Tarot Witch of the Black Rose for Villains & Vigilantes

We have two great comic-related Kickstarters going on right now, one just getting going and the other about to end.
We have the update to the classic super-hero RPG Villains & Vigilantes from +Jeff Dee and Jack Herman, The Mighty Protectors RPG. It is doing great and still a few more weeks.
Also, we have issue #100 of Jim Balent's and +HOlly Golightly's comic Tarot Witch of the Black Rose.

So to celebrate both I thought some V&V stats for Tarot might be in order.  I have not played V&V in years, so I am a little rusty on character creation.

Notice:  Neither of these Kickstarters or their respective properties have anything to do with each other or their respective creators. Except of course that I am a fan and wish them all the best of luck!

Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose

Identity: Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose
Name: Rowan

Side: Good
Sex: Female
Age: Late 20s/Early 30s

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 135 lbs 

Training: Coven Witch, Swordmaiden

Level: 13
Experience: 100,000 xp

Strength: 13
Endurance: 15
Agility: 35
Intelligence: 18
Charisma: 30

React. Mod.: 5

Basic Hits: 3

Agility Mod: 0

Hit Mod. (1.2) (1.8) (3.4) (1.3)=9.5472

Hit Points: 29
Power: 81

Healing Rate: 1.2
Accuracy Modfier: +6
Damage Modifier: +5
Detect Hidden: 14%
Detect Danger: 18%
Reaction from Good: +5
Reaction from Evil: -5

Movement rate: 63

Powers:
Skills: Swordsmanship, Witchcraft

Power: Precognition
- Tarot Reading/Tarot Magic - Can use tarot cards as divination devices.

Power: Magick (Spell casting)
- Dazzle
- Eye bite (Blast, does not require hands)
- Flight
- Magickal Senses
- Teleport
- Telekinesis

Magic Items
- Magic Armor (resistance to magical attacks,  enhanced agility)
- Magic Sword, Sword of the Black Rose (heightened attack, magical attack)

Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record.
Security clearance: 0

Other Tarot Character Builds
Hair: Red
Eyes: Green
Group Affiliation: The Black Rose Coven
Base of Operation: Witches' Hollow, Salem, MA

Notes: I have posted about Tarot before.  She has some magic, some skills and combat ability.  She has a winged cat familiar named Pooka as well as a two lovers, Skeleton Man (Jon Webb) and Boo Cat (a werecat).  She does some really cool comic things, but then ends up loosing her clothes while sledding due to some faeries (ok to be fair the whole vacationing lot, Jon, Mother and Raven, did too).

All in all not a bad fit.  I like her at 13th level which lines up nicely with her other builds.  Tarot really amounts to what is a Witch Guardian in my games.  A little magic, some combat ability, and a desire to protect others.  Everything else aside that is what Tarot (the character) is all about; protecting others.
Kinda makes her perfect for a game called "Mighty Protectors".

• Mutants and Masterminds, 2^nd Edition
• Mutants and Masterminds, 3^rd Edition
• True20
• Cinematic Unisystem
• Superbabes

Other Characters for Villains & Vigilantes

• Willow & Tara
• Justice
• Zatanna

Kickstart Your Weekend: Huge Kickstarter Round up.

Lots to share today! So let's get into it.

Prince Valiant® Storytelling Game by Greg Stafford
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1861515217/prince-valiant-storytelling-game-by-greg-stafford

The comic gets updated in a new game from Greg Stafford.  I remember reading this as a kid and it could make for a great game.  Just a couple of hours left!

Tarot Witch of the Black Rose: Issue#100 Extended Edition
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimbalent/tarot-witch-of-the-black-rose-issue100-extended-ed/

I make no apologies of my enjoyment of Tarot and Jim and Holly have put together a cool package here.  It's issue 100 and Tarot and Skeleton Man are getting married.  I am sure things are going to ger crazy before the official handfasting.

Battle of the Bands: The Deluxe Edition Card Game
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/150522358/battle-of-the-bands-the-deluxe-edition-card-game

I do enjoy a crazy card game and this one had me at Elvis impersonator.

