Backgrounds for Characters

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How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers? Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful? Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?

I know most people don't but there are a few out there that do. =)

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How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers? Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful? Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?

I know most people don't but there are a few out there that do. =)

Yeah I do.

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Only two of my characters so far have the description filled out. I don't plan my builds, but I have an idea of what sort of powers would make sense for a particular character.

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A bio with a planned easy-route! Unfortunately no one gets to see the bios but me. NO ONE! Not yet.

But when your character equates to an explosion loving gun-nut, how can you not have both powers and an easy-build?!

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I've been a little lazy about taking the time to write out the backgrounds for all my characters. Done about half of them, even though I have stories for all of them in my head. The person I group with most writes some hysterical ones though. :)

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How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers?
I go to painstaking lengths to plan out my characters and their stories, I play Champions Online like a pen & paper game in that respect. Have a nose at my sig for Hypnowulf's origin story and see for yourself!

Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful?
Absolutely! The same is true for my character's appearance. With everything I ask myself "What would he choose and why? If he has this, why would he have it? What's the story behind it?". I'm probably one of the few players who even has a story behind his character's favourite clothes. I go in that deep!

But yes, my character is a irradiated, regenerating mutant mesmerist wolf-bat thing, and the joy here is that I can take something like that and come up with a good story to support it! That's what I plan on doing with all my future characters, I'm going to be as absurd and surreal as possible, but I'm going to have a fully fleshed out story that makes them all seem strangely valid regardless of how surreal they are.

That's really my mission at the moment with Champions Online characters. You can be silly and have a great story!

Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?
I had a short blurb in mine for the longest time, now I have a link in there which links to the same post that the link in my sig does, which is a very fleshed out write-up on Hypnowulf's origin.

I know most people don't but there are a few out there that do. =)
It's always a joy to see it when people do, it really is. Especially if they went with something really off the wall and challenged theirself!

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Yes I do

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one of my heroes got a whole movie trailer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfvLcozLwtE

:D

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I try but must admit last retcon was used to make Syn a bit more deadly in BASH as well.

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I don't tend to post the bio in the character info box but all of my characters have either a back-story or theme. I don't bother deliberately taking the "overpowered" powers, simply because I don't research what's good and what isn't. If it works in the theme of my character, I take it.

Probably the best example is the character in my avatar, Rubicon. He wears power armour but uses mainly unarmed martial arts powers. I only make a few concessions to that, the power armour energy shield, because it fits in. The minigun, because despite how little use it is who DOESN'T want a shoulder mounted minigun, and the laser sword.....because he thinks it's cool. To be fair, he's kinda a geek, so most of the powers I go "ooooh shiny" at I'll guess he will too.

Of course laser sword is pretty much a one button murder machine, but I'm sure that'll get changed and it helps balance out his rather weak damage otherwise.

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I tend to both write up bios and plan my builds ahead of time, partly because I'm a pathetic mouth-breathing nerd, and partly because its an ingrained habit from CoH. For the most part, I tend to start with a costume, then build a theme around it that feels right. From there, its usually off to the Champions Builder, after which I create the bio and backstory.

I've found that at least the pre-planning part helps immensely when starting off new characters. I try and build them to be formidable, but all of them fall into what folks would call concept characters. That being said, I don't actively avoid powers that are on the powerful side, nor do I actively purge my builds of trash powers - I tend to keep 5 or so slots for solid, needed powers, then fill the rest with fluff.

As for the bios, I think that just acts as a lubricant for the whole quest grind thing. It sucks at times to repeat the same content, so doing it from a different and defined point of view helps. That said, I don't usually spend too much time with the bios, but for some characters I do. With my power-armor character Baron von Brass (only lvl 7), I've designed about 5 future nemeses - all story driven and backstory-linked. With my main, Quickdraw Croc (lvl 37), however I've only outlined the basis of his story, and defined two potential nemeses outside of the one he currently has. So, its a toss up.

tl;dr: Yes, and uhh.. yes?

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Of course laser sword is pretty much a one button murder machine, but I'm sure that'll get changed and it helps balance out his rather weak damage otherwise.

That thing sucks too much energy to be overpowered. >.<

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I have Bios... and they're all 3 or 4 times longer then the amount of space we have allotted in that little window to enter them in, so most go empty.

