Superworld

[seneschal]

I haven't seen Testament but I have seen the first half of its predecessor Dr. Mabuse the Gambler. The Doc is one scary guy -- hypnotist, telepath, master of disguise, gang leader, expert strategist, financial analyst -- and he's got a far-flung network of goons and unwitting stooges to back him up. I checked both DVDs out from my local library but had to return them before I could finish watching.

In game terms, he'd probably be a crack shot and tough brawler but catching up with him at all would be the real trick. And since he can cloud and control men's minds, a player-character might shoot "Dr. Mabuse" only to discover he's injured or killed a friend, or someone the Doctor wanted assassinated.

See this thread for more ideas:

http://basicroleplaying.com/showthread.php/3663-Your-Favorite-Pulp-Victorian-Villain?highlight=victorian

What would be really scary is a gang war among the evil doctors/professors -- Nikola, Mabuse, Fu Manchu, Moriarty, Fantomas. Their goals are different. Nikola wants to live forever. Fu Manchu, who has already achieved immortality, is pursuing a political agenda. Mabuse, Moriarty, and Fantomas are after money and power. But their methods and operations are similar enough that you'd think they'd tend to get in each others' way, resulting in a nasty shadow conflict. PCs investigating one set of crimes, thinking they are after one villain, might find that they've stumbled upon activities by two others.

Edited March 7, 2014 by seneschal

[Michael Hopcroft]

If you have Netflix in the US, you really should see a British mystery series called Campion. It was from the mid-eighties and was the first major post-Doctor Who role for Peter Davison. The first episode, "Look to the Lady", is utter brilliance.

There are several reasons to watch it. Albert Campion is a wonderful PC concept -- a "gentleman adventurer" by his own description, who is one of the wittiest characters this side of -- well, the Doctor. ("This is a gun. And as soon as I've read the instruction leaflet I won't hesitate to use it.") His butler is a streetwise ex-convict ("He used to be one of the top burglars in the trade, but he couldn't make the weight anymore.") And he is pitted against a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to get their hands on an ancient chalice, which would disinherit a noble family if they get it.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Michael Hopcroft

[seneschal]

Some posters have indicated they really like the Hanna-Barbera superheroes. Here's a favorite:

Birdman

Source: Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, Hanna-Barbera Productions, 1967-1969

Quote: “Come, Avenger. Biiiiiiiirdman!”

Hanna-Barbera introduced television’s first animated super hero, Space Ghost, in 1966. Birdman debuted the following year, attempting to repeat Space Ghost’s success. Like most Hanna-Barbera heroes, Ray Randall didn’t get much of an origin story or exposition. Whether he kept his identity a secret is unclear, since he never went about in civilian guise. He possessed natural and functional blue wings and had somehow gained the blessing of the ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra, which meant he could fire beams of solar energy from his fists and create protective force fields. The latter usually took the form of a glowing red shield on his left arm. Using his powers depleted them, which made fighting at night or in other situations devoid of sunlight dicey for the hero because he couldn’t easily recharge (although he usually found a way to pull it off).

Wearing an orange leotard with black, red, and yellow highlights, Randall operated as Birdman from Bird Lair, located in the heart of an extinct volcano in some remote but undisclosed region. Most of his adventures were assigned to him by Inter-Nation Security representative Falcon 7. Birdman battled evildoers around the globe, but many of his exploits occurred in or near Central City, U.S.A. He was opposed by a shadowy criminal organization known as F.E.A.R. (the acronym was never explained), headed by the sinister Number One, as well as by about 30 lesser villains-of-the-week. Assisting him were Avenger, a mastiff-sized purple golden eagle strong enough to haul his unconscious master to safety, and occasionally Birdboy, a young amnesiac Birdman had rescued from a shipwreck.

Birdman’s power suite supposedly also included super strength, but he almost never made use of it. He blasted apart the doors of villainous headquarters with his energy beams instead of bashing them open, threw rare punches (which knocked his opponents down but not out), and never lifted anything heavier than a person in need of rescue. The only indication that he might be capable of more was that Birdboy, upon having his powers recharged by his mentor, was able shrug off a chain that bound him.

On the other hand, Birdman was amazingly durable even without his solar shields. He survived numerous falls that should have been fatal, was merely stunned after being whacked on the head by a caveman’s stone axe, and was not blown to pieces by a wide assortment of missiles, shells and energy beams that were powerful enough to knock him from the sky.