Worldographer: Hexographer 2 - Easy Map/World Creator
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inkwellideas/worldographer-hexographer-2-easy-map-world-creator

I also love mapping software.

Invisible Sun
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/invisible-sun/

Monte Cook's massive new RPG. Or RPG as art or lifestyle.  I am not sure what it is to be honest.  But I am sure you all have $200 to find out?  Well so far a lot of others have so there is obviously a market for this.

Last, but not at all least.

Villains and Vigilantes™ 3.0: The Mighty Protectors™ RPG
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffdee/villains-and-vigilantestm-30-the-mighty-protectors

Jeff Dee has the rights to Villains and Vigilantes back and now is working on the 3.0 version of one of the world's first super-hero games.  It looks like it will be a lot of fun!

Go out there and bring your credit card! ;)

It's A Great Time to be a Geek!

If I could send one page of my blog back in time to my younger self, it would be one where I list the dates all the major tech companies had their IPO...but  the second page I would send would be this one.  Two DC movies, four DC TV shows (more if you count Lucifer, Gotham, I Zombie and Preacher), Doctor Strange and a new Blair Witch movie.  Was Comic Con going on or something? ;)

Here are all the goodies...tip o' the hat to Tim Knight at Hero Press for most of these.




This is so good! And Etta Candy!



Aquaman looks like a bad-ass, plus a double dose of Wonder Woman?  Yes please!





Flashpoint!



Justice Society!



Not a fan of the ship design, but if it is pre-Kirk then I can live with it.


Been waiting for this one for YEARS!




Not to mention great things already out like Stranger Things, Star Trek and the new Ghostbusters.

Zatannurday: Team Ups

We have the new Dawn of Justice movie coming out,  the Legends of Tomorow TV series and Suicide Squad movie. It is shaping up to be a good 2016 for DC fans.

So in celebrations of these notable team-ups here is Zee teaming up with some other heroes.



An unlikely duo by Clopette-Jolly on DeviantArt


Justice League Cosplay - 2 by Millster-Ink on DeviantArt


Black Canary and Zatanna by ShawnAtkinson on DeviantArt


Player Select: Scarlet Witch VS Zatanna by Garoooooh on DeviantArt


Zatanna and Hawkgirl by Lily-pily on DeviantArt


Nightwing and Zatanna by Pryce14 on DeviantArt


We're here to save you! (Supergirl and Zatanna) by Blue-colibri on DeviantArt


DC and Marvel Friend in cosplay by Ophi89 on DeviantArt


artemis and zatanna (3 by metalwolf77777 on DeviantArt


Zatanna vs Raven by AlexiaDeath10 on DeviantArt


Abunai 2015 - Zatanna and John Constantine 2 by RedMoon-Tiger on DeviantArt


Witches, Zatanna and Raven by BlueWolfWazzu on DeviantArt


Kaboom! by ShutterSpade on DeviantArt


DC girls commission by jefterleite on DeviantArt


Zatanna and Batman by Sorathepanda on DeviantArt


Sentinels of Magic by Batced on DeviantArt

Zatannurday: Justice League Movie

In case you have been living in a bunker in Mojave, here is the trailer for the newest movie in the DC Cinematic Universe.

I think it looks great.  First up the sneak peek.



I am going to say....dream sequence or Bruce worrying about a future where Superman has gone rogue, but not something that actually happens.

Now the trailer.  There is more than just a little bit of fan service in this.


So I am going to call it. Ben Affleck is going to rock as Batman.  He already seems to have Bruce Wayne down and his voice is not Christian Bale's gargling with battery acid and gravel voice.

But seriously.  Let's take a moment and marvel how FREAKING AWESOME Gal Gadot is looking as Wonder Woman.   I am even enjoying Jesse Eisenberg as Lex.  I LOVE Bruce's reaction when he says "Lex"...he has nothing but contempt for him.

And....Doomsday.

Yeah.

Is it 2016 yet?

Zatannurday: Spider-Gwen and Batgirl

I have mentioned earlier this summer about my love for Spider-Gwen and more times than I care to think about about my love for Batgirl.

