X-MEN -- temporarily CLOSED

[Photo]

This is the simplest idea that I've ever wanted to pursue: Free-form, small group, Original characters, posting order- yes.

The setting, or the source of the idea for this comes from an infatuation with x-men. They are the perfect metaphor for the super-hero, and even better, they work in a team. I want to replace all of the x-men except for Erik Lensherr, and Charles Xavier. No Wolverine, No Mystique, No Havoc/Cyclops, no Jean Grey, No Gambit, No Beast. None of them. We will all create our own individual powers and characters, running with Chris Claremont's storylines, as a guide. We won't have to invent the story, we can just play whatever we want as it is needed. For a starting conflict, a nice assault on the Sentinel factory would be fun. To keep things easy, I'll control Xavier, but he'll really just be a device to move the plot.

Considering, We may have to put a couple players in the role of the antagonist to keep things moving forward. One or two players will play Magneto and all of his NEW chronies to keep us on our toes. The new chronies will be invented by all of us, adding to the fun, hopefully.

I'd prefer to keep it free of a system. But I can run table top games, so I could run a system for this if the player's interested want to give it a shot. I need three more people, minimum.

As far as sexual content goes, I think the style of the rp will adjust to whomever is interested.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Character thread

I'm currently accepting applications. The Character sheet is at the bottom of this POST. Cyclops is an example CS. All Characters and Powers should be as original and well thought out as possible. Please, understand that if I don't like a character, it has nothing to do with the essence of that character (probably). With the nature of the RP, it's strictly the quality of the power, and the originality. I want to stress original powers, which is borderline impossible. And, I understand that, there's an innate challenge that comes with this game. I had to think of my character for two weeks, and it ended up coming to me in a vague dream that I barely remembered in a cold sweat at seven in the morning.

So, the Character thread should now contain "Keeper", my addition to Xavier's team. It was a bit rambuctious of me to run with such a basic character sheet. It has it's flaws, and I think everyone's character creation suffered due to this mistake, which is fully on me. I built the CS poorly. Now, there's an example.

I haven't opened an OOC thread yet. This is it for now.

Character Sheet

Code Select Expand



(picture may be included anywhere, please make it a reasonable size. I'd prefer pictures of real people in citizen garb)

[b]Name[/b]:
[b]Age[/b]:
[b]Gender[/b]:
[b]Race[/b]:

[b]Mutation[/b]: (describe the effect of the mutation within your characters gene structure, if you want, talk about their actual gene structure)
[b]Effective Power[/b]: (include the use of your character's mutation, and level: 1-4. one being the weakest, four being the highest. No one is a five, not yet. I might have a quick dice off to decide one original character with a five rating. Xavier and Erik are both fives, phoenix was a five. Notably, this changes the story.)
[b]Physical Description[/b]:
[b]Personality/Clothing style[/b]: (when not fighting magneto and the sentinels)
[b]Emotional Type/"Yellow-Blue" Leotard Description[/b]: (When fighting magneto and the sentinels - Not every character wears yellow/blue but enough of them do to make it an x-men symbol. It's encouraged, how about that.)
[b]Relevant History[/b]:
[b]Fears[/b]:
[b]Other[/b]:


SAMPLE

Name: Scott Summers "Cyclops"
Age:28
Gender: Male
Race: Human, mutant, Caucasion

Mutation:Cyclops has the power to emit beams of energy from his eyes described as an "optic blast." The beams have the appearance of red light (i.e., electromagnetic radiation in a red wavelength); however, they do not give off heat and instead deliver concussive force without recoil. The beams are tremendously powerful and can be used to rupture steel plates and pulverize rock. Cyclops' optic beam is the product of his body metabolizing sunlight and other ambient energy.(106) This metabolized energy is then released in the form of the beam from his eyes. Cyclops can deplete his body's energy reserves and needs to recharge through exposure to sunlight. When depleted, Cyclops can continue to emit the beams; however, their intensity is greatly diminished.

Cyclops' eyes contain inter-dimensional apertures, releasing powerful energies from another dimension into his own via the beams. His body naturally metabolizes ambient energy that is used to open and focus the apertures in his eyes. The energy of the beam itself originates from this other dimension.

Effective Power: Cyclops' force beams were measured by Iron Man to be almost 2 Gigawatts. The effective range of his optic beam is approximately 2,000 ft. It has been observed to be focused tight enough to punch a pin hole through a coin. His optic beam continuously projects from his eyes whenever they are open and unprotected. In addition, varying the beam width, height, and intensity, Cyclops has demonstrated a high degree of skill and accuracy in manipulating his optic blast. Cyclops is able to reflect the beam off hard and shiny surfaces.[12][97][98] This feat also demonstrates his intuitive sense of spatial geometry between objects.[12][97] The reflective qualities of the beams allows him to bounce the beam off many different surfaces in rapid succession.

Scott's poor control over his power is attributed to events in his childhood.[10][110] His lack of control is initially described as being due to a head wound during his childhood, disabling his brain's ability to turn off his optic blasts.[10] Later depictions explained that his lack of control is psychosomatic and due to the emotionally traumatic events of his childhood.

Physical Description: N/A We all know what Cyclops looks like
Personality/Clothing style: Selfless, self-disciplined, and ethical, Cyclops also possesses tremendous leadership abilities, and great tactical and strategic skills. Xavier views Scott as one of his most prized pupils; their relationship exhibits father/son qualities. We all know what he looks like.
Emotional Type/"Yellow-Blue" Leotard Description: N/A We all know this guy. Include both the style of fighting, the type of warrior that s/he happens to be, and how s/he dresses in dangerous circumstances.

