The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Here's the pic of the (possible) henchwench for the Crimson Emperor -- the Crimson Empress:

 

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44172[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

 

There's two ways that this character could be done, the first of which is the "Daddy's Little Villain" option

that Steve mentioned. At some point in the past before becoming the Crimson Emperor, the future villain

met an exceptionally beautiful woman of Middle Eastern or South American descent, and had a child -- in

this case, a daughter -- with her. Following his transformation into the Crimson Emperor, he set about the

task of grooming her to be his second-in-command and eventual successor. As a result, she has powers

of her own which are identical to those wielded by her father, only not as powerful (at least, not yet). As

for where her loyalties lie, she could either be slavishly loyal to her father, or she could be a conniving

backstabber who's only waiting for the right moment to supplant Dear Ol' Dad (they're not called femme

fatales for nothing).

 

The second option is that she's a sorceress herself, and entirely unrelated to the Crimson Emperor. Attracted

to him because of his greater power, she's hoping to learn everything she can from him before she attempts

to dispose of him and take his place as the head of his organization/cult. Of course, if this option is used, the

heroes could find themselves facing "Mother's Little Villain" several years down the road ()...

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 92 and counting...

 

Thanks Major. This is stirring an idea. Don't use her in the opening gambit, but have her appear in his second story, and then use her in the third story by having the Emperor decide that she deserves the perfect mate and have NPCs and the heroes fight for her hand.

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

I'm still working on the build, but this discussion (and Major Tom's inspired designs) led to this quick mock-up

 

[薔薇語]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

I see that you have already corrected the first important thing I noticed; that being the 10d6 level of damage. Given his speed and that level of damage, it could very quickly turn into a wildfire for less than fully prepared PCs.

 

Other suggestions I have are:

 

Add in a 2-3d6 killing attack rather than using the blast. You could have it be lower dice and thus prevent the extreme nature of the standard stun of a 8d (28) or 10d (37) attack. Sure, the Killing attack and top that and has a wider spread given the erratic nature of Killing attacks, but having the dice low will help compensate for that. Likewise, I doubt the PCs have much in the way of Resistant Defense, so even low level Killing attacks should be able to pose a real threat to them without the worry of a quick KO.

 

Next is a minor theme adjustment to the desolid power. I gather from all of this that he becomes a 'walking' flame and thus is hard to hit with anything physical and can pass through spaces that would be otherwise impossible. But I might suggest that he has some weakness applied to it. First is that it doesn't protect against water. Second is that it doesn't allow him to pass through impenetrable substances like a solid brick wall; still allowing him to easily pass through prison bars. Third is a side effects rule that catches things around him on fire. Kind of like how Johny Storm would accidently ignite papers around him when he went 'flame on'. Now, all of these are purely based on a baseline assumption by me that could be wrong.

 

Given the PCs point values, I'm going to guess that they are operating on a 2-3 speed bases. 4 being reserved for in setting 'speedsters'. Is this fair? If so, your Mega Villain is a speedy individual. Not a bad Idea. And given that, he is fairly well set up with his damage values and defenses as is. But you could also lower him a notch and increase his damage and defenses. Given the PCs more time to act and react while still facing a big baddy. I have been in a battle where my character made a stupid decision at the very start of battle (in keeping with his nature, unfortunately) and was KOed with one surprise attack and left useless for the whole two turns of battle. And for our group, that was almost a dozen actions for the other two players each. So, although I enjoyed the back in forth, I worry about other Players who might find their character KOed quickly. Big Defense baddies can be a pain to stop, but at least they move slow enough that PCs get a lot of chances to act and push the tide. Without that, it might get boring.

 

Last bit of advice is to help you be eve more treacherous. Instead of building the AoE attack with selective, why not go with a straight forward attack. I presume your reasoning is that you want to spare the various minions. But rather than do that, you can show off the devotional level of the minions by having them take the hit. Perhaps build each minion with a minor defense against the attack. Not enough to shield them wholly, but enough that they could still function. This gives your cult an extra creepy feel to it. It also expresses to the PCs how truly evil this guy is if he doesn't even care about his minions and it is so true that the Minions actually have developed slight resistances to this kind of attack. Just a thought.

 

La Rose.

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

I see that you have already corrected the first important thing I noticed; that being the 10d6 level of damage. Given his speed and that level of damage, it could very quickly turn into a wildfire for less than fully prepared PCs.

 

Other suggestions I have are:*A bunch of good stuff*

 

La Rose.