Well here they are together.  Personally I would like to think that super-smart Barbara and super-smart Gwen Stacy would be BFFs, if in a sort of rival-ly way.   So here they are together.

Zatannurday: Tribute to Yvonne Craig

On Wednesday August 19 we learned that Yvonne Craig, TVs first Batgirl, had passed away at the age of 78.

You can read a word from her family here and her official obituary here.

Of course she had a varied and distinguished career. She was well loved y her family and friends.  But it is her role as Batgirl that interests me today.

I have mentioned before how Yvonne Craig's Batgirl was one of my first crushes as a child.
What was not to love really?  She was smart, she kicked ass, and she was able to do everything Batman could do.   I thought she was cool as hell and she left a pretty deep impression in my young mind.  I would be later when I made one of my first witch characters that I would realize that I was unconsciously rebuilding Batgirl in many of my PCs.   That first witch had red hair, wore a lot of purple and had began life as a librarian for my wizard character.  So yes she even started out with a secret identity.

Batgirl was great and Yvonne Craig was part of that reason. In the 60s she showed us that not only could a super heroine could do what a super hero could, but an actress could do do what an actor could do.

One thing I always knew about Yvonne Craig was she grew up in near-by (near by to me at the time) Taylorville, IL.  It is always nice when a local kid does good.

There is a lot I could say about Yvonne Craig, but honestly the best tribute came from comic writer Gail Simone.  http://www.playboy.com/articles/remembering-the-revelatory-yvonne-craig-by-batgirl-writer-gail-simone

Let's not forget she was also Marta, the Orion Slave Girl, who was working with Garth of Izar in "Whom the Gods Destroy"

RPG a Day 2015, Day 19

Day 19: Favorite Supers RPG

There have been a few over the years. Marvel Super Heroes, Villains and Vigilantes and DC Heroes.
But the title of favorite has to go to Mutants & Masterminds and of course it's close cousin DC Adventures.

The rules have always just jelled right with me and the way I like to play supers games.

Plus my supers games tend to be fairly DC focused or DC influenced so having one system that works for everything I want to do is great for me.

Zatannurday: Constantine is Back!

Sort of.

Here is Constantine star actor Matt Ryan explaining.

The Trench Coat is being dusted off. #Constantine #Arrow @CW_Arrow @amellywood looking forward to it. #thisfall pic.twitter.com/fROWx4RJ9o

— Matt Ryan (@mattryanreal) August 11, 2015

Constantine is coming to the CW's Arrow, which for season 4 I have heard will be called "Green Arrow".

Here is another link, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/matt-ryan-constantine-arrow-814661

I am mostly avoiding spoilers, but this looks like it will be awesome and it is something that Stephen Amell, Oliver Queen himself, has wanted for a while now.   Adding John to the mix, even for one episode, changes or rather broadens Arrow's world.  We got super-science in season 2 and some magic in season 3.  Looks like season 4 might embrace the wakiness that is the DC Universe's magical realms.

Of course I have to ask...When will Zatanna be on?

Zatannurday: League of Extraordinary Ladies

Introducing the League of Extraordinary Ladies!

I have posted some of these pics in the past, but really it is time for me to pull them all together.

If you can, please stop by Michael Dooney's Deviant Art page for more.
http://michaeldooney.deviantart.com/gallery/33431300

The premise is the same as that other League, only gathered this time are powerful women. I am going to alter backgrounds a bit to better suit the time and the place.

Overtly these are for Leagues of Adventure, but I think I can safely mix in some Space: 1889 as well.  I am also using the magic systems found in Secrets of the Surface World and Mysteries of the Hollow Earth.

In this case I am doing a more straightforward conversion of my Cinematic Unisystem version of Zatanna.

