Well, well, well. I am here trying something I have never tried before a Superheroe campaign. I found comics before RPGs and remember my grandmother reading me my first Superman comics when I was 4 or 5 so the superheroes are tied to my heart even before I knew there was something called RPGs. So I want to give it a try.
We will use the Classis Marvel RPG from the eighties, we will not use a DC or Marvel setting, we plainly will play in a fictional city called New Proverbial.
Submit your characters there is space up to seven since I will play with one character too. You can use any character from Marvel or use write-ups of DC characters or other companies. It will not be a strict setting so I will use characters from different companies and will assume they coexist in our world (changes to background could be made to fix in New Proverbial)
I presume this is a PBP game your speaking of? Also are pre-established Marvel and DC characters the only ones available or are home made ones using the Marvel rules?
I presume this is a PBP game your speaking of? Also are pre-established Marvel and DC characters the only ones available or are home made ones using the Marvel rules?
I don't remember exactly where but with a few effort with google you can find some sites that have made convertions to Marvel Classic RPG rules for DC characters and from some other companies, even from TV characters. And yes this is a PBP game.
For Classic Marvel Rules, click here.
Thanks Radavel. Are you in?
I'd like to make an original PC hero, if it's ok with you. You're allowing the ultimate powers book?
Yes, and It would be interesting if you show any sketch of how it looks.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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I have ... some experience with the game. (I edited that Ultimate Powers book.) I'm interested in a play-by-post.
What kind of superhero stories are you thinking about telling: old friends get similar powers together (Fantastic Four), or Earth's Mightiest Mortals (Avengers), or what?
In other words, do you want the players to just design heroes, or should we start by designing a party theme/origin?
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Another question: MSH movement is map-specific. People move a given number of "areas", rather than feet or meters. So we would need to have access to the same map. Will you be posting PDF's of the maps for us, or will we need to have access to the original maps in the various MSH products?
I have ... some experience with the game. (I edited that Ultimate Powers book.) I'm interested in a play-by-post.
What kind of superhero stories are you thinking about telling: old friends get similar powers together (Fantastic Four), or Earth's Mightiest Mortals (Avengers), or what?
In other words, do you want the players to just design heroes, or should we start by designing a party theme/origin?
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Another question: MSH movement is map-specific. People move a given number of "areas", rather than feet or meters. So we would need to have access to the same map. Will you be posting PDF's of the maps for us, or will we need to have access to the original maps in the various MSH products?
Thanks for your interest and it is a great news and honor to know the editor of this great game is interested to play in a PBP of mine.
Well your questions are necesary, first than all it is important to establish that we are not playing in the Marvel Universe, we are only using the rules of the game, as I said New Proverbial is a fictional city where my PBP will be set. All the players already form a group of superheroes called The Vigilantes, they act outside the law but without breaking it so antiheroes such as Punisher are not welcome (however I like and read Punisher). Police knows about our existence and sometimes welcome our help but they prosecute us only because mayor Beruk Obaha ask it to the police. Liutenant Horatio Pane has warned us about leaving this vigilantism but always thanks us when a fugitive arrives to his office tied with a rope and a sheet of paper saying "a gift from The Vigilantes", and always intentionally gets "late" to allow us time to escape. Public opinion is divided, some think we help and others think we only provoque more chaos due to attacks of supervillains to take revenge from us.
It would be better if you choose characters with a low profile such as Batman, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Metamorpho, etc. When I say low profile I mean superheroes with limited operative capabilities for example Superman would be difficult to stay "outside the law" since his powers are too great to keep in secret. I hope to be clear in what I am explaining.
Talking about maps I am obsesive about them because for me RPG without maps it is imposible in circunstances when I need to know where I am and what can I see or where are the villains or the civilians to protect. So the use of maps will be an important part of this PBP, some will be designed by me and some will be taken from classic products. They will be uploaded to a file hosting service and given a link to access to it. That is all for now, see you later.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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I'm afraid I have more questions.
In the MSH game, there's no "point buy" character creation option available. Since we're not just playing Marvel characters, the only option which I know about is the random character generation method.
Is that what we should use?
If so, my character -- an agile, easily-winded, dream-travelling, machine-controlling cyborg -- is under the cut.