STR 16

CON 12

SIZ 14

INT 13

POW 11

DEX 16

APP 14

Move: 10 plus Flight

Hit Points: 13 (26 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +1D4

Armor: 8 AP (kinetic) plus solar shield

Attacks: Brawl 55%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 55%, 1D3+DB; Solar Blast 67%, 3D6 heat + 2D6 light

Skills: Bargain 40%, Dodge 67%, Fast Talk 40%, Fly 64%, Insight 40%, Jump 60%, Knowledge (Law) 40%, Knowledge (Criminal Community) 40%, Language (English) 65%, Martial Arts (Boxing) 36%, Navigate 45%, Perform (Oratory) 40%, Persuade 50%, Projection 67%, Research 55%, Shield 45%, Status 50%, Technical Skill (Computer Use) 36%

Powers:

He’s Just That Tough – Armor 8 (kinetic) (8)

Solar Blast – Energy Projection, 5 levels, 3D6heat, 2D6 light, 5 power points per use (50)

Extra Energy -- +160 power points (16)

Mighty Blue Wings – Flight, 9 levels, enables Birdman to lift himself and another person of up to about 250 pounds, 9 power points to activate, costs one power point per turn (9)

Solar Shield – Force Field, 8 AP (heat, light, radiation), costs 1 power point per round plus 1 power point per energy deflected (24)

Failings: Full-time superhero ID (+5), Responsible to Inter-World Security (+3), Hunted by FEAR, large international criminal organization (+3)

Notes: Birdman had 96 power points based on his unmodified characteristics plus 11 for Failings, total 107. He had 500 skill points plus 130 personal skill points based on INT, total 630. Profession: Lawyer, based on the parody cartoon Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law. In the original series, Birdman had no profession other than crime-fighter.

I’d have liked to have added Absorption (heat, light, radiation), Protection (ditto), and perhaps some enhanced characteristics, but Birdman just didn’t have the build points to include them. I might have been able to squeeze out a few more build points with Power Modifiers on his abilities, but as written they don’t quite reflect the gradual (but non-lethal) weakening he experiences in the absence of sunlight. I also felt his defenses weren’t quite high enough. BRP’s ultra-specific rules on energy defense are unforgiving. On the other hand, he did get knocked about quite a bit during the cartoon series.

Avenger

Avenger, Birdman’s golden eagle sidekick, was truly an unusual bird: purple in color and easily as big as a mastiff or wolf (although presumably not as heavy since he sat on Birdman’s shoulder without knocking him over). He was strong enough to catch or carry away a disabled man, understood and obeyed spoken English instructions (but couldn’t speak), and could pull levers and untie knots with his talons. Avenger could be counted upon to rescue his master when the latter was imprisoned or incapacitated. He communicated with Birdman via a radio pendant placed about his neck.

STR 18

CON 13

SIZ 5

INT 9

POW 11

DEX 35

Move: 3/12 flying

Hit Points: 9 (18 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +0

Armor: 3 AP (thick feathers)

Attacks: Bite 30%, 1D6+DB; Claws 45%, 1D6-1/2DB

Skills: Dodge 70%, Fine Manipulation 30%, Language (English) 45%, Spot 70%, Track 50%

Notes: Avenger’s stats were based on the Wolf template with the exception of his DEX, which was based on the Hawk template. I guessed on SIZ; in dimensions he’s probably a SIZ 11 but his mass is much less than that would indicate. Avenger displays almost human cleverness, hence his 9 INT.

Edited March 7, 2014 by seneschal
Add sidekick

[seneschal]

Because one winged hero deserves another.

Hawkman 1961

Some version of Carter Hall aka Hawkman has been around since 1940. Originally an archeologist who discovered he was the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian prince, in his 1961 relaunch he was given a science fiction spin as an alien policeman visiting Earth to learn aboriginal law enforcement methods. Since then he’s been through almost as many incarnations as Doctor Who. To add to the confusion, his name, costume, powers, and methods have remained fairly consistent even as his personality, associations and origin have bounced around like a paddleball. This write-up is based on his appearances in Showcase Presents Hawkman, Volume One, which contains many of Hawkman’s adventures between 1961 and 1966.

