I was already happy to contribute US$20 for the cause with 3 CO-related books, then found out about all the other titles then came with it, including some Cthulhu Mythos ones that we could use in our real-life tabletop Call of Cthulhu games. What a deal.
I just got done reading the whole section on Dr. Destroyer in the 1st book and that alone is worth US$20.
Scott, did you write the stuff on the Canadian villains like Borealis and Landsman? Just curious.
I was already happy to contribute US$20 for the cause with 3 CO-related books, then found out about all the other titles then came with it, including some Cthulhu Mythos ones that we could use in our real-life tabletop Call of Cthulhu games. What a deal.
I just got done reading the whole section on Dr. Destroyer in the 1st book and that alone is worth US$20.
Scott, did you write the stuff on the Canadian villains like Borealis and Landsman? Just curious.
Yes, the material excerpted from Champions of the North 5e (including Borealis and Nihil) and Villainy Amok was mine, while Steve did the conversions. Steve did the entirety of Kigatilik's entry though.
The three Champions Villains PDFs alone would normally cost over $80.00, and contain more than three hundred official villains, with detailed profiles and color illustrations. This would be a great buy-in to a lot of info about the setting.
This would be a good deal for Cryptic/PW, help those who need it and get some real info about Champions villains. For upgrading current lack of them in Champions Online.
CHAMPIONS ONLINE:Join Date: Apr 2008
And playing by myself since Aug 2009 Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
Yes, the material excerpted from Champions of the North 5e (including Borealis and Nihil) and Villainy Amok was mine, while Steve did the conversions. Steve did the entirety of Kigatilik's entry though.
Great stuff. I liked how Borealis was a great start to the book, a great anti-villain.
I was playing Blood Moon and I had a greater appreciation of how Takofanes is just sitting.
Because after reading his blurb, I never want to see him get up.
---
I also realized something fundamental to CO and almost every comic book setting, IMHO.
Villains actively shape the world more than the Heroes, because Heroes only react.
Heroes avenge, seek justice when evil is done. That's why their actions are justified.
But that also means Villains actually take the lead, Heroes are just waiting for them.
So IMHO, these Villains books really enrich the setting...which they kinda created.
I also realized something fundamental to CO and almost every comic book setting, IMHO.
Villains actively shape the world more than the Heroes, because Heroes only react.
Heroes avenge, seek justice when evil is done. That's why their actions are justified.
But that also means Villains actually take the lead, Heroes are just waiting for them.
So IMHO, these Villains books really enrich the setting...which they kinda created.
You also want to look at these villains from the POV of the tabletop RPG which spawned them. In that game, the PC heroes created by the players are supposed to be the stars of the show, not any "official" NPC heroes the setting may have. So the majority of creative energy in building the setting was put into the foes those PCs will be facing.
What you have in this collection is to a great extent the culmination of over three decades of Champions villain design.
You also want to look at these villains from the POV of the tabletop RPG which spawned them. In that game, the PC heroes created by the players are supposed to be the stars of the show, not any "official" NPC heroes the setting may have. So the majority of creative energy in building the setting was put into the foes those PCs will be facing.
What you have in this collection is to a great extent the culmination of over three decades of Champions villain design.
I agree with all your points, but this one in particular. Thanks for that insight.
I totally know what you mean. I've been in settings where the designer/writer/IP's characters are the Heroes (sometimes even Gods) and player characters are relegated to being Sidekicks.
Champions/CO has an advantage over other comic-related RPGs/MMOs right here.
And also, what a great resource these Villain books are as a result. What a read.
There are a very few differences between the characters as presented in these books, and their comparable appearances in CO. All differences in the CV trilogy were approved by Cryptic, and most are fairly minor, intended to better fit the style of a tabletop RPG. One significant one, which surprised me, was the use of Dr. Timothy Blank in the "Blank and Stein's Monster" mission, versus the PnP game where he takes his classic form as one of the IP's oldest villains, King Cobra. KC is a long-established Champions master baddie, and I know from details in CO that the devs must have been aware of his origin in the recent published books. I don't know why they chose the route they did, but I fear it makes it less likely King Cobra and his creepy flunkies will make it into the game in future.
Comments
@flamingbunnyman in game. Formerly @Roderick in City of Heroes.
I was already happy to contribute US$20 for the cause with 3 CO-related books, then found out about all the other titles then came with it, including some Cthulhu Mythos ones that we could use in our real-life tabletop Call of Cthulhu games. What a deal.
I just got done reading the whole section on Dr. Destroyer in the 1st book and that alone is worth US$20.
Scott, did you write the stuff on the Canadian villains like Borealis and Landsman? Just curious.
More action at Champions Online Comics @ http://co-comics.webs.com
Yes, the material excerpted from Champions of the North 5e (including Borealis and Nihil) and Villainy Amok was mine, while Steve did the conversions. Steve did the entirety of Kigatilik's entry though.
Deliciously nutritious!
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
Great stuff. I liked how Borealis was a great start to the book, a great anti-villain.
I was playing Blood Moon and I had a greater appreciation of how Takofanes is just sitting.
Because after reading his blurb, I never want to see him get up.
---
I also realized something fundamental to CO and almost every comic book setting, IMHO.
Villains actively shape the world more than the Heroes, because Heroes only react.
Heroes avenge, seek justice when evil is done. That's why their actions are justified.
But that also means Villains actually take the lead, Heroes are just waiting for them.
So IMHO, these Villains books really enrich the setting...which they kinda created.
More action at Champions Online Comics @ http://co-comics.webs.com
The villains in the trilogy cover a broad spectrum of motivations, some invoking various degrees of sympathy.
If the Archlich comes to consider you enough of an obstacle to act directly against you, you should feel (A) honored, and (B) terrified.
You also want to look at these villains from the POV of the tabletop RPG which spawned them. In that game, the PC heroes created by the players are supposed to be the stars of the show, not any "official" NPC heroes the setting may have. So the majority of creative energy in building the setting was put into the foes those PCs will be facing.
What you have in this collection is to a great extent the culmination of over three decades of Champions villain design.
I agree with all your points, but this one in particular. Thanks for that insight.
I totally know what you mean. I've been in settings where the designer/writer/IP's characters are the Heroes (sometimes even Gods) and player characters are relegated to being Sidekicks.
Champions/CO has an advantage over other comic-related RPGs/MMOs right here.
And also, what a great resource these Villain books are as a result. What a read.
More action at Champions Online Comics @ http://co-comics.webs.com