Showing posts with label Marvel Heroic Roleplaying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marvel Heroic Roleplaying. Show all posts

Monday, May 13, 2013

Marvel Hero-brew: New Suit Milestone

A few weeks back, we played the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game and I took the role of the Suit, master of the old Atlantean magiks (spelled with a 'k' because that means it's old). During play, I barely managed to earn a single experience point. Ergo, I have created a new Milestone to fit the character so that he can grow faster than the snail's pace. This will take the place of the In Sheep's Clothing milestone until the time comes for the Suit to begin to open up to his allies and the world.

Reluctant Savior of Humanity
"These apes are like children. They need guidance, protection, and parenting. Unfortunately, I'm the only one that can do it."
1XP...when you go out of your way to protect an innocent human.
3XP...when you gain stress up to d10 while protecting an innocent human.
10XP...when you no longer reluctantly protect those who need it, or when you give up on the apes forever.

This milestone was created for use in the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game by Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Marvel Hero-brew: The Suit


This character exists in a universe wherein the Atlanteans and the Mu Empire wiped each other out in our prehistory. The two cultures had similar themes of mixing magic with technology and used those abilities to sink each other into their respective oceans.

D'Rin Tarengal was a young Atlantean nobleman learning to become an arcane-technician when the Cataclysm began. He was placed in cryostasis...and awoke in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in the modern age, grasping to the lid of the stasis chamber to remain afloat. He would later discover that an underwater earthquake was recorded in the area at that same time, possibly shaking his stasis chamber loose from the remains of his civilization.

D'Rin was rescued by a fishing boat and was led back to the United States to make a new life for himself. Without any record, a limited knowledge of English that he quickly learned on the fishing boat, and his claim of "memory loss", he was declared a John Doe and began a new life in America.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

An End of an Era

Every week for over a year, with a few exceptions, I wrote Weekly 4th Edition articles to entertain and provide the masses with fun options, equipment, and monsters for their 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons home games.

But, I fear, that time has come to something of an end. It has become increasingly difficult to find something to write about. I don't know if it's life happening or if I just lost my muse or if I'm falling into some kind of emotional trench, but I'm going to have to leave Weekly 4e where it is for now.

This doesn't mean I'm completely hanging up the homebrewing. Whenever inspiration hits enough to write an article, it will happen. The system doesn't matter. If you've been hanging around, you'll know that I've worked in 4th Edition, Dragon Age, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, and most recently the latest Dungeons and Dragons Next playtest. I'll even take requests. You can shoot me an e-mail at thatrobedguy@hotmail.com and you can also find me on Twitter as @brannonhutchins. I check my Twitter more often than my e-mail, just so you know.

Perhaps the updates will occur weekly again some time in the future. Who knows, maybe once the next edition of Dungeons and Dragons finally hits the shelves, the articles could come back in full swing. Until then, I'll see you around this crazy series of tubes.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Marvel Hero-brew: Hice


Robert Harrison was your ordinary, everyday genius. One day, when testing a new combustible fuel in a safe and remote location...he woke up. The combustion engine Robert had been using to test the new fuel was in ruins and it was several days later.

While trying to determine what went wrong, his temper grew. However, so did the flames now surrounding his body. He unintentionally started a forest fire, and in his panic, discovered that he could also put it out with another set of powers. Fire and ice were now at his fingertips, but Robert couldn't figure out how.

Extensive research quickly led Robert to understand that the chemical compound for his new combustible fuel had nothing to do with his transformation. With nothing left but to explore his new found powers, Robert joined his brother, Voltage, in stopping criminals like his favorite comic book heroes. This took precedence over his continued education and continues to function with nothing more than a High School Diploma, despite his high intellect.

He decided on the name Hice and continues to claim he couldn't think of anything better because all the good names are already taken or copy-written.

Hice, Robert "Rob" Harrison [Secret/Public]
Solo d6, Buddy d10, Team d8
Distinctions
Banner's Temper, Masters Grad Equivalent, Eldest Sibling
Power Sets
Genetic Inferno
Fire Blast d8, Fire Control d8, Subsonic Flight d8

SFX: Fiery Body- On a reaction against a physical stress attack action, inflict physical stress with your effect die at no PP cost or spend a PP to step it up by +1.
SFX: Flame Burst- Add a d6 and keep an additional effect die for each additional target.
SFX: Multipower- see OM91 for details.
SFX: Red Hot Rage- see Berserk on OM90
Limit: Conscious Activation- see OM93
Limit: Water Weakness- Shut down Genetic Inferno when hit with a water or ice attack action and gain 1 PP. Roll versus the doom pool or wait for a Transition scene to recover the power set.

Frozen Genome
Frozen Exoskeleton d8, Ice Control d8, Ice Spikes d8

SFX: Frozen Contructs- see Construct on OM90
SFX: Ice Cold Heart- see Berserk on OM90
Limit: Conscious Activation- see OM93
Limit: Melting- Shut down Frozen Genome when hit with a fire/heat based attack action and gain 1 PP. Roll versus the doom pool or wait for a Transition scene to recover the power set.
Limit: Mutually Exclusive- see OM93

Specialties
Science Expert d8, Tech Expert d8

Milestones
Brother's Keeper
Your brother, Voltage, is a source of much strength and annoyance to you. Mostly annoyance.
1XP ...when you compete with your brother, Voltage.
3XP ...when you have a heated argument with Voltage.
10XP ...when you split ways "forever" or reconcile your difference with Voltage.

