VILLAINS - Marvel Minions

[Kevin Perrine]

Wow...
thanks for that well thought Who knows who idea!
I may have fun making a relationship chart for the team this weekend...

"All the Villains from the Thunderbolts"? You mean the T-Bolts themselves, or the Villains they fought ....

the original T-Bolts themselves... they used to be villains (the Masters of Evil) afterall... that's what I meant.

Genre Conventions for this Campaign? Hrm... we're playing as Villains, not as Villains-Masquerading-as-Heroes, not Villains-Seeking-Redemption, right? And this is going to be more a Four-Color thing, not Grim-&-Gritty, right? Hrrmm... only two I can think of is Always Remeber to Gloat and Never use a gun when an overly-elaborate Death Trap will suffice (and never stick around to actually see the Death Trap kill the Hero -- you've got better things to do, like commit more crimes!).

By the by, why can't we use VP's to eliminate Stun hits or to recover faster?

Oh, and I still need that help with Excel, so I can use the Simpson's Char Sheet....

thanks for the idea on the Genre Conventions, I'm just now building them and those all work. I may try to come up with more.

Yes - we WILL be playing as villains, not mascarading or redemption stories (although redemption isn't out of the question individually - as mentioned with Diamondback).

Why can't you use VPs to eliminate Stun hits or recover Faster? Because Villains can't normally do this in M&M with VPs, the reason being is to give the heroes that heroic edge!
And I thought it would be best to keep many of the set rules without changing as possible.

What help (beyond me doing up a stat sheet for you) did you need?
-kev-

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Typhoid Mary's Marvel Super Heroes Stats. She suffers from Disassociative Personality Disorder (aka split personality).

Disassociative Personality Disorder isn't quite the same as MPD, but for us its close enough. To be honest I've done this before, and the character had trouble interacting with the rest of the group and that was with a lot of good intentions and help. Something not likely to be found in this group...

(Sorry it took me about an hour to write this reply... Got called to do some real work.)

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

And this is going to be more a Four-Color thing, not Grim-&-Gritty, right? Hrrmm... only two I can think of is Always Remeber to Gloat and Never use a gun when an overly-elaborate Death Trap will suffice (and never stick around to actually see the Death Trap kill the Hero -- you've got better things to do, like commit more crimes!).

Why can't you use VPs to eliminate Stun hits or recover Faster? Because Villains can't normally do this in M&M with VPs, the reason being is to give the heroes that heroic edge!

Ehhh, are we suppose to have a chance at success or are we doomed to failure...?

 

[Velmont]

Ehhh, are we suppose to have a chance at success or are we doomed to failure...?

Seeing how much time the Enforcers are beaten by spiderman... nope, we are not suppose, or at least the Enforcers are not suppose...

 

[Hand of Vecna]

What help (beyond me doing up a stat sheet for you) did you need?
-kev-

That's the only thing I need. For the moment.....

 

[Kevin Perrine]

Ehhh, are we suppose to have a chance at success or are we doomed to failure...?

good question.
I have two answers for that...
the one you want (deserve) to hear first...

success - YES, you will definately have chances at success. It's a game you SHOULD have a chance. Villains win all the time in comics, but with the genre conventions villains usually aren't strong "finishers" hence the reasons I'm mixing with Villain Points. This is also the reason Villain Points cannot NORMALLY do those couple extra things Hero Points CAN do.
But in the end, you can/will totally be able to succeed.
My goal will be to try and have the heroes succeed to the best of there ability (as heroes should do), this may result in the capture and imprisonment of some of your mary band (secret note: remember me asking for 3 villain ideas? you might need to have 1-2 on-deck if that happens to go JAIL BREAK).

the second answer is - I won't be easy on you... the heroes deserve to win, because it's comic genre... the Heroes WIN in the end. I won't cheat or make it railroaded that you can't "win" but take the idea that there are many different levels of success. Also think about games like Call of Cthulhu that are built so that the players enjoy the struggle but ultimately will never win... I'm not saying you'll never win - but it'll be a struggle, and should be to mimic the comic genre.

make sense?
-kev-

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Also think about games like Call of Cthulhu that are built so that the players enjoy the struggle but ultimately will never win...

