250 point par characteristics

[Nerdnumber1]

I want to know what level of defense is acceptable for a 250 point, low super heroic game. You see, my first character was a 350 point brick that spoiled me to the point where dropping below 30 pd/ed seems like suicide. Whats more, I plan on making a mage in a 250 point WWII campaign. If anyone has any idea of guidelines it would be much appreciated.

 

The character in question is a parinoid defecting German mage with a sizable vpp that never sleeps.

Paranoid=would have a likely keep a little defense on always

defecting German mage= hunted by occult loving Nazis

vvp=can increase special defenses/life support in emergencies (plus put up protective wards)

 

Also, if you know any book, thread, or site with good ideas, I'm all ears.

[HawksmoorSD]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

Find out from your GM what the plan is for the average DC's and Def is for his game. For most 250 games the average DC is 10 with an average Def range between 20 to 30. I hope that helps and if you need anything more answered I'm sure someone will help you. I'm a huge fan of 250 games so good luck with the game.

[Nerdnumber1]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

Find out from your GM what the plan is for the average DC's and Def is for his game. For most 250 games the average DC is 10 with an average Def range between 20 to 30. I hope that helps and if you need anything more answered I'm sure someone will help you. I'm a huge fan of 250 games so good luck with the game.

 

Thanks, he did set a 50 active point limit for our new characters, but in our current 350 point game escalation ran rampant when we started to learn the rules and his dice started rebelling. Now our 350+ heroes need mechanon-level enemies to have a chalenge.

[CoreBrute]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

page 126 of Champions gives a good idea on the defense guidelines of low-powered characters, which is about 12 non resistant PD and maybe 6 resistant PD. Guns can hurt you, and as a mage that is a danger especially without a force field or body armour. If they won't give it to their own soldiers what are the chances the Allies are going to give it to a Nazi (It's tough being German)?

 

Is this for a home brewed setting or are you using the Champions Universe of the 1930s?

[Beast]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

25 total def with about 10 of it resistant should be the high end

so figure about 18 to 20 should do for your mage

light sleep and or danger sense(out of combat)should help keep you alive while sleeping

or create an extra dimensional hidey hole to sleep in

with a few guardian wards to wake you

[Nerdnumber1]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

page 126 of Champions gives a good idea on the defense guidelines of low-powered characters, which is about 12 non resistant PD and maybe 6 resistant PD. Guns can hurt you, and as a mage that is a danger especially without a force field or body armour. If they won't give it to their own soldiers what are the chances the Allies are going to give it to a Nazi (It's tough being German)?

 

Is this for a home brewed setting or are you using the Champions Universe of the 1930s?

 

I'm not a Nazi. I do not belong to the Nazi party nor do I believe in pseodoscientific eugenics. Unfortunately, the S.S. heard me and found out that I had useful abilities. Before being sent to one of their more comfortable camps, I decided to take a little vacation.

 

I doubt that any of my defenses will come from the allies. Magic elitist, 1930s tech seems like stone age crap, only to be used if an alternative isn't available.

 

I was planning on 20/10r for pd and ed, so I think that'll do well.

[RadeFox]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

Sounds like you got it down Nerdnumber. Using the GMs guidlines for active points and DC ranges/averages gives you mega cookies in my book. Its always nice to have a player work within the framework, and not try to numbercrunch their way outside it.

 

Kudos to you. Love the backstory so far too. Sounds like it will be a fun game!

[Nerdnumber1]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

Sounds like you got it down Nerdnumber. Using the GMs guidlines for active points and DC ranges/averages gives you mega cookies in my book. Its always nice to have a player work within the framework, and not try to numbercrunch their way outside it.

 

Kudos to you. Love the backstory so far too. Sounds like it will be a fun game!

 

Sorry, but I am a bit of a number cruncher (part of the reason I took a vpp, I like playing around with the rules).

 

Thanks for the compliments though. I have quite a bit planned for this character.

[BNakagawa]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

No answer to this question will be useful unless you provide the following data:

 

Average CVs

Average attack size.

 

The Hero system is context sensitive. One game might find 2d6KA to be powerful, and another might feature 4d6KA holdout pistols (I've played in both types of games) Both games featured roughly the same point range (granted equipment wasn't paid for in points)

 

So, by extension, how much damage is "enough"? You'll never know until you know what kind of game it is.

[Nerdnumber1]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

No answer to this question will be useful unless you provide the following data:

 

Average CVs

Average attack size.

 

The Hero system is context sensitive. One game might find 2d6KA to be powerful, and another might feature 4d6KA holdout pistols (I've played in both types of games) Both games featured roughly the same point range (granted equipment wasn't paid for in points)

 

So, by extension, how much damage is "enough"? You'll never know until you know what kind of game it is.

 

50 active point max. I think I'll use a default vpp a 3d6+1 rka with some disads (it's a spell of searing magical death, beam, no kb, no bouncing, oaf, etc.)

[BNakagawa]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

next you need to tell how your CVs (most notably your DCV) measures up to the campaign averages.

 

Given 10 DCs as common, 20 Def might be enough if you're getting hit occasionally, not nearly enough if you're getting hit all the time.

 

Also, how much defense you need depends on if you have any method of ducking damage on a regular basis. If you have powers like missile deflection, desolidification, invisibility or shrinking, you can get away with a lot less defense than if you have no way of avoiding getting hit besides hoping your DCV is high enough.

[HawksmoorSD]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

You know you mentioned "escalation" and what it did to your 350 campaign. When we play I normally give about 3 or 4 xp per game. I instituted a rule years ago about the whole arms race in that a player can only increase his CV's and his DC's once every 2 or 3 games and only if it's been something they've been working on in game. No skills were allowed to be bought at full cost. They had to start with a familiarity. That way there's some sense as to why and things don't get out of hand. There had to be some work involved to get better and learning.

 

Ninety-five percent of my players were completely okay with this idea and we all still use it. The only person who ever balked at the idea was the one who kept increasing his damage every game by tweaking a power armor character. He was a complete munchkin and needed more damage all the time and had to be the center of every combat.

 

I haven't seen him in years. Wonder why?

[Nerdnumber1]

Re: 250 point par characteristics

 

You know you mentioned "escalation" and what it did to your 350 campaign. When we play I normally give about 3 or 4 xp per game. I instituted a rule years ago about the whole arms race in that a player can only increase his CV's and his DC's once every 2 or 3 games and only if it's been something they've been working on in game. No skills were allowed to be bought at full cost. They had to start with a familiarity. That way there's some sense as to why and things don't get out of hand. There had to be some work involved to get better and learning.

 

Ninety-five percent of my players were completely okay with this idea and we all still use it. The only person who ever balked at the idea was the one who kept increasing his damage every game by tweaking a power armor character. He was a complete munchkin and needed more damage all the time and had to be the center of every combat.

 

I haven't seen him in years. Wonder why?

 

The escalation was players learning easy ways to up power. In the first few weeks, we learned about pushing, HAs, and combat manuvers (martial manuvers, move through, haymaker, etc.) Add to this the GM's crappy dice rolls and increasing tactical awareness and you get some all too easy battles. My GM had to up the ante to give us a challenge.