OOC Chatter

Self-explanatory.

Welcome all!

Doesn't look like Gamers Plane has Risus sheets (not surprising), so I suppose you can make a custom sheet and submit it if you want to post as an avatar.

First IC post is up, so once you put your info in your respective threads and I give the final approval, you're ready to RP!

Thanks for the invite—and WOW you are wasting no time. I just copy-pasted my character sheet to the info page, and when I did, I saw the note that my sheet was approved, so…

—time to check out the IC post!

Heh heh...our online times coincide, at least for today.

Thanks for the invitation. Just getting caught up now, I'll start posting once my character(s) are approved. :)

Everyone: I've changed the number of characters per player to 4, since some of you want to post as your alter-egos/altered-states. This should let you submit more sheets/avatars. If 4 isn't enough, I can bump it up.

You all are more experienced with this site than me, so if there's anything else I can do to facilitate easy "pop out of the phonebooth" avatar-switching, lemme know.

Oh wow… if I ever get so ambitious to draw that many Small Fries, I will submit a Lily at the very least.

Huh. Guess it's only half true. No image.

You do get the image. The catch is that I don’t have an image for Small Fry since that fairy I drew with the fiery uppercut is perfect!

Yup, you're right. Interesting that GMs can do this....

You can also roll on my roll table AND be a different player.

For an argument, here are some examples of how I think each power can be used:

• Subatomic Shrinker - extreme de-escalation
(⚛️Finishing Move… I mean, Closing Argument⚛️)

• Sunshine and Rainbows - super-positive demeanor
(☀️Kill This Asshole With Kindness🌈)

• Hopeless Romantic - display of innocent affection
(💖Ask a Rhetorical Question Like Who’s a Good Doggy?💖)

• Strong From Her Size - distracting power move
(💥Throw a Regular-Sized Stick the Standard Distance for Fetch💥)

Yeah, those work. Everyone can get as creative as they want; Risus makes it happen!

However, Subatomic Shrinker and Strong From Her Size would be inappropriate cliches for this combat, since those don't really fit with verbal arguments. I mean, they could (any cliche could, if you really stretch your imagination), but I have to make a determination somehow.

You can still use them, of course. Hint: Risus wants you to use inappropriate cliches. You can delete 3 dice without a serious drawback? Badda-bing!

Sunshine and Rainbows could go either way, I think, since it refers to both your personality and your "solar flare" ability. Right? Or is it one or the other?

I was thinking Sunshine & Rainbows is probably my broadest skill (in part why I didn’t want it to be a 4🎲), but I think I will use Hopeless Romantic when it fits. It might actually fit now.

When can the rest of us jump in? (I have a defend-Victor move that I’m ready to post—though it can’t possibly beat a 14 because it’s my 2d6 Cliché.)

I assume you want to make a GM post to tell how that defense attempt went, so to be on the safe side, I’m asking before posting.

Attack/defend is 1v1, with low roll losing. Unless you form a team, which you all haven't.

Working on an IC post now.

So wholesome!

Can I crush her idealism with my GM powers?

Brainiac won't be back until Monday at the earliest, so Johnson's fate will be in limbo for a bit.

That’s fine. What about you, @TrustyJustin ? I’d love to hear Fuchsia’s thoughts.

Sorry, I'm here, checking in. Let me catch up...

Me: you’re playing a college girl. Don’t make dad jokes.

Also me: aw, f**k it, "Doo-Gooders."

@Dmbrainiac , do we actually know each other’s powers? I mean, obviously Lily’s powers are not even possible to be kept secret, but… is Victor open (to us basement-dwellers) about Shield Maiden? Or is his secret identity a secret to us?

Victor has probably told the others about his abilities, though he hasn’t had a chance to actually show them off yet. So feel free to be amazed or amused after the first transformation occurs. :)

Not knowing is more fun so I can react in-game.

Alright, maybe he's made vague hints as to his powers but has been coy so far.

I'm curious how we all came together, was this just like a Craigslist for superheroes situation?

Haha… I was being a goof, but I suppose it’s next to impossible to beat that roll with Jimmy Z’s stats. (I guess he’d either roll Punk Rocker or Bisexual.)

If you’d rather I don’t roll for silly stuff, that’s cool too. I just thought Small Fry could try to make herself momentarily untouchable (or, on a bad roll, become tiny and get swatted).

I don't have some detailed team origin story in mind. I was thinking you all stumbled together while thwarting some minor crime, decided you could tolerate each other, and teamed up.

If you all want to create something more complex and wacky, go for it.

Nah, your roll is fine. It adds some flavor and nuance to the situation.

Mr. Johnson might actually think, "she really did tell Jimmy to stop being an asshole, and he really stopped."

I like it.

No need to change it. I just want to make sure everyone is on the same page.

It was crazy at work this week. I'll do my best to catch up and post on Monday.

Obvious thing is to quit work and focus on RP. 😎

If only! 😂

Between the holidays, going out of town, and family visiting, my schedule for the next few weeks is going to be very busy. Expect sporadic posts until at least January 6th or 7th.

I like Fuchsia’s plan. (Small Fry will go along with the party’s desire to avoid an unnecessary battle.)

Everyone who agrees with the plan: RP exactly what you want to do, and then roll the appropriate cliche.

And remember: if you're staying in the immediate area, there are 6 people and 2 dogs who are watching you! Plus Sarah, but I'm not counting her since she's an ally.

Wow, did I get lucky because 10 is not a good 4d6 roll!

I think I know what my move will be, but as you said, it’s best to find out what Eliza and her robot animals do before I commit.

Worst. Initiative. Roll. Ever.

