Quote Originally Posted by Lacuna Caster View Post
Setting up elaborate villainous master-plans to decipher is definitely something I'd like to implement (and it would have to be an absolute top priority for a detective-focused game.) I'm still working on a dedicated logic-engine for that, but I might adapt something simpler here.

There was a smidgeon of detective-work in Enemy Within when it came to hunting down Exalt, but another model might be the simple procedural mysteries in Black Closet, which I rather enjoyed. I might try and brainstorm a few approaches.

However, if Mr. Wayne is only good for solving mysteries (and/or logistic support) then there's little or no reason for him to dress up in uniform and leave the relative safety of the watchtower (i.e, be a vigilante.) And the better his finance/forensic bonuses become, the more you have to lose from exposing him in the field.
It could be as simple as just 'you have detective character X, Y, or Z' (Batman, the Question, Elastic Man, J'onn J'onnz, whatever), the game offers extra dialogue choices and/or highlights 'clues' on the map that you couldn't otherwise click on.

And if you want to dodge the 'Batman gives mega-moneys, so don't put him in danger' problem... mission-end bonuses only apply to characters who go on the mission.

Quote Originally Posted by Lacuna Caster View Post
I like this idea. Stealth in general seems to be Batman's main trump card, and it's not to be undersold. (X-Com's ghost armour could absolutely wreck the aliens' day, for example.)

Speaking of which... Manhunter. Manhunter Manhunter Manhunter. ...What are we going to do with you?
Well, if we're going by the comics, his main function is to clutch at his head and moan something about 'evil... so... overwhelming' before collapsing to illustrate the power and nastiness of the baddie-of-the-week, moan "Fire! My one weakness!" (or "Fire! My dread weakness!", depending) after being set on fire because the baddie-of-the-week is smart and prepared, rather than massively powerful (assuming that by 'Manhunter' you mean J'onn J'onnz, rather than Kate Spencer or any of the... was it really seven others..? that used the handle 'Manhunter').

And if we're following JLU's example, then you stuff him in the Watchtower, call him 'ops' and never let him out again until he retires and leaves the team.

... more seriously, for gameplay balance? Two simple options present themselves: one, he's bugger expensive to bring along, so if you bring him, then the rest of your team is going to consist of Snapper Carr, L-Ron and Vibe. The other is tying back into the public approval rating thing; if the Martian Manhunter is too high-profile in your missions, then people start getting nervous about the League, approval drops, you start losing permissions to operate in certain areas, funding goes down, villains start packing flamethrowers a lot more often, Lobo shows up working for the Collector (or whatever his DC equivalent is) to collect the Last Martian, whatever.

... or he could just be a bit of a Prima Donna, and when you use him too much, he wanders off to sulk ('meditate to clear his mind'... )