Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

[CDad]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I've sort of avoided this because any construction is very specific to the campaign at hand. They often don't make sense outside that.

 

Thanks! I figured as much, but blindly asked anyway.

 

...

 

The inter-relationship between fixed defensive actions, the slot costs, plus the lockout slots are tactically interesting, as is the loss of the +2 DCV if he uses it offensively.

 

Cap could use Slots 1, 2 and 4 simultaneously? Noting the "requires block action for Slot 2... +2 DCV, +30 rPD/rED, +5 to Missile Deflection. Wow.

 

You don't need to lockout Slots 7 & 8 with Slot 2 since you have the recoverable charge. Right?

 

Also note that he does more damage HtH then range (due to the Martial Arts effects), thus giving him another reason to close to battle- as in the comics.

 

I have a BLAST running this character. The other one I run is Cyclops when it's a X-Men game.

 

Appreciate you sharing, as it shows more on your thought processes.

 

Here's an old version of Captain America's Shield I fiddled with... I don't claim it's as accurate as you're looking for, Ki-Rin, but made a lot of sense at the time. Please remember that I had to recall all from memory - don't own any Cap comics.

 

60 MP[90] Captain America's Shield:OIF (-½)

1 u1) DCV +3 (15 AP)

5 u2) 50% E Damage Reduction plus 50% P Damage Reduction, Area Effect - 1 Hex (+½), Only vs. Area Affecting Attacks (-½) (90 AP)

5 u3) Missile Deflection/Reflection plus +20 to Deflect roll (90 AP)

5 u4) +14 to Block plus -10" KB (90 AP)

1 u5) +20" Leaping, Only vs. Falling Damage (-¼) (20 AP)

1 u5) Strike: +3d6 HA, HtH (-½), 0 End (+½) (22 AP)

3 u6) Edge: 1½d6 P HKA, AP (+½), 0 End (+½) (50 AP)

2 u7) Thrown Strike: 8d P EB, AP (+½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) (60 AP)

2 u8) Thrown Edge: 2½d6 P RKA, AP (+½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) (60 AP)

 

 

My Cap has 25 STR, 26 DEX, 23 CON, 7 SPD, wears 8 PD/ED armor. I didn't think to add the lockout option.

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Cap could use Slots 1' date=' 2 and 4 simultaneously? Noting the "requires block action for Slot 2... +2 DCV, +30 rPD/rED, +5 to Missile Deflection. Wow..[/quote']

 

When he turtles, he turtles well

 

 

You don't need to lockout Slots 7 & 8 with Slot 2 since you have the recoverable charge. Right?

 

Since a Missile Deflection is a combat action that ends your phase, Slots 7 & 8 are 'locked out' by default by the use of Slot 2.

 

 

60 Captain America's Shield: MP[90]; OIF (-½)

1 u1) DCV +3 (15 AP)

5 u2) 50% E Damage Reduction plus 50% P Damage Reduction

Area Effect - 1 Hex (+½) (90 AP)

Only vs. Area Affecting Attacks (-½)

5 u3) Missile Deflection/Reflection plus +20 to Deflect roll (90 AP)

5 u4) +14 to Block plus -10" KB (90 AP)

1 u5) +20" Leaping, Only vs. Falling Damage (-¼) (20 AP)

1 u5) Strike: +3d6 HA, HtH (-½), 0 End (+½) (22 AP)

3 u6) Edge: 1½d6 P HKA, AP (+½), 0 End (+½) (50 AP)

2 u7) Thrown Strike: 8d P EB, AP (+½) (60 AP)

1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)

2 u8) Thrown Edge: 2½d6 P RKA, AP (+½) (60 AP)

1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)

 

My Cap has 25 STR, 29 DEX, 23 CON, 7 SPD, wears 8 PD/ED armor. I didn't think to add the lockout option.

 

+14 to Block plus -10 KNB? Block stops all knb doesn't it?

 

The Damage reduction can work if you assume AEs/EXs leak around the shield, depending upon the damage levels in your campaign. I think I like my method better however

 

Interesting that you put AP on the thrown Strike. Makes it very different from the HtH strike.

[CDad]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

+14 to Block plus -10 KNB? Block stops all knb doesn't it?

