The Champions (Hero Universe)
Encyclopedia
The Champions are a prominent superhero
team in the Hero Universe
, the official setting of the Champions
role-playing game. They serve as an example of a balanced team dynamic, a team of NPC
allies, or a source of pregenerated characters to allow players to bypass the game's lengthy character creation process.
. Because of the separation of the Champions comic book and gaming franchises, the original Champions would be removed from later editions of the game.
While details of the location of their base of operations are left vague in their information to allow the GM to locate the team wherever they wish, various sourcebooks give the Champions' home turf as New York City
.
The latest version of the Champions is headquartered in Millennium City
.
After several years with the team Nighthawk quit over a difference of values with Defender and was replaced by Kinetik, who possessed super-speed powers, and Nightwind, a martial artist, which current status is unknown.
Seeker is tacilty portrayed as a member of the new Champions in the in-game comic book published about them, as Nighthawk refused to market his image.
, the Champions continue to exist, though as a secret organization of psychics "defend[ing] truth and justice" in the face of an increasingly corrupt Empire. No specifics are given as to their membership, except that the group's number fluctuates between 3 and 20 (a breakdown by species is given of the seven members as of the year 2640) and all members have "varying levels of psionic power."
The Champions operate out of Champions Plaza, a headquarters complex in the "old neighborhood" of Millennium City.
Other superheroes to have belonged to the group include Giant, wearer of a harness created by Zeus
that enables him to grow to superhuman size, Gargoyle, a monstrous strongman, and Nightwind, a gadgeteer with a ghostly motif to his tactics (no connection to the Nightwind mentioned above). Later in the comic's run the Champions were joined by Sparkplug, Flare's sister with powers similar to her own but electrical rather than light-based, and Icicle, Icestar's younger sister with ice-generating powers as well. They were frequently aided by Dr. Arcane, a wizard hero from the 30's and 40's, and his granddaughter Donnah Hannah, who possessed significant mystic potential of her own and sometimes fought evil as Lady Arcane (and once was a member of the team under the alias Transpower, though the Marksman was the only one to know her true identity).
exclusive videogame Champions MMORPG
Champions Online
as NPCs
.
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team in the Hero Universe
Hero Universe
The Hero Universe is the "official" setting for the line of role-playing games published by Hero Games. All setting books published by the company are a part of this timeline...
, the official setting of the Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
role-playing game. They serve as an example of a balanced team dynamic, a team of NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
allies, or a source of pregenerated characters to allow players to bypass the game's lengthy character creation process.
First to third edition
The Champions team used in the first three incarnations of the Champions role playing game were the comic book hero team later known as the League of ChampionsLeague of Champions
The League of Champions is super hero team based in San Francisco and published by Heroic Publishing.The group first appeared in a six issue mini-series published by Eclipse Comics in 1986 called simply "Champions", written by Dennis Mallonee with pencils by Carol Lay and Chris Marrinan...
. Because of the separation of the Champions comic book and gaming franchises, the original Champions would be removed from later editions of the game.
- Flare, flying woman with light generating power.
- Giant, who used a magic harness to grow in size.
- Icestar, mutant with the ability to generate cold.
- Marksman, gadgeteer, trained normal.
- Rose, psychic woman.
Fourth edition
The first version of the Champions appeared in the core rulebook for the fourth edition of the game. They were made up of:- Defender/James Harmon IV, a millionaire garbed in a suit of powered battle armor.
- Seeker/Don Morgan, an Australian taught martial arts by a Japanese soldier.
- Jaguar/Santiago Villagatos, a detective with the ability to transform into a half-feline form.
- Obsidian, an alien prince whose rock-like body gives him superhuman strength.
- Quantum/Starlyn Jackson, a mutant heroine with a fiery temper and the power to fire energy bolts.
- Solitaire/Elaine King, a sorceress with mental powers and a crystalline "widget" through which she directs her powers.
While details of the location of their base of operations are left vague in their information to allow the GM to locate the team wherever they wish, various sourcebooks give the Champions' home turf as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Fifth Edition
With the Hero Universe heavily revamped for the fifth edition of the game, the Champions were revamped as well. Defender was the only previous member to be kept. The new members of the Champions are:- Sapphire/Corazon "Corrie" Valenzuela, a pop singer who discharges energy bolts.
