Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask....

[Urthstorm]

For my own head cannon for my Axe/Shield scrapper. I'm hoping to show a progression in his costumes. He started out semi homeless earning a living in the back alleys. his first costume was street clothes and weapons from a couple of lowbie villain groups.  (Vahz butcher knife and a stop sign.) Level 20 costume was a mishmash that looked like it came from the 70's. (Basically hand me downs from retired heroes and garage sale finds)

 

Now he's hit 30 and I'm having to ask, how modest should it be? I know INF does not translate to dollars and cents.  I know Council Ascendants (shield) and the Warriors (for the axe) both start at 20.  (Not to mention the  city services equipment I'd like to think should be there for the asking for any moderately successful hero.)  I'd imagine 40+ you're world famous and have companies tripping over themselves to have you using their stuff. It's just 30 that seems like you aren't there, but you definitely have some access. I'm just not sure how much. Is this another hand me down costume, but it doesn't have to look like it's horibly outdated? Would sporting goods/outdoor supply companies be making a move? (Our axes are strong enough to drop a Freak Tank!)

 

So what's the consensus? Am I off base? Am I stressing over a minor part of the hero's existance? 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 07:45 PM by Urthstorm
(Editted to add screenshots of the current costumes)

[Andreah]

I personally don't think there is a consensus -- nor does there need to be.

 

You could portray a world-famous hero from level 1, or have a level 50/incarnate who's a penniless homeless person. It comes down to your preference, and secondarily, your talent at characterizing that person through your creativity and talented roleplay.

[Urthstorm]

Fair point. That is one of the strengths of the game. It has the frame work in place, but is not so hung up on itself that Sun Zu and Mr Scott ould be on the same team and seem out of place

[Andreah]

Here are two examples that flip the script on "level-appropriate" resources. I can easily see a player carrying off either of these without truoble...

1. Level-1 Billionaire Crime Fighter: Picture a tech-mogul who's got unlimited funds for gadgets, suits, and a private helipad in Atlas Park. But on day one? He's a newb. Fumbling his grapples and can't travel fast, his high-tech visor shorting out in the rain. Early patrols are all flash and frustration, evolving as he earns street smarts, and refines his gear and techniques (He has to level up like the rest of us).
2. Ancient Spirit-Infused Vagabond: An ethereal force of justice (straight out of the Well of the Furies lore) possesses a down-and-out nobody, granting top-tier powers overnight -- blasts that crumple Freak Tanks, teleporting long distances. No rent, no meals needed; by day he just wanders back alleys in tattered robes, thinking philosophically and observing the troubles of common folks. His "homeless" look stays in rags by choice, he knows true power doesn't need polish.

[Andreah]

I think it's cool that you've put thought into what the level-progression for your look and roleplay should be -- that's awesome! Right there I am confident you'll make the right choices for yourself, and I don't feel I should critique those specific choices other than to say I appreciate and respect the thought you've put into them. Past that, I don't think you can go wrong.  

[Latex]

I don't consider levels at all, not in my chars and not in others. Though saying that, it can be odd to see 'Incarnate-tier' Level 1's, I think it's best to put time and effort into the game before playing God-like characters. 

Most of my chars have 'money issues' because that's another (easy) character drive you can leverage, though if I were to make an Ironman style character it'd be that thing he BUILT IN A CAVE WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS because that's more appealing to me than having a nanomachine suit.

[SquirrelWizard]

Yeah, levels are a kinda nebulous when it comes to RP and the question is what is the metric where you change your outfit. For example if you are doing missions does the general level of the missions dictate where your character is at along their personal timeline? Running DFB and have him start in his scrap suit? Running higher level taskforces and he's got better gear from his exploits as a hero? Thats going to be annoying, but interesting, to make all the costume slots for. Beyond that I wouldn't fret the level system too much, and would largely ignore incarnate status unless its specifically important to your character's backstory.

I tried to do something similar with Hawtdog, as her armor is entirely scavenged to the point where her boots dont even match. The idea I had was as she progressed she'd "acquire" gear with the various villain groups that she fought creating a mishmash armor set that tells a story of the groups she's run across.

