Post by vexnal on Feb 17, 2016 17:43:58 GMT
Marvel Universe RPG, printed in 2003 (the one with Spider Man on the cover) requires no dice and is easy to play. Most importantly, while the character creation system contains most of the powers and abilities we're familiar with, and has statistics for many of the notable Marvel heroes and villains, it allows you to create completely unique powers in a balanced and concise format. Perhaps more on that as we go on?
This is the world of the Fantastic Four. Of super-geniuses like Hank Pym and Reed Richards. Everything from mutants to mutates, powered armor and super soldiers. And in this world, there was a man made of shadow. 'Mastery of Elements' is one of the most potent and flexabile things you can buy for your character with your starting points. You pick your element, and then decide how far you want to go with it. Masters are always finding new things to do with their powers. Ranged damage, flight, transformation, create/manipulate, etc.
Episode 1 - "The Train Job"
...a man and a woman are in the dining car. He is blond and in a suit, with very dark sunglasses. She's also blond, with a preternaturally long mane of hair. Her suit is white, blue shirt, black tie. They appear to be playing chess, but only in passing. They're having one last fight, both smiling, everything normal except for the irrational movement of the pieces. They've been fighting for a long time...
The train is on its way to New York, and the PCs are on-board. Most have received an invitation, from the man, after having come to his attention as people of 'promise'. He's constantly running out of adventurers to help him run is group, the Exordium Organization, and is always on the prowl for fresh talent. Ostensibly, they're the good guys. Realistically, from the half-dozen times I've run this game, Allistar Ramsey is as morally gray as they come.
The train is carrying some last-minute cargo. A box wired up to uninterrupable power supplies, stored in the last car, guarded by armed soldiers and secret-service types. It contains 'Mister Shadow', captured at last, and Allistar wants him to stay that way. His chess partner, Morgan Trent, the girl with the hair, wants to let him out. He's big, he's bad, and they all used to roll together. They all got their powers from the same guy, during heady days of youth. Allistar can command the minds and bodies of those around him, if he meets their gaze - but he had to give up one of his eyes. Mr. Shadow can turn blackness into a weapon, travel through it, send others, even look through it to other places - but he had to give up his physical form. Morgan's hair is a living weapon, but it is unclear what she had to give up.
As the train climbs a certain hill, it stops. The tracks have been lubricated with an experimental frictionless compound called Frost Oil. Sometimes characters board the train with knowledge of the theft, depending on their underworld accumen, from All-Chem-Industries (AlChemI). There's a mutant with the ability to control surface tension, ready to draw the oil back into a series of barrels. While the train is stalled, the rest of the crew hops on board. They try to place a modest atomic device in the front of the train. Meanwhile, Morgan (hair-girl) cuts the last car free. Succumbing to gravity, it rolls downhill. The train is released, taking it's dirty bomb to NYC.
Nine out of ten times, the party concentrates its effort on stopping the bomb. Commendable. But it also means that Mr. Shadow can be rescued. He'll rebuild his organization, and the party will join Exordium to stop him. But this time... slam dunk. Shadow stays caught, the bomb is diffused. It's either run his 'group' without him, or go in another direction. Hence, my smart-cars. I can eat up four or five game sessions tracking those things down. If they'll serve the party, good. They'll make great vehicles. If they're a menace, then destroying them will be fun too.
Also, I have three highway-themed games planned.
This is the world of the Fantastic Four. Of super-geniuses like Hank Pym and Reed Richards. Everything from mutants to mutates, powered armor and super soldiers. And in this world, there was a man made of shadow. 'Mastery of Elements' is one of the most potent and flexabile things you can buy for your character with your starting points. You pick your element, and then decide how far you want to go with it. Masters are always finding new things to do with their powers. Ranged damage, flight, transformation, create/manipulate, etc.
Episode 1 - "The Train Job"
...a man and a woman are in the dining car. He is blond and in a suit, with very dark sunglasses. She's also blond, with a preternaturally long mane of hair. Her suit is white, blue shirt, black tie. They appear to be playing chess, but only in passing. They're having one last fight, both smiling, everything normal except for the irrational movement of the pieces. They've been fighting for a long time...
The train is on its way to New York, and the PCs are on-board. Most have received an invitation, from the man, after having come to his attention as people of 'promise'. He's constantly running out of adventurers to help him run is group, the Exordium Organization, and is always on the prowl for fresh talent. Ostensibly, they're the good guys. Realistically, from the half-dozen times I've run this game, Allistar Ramsey is as morally gray as they come.
The train is carrying some last-minute cargo. A box wired up to uninterrupable power supplies, stored in the last car, guarded by armed soldiers and secret-service types. It contains 'Mister Shadow', captured at last, and Allistar wants him to stay that way. His chess partner, Morgan Trent, the girl with the hair, wants to let him out. He's big, he's bad, and they all used to roll together. They all got their powers from the same guy, during heady days of youth. Allistar can command the minds and bodies of those around him, if he meets their gaze - but he had to give up one of his eyes. Mr. Shadow can turn blackness into a weapon, travel through it, send others, even look through it to other places - but he had to give up his physical form. Morgan's hair is a living weapon, but it is unclear what she had to give up.
As the train climbs a certain hill, it stops. The tracks have been lubricated with an experimental frictionless compound called Frost Oil. Sometimes characters board the train with knowledge of the theft, depending on their underworld accumen, from All-Chem-Industries (AlChemI). There's a mutant with the ability to control surface tension, ready to draw the oil back into a series of barrels. While the train is stalled, the rest of the crew hops on board. They try to place a modest atomic device in the front of the train. Meanwhile, Morgan (hair-girl) cuts the last car free. Succumbing to gravity, it rolls downhill. The train is released, taking it's dirty bomb to NYC.
Nine out of ten times, the party concentrates its effort on stopping the bomb. Commendable. But it also means that Mr. Shadow can be rescued. He'll rebuild his organization, and the party will join Exordium to stop him. But this time... slam dunk. Shadow stays caught, the bomb is diffused. It's either run his 'group' without him, or go in another direction. Hence, my smart-cars. I can eat up four or five game sessions tracking those things down. If they'll serve the party, good. They'll make great vehicles. If they're a menace, then destroying them will be fun too.
Also, I have three highway-themed games planned.