@Totes_McGee , I’m already starting to see how the Risus system could be hacked/tweaked for my *next* Hero•Girl•Sprite spin-off.

I chose B☢️MBSHELLS over the Risus-based idea I had because I wanted a better understanding of this system, which can only be accomplished by playing it.

I’m enjoying the game! But just thought I’d let you know it’s doubling as a source of inspiration!

Hi guys, sorry I've been absent, I've been away from home visiting family and I thought I would be better at keeping up with this, but it's just been too hectic. I'll try to get caught up shortly

@witchdoctor: Oof. The dice gods giveth, and the dice gods taketh away.

@Legendary_Sidekick: Glad you're enjoying it! Risus is so bare-bones that you have tons of leeway. I'm trying to keep my rulings fair and balanced, while also developing an overall "system" in my brain so I'll know how to handle certain situations in the future. Risus also has some advanced stuff that I didn't use, as I figured it would muddy the waters.

@TrustyJustin: No prob! The game's still been chugging along.

Because I’m first in initiative—and have the keys to the van—I can drive or fly off before Eliza can come out, correct?

And also, I get to do something with the monkey (C8) before I act… I think..?

@Legendary_Sidekick: Combat is over (for now), so you don't have to worry about initiative.

Eliza hasn't yet reached the van, so you have time to try some shenanigans. But she's on the move, so she'll notice you if it's something convoluted or time-consuming.

You "defeated" the robo-chimp earlier, so you can do whatever to it. Right now it's squealing out a warning, but hasn't been heard above the commotion.

I have a thought that can be done in seconds. I’ll go for it…

Eliza is a very believable child genius.

When I lived in Hong Kong, there was a 13-year-old boy who was accepted into the University of Hong Kong. He was being interviewed on TV. The reporter was a young, beautiful woman. (Of course with a brain in her head too.) She was polite to the child, congratulating him before asking what he was studying. The little shit replied, "You wouldn’t understand." He went on to tell her how dumb and slow his classmates were.

That was the only moment in my life that I believed there could be justification for stuffing a nerd in a locker.

Cool!

BUT...there's still more to be learned about Eliza. 😎

Oh, plenty of nerds are insufferable! Much worse than the "normies" they despise. But that's a rant better left un-fulminated....

Best. Typo. Ever.

@TrustyJustin,@witchdoctor,@Dmbrainiac

I had Small Fry send a signal to the rest of the team, now that Eliza is calmer.

@TrustyJustin, @witchdoctor: Looks like your last posts were Jan. 20th. Are you still interested in this game?

@Dmbrainiac: Looks like your last post was Jan. 23rd. Same question: still interested?

If you aren't, no problem. I'll re-open the game and find replacement(s).

If you are, then to be blunt, I need to see more activity. 1-2 posts a week isn't enough.

Also, I won't be posting about activity every other week, trying to motivate people. If you do decide to stick around, and activity lags again, I'll be removing you without further discussion.

Too harsh? Sorry, but this game officially started Nov. 17, and I feel I've been lenient with activity up until now. It's time to get things moving.

@Legendary_Sidekick: I assume you're still interested, because you've been posting consistently. 👍

Sorry, I’m here. Work has been busier than anticipated this month but I’ll try to do a better job at keeping up with posts.

I'm out

Removed TrustyJustin. Reopening the game to find replacement.

Still nothing from witchdoctor. If I don't hear something by tomorrow afternoon, I'll remove them.

My understanding is that Witchdoctor’s job has gotten insanely busy as of late.

I see. But they're still logging into Gamers Plane, according to "Last Activity" on their profile. Yet they haven't notified me of any change.

And for the past few weeks (beyond the current 8-day gap in activity), I've had to roll/decide stuff for Doppelganger.

If someone isn't going to post frequently, and doesn't have the courtesy to tell me what's up, then this game is clearly a low priority. Best to find a replacement.

So we'll see what happens tomorrow....

Welcome @Eltesla! I feel like we've all seen you somewhere before...😎

Post your info in your respective thread, and then once I give the final approval, you're set to RP! Since this is a superhero adventure, your entrance can be as dramatic as you like.

However, Eliza has been "defeated," so it's not worth it to fight her again. Per Risus rules, you all are now deciding her fate, within reason. Sarah hasn't been "defeated," though...if she's being stubborn, is that an option you'll use?! [Dun dun dunnn]

I might use polls to speed things up, if you all can't reach a consensus. We'll see.

Oh, and you can of course submit a character. Or two, if you want, a la Brainiac.

You don't have to create a sheet, since Risus just needs the dice distribution, but you can if you want.

Well, I wouldn’t call it a fight, but I rolled.

Oh damn, that is funny!

I guess I’ll have Small Fry give it the old college try.

Still nothing from Witchdoctor, so I removed them.

The search begins for another replacement!

Open discussion is fine here, or perhaps in the Legendary Sidekick’s character thread?

For private, click that lined-paper-like icon, then click a name, then Private.

Screenshot:

Thanks! I'd already posted before seeing this. It appears I fumbled around and did it successfully.

About my entrance, should I play it as if Rocketeer was a member of the group the whole time but was off doing other things?

I'd rather you be a new face. I think that'll make things interesting, as you all discover each other's powers and personalities.

And the premise of the game is that the "heroes" start off as poor noobs, so I don't think that the team would have reserve members.

Got it. I'll say she happened to see the rainbow that Small Fry used as a signal.

Yup, that works!

@Totes_McGee What you said in the main thread is more or less what I meant. No guarantees and she’s not *that* powerful. Just permanently "nineteen" and probably a lot of lost years having been stuck at a subatomic size.

