Rage Meter-like Construct

[Black Rose]

I'm trying for a certain effect here, and I'm hoping y'all can help me figure it out. Here goes....

 

I've got a character with a very weird END Reserve. It recovers END at the rate of 1/10 minutes, but loses END at the rate of 1/12 minutes; simply put, the REC is 6 per hour, but there's a fade of 5 every hour. This means it technically has a REC of 1 per hour, but for some reason I can't adequately verbalize, I think it's better to do it this way. If you can figure out why I'm doing this, please tell me. The character has a number of techniques to augment the Reserve or the REC rate; an Absorption technique that gives some END that lasts for whole minutes (ooooh!), a slower, out-of-combat technique that is all but useless when one needs to do anything productive (think meditation), and an odd, Aid-based technique where one augments the subjects REC (effectively doubling it) and then "skims" the excess REC boost off the top for one's self.

 

As much as I want assistance with what I just listed above, it's not what I'm posting this about. I want to have a number of abilities which are linked to the level of END in the Reserve; for example, if it's more than half full, then X ability is accessible, otherwise not. But I have a bunch of these I want to do this with, not to mention I want to layer some of the abilities, having them be more powerful the more END is in the Reserve.

 

Any thoughts?

[Cancer]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

So the recharge rate depends on how far down the character is, in the sense that character rapidly gets to half-charged from a state of exhaustion but takes "forever" to get to fully-charged, unless you make frequent use of those alternate recharge capabilities.

 

Depending on what the threshold levels are for the other abilities and how important those other abilities are, you could end up being rather frustrated. High-threshold abilities will be useable only once in a very long time; low-threshold abilities are essentially always available.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Interesting set up... what's the concept?

As much as I want assistance with what I just listed above, it's not what I'm posting this about. I want to have a number of abilities which are linked to the level of END in the Reserve; for example, if it's more than half full, then X ability is accessible, otherwise not. But I have a bunch of these I want to do this with, not to mention I want to layer some of the abilities, having them be more powerful the more END is in the Reserve.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Mmm... Off the top of my head I'd say just put a -0 Limitation on those Powers that say when they can and can't be used. If it's relatively easy for the character to boost the reserve, it really isn't a limitation on the Powers. Your description is a bit vague and confusing though, so I might have missed something. If it's actually somewhat difficult to get the reverve where it needs to be, it the Limitation might be worth something. I'm not sure what though.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Hmm. Abilities that depend on how big some reserve or trait is.... Have you thought of making it a Skill (maybe a Skill or Skill bonus bought as a Power) instead of an End Reserve? You could allow it to be Adjusted, then apply a RSR Limitation to Powers, so that they will work (almost always) when the Skill is, "high," and not work (almost always) when the Skill is, "low," with a rather shaky realm of uncertainty in between (could be fun).

 

More powerful Powers would naturally have a different penalty to the RSR and thus, "work," at different ranges. You could also increase or decrease the RSR Active Point penalty by varying the value of the Limitation to change where the Power should work.

 

This would also allow you to impose situational bonuses or penalties, which could get very interesting. You could also have slots in Multipowers or such things that can temporarily give bonuses to the Skill, so that you might have limited, "boost," modes.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Another complimentary idea: give the Powers a RSR, and increase the Skill with an Aid or Succor that is powered off your End Reserve. This would actually make the usable Powers depend more on the Recovery of the End Reserve rather than the End of the End Reserve, though. But maybe you could Aid the End Reserve's Recovery....

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Hey BR!

 

I've considered something similar myself and one of the things I experimented with was designing each technique so that it required a specific amount of END....thus you cannot use the technique until the End Res fills up enough. This is similar to the way some of the SNK fighting games work (like a couple of the Samurai Showdown and K.O.F. games)

 

The best way to do that is to build your techniques, then apply enough of the Increased Endurance limitation to make them cost the appropriate amount of endurance.

 

For example:

 

Lets say that Mai has an Endurance Reserve with a maximum End of 50. She has 5 different techniques that pull from the End reserve, each one costing a multiple of 10 End to activate. Thus when her Rage Meter is full, she can do her Level-1 technique 5 times before her meter is fully depleated. Or she can do 2 level-2 techniques and a level-1 or any other combination adding up to 50 End.