Relevant History: When Scott was a boy growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, his father, USAF Major Christopher Summers, took the family for a flight in their de Havilland Mosquito. It came under attack by an alien Shi'ar spaceship. As the plane went down in flames, Scott's parents fastened him and his younger brother Alex into a parachute and pushed them off the plane, hoping that they would survive. Scott's poor control over his power have been attributed to events in his childhood. The parachute caught fire, and Scorr hit his head in the fall, rupturing his ability to control his power.

Fears: Being at all like Wolverine in any way.
Other: Loves Jean Grey and anyone who looks like Jean Grey

[AribethAmkiir]

Interested, though I'd prefer if the game remained focused on plot and story and any sexual content happened on the side. 

[kckolbe]

You had me at no Wolverine

[chaoslord29]

Interested with an original character concept and seconding AribethAmkiir's sentiments.

[apygoos]

no  wolverine? count me interested.

[Thorne]

I'm .. hesitantly interested. I have a couple of original characters that might fit this.
One of them is actually posted in my one on one ideas thread (irritatingly similar to Emma Frost, without the telepathy, the overt sexuality and the lack of ethics). The other is a light-bender who could, in theory, make herself invisible.

My knowledge of the setting is limited in that 'I am familiar with the setting, but not the storylines you are suggesting' kind of way, however.

[Prosak]

You had me at no wolverine? Wow, whats with all the hating on one of the biggest bad asses to ever grace a comic book page. So watch what you say bub. :P lol. But I digress. Joking aside, I can be interested. I am, not sure what a power of mine would be but. I can see myself doing this.

[apygoos]

Wolverine is a Badass,perhaps, but he's lived through more than  the gods themselves have. the only one who's probably more potent is X-23.

[TheFonze]

You had me at X-men :3

[Photo]

I chatted with Clairmont at Comicon, no big deal!

and he was going on and on about what happened to Wolverine lately. Even he is appalled by the recent story archs and of course, the direction of the movies.

Anyway! Good to see some interest gathering (really fucking fast). I'm seeing some familiar players, it's good to have ya'll back. My only real question is this, who wants Magneto and the general antagonist role. I'll accept up to three people playing every antagonist, no more, perhaps two instead. These people are also allowed to have an x-men if they feel that they can handle it. I don't want to give some one more than they can chew though.

Look for more updates. I'm doing a heavy GM RP already, so I intend on going at this with a real minimalist approach. The Sentinel assault would actually be a Stan Lee Story arch, but it's a good place to start, since that's how the original x-men books started, but he ran out of ideas soon after that. That's why we are using Claremont story arcs instead of original story arcs, or (dear god no) new stories. Some of them are character specific to THE X-men, so we can't use those, but there are others that we can totally scavenge. (ie, Days of Future past (x-men one movie) - God Loves, man Kills - (x-two) - Moira Mactaggert's involvement - The Hellfire club featured in "First Class" With Fassbender - The Dark Brotherhood - The Morlock arc etc.)

[Oldknight]

This does look like it could be interesting

[Cold Heritage]

Do I understand correctly, and that there is going to be an enforced ratio of two or perhaps three X-Men characters to every antagonist character?

[chaoslord29]

Thinking I would definitely like to play as a member of our original X-Men, with two ideas jumping to mind immediately:

A sort of "Golden Boy" mutant; Faster, Stronger, more adept in nearly every physical mien as the average human, a real candidate for buddying Mutant Supremacy if the right pressures were applied, and perhaps the subject of some envy and loathing from those less fortunate members of the mutant community.

A fully manifested mutant who has left humanity almost entirely behind, existing now as a non-newtonian subtance held together by an electrostatic skeleton/nervous system that happens to prefer humanoid shape. Capable of altering the shape and density of his form at will to whatever might serve his purposes.

[Interested]

I'd like to be the Male Storm . . .
A Caucasian male, powerful weather controler! With a healing factor to keep his body from overstraining to death.

[Thorne]

This is sounding more and more like Shard would best fit.
She is an uncomfortably powerful receptive empath (maintains mental barriers to keep everyone else out, although physical contact combined with powerful emotions can bypass those barriers in some cases), manifests a diamond-like crystal as offensive/defensive power.

She comes off as cold and impassive to strangers, and doesn't talk about herself much. Whether her mental shields would keep a telepath like Xavier out, I don't know, but she doesn't /talk/ about it much. She's always there when someone needs her, though.

[AribethAmkiir]

When do you want character pitches, Photo? 

[Photo]

it's never too early for character pitches. so, everyone feel free to talk your hearts out about your characters. We definitely have enough for a character thread. HERE

Begin work on the new x-men. For the record. I'm 100% SET on having us run around in yellow and blue leotards. This is a huge selling point for me. So, if you're not down with that, note it please. Let it be known that you won't be kicked out of the game or anything. Because, there are a few actual x-men that wear purple, and dark green, and even red, or silver. So do whatever, but that yellow and blue X should be somewhere

@Thorne, I'm looking forward to the character template. Check out the thread just I linked in this post.

@Interested, I would like it if everyone made up an original power.

@Chaos boy, go with the one you would enjoy more.

@Cold Heritage, it won't be heavily enforced. Characters will varry however we need them to. The X-men will be built of most players in the RP. Then there will be two-four antagonist players prepared to playing Erik Lensherr and all the rest of the "Evil" Characters.

Finally, we may not need antagonists at all until later. It'll be up to everyone to find their own stories within IC boards and OOC boards. I'll create them but I'm really taking the GM role lightly this time around. I'm not writing a story unless my character is participating directly. I might have two or something to help out.

[Thorne]

While I'm pretty sure Shard prefers to wear military surplus (it's cheap and easy to come by), I do have a concept sketch of her wearing one of those silly outfits, and I'm pretty sure I can work that badge in someplace. Because the silly outfit is, if nothing else, fun to draw. ^^;

Sheet, then. Heh, heh, heh...

