What defines Hero ID

[Phoenix]

Based off reading this thread a question has arose in my mind: Other than something like Instant Changing how would someone separate their normal ID from their hero ID?

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

Based off reading this thread a question has arose in my mind: Other than something like Instant Changing how would someone separate their normal ID from their hero ID?

 

Well, Instant Change just means the character has a level of control over the effects of the change either direction like Billy Batson/Captain Marvel (has both Instant Change & Accidental Change).

 

Not having Instant Change would be more like the 'intelligent' version of Hulk/Bruce Banner switch or Colossus. Both of their changes require a conscious effort but neither has any control over any 'side effects' to any 'normal' clothing they might be wearing in 'normal human' form.

[Blackberry]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

It depends.

 

If their powers come from a suit of powered armor, then they are "in Hero ID" when wearing the armor.

 

If their powers come from turning green and huge at unknown times, then they are "in Hero ID" when green and huge.

[Phoenix]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

The basic character concept is a normal person that has usable wings (and that's the normal ID, mutant), when the character goes to Hero ID the wings do something akin to the Colossus effect and the feathers become sharp and 'flingable' (for those familiar with Greek mythology the powers are based off the Stymphalian Birds). The character gains some additional DEX and SPD but not much else. There are some addition Foci based abilities but those are more easily defined.

 

I guess what I'm asking is: IS there a required transaction or time period between changing identities for the OIHID limitation?

 

Edit: Thinking about it I should have mentioned the limitation in the first post...

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

The basic character concept is a normal person that has usable wings (and that's the normal ID, mutant), when the character goes to Hero ID the wings do something akin to the Colossus effect and the feathers become sharp and 'flingable' (for those familiar with Greek mythology the powers are based off the Stymphalian Birds). The character gains some additional DEX and SPD but not much else. There are some addition Foci based abilities but those are more easily defined.

 

I guess what I'm asking is: IS there a required transaction or time period between changing identities for the OIHID limitation?

 

Edit: Thinking about it I should have mentioned the limitation in the first post...

 

Yes, this is stated in the description of the Only In Hero ID limitation; it takes a phase (Instant Change does not alter this; Instant Change only gives you a no-time costume switch), and can be somehow prevented. Here's how I usually break it down ...

 

Multiform: The classic Hulk or a werewolf. Hulk and Banner have completely different personalities, and thus separate write-ups. A werewolf's animal form requires completely different Phys Lims (from lack of voice and hands).

 

Hero ID: Thor or DC's Captain Marvel; they have to do or have something to change forms (tapping the cane, saying the magic word). If prevented from doing so, they cannot assume their heroic ID.

 

Activating Powers: Colossus. He doesn't have to do anything to transform and cannot be prevented from changing. He just activates his suite of powers (Density Increase, Armor, Life Support, extra Strength, and so on).

 

If your Stymphalian character changes personalities or requires new disads, then he should probably take Multiform.

 

If he must invoke a magic word, or requires a mystic trinket to change, it's probably Only In Hero ID.

 

If he can just wing-out and nothing can stop it from happening, then it's just activating powers and not worth any limitation.

[Phoenix]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

"tapping the cane, saying the magic word, requires a mystic trinket" Those seem more like Gestures, Incantations and Foci to me?

[Korvar]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

"tapping the cane' date=' saying the magic word, requires a mystic trinket" Those seem more like Gestures, Incantations and Foci to me?[/quote']

 

They're not using a power by tapping the cane or whatever, they are changing the powers they have access to. So putting OIHID on their powers makes sense - they can't use them all the time, and can be prevented from accessing their powers under certain circumstances.

[Utech]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

"tapping the cane' date=' saying the magic word, requires a mystic trinket" Those seem more like Gestures, Incantations and Foci to me?[/quote']

Only if tapping a cane, saying a magic word, or using a mystic trinket is necessary each and every time a power is used.

[Matt the Bruins]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

I recall Thor used to need to tap his hammer on the ground twice to engage his weather control powers.