Physical Form 1d100: [76] = (Cyborg: Mechanical Body)
Origin 1d100: [92] = (Energy Exposure)
Primary Abilities
Fighting -- 1d100: [59] = (Remarkable)
Agility -- 1d100: [100] = (Monstrous)
Strength -- 1d100: [73] = (Incredible)
Endurance -- 1d100: [3] = (Feeble)
Reasoning -- 1d100: [37] = (Good)
Intuition -- 1d100: [31] = (Good, reduced to Typical due to cyborg depression)
Psyche -- 1d100: [57] = (Remarkable, reduced to Excellent due to cyborg depression)
Secondary Abilities
Health (30 + 75 + 40 + 2) 147
Karma (10 + 6 + 20) 36
Resources 1d100: [87] = (Increase three ranks from Typical to Remarkable, reduced to Typical to pay for powers)
Popularity (0 for robots)
Weakness
Stimulus -- 1d100: [62] = (Energy Allergy; probably magnetic fields)
Effect -- 1d100: [39] = (Power Negation)
Duration -- 1d100: [35] = (Continuous with Contact)
Number of Powers -- 1d100: [86] = (8 powers)
Powers and Ranks
1d100,1d100: ([65], [23]) Mental Enhancement: Dream travel
Rank: 1d100: [83] = (Incredible)
1d100,1d100: ([47], [20]) Matter Control: Crystallization
Rank: 1d100: [40] = (Good)
1d100,1d100: ([45], [80]) Matter Control: Molding
Rank: 1d100: [73] = (Incredible: Feeble range, Monstrous amount)
1d100,1d100: ([28], [74]) Fighting: Natural Weaponry
Rank: 1d100: [17] = (Good; retractable blades)
1d100,1d100: ([55], [42]) Matter Creation: Missile Creation
Rank: 1d100: [12] = (Typical)
1d100,1d100: ([27], [96]) Fighting: Weapons Tinkering
Rank: 1d100: [28] = (Good)
1d100,1d100: ([42], [62]) Matter Control: Machine Animation
Rank: 1d100: [89] = (Incredible)
1d100,1d100: ([20], [80]) Energy Emission: Shadowcasting
Rank: 1d100: [35] = (Good; light only)
Emination Point: 1d100 → [1] = (Entire body)
Purchased Optional Powers:
Comunications with Cybernetics
Rank: 1d100: [86] = (Incredible)
Mechanical Creation
Rank: 1d100: [23] = (Good)
Number of Talents1d100 → [38] = (1 talent)
Talent: 1d100,1d10: ([35], [9]) = Fighting Skills: Acrobatics
Contacts:
Only one -- the lab that made me.
Is that what we should be doing?
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Chris, Unique is the word I'll use to describe your character.
(Laughs)
Well, that's what you get with that level of randomness. I remember a Villains and Vigilantes game (same idea: random power creation) where I ended up playing a hyper-intelligent rat with gravity powers.
The "Cyborg, mechanical body" indicates I'm a brain in a not-necessarily-humanform body, like DC's Robotman, a Dalek, or the characters from Gygax's "Cyborg Commandos" game.
Plausible origin story: Armando Valente was a college student on a scientific team that sent a remote actor (a "waldo" through a mysterious rift in spacetime. Valente was guiding the waldo when an enormous energy surge fed back through the virtual-reality relays. The energies fried Valente's body below the neck, and fused his neural patterns in with the waldo. As the patterns started degrading, the team's surgeon transplanted his brain and upper spnal column into the waldo, keeping the mental patterns from degrading.
Does that sound reasonable?
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Thanks for your interest and it is a great news and honor to know the editor of this great game is interested to play in a PBP of mine.
Oh, I didn't edit the entire game! (That was Karen Boomgarden.) But I did work as a freelancer, writing about a third of the entries in the "Ultimate Gamers' Guides to the Marvel Universe" and editing several projects. I'm listed as the editor on the Fantastic Four sourcebook and the "All This and World War Two" adventure.
Chris, Unique is the word I'll use to describe your character.(Laughs)
Well, that's what you get with that level of randomness. I remember a Villains and Vigilantes game (same idea: random power creation) where I ended up playing a hyper-intelligent rat with gravity powers.
The "Cyborg, mechanical body" indicates I'm a brain in a not-necessarily-humanform body, like DC's Robotman, a Dalek, or the characters from Gygax's "Cyborg Commandos" game.