The idea is good but I've found it hits a bump in implementation as unfortunately some of the armor pieces are either npc only or, for the purposes of Arachnos, tied to the Spider Archetypes.

As for "outside support" in the form of equipment donations. Corporations/businesses are going to want to support heroes who are moderately well known, or better, and are known for being good for PR. The more you make a name for yourself, and the more that name is associated with good things, then corporations might lend/give you equipment. Just remember, you start getting bad press by doing, or being accused of doing, dubious things and that support might evaporate.

Another avenue to approach is the Super-Cottage Industry of Crafters. Basically think people who build custom orders for cosplayers except they make the real deal. Expensive? Probably. A state of the art neutrino edge on an axe always is. That doesn't mean you cant barter or earn it through favors. As your character does heroics he can do an Axe of Theseus where he gets a base axe, then gets someone to reinforce the handle, then reforges the head after it gets mangled, then adds an energy sheath on the edge because raw metal can only do so much. His equipment can evolve with him and while he doesn't just get a new axe, the axe he has at the end of the line is nothing like the one he started with.

[UltraAlt]

On 10/11/2025 at 3:42 PM, Urthstorm said:

So what's the consensus? Am I off base? Am I stressing over a minor part of the hero's existance? 

 

The only times I have done this has been

with tokusatsu characters - mainly Kamen Rider homage characters.

Google AI has this to say about it.

 

In the Kamen Rider franchise, it is common for the main hero to gain multiple new forms and costume changes throughout a season. These changes typically follow a structured progression, with the Rider becoming more powerful as the season goes on. 

Beginning of the season

 

The Rider begins the series with their Primary Form or Base Form, which establishes their core theme and abilities. 

Initial form: This is the most basic version of the Rider, obtained in the first few episodes, and it serves as their standard fighting suit for the first act of the series. For example, Kamen Rider Zero-One's first suit was Rising Hopper.

 

Alternate/derive forms: In addition to their base suit, many Riders acquire multiple variant forms early in the season. These can be themed after different animals, weapons, or abilities and allow them to adapt to different situations.

Kamen Rider Build has dozens of forms that combine two "Fullbottles," such as RabbitTank Form or GorillaMond Form.

Kamen Rider Wizard's style-based forms (Flame, Water, Hurricane, Land) change his primary color and magical abilities. 

 

Mid-season

During the middle of the season, the Rider will typically achieve a significant power-up that gives them a new, stronger form. 

Upgrade forms: These are the first major power-ups, often appearing around episodes 12–14. For example, Zero-One gained the Shining Hopper form in this stage.

Super forms: As the story progresses, the Rider earns an even more powerful mid-season form, sometimes in two stages. These can come with drawbacks, such as a "berserker mode" that causes the user to lose control, as seen with Kamen Rider Build's Hazard Form or Kamen Rider Zero-One's MetalCluster Hopper. 

 

End of the season

In the final episodes, the main hero unlocks their most powerful form to defeat the season's ultimate threat. 

Final Form: The strongest form a Rider can achieve, this is often the culmination of their journey and character development throughout the season. The Final Form's design and color scheme are typically a dramatic departure from earlier suits. For example, Kamen Rider Build's Genius Form combined all his powers into one white, multicolored suit.

 

Season Finale Form: In recent years, a form even stronger than the Final Form is sometimes introduced exclusively for the last episode. These forms are typically a recolor or subtle upgrade of the Base Form, representing the hero's completed mastery of their initial power. A prime example is Zero-One's Realizing Hopper form. 

 

Other types of form changes

Beyond the standard progression, other types of suit changes occur throughout a season:

Movie forms: Special forms are often reserved for crossover movies and do not appear in the main series. These may be incredibly powerful or represent a team-up with another Rider.

Extra final forms: Some Riders get additional, extremely powerful forms in movies or special features after the series ends.

Side Rider forms: Secondary and other supporting Riders also have their own progression of forms, including their own final forms near the end of the season. 

 

and... anime characters - more specifically Saint Seiya homage characters

In this case, they have their Innocent Bystander look, Bronze Saint cloth, and Gold Saint Cloth.