 

Level-1 Technique: Buddha's Palm. 6D6 EB(30) X2 KB(+3/4) 52pts Active

--X2 End(-1/2) No Range (-1/2) Real=26 End=10

 

Level-2 Technique: Fists of Fury. 4D6 EB (20) Autofire-5 (+1/2) 30 Active

--X2 End (-1/2) No Range (-1/2) Real=15 End=20

 

Level-3 Technique: Meteor Kick! 6D6 Hand Attack (30) AE-Line(+1) 60 active

--X5 End (-2) Full Phase (-1/2) Real=17 End=30 24" line

 

Level-4 Technique: Heaven Flash! 12D6 EB (60) Indirect (+1/2) 90 Active

--X4 End (-1 1/2) Concentrate 1/2DCV (-1/4) Limited Range (-1/4) Real=30 End=36

 

Level-5 Technique: Nova Hammer! 10D6 EB (50) Explosion(+1/2) Personal Immunity(+1/4) X2KB(+3/4) Active 125

--X4 End(-1 1/2) No Range(-1/2) Full Phase(-1/2) Real=36 End=50

 

As you can see, each technique requires a minimum amount of End in the pool to be able to activate it.

 

More powerful techniques could be developed where they require more End that the pool holds. This means the character must find some way to charge his End above its normal limit. (A "Limit Break"? Don't hit me!) A characters normal End Aid (which charges his Rage Meter) could be used for this, but the points that exceed the pool dissolve quickly. Better use your Ultra Move soon....

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Gosh, I guess I'd better do some explaining and give some examples.

 

The character is a chi vampire. She can absorb chi from her local environment, but it disperses back into the world (the slow REC and fade rate). She can draw chi from attacks that have them (absorption to END on physical and energy, only "martial arts"-type attacks). She can draw chi off of another person by touch, though only females at this point (Transfer or a second REC for the Reserve, not sure which); this one will get a big boost later, along with a couple Psych Lims . Later, I'm planning on having her learn a form of shiatsu to improve another person's healing (REC aid and low-end Healing) and after a certain point draw that energy into herself (after the subject's REC is doubled, the effect works on the character instead), though this one takes a fair amount of time (I'm thinking Extra Time - five minutes).

 

I'm really thinking of an effect similar to the "Fools, now you shall taste my true power!" that you see in a lot of video games; she gets her Reserve full enough and she can get truly nasty and indiscriminate with the property damage.

 

As far as the powers are concerned, I haven't got those finalized yet, but I was thinking that, since she already has a DF of a cool body temperature and an LS: Intense Cold, she would start to lower the local temperature (probably just her hex, maybe 2" radius". Also, I'm trying to figure out a decay-type attack, based on her drawing all the useful chi out of an object. Plus some of her usual powers would get boosted.

 

The more I think about this, the more I realize that either I have her Reserve waaaay too low (120 END), or I need a way for her to get to a powered-up state without losing it the very next phase. Anyone got a good way for her to represent gaining the high-energy state without falling out of it as soon as she spends an END point?

 

Next, I'll specifically respond to your posts! Won't that be fun?

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

So the recharge rate depends on how far down the character is' date=' in the sense that character rapidly gets to half-charged from a state of exhaustion but takes "forever" to get to fully-charged, unless you make frequent use of those alternate recharge capabilities.[/quote']

That wasn't how I originally intended it, but your idea is intriguing. My idea was that she'd draw 6 END over the hour unless she used an alternate method, but she'd always lose 5 END an hour, no matter what. That way, she could keep going normally, but would need to be sparing with her cool moves. Or she could drain someone.

 

Depending on what the threshold levels are for the other abilities and how important those other abilities are' date=' you could end up being rather frustrated. High-threshold abilities will be useable only once in a very long time; low-threshold abilities are essentially always available.[/quote']

Yeah, that's one of the drawbacks I'd like to get rid of. I don't want her to be playing at an amped-up level unless she's worked to get the energy, though. Sigh.

 

Mmm... Off the top of my head I'd say just put a -0 Limitation on those Powers that say when they can and can't be used. If it's relatively easy for the character to boost the reserve' date=' it really isn't a limitation on the Powers. Your description is a bit vague and confusing though, so I might have missed something. If it's actually somewhat difficult to get the reverve where it needs to be, it the Limitation might be worth something. I'm not sure what though.[/quote']

Sorry about the vague and confusing bits; it comes from not having this fully fleshed out in my mind. Unfortunately, the mental imagery is foreign to the character's SFX (supernatural martial arts), but here goes.