Plausible origin story: Armando Valente was a college student on a scientific team that sent a remote actor (a "waldo" through a mysterious rift in spacetime. Valente was guiding the waldo when an enormous energy surge fed back through the virtual-reality relays. The energies fried Valente's body below the neck, and fused his neural patterns in with the waldo. As the patterns started degrading, the team's surgeon transplanted his brain and upper spnal column into the waldo, keeping the mental patterns from degrading.
Does that sound reasonable?
Yes it does and it could be plausible too that he is an outcast from society too but taken under the care of The Vigilantes leader (who is me, aehmm!) and seen as a promisory boy and a great support for the group.
I'm afraid I have more questions.
In the MSH game, there's no "point buy" character creation option available. Since we're not just playing Marvel characters, the only option which I know about is the random character generation method.
Is that what we should use?
If so, my character -- an agile, easily-winded, dream-travelling, machine-controlling cyborg -- is under the cut.
[spoiler]
Physical Form 1d100: [76] = (Cyborg: Mechanical Body)Origin 1d100: [92] = (Energy Exposure)
Primary Abilities
Fighting -- 1d100: [59] = (Remarkable)
Agility -- 1d100: [100] = (Monstrous)
Strength -- 1d100: [73] = (Incredible)
Endurance -- 1d100: [3] = (Feeble)
Reasoning -- 1d100: [37] = (Good)
Intuition -- 1d100: [31] = (Good, reduced to Typical due to cyborg depression)
Psyche -- 1d100: [57] = (Remarkable, reduced to Excellent due to cyborg depression)Secondary Abilities
Health (30 + 75 + 40 + 2) 147
Karma (10 + 6 + 20) 36
Resources 1d100: [87] = (Increase three ranks from Typical to Remarkable, reduced to Typical to pay for powers)
Popularity (0 for robots)Weakness
Stimulus -- 1d100: [62] = (Energy Allergy; probably magnetic fields)
Effect -- 1d100: [39] = (Power Negation)
Duration -- 1d100: [35] = (Continuous with Contact)Number of Powers -- 1d100: [86] = (8 powers)
Powers and Ranks1d100,1d100: ([65], [23]) Mental Enhancement: Dream travel
Rank: 1d100: [83] = (Incredible)
1d100,1d100: ([47], [20]) Matter Control: Crystallization
Rank: 1d100: [40] = (Good)
1d100,1d100: ([45], [80]) Matter Control:...
You are in the edge of what I am looking for, however I like randomness and if this is randomness, then go ahead but take out some powers, I can see too many.
I did not say you could not use stablished characters, but if you go for the route of character creation that is well for me. I prefer a pregenerated one, I am thinking, I will inform you later.
I want to say before starting that this is my first time DMing a superheroe game, so don't expect Stan Lee. I say this because some players create excesive expectations and later finish frustrated, my style is classic and don't expect sophisticated or complex storylines.
On the other hand I can go as fast as you post, I have a lot of free time on the afternoons and nights so I can post according to your responses.
The last thing to say is that I need at least 4 of you interested to start this, if players go under 3 the game is over, sorry. Well you can start sending your proposals, I am eager to see how the Vigilantes will look.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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You are in the edge of what I am looking for, however I like randomness and if this is randomness, then go ahead but take out some powers, I can see too many.
Sure. I used the chart in the Ultimate Powers Book, page 14. (The chart tops off at 14 powers, with options to buy 4 more!) How many would you like me to prune away?
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Here is the bare bones of my character...
Johnny Illuminati
Induced Mutant [28]
Origin of Power: Chemical Exposure [84]
Fighting: [53] Excellent 16
Agility: [40] Excellent 16
Strength: [09] Poor 3
Endurance:[24] Good 8
Reason: [75] Remarkable 26
Intuition: [73] Remarkable 26... upgraded to Incredible 36
Psyche: [28] Good 8
Health: 43
Karma: 40
Resources: Typical 5
Popularity: (hero/secret ID) 5/5
Weakness:
[19]Energy Allergy: Light
[32] Power Negation
[03] Continuous with Contact
Powers: [54] 5 out of 7
1) Energy Control: Darkforce Manipulation [66]Remarkable 26 use Column B
2) Energy Control: Shadowshaping [48]Excellent 16 use Column B
3) Energy Emination: Shadowcasting [54]Excellent 16
Emination Point: [94] Any use Column A
4) Mental: Mental Probe [15]Typical 5
5) Travel: Floating Disk [36]Good 8
6) ?
7) ?
Talents: [86] 3 out of 6
1) Journalism (+2 Contacts at creation)
2) Trivia: Conspiracy Theories
3) Acrobatics
4) ?