 

Oops. Right, no need for KNB w/ a successful Block.

 

Block does not require relative STR comparisions, correct? I believe that was a House Rule I experienced when I actually played Champions. You could use some of your block levels to increase your STR, which was helpful in Blocking a Hulk "Smash".

 

The Damage reduction can work if you assume AEs/EXs leak around the shield, depending upon the damage levels in your campaign. I think I like method better however

 

I was trying to do the old "Usable by 1 Other Simultaneously" along with "must be in Same Hex", and chickened out to just "Area Effect - 1 Hex". Call me Ishmael.

 

Not really sure I like my Shield, either. What does Cap do if he just sent 'ol Baron Zemo XII's ray blast "right back at'cha" using an aborted Missile deflection, then Grey Gargoyle tries to kick him?

 

Interesting that you put AP on the thrown Strike. Makes it very different from the HtH strike.

 

The HtH strike is more of a shield bash, whild the Thrown Strike is the 'ol frizbee-edge whack.

 

What little I remember of Cap is that when he hits you with the shield, you go down. Mandriods included, IIRC.

 

Also (while not Shield related), my Cap has 6 levels with Thrown Shield, for bouncing, spreading and returning it to him.

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

The HtH strike is more of a shield bash, whild the Thrown Strike is the 'ol frizbee-edge whack.

 

What little I remember of Cap is that when he hits you with the shield, you go down. Mandriods included, IIRC..

 

I think it can be justified.

 

If faced with Mandriods, I think I'd start checking to see if I can target the armor, and go after them with the Edge Killing AP to wreck the focus. I'd have to look up the rules to see if it's possible now.

 

 

Also (while not Shield related), my Cap has 6 levels with Thrown Shield, for bouncing, spreading and returning it to him.

 

I use his Overall and All Combat levels for that. But thanks for reminding me, since I switched the shield to a recoverable charge, I need to add a bounce skill level to keep things even.

 

I'll be playing with that 5E revised write-up for a while.

 

New edition in HERO cause more work than any other game I think...

[Ki-rin]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

_7_ SPD for a character that registers as neither a Mutant nor any other kind of non human? When Max SPD for a "perfect" Human with NCM is =4=?

 

Of the "official" write-ups on super trained humans with perfect stats, only Sam Bell tended to crank their SPD up that high.... Mine have always been SPD 5 (Bats did it the Hard Way- life long training from youth plus excellent genetics. Cap got The Serum.)

 

Well, now I know why my Cap and Bats builds are coming out needing very different thinking from many "standard" Champions players

 

I may view them (Dex and SPD) differently than most.

 

I don't view it as just pure physical ability. I view it in large measure as to how decisive the character is in combat, i.e. how quickly he takes in the battle and determines a course of action. So it's a mix source stat for me.

This is an interesting chain of thought that has never occurred to me before.

 

How do you rationalize this with the existence of things like Combat Sense, Defense Maneuver, Fast Draw, Lightning Reflexes, etc?

 

I ask because I've never been able to justify to myself that a "human" ever has a Dex greater than 30 or a SPD greater than 5. Anything more has always struck me as setting off any "this is not a Human" detector, and I'd love to get out of that straight jacket.

 

...if I can find a train of logic that I can believe in

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

_7_ SPD for a character that registers as neither a Mutant nor any other kind of non human? When Max SPD for a "perfect" Human with NCM is =4=? :

 

 

Well if it helps any, I once did a progression chart for SPD that matched reflexes to that stat the same way lift did for STR.

 

Using the same progression I used for my house rule strength stats, and the listing in my Marvel Universe at the time, Cap (with 10x the reflexes of a normal man) ended up with a SPD of... 7.

 

 

This is an interesting chain of thought that has never occurred to me before.

 

How do you rationalize this with the existence of things like Combat Sense, Defense Maneuver, Fast Draw, Lightning Reflexes, etc?

 

Those are just additional degrees of difference. For example, I didn't buy two of those three for Cap.

 

I ask because I've never been able to justify to myself that a "human" ever has a Dex greater than 30 or a SPD greater than 5. Anything more has always struck me as setting off any "this is not a Human" detector, and I'd love to get out of that straight jacket.

