HERO System 6th Edition Rules Questions

6,880 questions in this forum

1. Question on Mimic Pools

   As written up in the sidebar on 5E 210, would a character with this Mimic Pool have to drop out of combat, or buy a Power Skill, to change his powers after touching the target? Or do these particular limitations by way of their special effects relieve the need for advantages to change during combat? My thinking was that "requires touch" (limited circumstances for change) acts kind of like a trigger, and the "mimics target's powers" (no control regarding how powers change) makes a skill roll unnecessary. Is that right, or am I all messed up? Thanks.

   Asked by JayH, May 2, 2004

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2. Can Move By be used with a Ranged Attack?

   The Move By maneuver seems to be intended only for HTH attacks, but it would seem reasonable that a character could perform the same maneuver with a ranged attack, such as a semi-automatic. Any thoughts?

   Asked by NotSoSuperman, May 1, 2004

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3. Swimming CV

   I looked through the rules and the FAQ, but didn't see anything... Are there any CV penalties for a person swimming? I'm thinking normal & heroic games more than supers (where I would expect the penalties to be less or non at all). Thanks Aroooo

   Asked by Aroooo, May 1, 2004

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4. missile deflection for mental attacks

   Ok. I still don't understand then. What is being mentioned under paragraph 2 on page 136 of FRED under the "Based on Ego Combat Value" heading? It can't be a physical attack (say a dart that has some type of mind affecting serum on it as that would use your DCV to see if the dart hit you). I understand it states "at the DM's option" but I'm wondering if the GM allowed it what the points would look like? Thanks. Paul

   Asked by paul_runstedler, April 29, 2004

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5. missile deflection for ego attacks

   How much does it cost to missile deflect ego attacks? Is it considered just 5 points for thrown objects? 10 points for arrows? 20 points all ranged attacks? Paul

   Asked by paul_runstedler, April 29, 2004

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6. Swimming and Leaping

   If a character is atop or under the water and wants to leap up (like a flying fish, or a performing dolphin), does normal Leaping cover it, or should the Leaping borrow the +1/4 Usable Underwater advantage from Flight?

   Asked by mattingly, April 28, 2004

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7. Disadvantages on Martial Arts

   Steve, I was playing around with a character the other day, and I thought it would be cool to have a suit that gave the character some martial arts abilites (like the movie Tuxedo with Jackie Chan). But you cannot put disadvanatges on Martial Arts (version 2.2 will not let me do this). I was wondering why? Thanks, Joe Storholt

   Asked by bafzoul, April 28, 2004

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8. Ranged Advantage

   According to Fantasy Hero this is a +1/4 advantage, but according to UMA it's a +1/2 advantage. Which is correct?

   Asked by mayapuppies, April 28, 2004

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9. Sense Affecting Powers and Charges

   First a note: I've only got Sidekick, so I'm going only by that text The powers that affect senses (generally) cost 10 points for affecting a Targetting group, and 5 points otherwise. Since Sight is the only "standard" targetting group, it seems to me that the "targetting/nontargetting" is a little odd... Does this mean that you could, for example, purchase a power which affects all Targetting Radar or Targetting Smell sense groups? How would that work? Another question: The Charges Adv/Lim has "Renewable Charges" and "Non-Renewable Charges"... and standard charges. What's the difference between the three categories? Do Standard charges recover…

   Asked by lazarus, April 28, 2004

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10. Variety of Rules Questions

    1.) On page 131 of FRed, it lists two example powers, Basic Hypnosis and Master Hypnosis, both of which have the Limitation Hypnosis Only (cannot achieve full range of Mind Control effects). What does that limitation mean? I can't find the definition of it anywhere. 2.)I come to HERO by way of D&D. I'm sitting down to my first Fantasy HERO campaign, and I'm the GM. I've played Star HERO, and Champions, but no FH. The guy in my group wants to create a cleric-esque character, so I reviewed the rules for Healing. It says on page 120 that "The maximum number of character points which Healing can add to a specific characteristic equals the highest number which …

    Asked by Citizen Keen, April 27, 2004

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11. Second Wind

    Can a character take recoveries in a noncombat situation? I know that they are assumed to be SPD 2 during such times, but that they can boost it if need be...is this one of those times? For example, could a REC 20 SPD 4 character pause for 12 seconds outside of combat and regain 100 END because they took 4 recoveries and a post-12?

    Asked by Guest Kolava, April 27, 2004

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12. Basic STR question

    What about sweeps and multiple power attacks involving STR? Rapid firing the same 10d6 Energy Blast at three different people costs 15, since you're spending 5 END on each one, correct? --But!--Sweeping a 50 STR punch against three different mooks only costs 5 END, because all STR in a round is under one cost? If this is true, then how about multiple power attacks involving STR? FREd says that you add your full STR to each attack, so I assume again that this means the same END spent for it all? Example: Some sort of STR powered Tail Whip (HA)combined with a STR powered Claw (HKA), costs END for each attack, and END once for STR? On a related no…

    Asked by Guest Kolava, April 27, 2004

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13. When Hole In Middle/Not Self?

    What powers would you need the advantages does not affect self or hole in the middle? Example) If I bought an explosion naked modifier for my strength in order to emulate a groundstrike, would I need to make myself immune to it? Thanks, Crayadder

    Asked by crayadder, April 26, 2004

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14. Basic STR question

    I feel almost embarassed for needing to ask this, but how does STR work? I thought I had had it all figured out, but recently I've noticed hints that it doesn't work this way. Do you pay END for it once per phase regardless of usage, as mentioned in the FAQ, or do you pay for all STR uses (non casual) seperately? Can you use less then your full STR if you want to save END? Can you use 0 STR when using a weapon in a superheroic game, to just do base damage? When using the Grab manuver, do you need to spend END for the amount of STR you want to use to restrain them against every phase you maintain it?

