Dr. Wonderful
I'm a writer
- Location
- Philadelphia
Hmm.
I'm still trying to get a feel for the world.
By your post it can be anything, Hell it can be champions.
What the power scale in this world? Are the people able to destroy entire cities, or run faster than light? Is it possible to be an unpowered hero and still save the day from a powered menace with the right resources?
I'm still trying to get a feel for the world.
By your post it can be anything, Hell it can be champions.
What the power scale in this world? Are the people able to destroy entire cities, or run faster than light? Is it possible to be an unpowered hero and still save the day from a powered menace with the right resources?
TPK
Hello, friend.
I'm still casting around trying to find a simple system to use, but the difference between street and city level supers is mainly one of effort and experience. National level supers are much rarer than city-level ones, perhaps at a 10:1 ratio, though the exact numbers vary. There are very few global scale heroes, and rather more villains. This is partially because being a villain grants faster and easier access to power.
Earth currently has no extra-solar heroes, and no known extra-planetary villains.
Running faster than light (localized physics warping) is a power that more than a few supers have. Whether that power makes them city, national, or planetary level depends on how it works, whether they can include other things in the FTL, and just how selective their ability to ignore that whole 'equal and opposite reactions' thing is.
Another factor in which 'level' of super you are is your ability to deter crime in your turf, your claimed area. A good example of this is in the Dresden Files. When Harry leaves Chicago all manner of evil things start moving in. They didn't before because they were scared of him. Batman is an example of an unpowered hero that fits in the city level, because he works his reputation. As a side note, super science counts as a power.
To more directly answer your question about unpowered heroes, the answer is sometimes. Sometimes an unpowered hero can go mano a mano with a powered one. This is easier or harder depending on the power in question. Cryo Lass would be easy, but Mister Untouchable would be flat out impossible. That said, there's nothing stopping an unpowered hero from calling on fellow heroes Laser-Gator, The Eternal Flame, and Cage once he's tracked Mister Untouchable back to his secret base and sabotaged the advance warning system.
- Location
- Tel'aran'rhiod
[X] Publically available data.
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Dr. Wonderful
I'm a writer
- Location
- Philadelphia
- Location
- Cyberspace
Hmmm... can we have a somebody-else's problem field as a power?
"Hey, why's Dave on the floor? And why did you hit me in the face? What, you didn't? Then who did - there's nobody else around but us three!."
"Hey, why's Dave on the floor? And why did you hit me in the face? What, you didn't? Then who did - there's nobody else around but us three!."
TPK
Hello, friend.
How extensive are your files?
[XXXXX] Publically available data.
[XXXXXX] . . . And a little gossip.
[XXXXXXXX] . . . And your mentor's files.
How are you planning on making your debut?
[XXXXXXX] Taking on the Second Street Souljas. Thugs with guns, but ground level is your habitat.
[] Eliminating the rampant killbots at the source. Fighting steel monsters is tricky, but doable.
[XXXXXX] Foiling the Stacked Deck. They're in your city, and no supervillain alliance is welcome here.
[XXXXXX] Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
The votes are currently very close, especially on the second choice. If anyone wants to change their votes, or hasn't voted yet, this is the time.
[XXXXX] Publically available data.
[XXXXXX] . . . And a little gossip.
[XXXXXXXX] . . . And your mentor's files.
How are you planning on making your debut?
[XXXXXXX] Taking on the Second Street Souljas. Thugs with guns, but ground level is your habitat.
[] Eliminating the rampant killbots at the source. Fighting steel monsters is tricky, but doable.
[XXXXXX] Foiling the Stacked Deck. They're in your city, and no supervillain alliance is welcome here.
[XXXXXX] Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
The votes are currently very close, especially on the second choice. If anyone wants to change their votes, or hasn't voted yet, this is the time.
King Arthur
The Once and Future King
[X] Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
TPK
Hello, friend.
How extensive are your files?
[XXXXXX] Publically available data.
[XXXXXX] . . . And a little gossip.
[XXXXXXXXXX] . . . And your mentor's files.
How are you planning on making your debut?
