Damage Shield question

[Tonio]

Ok, I'm not new to Champions/HERO... but I've been away for so long it might be useful to think of me as new.

 

I'm kinda forgetful/confused about the Damage Shield advantage, and I don't have my rulebook with me atm. HERO Designer says I can only apply Damage Shield to Persistent powers. So I'd need to buy my, say, EB to Continuous, 0 END, and Persistent before I can apply Damage Shield. Fine and dandy... but does this now mean I can fire the EB as normal, at 0 END, and have it do damage every phase... in addition to having it hurt anybody that touches me? If so, how do I make it so it ONLY works as a Damage Shield? A custom, GM-adjudicated limitation? If not, isn't Damage Shield more of a Limitation than an Advantage, then?

 

Second, I want to build an effect where my character's mind is so, let's say, chaotic, that anybody that tries to read it, attack, or whatever, gets hurt. Naturally I thought "Ego Attack, Damage Shield". But when trying to build it, I ran into the problem above. Also, would an Ego Attack bought as Damage Shield automatically simulate that effect? Or do I need a combination of advantages and limitations to have it not affect people who physically attack him, and have it affect people who mentally attack him?

 

Suggestions of the form "You don't want an Ego Attack Damage Shield... you want a ." are very welcome, if you think I'm way off in trying to build it that way!

[jkwleisemann]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Your build is accurate... and as I understand it, Damage Shield automatically cuts a power down to being purely a damage shield, not an attack of its own. Which, honestly, is one of the reasons that *I*, personally, kinda think the currect DS rules have Serious Problems (it makes a damage shield, even a weak one, prohibitively expensive - a minimum of +1 1/2 advantages on any power you make into a damage shield, even costing Endurance?)

 

But that's an argument for a different set of boards. Your build looks about right to me.

[Tonio]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Meh... I was afraid you'd say that. Unless... well, DS's automatically hit... they don't happen to, um, ignore defenses, do they?

[jkwleisemann]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Sadly, no. Not unless you toss on another +1 Advantage for NND.

[matrix3]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

There are a couple threads that talk about damage shields that you might find helpful:

 

Complaining about damage shield

 

and

 

Favorite Damage Shields?

 

for example.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Two quick comments,

1) Damage Shields only need to be Continuous or Constant. 0 END and Persistent may be desirable, but are not required.

2) The threads Matrix pointed are good ones. My favorite solution is to use a +1 Trigger (takes no time, resets automatically) on an attack power instead of Continuous and Damage Shield. It is less expensive but at the cost of having to roll to hit.

[Tonio]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Hrm... Looks like I misread the comment on HERO Designer. Doesn't seem as bad now, although I'm still iffy on how losing the ability to actually fire the power is balanced out by having it automatically affect those that hit me.

 

I did check out those threads... very good ones, yes. I'd also noticed the effect mentioned in one of those, where an EB DS that follows campaign AP limits will most probably be ignored.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Here's a character I built who has a damage shield. Just as an example.

 

[b]Sunburn - Donny Williams[/b]

[b][u]VAL[/u]   [u]CHA[/u]   [u]Cost[/u]   [u]Total[/u]   [u]Roll[/u]      [u]Notes[/u][/b]
15    STR     5   15      12-       HTH Damage 3d6  END [1]
24    DEX     42   24      14-       OCV 8 DCV 8
20    CON     20   20      13-
15    BODY    10   15      12-
12    INT     2   12      11-       PER Roll 11-
14    EGO     8   14      12-       ECV: 5
20    PRE     10   20      13-       PRE Attack: 4d6
18    COM     4   18      13-
5    PD      2   5/35             5/35 PD (0/30 rPD)
5    ED      1   5/35             5/35 ED (0/30 rED)
6    SPD     26   6                 Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
15    REC     16   15
50    END     5   50
50    STUN    17   50
6    RUN      0   6"                END [1]
2    SWIM     0   2"                END [1]
3    LEAP     0   3"                3" forward, 1 1/2" upward