 

As the character's energy level goes up (END Reserve fills up), certain abilities (which are mostly autonomous) come online and others are augmented. For example, once the Reserve passes the halfway mark, the CE (cool and dim) kicks in; she doesn't control when it "turns on", though she could, theoretically, amplify the effect by spending END, but only after it has turned itself on.

 

Hmm. Abilities that depend on how big some reserve or trait is.... Have you thought of making it a Skill (maybe a Skill or Skill bonus bought as a Power) instead of an End Reserve? You could allow it to be Adjusted, then apply a RSR Limitation to Powers, so that they will work (almost always) when the Skill is, "high," and not work (almost always) when the Skill is, "low," with a rather shaky realm of uncertainty in between (could be fun).

 

More powerful Powers would naturally have a different penalty to the RSR and thus, "work," at different ranges. You could also increase or decrease the RSR Active Point penalty by varying the value of the Limitation to change where the Power should work.

 

This would also allow you to impose situational bonuses or penalties, which could get very interesting. You could also have slots in Multipowers or such things that can temporarily give bonuses to the Skill, so that you might have limited, "boost," modes.

 

Another complimentary idea: give the Powers a RSR, and increase the Skill with an Aid or Succor that is powered off your End Reserve. This would actually make the usable Powers depend more on the Recovery of the End Reserve rather than the End of the End Reserve, though. But maybe you could Aid the End Reserve's Recovery....

Thing is, I wouldn't want any one power to have a harder time kicking in just because something else is running. Maybe skill levels that don't affect the power's roll itself, just to reduce the penalty for all the others. It raises some interesting ideas, though. I'll have to think about this one...

 

Hey BR!

 

I've considered something similar myself and one of the things I experimented with was designing each technique so that it required a specific amount of END....thus you cannot use the technique until the End Res fills up enough. This is similar to the way some of the SNK fighting games work (like a couple of the Samurai Showdown and K.O.F. games)

 

The best way to do that is to build your techniques, then apply enough of the Increased Endurance limitation to make them cost the appropriate amount of endurance.

 

For example:

 

Lets say that Mai has an Endurance Reserve with a maximum End of 50. She has 5 different techniques that pull from the End reserve, each one costing a multiple of 10 End to activate. Thus when her Rage Meter is full, she can do her Level-1 technique 5 times before her meter is fully depleated. Or she can do 2 level-2 techniques and a level-1 or any other combination adding up to 50 End.

 

Level-1 Technique: Buddha's Palm. 6D6 EB(30) X2 KB(+3/4) 52pts Active

--X2 End(-1/2) No Range (-1/2) Real=26 End=10

 

Level-2 Technique: Fists of Fury. 4D6 EB (20) Autofire-5 (+1/2) 30 Active

--X2 End (-1/2) No Range (-1/2) Real=15 End=20

 

Level-3 Technique: Meteor Kick! 6D6 Hand Attack (30) AE-Line(+1) 60 active

--X5 End (-2) Full Phase (-1/2) Real=17 End=30 24" line

 

Level-4 Technique: Heaven Flash! 12D6 EB (60) Indirect (+1/2) 90 Active

--X4 End (-1 1/2) Concentrate 1/2DCV (-1/4) Limited Range (-1/4) Real=30 End=36

 

Level-5 Technique: Nova Hammer! 10D6 EB (50) Explosion(+1/2) Personal Immunity(+1/4) X2KB(+3/4) Active 125

--X4 End(-1 1/2) No Range(-1/2) Full Phase(-1/2) Real=36 End=50

 

As you can see, each technique requires a minimum amount of End in the pool to be able to activate it.

There are some tehcniques I want her to have that would be very pricy, but, as I said to Dust Raven above, some of the abilities simply "turn on" when enough energy is available. Also, I've been trying to keep her from having anything too powerful; I'm thinking more freaky and strange than potent.

 

More powerful techniques could be developed where they require more End that the pool holds. This means the character must find some way to charge his End above its normal limit. (A "Limit Break"? Don't hit me!) A characters normal End Aid (which charges his Rage Meter) could be used for this' date=' but the points that exceed the pool dissolve quickly. Better use your Ultra Move soon....[/quote']

I dunno, man, Limit Break pretty well describes what I'm thinking about. It goes up slowly, unless she "absorbs" energy from attacks or "drains" it from an opponent. Once it hits maximum, I want it to stick around, though. Not for ever, but for a minute or two at least. Any ideas?

