Aberrant RPG - NEED CHARACTERS

[wylodmayer]

Howdy, y'all. I am newly registered here, and running my first Aberrant game. I have been running games, particularly superhero games, since the Paleolithic (like, when Champions was one book), so I wanted to do something a little different. Hence, Aberrant.

My game began with the explosion (I set it on the ISS) that created the Novas, and we aren't even past week two of the "new world" yet. Things are really "interesting." Anyway, what I need are some characters. New novas are going to be popping up at an alarming rate, and I need to keep my players on their toes; that is, the design of these characters does not need to reflect my own peculiar concepts of character design efficieny and instead range over a wide variety of concepts.

So I am throwing an invite out to all the GMs out there who want to submit ideas to me. You can just design sets of powers, or design whole characters, or whatever, but I should inform you of a few provisos.

First, I am stressing the fact that this is not a superhero game, even though there are superpowers present. Characters needn't have powers that would allow them to act as combat monsters or anything else - the concepts can be as far out as you like. The overall tone of the game is realistic, perhaps even gritty, but not dark, as is (in my opinion) the official universe. For instance, I doubt very much that there will be a Project Proteus inside Utopia when and if it comes about. This is not to say that Utopia won't engage in some questionable activity, but, much like out government, it's one of those things that is known about to some degree or another. It's too simple to make Utopia good and Proteus bad - the whole thing will be much more mixed, and much more like real life. Finally, these characters obviously aren't from a world where novas have been around ten years and are already worshipped and stuff - right now, novas are barely two weeks old as a phenomenon and any personality or history you decide to include should reflect this.

There are a few House Rules that affect character generation. We use only the Main Book and Player's Guide, in addition to some stuff on the net, but don't worry too much about that (feel free to include it if you like, tho). Buying a power or MegaAtt "tainted" means that you gain ONE point of taint for the WHOLE PURCHASE, which is then at HALF COST, total. Yes, this means taint is less of an issue. Further, taint has no ill social effects inherently until 7, where it imposes a +1 difficulty, and the diff goes up by one per point of taint there after. Some physical aberrations may affect social interactions, however, independently of this, regardless of level. Powers may be limited: severe limitations lower the power by one level, minor ones take one Nova Point off the cost. Characters are built on 40 Nova Points.

Well, if you made it all the way through this post, thanks for your patience, and I appreciate your interest. If you have any characters you'd like to submit, please send them to me at 1066@bellsouth.net. Even if they aren't done on the rules we use, they can help by giving me ideas for characters to build using our standards. If I use any character, directly or as a basis for one of ours, I will give credit to the creator, naturally. NOt that you're like getting royalties or anything, and not that you can tell if I don't, but it would seem unethical not to.

Peace.

[David 'Dr. Troll' Smith]

So if I buy one level of Mega-Str (tainted) and one level of Q (tainted),

How much did I pay & how much taint?

1.5 1.5 +1 M-Str

4.0 2.5 +1 Q

Is that right?

[wylodmayer]

Correct. The one point of Mega Strength, tainted, would cost 1.5, or 1 point. The one point of Quantum would cost 2.5, or 2 points. Alternately, if you took a single point of taint on the entire purchase, you could buy 5 points of Mega Strength for 7.5, or 7, points.

There was some concern that this was a little "munchkiny," but, ultimately, it fit more with the feel of the world, especially that Taint should be less of a concern. In any case, each new power or mega attribute, or each discrete advance in an already possessed mage attribute or power, counts as a separate purchase for purposes of taint once the game has begun.

That bears upon character creation not at all, of course.

Naturally, I am open to any contributions that anyone would care to make, even without game stats in place. Good concepts can go a long way. I have many already developed, but there are a lot of nova cropping up out there, and I need to be able to toss off random concepts at a moment's notice. This is not too hard at first, but, after a while of ad-libbing, especially in one session, tends to become repetitive and fall into predictable patterns.

Anyway, thanks for the interest.

Also, I am interested in perhaps getting involved in some of what appears to be online roleplaying here? I am not overly familiar with the BBS format, however (and the use of that particular acronym should date my last real familiarity with the concept), and therefore not precisely sure where to start. Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

wylodmayer

[Sandy Davis]

A little power gaming?Na a whole lot, let's see I will make a chartcaer with a quatom of 8 buy it tainted bingo, only 17 points, then I will get say um elamenntal mastery at level 7 with two levels power mastery only 35 points, the rest will go into armor and mastery level,and imunitiyt brod mental.THere a character...

As for the online game if you hurry you may be able to get itno "to be gods"....

[wylodmayer]

(grins sheepishly)

Of course, as I pointed out, there is a distinct power level difference for these characters. Mind you, only 40 Nova Points are alloted to characters to start with, so the character you described couldn't actually be built. The Quantum of 8, sure, but that actually translates into 1 point taint for the purchase, then four more for the Quantum above 5. That's six already; not far from the edge.

Additionally, note that there are no provisions for buying, in character creation, powers above level 3. This "omission" works out nicely as an implied limitation; namely, that powers of that magnitude must be developed over time, period. Certainly not a rule I think every one should necessarily have to follow, but it fits nicely for my world.

In any case, thanks for the heads-up on the online game. I'll poke around the site a bit more and see if I can figure out what to DO to get in on this game...

Be well

wylodmayer

[Sandy Davis]

Well, even so with that quatom and that power youc ould put it down to 6,and then get only one level of masteryy I would point out that is still a levle 3 power, just costs more to buy more points in,and at that level. the tiant you get form quatn is your quatom mis 4 but never below 0..so at eight you have tiant of 4 from it.

[David 'Dr. Troll' Smith]

So Mega-Str 5; Mega-Stam 5; & 5 dots of armor could be bought for... 21 nova points & 3 points of taint.

Or 5 levels of Gravity Control for 12 points!?!

WOW!! With those rules, how can you not buy 5 levels of something?

What do your players look like?

[Vex]

Troll you get a quatom of 8 and gravity control of 7-9.....

[wylodmayer]

In response to your question, Troll, we have one guy who has Mega 3 in his social stats, plus Clone of 1 and a mess of Mega 1's in his other attributes; a guy who has Density Control 5, Mega Sta 3, and a couple a Mega 1's in other stats; and a guy who has Mega Dex 3, Mega Sta 2, Claws 1, a few other Mega 1's and a mess of Enhancements.

That's it. Highest Quantum, 5; lowest Quantum, 2.

Believe me, they were more concerned with concept than maxing their power levels.

wylodmayer