A template for the BAM villain entries

[MrJupiter]

Villain Template Presentation

Here is an idea for the breakdown of the villain’s various stats. By following a preset format we can ensure a consistent presentation within the article.

Villain Name
[Breakdown: Stats __, Powers __, Weakness __ = __.]
Story/Description:
B: __, A: __, M: __.
Hits: __, Soak: __, Defense: __, Mental Defense: __.
Mental Malfunction:
Weakness:
Powers:
Skills: Physical, Mental
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Tactics:

The idea of tactics (thanks for this one -kev-) is a great way to showcase how the villain would operate in a combat scene. For instance, “Screech Owl will take to the air as soon as possible and attempt to barrage the heroes with shrilling screech, Special Attacks.”

Powers are a pretty complicated thing to organize consistently. Many heroes and villains often have a cool and unique name for one or more of their powers. This colorful name should be followed by the BASH name for the power and its rank. Then note such statistical things as range, burst size, and modifiers to hit and damage. Afterwards, the power’s enhancements and limitations should be presented and then followed up with the final character point total of the power.

Multi-powers can be presented by using a lead title that theme’s the grouping of powers. This theme name should follow with the final character point total for the cost of the entire multi-power group. Each power should be listed below the group title in a hyphenated/bullet format, generally starting from the most expensive to the least, in a format similar to other powers.

If you have a new advantage or disadvantage for the character, be sure to include the description at the bottom of the character.

Do you have any concerns with this? Is there anything here that I have missed? Please share them.

Thanks;
Ben

[MrJupiter]

I just realized that a couple of great things to add for the villain template might be:

Motivation. See pages 66 and 67 of the rulebook under role-playing villains. Just list the one or two motivations that best exemplify the villain. The narrator can see at a glance that this bad guy is motivated by Hatred or Chaos. The villain's Mental Malfunction will probably take more space to further define this motivator. Place the motivation just below the villain's name.

Crime Scene: Describe what kind of capers this villain would be found doing. Is he a burglar? A viscious mercenary commonly found as hired muscle for someone else's criminal scheme? Is this fellon found constantly stealing advanced technology, or employing his own gizmos to hold the city at ransom? Place this below Tactics.

[MrJupiter]

In discussion with Protheuz I thought I'd mention this:

I'm starting to think that the alternate power builds are an unnecessary headache. Just build with the points needed to best execute the character concept (25pt Street Level, 40pt World Class, or anything in between). A narrator can adjust it to better suit his/her own game as needed. Discussion on the forum could offer these character point variations.

[Edit] For instance: "Here's an idea to bring the Double Trouble character, from BAM #__, into the World Class campaign level. Just increase her Agility to 4, add the power..."

[kevperrine]

While I like having a "format"... I am a little confused. What are you suggesting overall?

A format for suggestion to folks to post characters on the forums?

A format for folks to publish characters?

A question/post to ask others for ideas to add to this format?


What are you suggesting, asking or using this for?
-kev-

[MrJupiter]

While I like having a "format"... I am a little confused. What are you suggesting overall?

A format for suggestion to folks to post characters on the forums?

A format for folks to publish characters?

A question/post to ask others for ideas to add to this format?


What are you suggesting, asking or using this for?
-kev-

Villain Template Presentation

Here is an idea for the breakdown of the villain’s various stats. By following a preset format we can ensure a consistent presentation within the article.

Maybe I could have been clearer but I was referring to a format for presentation within the article. We want these characters to remain a mystery to the reader until he/she opens BAM #6 to finally view these villains in full. I’m merely suggesting a common format (very similar to most posted character sheets and the templates within the BASH rulebook) so that they are uniform in the presentation (so that one villain doesn’t have all his advantages/disadvantages at the top of the character stat block and the next villainess has all hers at the end).

Do you have any concerns with this? Is there anything here that I have missed? Please share them.

Thanks;
Ben

The final section of the post was an attempt to solicit opinions from the forum members in an attempt to gauge whether or not the community finds this format agreeable; or to point out any glaring omissions (or to offer suggestions that improve the format). I myself brought up a couple of such suggestions in a following post.

These ideas are all up for evaluation by the forum members submitting ideas so that what we present will be comfortable to us all. For instance, to start up some discussion, does anyone think that “Motivation” and “Crime Scene” fit well with the articles goals (to provide cool and simple villains that are easy for any narrator to tweak for his/her game)? Are Motive and/or Crime Scene just adding unnecessary clutter?

