City of Heroes Campaign: Drifters Base

Here's the write-up of the Hyperion Drifters base which I have dubbed "The Hole in the Wall."

So far, this base has gone through a ton of revisions. The first draft had a lot of errors. After about the 10th iteration I realized that it was missing the (-15) Base modifier! After fixing that problem I then realized that the overall CP cost exceeded the Ability Cap of the PCs, who currently have 110 experience points. So... I had to remove a big chunk of the layout.

In the process of doing these layout revisions I also changed some of the base's systems, like making the Teleportation System an "open system" (see MP p. 82) so the PCs can just walk on top of it and be teleported. I also added the Integral System of Adaptation: Asphyxiation. This simulates the base having it's own air-purification system.

The base is located somewhere underground... exactly where will depend on the preference of the players.

CP Contribution:
4 Cobweb Kid
4 Edie Helion
4 Lady Hel
4 Lone Star
4 Texas Stranger
4 Watch Dog
24 Total

If you fast forward to the 2:29:05 mark of Episode 5 of Jeff's City of Heroes Mighty Protectors campaign, you can catch us talking about the "Paradise Jar" and, later, a possible base.

Drifters Base Record Sheet

Notes:

1. The base doors are 1 inch thick and SR 10 (SR 6 to Psychic). The outer walls are 8 inches thick and SR 5 (SR 3 to Psychic). The inner walls are 4 inches thick and SR 5 (SR 3 to Psychic).
2. Armor: All vehicles and bases get 27.5 CPs, or 15 points, of Armor for free. When adding to Armor, you should add any additional CPs on top of the free 27.5 CPs. In this case, there are 32 system spaces added to base armor. Normally, 32 sys spaces would give 30 CPs, but this base has Low Tech, which reduces those 30 CPs to 25 CPs. Next, you apply the Integral System modifier (see MP p. 82 ), which halves those 25 CPs to 12.5 CPs. Finally, by adding those 12.5 CPs to the default 27.5 CPs of Armor that all vehicles/bases start with, you get 40 CPs of Armor, which is 5/5/5/5 plus 3 in Psychic.
3. The "Jar of Paradise" is simulated with a separate Armor System: a device that normally sits on a table in the lab, but is Gear and may be taken out of the base.
4. The Communicators come as a pair of  'hands-free' Gear by default and may be taken out of the base. The Multitudes modifier for 'non-combat' Abilities (MP p. 92) is applied twice, making the default 2 into 8 devices. Consider their 16 system spaces as "recharging stations."
5. The Power Blast systems have a 120 degree arc of fire, although considering their placement, it doesn't do them much good.
6. The Teleportation System is a platform in the Lab, butting up against the back wall. In order to be teleported somewhere, either a PC or the Robot Brain must use the Heightened Senses viewfinder to select a spot within 250" and then make an AG-based attack roll to hit the appropriate square.
7. At least once a month at least one PC must spend their Wealth roll, and roll a 4 or higher, to buy the "fuel" for the base's Regeneration System.

The base layout is by B.K. Adams. Mighty Protectors is a trademark of Monkey House Games.

Ant-Man (Scott Lang)

With Ant-Man and The Wasp premiering next week, I felt that I should do a Mighty Protectors write-up for the Bronze Age version of Scott Lang's Ant-Man, created by John Byrne and David Michelinie.

The character first appeared as Scott Lang in Avengers #181 (March, 1979) and as Ant-Man in Marvel Premiere #47 (April, 1979). His stats & abilities are based upon Marvel Premiere #47-48. Additionally, here's the PDF of an early bronze-age Wasp write-up.

It's fairly tricky to model a swarm comprised of thousands of tiny ants, but I think I did an Ok job. Here is the pdf for Ant-Man's Summoned Ants.

Ant-Man Character Sheet

Summoned Ants

Origin, Pt. 1

Origin, Pt. 2

Origin, Pt. 3

Origin, Pt. 4

First Appearance as Scott Lang

From Avengers #181
Marvel Premier #47 Cover

Ant-Man, Scott Lang, and The Wasp are trademarks owned by Marvel Entertainment Group and are used here for commentary purposes under the Fair Use Act. This Mighty Protectors write-up is by B.K. Adams. Mighty Protectors is a trademark of Monkey House Games.

Blue Bolt

Here is my Mighty Protectors write-up for Blue Bolt, a Golden Age superhero who was created by Joe Simon. He debuted in Blue Bolt Comics #1, published by Novelty Press in June, 1940. 

Blue Bolt is often helped by Dr. Bertoff, a lost-world scientist whose radium injection combined with lightning energy to create the Blue Bolt's super powers (see origin panels below for more information).

Starting with issue #2 and continuing until issue #12, Jack Kirby joined Joe in working on the comic.Their work on Blue Bolt predates their collaboration on the golden age Captain America and is the first time the two legends worked together.

