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Author Topic: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues  (Read 7656 times)

Offline nandrin

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 160
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #15 on: July 31, 2019, 05:57:29 AM »
@dangerboy: That is exactly the style of play in our community: Taking out level 1 or 2 characters for sure with high challenges or auto-deny them plot points. The second edition gives them now much more chance to win a plot point, which makes games more interesting.

Offline d phipps

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4647
  • Pulp Alley
    • Pulp Alley
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #16 on: July 31, 2019, 09:37:01 PM »
Then I think that we may play Pulp Alley with a similar approach. I abhor tournaments and often have relatively weak leagues overall.

Regardless, I was not referring to the effectiveness of the leagues themselves, but to how 2.0 may affect the circumstances, hence the construction, of certain types of character within those leagues.

My understanding is that 2.0 has collapsed the old categories of perilous and extremely perilous terrain into one extremely perilous category.

That could mean that characters such as allies and gangs would now face the same kind of risk as leaders and sidekicks in attempting to enter perilous terrain. However, they may have fewer dice of the kinds that leaders and sidekicks tend to have for dealing with plot points.

This could discourage players from having such characters enter perilous terrain, and/or it could encourage players to adjust their builds to face such perils, at the expense of their abilities to fight. Neither of those incentives was as strong under the old edition, hence my question.

Really good questions. I understand exactly what you mean and this was something we discussed and playtested quite a bit while developing second edition.

As Dangerboy pointed out, second edition eliminates the frequent opportunity to target enemy Allies/Followers with perils that they can't handle. So although they won't get as many free passes, now it is a random card. Overall, this has balances out.

And now there are "Difficult" areas as well - so that rickety old rope bridge doesn't have to be perilous;)

In the end, the 2nd edition changes have not affected the way we make characters. However, I might be a bit more thoughtful before throwing an Ally/Follower into a perilous area.  :D

Offline Dangerboy

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 57
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #17 on: August 01, 2019, 03:40:51 AM »
I'm just going to add that you can pull some shenanigans with level 2 characters in second edition, and leave this league writeup right here...



« Last Edit: August 01, 2019, 03:44:53 AM by Dangerboy »

Offline Bessy

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 233
  • Namaste Mofo
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #18 on: August 01, 2019, 11:48:13 AM »
Those darque’s Carnival miniatures look awesome! What a cool league!

Offline NickNascati

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2187
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #19 on: August 01, 2019, 06:28:06 PM »
Bessie, it’s about time you created your own league I think.

Offline WuZhuiQiu

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1198
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #20 on: August 03, 2019, 02:46:44 AM »
@Dangerboy That's a nice league. How did the gang get d8s for their dodge, though?

Offline Dangerboy

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 57
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #21 on: August 03, 2019, 08:56:02 AM »
@Dangerboy That's a nice league. How did the gang get d8s for their dodge, though?

It's via the Specialists perk. The leader (Silas) is taking a hit on three skills to give everyone else a dice-type boost in one skill.

Offline Dr Mathias

  • LPL Champion (S6,S7) Bronze Medalist (S5)
  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4490
  • Purveyor of the one-and-only Miracle Elixir!
    • Dr. Mathias's Miniature Extravaganza
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #22 on: August 03, 2019, 01:07:30 PM »
The Carnival is an interesting league roster, looks great too.
a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice.
Dr. Mathias's Miniature Extravaganza

Offline Alcide Nikopol

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 508
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #23 on: August 04, 2019, 06:27:16 PM »
I'm glad to see so many wonderful ideas for Pulp Alley leagues.
A.Nik-

Offline d phipps

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4647
  • Pulp Alley
    • Pulp Alley
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #24 on: August 07, 2019, 03:24:27 PM »
here's a classic Pulp Alley roster along with some characters from our Lost World of Lemuria setting...






Offline Charles92027

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 56
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #25 on: August 11, 2019, 02:55:50 AM »
Countess Casamir and her League of Capable Gentlemen
Company of Heroes, Flyers

Misha - Ally
Brawl - 2d6
Shoot - 2d6
Dodge - 1d6
Might - 1d6
Finesse- 1d6
Cunning - 1d6
Brute

Countess Casamir - Leader
Brawl - 2d8
Shoot - 3d10
Dodge - 4d10
Might - 2d8
Finesse - 3d10
Cunning - 3d10
Agile, Shrewd, Commander

Bartok - Follower
Brawl - 2d6
Shoot - -
Dodge - 2d6
Might - 1d6
Finesse - 1d6
Cunning - 1d6
Animal, Winged
Bartok begins the game perched on the Countess’s arm. Once he moves, he is free to return by entering base contact with the Countess. While Bartok is perched, he cannot move, fight or perform any actions.

Captain Krustache - Sidekick
Brawl - 2d8
Shoot - 3d8
Dodge - 3d6
Might - 2d6
Finesse - 2d6
Cunning - 3d8
Two Guns, Veteran

Mustasha al Pasha - Sidekick
Brawl - 4d8
Shoot - 2d6
Dodge - 3d8
Might - 4d8
Finesse - 2d6
Cunning - 2d6
Fierce, Mighty

Offline d phipps

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4647
  • Pulp Alley
    • Pulp Alley
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #26 on: August 12, 2019, 06:18:26 PM »
THANKS for sharing all the characters and leagues!  :-*

Here are a few you might recognize......