(Basically, there needs to be a reason she’s just showing up now, and why her powers are somewhat unstable.)

@Legendary_Sidekick: Got it. 👍

Fun Fact: Lily LaViolette is the third Small Fry.

LINK!

So there are Small Fries scattered across the multiverse?

I wonder who's the Small Fry in our reality...?

@Totes_McGee , in the setting of this game, were there superheroes in the 70s/80s? I’m working on the next piece of backstory, in which Small Fry attempts to join a Superfriendsy team. (You can guess how it turns out.)

Yeah, there would. Haven't developed detailed lore, though.

Pre-World War II there were superheroes, but only a few. They were more like urban legends...and for the majority of them, their fates are unknown.

Post-World War II, more and more superheroes showed up. Geopolitical tensions (US vs USSR, just like IRL), the rise of advanced science, the rise of OmniCorp, aliens (maybe?!), population growth...all these factors led to more supers appearing.

@Totes_McGee , before SF tries something clever, I suppose I should find out where she is.

Oh, cool! That’s the first time a PC pumped.

Does that mean High-Flying will be down from 4 to 2? (On a winning roll.)

Yeah, though it lasts for a single round of combat before the Cliché damage occurs.

Oh, I see. So even defending, you get +2 dice.

Indeed! Though I think I (wrongly) applied the cliche damage instantly when the last (and only) NPC pumped...which was Mr. Johnson?

But the rules state that would only happen for a non-combat "single significant roll." For combat, the pump lasts one round, as Eltesla stated.

And don't forget about inappropriate cliches! I haven't. 😈

Yeah…Small Fry (by design) is better at defending herself than attacking.

One question: does losing all dice from one iché spell defeat? Or is defeat when you have no dice in any appropriate cliché?

From the Risus rules, page two:

"However, anytime a character has a Cliche worn down to zero dice in combat, he's been defeated, even if he has other Cliches left to play with."

So appropriate or inappropriate doesn't matter. Down to zero dice for a cliche? Defeated!

IMO, defenders have an advantage in this system. They can look at the attacker's roll and decide to pump or use an inappropriate cliche.

Oh… so that actually makes a 1D cliché useless! Ha.. I was thinking I could sacrifice that die by pumping Strength when I can’t win with a good die.

(Well… my stat choice wasn’t strategic. But now I know what not to do, strategically-speaking!)

For combat, yeah, 1D isn't ideal. But it can be helpful for Target Number rolls, which are supposed to scale based on the cliche's applicability to the task.

Say you're trapped in a adamantine-barred dungeon cell, but have Novice Lockpicker (1). Even though 1D is a "putz," the Target Number roll to pick the lock would be low, to match your knowledge. Like a 5, which is still "a challenge for a schmuck."

But say you have Power Gauntlet Hands (4). Obviously, you ain't picking any locks. While you'd be able to effectively bludgeon stuff in combat, the target number for lockpicking would be high, like a 20!

Here's a useful site to play around with the probabilities for this stuff. Also this one.

Or to apply it to this game, when Small Fry shrank and entered the facility...sure, she can't be seen by the naked eye, but she has no "true" stealth capabilities. Her body temp/energy signature/whatever, however tiny, can still be detected by a robust enough scanning system.

(And you rolled a 9, so even if I was being generous and set the target to 10 [90% chance of success], you would've failed anyway. Not to rub salt on the wound....)

Meanwhile, Rocketeer's techonopathy fitted her hacking goal. 9>7, but Rocketeer had a less challenging task, according to cliches.

Which brings me to a question: do you want me to list Target Number requirements, or have it continue to be a mystery-GM-behind-the-screen thing?

I have no problem showing them, but being the nature of PbP, it'll often be done after you've already rolled, since I can't plan for everything you'll attempt. We're not sitting around a table where we can spitball ideas back and forth easily. Sure, you could ask what the target would be before rolling, but that would slow the game down considerably.

But if some of you want to min/max to the max, we can figure something out.

Let me know!

I like keeping the target number behind the curtain.

Same here. I think it adds more tension.

Keep it secret. Keep it safe!

3-0 in favor of secrecy? So be it!

Just to check my understanding of the rules, since the Lightning Strike unit had 2D and was pumped, it would have been defeated had I done nothing, right?

(I thought that to be the case, but doing something was more fun. Hence my asking after the post.)

Yeah, that's right.

And your character wouldn't know when exactly your enemies would be defeated, so just keeping attacking!

I set up my roll table so I can un-check any dice I lose. The number before the "d6" is a variable equal to the number of checks… although I should add to the max # for pumping.

@Totes_McGee ,
SF’s words address everyone. However, if the 3d6 roll must target a single group, then it’s the Gung-Ho that SF is trying to talk down. (The Timid probably don’t need convincing.)

Oh, nice! I was wondering if I shoulda pumped, knowing it was 3d6 vs. 3d6!

And even if the -5 applies, I got him. (Haha, shoulda burned his moustache instead!!)

Oh wow.. so an inappropriate cliché is -3 dice if the attacker loses, but if the defender still loses one die? I thought the defender was taking a 3-die risk as well. But that’s good to know, since I’m probably going to need an inappropriate cliché to defend myself next round (unless someone can finish Raines, now that he only has one die in both stats).

Yup. From the rules:

"The 'inappropriate' player takes no such risk, and loses only one die if he loses the round. Thus, a creative hairdresser is dangerous when cornered and attacked unfairly. Beware."

And it's not just defense. Someone can attack you with an inappropriate cliche, and if you defend with an appropriate cliche, you're in danger of losing 3 dice.

Nice move, @Eltesla ! I was hoping to get the machine cursed with -5 so we can safely deplete its dice. With the suicidal pump, I think the machine will only have 2 or 3 dice vs. Shield Maiden!

