- Daily Planet: The Daily Planet building is known for it's trademark BIG GLOBE ON THE ROOF, which tends to get knocked off or blown up. Lois and Clark often use the ARCHIVED OLD ISSUES or the TOP OF THE LINE COMPUTER NETWORK to dig out facts. And, lest it be forgotten, the publisher's office has a SECRET ESCAPE SLIDE.
- Fortress of Solitude: HIDDEN NEAR THE NORTH POLE, the Kryptonian Fortress is home to KRYPTONIAN SUPER-TECHNOLOGY (most often, the ECHO OF JOR-EL that has been trying to mold Clark into the hero he will become).
- Kent Farm: The Kent farm is the place where Clark and company come TO REST AND RECOVER. It's also where Clark keeps his SECRET STASH OF KRYPTONIAN GIZMOS.
- LuthorCorp Headquarters: At the start of the season, LuthorCorp is co-owned by Tess Mercer and Oliver Queen. Tess seems to work both at LuthorCorp and at the Daily Planet (presumably so she can keep an eye on Clark). Still, there's plenty of LUTHORCORP SCIENCE PROJECTS, a STATE OF THE ART SECURITY SYSTEM and all sorts of HIDDEN ROOMS where Luthors can hide and plot evil deeds.
- Watchtower: Home to the "We aren't calling it the Justice League yet", the Watchtower has BLEEDING EDGE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY and ACCESS TO NETWORKED SATELLITES. It's also got a MEDICAL LAB for the injured super-heroes and a SCIENCE LAB so they can study the weird stuff they find. The tower is protected by THE BEST SECURITY SYSTEM MONEY CAN BUY and that NOBODY KNOWS it's a meeting group for a bunch of young metahuman heroes.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Smallville Season 10: Locations (MHR)
Sorry to have left this idle for so long. I had the flu and anything requiring more mental effort than watching TV just wasn't going to happen.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Smallville Season 10 - Clark Kent [MHR]
Clark Kent / The Blur
Solo d10 Buddy d8 Team d6
Distinctions:
Destined to be the World's Greatest Hero
Lois Is The One
Son of Smallville or Son of Krypton
Power Sets:
Kryptonian Abilities
Heat Vision d8, Superhuman Durability d10, Superhuman Leaping d10, Superhuman Reflexes d10, Superhuman Senses d10 (Vision, Hearing), Superhuman Speed d10, Superhuman Stamina d10, Superhuman Strength d10
SFX Invulnerable Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused by Magic or Kryptonite Attacks.
SFX Multipower Use two or more Krytonian Abilities powers in your die pool, at -1 step for each additional power.
SFX: Unleashed. Step up or double any Kryptonian Abilities power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to doom pool equal to the normal rating of your power die.
Limit Power Loss. In the presence of blue kryptonite or while affected by red sun energy, shut down Kryptonian Abilities power set and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity to recover.
Limit Green Kryptonite In the presence of Green Kryptonite, shut down Kryptonian Abilities power set and take d6 physical stress per turn. Activate an opportunity to recover.
Limit Red Kryptonite. In the presence of Red Kryptonite, add a Complication: Base Instincts d6. An ally must activate an opportunity to recover.
Milestones:
Jor-El's Trials
1xp When a heroic or Watcher character urges Clark to embrace or reject his destiny to become the world's greatest hero.
3xp When you take Emotional stress as a consequence of embracing your destiny.
10xp When you finally put on the Red and Blue Suit Martha Kent made for you or reject it forever.
Keeping Secrets
1xp When you make a lame excuse to get away from someone you care about to go do something as The Blur.
3xp When you take Emotional stress as a consequence of keeping your identity secret from someone you care about.
10 xp When you reveal your abilities to someone or completely alienate them due to your habit of keeping secrets.
Solo d10 Buddy d8 Team d6
Distinctions:
Destined to be the World's Greatest Hero
Lois Is The One
Son of Smallville or Son of Krypton
Power Sets:
Kryptonian Abilities
Heat Vision d8, Superhuman Durability d10, Superhuman Leaping d10, Superhuman Reflexes d10, Superhuman Senses d10 (Vision, Hearing), Superhuman Speed d10, Superhuman Stamina d10, Superhuman Strength d10
SFX Invulnerable Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused by Magic or Kryptonite Attacks.
SFX Multipower Use two or more Krytonian Abilities powers in your die pool, at -1 step for each additional power.
SFX: Unleashed. Step up or double any Kryptonian Abilities power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to doom pool equal to the normal rating of your power die.
Limit Power Loss. In the presence of blue kryptonite or while affected by red sun energy, shut down Kryptonian Abilities power set and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity to recover.