[XXXXXXXX] Taking on the Second Street Souljas. Thugs with guns, but ground level is your habitat.
[] Eliminating the rampant killbots at the source. Fighting steel monsters is tricky, but doable.
[XXXXXX] Foiling the Stacked Deck. They're in your city, and no supervillain alliance is welcome here.
[XXXXXXXX] Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
Still tied.
Would a compromise of "Support the frontliners in driving off the alien invasion" be a good compromise?
[XXXXXX] Publically available data.
[XXXXXX] . . . And a little gossip.
[XXXXXXXXXX] . . . And your mentor's files.
How are you planning on making your debut?
[XXXXXXXX] Taking on the Second Street Souljas. Thugs with guns, but ground level is your habitat.
[] Eliminating the rampant killbots at the source. Fighting steel monsters is tricky, but doable.
[XXXXXX] Foiling the Stacked Deck. They're in your city, and no supervillain alliance is welcome here.
[XXXXXXXX] Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
Still tied.
Would a compromise of "Support the frontliners in driving off the alien invasion" be a good compromise?
Dr. Wonderful
I'm a writer
- Location
- Philadelphia
Change vote:
[X]Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
I'm willing to change my vote just to see more of the World.
[X]Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
I'm willing to change my vote just to see more of the World.
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- Location
- Tel'aran'rhiod
[X]Driving off the current alien invasion. Leave the small fry for the small players.
Changed my vote
Changed my vote
TPK
Hello, friend.
You stretch as you climb out of your secret lair, stretching before leaning down to slide first the floor panel, then the rug back into place, concealing the basement from casual inspection. It might be a good idea to look into getting a more secure system in place later, but since you haven't made headlines in your new identity yet, you could just get a different costume if burglars find it.
You're dressed up at the moment, though, and you doubt anyone could figure out much from an empty glass case.
Mentally reviewing what you know about the aliens that have taken over most of the East Coast reveals that you don't know anywhere near enough about them. According to your mentor's notes, the Phazar haven't ever made a play this big before.
You did have a picture to compare to the videos on the news. Short, green, but muscled like bodybuilders, and with bald heads, they're not the kind of alien that gets good press. They've never tried to negotiate with the government in their earlier sightings, instead just showing up and picking fights with local heroes.
The phone rings, and you check caller I.D. It's a familiar name, and a surge of relief runs through you as you answer. "Hello?"
"This is Arnold. You seen the news, boy?" A scratchy voice issues from the speaker as your mentor figure contacts you for the first time in nearly a month. Arnold, as you knew him, was one of the few heroes that had managed to land a peaceful retirement. He'd kept that peace for almost five years now, when he'd finished tutoring you in the basics. It had been painful, like some Walt Disney training sequence pastiche, but the results were worth it.
You shake your head at the thought, and glance at the bright gold disc sitting on your kitchen counter. Two bold crimson letters sit on its face, one on either side of a recessed switch.
"I have. Phazar, right?"
"Damn right. What you gonna do about it?"
"I was thinking," you say slowly, "of using that signal badge you gave me."
Arnold hums thoughtfully. " . . . I think that would be a good idea. Those raids they were doing for the past year or so were intelligence gathering missions, most likely. That's why you're not seeing all of the faces you're used to on the news."
Ambush. That's a nasty way to go out. You walk over to the counter and pick up the Heroes United communicator. "So I just put my thumb in the depression, then say your passcode?"
"Yep. That'll let the teleporter know to lock onto you and pull you over."
Your thumb fits neatly into the slot. "Any advice?"
"Yeah. Keep your cool, but don't be afraid to be afraid. Fear lets you know that you're alive, but if you let it lock you up it'll make you dead right quick."
You crack a smile at that. The same advice he gave when you were fourteen and wearing a different costume, prowling the streets in spandex alongside a fifty year old man in his pajamas. In that case, the fear had been of being spotted, recognized, of having your picture splattered across the internet as "Super-Creep".
"I'll do my best." You reassure the man, and make to hang up the phone.
"Boy?"
You stop, finger on the button. "Yes?"
"You'll be fine."
He hangs up first, the old coot.