[kckolbe]

My two concerns so far are gender ratio and power level.  I am seeing a couple of concepts that are stronger than the fully developed X-Men, and much more than X-Men could do in the beginning.

[Photo]

I noticed that two Kckolbe. Don't worry. I'm REALLY REALLY not afraid of saying no to stupid characters this time around. I just didn't want to cut anyone off before they had a chance to show me what they mean in the Character thread.

As far as gender ratio goes? I might just have to make up a whole bunch of x-girl's for you boys

[kckolbe]

Quick question: Are we playing as the X-Men because the famous X-Men never existed, or are we the next generation after the previous ones were wiped out?

[AribethAmkiir]

Do you mean original characters or original powers?

[AribethAmkiir]

Name: Cassandra (Cassie) Finnegan
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Race: Mutant
Mutation:
-Size Manipulation: Cassandra can decrease her body’s size stopping anywhere from a foot shorter than her normal height to shrinking to a millimeter in total height.

-Vibration Emission: Cassie has the ability to generate dense and highly destructive energy bursts that travel through air from her hands.  She is currently capable of breaking solid concrete with her blasts.  The emission can only travel through air, and is generated from her wings which do not need to be fully unfolded to create the emission.

-Wing Manifestation:  Cassandra has a pair of iridescent wings that are a part of her normal skeleton.  The wings seem to grow and attach to her clavicle, scapula, and first and second ribs.  The wings naturally fold flush against her back and have the appearance of a multicolored, chaotic and random looking tattoo when folded against her body.  Her wings allow her to fly at speeds up to 60mph and are capable of carrying an additional 200 lbs. of weight while keeping Cassandra aloft.
-Enhanced Agility, and Reflexes: Her wings and size manipulation allow for increased body coordination.  This is most notably seen in an enhancement of her agility and reflexes.  The enhancement to agility and reflexes only occurs when flying.
Effective Power Level: 3

Physical Description: Cassie is naturally 5’5’ and 120 lbs.  She sports a young, lean, and athletic look with an obvious Irish heritage.  Her red hair is wavy and long, usually falling past the shoulder, and helps accentuate her pale complexion and honey brown eyes.  She has a soft, genuine, and easy smile that just touches her eyes.  She typically wears blouses, shirts or dresses that leave her upper back bare.  This reveals her wings, which when folded flush to her back, appear to be a multicolored, beautiful, yet random tattoo which never quite seems to line up the same way twice.

Clothing style: Blouses, shirts, or dresses that leave her upper back bare.

”Yellow-Blue" Leotard Description: Her costume is a backless and sleeveless blue body suit with a large golden X upon the torso and a collar that secures the suit around her neck.  She wears golden colored gloves that approach her elbow and quarter length blue pants tucked into thigh high black boots.
Personality: Like many young mutants, or even young people, Cassandra displays a wounded self-esteem.   She is often rebellious and wild, and enjoys taking unnecessary risks.  Despite her issues, she is a spunky, flirtatious, young woman who usually can be counted upon when the situation calls for it.  Cassie likes to appear independent and rebellious, but those who really know her realize how codependent she actually is.

Relevant History: Cassie was born in a small little town located in western Michigan, just off Lake Michigan.  She was the youngest child and only daughter to a high school English teacher and a Geologist.  She had a happy childhood raised in a sleepy little town with a population no greater than 80,000.  At the age of sixteen, her mother died of cancer shattering her peaceful, happy life.  Shortly thereafter Cassie began experiencing nightmares accompanied by migraine headaches and spastic full-body convulsions.  In an attempt to discover what was happening to his daughter, Cassie’s father admitted her to the local hospital where she was monitored.  On the second day of her hospital stay, Cassie’s powers manifested slowly shrinking her before doctors and nurses in her hospital bed.  It was only through the intervention of unknown parties that Cassandra wasn’t sent away to a government facility.  The case of “the suddenly shrinking girl”, however, made national headlines.  For her own protection, Cassie was sent to a private School for Gifted Youngsters. 

In the years since, Cassie’s wings have fully developed and she has begun to learn to control her abilities and has begun to come to terms with her “condition”.

Fears: Being publicly ousted as a mutant, then being hunted and persecuted because of it, and having her parents injured due to what she is.

Other:

[Thorne]

Name: Cherise 'Shard' Haveston
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Physical Description: Standing about 5'4", Shard still has the lithe frame of the gymnast she was in high school, albeit with a little more muscle and curve. She looks more or less normal - pale, creamy skin that doesn't seem to tan, eyes that seem either grey or violet, depending on her mood, set in sharp, even features. Her hair is mostly straight, worn a little past the shoulder and is a deep, even indigo blue in colour.

Powers, Personality and Past

Mutation: One-way empathy, kinetic manifestation.

Empathy: Receive-only, and while the range is limited, you can still fit a lot of people in a building that size. Walls shorten her range considerably, the thicker the wall, the less likely she can 'hear' through it.
Physical contact enhances her sensitivity, frequently bypassing her shields entirely, so she avoids it when possible.

Between her empathy and some experience reading body-language, Shard can frequently tell if she's being lied to - of course, she can't always be sure about specifics and she's been known to be wrong.

Kinetic Manifestation: A diamond-like crystal that seems largely unbreakable (although Shard knows better - sufficient force will shatter a manifested object). At present, Shard can manifest talons and barriers at need, and can occasionally manage other, more subtle effects.

She's teaching herself to fly, using manifested 'wings'. At present, this looks more like 'glide, badly', if not 'fall',

Effective Power: 3.

Personality: She gives off an approachable, down-to-earth air - someone who can be trusted not to lose their head in a crisis, without the sense of authority that might come from a more 'Alpha Wolf' personality.

Clothing style:  Clothing ranges from leather-and-lace goth to 'military surplus' without any warning, and tends to be stuff she can move in.

