HERO System 6th Edition Rules Questions

6,871 questions in this forum

1. What is DCV and HitLoc Penalties When Recovering?

   After being stunned, a character must recover. On 6e2 pg 37, the DCV Modifiers Table says: Stunned (DCV=)½ (HL=)½ Recovering from being Stunned (DCV=)½ (HL=)½ Taking a Recovery (DCV=)½ (HL=)½ However, on 6e2 pg 105, under Recovering From Being Stunned, it says: In the character’s next full Phase after becoming Stunned, he recovers from being Stunned when his DEX occurs in the Segment. He regains his full DCV (and Placed Shot modifiers return to normal), but he still cannot act until his next Phase — recovering from being Stunned is all he can do that Phase. The …

   Asked by bcwhite, November 17

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   1 answer
2. Does Combat Luck work against Area Effect Attacks?

   Considering Combat Luck's description, it states that the character can get away from some of the attack and take less damage, but would this also apply to an area effect attack?

   Asked by Gauntlet, November 4

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3. Applying Movement Skill Levels

   6E2 32: "...at the GM’s option, the character can use each Skill Level to increase his acceleration or deceleration with his modes of movement...by 1m per meter per Skill Level applied." How does this work? If I have a 3 SPD, 15m of Running with x4 NCV for a total NCV of 60, and 2 CP Skill Level in Running, how does my Skill Level affect my acceleration? Say I want to move full NCV in 3 Phases: 4, 8, and 12: 1. Without Skill Level: 15m in Phase 4, 30m in Phase 8, 45m in Phase 12, then 60m on the next Phase 4, correct? 2. With Skill Level: 30m in Phase 4, 60m in Phase 8? Is that right?

   Asked by Steven Wayde, October 12

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4. Stacked modifiers

   I can't seem to find in the books where it talks about what you do if you have multiple modifiers and how they are calculated. For example if you do somthing that puts you at 1/2 DCV and another condition you have a -2. Do you calculate the 1/2 1st and then add the -2? or the other way around?

   Asked by sevrick, October 8

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5. Drain vs Target w/multiple instances of a power

   If I have a Drain of a power, e.g. a 4d6 Drain Blast, and I use it against a target that has multiple Blast powers (or a Multipower with more than one Blast slot), what happens? Do all of the blasts get drained? Do I need to specify which specific Blast I'm targeting? What if I'm using it speculatively on a target that I haven't even seen fire one of their Blasts yet? EDIT: I found an old Heroglyphs article (Heroglyphs 20: "Down the Drain") that basically implies that it's up to the GM to make a call and gives a few guidelines.

   Asked by Jason Reid, June 15

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6. Does Damage Negation affect Power Attacks?

   Does Damage Negation affect Power (Drain) attacks or does it only have the option to affect physical attacks, energy attacks, and mental attacks (STR, HA, Blast, HKA, RKA, Mental Attacks). The reason I am asking is many people believe that Damage Negation would affect a drain that has a physical special effect. Would this be the case? I would think that it would not, but I want to verify this as it is not completely described in the 6th edition books for this.

   Asked by Gauntlet, October 6

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7. When you perform a Brace AND Set, after the attack is performed, must the character re-establish a Set again--with the full phase--to achieve the benefit?

   Referencing HSG 6E2-79, a discussion with a fellow gamer brought us to a standstill on the proper implementation of a Brace + Set action. As per the rules: Set This Combat Maneuver represents the effects of taking extra time to aim at a target with a Ranged attack, thereby improving one’s accuracy. Set does not work with HTH Combat attacks. An attacker who wants to Set must spend a Full Phase aiming at the target (this is known in some genres as “drawing a bead”). During this time he cannot move, change clips of ammunition, attack the target, or perform any Actions other than Zero Phase Actions. A character who has Set on a target receives a +1 OCV to all a…

   Asked by Jujitsuguy, October 6

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8. Multiple instances of Unified Power

   Is there any reason a character cannot have two or more separate sets of powers with taking the unified power limitation? Each set would only be affected by drains targeting powers in their own set. For example, a character with both fire and ice powers is hit with a drain that affects one of his fire powers so drains all the fire powers, but none of the ice powers.