    Asked by Guest Kolava, April 26, 2004

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15. Healing from Transform

    Sorry if this question has already been answered, but transform really confuses me. From what I can gather, all organic targets will gradually transform back into their original state unless a specific way to heal is specified. But some of the examples, like blindness or psychic surgery don't make sense. They say that they heal back normally, but what good is removing someone's memories if they will come back. And the discussion of the blindness example led me to believe that the sight would not return (barring some sort of spell or something that the creating player wouldn't have to think of in advance and define as a specific way to heal back) however, it seems that acc…

    Asked by Lord Quintus, April 25, 2004

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16. Large Growth

    Just checking: If a character is already 8" tall naturally (has bought all the associated abilities as seperate powers and disadvantages), and they buy 15 points worth of growth, they are now 16" tall when they use the power, right? Do they get the abilities of the 15 point level of growth, or do they recieve the ones from the 16" level (as if they already had the 45 level)?

    Asked by Guest Kolava, April 24, 2004

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17. Two-Weapon Question

    My wife is working on a character that uses a two-weapon style of sword and gun ... looking at the Two-Weapon skill, you pick either ranged or melee ... if you bought both, would it be considered that she could use the weapons in tandem with each other, even though one is melee and one is ranged?

    Asked by Sketchpad, April 24, 2004

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18. VPP with Advantages

    Using Hero Designer, I've noticed that if I apply an advantage to "all slots" of a VPP, you end up paying twice for the advantages. For example, the +1/2 for reduced end (0 end) is added to the control cost of the VPP, but is also added to the active point cost of every slot. This seems odd. Is this how the rules actually work? The reason it seems odd is that you could pay fewer points by simply adding the advantage to each individual slot. Please correct me if I am wrong about this. Thanks. Matt

    Asked by fnordotronic, April 24, 2004

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19. Attacked against grabbed characters

    Say Giant Creature grabs HeroMan in its fangs, intending on keeping him there for longer then a single attack. This, of course, means a grab. But, when GC goes to bite HM, basically wanting to use his HKA as one would use STR to "crush" a grabbed character, but with Killing Damage, how would this be resolved? Does GC need an attack roll? If so, is GC at an advantage to attack the pinned character, or at a disadvantage?

    Asked by Guest Kolava, April 24, 2004

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20. Flying Dodge vs. Ranged Attack, part III

    Situation: MartialDude and GunBoy are next to each other. GunBoy fires at MartialDude; MartialDude Aborts to a Flying Dodge. MartialDude ends his Full Move 12" from GunBoy. Question: What is the Range Modifier for GunBoy's attack?

    Asked by SCUBA Hero, April 23, 2004

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21. Suppression Fire: Autofire Lives!

    I think I understand it now. Basically, the attacker fires his Autofire rate per Segment, and that rate is divided up amongst the hexes/hex lines he's firing into, right? So using my previous example, the character is using 20 rounds per Phase (Autofire 5 times number of Segments per Phase), which are divided equaly among the hexes he's firing into to (which would be 2.5 per Segment, but I suppose I could alternate Segements on which gets to round up). Have I got it right now? Thanks for your help, Steve!

    Asked by Dust Raven, April 23, 2004

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22. CSL for Dodge?

    I've looked in the books AND the FAQ, but this particular point doesn't seem to be specifically addressed: Can a 2 point CSL be purchased for Dodge? I'm inclined to disallow it because the rules indicated that 2 pt levels can't effect DCV; however, if a 3pt level is required, doesn't that just open it up to include two other martial maneuvers? What if a character JUST wanted to increase his Dodge (but is not really a martial artist)? Thanks!

    Asked by chuckwig, April 23, 2004

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23. Is This 'Book Legal'?

    We have a rather unusual house rule and I was wondering if it was actually 'book legal'. I couldn't find anything, yes or no, in the book. According to our rule, you can buy Desolid and, as per the rules, name one thing that you aren't desolid to. You can then buy a second desolid, naming something different that you aren't desolid to. The two powers are then linked together and, viola, you are totally desolid to everything. This rule can also be used for other powers (like Resurrection Regeneration) where you have to name something that hinders the power. So... is this legal by the book? Thanks MistWing SilverTail

    Asked by MistWing, April 23, 2004

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24. Suppression Fire Clarification

    Based upon your previous reply, would the following be true? I have an Autofire 5 shots attack and a SPD of 3. I decide to use Suppression Fire to fill a 2 hex doorway. I'm firing 5 shots, per hex, per Segment, so I'm firing a total of 40 shots per each Phase I maintain Suppression (5 shots, x2 hexes, x 4 Segments per Phase). Assuming this is true, may the attacker declair he's using fewer shots per hex to conserve Charges/END?

    Asked by Dust Raven, April 23, 2004

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25. Usable by other and odd sized characters.

    Character A has Power X with the Usable by other advantage (+1/4 level). Usually, that means Power X could be used on a 100 kg object (the weight of 1 man in hero terms). However, Character A is nowhere near that (due to shrinking or physical disadvantage: small size). Can Character A still use Power X on a 100 kg object, or only objects her weight?

    Asked by Sociotard, April 23, 2004

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