EDIT - wow… second pump-and-tie in this battle!

Welcome @Celestine!

Post your stuff in your respective thread, and submit a character if you want to post as an avatar. Once I give the final approval, you're almost ready to rock n' roll!

I say almost, because I'd like you to hold off on posting until the current Big Battle is done. Which shouldn't be too long...may even finish it today. Then you can make your dramatic entrance!

Haha… my crappy roll wins the day! I was gonna go with a weak stat, either strength or hopeless romantic (even typed up the speech), but Sunshine & Rainbows is really the perfect power to thwart a weather machine.

@Celestine: Yup, battle's over, so once we get sorted as explained in my previous post, you'll be ready to RP.

No worries, it gives me a little time to catch up.

Hey folks! Happy to be here!

Welcome! I remember you from Mound City—good to have you here!

Hello! Can't wait to play alongside you.

Welcome!

@Eltesla , obviously up to you whether Rocketeer would reveal/mention the nanites within her armor to Small Fry. But what I was thinking to revive a nanite die is that SF would go into the armor and find out why the nanites aren’t naniting.

Wherever this would go, SF wouldn’t learn your character’s identity since, at the subatomic level, she just looks like an endless mass of atoms.

That's a cool idea, but I don't think Rocketeer would trust Small Fry enough to do so at this point.

Hope that's okay, if a little long. Was trying to strike a balance between catching up, contextualizing why I'm there, and not dragging out the aftermath by asking a bunch of questions.

Bravo! Really good stuff.

Works for me!

@Celestine , if you didn’t know, Lily LaViolette is named after Lily Tomlin (star of The Incredible Shrinking Woman) and Shrinking Violet.

Long posts are fine. I write plenty of 'em.

To clarify my OoC comment:
^This is what I will RP, regardless of whether I lose or gain dice.
^This is a question as to whether I could use this play to recover a die, but with a stake (where I am more likely to lose a die).

In any case, I’m basically setting up SF to fail here.

EDIT - haha! A 13… SF was doomed anyway!!!

@Totes_McGee did I not lose a die, but instead, permanently lose a chance with her?

Because if that’s the case, what a fun way to randomize SF’s chance at romance!—rolling a low die vs. a young, attractive NPC!—preferably with a 3- or 4-die stat to make winning unlikely. (Maybe pumping if I really want it to work.)

No, I was actually jesting about the "lost timeline." You did lose a dice, but Erin isn't permanently unavailable. Sorry if it was unclear. 😅

I'm thinking NPC romance mechanics will vary wildly, depending on the specific NPC.

Someone already likes you, and is drunk and horny? Might just be a low target number roll to bang 'em.

Someone is ambivalent? You might have to roll numerous single action conflicts with 'em, and win the majority to even have a shot.

Someone hates you? They might immediately initiate combat!

Ah, okay. Down to 1D then.

Funny, in battle, SF has remained pretty much unscathed but for that +3 pump. Post-battle, she’s getting her butt kicked!

I think Small Fry is all set. As noted in the OoC text, she intends to play with the friendly dog to replenish her emotional dice. After that, she’ll focus on her shrinking power.

If you’re good with a monologue RP, I might do that. But I’m also okay with you going to next day, if other players are good to move forward.

Whatever creams your Twinkie!

If we're doing a long rest, I don't expect anyone to write exhaustive posts detailing how they restored every cliche. You can, sure, but an overview is fine.

During an actual mission, yes, there'll usually be more RP requirements to restore cliches...otherwise there's no resource management.

@Totes_McGee Given the description of the necklace, could this be an item that, while in her possession, SF can remove/don with the same power she uses to clothe herself in light?

In other words, without a complex explanation, can she somehow still have it even if she becomes subatomic? (Unlike the grenade, which had to be carried by someone else.)

Yeah, using comic book logic, we can say Meghana crafted the necklace so Small Fry could use it.

If shrinking down extremely small, you could say the necklace's stormy essence becomes a part of your own energy, and then transforms back into a tangible necklace at normal scale.

Lots of posts this weekend, I'll catch up and post as soon as I'm able.

I’m good with the length. I enjoy the IC posts, and also did when you joined Mound City, though I never had the chance to interact with you in that game.

@Dmbrainiac: You made a brief OOC post March 6, but your last substantial post was March 3.

In your case, lack of activity has already been discussed here. Therefore, I'll be removing you from the game. Sorry, but I said I wasn't going to drag activity out of people, and I'm sticking to that.

Everyone else's activity level is good. The more we all post, the faster the game goes!

FYI: I'll be gone Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. When I get back, I'll start looking for a replacement player.

Yep, I’ve been unable to keep up with the pace of the game, and I’m out of town all next week too so it wouldn’t be fixed anytime soon. Thanks for the opportunity to play. See you all around the site!

Later! Thanks for taking this gracefully! 👋

I'll go ahead and re-open the thread in Games Tavern, so hopefully we'll get some applicants while I'm away.

I enjoyed the game, but I’m going to have Small Fry slip into another reality.

Thanks for running it, Totes!

@saevikas: Welcome! Please post your info in your respective thread. Once I give the final approval, you're ready to RP.

Everyone: I generally don't like to take over PCs once their users have left, so I'm scrapping the current mission. I'll give Small Fry a send-off, and then give you some options for new missions.

Alright.

Oh dear, I hope everything is okay. Take care Legendary Sidekick, hopefully I'll see you again!

@Celestine: Your last IC post was March 8th. You still interested in this game?

@Tickettbror: Welcome! Head on over to your respective character thread and we'll talk about Blended...or whoever you decide to play as.

