Changing direction mid-jump

[BigJackBrass]

As abilities go this one is hardly Earth-shattering.

HERO states that a character cannot change direction mid-jump. Fair enough, since I imagine we're into Flight/Gliding territory there.

In an old issue of The Incredible Hulk (I can't say for sure which one, I'm afraid, although I know it featured The Leader and was probably drawn by Ditko - Growing up in England in the seventies meant that most American comics tended to be available in odd reprint volumes) the jolly greenskin does actually change direction during a jump "through sheer muscle control" or something equally daft. Ah, good old Stan :rolleyes: Likewise, in the computer game City of Heroes jumping allows pretty much unlimited changes of direction. Neither example is realistic, nor do I disagree with the standard ruling, but to simulate either the computer game or Hulk it would seem that changing direction in this way would be appropriate.

So, best way to do it? Is it even worth bothering with, given how rarely I've seen super-leapers like Hulk do it? (I'd probably hand-wave it for an NPC and fudge it as a one-off stunt for a PC, maybe a Strength trick) And have I in fact already missed discussion of this in one of the many thousands of pages of HERO material?

Just idly wondering :)

[Vondy]

1. It could just be a power stunt for the off times it comes up (if at all).

2. It could actually be flight bought to match super-leap with the limitations "must land," "limited maneuverability," and "requires dex roll to maneuver." I'd probably give a total of -2 on it.

[MilkmanDan]

Stick a custom advantage on the Leaping. +1/4, can change direction mid-jump if at least a half-move remains.

[Pariah]

Buy a limited form of Gliding defined as "changing direction during a jump through sheer muscle control" (or something equally daft).

[Rapier]

2. It could actually be flight bought to match super-leap with the limitations "must land," "limited maneuverability," and "requires dex roll to maneuver." I'd probably give a total of -2 on it.

This was pretty much my thought. I believe there is already a Limitation that 'Character Must Land Each Phase.' Limited Maneuverability sounds like a good idea. I'm not so happy with the Req DEX Roll.

[Bloodstone]

The Ultimate Brick has a write up for using Flight to simulate super leaping, but even it limits the characters ability to turn more than a couple of times without landing.

I remember the first time my brother in law saw one of my characters use super jump in CoH.

"Damn, you fly fast!"

"I'm not flying, I jumping."

"But you just changed direction four times! That's ridiculous!!!"

"Yeah, ain't it great?" :)

[McCoy]

Buy a limited form of Gliding defined as "changing direction during a jump through sheer muscle control" (or something equally daft).
What he said.

[BigJackBrass]

Thanks chaps. Always handy to get other opinions on a build.

[ghost-angel]

I would allow one direction change, using Skill Levels with Leaping.

Though, I really can't think of an SFX reason (beyond daft things like "shear muscle control") for this.

[Comic]

A swingline?

Stretching or growth to reach out and grab something in passing for a quick turn?

An improvised aileron made out of an entangle, shapeshifting, cape, or force wall?

You can certainly have attitude and facing changes in leaping while maintaining conservation of momentum easily enough, but if you're a mass-changer or have any of the above powers, all sorts of things are possible as power stunts to change your path, I imagine.

Same with using that convenient Newtonian principle of equal and opposite reactions, if you fire an EB, hurl something with great strength, or have a teammate helping you out.

[TheQuestionMan]

Acrobatics Skill Roll to Bounce, Swing, or Rebound off available terrain features would suffice.


IMOHO


QM

[Cardinal]

My memory is that Steel Commando has Jump Jets that allow for this. It is built as flight for 1/2 move, etc.

[ghost-angel]

A swingline?

Stretching or growth to reach out and grab something in passing for a quick turn?

An improvised aileron made out of an entangle, shapeshifting, cape, or force wall?

You can certainly have attitude and facing changes in leaping while maintaining conservation of momentum easily enough, but if you're a mass-changer or have any of the above powers, all sorts of things are possible as power stunts to change your path, I imagine.

Same with using that convenient Newtonian principle of equal and opposite reactions, if you fire an EB, hurl something with great strength, or have a teammate helping you out.

The swingline I would model as Swinging.

The streching I would model as Swinging, but I can see it for Leaping.

All the others - I would model as Gliding, I suppose I could see them as a one shot use for turning mid Leap.

Again though - if the intent is to direct your path while airborn I would direct you toward Flight, Swinging or Gliding Powers. Even if you define the SFX as "I jump" the mechanics of Leaping don't allow directional changes, and is therefore the wrong Power with which ti model your ability to change direction mid-jump.

Once or twice is a Power Stunt. After that it's a new Power with points spent.

[Nolgroth]

Run it as a Multipower with ultra slots. Slot one is Super leap to get the height. Switch to Slot two, which is gliding, to get maneuverability.

The above power builds were good. This is just another alternate build for variety purposes.

[BigJackBrass]

The above power builds were good. This is just another alternate build for variety purposes.

Exactly what I was hoping for. I'm not specifically building a character who does this, but I find it very useful with HERO to see how other people tackle a particular build problem or choice. The fact that there are many ways to handle something is a point I love about the game, but sometimes the old brain gets in a rut and I fail to see all of the possibilities, resulting in a run of rather "samey" solutions on my part.

Your input and time is much appreciated, folks.

[Balabanto]

Or, you could just say "Roll Acrobatics." Isn't that what the skill description says? No acrobatics=Roll an 8-. Failure=Crash.

[ghost-angel]

Or, you could just say "Roll Acrobatics." Isn't that what the skill description says? No acrobatics=Roll an 8-. Failure=Crash.

No.

Acrobatics does not allow you to change direction mid-jump.

Bouncing, in Ultimate Skill, allows for using an object to gain additional leaping.

[Hyper-Man]

Run it as a Multipower with ultra slots. Slot one is Super leap to get the height. Switch to Slot two, which is gliding, to get maneuverability.

The above power builds were good. This is just another alternate build for variety purposes.


This fits the City of Heroes example perfectly.

Just assume that the Super Leap is a non-combat one.

[Vondy]

I would allow one direction change, using Skill Levels with Leaping.

Though, I really can't think of an SFX reason (beyond daft things like "shear muscle control") for this.

In a Silver Age game "daft" is sufficient. :D

[ghost-angel]

In a Silver Age game "daft" is sufficient. :D

Ok, you got me there.

[Inu]

Battletech-style jump jets. You can buy limited flight, or you can guy jumping. Jumping is closer to the actual special effect. If you want 'improved jump jets' that let you maneuver some while in the air, there you have a special effect that this question is appropriate for. =)

As for the Hulk issue, he doesn't wholesale change direction; what he does is more like change his centre of gravity so instead of crashing into a bridge, he goes over it. Still dodgy, but not quite so much. (The issue was reprinted a while back. It was one of his early fights against the Leader, if not the first. A train was being attacked by the Leader's Humanoids, or some such. I do believe I read it in a trade; one of several that came out near the end of Peter David's run. Or perhaps it was in the Giant-Size Hulk. Been a while since I've read that collection. Hm, might give me something to do tonight. I was looking for a reason to procrastinate study, this will do nicely. Thanks!)