Power of Negatives

[Asperion]

With this current talk about Hero rules,  I got thinking about something seldom discussed.  If some ability ever were to get reduced to some value less than zero,  would there be any effect beyond simply shutting off? With the primary characteristics,  even at zero,  they could still possess some kind of ability,  but what about powers and skills? Are there any other considerations that should be brought out by going negative? 

[Hugh Neilson]

A decision was made in 6e to remove "negative characteristics".  Adding a negative concept for other abilities would beg the question of whether characters have 0 by default, can sell into negatives or can be adjusted into either positives (current rule being NO) or negatives.  Other than "that much more time to recover into positive", I don't see a huge need to create "negative" rules.

[LoneWolf]

Under drain it specifically states you can reduce a characteristic into the negatives only for purposes of calculating how long the characteristic recovers.  The only exception is negative BODY.  There are rules for what happens when each primary stat is drained to 0.  Usually, you have trouble performing actions.   

[Duke Bushido]

If it is a rabbit you want to run, there is an article in one of the old Adventurers Clubmagazines (PDFs available in the HERO Store) listing the effects of  negative characteristics.

[Grailknight]

If you have access to 4th or 5th, the rules for Negative Characteristics are very complete.

[Christopher R Taylor]

The main effect, if 6th had not turned 0 into the lowest you can go, would be on characteristic rolls.  The formula still works, at -5 INT you have an 8- perception roll, and so on.  Since they made STR power down to no lift whatsoever at 0, the main benchmark for stats wouldn't do anything at negative except STR Rolls