How have you used "The Monster?"

[Quislet3000]

I was flipping thru my copy of Enemies II when I came across The Monster. I've never used him, but my campaign is heading for a horror slant. I then looked him up in Classic Enemies and CKC. Anyway, I'm curious about the use of The Monster in others' campaigns. Did you ever divulge his origin? His true origin? What were they? Did you have to alter his characteristics or powers? If so, how?

 

Also, the CKC version looks really good, but I have a question regarding his fear-like aura noted in the text. The only mechanical corresponding effect is noted as a disadvantage: distinctive feature. I can see how this fear aura would make him creepy, but how is it a disadvantage to him? I doubt he's concerned about getting cooperation or affection from others.

 

Lastly, and I'm sure I'm missing something here, his fifth edition Damage Shield applies to mental powers that "touch" his mind. Sense most mental powers like telepathy are essentially a sense usable at range, how does a damage shield effect the attacker? If a PC shoots an Energy Blast at a NPC with a standard damage shield, he doesn't get hurt; if the PC were to strike the NPC, he would. I can see how this would work if the PC telepath had to touch him...

 

If this is a solid build, how can I build such a damage shield that acts automatically when someone gazes at a medusa-like being?

 

Thanks for the assist in advance,

Quislet

[Nothere]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Only used him once. It was a dark and stormy night:) No didn't give him an origin. THe geros were trying to interview a group of teenagers who knew about the villians plot. But the teenagers were hiding and kept running away when the heros tried to talk to them. When they found out why, they weren't happy:)

 

As for the Monster's damage shield it's not really complecated. In your example the energy blaster isn't touching the damage shield, the energy blast is. The telepath may be touching at range, but his mind is still contacting the Monster's mind. As for a medusa it is and isn't the same thing. You have to look at her with your own eyes. Neither a reflection, or picture will cause harm. But if were talking about the traditional medusa thats a transform not a damage shield.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

My own use of the Monster tied him to elements from the Fifth Edition Champions sourcebook, DEMON: Servants Of Darkness, detailing that official occult organization (and a book I highly recommend if you don't own it yet). I'll explain below, but in case someone doesn't want "GM's Vault" info about DEMON I'll put it within Spoiler tags:

 

 

One of DEMON's high-ranking Inner Circle is Demoiselle Nocturne, a powerful, malevolent dream-manipulating entity who dwells within the Dreamzone, the dimension where humans' astral bodies go when they sleep and dream. Nocturne's sanctum in the Dreamzone is formed from the evil fantasies of a psychopathic child named Henry Francis Krueger. In my campaign I made the Monster a creature from Henry's dreams, which are so intensely murderous that Demoiselle Nocturne can cause it to manifest it in the waking world, giving her an enforcer of great physical power, or just a means to act on her more violent impulses. As a dream construct this version of the Monster is essentially immortal, since if it's killed Nocturne can eventually reform it as long as Henry Krueger is under her influence.

 

[Christopher]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Frightfull Appereance:

You are right, Disticntie Feature should be mostly negative. The common way to get an advantage from beign ugly is extra PRE. Afaik the 6E Necrul has some +50 PRE, Only to create Fear (on top of his 90 normal).

In 5E you can sell back your COM into the negatives. -10 COM cots the same as 10 COM (nothing). Everything "extremer" costs 1 per 2 points. -30 COM costs 10 Character Points and works like a 30 COM complimentary roll for the right Purposes

In 6E you can use small doses of Striking Appereance instead.

 

Damage Shield:

Think of Telepathy, Mind Scan and similar powers as "Stretching your Mind". The same way normal stretching (or using no Range Powers) activates Damage Shields, Mental Stretching activates Mental Damage Shields.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

He appeared in my Champions of Vancouver campaign and was defeated by Lucky (the Unluckiest player you have ever seen).