Limit Green Kryptonite In the presence of Green Kryptonite, shut down Kryptonian Abilities power set and take d6 physical stress per turn. Activate an opportunity to recover.
Limit Red Kryptonite. In the presence of Red Kryptonite, add a Complication: Base Instincts d6. An ally must activate an opportunity to recover.
Milestones:
Jor-El's Trials
1xp When a heroic or Watcher character urges Clark to embrace or reject his destiny to become the world's greatest hero.
3xp When you take Emotional stress as a consequence of embracing your destiny.
10xp When you finally put on the Red and Blue Suit Martha Kent made for you or reject it forever.
Keeping Secrets
1xp When you make a lame excuse to get away from someone you care about to go do something as The Blur.
3xp When you take Emotional stress as a consequence of keeping your identity secret from someone you care about.
10 xp When you reveal your abilities to someone or completely alienate them due to your habit of keeping secrets.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Smallville Season 10 Event Overview (Marvel Heroic Roleplaying)
"Always hold on to Smallville." -Jonathan Kent, Smallville Season 10, Finale Part 2
So, my stalker-like fandom of Margaret Weis Productions RPGs started with Smallville. In fact, the game itself reignited my love of the show, and I fell back into it just in time for the awesome season 10. So now, I cross the streams and write up Smallville Season 10 as a Marvel Heroic Adventures Event. I'll be filling in the blanks as I go along.
Factions
Act One: The Vigilante Registration Act
Act Two: Apokolips, Now
Hero Datafiles
So, my stalker-like fandom of Margaret Weis Productions RPGs started with Smallville. In fact, the game itself reignited my love of the show, and I fell back into it just in time for the awesome season 10. So now, I cross the streams and write up Smallville Season 10 as a Marvel Heroic Adventures Event. I'll be filling in the blanks as I go along.
Factions
- Apokolips
- Justice League
- LuthorCorp
- the Suicide Squad
- VRA
- Daily Planet
- Fortress of Solitude
- Kent Farm
- LuthorCorp Headquarters
- Watchtower
Act One: The Vigilante Registration Act
Act Two: Apokolips, Now
Hero Datafiles
- Clark Kent
- Lois Lane
- Green Arrow / Oliver Queen
- Tess Mercer
- Watchtower / Chloe Sullivan
- Aquaman / Arthur Curry
- Blue Beetle / Jamie Reyes
- Booster Gold / Michael Carter
- Black Canary / Dinah Lance
- Cat Grant
- Clark Luthor
- Connor Kent
- Deadshot
- Desaad
- Emil Hamilton
- General Sam Lane
- General Slade Wilson
- Gordon Godfrey
- Granny Goodness
- Hawkman / Carter Hall
- Isis
- Impulse / Bart Allen
- Lex Luthor
- Lex Luthor Unstable Clones
- Lionel Luthor (Earth-2)
- Lt Trotter
- Lucy Lane
- Mad Harriet
- Martha Kent
- Mera
- Rick Flag
- Stargirl / Courtney Whitmore
- Supergirl / Kara Kent
- Warp / Emil LaSalle
- Zatanna Zatara
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Campaigns I'd Like to Run - Marvel: Days That Have Come To Pass
I am not ashamed to admit that I am not a fan of Mark Millar's work (with the sole exception being his brief run on Superman Adventures, the comic based on Superman: The Animated Series). But I am a fan of the new Marvel RPG (gee, ya think, how many non MHR posts are there so far, hmm), and I bought the Civil War Sourcebook.
And, as I am wont to do, it had me thinking, "how would I run Civil War?" Well, first off, Reed Richards and Tony Stark don't become evil masterminds who are cool wutgh sticking their friends in a Negative Zone Gulag. And then I thought, well, hmm. What's the SHRA going to say? Is it the "join the Initiative or say hello to Prison 42" version or the "If you want to be a super-hero, you have to reveal your secret ID to SHIELD (who will theoretically keep it secure) and take some training classes" version?
Well, if it's the later, then there's no big conflict. When I started thinking about it, a majority of Marvel's cast don't bother with secret IDs. The only ones I can come up with are: Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Young Avengers. Most of the Avengers don't, the FF and X-Men don't bother either. Thor has one, but he's also gone for long stretches of time without one.
So the more draconian one makes for higher stakes, and for a more unified front. So here's how I'd do it.
