Comments and suggestions on a build

[douglaswick]

Hi all,

 

First, apologies if there is another thread already for this purpose- I scanned twice but didn't find an appropriate thread.

 

I'd like comments and suggestions on this build.  I've been away for 20 years (4th ed) and I am slowly warming back up to 6th edition and the Hero Designer system.  The attached character sheet is for a "background: hero in a city a couple of hours away- an allied NPC that my PC's might interact with. I'm probably going to start my PC's at 350 points, so this guy was built around the idea that he was a new 350 point hero several years ago and has been gaining experience and reputation since then. 

 

I'm most interested in comments like "that -1/2 you gave was too generous, because", or "that character conception cries out for a limitation of the offense powers that works like this...."  

 

I also have a specific question.  I built his damage shield outside of his multipower, because it seems to me that switching multipower slots would make even a constant power turn off.  Agreed?

 

Flavor text and character sheet attached.  One thing that is not obvious:  his "no range hearing flash attack, linked to flight" represents the enormous roaring noise of his sonic special effect.  

 

Thanks, everybody!  

Lone Star Lion flavor text - Google Docs.pdf

Lone Star Lion.pdf

[Opale]

Heya and welcome back to Hero lands ^^

 

For your questions, here are my answers :

 

Yes, a Damage Shield in a Multipower with a m slot (the ancient "u" slot) is worth nothing because you have to switch it off each time you use another slot. Might be different with a "v" slot, but then you'll have an active cost problem in order to make all powers efficient enough.

 

Then, my thoughts about your build :

 

In 6th ed, stats are usually slightly higher than before; not a big deal, but I think DEX 18 for an EP is quite low, and your character might be crushed by a Brick before having time to react. IMHO.

 

Then the skills: a 4 slots MP with +4 skills is ok to me (i'm quite tolerant as a GM ^^) but i'd suggest to pass it as a "large group of attack" with more than 3 powers concerned.

 

The Roaring Flight effect isn't going to affect anyone except if you character aim and actually hit an opponent with it. Which would take his attack action btw. Imho, the best way to do the effect you want, is by using the Side Effect adder to your flight power. Which would decrease his cost, and affect everyone in a predefined area. Not the kind of hero you like to welcome imho, as he's going to blow most windows in the neighbourhood ^^

 

With 57 AP for his MP, (you could go up to 60 which is standard in 6th Ed), I think your powers are quite uneffective. Not totally uneffective, but a bit too light. 9d6 blast with Reduced END is fine, as to get rid of agents. You'll need something a bit stronger for most super you meet. Again just my experience as both a GM and player. Maybe because after the second or third attack of the same type, your opponents should start to know how to react and protect themselves or counterattack.

 

That will be all for now

 

Have fun playing CHampions again 

 

Opale, in wearing the building hat

[douglaswick]

Hi Opale- thanks.  I agree that 9d6 is quite low, and I'll think about ways to save points for DEX.  Thanks for your confirmation on the multipower and comments on the side effect/linked sound blast.  I'll ponder that too.  Any thoughts about how to save points on the two big expenses- the damage shield and the multipower pool?  Once again, I appreciate the input. 

[Doc Democracy]

My concern is your energy management. With forcefield on, using your attacks and a little bit of movement each phase you are burning 30 END a turn and recovering 8. You need to win quick or you will be burning STUN to keep going. [edit: missed the fact that the END was 'only to activate' on both fields, makes END less of an issue]

 

Will have a think but the multipower and damage shield are where your big concerns are. I am not too worried about the 9D6 blast as I presume your primary attack will be the 5D6 AVAD, which should deliver a reliable 17-18 STUN past defences.

 

You are the GM, so you need to tell us what you expect attacks to average out at, SPDs and CVs. That will provide a decent feel for effectiveness in game. SPD 5 is slow in a game where the SPD of bricks might touch 6 and fast where bricks never go past 3. A low SPD game also makes REC more effective.

 

 

Doc

[Doc Democracy]

The powers are all based round sonic powers. When you left I think a lot of your build might have been in an elemental control which no longer exists, there is an limitation however (unified power) that provides that kind of build (where powers all derive from a common source and draining one, drains them all. It would give an additional +1/4 limitation on all the powers that are affected, I wasn't able to tell from the colour which powers might be linked in this way.

