Champions Interest Check (all OC Superheroes campaign)

[Empyrean]

Hello.

I've recently been reading up on the HERO system and it's superhero game, Champions. I was wondering if anyone else might have an interest in playing and GMing. The only idea I'd had so far was that the PCs would be the first superhumans emerging in the modern day, so they'd have license to establish themselves as heroes, villains, or whatever they wanted without generations of expected super behavior behind them. Sound interesting?

[Yukina]

I'd love to play champions! :)

[Empyrean]

So would I! :) I don't understand the system well enough to say that I'd be a good GM though.

[Yukina]

Same here. I'm better at playing this game than GMing it.

[Empyrean]

What level of power would players consider appropriate? I was thinking either Standard (400 point) characters or possibly somewhat higher, depending on what people were comfortable with.

[Jefepato]

I've got Champions Complete sitting around and haven't done much with it, so I could be interested.

Standard power level is probably good if no one has a better idea.

[Yukina]

Standard seems fine.

[Empyrean]

Standard then.

Jefepato: Would you be interested in GMing? I could try if no one else is interested, but this is my first time with the system.

[Jefepato]

I'm sorry, I don't have much experience either.  I don't really feel comfortable GMing without a better handle on the system, and this one is pretty complex.

[Empyrean]

Hm. Okay then. Well, if we don't get anyone else interested in GMing I can try then.

[Eobelle]

saying "Hero is complex" is like saying "there may have been a few people killed during the Great War".  ;D

Another issue is that someone with a very high level of competence with the system can make a character WAAAAAAY more powerful than someone who is new and takes everything at face value.  It also tends to favor one trick ponies over well thought out characters.

that being said, it is a good system.  Dunno if I would want to play in one, really don't want to gm one... but my interest is piqued.

[Empyrean]

In your experience, what are the best ways to avoid these problems?

[apygoos]

would this mean to imply then that nothing really exist then in terms of things like PRIMUS, UNTIL, etc? Champions thrives on the idea that there have been heroes for quite some time. would this be champions universe based? or the full on system?

[Empyrean]

The idea I had was that the PCs would be the first generation of supers, and thus things like UNTIL and PRIMUS would come about because of their actions. I'd be willing to change it to the full Champions Universe if that's what the players wanted.

[Yukina]

I like your idea of the first generation, Empyrean. It'd be cool to have our action lead to future events. :)

[Empyrean]

:)

As far as the reason why they're appearing now, I was thinking that the organization known as DEMON exists here, as does the Trismegistus Council. In late 2012 DEMON attempted a ritual designed in conjunction with the end of the Mayan calendar to grant them superhuman powers. The Council interfered and barely managed to stop the ritual, but it increased the amount of magic in the world tremendously. And, like in the Champions Universe, increased amounts of magic enabled things like comics-style mutation and super mages to become more prevalent and active. The first generation supers would be emerging just now, a little under a year after the failed ritual.

Also, the other idea is that the PC don't have to be heroes. They're men and women who've been granted a great deal of power very suddenly so they can do just about anything. Hero, villain, something else. Just with the idea that their actions will help shape the world going forth, for good or ill.

[Yukina]

I love the second option where they aren't all heroes. It'd be fun to watch them use their powers for what they thought was right.

[MasterMischief]

I have run Hero 4th & 5th extensively for years.  I have not played 6th, but I have most of the books.  I have been toying with a super hero campaign which I was originally planning to do in Mutants & Masterminds, but I think Hero would work equally well.  It would be a little unorthodox though.

The characters would start as normal high school students in a small Texas town.  Then there would be a shared origin event where they would gain powers.

I would want to really focus on the character's lives and how they interact with the people around them and struggle with these new found powers and much less on combat.  I would want the characters to hide their new abilities.  I do not want to be heavy handed and say everyone has to have this reason to hide their abilities, but I would provide one for those who do not want to come up with their own.  The reason I want the players to keep their abilities hidden is to keep the campaign from turning into 'look I have superpowers and now I am taking over the world!'

Something else I wanted to try with this campaign is that the players get free reign to make their 'normal' high school character, but I choose the powers they gain after the event.  This may be challenging for some, but it will allow me to ensure the characters are better balanced.

So if you are interested in this, I would throw my hat in for GMing.

[Yukina]

Those ideas sound great. :)

[Empyrean]

The ideas sound good. :)

My only hesitation is about the part where you choose our powers for us. Other than that, it sounds interesting.

[Empyrean]

Poke. :)

[MasterMischief]

I have thought more about my proposal and I would rather run it in M&M.  I am sorry if I got anyone's hopes up.  Champions/Hero is a great system.  I am just not sure it is for me anymore.

[Empyrean]

Okay. Well thanks for your interest. It looks like we'll have to either find another GM or I'll do it, regardless of my lack of experience with the system.

[Jefepato]

I have thought more about my proposal and I would rather run it in M&M.  I am sorry if I got anyone's hopes up.  Champions/Hero is a great system.  I am just not sure it is for me anymore.

I'm a bit tired but, let me know if you have plans.  I like M&M as well.

[Marie Reynolds]

I would be interested in jumping on board though ill be a champions rookie.