 

...if I can find a train of logic that I can believe in

 

 

My approach was driven in part by my need to keep my construction consistent (i.e. they must be able to play with each other) across campaigns.

 

So if my Special Ops solider has a speed four, well that means a Superhero MA must be at least a five, Iron Fist and the like has to be even better, and Cap has to have an edge on that. Buy judging it a mix matter of reflexes AND combat judgement I got there.

 

To back it all up is research that shows the difference between regular and elite soldiers in battle is often the fact that the elite is ACTING and not wasting time deciding to act. Martial Art training in movies/books say the same thing- don't think, act. What the mind forgets, the body remembers, etc.

 

So it's genre to look at it in this way.

 

 

DEX 30? No, I can't go there.

 

I've capped it at 25 if you're on level with Captain America, and 23 if you're not.

 

I've also capped total CSL to 6 (most world-class superhero MA have 4) for my games although penalty levels can still be brought.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

_7_ SPD for a character that registers as neither a Mutant nor any other kind of non human? When Max SPD for a "perfect" Human with NCM is =4=?

 

Er, no, no it isn't. Remember, NCM is not a hard cap, it is how high it can go before costing double. A normal with no powers actually has no game imposed cap on their stats beyond the number of points they have to spend.

 

30 DEX and 7 SPD is where official products have tended to put 'upper limit of even maximised humans' at.

 

Of course, in your game, it's your choice.

 

Of the "official" write-ups on super trained humans with perfect stats, only Sam Bell tended to crank their SPD up that high.... Mine have always been SPD 5 (Bats did it the Hard Way- life long training from youth plus excellent genetics. Cap got The Serum.)

 

Well, now I know why my Cap and Bats builds are coming out needing very different thinking from many "standard" Champions players

 

 

This is an interesting chain of thought that has never occurred to me before.

 

How do you rationalize this with the existence of things like Combat Sense, Defense Maneuver, Fast Draw, Lightning Reflexes, etc?

 

I ask because I've never been able to justify to myself that a "human" ever has a Dex greater than 30 or a SPD greater than 5. Anything more has always struck me as setting off any "this is not a Human" detector, and I'd love to get out of that straight jacket.

 

...if I can find a train of logic that I can believe in

[austenandrews]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Who says Captain America has to have a higher SPD than Iron Fist? I'd be inclined to give them roughly the same.

 

The onyl way to enforce it is to hose the character in question and cost them points permanently.

I tend to agree. Then again I never saw Independent as something you buy onyour own equipment. I figured it for a "twinking" mechanic - Wizard X makes a magic sword for Warrior Y. Which almost by necessity relegates it to non-Champions settings.

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Who says Captain America has to have a higher SPD than Iron Fist? I'd be inclined to give them roughly the same.

 

Have to have some reason why the Marvel Universe says Cap is unmatched as in hand-to-hand combat.

 

Could do it just by combat levels, but SPD bring it home like nothing else.

 

Besides, Iron Fist has his own cool tricks so he's not upset. Heck just being called a LIVING WEAPON is... oh well. Let's leave out the living weapon cliché.

[austenandrews]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Have to have some reason why the Marvel Universe says Cap is unmatched as in hand-to-hand combat.

 

Could do it just by combat levels, but SPD bring it home like nothing else.

 

Besides, Iron Fist has his own cool tricks so he's not upset. Heck just being called a LIVING WEAPON is... oh well. Let's leave out the living weapon cliché.

Cap is better than Iron Fist in practically every other stat. SPD and DEX are the only ones I'd rate them about the same. I might give Iron Fist an edge in pure martial arts skill, though in the end Cap's the better fighter.

 

Anyway, enough derailing.

[CDad]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Someone asked for the write-up for the Questionite Shield from Gadgets & Gear. While I don't want to get stomped on for copyright stuff, here is the basics... MANY Advantages & Limitations not mentioned.

 

MP - Questionite Shield

Slot 1 - Force Wall; RSR, Restricted Shape, other ADV/LIM...