[Cancer]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Actually, now that you supply a bit more context for the character concept, this kind of threshold power availability makes a huge amount of sense for an Evil Deity (or evil deity's still-superhuman servant) NPC sort of thing. It takes a lot of sacrifices to get the Leech Goddess fully charged up, but once she's there, look out!

[prestidigitator]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Here's another idea. Forget the End Reserve, RSR with Power Skill, etc. Just buy her with relatively weak Powers, and have her Adjustments (Absorption, Transfer, etc.) add to all her boostable Powers all at once. You could buy some of the Powers closer to usable levels than others, so they could be useful after only a little adjustment. Others (such as maybe a Mind Control bought as only a few dice initially), simply won't be effective until they have been boosted quite a bit.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Let's see if I've got the jist of it...

 

This character has an END Reserve that pretty much stays fairly low for some reason, but occasionally gets up really high. The character has powers and abilities that draw off of this reserve like normal. Plus, the character also has certain abilities that don't necessarily draw END from the reserve, but won't operate unless there is X amount of END there, and some of these can be further enhanced by spending some of that END.

 

I'm I with you so far? If I am, I might have an idea or two, but in case I'm not I'll wait (that, and I've still got to think about them for a bit, 'cuz one of the is definately a rule breaker, but should be balanced enough to work for this character).

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Hmm...I'm spitballing here.

 

Instead of working w/ an END reserve, you might consider working out a custom mechanic to cover it.

 

Follow my logic here:

 

The Character has a requirement on their Power(s) that dictates that they constantly check a given condition when they want to use a given Power. This is nominally a Partially Limited Power, with a Limitation value based upon the frequency that the condition check is expected to be met. No big deal there.

 

However, the condition is not a standard HERO System attribute, and thus a round about accumulation is attempted, using END Reserve. But an END Reserve is not typically accumulation based, it's expenditure based -- it starts full and looses charge. Further, it's regained via a REC based mechanic rather than by checking for a given condition. The REC can be limited to approximate this, but it's still done at REC Speed.

 

Looking at the other Powers in the book, the most accumulation oriented Power in the book is Absorption. However Absorption works vs Damage, not vs a custom arbitrarily defined condition. So what we want then is a Power thats kind of like Absorption, but diceless and defined as working vs a state that is not otherwise defined by the rules.

 

Im thinking this would work best as a kind of Power Framework, which Ill call Threshold for now.

 

 

THRESHOLD FRAMEWORK

To buy a Threshold Framework you declare the maximum level that it can aggregate up to as a Pool; and pay 1 character point per 5 points in the Threshold Pool. Thus a Threshold with 50 Pool costs 10 character points for example.

 

When buying the Threshold Framework the player defines a condition which will cause the Threshold to aggregate; each time the Character is exposed to that condition their Threshold Pool grows in increments of 10 based upon the severity of the stimuli. The Severities are:

 

Mild: 10

Moderate: 20

Serious: 30

Extreme: 40

Absurd: 50

 

By default a Threshold Pool FADEs at a rate of 5 points per Turn, similar to most Adjustment Powers. This FADE rate can be bought down the Time Chart like a Drain; each step is a +1/4 Advantage.

 

By default the frequency of the condition that causes the Threshold Pool to aggregate is assumed to be "Uncommon". If the condition is "Common", a +1/2 Advantage; or if the condition is "Very Common", a +1 Advantage must be taken on the Threshold Pool. Similarly, if the condition is "Occasional", a -1/2 Disadvantage; or if the condition is "Rare", a -1 Disadvantage must be taken on the Threshold Pool. NOTE: A given condition could be "Common" in one campaign, and "Rare" in another, like "exposure to Chi Powers".

 

If a Threshold has multiple conditions that cause it's Pool to aggregate, then each additional condition is a +1 Advantage modified up or down in 1/4 increments based upon the frequency of the extra condition starting from "Uncommon" (+1/2 for an extra Rare condition, +1 for an extra Uncommon Condition, +1 1/2 for an extra Very Common condition). The most common condition must be used for the original condition; additional conditions must be equal to or less frequent to the most common condition.

 

 

Powers and abilities the character has that are in the Threshold Framework must be one of three kinds of slots, as follows:

 

A Power that always works, but works better in direct correlation to the current level of the Threshold Pool is called a Surge Slot; a Surge Slot functions similar to a linked Power. The functionality of the slot is at 100% when the Pool is at 100%, and proportionately less in evenly rounded increments when the Pool is at less than 100%. A Surge slot gets a flat -1/4 limitation for every full 50 points in the Threshold Pool.

