Another problem : creating a "global" mental power

[Glabutz]

I feel quite lost with all the opportunities of the HS. Even if I am an old gamer (I've been playing quite a lot since 1987), I miss some perspective with Hero System.

 

So, in my current game (Fading Suns), I started with another system, I used "global" Psi powers. So, the "mentalist" knew the "mental" power and the "matier" power.

The list was originaly a three powers list with "energy" power, and a forth came in, the "deplacement" power (mixed of energy and matier powers).

 

The idea was : "your character is free. Tell me what you want, I'll give you a task number".

 

So, with his "mental" power, he could :

- read mind

- use telepathy

- convince others

- "freeze" people (by preventing the brain to give orders to the body)

- make them loose memories

- sometimes explode their heads

 

The two last were the hardest.

 

With his "matter" power, he could :

- lockpick

- melt matrial elements

- activate molecules of material to change it a little...

 

Thes two powers were almost endless, and he could do almost anything, if he could just get the right TN (make a metal door "softer", so that one of them can force it was quite hard, changing a material in another one was not. Same with the mind power)

 

He could quite easily defeat common people, but had hard time with vilains.

 

How could I translate this in Hero System, and how much would it cost ?

[Yamo]

How could I translate this in Hero System...

 

You could easily do each of these Powers.

 

- read mind

 

Telepathy Power.

 

- use telepathy

 

Telepathy or Mind Link Powers.

 

- convince others

 

Mind Control Power.

 

- "freeze" people (by preventing the brain to give orders to the body)

 

Entangle Power with the Based On Ego Combat Value Advantage.

 

- make them loose memories

 

Major Transform Power defined as affecting "Target's Memories" with the Based On Ego Combat Value Advantage.

 

- sometimes explode their heads

 

Ego Attack Power with the Does BODY Advantage.

 

- lockpick

 

Lockpicking Skill with the Ranged Advantage.

 

- melt matrial elements

- activate molecules of material to change it a little...

 

Major Transform Power defined as "Inanimate Matter To Inanimate Matter With Various Changes" with the Based On Ego Combat Value Advantage and the Requires A Power: Mentalism Skill Roll Limitation.

 

...and how much would it cost ?

 

Depends. If you bought each Power invidually, you might be looking at a Superheroic character in the 350+ point range. If you didn't want to go that high, you could either add more Limitations or buy all the Powers in a Power Framework like a Multipower or an Elemental Control. In that case, you could definitely do it in the 150-200 point Heroic range. A lot also depends on how strong you want the Powers to be. 5d6 of Telepathy in HERO is a lot different than 10d6 or 20d6. The numbers I'm quoting assume a considerable amount of Power.

[Glabutz]

If you bought each Power invidually, you might be looking at a Superheroic character in the 350+ point range.

 

Yes, but if I do so, the powers won't be "general", with the lack of opportunity to see some clerverness in one of my player's eyes

 

 

If you didn't want to go that high, you could either add more Limitations or buy all the Powers in a Power Framework like a Multipower or an Elemental Control. In that case, you could definitely do it in the 150-200 point Heroic range.

 

No, I won't.

I wanted a high heroic level or a low superheroic one.

350+ power is way beyond my thoughts...

 

100 -150 with limitations would be more adapted to my game.

 

Can you get "mind" as elemental control ?

[Yamo]

Can you get "mind" as elemental control ?

 

Yes, a long as the GM agrees that all the Powers are related enough by special effect to make sense in one and the player is willing to accept the drawback of an EC (vulnerability to negative Adjustment Powers).

[Talon]

Re: Another problem : creating a "global" mental power

 

Originally posted by Glabutz

The idea was : "your character is free. Tell me what you want, I'll give you a task number".

 

With this as the main idea behind the character, a Variable Power Pool is probably the best answer. A VPP lets you create powers on the fly, so you can do "anything". You can either use the built-in Skill Roll to change the pool, or buy it off and apply a different "task number" limitation to get the roll exactly where you and the GM want it.

[Vondy]

80 Point VPP

Psionics Only - 1/2

0 Phase Action +1

 

And a killer power roll

[Glabutz]

80 Point VPP

Psionics Only - 1/2

0 Phase Action +1

 

And a killer power roll

 

Ok.

 

That gives a 50 points power pool ?

 

I'm quite lost in the maths...

[Tom McCarthy]

To have any one of the mental powers you listed in a phase, at 50 active point levels, buy:

 

50 Variable Power Pool (Mental Powers)

50 Variable Power Pool Control Cost (25 base points), change as a zero phase action (+1), no skill roll (+1), Mental powers only (-1/2; telekinetic/pyrokinetic and telepathic/mind control only, GM approval required)

[Yamo]

Ok.

 

That gives a 50 points power pool ?

 

I'm quite lost in the maths...

 

That would give you an 80-point Pool to build mental Powers with.

 

Half the Pool cost is added on as the Control Cost. That brings it up to 80 + 40 = 120 points.

 

With the +1 Advantage on the Control Cost (increasing it to 40 x 2 = 80), the total cost of this Variable Point Pool would be 160 points.

[Vondy]

Originally posted by Glabutz

Ok.

 

That gives a 50 points power pool ?

 

I'm quite lost in the maths...

 

Okay - for the high power hero game I ran the mentalist had:

 

80 Points Variable Power Pool (80)

Control Cost: Base 40 No Skill Roll +1, Psionics Only -1/2 (60)

 

For 140 Points

 

If you don't define the SFX as Psionics (which would allow ECV transforms, TK force fields, and the like), and decide to narrow it to Mental Powers Only (meaning they can only use powers marked as being "mental", in the book, then a -1 is probably appropriate.

 

In that case the cost would be 120

 

You don't need to go to 80 points for the pool, however, if that would blow the power levels for the game. The cheaper the pool, the smaller the control cost. Control Costs are 1/2 the pool cost before modifiers are applied. The modifiers are applied to the control cost, not the pool, generally speaking.

 

I have allowed players who needed big pools to simulate their attacks and defences, to take a Max DC Limitation on the control cost (-1/4), but thats a GM call

 

Based on your description and power level requirements (high hero to low superhero) a pool of 30-40 points is probably sufficient.

 

Lets assume the following:

 

35 Point Pool (35)

Control Cost Before Modifiers (17)

--No Skill Roll +1

--Psionics Only (you want the ECV RKA and Transform) -1/2

Control Cost After Modifiers: 25.5, rounds to 25 (25)

 

Total: 35 + 25 = 60 Points

[i3ullseye]

One note......

 

To really maintain the feel you want, i woudl make the character use 3 different skills to roll for success with this. And on complex maneuvers, make them use 2 in unison.