 

Which always puzzled me as a kid, since tapping his hammer on the ground once was supposed to turn him back into Donald Blake.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

I recall Thor used to need to tap his hammer on the ground twice to engage his weather control powers.

 

Which always puzzled me as a kid, since tapping his hammer on the ground once was supposed to turn him back into Donald Blake.

 

I always remember him having to tap the cane twice ... otherwise, he'd turn into Thor every time he took a step using the cane for support.

 

*step*THOOM*step*THOOM*step*THOOM*

 

I don't actually know if the current Thor has to do that, or if he even has a de-powered form, now that I think about it.

[Korvar]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

I always remember him having to tap the cane twice ... otherwise, he'd turn into Thor every time he took a step using the cane for support.

 

*step*THOOM*step*THOOM*step*THOOM*

 

I don't actually know if the current Thor has to do that, or if he even has a de-powered form, now that I think about it.

 

He never had to "tap" the cane to become Thor - it was always depicted as a deliberate strike. Even a "thwack".

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

He never had to "tap" the cane to become Thor - it was always depicted as a deliberate strike. Even a "thwack".

 

True. 'Tap' was the wrong term. It could happen involuntarily, though, as evidenced by his first change where he didn't even know he was really Thor and smacked the cane on the ground in frustration.

[tesuji]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

i posted this on the other thread -

 

the key to me to oihid is it is a limitation.

 

as gm the player is asking me to make this a problem for his character. thats what he gets points for.

 

So the guy who has oihid will find himself in more situations where he is in the wrong state at the wrong time. My focus to a degree is on making that happen.

 

the guy without the lim may never have the caught in wrong form at all.

 

the guy with multiform will find himself in "the right form" or with ample time

to dial the "right form" up often enough to see the benefit. After all, we are working to spotlight his power.

 

 

so to me its nt only "can it be a problem" but also "will it be a noteable problem."

[Vulcan]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

I tend to use 'Shapechange' and 'Linked to Shapechange' a lot rather than 'OIHID.'

 

I never bought the whole 'glasses as an adequite disguise for Superman' thing anyway.

[dsatow]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

So here's a question I've been mulling in my head for a bit. In Iron Man the movie, the Iron Man suit is OHID as it seems you need some elaborate way to take off the suit (thus not a OIF).

 

The Question has a glue on mask which can't be removed without a special solvent and the mask supposedly can act as a filter (Life Support), making it OHID.

 

Obviously, the Question really doen't have instachange as his clothes don't change. So he gets a -1/4 limitation to put on the mask.

 

Poor Tony Stark though has to have everything bolted onto him which looks to take at least a turn. Shouldn't he get more for the limitation?

 

If some supervillain is across the street from the Cafe where Tony and the Question are eating lunch, the Question will get to the supervillain before Tony. Tony's OHID to me seems like a larger problem than the Question's.

 

BTW: How long does changing identity take? 1 Turn? 1 Minute? 1 Phase? I think Mythbusters showed it taking from 2 Turns to 1.5 Minutes in a phone booth.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

...

 

Poor Tony Stark though has to have everything bolted onto him which looks to take at least a turn. Shouldn't he get more for the limitation?

 

...

 

He's already getting more real points because he has more Powers bought through the suit.

 

This is also one of those areas where I like the old comic version much better than the movie version. IIRC, the suit used to fit inside a briefcase and the only 'hard' components were the NON form-fitting red parts (ends of gloves and boots, chest piece, etc..) all the gold parts were actually a thin membrane formed into and held by a force-field between the red parts. This is the 'classic' suit that arguably could take about a Turn for Tony or whomever to put on or take off.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

i posted this on the other thread -

 

the key to me to oihid is it is a limitation.

 

as gm the player is asking me to make this a problem for his character. thats what he gets points for.

 

So the guy who has oihid will find himself in more situations where he is in the wrong state at the wrong time. My focus to a degree is on making that happen.

 

the guy without the lim may never have the caught in wrong form at all.

 

the guy with multiform will find himself in "the right form" or with ample time

to dial the "right form" up often enough to see the benefit. After all, we are working to spotlight his power.