 

A Power that only works when the Threshold Pool is at or above a give level is called an Actualized slot. They take a Limitation based upon what level the Threshold Pool must be at or above for the Power to be used at all. The Limitation amount is rated as a cumulative -1/4 for every 10 points the Power or ability requires the Threshold Pool to be at in order to function. Thus if a Power required a Threshold Pool of 80+ to function, it would take a -2 Limitation.

 

Finally, a Power that only works when the Threshold Pool is at (not above) a specific level is called an Interim slot. The Pool is looked at in 10 point increments, so a Interim slot that required a Threshold Pool of 30 would be usable while the Threshold Pool total was at least 30 and less than 40. This type of slot calculates a Limitation as if it were an Actualized slot, and then doubles it. Thus if a Power required the Threshold Pool to be between 40 and 49 to work it would take a base Limitation of -1 (-1/4 per 10 Pool), and double it to -2 for being an Interim slot.

 

 

 

 

Example:

 

Growing Fury: Threshold (50 Pool); Condition 1: When BODY Damage Inflicted (Common; +1/2)*, Extra Condition: When Insulted (Uncommon; +1)**; (25 Active Points); Real Cost: 25

 

a) Furious Strength +30 STR; Reduced END (0 END; +1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/4); Real Cost: 36

 

Furious Aura +30 PRE; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (30); -3/4); Real Cost: 17

 

c) Angry Rush +2 HtH levels; (10 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (10); -1/2); Real Cost: 7

 

d) Red-out Mental Defense 30; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualize (40); -1); Real Cost: 15

 

e) Beyond Pain Armor 10 PD; (20 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/4); Real Cost: 16

 

* + ** : Commonality for these conditions would vary by character, taking into account any relevant Disadvantages or other abilities. For instance in this case I'm assuming a character that lacks considerable defenses normally and thus can expect to take BODY damage somewhat frequently, and lacks any Psychological Disadvantages or Beserks indicating that they are particularly prone to being insulted. A more well-defended character that was easily insulted might have the same conditions, but with frequencys of Occassional and Very Common respectively (and also therefore have "When Insulted" as the first condition, as it would be the more frequent condition), for example.

 

 

Example:

 

Chi Vampire: Threshold (100 Pool); Condition 1: When Near\Exposed to Strong Chi Sources (Common; +1/2)*, Extra Condition: When Meditating (Occasional; +3/4)**, Delayed FADE Rate (5/Hour; +1); (45 Active Points); Real Cost: 65

 

a) Ghostly Journey Desolid (Affected By Chi Powers); Reduced END (0 END; +1/2); (60 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (50); -1 1/4); Real Cost: 27

 

Chi Aura FF 10 PD 10 ED; (20 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (10); -1/4); Real Cost: 16

 

c) Chi Blast 10d6 EB; Variable Advantage (Must take +1/2 in Advantage; +1) (100 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/2); Real Cost: 66

 

d) Taint Chi I Drain PRE 3d6; Ranged (+1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (30); -1 1/2); Real Cost: 18

 

 

e) Taint Chi II Drain INT 3d6; Ranged (+1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (60); -3); Real Cost: 11

 

f) Taint Chi III Drain EGO 6d6; Ranged (+1/2); (90 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (90); -4 1/2); Real Cost: 16

 

g) Chi Leaping Gliding 30"; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/2); Real Cost: 20

 

* Assumes character is in a Chi oriented campaign

** Assumes that while the character might Meditate often, it will only Occasionally have an impact on events.

 

 

 

The above is all from the hip and untested, but it seems like a workable mechanic for doing this sort of thing.

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Let's see if I've got the jist of it...

 

This character has an END Reserve that pretty much stays fairly low for some reason, but occasionally gets up really high. The character has powers and abilities that draw off of this reserve like normal. Plus, the character also has certain abilities that don't necessarily draw END from the reserve, but won't operate unless there is X amount of END there, and some of these can be further enhanced by spending some of that END.

 

I'm I with you so far? If I am, I might have an idea or two, but in case I'm not I'll wait (that, and I've still got to think about them for a bit, 'cuz one of the is definately a rule breaker, but should be balanced enough to work for this character).

 

Yeah, you pretty much got it. I've been thinking, thanks to Cancer's ideas, of simply setting the REC to work slowly after a certain point (like half-way).