- Polecat

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Yes. When I first create a character I have a clear concept in mind. I will build pretty much according to that concept. The only exceptions so far are my ninja monkey and my dual blader. They were both intended to be really agile and Lightning Rflexes fit that bill. Unfortunately Lightning Reflexes is still useless in its current state, so I had to resort to Regeneration.

My bios are actually far too long for the pittance of space they give us to write in. I've had to make severe cuts to the story in order to fit them in, which leaves out a lot of the specifics but still gets the point across. Here they are if you would like to peruse.

Blackavaar:
The thing you need to understand about Blackavaar, is that he's not really Blackavaar. The real Blackavaar lives in a bleak and distant future. The Blackavaar in our time is a temporal construct, a clone made through time travel. He was sent here to try to stop the creation of the World Kingdom, a corrupt monarchy that is slowly crushing the life out of the future people of the world.

Charm:
Charmarian is a Sar'agian, an alien from the planet Sar'ag. His species has developed into two distinct castes. Those born for thinking and those born for war. The two primary continents on Sar'ag have been at war for ages. The thinkers plan the battles and the warriors carry them out. Now he is on Earth, free of his thinker dictators and he will do as he wishes.

Let Tigre:
Michelle Dufon was once just a beautiful young girl. She never even suspected she would be anything else. But then one day when she was attacked by some muggers something inside her broke out. Her skin grew furry and her eyes became black as pitch. She tore through her attacker with the rage of a beast. And once the battle was over, the beast never left her.

Red Hand:
Red Hand was really never much of a mutant. He was slightly faster and more agile than your average gymnast and he was always good with a gun. But it wasn't until he died in the Desert outside Las Vegas that his true power emerged. Red Hand rose from his dusty grave after the Vegas thugs killed and buried him in the sandy wastes. He was resurrected and now nothing seemed to hurt him any more. He is Red Hand, the man who will not die, come to take revenge on evil doers everywhere.

Twist:
Natalie Twist was just five years old when a freak lightning storm destroyed her home and killed her parents. Somehow, even though she seemed to be at the center of the electrical impacts, she survived. But she was left in a comatose state. For 13 long years she lay dormant before one day she awoke and simply walked out of the hospital. Now she is the master of the storm, the queen of lightning, a living bio-electrical conduit with a taste for battle.

Spider Monkey:
The tests at VIPER labs gave Spider Monkey his intelligence, but his master Maijong Tinochima of the Hobidoru clan trained him and forged him into a hero. He taught him sign language and trained him in the arts of the shadow, the mystery that is Ninjitsu. But due to the envy of his other students Master Tinochima was murdered. Spider tried to help but he was too late. Now he hunts for his former clan, seeking only revenge for his master's death.

Chaos Theory:
Thomas Llaw created his first two way radio at the age of six. By the time he was nine he was already inventing automatic juicers and remote control robotics. It was obvious that Thomas was born to be an inventor. What was never obvious was that he would become much more. He would become a hero. He would become Chaos Theory, perhaps the greatest hero of his age. Now Professor Llaw pursues his scientific achievements while fighting crime in Millenium City.

Arcanus: Coming Soon!

Bad Luck:
Teresa Hall was always a shy girl. Even during high school she was the perpetual wallflower. It wasn't her looks that made her an outcast though. It was the fact that anyone who got close to her seemed to have the most horrible luck. People were simply afraid of her. When she was 14 she discovered why, she was a mutant. So she trained in the use of various fighting skills to compliment her mutant ability. She became Bad Luck.

Warcast:
Winona was just another Elf sorceress in a world full of them before she stepped through a strange portal in a dark and unexplored cave. Time twisted and space warped around her. Her body was ripped apart molecule by molecule and she was taken by darkness. When she awoke in a new strange world she found her powers were more unique. She was special for once and now she could really be a hero.

Noy Z:
No one is really sure where Noy Z came from. It is known that he is alien to our world and he arrived at about the same time as the Qularr did, but how he arrived and what his motives for being here are is still a complete mystery. Noy Z does not speak, but he seems to understand our languages. Noy Z does not sleep, but he seems to need short periods of rest from time to time. Noy Z is willing to fight any crime, but he seems to have a special hatred for the Qulkarr. Noy Z is a hero.

Primitive:
Primitive come from science past project. Science man tell him be good. Primitive be good. Primitive hungry though. Primitive must fresh meat. Primitive eat bad guys. Primitive still good? Primitive no care. Primitive hero anyway. Primitive care not about vigilante law. Primitive hurt other hero if get in way. Stay out of Primitive way!