- Ironclad/Drogen Lar, an alien gladiator with a metal body that gives him superhuman strength.
- Nighthawk/Mark Whitaker, a grim martial artist/gadgeteer.
- Witchcraft/Bethany Duquesne, a young sorceress.
The latest version of the Champions is headquartered in Millennium City
Millennium City
Millennium City may refer to:*Millennium City, Hong Kong, a group of buildings in Hong Kong*A shopping and residential complex focused on the Millennium Tower in Austria*The nickname of Gurgaon, a city in the National Capital Region of India...
.
After several years with the team Nighthawk quit over a difference of values with Defender and was replaced by Kinetik, who possessed super-speed powers, and Nightwind, a martial artist, which current status is unknown.
Seeker is tacilty portrayed as a member of the new Champions in the in-game comic book published about them, as Nighthawk refused to market his image.
Terran Empire
In the Terran Empire setting for Star HeroStar Hero
Star Hero is a role-playing game, published by Hero Games, which uses its Fifth Edition Hero System rules to represent the science fiction genre. Though not nearly as popular as its Champions, Dark Champions, and Fantasy Hero lines, the genre book has been received well by fans and critics alike,...
, the Champions continue to exist, though as a secret organization of psychics "defend[ing] truth and justice" in the face of an increasingly corrupt Empire. No specifics are given as to their membership, except that the group's number fluctuates between 3 and 20 (a breakdown by species is given of the seven members as of the year 2640) and all members have "varying levels of psionic power."
Galactic Champions
By the time of Galactic Champions the group's previous incarnation had expired, but was re-formed in early 3000 in response to an invasion by the interdimensional conqueror Istvatha V'han. This incarnation of the group includes:- Defender/Jack Harmon, a descendant of the original, wearing the same battle armor.
- Bulletproof/Max Wroblewski, a Golden Age hero with near-invulnerability and a super-metabolism
- Thalya, an Empyrean with super-strength and energy powers.
- Firedancer/Geneva Burchette, a fire-wielding energy projector.
- Gavis Gan, a serpent-like alien with kinetic manipulation powers.
- Sage/Zes'arau Al'gari Vikon, a powerful Varanyi psychic.
- Rampart/ral Xah, a diminutive alien with immense super-strength.
- Charm, a Kalishari with exceptional reflexes and luck.
The Champions operate out of Champions Plaza, a headquarters complex in the "old neighborhood" of Millennium City.
In Other Media
The protagonists of the comic book based on the Champions game were likewise called the (League of) Champions. They were based on player characters from the first campaign using the Champions system and character sheets for them were printed in early issues of the comic. The core membership included:- The Marksman/Donald Henderson, the head of an electronics firm who uses a sonic gun and a variety of other gadgets to fight crime. After the comic broke from the makers of the game his name was changed to Donald Hunter and his alter ego became the Huntsman.
- Icestar/John Grayson, a hero able to generate ice.
- Flare/Teresa Feran, a blonde bombshell raised by Nazis to have the power to control light.
- Rose, a psychic detective.
Other superheroes to have belonged to the group include Giant, wearer of a harness created by Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
that enables him to grow to superhuman size, Gargoyle, a monstrous strongman, and Nightwind, a gadgeteer with a ghostly motif to his tactics (no connection to the Nightwind mentioned above). Later in the comic's run the Champions were joined by Sparkplug, Flare's sister with powers similar to her own but electrical rather than light-based, and Icicle, Icestar's younger sister with ice-generating powers as well. They were frequently aided by Dr. Arcane, a wizard hero from the 30's and 40's, and his granddaughter Donnah Hannah, who possessed significant mystic potential of her own and sometimes fought evil as Lady Arcane (and once was a member of the team under the alias Transpower, though the Marksman was the only one to know her true identity).
Champions Online
Classic Champions heroes and villains will be featured in the Games for WindowsGames for Windows
Games for Windows is a brand owned by Microsoft and introduced in 2006 to coincide with the release of Windows Vista. The brand represents a standardized technical certification program and online service for Windows games, bringing a measure of regulation to the PC game market in much the same way...
exclusive videogame Champions MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Champions Online
Champions Online
Champions Online is a free-to-play superhero-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game by former City of Heroes/Villains developer Cryptic Studios based on the Champions license. The game's rules and setting are loosely based on the HERO System ruleset...
as NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
.