I rather hate Call of Cthulhu; it’s not a fun game in my opinion... So maybe this isn't for me, I seem to only have one villain that seems to work at all... If we do go to our second villain what happens when the first breaks free? We obviously can't play both of them... Do we just pick whichever one we want and you'll do the best to explain away the departure of the other one...?

I'm not saying you'll never win - but it'll be a struggle, and should be to mimic the comic genre.

I have no issues with a struggle, but I'm not going to think up some elaborate death trap, to walk away and let the hero escape, I'm going to do my best to play my character, SW, seems to be pretty straight forward, vengeance, rage, and dealing retribution to all. She'll going to try and kill heroes, and I the player am not going to matagame to keep that from happening...

If that's too "Grim and Gritty" let me know now before we start...

 

[Kevin Perrine]

the LINE-UP

I did a recount of the line-up and notes on how you might know one another... Make up story behind the scenes as you like. Save that for the roleplaying - infighting (arguing), taunting and such is a natural fun part of villain teams. Then again others may respect and like one another!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the final team.
If you have other web resource let me know.
I'll be organizing Excel character builders for everyone this weekend.
Be thinking of your villainous team name - this will happen "in-game" but it's always a fun thing to think about...
you may need to give me a couple "On-Deck" characters just in case
------------------------------------------------


BATROC the LEAPER
(as played by GreyPumpkin)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Porcupine - worked for him as a member of the Brigade in the past
Blacklash - a sound thief, considered for the Brigade in the past
Oddball - poorman's Bullseye but workable
The Enforcers - Fisk's henchmen
Madcap - an unstoppable nutcase, mental powers
Spiderwoman IV - another minion to exploit
[on-deck: the Viper, Cobra]
http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/b/batroc.htm
http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/batrocsbrigade.htm


PORCUPINE
(as played by Quill)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - employed him as a member of the Brigade, solid leader
Blacklash - a sound thief
Oddball - poorman's Bullseye, a possible allie vs. CA & Hawkeye
The Enforcers - henchmen
Madcap - a nutcase
Spiderwoman IV - Wasn't she around in the 70's?
[on-deck: Eel II]
http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/p/porcupine.htm
http://www.geocities.com/marvel_oops/porkupine/porky.html


BLACKLASH
(as played by Nuke261)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - a criminal leader, possible employer
Porcupine - worked Batroc in past, a poor criminal
Oddball - poorman's Bullseye
The Enforcers - henchmen
Madcap - a nutcase
Spiderwoman IV - had heard that a 4th incarnation of SW was about how will she differ?
[on-deck: ???]
http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/b/blacklash.htm
http://www.classicmarvel.com/cast/blacklash.htm


ODDBALL
(as played by Insight)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - team leader, possible employer
Porcupine - worked for Batroc in the past, enemy of CA & Hawkeye
Blacklash - a sound thief
The Enforcers - solid henchmen
Madcap - an unstoppable nutcase
Spiderwoman IV - Isn't she a cruddy hero?
[On-deck: Klaw, Son of Satan, Turner D. Century]
http://www.geocities.com/marvel_oops/oddball/oddball.html
http://free.hostultra.com/~jarvis/oddball.htm
http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/deaththrows.htm


MONTANA & the Enforcers
(as played by Velmont)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - Kingpin's lesser competition criminal leader
Porcupine - worked for Batroc
Blacklash - a sound thief, nearly equal to Bullseye
Oddball - second only to Bullseye
Madcap - an experiment of Dr. Malus, says Mr. Fisk
Spiderwoman IV - We hate Spiderpeople
[on-deck: ???]
http://www.marveldirectory.com/teams/enforcers.htm