"Yellow-Blue" Leotard Description: A mock-neck navy-blue sleeveless leotard with a subtle tone-on-tone 'x' pattern woven into the fabric, trimmed in black and gold. With it, she has black fingerless gloves covering her arms from knuckle to elbow, and over-the-knee black or navy boots with the same kind of trim.

Relevant History: What is known, is that Shard comes of an affluent background, and occasionally, her speech patterns show this, but she no longer answers to 'Cherise' - as far as Shard is concerned, that girl died when she left home.
That was at the not-so-tender age of sixteen, after a disasterous Prom - the one time (that she knows about for sure) Shard has truly lost control of her powers - that one was in the papers, with a couple of people dead, and several injured.
What isn't known, is that her father disowned her more or less on the doorstep that very same night, leaving her to her own devices with nothing but the clothes on her back. Luckier than some, Shard managed to find someone willing and able to teach her control, or at least, discipline.

Most recently, Shard has found herself in the role of guardian and protector for two younger mutants, one of whom is in great demand for her powers, and it's because of her, and the other girl, Shard's younger sister, that Shard has come to Xavier at all. With their arrival, much of her responciblity for the pair has been removed.

Fears:
Failure, mice, closed spaces - and most especially, losing control.

Other:
Most of her discipline comes from spending four years being a student of practical martial arts, with a little tai-chi and Reiki to aid focus. She's no expert, but the foundations are laid, and she spends a lot of time practicing.

[kckolbe]

I am toying around with a couple of powersets, and would love to hear feedback. 

The first is the ability to phase out of the material world, similar to Kitty Pryde, only his is not instant.  For him to phase requires concentration and a couple of moments.  Once phased, he can travel to other places, I am thinking through the act of being summoned, with teammates being able to summon him.  He might have the ability to teleport to one "safe place" on his own, perhaps back to the mansion.  Pros: Makes an excellent scout/messenger  Cons: Horrible in combat

The second would be a character with the ability to drain the energy of those around him.  At least at first, he would not be able to turn it off, which means teammates would feel the signs of fatigue when around him, and possibly nod off (has some fun RP possibilities).  The energy drained would give him energy.  In time, he could learn to "turn it off" or maybe feed energy back.  Pros: Multiple RP possibilities, minor combat use  Cons: Could hinder teammates.

Was also thinking of force shields, but nothing overly developed.

[apygoos]

where inthe world was a character sheet posted?

[Photo]

@Apygoos. It's in the other thread which I disguised really well on accident! haha

here it is again. The Character sheet!!

@Kckolbe. If I were you, I would go with the first one. We can make you useful in battle, I bet. Also, we are the original x-men, replacing iceman, beast, cyclops, marvel girl, and arch angel.... I think arch angel was in the original five. ANYWAY! yeah. There is no school yet. We're advancing the timeline forward to 2013 instead of 1945. Erik Lensherr was likely not in a concentration camp, but we don't have to worry about that.

@Thorne. I like. I think all of that makes sense to me. It looks like you left one NPC connection open to make with another PC, am I right about that? Also, explain the empathy thing to me more. I don't get it.

@Aribeth
Wonderful! I think the only issue is that she's going to Xavier's school, which she wouldn't be. It's not a school yet. He would have found her psychically and recruited her. I can work on a better origin story if you want.

@Everyone else
feel free to post your character sheets here, PM them to me, or put them in the character thread. I'll let everyone know right now. I'm not gonna let everyone in. I don't want a huge game. And I'm going to pick the best writers/characters I see. No hard feelings all around. I wanted to say that now, so that when it comes up later, no one gets angry.

[kckolbe]

So what do you like about the first one over the second?

[AribethAmkiir]

Okay, so the school doesn't exist yet.  Sorry, I knew we were replacing the original five, but I still thought the school would exist with our characters becoming the first students.  More than happy to hear the alternate origin story you were thinking of.

[Thorne]

Hm. Explain the empathy thing ... I'll try.
It's a bit like wandering around with an open wi-fi receptor and no firewall - she picks up on the emotions (but not /thoughts/) of those around her, constantly. She's learned to maintain mental barriers - a firewall, to continue the metaphor - but it doesn't keep everything out. And she can't turn it off - nothing she's tried so far seems to work.

As for NPC connections - I'm not sure what (or who) you're referring to, exactly. ^^;

[chaoslord29]

I'm liking my original ideas less and less haha, and thinking that I'd like to play something a little more exotic, a little more original (I've used both those ideas in the past if not quite in the same context). I keep getting this image of a kind of ghoulish figure but I'm not quite certain what sort of mutant powers he would have beyond some cosmetic differences, namely, ivoy flesh, pearlescent eyes with amber irises and a kind of mane of quills instead of hair.

I'm thinking he'd be called Wight, but beyond that I'm just not sure . . . there's a story behind his appearance and a tragic side effect or drawback to his powers but I think I might need some help fleshing both out.

[kckolbe]

Thorne, her bio mentions two younger mutants dependent on her, sounds like both are female. 

Also, for my char, here is what I have for his mutant power

Can phase out, becoming invisible and able to pass through objects.  Phasing out takes a couple of minutes.  During this time he can travel normally, though unimpeded by terrain.  He can, during this time, be summoned by those (the method of his summoning to be determined)

His summoning might require a power word, an item, or both.  I'd like for other player characters, or at least one PC as well as Xavier, to be able to summon him if needed.

[Thorne]

Yah, but is that what Photo was referring to? Or something else in Shard's background?
And do I need to flesh either of them out a little more, or ...?

