Improving Powers...

[krayzdave]

This might be a silly question, but is it possible to raise powers with XP? like by a d6 improvement? if so, how do you calculate the actual cost??

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

Absolutely. In HERO you can apply XP to any ability that a character has, subject to GM approval of course.

 

To calculate the Real Point cost of the increase, start by adding the Base Points for the Power in question (1d6 normally translates to 5 Character Points, although that can vary depending on the specific Power), apply any Advantages you use to get the Active Points, then apply desired Limitations to bring it down to the Real Points. The difference in Real Points between the lower power and the increased power is the number of Experience Points needed to increase it.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

Yes. Experience Points are Character Points -- their only purpose is to buy new abilities or raise existing abilities. All abilities in the game have a listed cost per increment -- thats how many Character Points it costs to get or improve that ability.

[krayzdave]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

thanks, i figured this was the case, i just couldn't find it in the book.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

I dont have my book in front of my, but I promise you that its in there. Look towards the back.

[krayzdave]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

even in the par about spending XP it doesn't give you the formula that Lord Liaden put

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

There is no formula. Each ability lists its own cost. The cost is the cost whether you're buying it on a new character, or buying it on an existing character, whether its a new ability, or if its an existing ability.

 

For instance Energy Blast says it costs 5 points per 1d6 damage. That's true whether you're buying 10d6, 20d6, or improving an existing power by 1d6 with experience. Skills are typically 3 points to buy, and each +1 costs 2 points. Characteristics all have a character point cost per point; +1 STR costs 1 point, +1 DEX costs 3 points, etc.

 

 

So for instance....if a character were to gain 3 XP on an adventure they could raise their DEX by 1 point (assuming the GM approved the raise). Alternately, they could buy a new skill, raise an existing skill by +1 and save a point, by +1 Combat Skill Level with a Tight Group, or any other thing that cost 3 points or less.

[krayzdave]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

but my question is, how do you calculate how many points you need to raise a power with advantages and limitations on it?? how do i calculate that??

[Spidey88]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

That, my boy, is done just like calculating the cost of any power with enhancements and limitations on it. Just read the section at the beginning of the enhancements and limitations and it will give you instructions on how to find out the cost in points of the power in question.

 

In such cases as yours, where you wish to increase a power you've already got, just figure out the difference in point costs between the current power level and the level you want to buy it up to.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

but my question is' date=' how do you calculate how many points you need to raise a power with advantages and limitations on it?? how do i calculate that??[/quote']

 

That's discussed in the Powers section.

 

Real Cost = (Base Cost * (1 + Total Advantage)) / (1 + Total Limitations)

 

So each 1d6 of EB costs 5 points, if it has, say, 0 END and Penetrating applied to it thats +1 Total Advantages so 5 * 2 = 10 Active Points per d6. If there are no Limitations this is also the Real Cost. If the power also had, say, Full Phase and 0 DCV Concentration then thats -1 in Total Limitations, which would be 10 / 2, making the Real Cost 5.

 

Etc.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

Actually, come to think about it, I run thru an example Power build in this document on my website under the Powers section:

 

Anatomy of a HERO (Powers)

 

 

here is HERO Powers Math in a nutshell:

Base Powers have a Base Cost. Most Attack Powers are designed around a damage or effect oriented model that costs some increment of points for 1d6 of effect, while other utility Powers like Desolid or Missile Deflection are bought for flat points per listed ability, movement Powers are based around buying a game unit of movement for a certain cost, and most Defense Powers are based around a model of buying points of Defense (which subtract directly from damage) for a certain cost each, and so on. Essentially the purchasing of base Powers is very logical for the most part and it is clear what scale or effect your character points are purchasing. For instance Flight costs 2 character points per 1" of movement while Running costs 1 character point per 1" of movement; similarly Energy Blast costs 5 points per d6 while Ranged Killing Attacks cost 15 points per d6.

Some Powers have Adders that just extend the functionality of the Power and have a flat cost that is added to the Base Cost. Adders are always optional and their usage is quite clear' you add them if you want them. They are usually +5 or +10 points.

Next you may, but do not have to, attach modifiers to the base Power. Advantages are ways your Power is better than average, Limitations are ways your Power is worse than average. Both forms of modifier are rated in fractions, so +1/2 or -1/2 for example.