Everyone: The mission choice was between Fungelbert Cobb and the impregnium ingot...but now there's a new wrinkle? We'll see what happens....

Once Ticket gets onboarded and introduces their character, I'll set up a poll if there's no consensus on mission selection.

Hey all, thanks for having me and nice to see a familiar face! (or some familiar faces? Not sure who's still with us.)

Laughing a bit at our completely replaced group, compared to the original, but ready to get Fei-fei involved in all the hijinks.

Cool character concept! I already love how impetuous Fei Fei is. Let's see what shenanigans we get up to.

Ah, sorry, expected a bit of a gap during recruiting (about 2-3 days per spot), and then got swept up in Birthday stuff yesterday. Getting caught up now.

Okay, I'm all caught up now. The new players sure did come out swingin', huh? I should get a post up as soon as I get back from work.

Practical question: was anything ever established about Mr. Caldwell? Just thinking about borrowing his clothes for the sake of a disguise.

Sarah is a single mom. Eliza's dad is not in the picture.

Not gonna reveal more OOC. If you want more info, ask them IC!

Fair enough. Thrift store it is!

@Eltesla: Did you leave your droids at Eliza's?

I admit I half-forgot about them. I would remember, but I'd never be near a computer when I did...and so the thought would flit away....

Okay, I'm sorry. After falling asleep while trying to write last night, and staring as a blank text document most of today, I think it's best that I step away. Some RL stuff is clearly taking my focus away from this game, and I can't be relied upon to match the posting speed I agreed to.

I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

I'll say the droids are still at Eliza's.

@Celestine: Thanks for letting me know. I hope you get your RL stuff sorted and find some games that match your desired pace!

Everyone else: Continue RPing as normal. I'll open up the recruitment thread again, but my GM Sense tells me it might be some time before I find a replacement. We can easily run the game with three players, though.

@crazybirdman: Welcome! Head on over to your respective character thread and we'll finalize your character. Once that's done, you'll be ready to RP.

I did that on purpose. I knew if I said we wouldn't quickly find a replacement, then we actually would. 😎

FYI: I'll be gone Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.

If I want to attack a henchman with an ice enhanced punch, would i roll cryokinesis or athlete?

Cryo-kinesis is the best cliche for that. But after you formed the ice-fists, you could use Former Athlete on subsequent rolls to attack with them.

Not that big of a deal, though. Risus leaves a lot of room for creativity.

Sorry for the delay, busy weekend!

Strategically speaking, is there anything else I can do to try and defend? since mathematically I can't win against that cyborg

You still have Coach (3). You could pump that by 1 to give yourself a better shot...though Bulwark's 15 is a decent roll, especially since you have to beat it by 5 or more.

As far as the RP, I guess you'd be coaching yourself. Or if you used that cliche in a unique way, it could count as an inappropriate cliche, which means Bulwark would lose 3 dice if you win.

Or you can just take the loss, and hope Bulwark keeps focusing on you so the others can whup him.

Or if you really wanted to get crazy, you could choose the kamikaze route. Pump Coach by three, giving you a 6 dice roll, and a significant advantage over Bulwark's roll...but once this combat round ends, the pump damage kicks in, and you'd be KOed.

So there are some options.

ok, good to know! I think I'll take the hit for now.

would I have to roll to make a run for the dropship?

If you're talking about disengaging from combat, Risus rules don't have a retreat mechanic.

But I'll say you can disengage, if you want. You can roll a cliche, then your opponent(s) [in this case, Bulwark] will roll to try and stop you. Low roll loses 1 dice, as usual. So it's like a normal round of combat, except if you win, you can disengage. If you lose, you're still stuck in combat.

I know i expected to lose that roll to get away, but did I not roll higher than Bulwark?

He has Armored, as listed here.

However, I forgot half-forgot about the tie stipulation. So you wouldn't lose dice for your most recent roll, but neither would he; it would be a tie.

Echo also wouldn't lose dice for her most recent roll. I think those are the only two instances that need to be changed.

I'll update the dice summary now, and add an example of Armored to Bulwark's NPC post.

Sorry about that! 😭

Update: I read through the battle, but didn't see anything else that needs changing. Feel free to double-check if you want.

lol, I'm not the best person to verify, i haven't even mastered the 2 page rules. With armored, I don't think we really stand a chance though

Nah, you can take him. 💪

I'm going to be away from tomorrow (15th) until Wednesday 23rd. I'll try and get Fei-fei's response up by tonight, but I might not get the chance.

I'm also traveling (for spring break), I'll post of it can, but Totes_McGee can feel free to play Chillmera if/when necessary

10-4. Have fun!

I'll roll for/play your characters if needed, but I'll try to keep the posts limited so there's not an overwhelming amount of stuff to catch up on.

I've only been here a short time, but I'm enjoying the game so far! I'm interested in rescuing the 2 PC's from Malkengard, and my character is too. It's just that unless Ive missed something, I don't see a way there.

Glad you're enjoying it! As for a rescue, there are plenty of options.

- Bulwark is at your mercy, and knows stuff.
- Eliza is a master builder. Could you also enlist Echo, even though she blew you both off?
- Fei-fei mentioned a mystical option.
- This world has a website called Hero Help Now, the premier site connecting heroes to those in need. If you post something, can you find a cross-dimensional teleporter? Or at least someone with a helpful skillet.

These are just four. There are plenty of other ways to tackle this problem.

However, it wasn't my intent to separate you all for this long, but everything takes 10x longer in PbP. I generally want you to stick together, as maintaining separate storylines can get confusing for all involved. There's also the meta-gaming aspect, where one group has to pretend they don't know what the other group is doing.