 

I think Opale is bang on about the sonic attack, it feels more like a side effect rather than something you should be paying for. Use those points to get the END down to 0 and then you only use END when flying noisily.

 

You are also paying big for characteristics that will not particularly affect or play to the character's playability. While END and SPD potentially look low, STR and EGO look a bit high - a hangover from when those were needed to generate figured characteristics perhaps. I had to wean myself off of buy STR for characters, it was just too good a deal for most characters in previous editions.

[Crusher Bob]

One of the big things to get used to is that base stats no longer effect figured characteristics. So up to 5e, just adding STR, DEX, and CON was generally a good idea. In 6e, you don't really need to do that anymore.

 

Sonic forcefield. I'd think that lasers and generic energy blasts would be much more common in a superhero game. And you be pretty much pasted by any opponent that happened to have them.

 

Defenses look a little low, in the 'average' champions game, 12 DC attacks will be pretty common, you'd get pasted by 12DC energy blasts, since your force field generally wouldn't apply, and you'd be stunned around half the time by 12DC physical attacks.

 

In addition, changing your force field DEF to make is cost END also makes it non-persistent so it turns off when you get stunned.

 

Think the 'extra loud flight' should be modeled like this:

Side effects:

(-1/4) minor side effect (~15 points (example effects: flash vs. hearing, change environment, AOE blasts)

(x2) side effect always occurs

(1/4 less disadvantage) Side effect doesn't effect the character

For a total of (-1/4).

 

And note that the side effects will generally be bad for you, so you'll break windows and deafen little old ladies, not break Evil McEvils Glasses as you fly by.

 

On the plus side, you wouldn't have to pay points for the flash vs. hearing anymore, so you save 3 points there.

 

AVAD resistant flash defense so should be worth (+3/2) unless you mean for 'Sonic Ear Blast' to be a NND with the protection being 'resistant flash defense'. Though AVAD (just regular Flash defense) (+1) is probably reasonably good.

[douglaswick]

Thanks all- this is all good feedback.

[BoloOfEarth]

Personally, instead of a 6d6 Blast with Penetrating (with that few dice, frankly, only the Penetrating effect is ever going to bother any superpowered type), I'd drop the number of dice down and make it AVAD (vs. Flash Defense Hearing Group; +1).  Someone touches you, the vibrations go straight to their inner ear.  If you went with 3d6 AVAD, I think that would only cost 30 points, freeing up 20 points while likely being about as effective as the Penetrating attack against most targets, and only costing you 4 END to boot.

 

Agree with the others that the "roaring flight" should just be Side Effects, pretty much as Crusher Bob detailed. 

 

As to Opale's point about DEX 18, I'd suggest Lightning Reflexes rather than boosting DEX higher, unless you're planning to buy up more DEX-based skills.

 

If your highest AP slot is 56, your Multipower pool doesn't have to be 57.  Personally, I'd bump it to 62 points, and you can make your RKA 3d6+1, your Blast 10d6, and your AVAD 0 END.  (Even though you could increase your Hearing Flash, I think 12d6 is enough.

 

With the freed points from the damage shield, I'd consider Telescopic on Hearing Group, and buy a tougher armored body suit.  Maybe Criminology (if he's been doing the crimefighting thing for a while) or a Contact on the Dallas PD.

 

Finally, I note in the text that you mention him putting his hush field on himself.  As written, it's targeted on an area; as soon as he moved outside that 3m radius, he'd be heard again.  He'd need a no-range hush field to do what you're saying.  If you're also looking for him to silence other areas outside himself, as well as silencing himself while in motion, you could just add a second (personal) hush field:  2m Radius Darkness to Hearing Group, No Range, for 4 points.  So when he flies, he makes noise, unless he pays an extra 1 END with his personal hush field.  And he can still silence an area at range if he wants.

 

Note that a personal hush field would make your active sonar worthless while the hush field is active.  Unless you buy the Darkness as only affecting normal hearing (which might not be a bad idea.)

[Amorkca]

 

 

Note that a personal hush field would make your active sonar worthless while the hush field is active.  Unless you buy the Darkness as only affecting normal hearing (which might not be a bad idea.)

 

Or add personal immunity?