Seppuku:
Atsigaro Namaguchi was once a proud Samurai warrior of the Shinjitai kingdom in 1890 Japan. But when his brother betrayed his clan to the Kyujitai he was dishonored. The only way to redeem himself was to commit seppuku, commit ritual suicide to regain his family's honor. He had no idea that he would rise from this his last act as a revenant. Now he protects his family honor from beyond the grave as Seppuku, the honored dead.

Shard:
Prince Shard of Hukido, guardian of the dead, speaker for the meek, third in line for the throne of Korridon, the Ice Kingdom, was just another spoiled Ice Lord when a surprise attack by the Fire Kingdom splashed through the walls of his fortress. As others ran, Shard charged into battle. He did not realize however that the Fire Lords' had laid a trap for him. He was taken from his elemental kingdom and tossed through time and space to land here in Millennium City. Now he must find a way home.

Psionica:
Monica DeMaze was trained from birth to use the full potential of her mind. As all in her family, her control of her psychic powers was strong and when she was deemed ready, her mother inducted her into the order of PSI. Before long though, Monica found out that her mother's goal was world domination. Monica decided then and there that she would fight her mother and her minions until her dying breath. And with her power and guile she can take them down, once and for all.

Doctor Phoenix:
Doctor Marco Sindall was once one of the top minds behind Project Greenskin. His studies of the Grond mutation provided the basis for all research at Greenskin. But then he took his research to the next level. He injected himself with the mega-grond serum and became the product of his own madness. Radioactive fire consumed the compound and his fellow scientists fled for their lives. Now as Doctor Phoenix, Sindall is trying to repay for his mistake by being the hero he was always meant to be.

:cool:

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All of my characters have bios, stories of how they got to where they are (and where they are varies from dropping into the tutorial to entering Millenium City - as appropriate to the character) and why.

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That thing sucks too much energy to be overpowered. >.<

I use the unarmed martial arts energy builder. So I'm using laser sword as often as I'm not. One second energy building gets me 3 or 4 energy blade shots. Combine that with the -damage res upgrade and I kill off most groups no problem.

Never said it was over-powered though. But it's the closest I've got to an overpowered ability on ANY of my characters. :p

Also the fact it's shaves off a third of a supervillains hp in 4 shots helps a bit. Without it I hit like a wet sponge, though burning chi fist is better than nothing I guess.

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I typed up a 5 page bio for my main in Word that I will be posting on the Primus Database when I get net up and running on my own computer. All of the powers that I take I tie in with the bio relatively easily without it seeming far fetched. See this thread here

http://forums.champions-online.com/showthread.php?t=66007

My character's bio posted there was the first initial draft.

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I never fill in the Bio/Background although i always know what it is, i just want to get on with the playing and think i'll just fill it in later. I haven't gotten round to 'filling it in later' yet, but I will one day.

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I do, but I think the game could improved if ANYONE could read them!!!

Sometimes I'd like people to hear my story , you know, it makes my e-ego grow up, but other times when I see another player with a cool toon I like I wish I could red his toon bio.

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I've actually added 'bio's' for all of my characters... and an extended one for my 'main'. Of course I then think, 'no one really cares'. I've read a few other bio's when people stand around long enough for me to click info on them. I wonder if others had read mine? :p

What I think would be interesting would be a bunch of checkboxes that could be used to give characters quick bio characteristics and perhaps used in searching for characters like your own, i.e. 'military', 'supernatural', 'egotistical bastage', 'sexy tramp', 'afraid of bugs', etc... etc... Definitely not real disadvantages, but something that gives characters more depth. Which is really what disadvantages did in the p&p game when they weren't trying to be abused; "you have no legs or arms, are on a respirator and bed ridden, but... one a week you can blow up the earth. How nice for you."

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My main has a long boring rambling background written up if you care to look. As for powers i have a general concept (Uber rich (has his own space station) goofy gadgateer with dash of hand to hand thrown in) There are powers i definately want and have taken for this concept. However, upon reaching 32 i now have all the powers i want so i will use my remaining 2-3 powers on whatever takes my fancy.

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How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers? Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful? Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?