Strange Origins
The nature of your powers has remained a mystery for years. Perhaps finally learning the truth will help you in your fight against the criminal element.
1XP ...when you discover a clue hinting to the origin of your powers.
3XP ...when someone admits to knowing something about your origins.
10XP ...when you finally discover the truth.

Designer Notes: Marty Sue? What are you talking about? I know nothing of what you are talking about!

In all seriousness, this character was HIGHLY a Marty Sue created back in my middle school days. I thought the dynamic of the two different elements in one hero was interesting. I was also toying around with the idea of being able to use the two power sets together, but I think I will save that for when the character has enough Experience (XP) to remove the Mutually Exclusive limit. Consider it something to strive for.

His "secret origin" is tied to alien experimentation with human genetics. Several elemental based heroes and villains around the world with similar mysterious origins are tied to Hice as sleeper agents to be activated once the invasion begins. The aliens did not anticipate the development of other super powered beings on Earth so that will, of course, be their downfall.

Hice was created for use in Marvel Heroic Roleplaying by Margaret Weis Productions LTD.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Marvel Hero-brew: Iron Golem

Isaac Irons was an ordinary eleven year old kid. He went to school, did his homework, played videogames, etc. Then, everything changed when his mutant powers were activated. All of the metal in a 25 yard radius, including those in the bodies of Isaac and the surrounding civilians, shot from their sources into the air and fell like metal needles. It was a grizzly sight, one that Isaac can still remember to this day.

Isaac found himself non-corporeal; a mutant without a body and practically a ghost. He tried to reach out for help, frightening those that could hear him. Isaac quickly learned to remain silent. With no body, the ability to phase through walls, and no need to eat as he used to know it, Isaac did the only thing he could do: learn. He spent time reading over shoulders and watching the interactions between people.

As time went on, Isaac learned that he could move small pieces of metal with his mind. He used a small penny to help in his continued reading without the need to look over the shoulders of others. Eventually, this ability grew, and so did the public's recognition of his presence. There was worry that someone was building robotic drones to scare the local population. In truth, it was Isaac trying to build the proper body for himself.

It had been five years since his genetic awakening, and he finally had a body again. Isaac settled on a street sign, poorly spray painted white, to represent his head and used coins to simulate facial expressions. Random chunks of metal were fused together to create floating gauntlets and boots. Forgoing his former life at first, Isaac used a new identity to those who came to him. Drawing upon his Jewish heritage, Isaac became the Iron Golem.

Iron Golem, Isaac Irons [Secret]
Solo d6, Buddy d8, Team d10
Distinctions
Ghost Teen, Small Voiced, Violent Awakening
Power Sets
Non-corporeal Magnet
Magnetic Control d8, Intangibility d12, Invisibilty d10

SFX: Area Attack- Add a d6 and keep an additional effect die for each additional target.
SFX: Invulnerable- Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma unless caused by mystical attacks.
SFX: Multipower- Use two or more Non-corporeal Magnet powers in a single dice pool at -1 step for each additional power.
Limit: Difficult Recovery- Add Intangibility die to the opposing roll when others try to recover your physical stress.
Limit: Moody- Earn 1 PP and step up emotional stress caused by doubt, guilt, or self-worth by +1.
Limit: Mutant- Earn 1 PP when affected by mutant-specific Milestones and tech.
Limit: Mutually Exclusive- Shutdown Non-corporeal Magnet to activate Golem Shell. Shutdown Golem Shell to activate Non-corporeal Magnet.

Golem Shell
Enhanced Strength d10, Superhuman Durability d10

SFX: Unleashed- Step up or double any Golem Shell power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to doom pool equal to the normal rating of your power die.
Limit: Incorporeal- Shutdown Golem Shell after taking physical stress or trauma. Convert the physical stress or trauma to emotional stress or trauma. Golem Shell cannot be reactivated until the emotional stress or trauma is recovered.

Specialties
Medical Expert, Science Expert, Tech Expert, Psych Master

Milestones
Socially Awkward
With five years of silence behind him, can Isaac overcome his problems with social interaction?
1XP ...when you say something that unintentionally causes the room to grow silent.
3XP ...when you manage to carry a conversation without stuttering or making people uncomfortable.
10XP ...when someone falls in love with you or when you give up on ever finding love.

Silent Learner
Having spent years as a silent observer, can Isaac now put what he has learned to good use?
1XP ...when you use a specialty outside of combat to help someone in need.
3XP ...when you are accused of spying on someone, and you did.
10XP ...when you use your ghost-like nature to accomplish a goal that immediately leads to the team succeeding or failing in the Event.

Designer Notes: I began creating this character using the random character generator pdf that is available on the Margaret Weis website. After realizing I was doing it wrong (my bad), I started over. I liked what the random generator had given me at that point, so I used it as a base. I knew what the character was, and how it would act in a comic book universe, so I used that knowledge to properly build the character. Iron Golem was the end result.

As a side note, when Irons enters combat he uses his magnetism to create his Golem Shell which has a strong primate resemblance akin to the Mega Man Yellow Demon. The eye is represented with a flashlight and the street sign used in his "civilian mode" becomes a chest plate.

Edit 7/13/12: Added "OR ___" to the 10XPs of each milestone. Subtractions and additions made to SFX and Limits of both power sets.
Edit 7/14/12: Upped the die step for Golem Shell's Strength trait.