Some lessons D&D should learn from the Teen Titans

[Lago_AM3P]

Fanboy Update, conclusion of the series:

Raven still has as much vast power as she always does.
Robin gets a noticable upgrade in power and over the course of Season 4 picked up new abilities. The most noticable one is that he seemed to pick up Cyborg and Raven's ability, exploited way more often in the final season by the other two, to manifest any new power he feels like as long as it's attached to a gadget. Less noticable ones is that he became a lot more durable and his signature gadgets have a much greater effect (freeze discs can freeze an alien spaceship solid, regular bo staff turns into Goku's staff).
Cyborg got a MASSIVE power boost even though he really didn't need it. Easily and contemptuously knocked Robin out of the running for most versatile member out of combat and came very close to knocking Raven off of her throne for most powerful member in combat. Can now lift a stone building off of its foundation and use it as a weapon (making chumps like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel sit on the bench), gets a version of illusion magic on steroids, can 3.0E haste himself when he feels like it, and can attach himself to a power grid (which is easily available in this series) for an extremely damaging attack that obliterates the whole battlefield.
Beast Boy stayed at the same level of power. But big deal.
Starfire is as weak as she always was. Boo.

[Tae_Kwon_Dan]

So they finished the show? Or just the season?

I have found that I watch more things via Netflix than actual TV anymore. Especially things that come on during the weekends so I haven't been following any of the swank DC cartoons at all recently.

[Crissa]

Boo.

I actually sit there for six hours and watch everything from Teen Titans to Paranoia Agent.

Of course, my new TV allows me to watch the latter in 16:9. ^-^

-Crissa

[Lago_AM3P]

They are making a fifth season of the Teen Titans, since they didn't expect it to be so popular; the show really only took off in popularity near the end of the third season and the episode Birthmark really kicked it up a notch (highest rated episode in the show's run at its peak).

Same for the Justice League Unlimited show. It's getting a third season.

Now if they would only give us the real, honest-to-god version of One Piece and bring back Megas XLR. And while we're fantasizing, new episodes of Venture Bros.

[Dragon_Child]

I've got crap to contribute here, as I don't watch TT, buuuut...

And while we're fantasizing, new episodes of Venture Bros.

There is going to be a new season of Venture Brothers. Starting in January, I believe.

[Ramnza]

My sisters and I have our fingers crossed that they will come out with new Venture brothers. By the way, did anyone actually see the Venture Brother Christmas special or was that a figment of our imagination? We saw the Adult Swim comercials, etc, sat down and boom...nothing.

[Alansmithee]

New Venture bros. was confirmed awhile ago, iirc. And I saw the christmas special, I think it wasn't a part of the "official" story of the show, from what I remember it was very surreal. Never a big fan of teen titans, and personally I wish they would've just done more Justice League instead of the Unlimited. And if you want a better One Piece, check out various fansubs. As for Megas XLR, the less said the better.

And I remember this thread originally, but I don't see why everyone thinks starfire is so weak, or cyborg so strong. Cyborg's always getting thrashed, and starfire seems their heavy hitter. Am I just missing something?

[Username17]

Am I just missing something?

Yes.

All of the characters in Teen Titans win and lose a roughly equal amount in combat. The show rotates who gets to "win" each combat pretty evenly (except that Robin is the star more often because he is the most recognized character). So in a random sample it might look like one character or another is "the heavy hitter", but actually that's just not true.

Except for Robin, who actually is the heavy hitter.

And that leaves the out of combat stuff to distinguish who is the best. And out of combat, Star Fire's only powers are non-transferable movement (which in a party is just this side of completely useless) and having a weird alien aesthetic. Oddly enough, this does allow her to be the big contributor ever in her life. But only barely. Her weird alien aesthetics allow her to win the heart of giant insects and force people to wear crowns made out of meat, which is awesome.

But it doesn't come up as often or as well as Cyborg's ability to control mechanical devices or Raven's ability to stop time. Honestly, it's been useful about as often as Beast Boy's interest in mopeds and vegetarian cuisine.

It isn't that Starfire gets her ass handed to her more than the other Titans. That distinction went to Beast Boy in the first season, but now isn't really held by anyone. It's that the rest of the time her player spends more time ordering pizza or spacing out than the other players do, because Starfire has less to do than any other Titan.

-Username17

[Josh_Kablack]

1121961855[/unixtime]] As for Megas XLR, the less said the better.

Blasphemer.

[Crissa]

Girls dig Giant Robots.

We'll never get to see real episodes of One-Piece and Tokyo Mew Mew as long as they have them. But their party mechanics work the same: Make sure each player has content to work with or against their powers and abilities.

That's the GM's hard job.

-Crissa

[User3]

And that leaves the out of combat stuff to distinguish who is the best. And out of combat, Star Fire's only powers are non-transferable movement (which in a party is just this side of completely useless) and having a weird alien aesthetic. Oddly enough, this does allow her to be the big contributor ever in her life. But only barely. Her weird alien aesthetics allow her to win the heart of giant insects and force people to wear crowns made out of meat, which is awesome

As the party Paladin, she has cast "Cure Homoerotic Feelings for Slade" on Robin a few times (which doubles as a Dispel Despair/Confusion-ish effect on everyone else), performed Inspire Courage, as well as cast Atonement on everyone a few times (on Robin, like a dozen times). (In the first Mad Mod episode, she was the only one who could snap Beastboy out of his confusion effect on several occasions).

