Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site genat.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!genat!mike From: mike@genat.UUCP (Mike Stephenson) Newsgroups: net.games.frp Subject: Re: Re: Superhero RPGs Message-ID: <2041@genat.UUCP> Date: Thu, 4-Jul-85 10:43:29 EDT Article-I.D.: genat.2041 Posted: Thu Jul 4 10:43:29 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 05:48:17 EDT References: <3140@garfield.UUCP> <2038@genat.UUCP> <6203@ucla-cs.ARPA> Distribution: net Organization: Genamation Inc. (Toronto Ontario, Canada) Lines: 62 > > .... One of the nice things about this > >version of the game is that the superheros are kept "powered down" to > >more respectable levels (eg. about 250 ap instead of ~500 ap in regular > >Champions games). I know that this is not quite what you are looking for, > >but it is quite a good game all the same. > > Wait a sec. Like the book says, anything above 275 points makes your character > WEAKER, not stronger. This assumes that the GM is playing the disadvantager > correctly. > > How often do those hunteds of yours try something like .... > > Michael Gersten *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ENERGY BLAST *** Please note, I said 250 ap and ~500 ap in my previous article. That is, Active Points, not real points. A character can be built up to the 500 - 600 active point range if you are willing to spend about 250 - 300 real points, and put about 3 hours working on the character, making all of the powers properly balanced, and interrelating some of them. Now, these characters *do* have a fair number of limitations, but I personally tend to shy away from hunteds and berserks, leaning instead towards physical and psycological limitations, susceptabilities and the like. My GM's (there are two of them working on a 2-3 month rotation in the same general campaign) *do* play the disadvantages. As a general rule, the GM's will usually review any new characters before they enter play in order to integrate them into the universe. The GM's tend, for game continuity to have several characters have a common hunted if at all possible. This can be (and usually is) used as a hook for another adventure, and keeps bookeeping down. What the book says about practical limits to character power levels and what happens in "real life" are two entirely separately situations. Champions is an incredibly flexible system, and once you understand the in's and out's of purchasing a character, you can do wonders with a few hundred points. I have several general rules for character generation, which, when applied judiciously, tend to result in a powerful but well balanced character: - First and foremost, come up with a realistic (within terms of the universe) concept. *THIS IS VITAL FOR A REALLY GOOD CHARACTER* - Next, translate the conceptual powers into Champions powers with the help of the table in the back of Champions II. - I almost always use a multi-power for as many of the powers that will fit together. I have never been able to justify the use of an Elemental (and would appreciate if someone out there could show me a good example of using one). - Next, having basically roughed out the powers, set up the disadvantages, primarily to suit the conception, but sometimes in order to pay off the extra "goodies" purchased. - Finally, do a balancing of powers and disadvantages, (usually I drop some of the powers to remove disadvantages I feel will screw me up in the course of the game). By the way, there is nothing stopping anyone from applying the same theories to GAoC, but the designer of the game, Chris Cloutier, wanted to avoid the high powered characters in order to preserve the flavour of a 1940's universe. I had the opportunity to play test the game with Chris at an Ann Arbour SF Convention in January of this year, and he spent a fair amount of time explaining the rational of his universe (specifically the one used as an example in the book). Mike Stephenson