MADCAP
(as played by Hand of Vecna)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - bossy Frenchy battled American Idol
Porcupine - bossy Frenchy's sidekick
Blacklash - whips!
Oddball - Madcap,Oddball ... Oddball,Madcap ... heheh
The Enforcers - Who?
Spiderwoman IV - Is that Spiderman's sister?
[on-deck: BASILISK, WILL-o'-the-WISP]
http://www.classicmarvel.com/cast/madcap.htm


SPIDERWOMAN IV
(as played by BrotherShatterstone)
THE TEAM (your base knowledge)
Batroc - criminal mastermind
Porcupine - a solid thief
Blacklash - a sound thief
Oddball - second only to Bullseye
The Enforcers - henchmen
Madcap - who?
[on-deck: Diamondback, Typhoid Mary]
http://www.classicmarvel.com/cast/spiderwoman_4.htm

 

[Kevin Perrine]

I rather hate Call of Cthulhu; it’s not a fun game in my opinion... So maybe this isn't for me,

In or out - that's your choice.
I didn't mean to say that this game will play like a CoC game, it's a super (hero) style game but rather that you can't win all the time is the thought.
Doesn't mean you won't try - doesn't mean you won't have any shot at all...

In the end it's a GAME, and we'll go with the way it plays. If the villains win more often - so be it... you're breaking the mold. yippy!
But then it's likely stronger Heroes will come after you until you plan, plot or hind for a way to avoid getting beaten.

don't take it as a negative that I mention CoC. I mentioned it only because you can't assume that you'll win win win and maim and kill without heroes of the Marvel Universe coming after you to put you away.
Then trying to outthink and beat them.
That's the FUN of this idea.

I seem to only have one villain that seems to work at all... If we do go to our second villain what happens when the first breaks free? We obviously can't play both of them... Do we just pick whichever one we want and you'll do the best to explain away the departure of the other one...?

a-yup!
Since it's a villain game it's actually a BIG option/incentive for one of your own TEAMMATES to "sacrifice" you if they're a type of person that WOULD do that to get away themselves...
Hence, I want you to be ready to continue play until you hatch a plan (or the team does) to break your original character out.
Then you have the option of continuing with one or the other - your choice.

Think of it sorta like your team will be possibly an everchanging group like the Masters of Evil. When they're twarted they eventually come back with a slightly different line-up, then maybe later rejoin the originals, etc...

I have no issues with a struggle, but I'm not going to think up some elaborate death trap, to walk away and let the hero escape, I'm going to do my best to play my character, SW, seems to be pretty straight forward, vengeance, rage, and dealing retribution to all. She'll going to try and kill heroes, and I the player am not going to matagame to keep that from happening...

If that's too "Grim and Gritty" let me know now before we start...

it's NOT too Grim and Gritty, you're playing Villains and most villains are out for themselves. Not all villains are bloodthirsty, some may be against killing - but most would gladly sacrifice or put someone in danger to help them escape.

That's one of the reasons I suggested against this Spiderwoman IV villain... I don't know of her. IF she's that type of villain - I'm totally fine with you playing her that way.
It can/would be VERY fun to have a killer on the team too...
The questions to ask is:
- would she join a team like we have set up (the individuals?)
- why would she join?
- what happens when the other villains plot a deathtrap, will she bust it?
- what happens when another villain freaks at her killing Captain America?


The idea behind this game is NOT to play a board game to win, but to play the fun Genre Conventions of a MIGHTY MARVEL MINION a villain of a lower Tier than the big boys...
and in most cases (especially the ones chosen) all the villains are theives not downright KILLERS with only that goal.


that's why I mention the "struggle" of CoC...
Bottom line - if you were to KILL an Avenger your entire team would be hunted by some of the top Heroes in the biz to be brought to justice.
That could be a fun thing to have happen...
But you have to know that there ARE consequences.


the goal is to revel in the fun choices of the genre...

this won't be D&D, kill the heroes and take their stuff.

I'm not forcing something on you - just looking to fully explain the idea prior to you being unhappy...

make sense?
-kev-

 

[Hand of Vecna]

More on the Unstoppable Nutcase can be found here and here (the last one's a Geocities cite and has been incredibly wonky over the past few months).