   Asked by LoneWolf, October 4

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9. Can I buy separate instances of the same power?

   So, let´s say I want to have a power that represents magically imbuing a weapon in magic. The weapon already consists of HKA, but, so would the power Could I buy another HKA with the costs END to activate flaw, and have it stack with the sword´s HKA?

   Asked by Joaquim Mendonça, September 27

   0 votes
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10. APW and Desol further clarification

    Hi, I've managed to find at least one post on here about the necessity of mind-affecting powers for a Desol character requiring the "Affects Physical World" advantage. While there can be some dispute regarding this and, therefore, the decision is left up to the GM, I have a further question about it. It's been a bit of an annoyance for me. If a Desol character has a "Mind Control" power and, because it can affect a Solid, is required to add the AWP advantage, doesn't this also imply that a Solid with a "Mind Control" power would need the "Affects Desolidified" advantage if they want to use the power on a Desol character? I think this is where requi…

    Asked by Ed Douglas, September 5

    0 votes
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11. Buying SPD For Abort

    Can a character buy some number of points of SPD, usable only to perform maneuvers with the Abort key word? In a sense this is wonky because if your SPD is x, and suddenly becomes x+1 when you want to use a defensive power, it is not guaranteed that the extra phase you gain will still be available later in the round. So strictly speaking, it may not even be useful. However, if we can just assume the character can use an Abort maneuver this many times before losing an action (still limited to only on phases they have not acted, obviously) Can this work? If so, what kind of limitation is it? I was thinking something like -1 1/2 or something. EDIT: I …

    Asked by tunglashr, July 16

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12. Transform - Mental and Physical

    If you Transform somebody physically (BODY) into say, an inanimate object, they still have their mental faculty to realise their predicament. But If they had Mentalist powers would they still be able to use them?

    Asked by MrAgdesh, June 28

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13. SURPRISE ATTACK - If an attack is not perceived at all before, but perceived only during the attack, is it then not classed as a Surprise Attack?

    I understand that attacks from behind, above, invisible etc will often be a Surprise as they basically likely not perceivable before and even during the attack. HOW ABOUT PERCEPTION ROLL DURING ATTACK TO CAUSE IT NOT TO BE A "SURPRISE"? If I were to lie in wait near a road behind a large tree (completely hidden) to attempt an AMBUSH (one of the potential surprise conditions), the intended victim is walking along and doesnt perceive me before the attack at all (no warning sights or sounds picked up - perhaps no roll allowed by GM, or even failed perception roll by player at this time). I then declare to the Game Master that I wish to do a half move and attac…

    Asked by Gary S, June 20

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14. Telekinesis and END use

    One of the players in my campaign has a Hero Designer character that has Telekinesis (14 STR) in a multipower framework with the limitation "Costs END To Maintain (Half END Cost; -1/4)" I am trying to figure out how this works and exactly what his END costs would be. As I understand it Telekinesis being a Constant power costs 1 END per 5 points of STR used (this is a heroic fantasy hero game). What happens if he keeps his multipower points allocated to his telekinesis but uses 0 STR for a phase. Is the cost to maintain the power then half of zero?

    Asked by Edsel, May 17

    0 votes
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15. Order of application...