Act 1: The New New Warriors accidentally blow up an innocent little town. The American people decide they are sick and tired of reckless vigilantes and demand that the government do something. Henry Gyrich and Tony Stark testify to Congress about the pros and cons. Tony starts to get concerned, so he, Danny Rand, Kyle Richmond and Warren Worthington III (if he still has money) back a dumptruck full of money to the law firm of Nelson, Murdock and Walters, and plan a legal defense. Despite their best efforts, the SHRA passes. Rachel Summers regains some of her memories and realizes that the Days of Future Past are starting right now.
Act 2: There's a grace period between passage and when the supers have to register. Cap says folks should do what they think is right. Tony says he's got an appeal in the works. But midnight comes and all the heroes who don't register are attacked by Sentinels, reprogrammed to hunt down any super being and costumed heroes.The X-Mansion is surrounded by a bajillion Sentinels "for the mutants own protection." Registered heroes who assist unregistered vigilantes are getting arrested. Additionally, the Thunderbolts undergo a massive recruiting drive and are put in charge of hunting down heroes. Fortunately, the smart heroes can build a gizmo that messes with Sentinel programming, so the only way the Sentinels can find the heroes is by catching them in the act of heroism.
Act 3: It's a final showdown against the Master Mold, an army of Sentinels, the Thunderbolts and the Secret Masters who had been organizing this all along. Not sure who - Skrulls, Hydra, AIM, some new faction, etc.Also, maybe I'd run this someday.
And, as I am wont to do, it had me thinking, "how would I run Civil War?" Well, first off, Reed Richards and Tony Stark don't become evil masterminds who are cool wutgh sticking their friends in a Negative Zone Gulag. And then I thought, well, hmm. What's the SHRA going to say? Is it the "join the Initiative or say hello to Prison 42" version or the "If you want to be a super-hero, you have to reveal your secret ID to SHIELD (who will theoretically keep it secure) and take some training classes" version?
Well, if it's the later, then there's no big conflict. When I started thinking about it, a majority of Marvel's cast don't bother with secret IDs. The only ones I can come up with are: Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Young Avengers. Most of the Avengers don't, the FF and X-Men don't bother either. Thor has one, but he's also gone for long stretches of time without one.
So the more draconian one makes for higher stakes, and for a more unified front. So here's how I'd do it.
Act 1: The New New Warriors accidentally blow up an innocent little town. The American people decide they are sick and tired of reckless vigilantes and demand that the government do something. Henry Gyrich and Tony Stark testify to Congress about the pros and cons. Tony starts to get concerned, so he, Danny Rand, Kyle Richmond and Warren Worthington III (if he still has money) back a dumptruck full of money to the law firm of Nelson, Murdock and Walters, and plan a legal defense. Despite their best efforts, the SHRA passes. Rachel Summers regains some of her memories and realizes that the Days of Future Past are starting right now.
Act 2: There's a grace period between passage and when the supers have to register. Cap says folks should do what they think is right. Tony says he's got an appeal in the works. But midnight comes and all the heroes who don't register are attacked by Sentinels, reprogrammed to hunt down any super being and costumed heroes.The X-Mansion is surrounded by a bajillion Sentinels "for the mutants own protection." Registered heroes who assist unregistered vigilantes are getting arrested. Additionally, the Thunderbolts undergo a massive recruiting drive and are put in charge of hunting down heroes. Fortunately, the smart heroes can build a gizmo that messes with Sentinel programming, so the only way the Sentinels can find the heroes is by catching them in the act of heroism.
Act 3: It's a final showdown against the Master Mold, an army of Sentinels, the Thunderbolts and the Secret Masters who had been organizing this all along. Not sure who - Skrulls, Hydra, AIM, some new faction, etc.Also, maybe I'd run this someday.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
PS238 - The Human Alloy [MHR]
The Human Alloy / Wayne Miller
Solo d4 Buddy D8 Team d6
Distinctions: Science Teacher, Retired Superhero, Just a Geek
Power Sets:
Made of Metal
Enhanced Durability d8, Enhanced Strength d8, Enhanced Stamina d8, Transmutation d10
SFX: Invulnerable. Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused by mystical or magnetic attacks.
Limit: Heavy Metal. On a magnetic attack, or while swimming, change any Made of Metal power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
PS238 Teacher Training
Psychic Resistance d8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a PS238 Teacher Training power, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Conscious Activation. While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training. Recover PS238 Teacher Training when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take emotional trauma, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training until you recover that trauma.
Specialties:
Science Expert d8
Notes: One of the things I love about the Human Alloy is that he's an unashamed geek. When Wil Wheaton (1) came to PS238 for career day, he had Wil sign a bunch of posters and DVDs and he made sure to steer the kids Wil's way.
(1) In the PS238 Universe, Wil Wheaton has telekinetic powers and was responsible for a lot of the special effects on the show.