Well, Bulwark said he didn't know anything, and Echo confirmed it. I guess I can ask him again nicely

I'm fine with fast-forwarding if others are. It feels handwavey, but almost necessary to get the gang together.

Happy to do either or, honestly. It's whatever's easiest for you as GM!

Maybe consider a soft reboot, since all of our characters are new-ish and removed from the original setup? Whatever works. A couple of questions, though.
- I'm not sure what the tone of the story is supposed to be. I went into this thinking it was going to be silly superheroes, but then it got dark. Even if she weren't crippled, I didn't feel comfortable about leaning into Tomo's gimmick for jokes when people are actually dying for real. I didn't particularly enjoy Tomo being sexually harassed either.
- Why would we be at Jimmy's house? I don't think any of our characters know him at all. Part of the reason I suggest a soft reboot.

Regarding the vibe: the Games Tavern posting said "more Vertigo than Marvel," though I did post an update later on that encouraged people to read the IC posts to get a feel for the vibe.

So if you're just looking for "silly superheroes," this isn't the right game. There will be some silliness, but also violence, corruption, darkness...and on the flip side, hopefully some comedic or uplifting moments. Mixing it up keeps things fresh.
When did this happen?
Doesn't have to be the meetup point. Could be the Caldwell residence, since I believe everyone knows them except Chillmera.

I haven't read the Vertigo comics, so I built my expectations based off of reading the game itself, which was fairly lighthearted and pulpy the whole way through, where "crazy" means "mad scientist you knock out" and not "psycho who murders on a whim". I'm not sure if anybody else had the impression of a stark tonal shift like I did, but I'd like to make sure that I'm on the same page as everybody else here. If that's the tone we decide to roll with, I can adjust my expectations.
The whole thing with Ragnar? Unless you have any other way to describe a naked Ragnar chasing down a crying Tomo to spank her after not taking any hints about Tomo not being receptive to Ragnar's persistent advances? I think the power imbalance between a demigod imposing on a person of baseline human ability is what firmly tipped it into being weird.

I do agree that my initial impression was something more lighthearted and not people talking about killing, and the brutal nature of some of the engagements. Fei-fei, being generally a "normal" person, if a little eccentric, beyond her powers, isn't the type to immediately jump to "lets kill a bunch of corporate lackies.

Admittedly that might've been my fault though, since at the time of making my character I'd only read up to the end of the introduction (and the defeat of the neighbour and his dog) so the tone might not have been established. I might've made a different character if I was intending to play something more dark in tone.

Confused about this. You have Tomo puke on a prideful, impulsive demigod twice, but don't expect him to retaliate?

If spanking is out of the question, how should I have handled the fight? Is getting zapped by lightning, slashed with a sword, or bashed with punches or kicks acceptable...but not getting whacked in the butt a few times?

As for "power imbalance": yes, that's part of RPGs. Navigating those situations is what makes them fun. At least for me, maybe not for you. And your foes will indeed try to "impose" on you. Not sure how I can handle conflict if your enemies aren't really trying to harm you.

And the "power imbalance" wasn't really an imbalance, at least 2v1. The math gets tricky, what with pumps and inappropriate cliches, but you and Rocketeer had a 75-80% chance to defeat Ragnar. IIRC, you pumped too much and KOed yourself early, leaving Rocketeer to face him alone. Which is fine; one of the reasons I use Risus is that defeat in battle doesn't necessarily mean death. But this was hardly some unbeatable foe who does whatever he wants to you, with you being completely helpless.

Regarding the tone: again, I was trying to mix things up, so it's not always "standard superhero battle with sorta bad person," but sometimes "holy shit this is serious!" If this was confusing, my bad.

I'll be gone Tuesday and possibly Wednesday (6th and 7th), so I'll ponder this some more. Keep chiming in with your thoughts, and we'll see if we can come up with...something? Best practices, I guess is the most fitting term.

Honestly? yes. I can't speak for Saevikas, but from my perspective I'd ask you to think about the framing and the implications of the characters. At least with the lightning or swords etc it's not demeaning, and suggests Ragnar treats her as an enemy, let alone the obviously suggestive nature of a naked man doing that to a woman. (And include "who has responded negatively to said man's advances.")

Context is very, very important.

I can definitely see how Ragnar's nudity is an issue, so I can refrain from that sort of thing in the future.

But I still disagree on the spanking...not that it's demeaning, but that's it's a proportional response to an equally demeaning action. Puking on someone twice? Once could be considered an accident, twice is no bueno...especially since Tomo and Rocketeer were in open air, and nothing was forcing her to puke again on Ragnar. Even if she claimed it was an accident, Ragnar didn't see it that way...nor would I, if it happened to me IRL.

As for Ragnar "treating her as an enemy," he didn't treat her as an enemy, even after that. At least, not one he wanted to slay by any means necessary. He just wanted to teach her a lesson. As I mentioned at the time, that was "light combat" to start, though Rocketeer escalated. But to start with, there's no reason for Ragnar to go all out, as he had no intention of maiming or killing Tomo.

And if we're talking about being demeaning, stealing Ragnar's sword, as Rocketeer did, was incredibly demeaning, as were her comments about his unworthiness. Fei-fei is also sassy, in her own way.

I'm not complaining about this. I think all of it is cool, and sent the narrative in unexpected directions.

But if people want to do whatever to NPCs, because "they're just NPCs," but then get frustrated when their character is put in a comparable situation? Really hamstrings me as a GM.

I don't mind that the fight happened, that we lost the fight, that conflict can happen, or that things are mechanically balanced. To put it simply, I didn't enjoy the interaction with Ragnar because Ragnar is a creep.