You press your thumb down until you hear a click, and say "Mister Mayhem, 41923".
After a second, the air around you fizzles, and you disappear.
What's your power set?
[]Incredible physical strength and durability.
[] Gravity manipulation increasing with potency as the area decreases.
[] Radiation emission and absorption.
[] Touch-ranged inertia negation.
[] Shapeshifting into a two-dimensional form.
[] Macro-scale control of air.
[] write-in
You're dressed up at the moment, though, and you doubt anyone could figure out much from an empty glass case.
Mentally reviewing what you know about the aliens that have taken over most of the East Coast reveals that you don't know anywhere near enough about them. According to your mentor's notes, the Phazar haven't ever made a play this big before.
You did have a picture to compare to the videos on the news. Short, green, but muscled like bodybuilders, and with bald heads, they're not the kind of alien that gets good press. They've never tried to negotiate with the government in their earlier sightings, instead just showing up and picking fights with local heroes.
The phone rings, and you check caller I.D. It's a familiar name, and a surge of relief runs through you as you answer. "Hello?"
"This is Arnold. You seen the news, boy?" A scratchy voice issues from the speaker as your mentor figure contacts you for the first time in nearly a month. Arnold, as you knew him, was one of the few heroes that had managed to land a peaceful retirement. He'd kept that peace for almost five years now, when he'd finished tutoring you in the basics. It had been painful, like some Walt Disney training sequence pastiche, but the results were worth it.
You shake your head at the thought, and glance at the bright gold disc sitting on your kitchen counter. Two bold crimson letters sit on its face, one on either side of a recessed switch.
"I have. Phazar, right?"
"Damn right. What you gonna do about it?"
"I was thinking," you say slowly, "of using that signal badge you gave me."
Arnold hums thoughtfully. " . . . I think that would be a good idea. Those raids they were doing for the past year or so were intelligence gathering missions, most likely. That's why you're not seeing all of the faces you're used to on the news."
Ambush. That's a nasty way to go out. You walk over to the counter and pick up the Heroes United communicator. "So I just put my thumb in the depression, then say your passcode?"
"Yep. That'll let the teleporter know to lock onto you and pull you over."
Your thumb fits neatly into the slot. "Any advice?"
"Yeah. Keep your cool, but don't be afraid to be afraid. Fear lets you know that you're alive, but if you let it lock you up it'll make you dead right quick."
You crack a smile at that. The same advice he gave when you were fourteen and wearing a different costume, prowling the streets in spandex alongside a fifty year old man in his pajamas. In that case, the fear had been of being spotted, recognized, of having your picture splattered across the internet as "Super-Creep".
"I'll do my best." You reassure the man, and make to hang up the phone.
"Boy?"
You stop, finger on the button. "Yes?"
"You'll be fine."
He hangs up first, the old coot.
You press your thumb down until you hear a click, and say "Mister Mayhem, 41923".
After a second, the air around you fizzles, and you disappear.
What's your power set?
[]Incredible physical strength and durability.
[] Gravity manipulation increasing with potency as the area decreases.
[] Radiation emission and absorption.
[] Touch-ranged inertia negation.
[] Shapeshifting into a two-dimensional form.
[] Macro-scale control of air.
[] write-in
[X]Incredible physical strength and durability.
King Arthur
The Once and Future King
Stuck between Gravity and Air.
King Arthur
The Once and Future King
Physical Strength and Durability are sorta boring without the ability to fly.
[X] Gravity manipulation increasing with potency as the area decreases.
[X] Gravity manipulation increasing with potency as the area decreases.
Tell that to early Superman!
Honestly, I'm voting for it because I'm still in a stage of liking the "Strong + Tough" build, because I had to binge-read Strong Female Protagonist before backing it, and it sold me on that powerset.
King Arthur
The Once and Future King
In all fairness though, early Superman has those sweet ass red undies to make up for it. That's a super power in it's own right.
Do we have such a sweet pair of red undies? Cause if not strength+Durability just ain't enough.
- Location
- Tel'aran'rhiod
[X] Gravity manipulation increasing with potency as the area decreases.