Katar Hol, a highly decorated policeman from the distant planet Thanagar, pursued an escaped shape-shifting criminal to Earth. He was accompanied by his fellow officer and wife, Shayera. They contacted the local authorities in the person of Midway City Police Commissioner George Emmett, seeking assistance. Emmett helped the aliens adopt civilian identities as the curator of the local museum and his secretary, Carter and Shiera Hall. The pair donned their bird-themed Thanagarian uniforms only to actively hunt their quarry. To prevent their advanced technology from falling into the hands of the comparatively primitive Earthlings, the Hols/Halls parked their spaceship in orbit and determined to use only native tools in their police work. Strangely, this meant borrowing ancient weaponry from the museum instead of employing modern guns and equipment. The choice ultimately worked to their advantage since their foes, both alien and terrestrial, were prepared against high-tech gear.

Thanagarians are Star Trek style aliens nearly indistinguishable from humans. Katar Hol is an urbane, highly educated, athletic, dark-haired man apparently in his thirties. In contrast to angry, savage later versions, this Hawkman is professional and cool-headed in tough situations, is happily married to his loving wife, and is determined to bring malefactors back alive to face incarceration even if he his weapon preferences do include giant clubs, spiked maces, and heavy chains. He’s a veteran cop and a master of ranged and melee weapons, both advanced and primitive. He has the ability to befriend and talk to birds; they are his spies and informants.

Most of Hol’s powers come from his uniform, which includes an antigravity harness made of Nth metal. Large artificial wings provide propulsion and allow for precise steering while in flight. In addition, the antigravity field boosts his strength, enabling Hawkman to lift up to five tons, and provides a measure of physical protection. His hawk-themed cowl/helmet also gives him enhanced sight and hearing. Trivia: Hawkman didn’t gain the wings on his headgear until 1962; they were a sort of medal given to him by Thanagar’s ruler to honor his exemplary service.

Hawkman didn’t exactly have a rogues gallery like Batman or the Flash, but he did have a few villains he fought more than once. Among them were the Shadow-Thief, an intangible burglar; the Matter Master, a high-tech “wizard” with control over the elements; I.Q., a minor crook turned brainy inventor; and Byth, the shape-shifting Thanagarian thief who drew him to Earth.

STR 14/58

CON 17

SIZ 14

INT 15

POW 14

DEX 18

APP 11

Move: 10 plus Flight

Hit Points: 16 (31 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +1D4/+3D6

Armor: 10 AP (kinetic)

Attacks: Brawl 61%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 61%, 1D3+DB; Bow 41%, 1D8+1+1/2DB; Mace 61%, 1D8+2+DB; Net 41%, Entangle; Shield 51%, 1D4+DB; Spear 51%, 1D6+1+DB

Skills: Dodge 72%, Fast Talk 41%, Fly 45%, Knowledge (Law) 41%, Language (English) 75%, Language (Bird) 38%, Martial Arts (Thanagarian Combat Technique) 37%, Pilot (Starship) 37%, Research 61%, Technical Skill (Computer Use) 41%, Throw 61%, Track 46%

Powers:

Antigravity Belt and Wings – Flight, 20 levels, can lift self and up to SIZ 30 (20)

Antigravity Field – +44 STR (44), Armor 10 (kinetic) (10), Adaptation (cold, high altitude) (6)

Hawk Helmet – 2 levels each, x4 distance to Sight and Hearing (12)

Extra Energy -- +140 power points (14)

Failings: Super ID must be turned on, based on uniform which can be taken away (2); Responsible to Wingmen (police department) of Thanagar, occasional (1)

Notes: Hawkman had 103 starting power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 3 more for Failings, total 106. He had 500 skill points plus 150 personal skill points based on INT, total 650. Profession: Lawman. I didn’t buy Hawkman’s weapons with powers since they are all “off the shelf” items from the equipment charts in the Big Gold Book. I'd have liked to have given him some Defense or increased DEX, but as usual build points were a limiting factor.

Well, so far I've posted The Penguin, Birdman, and Hawkman -- all avian-themed superbeings -- and gotten no comments. What do you all think? Did I capture the characters, or would you interpret them differently?