[b]CHA Cost: 168[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]POWERS[/u][/b]
60     [b][i]Fire & Heat[/i][/b]: Multipower, 60-point reserve - END=
6u     1)  [b][i]Dehydration[/i][/b]: Drain DEX 6d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6
6u     2)  [b][i]Firebolt[/i][/b]: EB 12d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6
6u     3)  [b][i]Inferno Blast[/i][/b]: EB 6d6, NND (LS: Intesnse Heat; +1) (60 Active Points) - END=6
6u     4)  [b][i]Flare[/i][/b]: Sight Group Flash 6d6, Area Of Effect (7" Cone; +1) (60 Active Points) - END=6
6u     5)  [b][i]Melting Blast[/i][/b]: RKA 4d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6
6u     6)  [b][i]Pyrokenesis I[/i][/b]: Suppress Fire 12d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6
4u     7)  [b][i]Pyrokenesis II[/i][/b]: Telekinesis (30 STR), Fine Manipulation (55 Active Points); Only Works On Limited Types Of Objects Fire (-1/2) - END=5
45     [b][i]Fire & Heat[/i][/b]: Elemental Control, 90-point powers - END=
45     1)  [b][i]Heat Shield I[/i][/b]: FF (30 PD/30 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (90 Active Points) - END=0
45     2)  [b][i]Heat Shield II[/i][/b]: EB 4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4), NND (LS: Intense Heat; +1), Continuous (+1) (85 Active Points) - END=0
45     3)  Flight 30", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (90 Active Points) - END=0
2     LS  (Safe in Intense Heat) - END=0

[b]POWERS Cost: 282[/b]


[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]SKILLS[/u][/b]
3      +3 with Grabs
20      +4 with DCV
12      +4 with Fire Multi Power
5      KS: Retail Sales 14-
4      Language:  Spanish (completely fluent; literate)
3      Mechanics 11-
4      TF:  Jetskis, Skateboarding, Surfing, Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles

[b]SKILLS Cost: 51[/b]

[b][u]Cost[/u]   [u]PERKS[/u][/b]
2      Fringe Benefit:  Florida Police Powers

[b]PERKS Cost: 2[/b]

[b][u]Value[/u]  [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b]
10     Beach Bum Bonus
10     DNPC:  Girlfriend of the Month 8- (Normal)
5     Distinctive Features:  Red Irises (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
25     Hunted:  Genocide 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)
15     Physical Limitation:  Wierd Bio Chemistry, Requires Special Medical Attention  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
15     Psychological Limitation:  Overconfident (Common, Strong)
15     Psychological Limitation:  Thrill Seeker (Common, Strong)
20     Psychological Limitation:  Will Not Kill (Common, Total)
15     Social Limitation:  Public ID (Frequently, Major)
10     Vulnerability:  2 x BODY Cold Based Attacks (Uncommon)
10     Vulnerability:  2 x STUN Cold Based Attacks (Uncommon)

[b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/b]

Base Pts: 200
Exp Required: 153
Total Exp Available: 153
Exp Unspent: 0
Total Character Cost: 503

[Wyrm Ouroboros]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Hrm... Looks like I misread the comment on HERO Designer. Doesn't seem as bad now, although I'm still iffy on how losing the ability to actually fire the power is balanced out by having it automatically affect those that hit me.

 

I did check out those threads... very good ones, yes. I'd also noticed the effect mentioned in one of those, where an EB DS that follows campaign AP limits will most probably be ignored.

 

Ah, but you CAN fire the power -- just pick up 'Offensive (+1/4)', put the target into a headlock, and ZAP your damage shield affects them. DS is less an offensive power, though, than it is a guaranteed payback -- 'You hit me, I'll hit you back'.

[Tonio]

Re: Damage Shield question

 

Ah' date=' but you CAN fire the power -- just pick up 'Offensive (+1/4)', put the target into a headlock, and ZAP your damage shield affects them. DS is less an offensive power, though, than it is a guaranteed payback -- 'You hit me, I'll hit you back'.[/quote']

 

Well, you can fire it, at no range, and having to physically strike the opponent... Not quite the same as firing off a regular EB. ;-)