Zatanna Zatara

Archetype: Occultist
Motivation: Justice/To help others

Health 9
Style 5

Primary Attributes
Body 3
Dexterity 4
Strength 2
Charisma 4
Intelligence 4
Willpower 6

Secondary Attributes
Size 0
Move 7
Perception 10
Initiative 8
Defense 7
Stun 4

Skills (levels only)
Academics, Philosophy 7
Academics, Religion 7
Animal Handling 5
Archery 3
Athletics 2
Con 6
Drive 2
Firearms 3
Investigation 5
Larceny 6
Linguistics 8 (English, Italian, Latin, Greek, Egyptian, Backwards talk)
Medicine 2

Melee 2

Performance 6

Ride 2

Stealth 4

Streetwise 4

Sorcery (Homo magi) 9 (Willpower based)*

Talents

Attractive
Danger Sense
Headstrong
Magical Aptitude (Homo Magi race)
Psychic Ability (ESP, precognition, TK)

Well Connected

Resources
Ally 3 (John Constantine)
Contacts (the Justice League) 4
Contacts (Supernatural) 5
Fame 4 (well known Stage Magician)
Wealth 4

Flaws
Mental (Fear of Commitment)
Obsession (protect others)
Weirdness Magnet

* While Sorcery is Charisma based in Secrets of the Surface World, I am going with Willpower Based here since this is a straighter point-for-point conversion.  I want to play around with different bases for Sorcery.
I might make Witchcraft Charisma based and High Magic Intelligence based.
Zatanna can choose any spell, but she must be able to speak backwards.

Zatannurday: DC Heroines Swimsuit Edition

So a little cheesecake today.  DC Heroines ready for Summer!





Wonder Woman by Claudio Aboy (5) by winchester01 on DeviantArt


Poison Ivy Panel Art 2 by RichBernatovech on DeviantArt


Harley Quinn :) by Salamandra88 on DeviantArt


Zatanna by Jikasan on DeviantArt


DC's sexy girls wallpaper by ethaclane on DeviantArt


Zatanna Request by ImfamousE on DeviantArt


Batgirl Swimsuits by msciuto on DeviantArt


Raven Swimsuit by DrewGardner on DeviantArt


Starfire Swimsuit by DrewGardner on DeviantArt


Supergirl Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Edition by jamietyndall on DeviantArt


Power Girl At The Beach by SIDEBOARD on DeviantArt


Canary Beach by everage on DeviantArt

Review: Better Mousetrap 3e

Taking a break right now from D&D related things.  My next "Order of the Platinum Dragon" game is not till Gen Con and I don't have anything yet for the "Dragonslayers".  So I wanted to go back to another idea I was playing around with; my limited run Supers game. I pretty much know what I want to do, vampires and what system I would like to use; M&M3/DC Adventures.  My choice would be to use Dracula, but I want someone or something that is far more of a threat.  Maybe not Darkseid or Mordru level threats, but close.   But in any case something stronger is needed.

Thankfully I have a copy of Better Mousetrap 3e.

Described as "the most extensive, largest third-party rules supplement for ... Mutants & Masterminds" this book lives up to the hype. At 293 pages (covers, ogl, and toc still leave this at 289 pages of solid content) calling it "supplement" undersells it.  Personally I prefer to think of it as "The Villain's Handbook".  Everything you need to create a super-villain (not just a villain), their lair, plenty of skills and gadgets and of course powers.   There is so much here really.

Chapter 1 covers skills.  Plenty of new uses for old skills.  Reading it over it seemed obvious that a lot of skill uses for ancient or immortal characters/villains/heroes.  So perfect for your Vandal Savage types or old vampires like Dracula.  There are some new skills as well.  Brainwashing is a nice one. But there are lot of good ones.  All in all about 25 pages worth of skills.

Chapter 2 gives us new Advantages. Ace is a nice one but there plenty here, including some Minion Advantages.  This is actually really nice.  I tend to gloss over minions.  Maybe all those years of watching the "Adam West" Batman series.  There are also Organization Advantages.

Chapter 3 has all the new Powers. And there are a lot here. There are new Power Effects and new  Power Builds.  There are also plenty of new Flaws. Needed for bad guys really.

Chapter 4 covers new rules.  This chapter is more utilitarian.  There are some car chase/combat rules and some mounted combat rules.  There are some limited Mecha rules too.