Edited March 12, 2014 by seneschal
Add villains

[seneschal]

Hawkman trivia:

In the '60s Hawkman tended to be a second-tier hero, seldom appearing in his own title but showing up regularly in the back pages of other characters' books or in anthology titles such as The Brave and the Bold and Mystery in Space. As such, he tended to hang out occasionally with other less popular adventurers such as The Atom, Aquaman, and Adam Strange -- each of whom faced similar publishing challenges. Hawkman fans have lobbied for a Hawkman movie on Youtube, something that seems unlikely. On the other hand, if Green Arrow (another second-stringer) can get two seasons of a popular television show (when top-tier hero The Flash couldn't), maybe there is hope for the Winged Wonder (aka the Flying Fury) yet.

In one of his early stories, a few panels showed what life was like on distant, high-tech Thanagar when Katar Hol and Shayera went home on vacation. Hawkgirl purchased a wardrobe of current fashions on the equivalent of an online shopping channel, then paid for it with what we'd call an ATM card. It was 1961. Who knew?

Disney, eat your heart out. Twenty-five years before Sebastien sang to Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Aquaman was ushered into the presence of the Old Man of the Ocean by a crab (during a 1964 Aquaman/Hawkman team-up).

Hawkman eventually got his own title in 1964. It lasted until 1968.

It's true that the appearances of comic book heroes vary as times and artists change. However, the process seems accelerated in Hawkman's Silver Age outing. At his 1961 debut, Katar Hol's dark hair was straight and slicked back. By 1962, it was fuller and had a slight wave to it. OK, so he stopped using the alien equivalent of greasy kid stuff. I can dig that. But in 1964 Hol's wig suddenly consisted of tight Grecian curls and pretty much stayed that way for at least the next two years. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl (perhaps wisely) pretended not to notice. Early midlife crisis? Imagine Bruce Wayne suddenly sporting a David Hasselhoff style perm. Holy makeover, Hawkman!

Edited March 13, 2014 by seneschal
correct punctuation

[Michael Hopcroft]

There's one way I trie to measure stats in a new supers game, and that's by trying to build a "platonic" Superman. A character built around his three "core" powers: Faster than a Speeding Bullet, More Powerful than a Locomotive, and Able to Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Bound.

How fast is a bullet?

How much strength do you need to pull as much as a locomotive pulls at the speeds it pulls them at?

How tall is the tallest building and what do you need to clear it?

Everything else that got tacked on later doesn't enter into it.

[seneschal]

There's one way I trie to measure stats in a new supers game, and that's by trying to build a "platonic" Superman. A character built around his three "core" powers: Faster than a Speeding Bullet, More Powerful than a Locomotive, and Able to Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Bound.

How fast is a bullet?

How much strength do you need to pull as much as a locomotive pulls at the speeds it pulls them at?

How tall is the tallest building and what do you need to clear it?

Everything else that got tacked on later doesn't enter into it.

Yep. Unlike the Swiss army knife of abilities he gradually acquired later on, Superman at his 1938 debut was pretty basic: able to lift tremendous weights (the comics showed him holding up a heavy Depression-era sedan using both hands); able to vault tall buildings and leap one-eighth of a mile; fast enough to outrun a speeding streamline train (beating bullets would come a little bit later); nothing less than a bursting shell could pierce his skin. Superman didn't yet have super senses, but his leaping ability and powerful grip enabled him to pull a human fly act and eavesdrop outside skyscraper windows. He was also smarter than the average Earthling but preferred intimidation to Sherlock Holmes style deduction to get information. (But super brain plus super speed enabled him to scoop rival reporter Lois Lane).

So the initial version of Superman is perfectly doable with BRP.

Power inflation occurred during his 1939-1940 run, greatly influenced by the 1940 Adventures of Superman radio show. Much of Superman's mythology was created for radio -- the melodramatic deaths of his Kryptonian parents (glossed over in the comics), his friends and associates (editor Perry White, copy boy Jimmy Olsen, police Inspector Henderson), the ability to actually fly and hover rather than merely leap, super hearing (which enabled reporter Clark Kent to eavesdrop on telephone conversations). The famous blurb about bullets, trains, and buildings was the introduction to the radio show.