 

Work slowed my reply, but here is updated version. The AOE was intended to be an explosion centered on him, but I failed to write it up that way and, the more I thought about it, the more I decided that the desolid was best used for escapes.

 

 

 

 

The Crimson Emperor - Prof. Miles Renworth

[table]

[tr]

[td=align: center]VAL[/td]

[td=align: center]CHA[/td]

[td=align: center]Cost[/td]

[td=align: center]Total[/td]

[td=align: center]Roll[/td]

[td=align: left]Notes[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center]STR[/td]

[td=align: center]0[/td]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center]11-[/td]

[td=align: left]HTH Damage 2d6 END [1][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]20[/td]

[td=align: center]DEX[/td]

[td=align: center]20[/td]

[td=align: center]20[/td]

[td=align: center]13-[/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]15[/td]

[td=align: center]CON[/td]

[td=align: center]5[/td]

[td=align: center]15[/td]

[td=align: center]12-[/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]25[/td]

[td=align: center]INT[/td]

[td=align: center]15[/td]

[td=align: center]25[/td]

[td=align: center]14-[/td]

[td=align: left]PER Roll 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]18[/td]

[td=align: center]EGO[/td]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center]18[/td]

[td=align: center]13-[/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center]PRE[/td]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center]17-[/td]

[td=align: left]PRE Attack: 8d6[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center]OCV[/td]

[td=align: center]25[/td]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center]DCV[/td]

[td=align: center]25[/td]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]3[/td]

[td=align: center]OMCV[/td]

[td=align: center]0[/td]

[td=align: center]3[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center]DMCV[/td]

[td=align: center]15[/td]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]5[/td]

[td=align: center]PD[/td]

[td=align: center]3[/td]

[td=align: center]5/20[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left]5/20 PD (0/15 rPD)[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]5[/td]

[td=align: center]ED[/td]

[td=align: center]3[/td]

[td=align: center]5/20[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left]5/20 ED (0/15 rED)[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]4[/td]

[td=align: center]SPD[/td]

[td=align: center]20[/td]

[td=align: center]4[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left]Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center]REC[/td]

[td=align: center]4[/td]

[td=align: center]8[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center]END[/td]

[td=align: center]4[/td]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center]BODY[/td]

[td=align: center]0[/td]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center]STUN[/td]

[td=align: center]10[/td]

[td=align: center]40[/td]

[td=align: center][/td]

[td=align: left][/td]

[/tr]

 

[/table][table]

[tr]

[td]Movement[/td]

[td]Combat[/td]

[td]NCmbat[/td]

[td]Notes[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td]Running[/td]

[td=align: center]12m[/td]

[td=align: center]24m[/td]

[td=align: left]END [1][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td]Swimming[/td]

[td=align: center]4m[/td]

[td=align: center]8m[/td]

[td=align: left]END [1][/td]

[/tr]

 

 

[tr]

[td]Leaping[/td]

[td=align: center]4m[/td]

[td=align: center]8m[/td]

[td=align: left]4m forward, 2m upward[/td]

[/tr]

 

 

 

 

 

[/table][table=width: 1024]

[tr]

[td]Cost[/td]

[td]POWERS[/td]

[td]END[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]40[/td]

[td]The Crimson Flames: Multipower, 40-point reserve, all slots Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (50 Active Points); all slots Gestures (-1/4)[/td]

[td=align: right][/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]1) Become the Flame: Desolidification (40 Active Points); Does Not Protect Against Damage (-1), Gestures (-1/4)[/td]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]2) Firestorm: Blast 6d6, Area Of Effect (4m Radius Explosion; +0), Selective (+1/4) (37 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4)[/td]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]3) The Flames of Cthon: Killing Attack - Ranged 3d6-1 (40 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4)[/td]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]4) Sun Burst: Sight Group Flash 8d6 (40 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4)[/td]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]10[/td]

[td]Eyes of Flame: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points)[/td]

[td=align: right]0[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]40[/td]

[td]Fire Immunity: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% (60 Active Points); Only Works Against Fire/Heat (-1/2)[/td]

[td=align: right]0[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]45[/td]

[td]Wreathed in Flames: Resistant Protection (15 PD/15 ED)[/td]

[td=align: right]0[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]10[/td]

[td]Imperious Demeanor: +20 PRE (20 Active Points); Only for Presence Attacks (-1)[/td]

[td=align: right][/td]

[/tr]

 

[/table][table]

[tr]

[td]Cost[/td]