Blue Bolt's main super power seems to be heightened strength as well as other increased physical attributes. However, while he can engage in fisticuffs with the best of them, he is most often shown firing his two lightning pistols, devices given to him by Dr. Bertoff.

Blue Bolt Character Sheet

Dr. Bertoff's Character Sheet

Blue Bolt Origin Pt. 1

Blue Bolt Origin Pt. 2

Blue Bolt Origin Pt. 3

Super Strong

Mighty Leaps

Survives Car Smash

Dual Lightning Pistols

Physical Powerhouse

Modok-like Villain

War in Deltos

Early Kirby Crackle

Blue Bolt Discovers Nazis Pt. 1

Blue Bolt Discovers Nazis Pt. 2

Green Sorceress

Simon & Kirby

Blue Bolt #1 Cover

Pin-Up

Blue Bolt is in the public domain. This write-up is by B.K. Adams.

Atomic Man

Here is the Atomic Man, a Golden Age superhero who was created by Charles Voight. He debuted in Headline Comics #16, published by Prize Comics in November, 1945. Atomic Man is considered to be the first superhero with super powers based upon atomic power.

The doctor of Army veteran and research chemist Adam Mann tells him he has "lymphatic leukemia" and has at most six months to live. Adam returns to work, but dazed and confused by the shocking news, he bumps a cabinet, inadvertently spilling powdered Uranium 235 into a glass of water. After drinking the irradiated water he faints and falls backward into a high voltage generator. The resulting explosion wrecks his lab and hurls him outside. Instead of dying, Adam's body has absorbed the radiation and given him radiation-based super powers.

In simulating his powers in the Might Protectors rules I decided to use the Linked modifier. This represents how he doesn't seem to have his powers when he wears a lead glove on his right hand but once he takes the glove off, he transforms into his super-powered alter ego.

Atomic Man Character Sheet

Origin

Lead Glove

Disintegration

Flight & Radar Sense

Pin-Up

Headline Comics #18 Cover

Atomic Man is in the public domain. This write-up is by B.K. Adams.

Fighting Yank

Here is the Fighting Yank, a Golden Age superhero who was created by Richard Hughes and Jon Blummer. He debuted in Startling Comics #10, published by Nedor Comics in September 1941.

Wealthy Bruce Carter III is paid a visit by the ghost of his long-dead ancestor Bruce Carter I*. The ghost tells Bruce that he must help save his country and to find his hidden cloak. The next day, thinking the ghost was merely a dream, Bruce nevertheless searches the attic of his ancestral estate and finds a magic cloak that was hidden in a secret compartment.

The cloak confers super-strength and flight to Bruce as well as provides immunity from gunfire. With his magic cloak, tri-corner hat, and Revolutionary War outfit, Bruce becomes the Fighting Yank, a super-heroic champion of America!

I made the ghost of Bruce Carter I a Companion... as he helps the Fighting Yank get out of tough situations over and over again.

Fighting Yank Character Sheet

Companion Character Sheet

Cloak Gives Super-Strength

Cloak Lets Bruce Fly

Cloak is Bulletproof

Cloak Can Be Taken

Cloak is not 100% Protection

Fighting Yank #7 Cover

* He was a courier for General George Washington in the Revolutionary War and was killed by British loyalists while on a mission.

The Fighting Yank is in the public domain. This write-up is by B.K. Adams.

Bulletman & Bulletgirl

Here's my Mighty Protectors write-up of the Golden Age Bulletman and his sidekick, Bulletgirl, golden age superheroes created by Bill Parker and John Smalle . Bulletman made his first appearance in Nickel Comics #1, first published by Fawcett Publications, Inc. in May, 1940.

Jim Barr was from a family of cops but he was physically unable to pass the test to become a patrolman. So instead of joining the police force as a policeman he joined as a forensic scientist. Although he was never taken seriously by the cops he worked with, he managed to come up with a special serum that he hoped would rid the human body of all toxins. Deciding that he could only test his serum on himself, less someone else be harmed by his formula, he injected the serum into his body. He soon found that the germ-destroying serum transformed his body into a hard-muscled, steel-strong super human. 

His serum granted him super strength, super intelligence, and heightened senses. Using his newfound super-intelligence he then invented a helmet that let him fly as fast as a rocket by defying gravity. Creating a costume he now called himself Bulletman and began a secret life of fighting crime.

The daughter of police sergeant Kent was often curious about Jim's work and one day she discovered his secret. She wanted in on the action so Jim created another Gravity Regulator Helmet just for her and she became his sidekick.

Bulletman MP Character Sheet

Bulletgirl MP Character Sheet

Bulletman Comics Issue #5 Cover

Super Strength

Bullet-proof

Gravity Regulator Helmet #1

Gravity Regulator Helmet #2

Gravity Regulator Helmet #3

Super-Keen Hearing

Telescopic Vision

Issue #2 Cover

Bulletman and Bulletgirl are supposedly in the public domain. The artwork shown here is copied from the original comic books. These write-ups are by B.K. Adams.