5) ?
6) ?
Contacts [28] 1 out of 4
1) Conrad T Wesselman, Editor of The PuppetMaster Magazine
B1) Detective Sgt. Rick McKinney
B2) U.S. Senator Arthur Milbanks
2) ?
3) ?
4) ?
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Hey, folks.
Do you other players have access to the MSH rules, or the Ultimate Powers Book?
The method of character generation is:
1) Determine a physical form (d100)
2) Determine an origin (d100)
3) Generate Primary Attributes (seven d100 rolls; different origins roll on different tables, but it's always percentile rolls)
4) Determine Secondary Attributes (health and karma are calculated from Primary stats, Resources are rolled on d100, and Popularity is fixed.)
5) Determine a weakness (3 times d100)
6) Generate Powers, Skills, and Contacts:
a) d100 to determine how many powers
b) 3 d100 rolls to determine the particulars and the strength of each power
c) d100 to determine how many skills
d) d100 and d10 to determine which skills
e) d100 to determine how many contacts
Then make sense of it all.
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Hey, folks.
Do you other players have access to the MSH rules, or the Ultimate Powers Book?
Yeah, I was using it via the link that Radavel provided earlier. Although I did choose a couple of the Powers/Skills as the idea of the character was emerging. I don't have access to Invisible Castle at work, so I used Random.org to do my rolling for me.
You are in the edge of what I am looking for, however I like randomness and if this is randomness, then go ahead but take out some powers, I can see too many.Sure. I used the chart in the Ultimate Powers Book, page 14. (The chart tops off at 14 powers, with options to buy 4 more!) How many would you like me to prune away?
Take out everything that is out of context for a cyborg-like being for example Dream Travel.
Here is the bare bones of my character...
Johnny Illuminati
Induced Mutant [28]
Origin of Power: Chemical Exposure [84]Fighting: [53] Excellent 16
Agility: [40] Excellent 16
Strength: [09] Poor 3
Endurance:[24] Good 8
Reason: [75] Remarkable 26
Intuition: [73] Remarkable 26... upgraded to Incredible 36
Psyche: [28] Good 8Health: 43
Karma: 40
Resources: Typical 5
Popularity: (hero/secret ID) 5/5Weakness:
[19]Energy Allergy: Light
[32] Power Negation
[03] Continuous with ContactPowers: [54] 5 out of 7
1) Energy Control: Darkforce Manipulation [66]Remarkable 26 use Column B
2) Energy Control: Shadowshaping [48]Excellent 16 use Column B
3) Energy Emination: Shadowcasting [54]Excellent 16
Emination Point: [94] Any use Column A
4) Mental: Mental Probe [15]Typical 5
5) Travel: Floating Disk [36]Good 8
6) ?
7) ?Talents: [86] 3 out of 6
1) Journalism (+2 Contacts at creation)
2) Trivia: Conspiracy Theories
3) Acrobatics
4) ?
5) ?
6) ?Contacts [28] 1 out of 4
1) Conrad T Wesselman, Editor of The PuppetMaster Magazine
B1) Detective Sgt. Rick McKinney
B2) U.S. Senator Arthur Milbanks
2) ?
3) ?
4) ?
Will you fill in the ?s right now or wait for character development through the coampaign?
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Will you fill in the ?s right now or wait for character development through the coampaign?
Based on the roles I got they are to be filled in during character advancement in the campaign, if that's alright with you. I have some ideas of the direction I want to go, but that might be modified by the directions you take us.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Take out everything that is out of context for a cyborg-like being for example Dream Travel.
Oh, actually, that was the power I was hinging the character on!
My idea is that the "other dimension" the waldo was exploring, that fried the character, was a dream dimension. It was the energy differential between the "waking world" and the "dream world" that engraved his personality on the waldo's mechanism and gave him his powers. He can longer dream, himself. He has to enter other people's dreams and explore, now.
All the mechanical powers -- creating little machine servants, reshaping reality with the molding power -- were going to be "somnifactors", strange mechanical golems that would reflect the images he would see while visiting people's dreams.
I would probably get rid of crystalization and weapons tinkering.
Take out everything that is out of context for a cyborg-like being for example Dream Travel.Oh, actually, that was the power I was hinging the character on!