I agree with Tickettbror that the framing of a naked man trying to assert dominance over a girl by spanking her and "teaching her a lesson" is offputting, especially given his sexual interest in her. To quote Ragnar when Tomo taps out and apologizes:
Do you see why this feels rapey? Say what you will about Ragnar's motivation for his actions, it doesn't change how offputting they are and that I didn't enjoy this interaction because of that. This is not "sassy supers taunting each other" kind of demeaning, this is "demigod knows he can do whatever he wants with you" kind of demeaning. I'm sure that you did not intend it that way, but that's how it comes off.

If something less drastic like demanding an apology or reparations won't do, lightning and swords would've at least leaned into Tomo's death defying gimmick. It still maintains the aspect of Ragnar being not taking well to his pride being sullied, while not making things so weird. Is it a disproportionate response? Yes, but what Ragnar did was a disproportionate response anyways. You don't get a news crew pointed at you or a call to the police for throwing up on someone twice. However, "naked man chases a girl to spank her" does.

Even putting aside the fight, Ragnar was a creep from the get go.

I've already addressed the nudity, so don't have anything to add.
Well, yes, he can do whatever he wants to you, if he wins the fight. Not rape or anything of that sort, but Risus rules state the winners decide the fates of the losers, within reason based on the type of conflict.

If you're worried about someone "doing whatever they want with you," I don't know what to tell ya, because that's a possibility for every high-stakes fight.
As I've said plenty of times, Ragnar did not want to fight full strength. You're saying he should've, so you can use your cliche? If he tried to slaughter you just because of puke, he'd be a full-on villain, which isn't his character.

If he's a creep from the get go, why not just attempt to leave? He wasn't antagonistic. But puking on him twice is both a challenge to him, and to me, the GM. It's saying, "Yeah, I puked on your NPC...twice! What're ya gonna do about it?" Which is cool. I'm game! But then Tomo gets spanked, and suddenly everything's super-serious, and the encounter should've happened a certain way so Tomo could flex, even though it's against Ragnar's intentions.

It seems like you want to be deliberately provocative, but then want to nitpick the response to your actions.

I don't know where you got the notion that I'm saying this to metagame and not because it genuinely was uncomfortable for me. This is not a complaint about losing or wanting to show off. This is not some sort of attack, this is not an argument, this is not a negotiation. This is me explaining what made me uncomfortable about the situation so that we could work out an understanding before we move forwards.

If I came off as provocative, I apologize for not using a more eloquent tone to convey my explanation. If I came off as nitpicky, I apologize for not addressing every point you put forward for discussion. At the same time, I ask that you refrain from the deliberately provocative and nitpicky behavior that you accuse me of. It's disrespectful and unproductive.

If you want to understand what made me uncomfortable so that we can move forwards, I can do my best to rephrase in a less charged fashion. Maybe we can do some sort of structured Q&A so that we can organize and address our concerns without getting lost in the weeds.

If you are not interested in moving forwards, then let me know how you want to deal with this situation.

I understand your reasons for being uncomfortable, and also understand the concerns with nudity. But IMO, it doesn't mesh with the way you've portrayed your character.

Let's go back to your intro. You careen into the Caldwells' backyard, and die with a fire extinguisher poking out of your body. You then leave without much explanation. Is it OK to subject a young girl to this amount of gruesomeness and weirdness? (I don't care that you did it, just posing the question to highlight your behavior.)

Then moving on to Ragnar. You puke on him twice, which demands a response, even though you claim you disliked him from the get go. If you abhorred him, the best plan would've been to simply play along with him for a bit, then fly away. You didn't, which signaled to me you had no problem with how the story was going.

Also:
Again, you seem to be having a fine ol' time with this.

Looking back, I also found this:
This happened before Ragnar spanked you, though to be fair he'd declared his intent. But the versus roll was still in question, so if you won he wouldn't have had a chance. A low blow is OK (again, before the egregious spanking even happened), but a few spanks isn't?

The vibe I got from Tomo is that she's a meme/joke character, and that you welcomed weirdness. Now you claim otherwise. You also don't seem to want to scrutinize your RPing, instead basically saying "that's different" when you do it, but "that's inappropriate" when I do it.

Such a situation is impossible to GM.

This is also the first time you've mentioned your concerns. This happened roughly two months ago. Why didn't you bring it up then, when memories were fresh? This makes the situation even more perplexing.

Here are my thoughts going forward:

1.) No nudity onscreen. From my end, however, there is a possibility that NPCs will be flirtatious, sleazy, or creepy.

2.) Your characters will be challenged. That includes the possibility of getting beat up, slashed, bashed, spanked, demeaned, or humiliated. This doesn't include sadistic, gory, R-rated stuff, like getting disemboweled and choked with your own intestines or something. This is regardless of any "power imbalance." It's your job to navigate these situations...though as I've already explained, the math is usually in your favor with these "imbalances."

3.) My RP follows from yours. If Tomo low blows someone in battle, expect a retaliatory low blow. "But Tomo's a girl, and the opponent is a big powerful dude" isn't a valid argument. Think carefully about how your RP will be perceived before posting. If necessary, also write an OOC note to clarify your intent.

3.) The tone of the game will shift from time to time. Nobody needs to change their character. A character who's more heroic encountering a darker situation makes for a good story. Think about the interaction between Daredevil and the Punisher.

4.) NPCs will behave in ways relevant to their personality and the current situation. If anyone wants to avoid an NPC/situation, make an effort to do so. This won't be possible during conflict, but conflicts will eventually be over, and you can be on your way.