Offline Dangerboy

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 57
Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #27 on: October 04, 2019, 12:13:20 AM »
I posted some of this over on Dave's  forum, but I've been on a bit of Pulp Alley kick and thought I'd transplant it over. I've had these leagues around for a long time now, but since 2nd Edition was released I've been thinking about what I was doing when I first put them together.

John(ny) Danger has a long history, going back to the character I played in a Pulp Hero game. I cannot tell a lie, he was very heavily inspired by hours spent watching Jonny Quest reruns, and wondering "What is that kid going to be like when he grows up?" Also, there's a non-zero chance that Dave's last post got me thinking about this league again. In his annotations for Freedom City  (p.75), Steve Kenson obliquely mentions Johnny as the inspiration for his character of the same name.

This was a league intended for a little bit of risk taking and grabbing plot points, and while it has some trouble with attrition in multiplayer games, it does surprisingly well in solo games.



L to R: John Danger, Rita, The Professor, Camila


Everyone needs a Femme Fatale. I had this idea: what if the real power in a league didn't advertise the fact, in the same way that dangerous women in film noir  hide in plain sight by being overlooked as "just some dame"?

Another small league, but with some resource shenanigans. The idea is to look at the scenario, roll up some resource points and pick the assets for the job. Even though it doesn't always work out, fun just for the opportunity to shop even time I play.



L to R: Rocky, Winter, Babyface, Knuckles

I said this before: I definitely owe Dave for hours of entertainment, even when I wasn't  playing.

Offline warrenpeace

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1497
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #28 on: October 04, 2019, 09:16:56 PM »
Used in a game in 2017:

BATS – British Archaeology and Tea Society



Left to right: Grenadier Singh, Beanie Malone, Professor Summerleigh, Winston (bulldog)

Leader: “Beanie” Malone      Health d10   (Danger Sense*, Disarming**, Rugged***)
Brawl 3d10   Shoot 3d10   Dodge 3d10   Might 2d8   Finesse 2d10   Cunning 3d10

*You automatically pass the first peril you encounter each turn.
**Lower level enemies must roll a Finesse check (1 success) when fighting you. If failed, the enemy can only dodge – even if they were attacking.
***You may re-roll 1 Health check die per fight when brawling.

Sidekick: Professor Summerleigh   Health d8   (Deductive*, Shrewd**)
Brawl 2d6   Shoot 3d8   Dodge 3d8   Might 2d6   Finesse 2d6   Cunning 3d8

*Action: Draw one Fortune card.
**Your Dodge and Cunning dice-type are not lowered due to injuries.

Sidekick: Grenadier Singh   Health d8   (Burst Fire*, Fierce)
Brawl 4d8   Shoot 3d8   Dodge 3d6   Might 2d6   Finesse 2d6   Cunning 2d8

*Place a 3 inch burst within 12 inches and line of sight

Ally: Old Winston   Health d6   (Animal)
Brawl 3d6   Shoot 0   Dodge 2d6   Might 1d6   Finesse 1d6   Cunning 2d6
Sailors have more fun!

Offline warrenpeace

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1497
Re: Pulp Alley -- Characters & Leagues
« Reply #29 on: October 04, 2019, 09:27:59 PM »
In that game in 2017 I had a player run "The Natives" to defend the Island against the 4 leagues of explorer/adventurers intruding there. Gave the sidekick leader (due to Mastermind perk) the level 4 commander ability, resulting in a total of 20 slots, and created a new ability to regroup the remnants of 3 destroyed gangs of natives into a new group. That worked out pretty well. Also included a gang of crocodiles and a leopard and a python:

RETURN TO THE ISLAND OF THE CROCODILE GOD

The NATIVES      (Perks: Mastermind, Animals)

Sidekick (leader slot): The Red Chief      Health d8   (Commander, Animal, Regroup*)
Brawl 4d8   Shoot 0   Dodge 3d8   Might 3d8   Finesse 3d6   Cunning 2d6

*for every 3 gangs of native spearmen that have been removed due to having 2 or fewer models left, roll Might, and if there is a success, then place another (regrouped) gang of native spearmen within 6 inches of The Red Chief.

Gang of Crocodiles in the River   Health 0   (Brute*, Dangerous**, no shoot)
Brawl x/2d6   Shoot 0   Dodge 1d6   Might x/2d6   Finesse 1d6   Cunning 1d6

*once per turn, this gang may re-roll one Brawl of Might die.
** This gang ignores the multiple combats penalty when rolling their Brawl dice.

7 x Gangs of Native Spearmen   Health 0   (Brute*, Dangerous**, no shoot)
Brawl x/2d6   Shoot 0   Dodge 1d6   Might x/2d6   Finesse 1d6   Cunning 1d6

*once per turn, this gang may re-roll one Brawl of Might die.
** This gang ignores the multiple combats penalty when rolling their Brawl dice.

Ally: Leopard      Health d6   (Animal, Fierce)
Brawl 4d6   Shoot 0   Dodge 1d6   Might 1d6   Finesse 3d6   Cunning 1d6

Ally: Python      Health d6   (Animal, Savy)
Brawl 3d6   Shoot 0   Dodge 1d6   Might 1d6   Finesse 4d6   Cunning 1d6

« Last Edit: October 04, 2019, 09:40:58 PM by warrenpeace »