Solo d4 Buddy D8 Team d6
Distinctions: Science Teacher, Retired Superhero, Just a Geek
Power Sets:
Made of Metal
Enhanced Durability d8, Enhanced Strength d8, Enhanced Stamina d8, Transmutation d10
SFX: Invulnerable. Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused by mystical or magnetic attacks.
Limit: Heavy Metal. On a magnetic attack, or while swimming, change any Made of Metal power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
PS238 Teacher Training
Psychic Resistance d8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a PS238 Teacher Training power, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Conscious Activation. While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training. Recover PS238 Teacher Training when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take emotional trauma, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training until you recover that trauma.
Specialties:
Science Expert d8
Notes: One of the things I love about the Human Alloy is that he's an unashamed geek. When Wil Wheaton (1) came to PS238 for career day, he had Wil sign a bunch of posters and DVDs and he made sure to steer the kids Wil's way.
(1) In the PS238 Universe, Wil Wheaton has telekinetic powers and was responsible for a lot of the special effects on the show.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
PS238 - Coach Rockslide (MHR)
Coach Rockslide
Solo d6 Buddy D8 Team d4
Distinctions: Big Rock Guy, Protects the Kids, Can Do Attitude
Power Sets:
Made of Rock
Superhuman Durability d10, Godlike Strength d12, Superhuman Stamina d10
SFX: Seismic Stomp. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add d6 and keep an additional effect die.
SFX: Invulnerable. Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused
by mystical attacks.
Limit: Big Boulder of a Man. Add a complication equal to any Made of Rock power to an opposing
dice pool to gain 1 PP.
PS238 Teacher Training
Psychic Resistance d8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a PS238 Teacher Training power, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Conscious Activation. While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training. Recover PS238 Teacher Training when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take emotional trauma, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training until you recover that trauma.
Specialties:
Combat Expert d8
Psych Expert d8
Solo d6 Buddy D8 Team d4
Distinctions: Big Rock Guy, Protects the Kids, Can Do Attitude
Power Sets:
Made of Rock
Superhuman Durability d10, Godlike Strength d12, Superhuman Stamina d10
SFX: Seismic Stomp. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add d6 and keep an additional effect die.
SFX: Invulnerable. Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma results unless caused
by mystical attacks.
Limit: Big Boulder of a Man. Add a complication equal to any Made of Rock power to an opposing
dice pool to gain 1 PP.
PS238 Teacher Training
Psychic Resistance d8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a PS238 Teacher Training power, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Conscious Activation. While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training. Recover PS238 Teacher Training when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take emotional trauma, shutdown PS238 Teacher Training until you recover that trauma.
Specialties:
Combat Expert d8
Psych Expert d8
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
PS238 - Spell Syrin (MHR)
Spell Syrin
Solo d8 Buddy D4 Team d6
Distinctions: Loves Playing With Illusions, This Is Not Hogwarts, PS238 Teacher
Power Sets:
Ancient Sorceress
Enhanced Durability d8, Enhanced Stamina d8, Illusions d10, Mystic & Psychic Resistance d10, Mystic Blast d8, Mystic Senses d10, Master Sorcery d10, Teleport d10
SFX: Area Attack. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add d6 and keep an additional effect die.
SFX: Mental Illusions. When creating illusion-based assets, add a d6 to your dice pool and step up your effect die.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Ancient Sorceress power and step up lowest doom die or add d6 to the doom pool. Recover power by activating an opportunity.
Specialties:
Cosmic Master d10
Mystic Master d10
Psych Expert d8
Notes: While Miss Imperia is a centuries old and very powerful sorceress, I never got the impression that she had the powers (or duties) of a Dr Strange or Dr Fate, who I'd both put at d12.
Solo d8 Buddy D4 Team d6
Distinctions: Loves Playing With Illusions, This Is Not Hogwarts, PS238 Teacher
Power Sets:
Ancient Sorceress
Enhanced Durability d8, Enhanced Stamina d8, Illusions d10, Mystic & Psychic Resistance d10, Mystic Blast d8, Mystic Senses d10, Master Sorcery d10, Teleport d10
SFX: Area Attack. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add d6 and keep an additional effect die.
SFX: Mental Illusions. When creating illusion-based assets, add a d6 to your dice pool and step up your effect die.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Ancient Sorceress power and step up lowest doom die or add d6 to the doom pool. Recover power by activating an opportunity.
Specialties:
Cosmic Master d10
Mystic Master d10
Psych Expert d8
Notes: While Miss Imperia is a centuries old and very powerful sorceress, I never got the impression that she had the powers (or duties) of a Dr Strange or Dr Fate, who I'd both put at d12.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)