In the early comics stories, the elderly Kents adopted the infant they'd discovered only after first taking him to an orphanage. They died about the time he reached adulthood. As Clark Kent, Superman worked for two or three different newspapers and editors before settling down at the Daily Planet. Somehow, Lois Lane managed to be at each one of them -- as secretary, women's pages columnist, or reporter. The comics and the radio shows made clear why Lane hated Kent so much. It wasn't only that she thought him a coward. She'd fought her was to the top of what was considered a man's profession only to be displaced by an inexperienced greenhorn who hadn't even attended journalism school. On radio she didn't lose her job, but in the comics she was actually demoted because of Kent's success. No wonder she was so ruthless and unscrupulous in trying to submit major stories before Kent could.

Edited March 14, 2014 by seneschal
Add comment

[seneschal]

Whew! OK, here we go ...

Superman 1938

Quote: (While putting his street clothes over his uniform at a crime scene after calling the police) “If those policemen decide to search me it’ll be just too bad!”

The Man of Tomorrow! The Action Ace! Not yet the “Man of Steel,” Superman at his debut was able to lift tremendous weights (the comics showed him holding up a heavy Depression-era sedan using both hands); able to vault tall buildings and leap one-eighth of a mile; fast enough to outrun a speeding streamline train (beating bullets would come a little bit later); nothing less than a bursting shell could pierce his skin. Superman didn't yet have super senses, but his leaping ability and powerful grip enabled him to pull a human fly act and eavesdrop outside skyscraper windows. He was also smarter than the average human but preferred intimidation to Sherlock Holmes style deduction to get information. (But super brain plus super speed enabled him to scoop rival reporter Lois Lane in his guise of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent).

So how do his powers break down into real-life and BRP terms? To toss around an all-steel automobile, Superman would need to be able to lift five or six tons. A leap of one-eighth of a mile would be a running jump of 660 feet or 201 meters. With a vertical leap of almost 100 meters, Superman wouldn’t be able to hurdle Manhattan’s four tallest buildings (Empire State Building, 381 meters; Chrysler Building, 319 meters; Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, 283 meters; Woolworth Building, 241 meters) but there are plenty of lesser towers he could hop. Although train speed performance has improved with technology, records for unmodified diesel and electric trains from the 1930s top out at 215 km per hour, or 134 mph. Most rail vehicles, even fast ones, were at least 15 to 25 mph slower.

STR 60

CON 30

SIZ 15

INT 21

POW 13

DEX 16

APP 11

Move: 10

Hit Points: 23 (45 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +5D6

Armor: 25 (kinetic), 5 (heat)

Attacks: Brawl 75%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 75%, 1D3+DB

Skills: Climb 80%, Dodge 82%, Fast Talk 65%, Hide 60%, Insight 65%, Jump 75%, Knowledge (Journalism) 55%, Language (English) 105%, Listen 75%, Persuade 65%, Research 75%, Spot 75%, Stealth 60%, Swim 75%, Throw 75%

Powers:

Tough Skin – Armor, 25 (kinetic), 5 (heat), (30)

Leap, 99 levels, +198 meters horizontal leap (99)

Super Characteristic – +42 STR, +15 CON, +4 INT (69)

Faster Than A Streamline Train – Super Speed, 21 levels, can run 220 meters per combat round, is minus 210% to be hit by a single attack, 21 power points per round when running at full speed (420)

Extra Energy, +140 power points (14)

Failings: Protective of Lois Lane (+3), Responsible to the Daily Planet (+3), Has the hots for Lois (+2), “I Started A Pop-Cultural Phenomenon” Bonus (+519)

Notes: Superman had 500 skill points plus 210 personal skill points based on INT, total 710. His stats were randomly rolled at the “Out of This World” level using the online Call of Cthulhu creature generator. He had 105 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 8 more for Failings, total 113. Given his energy limitations, Superman can run at full speed for 7 combat rounds. In action, he’ll catch up to a runaway train in great hops, then use his super speed at the last minute to actually grab it. Superman’s skin is as armored as a modern tank but a direct hit by a 10D6 artillery shell is still going to really mess up his day. Perhaps his defenses should be higher, but he’d need 60 AP (kinetic) to shrug off the effects of a shell.

It was his movement abilities that put Superman far over the usual build point budget for a player-character superhero. Flight with enough levels to haul around, say, a standalone safe would actually be less expensive. Even with characteristics of all 18, a PC would have only 126 power points to work with, and he’d be able to gain only 63 more with a ridiculous number of Failings. Superman’s one-eight of a mile jumps alone would use up most of that, and Leap doesn’t require energy to use. In play, especially if using miniatures, a single jump would essentially remove him from the game. Being able to chase down a train was even more expensive to model, and Super Speed at those levels uses tons of energy – which is why Golden Age Superman doesn’t zip around like the Flash all the time.