My idea is that the "other dimension" the waldo was exploring, that fried the character, was a dream dimension. It was the energy differential between the "waking world" and the "dream world" that engraved his personality on the waldo's mechanism and gave him his powers. He can longer dream, himself. He has to enter other people's dreams and explore, now.
All the mechanical powers -- creating little machine servants, reshaping reality with the molding power -- were going to be "somnifactors", strange mechanical golems that would reflect the images he would see while visiting people's dreams.
I would probably get rid of crystalization and weapons tinkering.
Go ahead.
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Gavgoyle,
What say you to Johnny Illuminati (what a great name for a darkness-themed conspiracy theorist!!) associating with the same lab complex as my character (current working name: Chimera)?
Before being transformed into a brain-in-a-can, Armando was a very outgoing guy. Are you setting Johnny's alter-ego up to be a reporter?
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Gavgoyle,
What say you to Johnny Illuminati (what a great name for a darkness-themed conspiracy theorist!!) associating with the same lab complex as my character (current working name: Chimera)?
Before being transformed into a brain-in-a-can, Armando was a very outgoing guy. Are you setting Johnny's alter-ego up to be a reporter?
I most certainly am... In the mundanish world, Jonathon Flaag is an investigative reporter for a conspiracy theory magazine called The Puppet Masters ("We look for the Hands pulling the Strings!"). Somewhat a Fortean Times kind of magazine. I can see working on covering a pilot project at your lab complex. Johnny is more into the government side of things, but he goes where his editor points him.
(And, frustratingly, someone already possesses the name "Chimera") on the boards, so, I'm trying "Mechimera".)
(And, frustratingly, someone already possesses the name "Chimera") on the boards, so, I'm trying "Mechimera".)1) I the VFA!!
2) Good God college was a b!tch to us...
Excuse me pal but I would prefer you not to use offensive words, I am not a saint but it is just it makes me feel unconfortable. I appreciate your understanding.
Here you can find useful templates to sketch out your characters. They are taken from the heroplay.com site.
Yes!! Yes people!!! Come on!! Be a superheroe! Who wants to be a superheroe? Come on! Post your characters!!
bump
Three things could be affecting interest of the comunity on this PBP game.
1) People don't like me.
2) People don't like the genre.
3) People don't like the system.
Well, with the two first I can't do nothing to fix that, but I propose now to use the M&M d20 based system. I have the rules but I did not tried them bucause at glance they appeared to me time-taking to rule, however since d20 system is pretty familiar to me because of a lot of D&D playing I can give it a try.
And Pat: no one dislikes you.
Snif! Snif! Thank you!
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Well, with the two first I can't do nothing to fix that, but I propose now to use the M&M d20 based system.I'm afraid I don't own the system. Very sorry.
I don't have the system either. I don't think the Marvel system is perfect, but I have fond memories of the game. If you change to M&M I'll probably have to pull out. Sorry Pat.
...and your number 1 reason is just silliness. Goofball! ;)
Well I just did not say I will switch, this was only a proposal, but what is happening here is that I assume this little convocatory is because of the superhero genre is not so popular as Fantasy is, so we have only three players on the moment and given previous XP from a PBP I am DMing it is a fact that 3 players is a little since sometimes for one reason or another one or two players could leave the game. I am not saying you deliberately will leave the game but life is filled with unexpected things and business that can take us out and forget things that are not a priority and that embraces PBP games.
It is better starting with at least 6 players so you can get 4 or 5 finishing the campaign.
I read yesterday in a thread of this site that a pal started a PBP superhero game on another site and the response was poor and the only 2 guys that showed some interest sent their sheets, he reviewed them and gave suggestions and he never heared about the two guys again.
I don't want to sound pesimistic but I don't hope this will get better on the next days, however I will wait till this thursday to see what happens and then take the decision to continue or cancel.
I have no previous experience with the Marvel rules, but I want to support superhero games. I have been reading my old copy of the rules and consulting the link Radavel gave. If you will accept my lack of familiarity withm the system, I'd like to join.
I have played V&V, Heroes Unlimited, GURPS supers (1st ed. only), Champions (several editions), and have run both editions of M&M (because I couldn't find anyone to run it for me). But never Marvel.
I have done a random character, but have no sense of scale or balance for Marvel.
I work 3-11 pm on the east coast of the U.S., so I post mainly after 1 am and between 9am and 12 noon on weekdays. On weekends, I will not post as much as I spend the time with my wife (and in local games). I am already in two pbps, so I would be spreading my time to a third. If this is acceptable, count me in.