There's also the question about actually continuing the game. If I'm out of sync with what people want, it's time to retire the game, as a large re-recruitment at this point isn't something I want to tackle.

Personally, if my PC got spanked with a magical sword by a drunk, nude demigod, I'd think it was awesome, and would be coming up with creative ways to repay him. Same thing with a shift in tone. We all have our sensibilities, and if they're as disparate as they appear, then this game becomes a chore for all involved.

Is Ragnar's behavior creepy to an uncomfortable degree? My answer is yes. To me, Ragnar's behavior, crosses the line from funny, quirky, memey or whatever you intended, into being creepy. My one concern is toning that kind of behavior down moving forwards. I appreciate that you're trying with the nudity, but that's not really the issue, the nudity just happens to make the framing of that kind of behavior more obvious.

All other concerns you seem dead set on attributing to me are not even issues I've brought up. I literally did not state that I had any problems with losing, consequences, conflict, math, mechanics, fairness, or whatever other issues you'd like to think I'm bringing up that I'm not. If Ragnar wasn't so creepy, and the rest of the scene played out the same, losing the fight and all, I wouldn't have issues. But you're assuming that I'm somehow trying to metagame a situation that happened months ago like that matters at all. It's like you've made up some munchkin version of me in your head to argue with.

You know, I'm tired. I had intended for this to be a offhanded bit of feedback while you were already doing an OOC check in with everybody, a simple little side note to bring up while I was thinking about the shift in tone. If it weren't for the shift in tone, I might've not even bothered to bring it up, leaving it as a one time anomaly, given my initial impression of a lighthearted game. So, it is vexing what should've been a short and painless explanation is being continuously dismissed in favor of you trying to make arguments against points I never made.

And what I've heard from you in terms of my one concern are attempts at justifying Ragnar's behavior or victim blaming Tomo or accusations borne from your preconceptions of me as a problem player. But there's a concerning lack of actual acknowledgment of Ragnar's behavior being creepy. I'm not holding it against you that you had Ragnar act the way he did, or anything other decisions you made as GM. It happens, sometimes you do something that makes sense in your head without realizing how the framing of those actions might come off. I just want to take the opportunity to tell you my one concern, and I'd like you to address my one concern directly if we're going to move forwards.

Do you think that, or at least can see how, Ragnar's behavior is creepy to an uncomfortable degree? Yes or no?

If yes, then can you please tone down that kind of behavior? Thank you.

If no, I'm not going to hold it against you. If you can accommodate anyways by by doing your best to tone down that kind of behavior, then I am willing to work together with you on that. Thank you. If you can not accommodate, then let me know. Thank you.

Again, you ignored all the points I made about Tomo's behavior being comparable to Ragnar's. You want direct answers without even acknowledging my statements.

Nonetheless, I'll answer your inquiries, then pose some questions of my own. I'd like them to be answered.
The nudity is a bit much, yes. Everything else? I don't see that as uncomfortably creepy. I made this clear in my previous post.
I've already said no nudity. Otherwise, no. Expect your characters to be put in similar situations, if the narrative is flowing in that direction.

Now my questions:

Is Tomo just a meme character? Does she care about the story and her teammates?

Say there's a battle, and you have Tomo do something like deliver a low blow. Is it acceptable for me to respond with a low blow from an NPC? If not, why?

Do you think that puking on an NPC is disgusting or not?

Do you agree that dropping a gruesome corpse in someone's yard without explanation may alienate those NPCs?

What would you have RPed if you won the fight against Ragnar?

If Ragnar won and was still standing (no double KO), what would you consider a non-problematic way for him to decide your fates?

Regardless of your answer, it's time to move forward. Or not, depending.

I don't see any hard objections to fast-forwarding, so I'll (possibly) post something Sunday, the 11th. This will resolve the current adventures, and the team will be together at the Caldwell residence, with Eliza's reward. It'll be morning on a new day, so all cliches will be healed, and any rewards restored.

Until then, people can leave, if this game no longer meets their expectations. You can notify me, or simply drop out; I won't be offended if it's the latter.

If there are at least two people remaining, this game will continue, and we'll see about re-recruitment. Only one person? Game will end.

Like I said, this isn't an argument, but I appreciate your clear answer. I can see that this isn't going to work out with our differences in priorities.

To briefly address your other concerns, any assertions you've made on the basis of respecting NPCs ring hollow when you gleefully executed Ragnar in a manner so much more shocking, vile, humiliating, disrespectful, and disruptive than anything I did or could've done. As for what could've been, I leave that to your imagination if you're genuinely curious.

Totes_McGee, thank you for running the game. For what it's worth, I did have fun.

To crazybirdman, Eltesla, and Tickettbror, I apologize if this made for an awkward experience. Thanks for playing with me, regardless. I love your characters, and it's a shame that I didn't get to see more of them.

I think, in light of the above discussion, I too will duck out. I wasn't around for long, and I enjoyed the characters, but I think maybe its a compatibility issue. Apologies.

For the umpteenth time, I'm not really concerned with how you treat NPCs. (Unless it undermines the experience for the rest of the team, but that's a somewhat separate issue.) My entire point is that if you literally or metaphorically slap an NPC, expect to get slapped back. That's why I posed those questions.

I don't know why you can't grasp this concept. You keep sidestepping every time I try to highlight Tomo's actions.

Anyway, two have left, so let's see what happens in the days to come.

Sorry, but I can't summon the motivation to continue this game. I'll be retiring it in a day or two.

Thanks for sticking around! I enjoyed playing with both of you.

Best of luck finding other games to satisfy your RP needs.

No problem, I had fun!

Thanks, I enjoyed my short time playing, and was introduced to a new system!