Need help with a gestalt character?

[Ragdoll]

Hi. [smiles] I recently reregistered to the boards, and I've been a long time fan of HERO. I've been trying to build a certain character (for fun), and I'm not sure about the new 5th ed duplication rules?

 

I was wondering if anyone might know the answer to this question:

 

It says their is a +1 multiplier to the cost of Duplication if the duplicates are different from the main. Well..the main is a metahuman with all the powers of the three counterparts (the third person is handled via multiform but that's not relevant to the question. Just for clarification). But the other two are created through duplication. I'm using duplication as a 'special' effect as how all three can combine to form the gestalt character. So, most of the time, they are duplicated. When they want to become the gestalt they just recombine, and the multiform is activated.

 

My problem is..do the two duplicates 'count' as being completely different so the need for a +1 modifier is warranted?

 

One duplicate has flight and super running ability, her dexterity score is the gestalt's dexterity score.

 

The second duplicate has a force field and energy blast powers. Her intellect is the gestalt character's intellect.

 

The gestalt has superhuman strength, and constitution, resistant defenses, high physical and energy defense scores, and differing stun, endurance, recover etc. scores. The gestalt has all of the other two's abilities inside a multipower framework. The gesalt can fly, run at superhuman speeds, erect a force field, or fire an energy blast. But only one power at a time, since the slots are all ultra slots.

 

So, does my duplication power warrant a +1 power advantage? [wonders]

 

Thanks for your time. [smiles and waves]

 

Ragdoll

[Osprey]

I don't have FrEd either (that's a nickname for the 5th Edition Rulebook here on the board), but I would build this using a limitation I made up for just this kind of occasion.

 

Power requires another character: the bonus is +1/2 for each specific character required (after the first). If any character will do, it's 1/4.

 

Example: a Magician and a Pyrokinet use Multiform to combine into a Dragon.

 

Captian Planet could be built using Duplication with this limitation.

[Ragdoll]

Gestalt character assistance? [smiles]

 

Hi again. Sorry to be such a bother, but I was wondering about this duplication question?

 

See, I'm making these '3' characters that can merge into a gestalt being. One character is strong and resiliant, a second can fly and run at superhuman speeds, and the third can erect powerful force fields and fire damaging force blasts.

 

So, they can combine to become one being with all the powers of the '3' The way I 'thought' about it was It is a 'base' character with the powers of 'duplication' with 2 duplicates. In addition to this power, the character also has 'multiform' to simulate the 'new' gestalt character. The Gestalt form is the 'multiform'. When the gestalt ends, duplication creates the two other people that make up the gestalt and at the same time, the multiform switches to the 'alternate' character when she's not using multiform. So, you have '3' characters. When they want to combine, they do, and multiform activates again.

 

The only problem is..the two duplicates are quite different from the other character, as really they represent 'independant' people. [admits] So, does the +1 modifier for having characters that are completely different from the base apply? [asks]

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Thanks for you time! [smiles and waves]

[Uncle Shecky]

Re: Gestalt character assistance? [smiles]

 

Originally posted by Ragdoll

So, does the +1 modifier for having characters that are completely different from the base apply?

 

Yes, you would need to take the +1 advantage for duplication, since the "duplicates" are completely different. This new advantage makes Duplication a lot more expensive, and maybe too expensive (I've almost never used this power, so I can't really say). If your game group agrees that the +1 advantage is too much, you could reduce it (maybe +1/2?) or just throw it out. Depends on how much your group tweaks the rules.

 

The character you describe is a cool concept, but I think you might have a few more cost problems with it. The gestalt form will probably be the most expensive (since it will have the powers of 3 other people), so it will be a really expensive multiform. It would be cheaper to make it the base form, and have the 3 other characters be the multiform and 2 duplicates, but this doesn't really fit what you are trying to create: with that structure, if one of the duplicates was killed, you'd still be able to revert back to the gestalt form (which should be impossible). I think you've got the mechanics of it figured out correctly, but it'll be a really costly character. It sounds like you're just making this as an experiment though, so maybe cost isn't a concern.