I know most people don't but there are a few out there that do. =)
I do. Yes I pan it out and that is why it is really hard to play him right now since it don't FotM the powers. Nope. I posted the background for my main in the nemesis thread. http://forums.champions-online.com/showpost.php?p=1229809&postcount=48

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I've actually added 'bio's' for all of my characters... and an extended one for my 'main'. Of course I then think, 'no one really cares'. I've read a few other bio's when people stand around long enough for me to click info on them. I wonder if others had read mine? :p

What I think would be interesting would be a bunch of checkboxes that could be used to give characters quick bio characteristics and perhaps used in searching for characters like your own, i.e. 'military', 'supernatural', 'egotistical bastage', 'sexy tramp', 'afraid of bugs', etc... etc... Definitely not real disadvantages, but something that gives characters more depth. Which is really what disadvantages did in the p&p game when they weren't trying to be abused; "you have no legs or arms, are on a respirator and bed ridden, but... one a week you can blow up the earth. How nice for you."



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hey, I thought you couldn't read them, how do you read them? I'd like to read some =)
I've been in the game for 3 days only lol.

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Every character is a living breathing entity more than a few have stories writtten

Sekmet http://sekmet-coh.deviantart.com/art/The-Woman-and-the-lions-123642111

Saitada http://sekmet-coh.deviantart.com/art/Loaned-Out-126843136

Master Tan Xi http://sekmet-coh.deviantart.com/art/A-Tiger-by-the-Tail-Part-1-124320168 and http://sekmet-coh.deviantart.com/art/Master-Tan-Xi-s-Story-part1-138985340

R'izhii http://sekmet-coh.deviantart.com/art/R-izhii-s-story-part1-135261100

These are all just starting points, the stories are still just developing and there are other characters who their own stories.

Oh and of course BombGirl has her Twitter story/blog http://twitter.com/BombGirl

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I filled out the bio on my first couple of toons, but there just isn't enough space to do much. They all have background stories, though. If I don't have a decent one when I create a toon, one usually comes to me before too long. If I can't think of a decent story I usually wind up not playing the character for too long, and he/she eventually gets deleted.

I don't plan my builds, but the powers have to fit the story. Usually this is fine, but sometimes I just can't justify a self heal. Other times it works out better than what I had envisioned.

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How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers? Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful? Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?

I know most people don't but there are a few out there that do. =)

I do all of that, but it's pretty much the reason I got into this game. My toons (so far anyway) are characters I've written for a long time, and I'm recreating them in CO as precisely as I can. I know where they've been, what they've done, their likes and dislikes, their strengths and their weaknesses. There's no way I could min-max these guys or shortchange their background - they're family, and they really wouldn't appreciate it. Wakefield would let it slide, I'm sure, but Mr. Black would hunt me down, collar me in an alley and hiss in my ear "Guess what, chummer? The good cop called out sick today, so it's just going to be you and me."

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hey, I thought you couldn't read them, how do you read them? I'd like to read some =)
I've been in the game for 3 days only lol.

It took me a few days to figure it out too. Target the player then right click their portrait in the target info window... and option on that menu is 'info'. Some people have it filled in, sometimes you'll just get "can't retrieve (something or other)". Its fun to 'spot the roleplayer' too.... some of them with have something like "(RP)" in their bio. I can't really roleplay consistently anymore so I don't even try. :p

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An option to view other player's bios, at least for their chosen main, on the website would be nice. It can be tedious if you actually want to read a bio and the player takes off. I think it's neat that you can edit a character bio through the website, though.

It actually took this game for me to start doing character developement again. I have various characters saved in portfolios dating back as early as 4th grade but there aren't any that I cared to recreate in this game.

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Originally Posted by Manchine
How many of you have background for your characters and planned powers? Do you stick to the planned powers and not go the easy build that is the most powerful? Do you actually fill out the background on your character profile?

there's an easy build?

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I like RP in some cases I think this is one of the cases =) when I get to lvl 40 I will make some artwork for my toon lol and his adventures, probably 2 or 3 pics with his bio.


Edit:
I will probably post the page as my signature :D

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I don't kow about Roleplaying. There really is not that many things you can roleplay in here. I just like to know the backgrounds of characters.

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I go into all of my characters with at least a basic idea, and usually more. "Sir Lancebot," my knight-robot, I knew was going to be power armor/single-blade from the get-go, and "Doc," my undead cowboy, I knew was going to be munitions with either supernatural or darkness powers to fit his theme (eventually decided on supernatural). "Blast Furnace," as per true to his name, is going to pick up force powers to complement his fire powers soon. There is no place in my heart for metagaming.