Kckolbe: Hm. A power word, an item... like, say, something of his?
The D&D gamer in me says 'True name! True Name!' but that could get inconvenient.. ^.~

[AribethAmkiir]

@ KC: Power words don't seem to fit, in my opinion, for a mutant.  A suggestion instead of a power word would be a "psychic" link or mental attachment that allows certain individuals to summon him.  Also, I realize that you're not wanting him to be very good at combat, but a couple minutes for him to "phase out" is extremely long.  Even 60 seconds is an extremely long time.  I would suggest shortening it to a few seconds.  Anything over two seconds is still a long time in the midst of combat yet it makes it more useful and appropriate for a member of a para-military group that was formed to combat and safeguard mutants.

@chaos: I'd be happy to help if you're wanting it.

[kckolbe]

I can shorten his phasing process.  I just wanted it to be inconvenient, something that he couldn't just up and do in combat, since that would make him as strong as Kitty. 

[chaoslord29]

@chaos: I'd be happy to help if you're wanting it.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me. I was kind of working on the idea that Wight would be approaching something closet to physical invulnerability, but that also makes him nigh insensitive to any other sort of feeling. The last thing I want though is for him to wind up a Wolverine clone though . . .

[AribethAmkiir]

I can shorten his phasing process.  I just wanted it to be inconvenient, something that he couldn't just up and do in combat, since that would make him as strong as Kitty.

Well, considering Kitty isn't remotely the most powerful X-Man, is that really an issue?  She's kind of at the bottom of the power scale, if I recall correctly. 

[Cold Heritage]

Sure, she couldn't lift gold bullion with "magnetism" powers or casually throw down with the Silver Surfer, but her phasing made her basically invincible and being able to take people with her made her able to kill pretty much anyone short of the Juggernaut when she'd phase them back into solid matter (and it's not that she couldn't phase Juggernaut, he just would be dead from being phased back inside concrete). Then there's the weird stuff that Claremont got up to her because she was his favorite. He gave her ninja powers that let her kick Wolverine's ass when she was like, 14. X-Men powers be crazy, y'all.

But the point really to take to heart is that taking a few minutes to phase is impractical. Like, to the point where you may as well not have powers, or you may as well not have that particular limitation because it's so impractical that you'll circumvent it by pre-phasing before going into a situation where you'd want to be phased.

[AribethAmkiir]

Sure, she couldn't lift gold bullion with "magnetism" powers or casually throw down with the Silver Surfer, but her phasing made her basically invincible and being able to take people with her made her able to kill pretty much anyone short of the Juggernaut when she'd phase them back into solid matter (and it's not that she couldn't phase Juggernaut, he just would be dead from being phased back inside concrete). Then there's the weird stuff that Claremont got up to her because she was his favorite. He gave her ninja powers that let her kick Wolverine's ass when she was like, 14. X-Men powers be crazy, y'all.

But the point really to take to heart is that taking a few minutes to phase is impractical. Like, to the point where you may as well not have powers, or you may as well not have that particular limitation because it's so impractical that you'll circumvent it by pre-phasing before going into a situation where you'd want to be phased.

Actually, Kitty's powers only worked for as long as she could hold her breath, initially.  There's a number of scenes in both cartoons and comics where she runs smack into a wall due to becoming tangible at a bad time.  Sure, Claremont gave her ninja training, but few writers after Claremont explored those abilities.  (And that's not really a power).  As far as killing anyone she wanted, that's very true.  I just don't think of being able to kill people as a measurement of power for a hero.

[Cold Heritage]

Yeah, writers after Claremont made her into an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and gave her super-spy training. I don't know what Whedon got up to with her, but I suspect he Buffy-ized her some. I'd put cash money on it.

. . . I can't think of an original power. Infinite despair.

[kckolbe]

A lot of the X-Men had their powers increased over the years.  Regarding Wolverine, it wasn't just his invulnerability.  He also could cut through anything, and was the most skilled fighter of them all.  He was Marvel's Gary Stu.

For Wight, a character that has certain resistances makes sense (except a weakness to fire), and maybe the ability to drain life.  I just looked to wikipedia for ideas.

As for my character, when I said I didn't want him to be as strong as Kitty, what I meant was that I didn't want him to have Kitty's full power because he could also do something else (be summoned).  Five seconds seems about right, I suppose.  Long enough to where he has to get back somewhere safe first, but could still be able to phase in, knock someone down and grab something, then run into a room and hide under a table while phasing back out. 

A psychic link is a possibility.  Maybe Thorne could learn to summon him with her powers (though he would have to be close, so probably not something that would help in normal situations).  The reason I was thinking of an item or specific phrase is that I wanted to leave it possible for an enemy to be able to summon him.

[AribethAmkiir]

Summoning works great for non-mutants, in my opinion, but why would evolution or someone's genetic structure give them the ability to be summoned by random individuals?  Also, 5 seconds is still a long time, though more useful.  If you think about an end of a basketball game, 5 seconds can be an eternity.  Heck, they have 10 seconds to get past half court and that can be a long time.  Frame it into track and field, and your non-Olympic sprinters run 50 meters in roughly 5 seconds. 

Also, Thorne isn't psychic she's an empath.  She could definitely affect your character's emotions to the point of creating a special attachment but actually implanting the suggestion or anything telepathic would be outside her scope, Thorne correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, I touched on it slightly before but you should remember that the X-Men are a paramilitary group created for the soul reason to fight threats against human and mutantkind.  That's why they're some of the most powerful mutants around and why they have things like the Danger Room.  Add that Xavier is a humanitarian and I don't really see him recruiting someone who is going to send someone with a huge disadvantage in combat to fight the likes of Magneto, Sentinels, or whatever else Photo has in store.