All fractions are increments of 1/4 and while there is no upper limit, for the most part there is a soft cap around +/- 2 on individual modifiers. Thus you will see modifier values of +/- 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1. 1 1/4, 1 1/2, 1 3/4, and 2, and you will never see irregular fractions like 1/3 or 3/18. Each 1/4 Power modifier increment is analogous to .25; thus a +1 Advantage is equivalent to 1 and a -1 1/2 Limitation is equivalent to -1.5.

So here comes the scary math, and a few new terms.

 

* (Base Cost + Adders) * (1 + Total Advantages) = Active Points

* Active Points / (1 + Total Limitations) = Real Cost

 

Active Points represent how powerful (or leveraged might be a better way to think of it) the ability is in relative terms, and the Real Cost is what you actually pay to have the ability.

In case it isn't clear, if you had a Total Advantage of +1 3/4 and a Base Cost of 50, it would look like: 50 * 2.75 = 137.5 Active Points. The Power Construct is almost three times more expensive than an unmodified version of the base Power in that scenario.

 

Example: For ease of comprehension I'm going to give an explicit step by step breakdown of constructing a Power first and then finally give a standard full HERO System write-up of the finished Power Construct afterwards:

I'm going to play in a Superheroic campaign and I want my new character Lazer-Gazer to shoot laser beams from his eyes; the effect I want is to knock people out with it (yes I know its a laser, but superhero physics and the comics code make it all OK).

Lazer-Gazer Eye Blast Prototype: 10d6 Energy Blast vs. Energy Defense; cost: 50 points

NOTE: There are numerous ways to construct such an attack in the HERO System, I simply opted for a more typical manner of doing so. Energy Blast is a base Power allowing normal damage attacks to be made at range. Each 1d6 of Energy Blast costs 5 points, so 10d6 = 50 Base Points.

That looks good, but normally in a superheroic game characters spend 1 END per 10 Active Points in a Power, so 5 END per use in this case. With that in mind I decide that I want Lazer-Gazer's Energy Blast to be effortless since I don't want to have to watch his Endurance while using it. To avoid this I add the +1/2 Power Advantage Reduced Endurance (0 END) to the Power.

Lazer-Gazer Effortless Eye Blast Prototype: 10d6 Energy Blast vs. Energy Defense, 0 END; cost: 75 points

Adding Advantages: 50 Base Cost * (1+.5) = 75 Active Points

Now Lazer-Gazer can shoot as often as he wants and never get tired, but on the other hand 75 points is a pretty expensive Power and I can't really afford it right now. So I decide that though it doesn't tire Lazer-Gazer to use the blast he does have to take careful aim and build up for an attack, so I take the -3/4 Limitation Extra Time (Full Phase, Delayed Phase) and the -1/4 Limitation Concentration (1/2 DCV) for a total of -1 in Limitations.

Lazer-Gazer Effortless Eye Blast Prototype: 10d6 Energy Blast vs. Energy Defense, 0 END, 1/2 DCV Concentration, Full Phase, Delayed Phase; cost: 37 points

Adding Limitations: 75 Active Points / (1+1) = 37.5 Real Cost (rounded in my favor to 37)

So it costs Lazer-Gazer 37 Character Points to have the Power, costs no END to use, and is theoretically comparable in effect to other 75 Active Point Powers. However, it takes a Full Phase to use it, goes off at half Lazer-Gazer's initiative (and thus can be disrupted), and also drops Lazer-Gazer to 1/2 DCV.

A full HERO System annotation would look something like this:

37 Eye Beams of DOOM!: 10d6 EB Reduced END (0 END; +1/2) (75 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase; Delayed Phase; - 3/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

or an abbreviated one like this:

37 Eye Beams of DOOM!: 10d6 EB (0 END); FPhase DPhase, 1/2 DCV Con

And that's how the math works. Pretty simple, no? Here it is again:

 

* (Base Cost + Adders) * (1 + Total Advantages) = Active Points

* Active Points / (1 + Total Limitations) = Real Cost

 

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

but my question is' date=' how do you calculate how many points you need to raise a power with advantages and limitations on it?? how do i calculate that??[/quote']The short form of the answer is: just calculate the cost of the power with the improvement you want. The difference between that and the amount you already spent is the cost of the improvement.

[krayzdave]

Re: Improving Powers...

 

sweet, i think i got it now.