Slot 2 - Armor; Usable Simultaneously, Same Hex, other ADV/LIM

Slot 3 - Missile Deflection

Slot 4 - Shield Bash (HA)

Slot 5 - Shield Edge (HKA)

Slot 6, 7, 8... - Thrown Shield (EB); 1 Rec. Charge, AOE, other ADV/LIM

Slot X - Defense against Popourizzi

 

It also includes suggestions to modify for a "Force Field" Shield, and a Stronger or Weaker Shield.

[Gary]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I had an NPC once with Independent, but no focus! She was an 8 year old kid with "bad dreams" due to absorbing the psyches of various ghosts and people. The powers were also No Conscious Control.

 

The powers were Independent since a competent psychiatrist spending a few months with her could "cure" her and make the bad dreams go away!

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Someone asked for the write-up for the Questionite Shield from Gadgets & Gear. While I don't want to get stomped on for copyright stuff, here is the basics... MANY Advantages & Limitations not mentioned.

 

MP - Questionite Shield

Slot 1 - Force Wall; RSR, Restricted Shape, other ADV/LIM...

Slot 2 - Armor; Usable Simultaneously, Same Hex, other ADV/LIM

Slot 3 - Missile Deflection

Slot 4 - Shield Bash (HA)

Slot 5 - Shield Edge (HKA)

Slot 6, 7, 8... - Thrown Shield (EB); 1 Rec. Charge, AOE, other ADV/LIM

Slot X - Defense against Popourizzi

 

It also includes suggestions to modify for a "Force Field" Shield, and a Stronger or Weaker Shield.

 

Typical 5th edition stuff. It's why I don't buy their supplements anymore.

 

But I'm likely the only one who disapproves of the 'cute tricks' build concept.

[Gary]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I always liked the Desolid Construct for Cap's Shield. Since Desolid must choose a special effect that its user is vulnerable to, the special effect in this case would be any attack that managed to reach around the shield.

 

The only problem is that according to the rules, any power with the +1/2 Affects Desolid advantage could simply blast through that construct...

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I always liked the Desolid Construct for Cap's Shield. Since Desolid must choose a special effect that its user is vulnerable to, the special effect in this case would be any attack that managed to reach around the shield.

 

The only problem is that according to the rules, any power with the +1/2 Affects Desolid advantage could simply blast through that construct...

 

Yep.

 

And the forcewall construction has to worry about Dispell and Suppress effects from non-shield like sources causing it problems.

 

There are ways around both the issues, but it just plain gets overly complex or dependent up GM rulings. It's one of the reasons I dislike the trend towards new 'cute tricks'.

[austenandrews]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

On the list of broken Advantages, Affects Desolid rates pretty darn high.

[austenandrews]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

It's one of the reasons I dislike the trend towards new 'cute tricks'.

I'm pretty much with you there. Not that I don't have fun building cute tricks, but as a GM I'm apt to reward player creativity by allowing the cute trick without paying for it. Kind of the polar opposite of the crisply-defined power boundaries a lot of Hero GMs prefer.

[CDad]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I'm not going to knock the Questionite Shield, since it's fright'nly close to what's been discussed here so far. The only thing the shield doesn't have is the bonus to DCV, Block, or KNB.

 

I guess I'm having a hard time seeing the Desolid option usable. You are getting the exact same results as a decent Block maneuver - miss completely, or hit. The shield makes it much easier to block the attack, so a bonus to Block makes sense to me.

 

You can only block HtH attacks, right? Can you Block an area-effect HtH attack (Hulk hits Cap with a dumpster)? I can't find a yes or no answer.

 

And you can only Missile Deflect non-area Ranged attacks, right?

[Gary]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

I'm not going to knock the Questionite Shield, since it's fright'nly close to what's been discussed here so far. The only thing the shield doesn't have is the bonus to DCV, Block, or KNB.

 

I guess I'm having a hard time seeing the Desolid option usable. You are getting the exact same results as a decent Block maneuver - miss completely, or hit. The shield makes it much easier to block the attack, so a bonus to Block makes sense to me.

 

You can only block HtH attacks, right? Can you Block an area-effect HtH attack (Hulk hits Cap with a dumpster)? I can't find a yes or no answer.

 

And you can only Missile Deflect non-area Ranged attacks, right?