[Thorne]

 [quote author=AribethAmkiir link=topic=168427.msg7910399#msg7910399 date=1363698763
Also, Thorne isn't psychic she's an empath.  She could definitely affect your character's emotions to the point of creating a special attachment but actually implanting the suggestion or anything telepathic would be outside her scope, Thorne correct me if I'm wrong.[/quote]

You're half right. Shard can't use her empathy to directly influence someone's emotional state though - that would require her to be able to project, which (at least at the moment) she can't do. She can talk to people, and listen, but that's not a mutant power. ^^;
Shard could summon him with a cellphone. Didn't one of the series have a connect to Tony Stark, and thus have access to an assortment of whacky tech (Nightcrawler's hologram watch?) that wasn't otherwise explained? I seem to remember a certain amount of WTF from the original series on just where all that stuff came from. A later one offered an explaination. >.>

As for original powers... um. Anyone ever see a mutant with a healing ability that worked on someone else? I could see that turned around in a couple of ways, for a mutant still learning control over his abilities.

[kckolbe]

Summoning works great for non-mutants, in my opinion, but why would evolution or someone's genetic structure give them the ability to be summoned by random individuals?  Also, 5 seconds is still a long time, though more useful.  If you think about an end of a basketball game, 5 seconds can be an eternity.  Heck, they have 10 seconds to get past half court and that can be a long time.  Frame it into track and field, and your non-Olympic sprinters run 50 meters in roughly 5 seconds. 

Also, I touched on it slightly before but you should remember that the X-Men are a paramilitary group created for the soul reason to fight threats against human and mutantkind.  That's why they're some of the most powerful mutants around and why they have things like the Danger Room.  Add that Xavier is a humanitarian and I don't really see him recruiting someone who is going to send someone with a huge disadvantage in combat to fight the likes of Magneto, Sentinels, or whatever else Photo has in store.

Admittedly, this character does sound more magical than mutant.  I knew he wasn't very combat effective, but figured the utility of a scout would make up for it.  I wasn't set on his powers, and had listed one other option (energy drain), but Photo seemed to like the phasing one better, so maybe he'll have some ideas on how to make it useful. 

[Photo]

oh man, lots to say.... so much that doesn't really need to be said though.

@kckolbe
make him in the image of a messenger god, rather than a delivery boy.

Give him superspeed, or something. I would say wings, but we don't want too many characters with wings flying around. Maybe just add one thing. The summoning isn't that difficult to understand. I think it would be neat if he had a latent psychic power that hasn't completely manifested yet. So, we all know he can phase out with a five second warm up. Then, anyone can summon him, I would suggest just by will. There shouldn't need to be a pass-phrase or an object. If some one wants him, they have him kind of thing. He can't help but phase to them.

Have that flawed power and add one that's functional like superspeed, or psychic flight. Cause if he can phase shift, he should be able to fly. :)

@Thorne

Yah, I was talking about those two youngsters that your character is guarding. They seem to be an opening for other people to fit into your character's background

@Aribeth
As far as I know, Xavier didn't always have a school running, first he aquired the x-men task force, and used storm, cyclops, and beast to train everyone in the danger room. I may be mistaken and brainwashed by the movies at this point. I just feel like we should start as adults and train the kids.

@Cold Heritage
Original powers are so hard to think of. I've been trying to build one character for the LARGE group x-men game that E has, and it's taken me a whole week. I was almost finished twice, but my session kept timing out.

[Thorne]

Ah.
I've actually never really had good luck with linking character backgrounds, but if someone wanted to pick up one or the other, I can share the basics..?

I never really figured out what Shard's sister can do, so Rachel's an open book, from that perspective. I'm also not wholly certain what she looks like, other than 'resembles Shard'.

Alice... sees the future and gives prophecies in riddle-form, and is frequently referred to as the Oracle. If there's a canon character that can do that, I don't follow that closely, so am not aware of them. Her prophecies don't make sense until they happen, and she doesn't generally remember giving them. More generally, she 'sees truth in the souls of men' - which you could interpret all kinds of ways. Alice is fragile, blonde and ethereally pretty.

[kckolbe]

Alice seems like she'd be a good NPC, both for the prohecies and so Photo plays a fragile, ethereally pretty blond.

I kinda like the latent psychic idea.  Maybe when he is phased he can "feel" if he is wanted/needed somewhere.  Thorne could help develop this through her empathic abilities if she is near him as he is summoned.  I could give him increased speed/agility, not near the level of Flash or anything like that, but along the lines of Beast.  And while he might not be able to fly, he might be able to run through the air, so he can at least go wherever needed.  That should put him at about a 3 power level, where he was at a 2.

[AribethAmkiir]

I think I should've tossed this up earlier.  It might be helpful.  http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Superpower_Wiki

@Thorne:  Not sure if Elixir is what you're talking about.  Also, in current stories, Angel's blood has healing properties.  I've played a few characters that give their own "life energy" to someone else, in essence adopting another person's wounds and giving their own health to the person.  Talk about a flawed power.

Also you have Destiny who is a precog and a companion to Mystique. 

@Photo: Storm wasn't introduced as an X-Man until "Giant X-Men" v. 1 in 1975.  Warren, Scott, Bobby, and Hank were all students of Xavier's before becoming X-Men.  Jean was the last to join and while they weren't together for an extremely long time they had enough time to train and develop some mastery over their abilities before going up against Magneto.   Of course, this is an Alternate Universe and your game.  If you want everyone to enter as an adult then that's what we'll do.  I just didn't get that impression, sorry.

Along those lines, what Super-powered Teams are around where our characters might gain enough experience to train "kids"?  Also, is Xavier not collecting mutants to train with the plan of creating the X-Men?

[Photo]

sorry. I must be watching too much of the cartoon. The original x-men in Stan Lee's books were Iceman, fucking....Cyclops, Marvel girl, Arch Angel, and Beast. Proffesor X proceeds to train them and teach them to use their abilities, but back then, I don't think it was ever like a school. I feel like it was just one man, giving very unique people very very constructive forms of therapy.

