Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

[ONI]

The talent Hot Shot Pilot (Star HERO) has an Active Point Total of 72. Does the overall effectiveness of this Talent warrant that high of a cost? The PC in our group feels like he was overcharged for it.

[Steve Long]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Since this is a discussion topic, not a rules question, I've moved it to the Discussion board.

[Tech]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

The talent Hot Shot Pilot (Star HERO) has an Active Point Total of 72. Does the overall effectiveness of this Talent warrant that high of a cost? The PC in our group feels like he was overcharged for it.

 

I don't have Star HERO so I can't actually make a decisive say in this matter. However.. 72 pts for a talent? What's it do, give you +50 to your Skill, only for stunts (-1/2)? Wait, that'd only come out to 67 pts. Okay, I'm curious.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

If a person is "overcharged" for anything it's not so much a fault of the system as the GM not bringing the 'thing in question' in play enough to warrant the cost.

 

Let's look at HotShot Pilot:

+2 all Combat Piloting rolls (4pts.)

+2 DCV with all Starships; up to 100kTons; Only when HSP is piloting.

 

that's a biggie.

 

+2 DCV = 10pts.

Usable By Other [+1/4] 20x Mass {100ktons} [+5] (+5.25)

Only While HSP is Piloting (-2)

AP:21/RP:25

 

The book actually has the UBO at +5 total, not +5.25. I don't know if that's an oversite on their part or a miscalculation on mine. Given that small discrepency, there is a 1pt. cost difference betwen me and them. I'll have to break out HD to double check.

 

So, is it overcharging? Not if you build the Talent out by the rules.

 

But, it's your game...

[Dust Raven]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

The talent Hot Shot Pilot (Star HERO) has an Active Point Total of 72. Does the overall effectiveness of this Talent warrant that high of a cost? The PC in our group feels like he was overcharged for it.

 

Actually, it's only 64 Active Points, with a Real Cost of 24. Personally I think it is overpriced. And that's only because I would have built it differently. I consider a vehicle to be the same as a character and wouldn't require a +5 Advantage to make the DCV bonus apply to one.

 

Here's how I'd build it:

Hot Shot Pilot

+2 to Combat Piloting (4 ponts)

+2 DCV, Usable By Other (+1/4) (12 Active); Only For A Starship Character Is Piloting (-1/2) (8 points) Total Cost: 12 points.

 

The reason the Limitation is only -1/2 in my opinion is because it's effectively Others Only, similar to what's used for Aid or Healing.

[GamePhil]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Here's how I'd build it:

Hot Shot Pilot

+2 to Combat Piloting (4 ponts)

+2 DCV, Usable By Other (+1/4) (12 Active); Only For A Starship Character Is Piloting (-1/2) (8 points) Total Cost: 12 points.

 

Pretty much my take on it, although I'd up the Limitation to -1, since it is less useful than being able to give the Power to anyone, even if you can't use it for yourself.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Pretty much my take on it' date=' although I'd up the Limitation to -1, since it is less useful than being able to give the Power to anyone, even if you can't use it for yourself.[/quote']

 

Ah, true. The way I did it, the Hot Shot could technically "pilot" his buddy and grant him the bonus. Yes, make that a -1 for a total cost of 10 points.

[TaxiMan]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

If he feels overcharged, he was overcharged. Your job is to make him not feel that way - he should shine in battles, NPCs should run to him to pilot, since they'll live longer, he should be getting awards & job offers & press, etc.

 

Same as others have said, but hey! This is MY opinion!

[GamePhil]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

So, is it overcharging? Not if you build the Talent out by the rules.

 

Not precisely correct. Usable By Others does not technically have the Increased Mass modifier, since it is used against a character, not an inanimate object. So, it should either have used Usable As Attack (treating the Vehicle as an inanimate object) or it should not need the mass increase (treating the Vehicle as a character).

[Sean Waters]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

It is a wonder you are not supposed to buy the UBO for every potential crew member

 

Bit of an aside - and I don't have StarHero - but what sort of DCV does a 100 k ton vehicle have anyway? I mean, looking at the vehicles in 5ER, it would have a 0 DCV (only because DCV is not supposed to go below zero) and so many unused points of negative DCV that +2 to DCV would make no difference at all, so, on that basis, no, really not worth it.

 

Or does Star Hero build its vehicels very differently?

[GamePhil]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Bit of an aside - and I don't have StarHero - but what sort of DCV does a 100 k ton vehicle have anyway?

 

You can make a Combat Piloting roll to eliminate the DCV penalty for Size, so you could conceivably get the Death Star with, say, a 5 DCV with this ability (assuming a DEX of 8-10). You have to be doing nothing else that phase but piloting, and you can't use the Skill for anything else. This rule is from HERO 5th (Revised or otherwise), not Star HERO.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

You can make a Combat Piloting roll to eliminate the DCV penalty for Size' date=' so you could conceivably get the Death Star with, say, a 5 DCV with this ability (assuming a DEX of 8-10). You have to be doing nothing else that phase but piloting, and you can't use the Skill for anything else. This rule is from HERO 5th (Revised or otherwise), not Star HERO.[/quote']

 

 

Missed that one, thanks for pointing it out! Just looked and note that is only if you are specifically dodging, but I suppose other crew can attack as normal.

 

Having spotted the rule and taking your example into consideration, I would be inclined to house rule that when dodging you can eliminate 1 or 2 points of DCV penalty due to size modifiers for each point you make the combat pilot roll by OR apply a penalty to the roll based on the size of the vehicle. I prefer the former option, but either should give less ridiculous results!

[ONI]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Actually, it's only 64 Active Points, with a Real Cost of 24. Personally I think it is overpriced. And that's only because I would have built it differently. I consider a vehicle to be the same as a character and wouldn't require a +5 Advantage to make the DCV bonus apply to one.

 

Here's how I'd build it:

Hot Shot Pilot

+2 to Combat Piloting (4 ponts)

+2 DCV, Usable By Other (+1/4) (12 Active); Only For A Starship Character Is Piloting (-1/2) (8 points) Total Cost: 12 points.

 

The reason the Limitation is only -1/2 in my opinion is because it's effectively Others Only, similar to what's used for Aid or Healing.

 

Thanks a lot. This was the kind of feed back I was looking for. Our group is going to use the outline cost you provided (with the -1 Limitation per GamePhil) for the Hot Shot Pilot talent. It is now actually worth the cost.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Hot Shot Pilot, Is it worth it?

 

Thanks a lot. This was the kind of feed back I was looking for. Our group is going to use the outline cost you provided (with the -1 Limitation per GamePhil) for the Hot Shot Pilot talent. It is now actually worth the cost.

 

Glad I could help.