 

 

Cheers

 

 

QM

[death tribble]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

He has been used to scare people and as a back note was imprisoned on the astral plane by my Magic using character The Magician

[Hawknight]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Used him as a killing Solomon Grundy. He appears when someone summons him and tries to kill that person after doing their bidding. Kept me from having too many wizards clogging up the games! The Monster would then disappear back to the sewers or a lost graveyard. Mr. Rappentapp from Normals was another monster type, but was easier to dispell/destroy and not as powerful for a true super but a handful for a Dark Champion.

[RexMundi]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I use him to remind players that Dependent NPC's are more then Numbers on a Sheet. Especially when there are LOTS of them. He works pretty well with a sort of "Pumpkinhead" slant to getting him involved......

 

~Rex

[kahuna's bro]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Only used him once. It was a dark and stormy night:) No didn't give him an origin. THe geros were trying to interview a group of teenagers who knew about the villians plot. But the teenagers were hiding and kept running away when the heros tried to talk to them. When they found out why, they weren't happy:)

 

.

why wern't the heroes happy?

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Only time I've seen him, he was a summoned demon at the beck and call of Dark Seraph.

 

I cannot begin to tell you just how badly that fight sucked.

[Zen Archer]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I never ended up running it, but I had a tentative plan for an adventure where the group would prevent a mad scientist from reviving a comatose Monster. Very much a Frankenstein homage, but with clues planted to point out the carnage that would take place if the heroes failed.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

i'm unfarmiliar with the monster is he a homage to frankenstein or the hulk?

[casualplayer]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I used him as an example of how broken Figured Characteristics used to be. 60 STR/30 DEX/ 30 CON was the basis of a guy who could fight entire teams! It's really amazing that everyone 5th Ed and earlier didn't just start with that 150 points spent and then make their character with what was left.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I used him as an example of how broken Figured Characteristics used to be. 60 STR/30 DEX/ 30 CON was the basis of a guy who could fight entire teams! It's really amazing that everyone 5th Ed and earlier didn't just start with that 150 points spent and then make their character with what was left.

 

Well, there's this little thing called 'character concept'.

[casualplayer]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Well' date=' there's this little thing called 'character concept'.[/quote']

 

You and your wacky, old-timey ideas.

[steriaca]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I like the ideal that The Monster has always existed as a colective figment of the fear of the unknown by the local sentiant life forms of the planet. That way, the only way to truly kill him is to destroy eveyone on the planet, and that his powers can morph depending on what frightens the colective sentience at that time.

[Zen Archer]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

i'm unfarmiliar with the monster is he a homage to frankenstein or the hulk?

 

He's green and strong and ugly, but I don't think he's a homage to either character.

 

He seems there for use if you want to add an "unstoppable horror" element to your game.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

i'm unfarmiliar with the monster is he a homage to frankenstein or the hulk?

 

As far as "homages" go, the Monster is something of an amalgam. It's rather like taking elements from a bunch of classic gothic horror monsters and grotesques from books and movies: Frankenstein's Monster, the Phantom of the Opera, Mr. Hyde, Dracula, the Creeper, a dash of Quasimodo; liberally mixing in unstoppable mad slashers from modern films, such as Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and a little Freddie Krueger; and then pumping up the power level of the resulting nightmare until it's lethal to most starting-level superheroes.

 

The Monster embodies and epitomizes many of the worst things we think of when we hear that word. It's violent and murderous, cruel and sadistic, unpredictable and mysterious, and so utterly evil in its thought processes that a mentalist even touching its mind may be Stunned or Knocked Out from the shock.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

BTW here's an old thread on this same subject including some very interesting concepts and plots: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/2439-CU-The-Monster-Story-Ideas

[mattingly]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I used him as the "boss demon" summoned by Ars Diavola at the Time Of Champions game at Origins.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

I used him as the "boss demon" summoned by Ars Diavola at the Time Of Champions game at Origins.

 

By any chance is that more or less the same "Ars Diavola" who appears in Book Of The Empress?

[mattingly]

Re: How have you used "The Monster?"

 

Indeed. The PCs (heroes from each edition of Champions over the years) were gathered by Captain Chronos to rescue Professor Paradigm from the Empress's forces, who were planning to sacrifice him to open a hole into our reality to launch her invasion.