[Baelor]

Could you throw up a sample villain for us to partake of?

Thanks.

[MrJupiter]

Okay, here is a villain that won’t be appearing in the article but demonstrates the template in action.

MAXIMA
Motivation: Hatred, Thrills.
[Breakdown: Stats 20, Powers 15, Total: 35Pts.]

Erica Vanir heard it her whole life: “A hero is this”; “A hero does that”; “Please Erica, pay attention…” It was all “Blah, blah, blah” as far as she was concerned. It never ended. Her father was Ultiman, a super from back in the old days. The man was so obsessed with “God and country” and all that, that he was practically brain-washing her and her other two siblings to believe that their powers were meant to fight crime, protect humanity and generally make a better world! He even gave them all superhero code names. Her older brother was ‘Ultramax’ and her younger sister was named ‘Supragirl’: both were devoted followers. She wasn’t as naïve. She was the most powerful of the three and had been given the code name ‘Maxima’, which she liked as it also symbolized her “take it all” outlook on life. She wasn’t going to have anyone tell her what she could and couldn’t do: she wanted it all!

B 5, A 3, M 2.
Hits: 100, Soak: 5, Defense: 3(4), Mental Defense: 2.

Mental Malfunction: She is resistant to authority and loathes her father’s ideals. She feels that the world is hers for the taking.

Powers:
Maxi-Movement Multi-power. 5pts
>Super Running 3 (18 sq)
>Super Swimming (20 sq, hold breath for 20 pages)
>Super Jump (250 horizontal squares)
Super Speed 3 (+1 panel, +1 priority) 3pts
Resistance 2 (fire, acid, poison, and starvation) 2pts
Keen Senses (sight and hearing) 2pts
Martial Arts Mastery 2 (Tough, Grappling, and Tricky) 2pts
Weapon Technique 1 (Fists, +1 Agility to hit) 1pt

Skills: Physical – Athletics (Running, Acrobatics); Drive (Acceleration). Mental – Computers (Hacking); Security (Disabling Security Alarms and Cameras).

Advantages: Quick-Thinking.
Disadvantages: Age (young).

Tactics: In combat she fearless plows into the thick of the battle, relying upon her fighting skills and might to overcome all opposition. She will target opponents that she perceives to be arrogant, bossy, blowhards.

Crime Scene: While a strike of fancy might lead her taking a beautiful piece of jewelry, or valuable work of art from a high-end department store or museum, she is often found in the membership of a villain team whose leader knows how to charm her cooperation.

[dugfromthearth]

I like the template.

suggestion - a couple of catchphrases or manner of speaking

Mangler the Magnificent "You pitiful fools will never stop me, Mangler the Magnificent"

Gurak the Beastman "Grrr, me beat you!"

The Overlord - Speaks in 3rd person "The Overlord will conquer this city."

also - I probably did not read the whole other thread - how do we submit villains?

[MrJupiter]

Excellent idea for the catchphase. It adds a nice touch of colour to the character.

I'm thinking that "Catchphrase(s):" might fit nicely at the bottom below both Tactics and Crime Scene. If your struggling to come up with one for your character then you could either not bother to include it or ask for help at the forum (but be descreet as to how much you reveal in the post, or use Private Message instead.

Please put your character submission into a word doc and email it to either myself or kevperrine as an attachment.

Our email addresses can be found at the bottom of each of our posts.

Thanks;
Ben

[BASHMAN]

Or instead of catchphrase, how about a "Quote". This would be something memorable they said once instead of something short they say all the time.

[Protheuz]

I believe the attack value and damage value (at least of the most used attacks) should be posted, following the defenses.
It is a great help to the users and would speed up play.

For instance Attack with swords: x3, Damage with doublehanded sword: x3+15

Edit:
Mr.J: sent you the finished Characters.
In them I used both Quote and Catchfrase.

[MrJupiter]

I believe the attack value and damage value (at least of the most used attacks) should be posted, following the defenses.
It is a great help to the users and would speed up play.

For instance Attack with swords: x3, Damage with doublehanded sword: x3+15

Edit:
Mr.J: sent you the finished Characters.
In them I used both Quote and Catchfrase.

Having the attack and damage values is a great idea. I finished reading your Triumvirate characters. They are really good. The Order of the Iron Cross is very cool mystical organization and will be an awesome inclusion for the villain article.