Edited March 14, 2014 by seneschal

[fmitchell]

Leap, 99 levels, +198 meters horizontal leap (99)

If this were Champions or GURPS, I'd suggest Flight with the limitation "Parabolic Trajectory Only", which presumably would be cheaper. Realistically speaking, to go from standing to sufficient velocity to leap over a building he'd put two giant craters in the sidewalk, one at the point of origin and the second at the point of landing. It's much more "plausible" to assume he can generate constant upward thrust somehow, and uses that upward thrust to decelerate on the way down.

Another possible way to model a Super-Leap is to assume Supes can temporarily ignore gravity. The upward jump could continue forever, under (Isaac) Newton's laws of motion, but he can make himself weigh just enough to waft back down to Earth. Also, his mass would still remain the same, so both he and his opponents would still have to overcome his inertia. This still poses the problem of the initial thrust, but at least that takes the downward acceleration of gravity out of the equation.

EDIT: Let's assume the "tallest building" is 300 m, about right for the 1940s. If I've used the right online calculator, at the end of his journey Supes would smack the concrete at about 172 mph. If we assume he's simply jumping, that would mean he'd have to accelerate to 172 mph between the time he bent his knees and the time his feet left the ground.

Edited March 14, 2014 by fmitchell
a few numbers

[soltakss]

Physics and Super Heroes don't mix.

[seneschal]

Physics and Super Heroes don't mix.

Unless you're Hawkeye or Green Arrow, patiently explaining to a bulletproof super thug why your razor-tipped hunting shaft will be able to penetrate his hide. It actually happened during the original Marvel Secret Wars saga.

(See Atgxtg for the exact velocity calculations. )

Edited March 14, 2014 by seneschal

[threedeesix]

Whew! OK, here we go ...

Superman 1938

Nice work!

[seneschal]

Nice work!

Thanks! Figuring out the "outrun a train" thing was the hardest part.

So far, we've got Hawkman 1961, Wonder Woman 1974, and Superman 1938 written up for BRP. It's a start at the Justice League, although only the first two could be player-characters. If Superman even in his original incarnation is so expensive, I don't dare try to stat up the Flash. With his sheer velocity and myriad speed tricks, the Scarlet Speedster is easily the most powerful (and most build-point hungry) member of the League.

[threedeesix]

Thanks! Figuring out the "outrun a train" thing was the hardest part.

So far, we've got Hawkman 1961, Wonder Woman 1974, and Superman 1938 written up for BRP. It's a start at the Justice League, although only the first two could be player-characters. If Superman even in his original incarnation is so expensive, I don't dare try to stat up the Flash. With his sheer velocity and myriad speed tricks, the Scarlet Speedster is easily the most powerful (and most build-point hungry) member of the League.

Actually, and I can only assume he's still there, but I uploaded the great grand daddy of Superman several years ago, John Carter.

Yup, still there...

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=343

Edit: Oh, I'm not implying that John Carter was ever a part of the Justice League, just that he's essentially another super hero writeup. Would be cool though. I do think he was a member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen though.

Rod

Edited March 15, 2014 by threedeesix

[seneschal]

True. Carter (first published in 1911) was sort of Superman in reverse -- an Earthling who gained formidable powers by traveling to another planet. Fortunately, Kal-El never took up fencing and chose to be mild-mannered most of the time. But DC, who published both characters for a while, did do a crossover issue: Superman -- Warlord of Mars.

Edited March 15, 2014 by seneschal

[ORtrail]

I like the Hawkman stats. I got to know the character back in the early 90's when Timothy Truman (with various help) did the Hawkworld comics. This is the version I liked the most, as he was totally willing to use a pistol or rifle as needed.

Superman still scales too high for Superworld/BRP to handle comfortably, but I like your "original" version.

[seneschal]

I was pleasantly surprised that Hawkman fit right into BRP's sweet spot. He's tough and can do some cool things, but a squad of gunmen will present a real danger to him. To make him more like the Silver Age version, I might have reduced his super strength in order to give him some Defense, since he was always "just" dodging hails of bullets. Of course, you could say that his Dodge skill plus his 10 Armor fulfill that role.