Chapter 5 gets into what I consider the meat of the book and the reason I like it; Making a Better Bad Guy.  This is what you need to make your villains into super-villains.  Some of this chapter covers the motivation of villains and (the best parts) their evil plans.  Some motivations are given ("The World Shall Be Mine!" and "The Voices Told Me to Do It" among others) which discusses why villains do what they do.   Motivations are also discussed based on when the villain got their start. For example A Silver Age Villain does things differently than a Golden-Age or Modern-Age Villain.
It is often said that a hero is only as good as their enemies.  Well this takes the opposite take, a villain is only as good as their enemies are evil. There is a good section on anti-heroes and even Arch-Enemies.  Every hero needs a good arch-enemy.
Several new villain archetypes are presented.  Many should be familiar since they pull on some strong archetypes or at least stereotypes, but that is perfect really.  Any of these can be filled out to a full blown villain.   Once you do that there are plenty of rank and file minions; brutes, troopers, pilots, infiltrators and cyber versions of all of them.

Chapter 6 includes Gadgets and Gear. This includes melee weapons and archaic weapons.  Again for our old immortal villains.  There are also plenty of guns and vehicles for the minions.

Chapter 7 is the Many Faces of Evil. This covers not just villains, but their organizations.
Chapter 8 covers Headquarters.  This covers where those organizations and villains will hide
out.   There is quite a lot of material here too.

Chapter 9, Evil to the Utmost, talks about how to use evil and villains.  There are even some villains detailed here.

All in all a really good product.  If you need to detail your villain and evil organization then this is the book you need.

Zatannurday: Raven

Today is my birthday!
So I want to post one of my favorite DC magic-using characters, Raven.

Here is a collection of some of my recent favorite images of her.




Raven DC by MeganCoffey on DeviantArt


Raven I by MeganCoffey on DeviantArt


Nightwing and Raven by MeganCoffey on DeviantArt


A Greeting looking up by ChelzorTheDestroyer on DeviantArt


Raven Exposed Preview by ChelzorTheDestroyer on DeviantArt


Raven by JayEmEl on DeviantArt


Azarath Metrion... ZINTHOS! by DiegoAGM on DeviantArt


Raven Upper Profile by JayEmEl on DeviantArt


Raven by JayEmEl on DeviantArt


Raven by CeruleanRaven on DeviantArt


Raven by Peachykiki on DeviantArt


Raven - DC comics by Neferet-Cosplay on DeviantArt


Raven and white Raven Teen Titans Cosplay by AverageCosplays on DeviantArt


Comikaze 2014 Raven Titans Abby Normal Cosplay by wbmstr on DeviantArt


Raven by DarkKitteh on DeviantArt


Demon's Daughter by raymundlee on DeviantArt

Zatannurday: Spider-Gwen

I have a confession.   I love Spider-Gwen.

I have not read a Marvel Comic in years, decades even.  When I was reading it my favorite was Spider-Man.  Spider-Man was really only 2nd to Batman in my mind.
So I have REALLY been enjoying the new take on the Spider-Man story in the form of Spider-Gwen.

So here is some Spider-Gwen (I know properly "Spider-Woman") art.



Spider-Gwen Portrait by Protokitty on DeviantArt


Spidey-Gwen by Forty-Fathoms on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen by diabolumberto on DeviantArt


I miss you Spider... by Jonny5Alves on DeviantArt


Spider-Gwen by dwaynebiddixart on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen by UltimateTattts on DeviantArt


Spider-Gwen by Harpokrates on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen by J-Skipper on DeviantArt


Spider girl Gwen Stacy by Daikokun on DeviantArt


Cosplay Spider Gwen VII by ReaverSkill on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen cosplay III by ReaverSkill on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen by phamoz on DeviantArt


Spider-Gwen by MirkAnd89 on DeviantArt


Spider-Women by edCOM02 on DeviantArt


Spider Gwen by J.Scott Campbell by tony058 on DeviantArt


New Spidewoman Original by Artgerm on DeviantArt


And this one.  This is what sold me that this was going to be awesome.

They were not made into a love interest for each other despite their past. Maybe because of it.

Now I understand that she is being added to the "core" Marvel-verse.  That's pretty cool.