 

This is what it looks like now:

 

120 END Reserve, fade rate 5/hour; 6 REC/hour.

 

At the mo', she's got a very ineffective REC (1 Real Point cost) so I can "improve" it from 6/hour to 1/minute or turn once she "learns" to draw chi more efficiently. I want to keep the basic REC as slight - it's the offensive draining techniques that make her potent in this regard.

 

Note that most of the "standard" powers - the ones she'd have access to on a regular basis - aren't very powerful; I've been trying to keep at or below 60 AP, though that's more to keep her in her "niche" than anything else. She's a martial artist, who happens to be turning into a chi vampire. I do want some nasty abilities to whip out later.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

The one thing that still has me a bit confused is the REC of the reserve. So long as the REC is higher than the fade rate, the reserve will eventually fill up just with this character sitting there. It'll take a while, but the while is a short enough time you can assume the character's reserve at the start of any new adventure. Would this be a problem, or is there some other checks and blances that keep it from becoming full?

[Lethosos]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Dust, I'd suggest a Vunrability to "Bad Feng Shui" for those kinds of cases.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

No input on the "Threshold Framework" then?

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

No input on the "Threshold Framework" then?

 

Not enough time to give it the perusal it deserves. Your stuff is always pretty deep, KS, so I want to really work it over. What I've gleaned so far looks sweet, though.

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

I've gotten a chance to look at the Threshold Framework, KS. Despite your statement of "from the hip and untested", this is good stuff. It's a shame I can't seem to grasp the programming language of HD 2.42, cause I would love to have this to work with in the prog. While I can't at the moment think of a use for the Interim slot, the idea is a good one.

 

Hmm, I wonder if we can get Steve to listen to some ideas for new Frameworks for 6th?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

I've gotten a chance to look at the Threshold Framework' date=' KS. Despite your statement of "from the hip and untested", this is good stuff. It's a shame I can't seem to grasp the programming language of HD 2.42, cause I would love to have this to work with in the prog. While I can't at the moment think of a use for the Interim slot, the idea is a good one.Hmm, I wonder if we can get Steve to listen to some ideas for new Frameworks for 6th?[/quote']Actually, since it's almost entirely modifier based, it's pretty easy to do this in HERO Designer. Just use a Custom Power for the Threshold Pool, and Custom Modifiers on the individual slots. Here's an example character:

Rayge

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Character created with Hero Designer, version 2.42