I want to stress that it's not really my game. I just want to kill some sentinels alongside an entire team of original x-men. After that, it's all up to everyone else. We can even make it a training program in the danger room like the beginning of the film, "X-3: The last stand"

[Photo]

Or not...

Is anyone still interested in this. I'm accepting all applications.

Meanwhile. I'm creating my character in the other thread, still located here: CHARACTERS

[apygoos]

I'm still interested, just cant decide on what kind of character I wanna put in this.

[Oldknight]

I am game with the edited character I sent you.

[AribethAmkiir]

Don't know what's going on with this, but I'm still interested.

If you're looking for a GM Photo you might want to advertise that.  I unfortunately don't have the time to do it, though I'm happy to contribute and brainstorm when needed.

[Photo]

I've just seen more interest than CS's, I'd like to see some more x-men before I decide who I want to write with. My character is almost done. I will be GMing, I'm just being unjustly picky with this game.

[Antipaladin of Calista]

I've just seen more interest than CS's, I'd like to see some more x-men before I decide who I want to write with. My character is almost done. I will be GMing, I'm just being unjustly picky with this game.

You have every right to be picky. I saw this and fell in love with the idea. I'll have a sheet messaged to you asap as well as in the thread.

[Photo]

OFFICIAL DECLARATION

Ladies, Gents, Leiges, Abound. If I seem distant after one(s) character creation it's likely because I wasn't happy with the character that was presented to me. I will come out with expression, I'm only going to pick four-five people to play. That makes five original X-men the star roles, add Xavier. Everything else will be built around that. This is only stage one. My GMing will kick into full gear once the players are decided. Check my GM signature to see how that looks, it would be wise of one to know my style of management before s/he decides to dedicate h/er time to building a world with me. With that being said, I'll defend myself: I place the concerns of my players above everything else.

Now, understand that if I don't like a character, it has nothing to do with the essence of that character. With the nature of the RP, it's strictly the quality of the power, and the originality. I want to stress original powers, which is borderline impossible. And, I understand that, there's an innate challenge that comes with this game. I had to think of my character for two weeks, and it ended up coming to me in a vague dream that I barely remembered, in a cold sweat at seven in the morning. I dislike playing males. This is huge for me.

So, the Character thread should now contain "Keeper", my addition to Xavier's team. It was a bit rambuctious of me to run with such a basic character sheet. It has it's flaws, and I think everyone's character creation suffered due to this mistake, which is fully on me. I built the CS poorly. Now, there's an example in the character thread. My character. Hopefully that should clear things up.

I haven't opened an OOC thread yet. This is it for now.

Look for a neat little update to the first post of this thread. It should make things easier now. I'll also do a Sample character sheet, using Xavier, and plagiarize like crazy for time efficiency. (I don't want to rewrite Xavier's past when it's on four or five hundred different web pages.) This will allow everyone to look at a REAL character, as mine likely has enough flaws to find Marvel's cutting room floor. Claremont hated American characters. :)

OK! Back from work, off to GM stuff and stuff.

[TheBlackThrone]

I'm interested. I'll send you a profile for an OC as soon as I can. You don't have to worry with me. If my character doesn't make the cut just openly let me know. I won't fuss, but simply move on with my life. After all, it's just a game.  :-)

[Thorne]

I'm still interested, but I'm not sure how to interpret 'distant'. I much prefer to be told up front if there is a problem, and what that problem is. I can't fix something, if I don't know what it is, after all. ^_^

That having been said, I'll take a look at the sheet, and see what needs to be done with mine to clear up inconsistencies. If you have any specific questions, by all means, PM me - I'm happy to talk about the character.

[AribethAmkiir]

Still very interested in this game and I'm happy to work on her back story to make it mesh better with your vision for the game's world.

Happy to see this move forward.

[TheBlackThrone]

I worked on it  as much as I could tonight. All I have left is my character's history and I will send the CS as soon as I finish it. The next two days are going to be busy for me, so if I don't get it to you between those days, I'll get it to you Friday.  :-) If you would like to get the rough draft (unfinished since the important information is already filled out), let me know.

[Photo]

@EVERYONE

welcome (again), read the first post of this thread and get in while I'm still accepting applications. Something was mentioned by Aribethamkiir. The x-men are supposed to be powerful.

Cyclops could destroy mountains-
Arch Angel's blood could heal people, and his wings were metal-
Beast was like five hundred pounds and smarter than EVERYONE on the planet-
Iceman was like the silver surfer, but he could do more-
&
MarvelGirl was like all of them, combined-

Storm controlled the Earth's weather
Gambit blew up walls with playing cards
Rogue killed people when she touched them
&
Charlie was like....God

What am I trying to say? Don't be afraid to make some one with enormous power, but think about the RP factor, all of those people would be fun to play, partly because their interesting, the other part is because their powers don't revolve around other people. Iceman freezes stuff, he doesn't freeze people's thoughts. Gambit stores kinetic energy, he doesn't steal it from other people. I feel like this line of thought will help everyone.

[apygoos]

now when you say mutation and effective power, it is kinda like potential vs application?

[chaoslord29]

Still interested as well! I'm wondering though since I never heard back about my original character submission haha.

I've actually prepared a few other ideas, not quite similar, but stressing the originality and power I think you're looking for.

[MasterOfMyFate]

If I decide to join this, do I just put my character sheet on here or do I send it to someone for a check up?

[AribethAmkiir]

I think you can do whichever you're more comfortable with, MasterOfMyFate.   Some have posted their character submissions here and others have sent Photo their submissions via PM.

[apygoos]

I dont know what powers i want to go with >.<

[chaoslord29]

I dont know what powers i want to go with >.<

The man did say he wanted original, and originality is difficult in a setting where their are more mutants than you can shake a stick at haha.

[Photo]

We'll probably still exist within the marvel universe, it's just that mutations start to happen now, in 2013, not in the early 40's and before like they had in the comics.