    Character has a ranged attack power with Half Range Modifier. Character also has, let's say, 3 PSLs to offset Range Mods, and they're usable for the application of the power in question. Range to target is 200 meters, so the range mod is -10. What is the proper order here? a) Half Range Mod first, then PSLs. Half of -10 is -5; the PSLs take it to -2. b) PSLs first, then halve the result. PSLs reduce -10 to -7; half of that would be -3 by the usual rounding rules. I'm largely inclined to the former, since Half Range Modifier is rather expensive, as an advantage on the overall attack power, and it has to be purchased …

    Asked by unclevlad, June 7

    0 votes
    2 answers
16. Barrier with no Defense

    I am just getting back into Hero System after about a 10-year absence so I am busy relearning all I have forgotten. A character in my Fantasy Hero game has a Barrier that has 9 BODY and 0 Defenses, it is meant to englobe enemies since it has Backlash (+1/2) bought for it. I assume that he can specify at least one defense it provides, but is it legal to say that it is stops any more that one attack effect? For instance can he specify that it resists Physical and Energy Attacks?

    Asked by Edsel, April 28

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17. AVAD value for Social Defense

    If using the Social Combat Maneuvers rules from APG 2, page 85, is an official value given anywhere for the frequency of Social Defense if used as an Alternate Defense for an AVAD power? Or is it up to a given table to decide for themselves?

    Asked by Cloppy Clip, April 24

    0 votes
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18. Multiform and Instant Powera

    If your Hero uses an instant power like Aid Entangle, or Barrier and then multiforms into a different form without those powers, do they immediately go away or do the effects remain? What about healing?

    Asked by Taenx, April 23

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19. Temperature Level Adjustment

    Hey all. When utilizing the Change Environment for Temperature Level Adjustments what does each value mean. Does a +1 mean a +1 degree of temperature (like from 70 degrees to 71 degrees) or a +1 class of temperature (like from cold to warm or from 70 degrees to 80 degrees). Thanks all in advance.

    Asked by Gauntlet, April 20

    0 votes
    1 answer
20. Defensive Throw Question

    In the description of the defensive throw, it states that the actions that take place are "Block, opponent falls". The question is, should this manuver be used as a block ( OCV vs OCV ) or like an attack? Or can this manuver be used in both instances in which it can be used as a block that results in a throw or just as an attack? Thanks for any help. Gith

    Asked by Githsarrin, April 13

    0 votes
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21. Unified Power on a multipower.

    Looking up unified power the book states it can be applied to any game element including slots in a framework. Can it also be applied to the framework itself,more specifically a multipower? If so what happens when a power in the pool is drained? Does it have a double effect since it is draining both the pool and the slot?

    Asked by LoneWolf, April 2

    0 votes
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22. Damage Reduction & Damage Types

    On page 55 of Champions Complete under Damage Negation, it says... "If applied to attacks of a specific Special Effect, it works regardless of how the attacks are built, but it only works against attacks of that Special Effect, and it gets no Limitation for this." However, on page 11 of Champions Powers, under Acid Proof, we get this build... "Variant Acid-Proof: Change to: Damage Negation (-8 DCs Energy) (40 Active Points); Only Works Against Acid (-1). Total cost: 20 points." Which is correct? Doe Damage Negation not get a Limitations?

    Asked by Sketchpad, February 22

    0 votes
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23. All or Nothing damage

    Would it be possible to generalise the All or Nothing limitation (6E1 308) to other attack powers, like Blast or Killing Attack? And, if so, would its value remain the same?

    Asked by Cloppy Clip, January 26

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24. Hound 13 Follow Up: Luck As A Power

    Luck is normally a talent. Can I add "Unified Power" to it to make a mutant power of luck (assuming I give him other powers with the definition "Mutant Luck Powers")?

    Asked by steriaca, January 11

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25. Hound 13's Martial Arts

    I just had a thought about Hound 13, a young mutant whose powers are all based on Luck. One thing which got me thinking is that he could possibly possess Martial Arts under the special effect that he is lucky (dodges out of the way for the last second before his opponent could hit him, wild swing punch which actually hits a cluster of pressure points at just the right time, etc.). Considering this is a part of his mutant powers, is it legal to buy his martial arts with the Unified Power limitation? Should it be bought per manuvers, or through the entire martial arts?

    Asked by steriaca, January 11

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    1 answer