Why do you think they turned out so crappy without her in that "future without Starfire" episode? Beastboy and the mech dude had no confidence, Raven was insane, and Robin was totally dark and filled with rage (Blackguard levels, anyone?).

[Crissa]

PS, you do know there is two translated TV series of One-Piece running concurrently, right? Shonen Jump's One Piece is random segments from 'their adventures' and is a different series than the One Piece which we get in two pieces (ironic, yes?) on Cartoon Network, yes?

-Crissa

[Oberoni]

I think K's on to something, kinda.

Starfire keeps the group mentally healthy. When you think about what everyone in the Titans is, and what they do...that's pretty important.

P.S. "The End" trilogy Cartoon Network recently aired? Awesome. A couple plot holes, but still good stuff.

[Alansmithee]

Why do you think they turned out so crappy without her in that "future without Starfire" episode? Beastboy and the mech dude had no confidence, Raven was insane, and Robin was totally dark and filled with rage (Blackguard levels, anyone?).

Based on what I've seen of the show (around 1/3 or 1/2 of the episodes), power-level wise i'd doubt if robin's ever taken anything but cleric/druid levels. Unless the rest of the teen titans are all straight figher to his rogue.

[Alansmithee]

1122190206[/unixtime]]PS, you do know there is two translated TV series of One-Piece running concurrently, right? Shonen Jump's One Piece is random segments from 'their adventures' and is a different series than the One Piece which we get in two pieces (ironic, yes?) on Cartoon Network, yes?

-Crissa

IIRC, Cartoon Network's version of One Piece is the one FoxKids aired, which was done by 4kids (when this was announced, the anime community who liked the show flipped out). And I don't think the manga version of One Piece follows the anime version, which should make up for the discrepency. Also, I think Cartoon Network might have reset the series, causing it to be way behind the SJ story. But the last bit is merely conjecture, as I don't follow the manga version.

[Crissa]

1122199297[/unixtime]]

1122190206[/unixtime]]PS, you do know there is two translated TV series of One-Piece running concurrently, right?

IIRC, Cartoon Network's version of One Piece is the one FoxKids aired, which was done by 4kids...

Okay.

Cartoon Network is going from the start. 4Kids has the later series in the stuff they're pushing, totally ignoring the production for the rest. It's weird. I was wondering about that, and looked it up... They're edited differently, though they have the same American voices and same translation credits.

And they are different stories, and have a different title board. I actually have some of the Manga - mostly from Shonen Jump.

-Crissa

[Prak]

1108363673[/unixtime]]Cyborg's intellectual skills are actually useful, as it allows him to construct unique things really, really fast. Raven's intellectual skills are useful because it is almost impossible for anyone on the team to get them.

yeah, raven demonstrates just how much you can contribute when your game is an Urban Arcana setting, and your the only one with knowledge of the supernatural. It rocks, trust me, I've played a character with the same intellectual skills

I actually find this thread fairly interesting as Teen Titans is essentially a supers game using D&D rules and DM Fiat. or, to put it another way, it's just a D&D game where several people are sucking the dm's cock(beast boy, robin) and one is a complete novice at rpgs and only there because her boyfriend is(starfire).

I'd say Raven's a Warlock, not a sorcerer, background even checks with it, Robin's a Gest.Bar1/Monk3//Rog4, Beastboy's some manner of Druid who doesn't cast spells, Starfire's got a ECL 4 or 5 race and levels of Bard, as does Cyborg(minus the levels of bard, plus levels of fighter or barbarian), and level's a bit negotiable...

I'd also say Robin even has the apprentice feat... giving him what few skills he wouldn't have from classes...

[Judging__Eagle]

I think this thread is actaully a good read.

Being able to guess the mechanical and social dynamics of a group based entirely on the group's events records is a pretty interesting task.

I'd also like to second the fact that Starfire, for the.... 2 and a half episodes I ever watched of the TT series, is most definately the group's glue.

She keeps Robin from getting depressed over his homoerotic character role, and thus going all evilish so that he at least fel hardcore; she helps Cyborg and Beastboy by telling them that they're still great people since they do bring useful elements to the team and she helps Raven not feel so isolated b/c She's "a girl from a wierd planet" too.

[Brobdingnagian]

I think Raven's character was made by Robin's player.

Seriously. She's got hands-down the greatest combat ability, but completely fails to use it to its full potential. Robin's player wanted to munchkin his own character, so he made Raven's player an uber-mage of some kind. Raven's player, however, decides to use her amazing powers to create giant shields and throw dumpsters at people, instead of, I dunno, choking them with their own clothes or pinning them to the ground.

I haven't really watched a lot of TT, but I've certainly seen more than JE, and I have to say that Raven is easily the most powerful character, with a DBZ-watching football jockey as a player.

I don't know if that's relevant, but I felt it needed saying.

[User3]

And speaking of somewhat-relevent material, I believe I know the reason for the Robin-Batman power discrepancy(aside from the explination of "that's just how we roll")

Batman Represents the Old school ninja, who's primary weapon is not shuriken or blades but fear. he's the one that gets the Supernatural ability to scare the shit out of anyone that preety much sees him. with that done, his teammates come in and are on mop up duty.

Robin in his teen titan incarnation is more akin to the new age ninja, where he has the supernatural ability to, for a lack of a better technical term, "totally flip out and kill someone"(it involves a jump check, a tumble check, a melee touch attack, and allows for a reflex and a fortitude save).