 

 

The Desolid affects both Range and HTH attacks as well as Area Effects/Explosions (as long as they are directional). Aborting to Block means that you're vulnerable to Range attacks and Aborting to Missile Deflection means you're vulnerable to HTH attacks.. And you can't Block or Missile Deflect Area Effects/Explosions.

[JmOz]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

On going over NCM:

 

In my games I have set something called HCM (Human Character Maximum)

 

It is essentialy the absolute level at which someone is still human. For my game the HCM is 6, as such cap would probably have a 5-6 Speed, probably the six

[Ki-rin]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

It was actually repaired. ANY unbreakable focus should require an extensive quest to repair if broken.

 

Was it repaired? Yes.

The pieces of The Shield were melted down and The Shield was reforged. That is not a "repair" any more than if I melted a sword down and reforged it. That's using the scrap to make a new one.

 

Apparently you underestimate how limiting Focus is, and thus think it's legitimate to slap on a -2 "because my PC needs the points" limitation.

...and apparently you have some ...interesting... ideas

a) That Limitations should be pursued in a punitive manner by the GM. WRONG. They should be +enforced+, not -inflicted-.

About making unwarranted assumptions regarding other people's motivations.

c) About expressing your opinion as personal attacks.

and c) are WRONG also. For multiple interpretations of the word "wrong."

 

The Shield get's broken/stolen no more often than any other major focus.

The Shield has been broken _once_ in it's entire history. That's considerably less than any other main character's Focus I know of in the comics. The frequency with which it is stolen may very well be the same.

 

(Independent is) not a limitation for superheroic PC's. It's a limitation for

a) Fantasy Games and Plot Devices

That's your opinion, and you have a right to it. OTOH, "Independent" is in the Core Rulebook, not the genre-specific FH publication. Maybe that should indicate that your opinion on this matter bears some rethinking?

 

You can make it worth it's cost, easily. But what's the point? They should lose it after a few sessions and never see it again. Ooh, that's fair.

 

The onyl way to enforce it is to hose the character in question and cost them points permanently. In a game where the fundamental paradigm is that all points are created equal, having less points than someone else is inherently unfair.

 

People may accept it, but it is not fair. And giving the points (or Shield) back? Also not fair, as that's not enforcing the limitation they took.

 

And yes, Independent should be taken out of the rules (or made a -0) so people stop misusing it.

...and now we really get the core of The Misconception. Somewhere along the line you got the REALLY WRONG impression that GMs enforcing Limitations means screwing players. In particular, that "fair" enforcement of the Independent Limitation is to f*ck the player by guaranteeing that they will forever lose their Independent Focus. No, a 1000x, a million times, NO!

 

In general, a GM's job is to go out of their way to _avoid_ screwing players. The GM is God. Screwing players takes almost no effort. GMing fairly and helping the players to have a good time while doing it takes +much+ more skill. Not to mention basic human decency...

 

As to this specific issue; please reread the section on Independent:

"This Limitation makes a Power unconnected to the character in any way. This has several effects: the Independent Power will work if the character is unconscious, dead, or across the world; the Independent Power can be used by any other character; and the points spent by the character on an Independent Power can be lost forever.

The primary use of the Independent Limitation is for making special items. ..."

(bolding mine for emphasis) "CAN be lost forever", not "WILL be lost forever".

Any GM who runs Independent as "WILL be lost forever" is being sadistic, not fair.

 

In addition, the previous makes it clear that Independent allows HERO to model some effects and objects that would be difficult to model without it.

 

I'd strongly encourage you to closely reread the entire section on Independent... ...and to avoid games where having an Independent object means you WILL permanently lose it at some point.

[austenandrews]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

(bolding mine for emphasis) "CAN be lost forever", not "WILL be lost forever".

Any GM who runs Independent as "WILL be lost forever" is being sadistic, not fair.

Out of curiosity, if an Independent item is never lost, what makes it different from a regular Focus? I'm unclear on what justifies the big price break.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

The pieces of The Shield were melted down and The Shield was reforged. That is not a "repair" any more than if I melted a sword down and reforged it. That's using the scrap to make a new one.

 

 

...and apparently you have some ...interesting... ideas

a) That Limitations should be pursued in a punitive manner by the GM. WRONG. They should be +enforced+, not -inflicted-.