[td]SKILLS[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Acting 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Bureaucratics 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Charm 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Conversation 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Cryptography 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Deduction 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Disguise 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]High Society 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Interrogation 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]AK: Mystic Locations 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]AK: New York City 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Linguist[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]1) Language: Egyptian, Ancient (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]0[/td]

[td]2) Language: English (imitate dialects) (5 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]3) Language: Etruscan (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]4) Language: French (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]5) Language: Greek (Byzantine) (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]6) Language: Latin (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Mimicry 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Oratory 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Persuasion 17-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]3[/td]

[td]Scholar[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]1) KS: Ancient Egypt (3 Active Points) 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]2) KS: Ancient Greece (3 Active Points) 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]3) KS: Occult Lore (3 Active Points) 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]2[/td]

[td]4) KS: World History (3 Active Points) 14-[/td]

[/tr]

 

[/table][table]

[tr]

[td]Cost[/td]

[td]PERKS[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]11[/td]

[td]Money: Filthy Rich[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td=align: right]50[/td]

[td]Thugs and Cultists: 100 - 75pt Followers[/td]

[/tr]

 

[/table][table=width: 1024]

[tr]

[td]COMPLICATIONS[/td]

[td=align: right]Value[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td]Hunted: G-Men Infrequently (Mo Pow; NCI; Harshly Punish)[/td]

[td=align: right]20[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td]Psychological Complication: Overconfident (Very Common; Moderate)[/td]

[td=align: right]15[/td]

[/tr]

 

[tr]

[td]Social Complication: Secret Identity Frequently, Major[/td]

[td=align: right]15[/td]

[/tr]

 

[/table]

Base Pts: 225

Exp Required: 225

Total Exp Available: 225

Exp Unspent: 0

Total Character Cost: 450

[薔薇語]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Looks like a nice write up.

 

Now, if your goal is to use the Desolid as an escape technique rather than some other facet that is possible, then might I suggest just buying a Teleport with "must pass through intervening space". This would allow him to perform the special effect of becoming a flame version of himself and move about. This would keep him from moving through solid matter, though. If you think his special effect should allow him to pass through a solid brick wall, then remove the MPTISpace limitation. Perhaps even buy it with safeblind to keep yourself out of trouble. With just 40pts, you can buy a lot of movement. It will also have the added bonus of given the PCs a resonably cheep and easy way to 'stop' him by just getting a barrier with "can not be escaped with Teleport". I don't know if this is priority #1 for you and your master villain, but it would help you out later on if your PCs want to try and develop such a device; rather than you haveing to build a wierd dispell or drain that would take up a LOT of points quickly. As a side note, you can help reinforce the special effects with things like "obvious" and "side effects". Obvious because the character doesn't 100% materialize back after a teleporting (enough to hit and hurt - but not enough to hide in a crowd of people). Side effects is a good way to represent things around him accidently catching fire - assuming they can.

 

As to the explosion, I ask once again why you have selective? My first thought is that you did this to protect the fire lord himself. By simply not targeting him, you can spare him. If that is the case, I'd just go with personal immunity. If the goal is to keep from accidently setting things on fire - books, computers, chemicals, henchmen - then keep your current build. If the latter isn't of as much concern to you, then take it off and just go with Personal immunity. Heck, given the high defenses and damage reduction, the character would barely feel his own attack. 6d6 maxes at 36 stun and 12 body. Your defenses will cut that down to 16/0. Then with the DR, you'd only take 4 stun on the absolute largest amount of damage possible. On an average roll, he'd take 0 damage. Just FYI.

 

All n' all, I like the character. If I ever run my Here There Be Monsters (thank KS for the setting), I will most certainly snatch the guy.

 

La Rose.

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Looks like a nice write up.

 

Now, if your goal is to use the Desolid as an escape technique rather than some other facet that is possible, then might I suggest just buying a Teleport with "must pass through intervening space". This would allow him to perform the special effect of becoming a flame version of himself and move about. This would keep him from moving through solid matter, though. If you think his special effect should allow him to pass through a solid brick wall, then remove the MPTISpace limitation. Perhaps even buy it with safeblind to keep yourself out of trouble. With just 40pts, you can buy a lot of movement. It will also have the added bonus of given the PCs a resonably cheep and easy way to 'stop' him by just getting a barrier with "can not be escaped with Teleport". I don't know if this is priority #1 for you and your master villain, but it would help you out later on if your PCs want to try and develop such a device; rather than you haveing to build a wierd dispell or drain that would take up a LOT of points quickly. As a side note, you can help reinforce the special effects with things like "obvious" and "side effects". Obvious because the character doesn't 100% materialize back after a teleporting (enough to hit and hurt - but not enough to hide in a crowd of people). Side effects is a good way to represent things around him accidently catching fire - assuming they can.