So, Ironman does exist, and Spiderman, and all of that.

Sending me as many characters as you can wouldn't hurt. We could pick and choose, or end up using all of them as x-men.

We also still have antagonists to figure out. No one has elected to play magneto and the rest of the "Evil" mutants.

[chaoslord29]

Well, here's my second submission, rather more in favor of him now:

Name: Corwin ‘Corey’ Reynolds, Seraph

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Race: Human, Mutant, American



Mutation: Corwin’s body generates a unique form of energy field, the particles of which most readily manifest themselves as contiguous ‘hard’ energy constructs. Essentially, the energy behaves more or less like matter, conforming to similar laws of conservation and force, but can be manipulated by Corey consciously and subconsciously at will. This includes retaining cohesion with itself and Corey, meaning that he cannot ‘emit’ the energy at any sort of distance from his body. Presently, Corey’s body generates, roughly thirty cubic feet worth of energy, which Corey can’t generally turn ‘off’ except under conditions of exhaustion. Generally it reflects a shade of golden orange light, but with concentration, Corwin can cause it to reflect most colors in the visual spectrum.

Effective Power: A level 4 mutant, Corwin’s energy manipulation offers him a wide array of abilities, depending on how much he concentrates on the refinement of his abilities. The energy projections mirror Simple shapes require little to no effort or concentration on his part, but the more complex the shape, the more he must focus on ‘crafting’ it. With practice and familiarity with any given shape or form however, comes the potential to create it intuitively (such is the case with his ‘costume’ and select other offensive and defensive tools at his disposal). The energy mirrors the molecular structure of any matter Corey seeks to emulate, so it can be rigid, crystalline, elastic, malleable, or any variation thereof (liquid and gaseous forms yet escape him given their propensity to disperse). Again though, the more complex the arrangement, the more Corwin must focus, so simple rigid forms or fibers come most readily to him.

Generally, Corwin uses his power to form simple constructs like blades or bludgeons or shields and other implements, emulating the molecular structure of a hard ceramics or metals to great effect. Since the constructs obey his will, they are effectively weightless to Corey, and thus he can use them to great effect in combat against foes, reshaping them as need suits him.

It is possible for Corey, through supreme effort of will, to force his constructs back into a more natural state of energy. Doing so however means relinquishing his conscious control over the field, and given the matter to energy conversion ratio, the result tends to be a massive uncontrolled release of raw energy (an explosion). It is conceivable that Corey could create a construct capable of directing said energy at the same time he released it, resulting in a channeled energy blast or effect, but thus far it remains beyond his abilities.

Physical Description: Corey stands just high enough to be considered tall, with auburn thick auburn curls and bright green eyes that give him a very open and outgoing countenance.  Trim and with broad shoulders and an agile bearing, everything about Corey speaks to an understated strength and athleticism.

Personality/Clothing style: Corwin strives towards the sort of polite, subtle enthusiasm and cordiality that conjures to mind a particular sort of old-world gentry. He is an excellent listener and mediator, giving every indication of a most impartial and devoted individual to the idea of human/mutant relations. Corwin is rarely found in dress without a collar: polos, dress shirts, or the jersey of whatever sport currently holds his attention (depending on what’s in season), are coupled with slacks and loafers and tennis shoes.

Emotional Type/"Yellow-Blue" Leotard Description: “In-Uniform” strikes an entirely different character. As a citizen, he believes in civility and moderation, but when diplomacy fails, his underlying ire and furor boil over into a nigh zealotry in defense of his fellow mutants.  Wearing a form fitting royal blue leotard, his own power provides the yellow contrast in the form of padding and armor which Corwin varies to suit his needs. Clad in glowing armor and wielding weapons seemingly made of light, Corwin exemplifies his vengeful namesake.

Relevant History: Born the scion and oldest son of an old money blue blooded Boston family, Corey was anything but the humble, understated man of mediation while growing up. He grew up wanting for nothing; spoiled, but only so long as he maintained the pinnacle of performance in sports and school and social activities, he was a veritable prince all through adolescence. Which is why it came as such a shock to his equally proud and vain parents when they learned their son had been struggling to suppress latent mutant abilities. Corwin’s powers first developed as a purely subconscious ability to direct his energy field,  minute extension of his imagination which he managed to keep subdued, hiding it with smaller constructs only a few grams in mass. When his power began to develop in earnest however ballooning into larger and less manageable forms, he became forced to seek help. Attempting to keep his inquiries quiet, he discovered Xavier’s institute, but in attempting to convince his parents to send him there, he became frustrated, belligerent even as his parents insisted he attend ‘only the best’, obstinate in their concerns regarding certain rumors surrounding the institute. In a fury, Corey’s powers manifested before his parents and sibling’s eyes, glowing constructs which could no longer be hidden beneath clothes or as mundane objects.

Corwin got his wish in being able to attend Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, the parents setting up a not inconsiderable trust with the school before sending him away, and cutting all other ties. Initially embittered, he sought means to suppress or ‘cure’ his powers, but his efforts only lead to further and further frustration.  It was Professor X himself who found the outlet for Corey’s frustration and the means by which to truly learn to control and develop his unique abilities: Sports. The same activities to which he had aspired as a ‘normal’ child proved most effective, as he learned to relate to his fellow mutants through competition and games, taking the lead on every sport the institute offered, slowly but surely developing his abilities towards whatever equipment the game at hand called for. Learning to win and lose with grace was a hard lesson for Corey, but one he took dearly to heart, and influences him even now as he still views the world in terms of ‘on’ and ‘off’ the court.

Fears: Corwin seldom lets his fears show through, and has developed a reputation for unflappability, but deep down he is still very much afraid of what others think of him as a mutant, and that despite all his efforts he may never change their minds.

[RainbowRian]

Im interested in this.  You want all original characters yes?