[soltakss]

Unless you're Hawkeye or Green Arrow, patiently explaining to a bulletproof super thug why your razor-tipped hunting shaft will be able to penetrate his hide. It actually happened during the original Marvel Secret Wars saga.

I bet that was a fun read!

[seneschal]

Secret Wars had some cool bits and humorous character interactions. Like a soap opera, it kept me hooked issue after issue. In the end, though, it was less than the sum of its parts -- too many characters to give each sufficient attention and too many pointless battles. A smaller cast and more focused storyline would have served it better.

[threedeesix]

Secret Wars had some cool bits and humorous character interactions. Like a soap opera, it kept me hooked issue after issue. In the end, though, it was less than the sum of its parts -- too many characters to give each sufficient attention and too many pointless battles. A smaller cast and more focused storyline would have served it better.

While I never read the mini-series, I did run the Marvel Super Heroes RPG adventure based on it. It was a long time ago. But I think I remember liking it. I did really enjoy the FASERIP system.

[seneschal]

Riff Raff

Source: The Underdog Show, Total Television, 1964

Wealthy, rakish, and wolfish, Riff Raff is a powerful mobster in a large, unnamed American city. Although he commands a gang of eight or more crooks, each adept in a particular larcenous field, he still enjoys shaking down hapless victims himself. Riff Raff talks and dresses like a 1920s gangster; he sports a flat top haircut, wears pinstripe suits (complete with a white gardenia in the buttonhole) and homburg hats, and relaxes with fat, smelly cigars. He resembles a bipedal gray wolf but has never been seen to use his formidable dental equipment on opponents (his big fists are another matter). His weapon of choice is a vintage Thompson submachinegun, although he also carries a large-caliber automatic pistol. His most potent weapons, however, are his myriad underworld contacts. Riff Raff’s gang attempts thefts and robberies no other group would consider because he can always locate and hire the criminal experts necessary to pull them off. Fortunately, the law-abiding citizenry usually have Underdog around to protect them.

Although he wields a lot of influence, Riff Raff is more interested in gathering ill-gotten wealth than in seizing power. He’ll let crazy inventors like Simon Bar Sinister try to take over the world. He just wants to cram more cash in his personal vault. Unlike many mob leaders, Riff Raff respects and takes good care of his henchmen. He’s worked hard to assemble his team and doesn’t want to lose them. Mooch, the syndicate’s best gunman, is his chief lieutenant, frequently accompanying Riff Raff when the rest of the gang is busy elsewhere. Riff Raff usually meets with his minions in an old farmhouse outside of town but he also maintains a swank office downtown. The latter features a sexy secretary, a well-stocked wet bar, and a hidden trap door in front of his desk for removing visitors who have overstayed their welcome.

The gangster’s super powers represent his cartoon character ability to survive both beatings from Underdog and gun battles with the police and rival mobsters. He’s not immortal or invulnerable but he can survive physical punishment that would kill lesser beings. He doesn’t possess a wolf’s Sense or Track skills because his smoking habit has ruined his canine sense of smell. His Drive skill is low because he usually has Spinny Wheels, the gang’s getaway driver, chauffeur him around.

Riff Raff comes from a parallel world where regular humans and anthropomorphic animals live side-by-side (and nobody seems to notice the difference). People there fear him not because they think he’s a Gothic monster but because they know him to be a monstrously wicked bully. The gangster likes to intimidate people, but he’d be genuinely offended if he realized Call of Cthulhu investigators or Amazing Adventures heroes were frightened merely by his wide furry ears and long pointed muzzle instead of by his criminal panache.

STR 17

CON 15

SIZ 12

INT 14

POW 10

DEX 16

APP 10

Move: 10

Hit Points: 14 (27 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +1D4

Armor: 6 (kinetic)

Attacks: Brawl 57%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 57%, 1D3+DB; Thompson M1921 Submachinegun 47%, 1D10+2; Pistol 52%, 1D10+2

Skills: Bargain 37%, Command 37%, Dodge 64%, Drive 20%, Hide 42%, Listen 63%, Spot 57%, Status 47%, Stealth 42%

Powers:

Thick Fur – Armor 6 (kinetic) (6)

Geez, He’s Tough – Regeneration, 5 levels, can heal up to 5 HP at the end of each combat round, costs 1 power point per hit point healed (15)

Extra Energy, +30 power points (3)

Failings: Greed (+2), Hunted by Police (+2), Must Oversee Gang (+3)

Notes: Riff Raff’s stats (except for INT and APP) are those of a wolf, randomly rolled at the “Fantastic” level on the online Call of Cthulhu creature generator. His INT and APP are those of a human. He had 250 skill points plus 140 personal skill points based on INT, total 390. The anthropomorphic mob boss also had 17 power points based on his highest unmodified characteristic plus 7 more for Failings, total 24.

