTIL and Hydra!

Second, the Gameplay thread indicates that the group starts in Vibora Bay and infers that that location is near the Florida panhandle. Is Vibora Tampa?

With the heroes that are already declared, I was thinking about bringing in a magic-based utility/sneaky hero. I found in the timeline, "2012: An extra dimensional invasion from the shadow realm is stopped by a group of independent heroes in Vibora Bay." So, I was thinking that a shadow realm denizen who did not support the invasion but maybe went along with it to escape the shadow realm deserted and stayed in Vibora Bay. After observing the locals, they set up a supernatural tourist shop and introduced themselves as an immigrant from Europe. That was about seven years ago. Then, when the local superhero group starts working together, my character joins up.

Would appreciate all feedback, especially about the Shadow Realm. I was thinking it's like the Fey Court or Dark Elf realm of Norse, but would greatly appreciate your perspective, so I can align.

Cheers

@Jubal: Vibora Bay is Panama City area.

I may have to move the game to Vibora Bay instead of Millennium City. It would make more sense for attracting a wind surfer. It's basically where Panama City is located.

@Ironperenti: Which Panama City? The one in the state of Florida or the one in the country of Panama (where the Panama Canal is?)

As I was not aware of Panama City, Florida, I had been envisoning Panama City, Panama.

Panama City, Florida is in the panhandle

Panama City, Florida location is along the northern coast of the Gulf (about 250 miles as the crow flies, east of New Orleans), and is about 250 miles as the crow flies, from Tampa.

Vibora Bay in Champions universe

Atlastic's intro post is up - going with him patrolling alone at the moment (means no-one else can hog the limelight ;)