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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 14, 2021 23:37:56 GMT
I received a submission recently that was about creating an original supers RPG universe, which I won't be publishing. The gist of it is about taking familiar elements from comic books you like and just changing them slightly, a practice I personally detest. I'm so sick of hearing gamers talk about "my original" superheroes, and when they describe them I know exactly which published characters they ripped off. If you're going to be that painfully obvious, why not just play the actual superheroes you like so much?
But this thread isn't about the rant, but what constructive thing we could do instead. What if there was a way to create an original campaign setting for H&H, without relying on emulation or imitation? So I'll be including tables for world building here, which others can add to as they feel inspired.
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 14, 2021 23:59:28 GMT
When should I set my campaign? Roll Result 1 Earlier than the 20th century (roll 1d4, 1 more century earlier for every 1 until a 2-4 is rolled) 2-3 During the 20th century 4 After the 20th century (roll 1d4, 1 more century later for every 4 rolled until a 1-3 is rolled)
Once you've settled on a century, roll d100 for the starting year and d12 for the starting month.
((Testing this, I just got a campaign that starts in Feb. 1830.))
Where should I set my campaign? Start with where you live now. Roll 1d4, 1-2 it's set there, 3-4 it's not. If not, roll 1d8 for compass direction and 1d100 for number of miles in that direction away. Is it there? Roll 1d4, 1-2, it's set there, 3-4 it's not. If not, keep repeating until it's there.
((I got a 2, so that would be west of Chicago...which was wilderness in 1830. And Chicago probably had less than 200 people. So what then...?))
If that location is too underpopulated? Roll 1d4 x1000. Find the nearest area with that number of people and start there.
((I got a 3, or 3,000. Finding the nearest place with a pop. of 3,000+....That makes it a 1830 Lexington, KY campaign. Ooo, a free the slaves campaign?))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 15, 2021 1:47:21 GMT
Did magic already exist in this world? Roll Result 1-3 Yes 4 No
For how long?
1 Billions of years 2 Hundreds of millions of years 3 Tens of millions of years 4 Millions of years 5 Hundreds of thousands of years 6 Tens of thousands of years 7 Thousands of years 8 Hundreds of years 9 Tens of years 10 Just a few years
((I got yes and 5, so something changed in the world 300,000 years ago that let magic into the world.))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 15, 2021 2:56:14 GMT
Do superheroes already exist in this world? Roll Result 1-2 Yes 3-4 No
If yes, how long have they existed? Roll 1d4. If 1-2, roll again for the number of years ago they first started appearing. If 3-4, roll 1d6. If 1-3, roll again for the number of years ago they first started appearing. If 4-6, roll 1d8. If 1-4, " " If 5-8, roll 1d10, and so on, doubling the number of d10s for every roll after this.
((I got yes, superheroes first started appearing 4 years ago. In 1826? That's going to take some creativity to explain.))
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az
Great Member
i am a kind and respectful person,and i always do the right thing,no matter what!
Posts: 76
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Post by az on Jun 15, 2021 22:27:31 GMT
wow,those world building guidelines are cool,and very informative.keep up the good work
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 15, 2021 23:15:53 GMT
What races already exist/are eligible for Heroes in this campaign world? (Humans are a given) Aliens? 1-2 Yes, 3-4 No Androids? For 20th century+ campaign 1-2 Yes, 3-4 No Androids? For before 20th century campaign 1 Yes, 2-4 No Half-humans? 1-3 Yes, 4 No (since the category is so broad) Mermen? 1-2 Yes, 3-4 No
In all cases, rare exceptions could exist, but too rare to be Heroes, or could surface later in the campaign.
((Testing this, I got yes for aliens, yes for androids - androids in 1830!, yes for half-humans, but a big fat no for mermen. I think the arrival of aliens on Earth in 1826 brought androids to Earth, and also inspired the rise of superheroes -- costumed vigilantes using captured alien science to fight the aliens, because the aliens are slavers taking black men, white men, and women alike!))
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 15, 2021 23:34:52 GMT
What is the highest level fighter on the planet? Roll 1d10+8, with a 3 in 6 chance of adding 1d6, repeating until chance of going higher roll fails.
What is the highest level magic-user on the planet? Roll 1d8+10, with a 2 in 6 chance of adding 1d4, repeating until chance of going higher roll fails.
What is the highest level mysteryman on the planet? Roll 1d12+6, with a 2 in 6 chance of adding 1d4, repeating until chance of going higher roll fails.
What is the highest level superhero on the planet? Roll 1d12+6, with a 1 in 6 chance of adding 1d4, repeating until chance of going higher roll fails.