[Michael Hopcroft]

I've noticed that the skill levels in many of these writeups seem a bit low from the perspective of someone who hasn't played this game in a while. Barring modifiers, Riff Raff misses with his .45 almost half the time. His bargain and command rolls also seems low for someone who is capable of holding together a diverse gang of criminal specialists (each with their own agendas).

Maybe there's just something I don't grok about the way skills work in this context.

[seneschal]

It depends on whether I've written them up as superheroes (who get 500 starting skill points) or as normals (who get 250), and on how many skills it takes to represent the character. Riff Raff and Dr. Mabuse are essentially normal folks with a couple extra perks vs. The Penguin and Hawkman, who are full-on superbeings. Characters who are good at a variety of things are harder to represent than ones who have a more narrow range of abilities. Often I have to ditch skills I wanted to include to boost the ones that are essential to the concept. Of course, in Riff's case, you could say being the villain means never having to say you're sorry (or having to justify your skill point totals).

An average player-character often has most skills in the 30-35% range. I've tried to make these write-ups a bit more competent, but I agree. The skill levels frequently aren't has high as I would like them to be.

Another challenge is skills characters hardly ever use but possess when the occasion arises. For instance, Batman usually hurls his Batarang while the Joker fires a gun or employs lethal magic shop gimmicks. However, if they're fighting in an old castle or museum and happen to grab swords, suddenly both can fence like Zorro and Errol Flynn. (A good thing, too, since so many of the old stories feature ethnic henchmen who wield big scimitars.)

Or guys that are good at everything like Doctor Who, Dr. Benton Quest or Quartermass; as the occasion demands they're knowledgeable about anything from chemistry to particle physics to aircraft engineering. Instead of listing separate skills, you'd almost need to borrow a page from GURPS: Atomic Horror and give them a SCIENCE! roll, enabling them to figure almost anything out

Edited March 19, 2014 by seneschal
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[Michael Hopcroft]

Your mention of Benton Quest reminds me of the '90s sequel series The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, in which Jonny and Hadji are almost grown up. Jonny has the skills of a solid all-round adventurer (taking after his father's best friend rather than his father), while Hadji has somehow picked up certain mystic talents (not full-out magic spells or psionics, but he has done things like calm down raging bulls and thus unintentionally ruining a bull-riding competition Jonny had entered). During that series we learn more about Race's past as a secret agent (his highly-skilled daughter Jessie has joined the group, and her mother shows up occasionally) and find that nascent virtual realities are very dangerous places. Benton's old nemesis Dr. Tzin still shows up occasionally (as do his equally-troublesome daughters).

[seneschal]

I've only seen one or two episodes of the "Real" series. The characterizations were a little jarring for someone only familiar with the original 1960s series (I missed the '80s reboot). Race Bannon with a mullet and Cajun accent? Only Dr. Quest himself, older and stouter, seemed familiar. I found their adventure in Tibet, where they encountered civilized yetis, an interesting contrast to how the subject was handled in the '60s version.

On the other hand, I recently watched "Jonny's Golden Quest," which paved the way for a second Quest movie and eventually the latter series. It introduced and explained Jessie, and confronted the still pre-teen protagonist with an aged, decrepit version of Dr. Zin who required an oxygen bottle to survive -- but who was all the more desperate and evil as a result. Zin's lizard-y cloned henchmen were creepy, not only because they were dangerous monsters, but because their genetic imperfections caused them to dissolve into a puddle of goo at unlikely moments. It's a good gimmick for evil minions in your campaign. The random destruction usually occurs only after player-characters have had to fight them but before the PCs get a chance to try to question them.

What, you say? The Dr. Zin in "Real Adventures" was even younger and more virile than the character in the original '60s show? Well, that's a spoiler I won't spoil in case you ever get to see "Golden Quest."

Edited March 19, 2014 by seneschal