 

As to the explosion, I ask once again why you have selective? My first thought is that you did this to protect the fire lord himself. By simply not targeting him, you can spare him. If that is the case, I'd just go with personal immunity. If the goal is to keep from accidently setting things on fire - books, computers, chemicals, henchmen - then keep your current build. If the latter isn't of as much concern to you, then take it off and just go with Personal immunity. Heck, given the high defenses and damage reduction, the character would barely feel his own attack. 6d6 maxes at 36 stun and 12 body. Your defenses will cut that down to 16/0. Then with the DR, you'd only take 4 stun on the absolute largest amount of damage possible. On an average roll, he'd take 0 damage. Just FYI.

 

All n' all, I like the character. If I ever run my Here There Be Monsters (thank KS for the setting), I will most certainly snatch the guy.

 

La Rose.

 

Personal immunity on the AOE was exactly what I was thinking, but when I updated, I forgot to make that change. I like the teleport idea, I'll study on it. I originally tacked on the desolid to weird out the heroes, but now I am thinking of dumping the whole thing. The teleport may be the better choice for escape.

[薔薇語]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

It is of note that with selective, you can avoid the issue of accidently burning down his personal library by having selective and then not targeting the books, alchemic chemicals, and henchmen. If you (or, more aptly, the big guy) doesn't care, then don't even worry about the Personal immunity since he will only take 1, 2, 3, or 4 stund damage at max. But if you don't want to calculate that in a combat, then don't worry about it and just tack on Personal immunity.

 

La Rose.

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

It is of note that with selective, you can avoid the issue of accidently burning down his personal library by having selective and then not targeting the books, alchemic chemicals, and henchmen. If you (or, more aptly, the big guy) doesn't care, then don't even worry about the Personal immunity since he will only take 1, 2, 3, or 4 stund damage at max. But if you don't want to calculate that in a combat, then don't worry about it and just tack on Personal immunity.

 

La Rose.

 

Oh, you know that this guy is going to damage his personal property and then blame the heroes. That's what Pulp masterminds do

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Thanks Major. This is stirring an idea. Don't use her in the opening gambit' date=' but have her appear in his second story, and then use her in the third story by having the Emperor decide that she deserves the perfect mate and have NPCs and the heroes fight for her hand.[/quote']

 

 

Hmmm...are you sure that this guy's real name isn't Ra's Al Ghul or something like that? That

sure sounds like something he'd do.

 

Just one other question here: is the Crimson Emperor the sort of villain that, if he were to per-

form some ritual of power, could somehow find himself (as well as his henchwench and more

than a few of his minions) transported forward in time to the present -- or even the future era

of the Galactic Champions setting?

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 71 and counting...

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Hmmm...are you sure that this guy's real name isn't Ra's Al Ghul or something like that? That

sure sounds like something he'd do.

 

Just one other question here: is the Crimson Emperor the sort of villain that, if he were to per-

form some ritual of power, could somehow find himself (as well as his henchwench and more

than a few of his minions) transported forward in time to the present -- or even the future era

of the Galactic Champions setting?

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 71 and counting...

 

Since I plan to use this campaign as the foundations of a Champions (Modern) campaign, I'd say yes.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Since I plan to use this campaign as the foundations of a Champions (Modern) campaign' date=' I'd say yes.[/quote']

 

 

 

And the really evil thing about that is that you could have the PCs caught in the mystic "backwash"

of the ritual, and pulled forward into the future along with the fiend -- and if they thought that where

they're originally from was slightly dangerous, wait'll they get a load of the 21st Century ()...

 

(Speaking as a player in a CoC campaign whose character, along with the rest of the PC group, was

somehow transported through time to the late '80s from the '20s, I know just how much fun it is to

somehow cope with the trappings of a more advanced time period.)

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 69 and counting...

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

Since I pulled something similar on them in Deadlands, I think I'll pass on them this time.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

OK, it's time now for the minions to get their day in the sun art-wise. Here's my take

on Klaus Gorgo, shown here with a couple of the Crimson Emperor's cultists:

 

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44336[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 66 and counting...

[MisterVimes]

Re: The Crimson Emperor -- Build Critique Wanted

 

OK, it's time now for the minions to get their day in the sun art-wise. Here's my take

on Klaus Gorgo, shown here with a couple of the Crimson Emperor's cultists:

 

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44336[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

Minus 66 and counting...

 

Thanks! Those are awesome.