((Testing, I get a 19th level fighter, a 17th level magic-user, a 16th level mysteryman, and a 17th level superhero. Dang, this setting can support some high-level play!))
Are these good guys or bad guys? 1-2 Good, 3-4 Neutral, 5-6 Bad
((The fighter is neutral, the magic-user is a good guy, the mysteryman is a good guy, and the superhero is neutral. The mobsters & aliens are going to have to be really strong to balance this setting out. I think, in this setting, the superhero is an alien who is training the resistance, and inspires them by example, but doesn't want to directly interfere against his own race. The magic-users have been secretly waiting and preparing for the alien invasion for 300,000 years, training the mysterymen to be their agents in the world. The fighter is the Eternal Champion, watching the conflict unfold before deciding which side to tip the scale.))
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az
Great Member
i am a kind and respectful person,and i always do the right thing,no matter what!
Posts: 76
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Post by az on Jun 16, 2021 0:27:09 GMT
that is so cool,what about featuring published golden age super heroes?
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 16, 2021 1:26:22 GMT
that is so cool,what about featuring published golden age super heroes? That would be up to the individuals playing the game. Unless you can think of a way to generate an answer to that using a random table...?
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Post by order99 on Jun 16, 2021 5:59:10 GMT
Alien Invaders give birth to Comic-Book-styled Resistance Fighters in 1826? Awesome! Are you looking for contributions (more Random Tables etc)or are you flying Solo on this? More importantly...thinking of a new Sourcebook? Or just priming the Imagination Engine? ('Both' would be a really great answer...).
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az
Great Member
i am a kind and respectful person,and i always do the right thing,no matter what!
Posts: 76
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Post by az on Jun 16, 2021 9:47:25 GMT
that is so cool,what about featuring published golden age super heroes? That would be up to the individuals playing the game. Unless you can think of a way to generate an answer to that using a random table...? Cool,man,here is a random table i can generate an answer to my question: Roll 1D6 for these results: 1.Golden age DC Comics super heroes 2.Golden age marvel comics super heroes 3.Golden age Archie/MLJ super heroes 4.Golden age public domain super heroes
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Post by majorvictory on Jun 17, 2021 1:13:44 GMT
I got Wisconsin, Manitowoc. December 1960 No Magic Superheroes have been around sine 1958 No Aliens No Androids Mermen 13th Level Fighter Neutral 11th Level Magic-User Neutral 19th Level Superhero Good
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 17, 2021 2:30:03 GMT
Alien Invaders give birth to Comic-Book-styled Resistance Fighters in 1826? Awesome! Are you looking for contributions (more Random Tables etc)or are you flying Solo on this? More importantly...thinking of a new Sourcebook? Or just priming the Imagination Engine? ('Both' would be a really great answer...). Contributions are welcome and encouraged! For now, only a resource on the messageboard. Though, if I ever get this next Trophy Case done, it might include this, and become so big I'll have to make it Supplement VI: Trophy Case...
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 17, 2021 2:39:52 GMT
Cool,man,here is a random table i can generate an answer to my question: Roll 1D6 for these results: 1.Golden age DC Comics super heroes 2.Golden age marvel comics super heroes 3.Golden age Archie/MLJ super heroes 4.Golden age public domain super heroes That's not a bad start, and we could incorporate that, but maybe we can flesh it out more... How many NPCs should I use in the campaign that resemble published characters? Roll 1d4 twice, if the second roll is 3-4, then roll another 1d4 and add it to the first one, then roll a fourth 1d4 and, if it is 3-4, add a third 1d4 to your total, and so on, until the even die tells you not to add anymore. What companies should I borrow from? 1. DC 2. Timely 3. MLJ 4. Centaur 5. Fox 6. Fawcett What class should the borrowed character be? 1. Fighter 2. Magic-User 3. Mysteryman 4. Superhero 5-6. Other, or non-classed character So, which ones specifically? Go with your favorite. How identical should this character be to the published version? Roll 10d10 and make it into a percentage.
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Post by Adminenkainen on Jun 17, 2021 2:46:23 GMT
I got Wisconsin, Manitowoc. December 1960 No Magic Superheroes have been around sine 1958 No Aliens No Androids Mermen 13th Level Fighter Neutral 11th Level Magic-User Neutral 19th Level Superhero Good This thread is bringing people back! Welcome back, Timothy. So, no magic, but there's a wizard there? That's interesting. I wonder if the Silver Age-like Superman that showed up in '58 is trying to find the wizard and keeps recruiting more new superheroes to help him look...
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