Combat Information Page Character Name: Rayge Alternate Identities: Joe Creson Player Name: CHARACTERISTICS CHARACTER IMAGE Val Char Base Points Total Roll Notes 13 STR 10 3 13 12- HTH Damage 2 1/2d6 END [1] 16 DEX 10 18 16 12- OCV 5 DCV 5 20 CON 10 20 20 13- 15 BODY 10 10 15 12- 13 INT 10 3 13 12- PER Roll 12- 15 EGO 10 10 15 12- ECV: 5 15 PRE 10 5 15 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 12 COM 10 1 12 11-                             5 PD 3 2 5   5 PD (0 rPD) 5 ED 4 1 5   5 ED (0 rED) 4 SPD 2.6 14 4   Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 10 REC 7 6 10   50 END 40 5 50   35 STUN 32 3 35     6" Running 6 0 6"     2" Swimming 2 0 2"     2 1/2"/1"" Leaping 3 0 2 1/2" 101 Total Characteristics Points EXPERIENCE POINTS Total earned: 50 Spent: 50 Unspent: 0 Base Points: 200 Disad Points: 100 Total Points: 350 MOVEMENT Type Total Run (6) 6"[12" NC] Swim (2) 2"[4" NC] H. Leap (3") 2 1/2" V. Leap (1") 1" APPEARANCE Hair Color:  Black Eye Color:  Green Height:  5' 11" Weight:  175 lbs Description: DEFENSES Type Amount Notes Physical Defense 5 Current BODY: Res. Phys. Defense 0   Energy Defense 5 Current END: Res. Energy Defense 0   Mental Defense 0 Current STUN: Power Defense 0   COMBAT INFORMATION OCV: 5 DCV: 5   Combat Skill Levels: +3 with Ranged Combat COMBAT MANEUVERS Maneuver Phase OCV DCV Effect Block 1/2 +0 +0 Block, abort Brace 0 +2 1/2 +2 vs. Range Mod. Disarm 1/2 -2 +0 Can disarm Dodge 1/2 -- +3 Abort, vs. all attacks Grab 1/2 -1 -2 Grab two limbs Grab By 1/2 -3 -4 Move and Grab Haymaker 1/2* +0 -5 +4 DC attack damage Move By 1/2 -2 -2 STR/2 + v/5 Move Through 1/2 -v/5 -3 STR + v/3 Set 1 +1 +0 Ranged Attacks only Strike 1/2 +0 +0 STR or weapon COMBAT MODIFIERS Range 0-4 5-8 9-16 17-32 33-64 65-128 RMOD 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10 POWERS Cost Power END 35 Rayge Pool: Threshold (50 Pool), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), In Combat (Thresh Hold Very Common; +1), When Angred (Extra Condition; Common; +1 1/4) (35 Active Points) 0 Rayge Pool Powers 33 1) Rayge Beam: Energy Blast 10d6 (vs. ED) (50 Active Points); Threshold (Surge) (-1/4), Beam (-1/4) 5 14 2) Rayge Beam Overload: Energy Blast 10d6 (vs. ED) (50 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (50)) (-2 1/2) Notes: Adds to Rayge Beam 5 40 3) Rayge Blast: Killing Attack - Ranged 4d6 (vs. ED) (60 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (20)) (-1/2) 6 20 4) Rayge Repulsion: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (20)) (-1/2) 0 15 5) Rayge Repulsion Boost: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (40)) (-1) Notes: Adds to Rayge Repulsion 0 27 6) Rayge Rocket: Flight 20" (40 Active Points); no Noncombat movement (-1/4), Threshold (Surge) (-1/4) 4 20 7) Rayging Presence: +25 PRE (25 Active Points); Threshold (Surge) (-1/4) 22 8) Refreshing Rayge: Aid END and STUN 3d6, END and STUN simultaneously (+1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger (Only When Going From Below Threshold 30 to above Threshold 30); +3/4) (67 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (30)) (-1 1/2), Self Only (-1/2) 0 226 Total Powers Cost SKILLS Cost Name 15 +3 with Ranged Combat 5 Rapid Attack (Ranged) 3 Streetwise 12- 23 Total Skills Cost DISADVANTAGES Cost Disadvantage 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 10 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Mind Control (Uncommon) 10 Reputation: Hotheaded Superhuman, 11- 15 Psychological Limitation: Impetuous (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Volatile (Common, Strong) 15 Enraged: In Combat (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11- 15 Unluck: 3d6 100 Total Disadvantages Cost Height: 5' 11" Hair: Black Weight: 175 lbs Eyes: Green Appearance: Personality: Quote: Background: Powers/Tactics: Rayge is a mutant with the ability to generate large excesses of bioelectrical energy when angered. The angrier he gets, the more energy he has available to power a variety of tricks. His most noticeable ability is the projection of blasts of pure bioelectrical energy; he can also project blasts of energy downward, allowing him to fly; and finally he can generate a force field of energy that deflects and diffuses attacks. Campaign Use: Character created with Hero Designer (version 2.42)

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Actually' date=' since it's almost entirely modifier based, it's pretty easy to do this in HERO Designer. Just use a Custom Power for the Threshold Pool, and Custom Modifiers on the individual slots.[/quote']

 

Where are these Custom Modifiers? I've looked around, and I can't seem to find them.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Where are these Custom Modifiers? I've looked around' date=' and I can't seem to find them.[/quote']

When you open the Add a Modifier window, at the bottom there are 4 buttons --

 

Select, Custom Modifier, Define, Done

 

Click Custom Modifier, set the value, and name it whatever you want.

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

When you open the Add a Modifier window, at the bottom there are 4 buttons --

 

Select, Custom Modifier, Define, Done

 

Click Custom Modifier, set the value, and name it whatever you want.

 

I now feel truly stupid. Thank you.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

I now feel truly stupid. Thank you.

 

Oops -- not my intent!

[Black Rose]

Re: Rage Meter-like Construct

 

Oops -- not my intent!

 

Not your fault. It was one of those situations where, if I hadn't been so irked at my own inability to SEE THE BUTTON IN FRONT OF ME, I woulda thrown in a smiley. Now, if I can only learn this XML thingie, I'll be a happy man. I've been wanting to do up the REC-based Regen for a while.

 

Besides, how on earth could I get mad at the guy who created so much amazing Fantasy HERO content? You're like a freakin' Gawd, dude!