SSgt Baloo Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Rather than resurrect an older thread along these lines, I'd like to start anew. The premise is the same as before: If you've a character you can't figure out how to do in Hero, post what you've got and helpful folks will suggest how you might model it. F'rinstance, I wanted an NPC based on Zipperneck (from the Tick). One of his few powers is the ability to unzip his neck and gross out opponents. At first I thought I'd do this as negative COM, only usable for grossout PRE attacks. After thinking it through, I decided that it might be modelled as a flash attack against sight. An EGO roll could be used to reduce the amount of time a character was grossed out. There'd be mods for if a character was particularly squeemish, but someone with an appropriate professional skill (forensic medicine, surgeon, or the like) would be less likely to grossout or possibly even immune. Feel free to criticize or make suggestions, I'm still undecided how to do this power. Another character I tried to do but got bogged down in the details was a "witch" modeled after Samantha Stephens from the TV series Bewitched. Any suggestions? Perhaps a racial package deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! One option for the 'gross out' might be an Entangle Based on ECV; the damage dealt to break out of the entangle represents the character working past the disgust. Mental Defense applies, other appropriate limitations (only vs things with resonably humanoid digestive systems?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incrdbil Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Method 1: Presence, only usable for attack, restrainable, with the 0 limitation of not affecting those who can't see, or have no standards for human beauty, with an automatic side effect of a comeliness drain when used. Method 2: Mind Control, one command (stand still while vioewing Zipperneck in disgust), telepathic, area effect, selective, no range, only those who can see Zipperneck, the above mentioned side effect, restrainable, grants no mental awareness (perhaps even buy it vs Con), then the 0 limitation of allowing certain skills or experiences to modify rolls, and those squeamish to have a negative effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSgt Baloo Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! I'd rep you both, but I seem to have been a little rep-happy in the last 24 hours. What about the "Samantha" homage? Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! I've never seen Bewitched, but the simple & obvious answer is either an MP for things she does regularly, plus the option for "Power Tricks" as necessary, or a VPP with pre-built abilities that she can add too as the situation calls for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! The main problem with a Bewitched style Witch is that the show itself wasn't clear on the rules of magic in that world. However, you can get very close in feel with a VPP, Limited Type of Powers (-1/4 on Control Cost) and Power Skill. Add on Life Support vs Aging at the 4 point level, KS: Witch World, and Group Contact: Other Witches. The VPP itself is shifted using Power Skill. No need for the 1/2 Phase or 0 Phase options unless you really want them; I don't recall a lot of rattling off one spell after another. The -1/4 Control Cost limit allows you as GM to require some spells to take Gestures, others Gestures and Incantations, and still others Gestures, Incantations, and Focus. Side Effects of the "Spell Goes Out Of Control" variety are also appropriate. Plenty of uses of Summon and Transformation Attack will also be needed. You end up with a character overwhelmingly powerful outside of combat, and you'll have to do a lot of groundwork that the show's writers never really did as far as setting limits is concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Bruins Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Remember too that Samantha (and the other witches) generally couldn't undo magic cast by another witch, and had to persuade or coerce the original witch to break whatever spell s/he had Darrin under this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Remember too that Samantha (and the other witches) generally couldn't undo magic cast by another witch' date=' and had to persuade or coerce the original witch to break whatever spell s/he had Darrin under [i']this[/i] week. Yup, and that fits fine under the -1/4 Control Cost limitation. Edit: That is to say, the -1/4 Limit the character got on the control cost of the VPP is Limited Type of Powers Available: Bewitched Witchcraft Only. Dispel doesn't work against the spells of other witches in the Bewitched setting; that's a -0 limit and part of the ground rules of Bewitched Witchcraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Yup, and that fits fine under the -1/4 Control Cost limitation. Edit: That is to say, the -1/4 Limit the character got on the control cost of the VPP is Limited Type of Powers Available: Bewitched Witchcraft Only. Dispel doesn't work against the spells of other witches in the Bewitched setting; that's a -0 limit and part of the ground rules of Bewitched Witchcraft. Similarly to how I handled the VPP for my campaign; -1/2 Spells Can Only be Changed under Limited Circumstances, to which for Clerics to hot-swap in a Healing Spell was a +0 modifier; it's part of the setting and didn't materially effect the -1/2 Lim. Same for Druids and their hot-swap for Summons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZilla Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Method 1: Presence' date=' only usable for attack, restrainable, with the 0 limitation of not affecting those who can't see, or have no standards for human beauty, with an automatic side effect of a comeliness drain when used.[/quote'] I disagree with a COM drain side effect because presumably all zipperneck needs to do to regain his COM is zip up. That and a negative COM could actually be *beneficial* when using this power -- hardly a disadvantage when the power itself makes that happen (or makes it more so). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incrdbil Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! I disagree with a COM drain side effect because presumably all zipperneck needs to do to regain his COM is zip up. That and a negative COM could actually be *beneficial* when using this power -- hardly a disadvantage when the power itself makes that happen (or makes it more so). Easy enopugh to explain--the side effect is in place as long as the benefit of the power is used. So zipping up removes the presence effect. Another way to look at it, and just interpret as the special effect of the power, is that even after zippign up, those who saw it view the user with that memory in mind. And since its a side effect, simply don't let the negative COM score affect the PRE attack. Thats the basic to GM'ing any limitation--don't agree to the player's request to use it as an advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZilla Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Well, in that case it might be better worded as a COM Suppress instead of Drain. It's just that I'm fairly sure I read in the Side Effects description that things like Drains should persist after the use of the power. Though that may have been intended for powers that weren't Constant... I'll read up on it later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GamePhil Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Well' date=' in that case it might be better worded as a COM Suppress instead of Drain. [/quote'] Wait, doesn't negative COM still cost points? Then it would be Succor as a separate Power. Or am I suffering from versionitis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incrdbil Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Wait' date=' doesn't negative COM still cost points? Then it would be Succor as a separate Power. Or am I suffering from versionitis?[/quote'] Negative COM wouldnt cost points if you did not allow any advantageous use from the Negative score, only the downside of..well, being really ugly. Given how useless COM is in many ways, a better way to perhaps reflect the sde effect is negative skill level effect to any interaction skill where you are trying to positively effect others, but not let it help on the attempts to influence them through fear--thats what the PRE bought with the limitation is for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Goodwin Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Grossout: Multipower with only two slots: bonus PRE dice and bonus COM, IIF. I created a character with a similar ability (created in the sense of making a guy up, not so much in the sense of statting him out in the Hero System). Evil genius type who apparently lost all of the flesh on his head as the result of a lab accident (it was only later discovered that all of the flesh had only been turned permanently invisible). He wears a rubber mask to hide it, and used a similar gross-out attack by whipping the mask off. I thought I was the only person who had that idea.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opal Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! For a Bewitched style character, you'd have to set out a lot of psych and social limitations. While the 'witches' had rediculous powers, they were very concerned with how they used them, and with keeping them secret. One would never be a superhero, for instance. I wonder how much of a control cost limitation you'd get for "Only powers that can be simulated with simple camera tricks?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Goodwin Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Opal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opal Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it. Part deux! Someone remembers me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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