About making unwarranted assumptions regarding other people's motivations.

c) About expressing your opinion as personal attacks.

and c) are WRONG also. For multiple interpretations of the word "wrong."

 

I only launch "personal attacks" against people who are being willfully ignorant.

 

There are very few times on the internet that you can objectively say the other side is wrong. This is one of them.

 

Enforced means it should have a downside commesurate with the points saved. -2 is a HUGE limitation. It is not hosing to never actually have mr "All my powers only work in Magnetic Fields" find a magenetic field. It is not hosing to force mr '1 charge powers that RULE!' to have to tag along while everyone else does stuff and be ineffective. It is not hosing to have the guy who bought all his powers on an Immobile OAF be left out of adventures that happen to happen somewhere other than right next to his Tower of Power.

 

It is enforcing the limitation, as opposed to ignoring it. A power with -3 1/2 limitations should be available one in every (counts on fingers) 200 sessions. Once in 200 sessions you should have the Shield and be able to use it. Assuming the campaign will last for 600 sessions (weekly for six years)... you should have it for the first three sessions, and then it should cease to exist.

 

And that is why no GM should EVER allow a major part of a character to be independent.

 

The Shield has been broken _once_ in it's entire history. That's considerably less than any other main character's Focus I know of in the comics. The frequency with which it is stolen may very well be the same.

 

It's happened elsewhere. I'm not enough of a fan(atic) be able to pinpoint where, but it has happened several times.

 

That's your opinion, and you have a right to it. OTOH, "Independent" is in the Core Rulebook, not the genre-specific FH publication. Maybe that should indicate that your opinion on this matter bears some rethinking?

 

That's where it first came from. Hero puts everything into the core rules, however.

 

...and now we really get the core of The Misconception. Somewhere along the line you got the REALLY WRONG impression that GMs enforcing Limitations means screwing players. In particular, that "fair" enforcement of the Independent Limitation is to f*ck the player by guaranteeing that they will forever lose their Independent Focus. No, a 1000x, a million times, NO!

 

A GM's job is to enforce a limitation. THe ONLY limitation independent provides beyond that that any other focus provides is permanently losing the points. That is what independent is. It is "Player will lose these points forever". Full stop.

 

If the focus ever comes back, indepedent wasn't limiting, FOCUS was limiting.

 

In general, a GM's job is to go out of their way to _avoid_ screwing players. The GM is God. Screwing players takes almost no effort. GMing fairly and helping the players to have a good time while doing it takes +much+ more skill. Not to mention basic human decency...

 

As to this specific issue; please reread the section on Independent:

"This Limitation makes a Power unconnected to the character in any way. This has several effects: the Independent Power will work if the character is unconscious, dead, or across the world; the Independent Power can be used by any other character; and the points spent by the character on an Independent Power can be lost forever.

The primary use of the Independent Limitation is for making special items. ..."

(bolding mine for emphasis) "CAN be lost forever", not "WILL be lost forever".

Any GM who runs Independent as "WILL be lost forever" is being sadistic, not fair.

 

In addition, the previous makes it clear that Independent allows HERO to model some effects and objects that would be difficult to model without it.

 

I'd strongly encourage you to closely reread the entire section on Independent... ...and to avoid games where having an Independent object means you WILL permanently lose it at some point.

 

What part of 'unconnected the character in any way' is so unclear? It's is no easier for the previous owner to get back an independent focus than for anyone else to do so. It is not their power. It has no connection to them. It is just something that happens to be temporarily in their possession.

[Fox1]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

Aborting to Block means that you're vulnerable to Range attacks and Aborting to Missile Deflection means you're vulnerable to HTH attacks..

 

I seem to recall an option from somewhere (UMA perhaps) that allows one to mix and match block and MD to taste.

 

Or that may be a house rule of mine. Doesn't matter enough to me to look it up.

[CDad]

Re: Best way to Build Cap's Shield?

 

The rules do state that you can use (at GM's Option) the CV bonuses from Martial Block with Missile Deflection. This I'm going to investigate, cause it sounds pretty interesting - I go defensive and block/swat everything coming at me.