 

 

so to me its nt only "can it be a problem" but also "will it be a noteable problem."

 

To me, that's more of the Secret ID Disad. If you can't stop the target from changing forms, there's no inherent limitation to the powers themselves; the problem is that he can't use them withou blowing his Secret ID, not that he can't use them period. If the character can activate/deactivate his powers on a whim, there's no real drawback.

[Mr. Gridlock]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

The Question has a glue on mask which can't be removed without a special solvent and the mask supposedly can act as a filter (Life Support), making it OHID.

 

Obviously, the Question really doen't have instachange as his clothes don't change. So he gets a -1/4 limitation to put on the mask.

 

I'm not sure I agree that this is worth an OIHID limitation. It takes him practically no time to put his mask on and release the gas from his buckle. Certainly taking it off is next to impossible if he were unconscious without special knowledge of the solvent. So it's not a Focus and I don't feel it's enough of a hindrance to be worth the OIHID lim.

 

For me, OIHID has to be able to be stopped somehow. Question just never gets into a situation where this is an issue.

 

Poor Tony Stark though has to have everything bolted onto him which looks to take at least a turn. Shouldn't he get more for the limitation?

 

If some supervillain is across the street from the Cafe where Tony and the Question are eating lunch, the Question will get to the supervillain before Tony. Tony's OHID to me seems like a larger problem than the Question's.

 

BTW: How long does changing identity take? 1 Turn? 1 Minute? 1 Phase? I think Mythbusters showed it taking from 2 Turns to 1.5 Minutes in a phone booth.

 

The movie version of Iron Man is an OIHID. And it works in Tony's favor just as much a hinderence to have to take so long to get into (out of) the suit. Sometimes you just have to chalk it up to your definition as to how long these things take. There's no set answer. Just as if you define your EB as electrical or fire. Each case gets benefits and hindrences to/by the environment.

 

You have to work out the time it takes for the change at the time of character creation with your GM (or your player if you're the GM). Pick something that sounds reasonable.

 

Obviously if you're playing the movie version of Tony, then there is no changing into Iron Man if he sees something going down while he's sipping his latte on the sidewalk; he has to get back to his lab for the assist, He becomes a strategic character, not a tactical one.

 

Really, it's all just SFX. Just as defining a gun as an OIF rather than an OAF because the guy's just so good, it's that much harder to take away from him. You pay for that (by not saving the points by taking it as an OAF).

[ghost-angel]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

Anytime a specific action has to be taken to go from Powers Unavailable to Available, and the action needs only be performed one time and thereafter all Powers are Available, you qualify for the OIHID Limitation.

 

It may not be the best Limitation for any given specific circumstance, but you can now add it to the List Of Stuff Viable.

[Sean Waters]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

OIHID is an activation limitation on powers. You don't have to look any different, for instance, you just have to do something that alerts others that your powers are going to be 'switched on' and there has to be some opportunity for them to stop you doing that, be it a delay in activation (allowing them to smack you in feeble form), or some action (that can be prevented or interrupted), or even brandishing an object (that can be taken away from you) - or any other similar restriction. That's not Hero canon, that's just how I do it, but it is close enough for government work.

 

I usually also include some requirement that makes the character spend time in both forms or forces you to change forms, otherwise you can just turn on OIHID and leave it on. (see Kid Miracleman).

[Moonblade]

Re: What defines Hero ID

 

[Obviously, the Question really doen't have instachange as his clothes don't change. So he gets a -1/4 limitation to put on the mask.]

 

Not to be a real geek but this isn't true. The Question's clothing DOES change. Specifically the color. Both his hair and his clothes are treated with a chemical that when combined with the gas, completely changes his look. Otherwise, who would he be fooling?

 

"Hey, look, isn't that Vic Sage in a flesh mask?"

 

"I'm not Vic Sage!"

 

That's the same suit you were wearing two minutes ago!"

 

"A=A!"

 

(Sorry, had to throw in the Objectivism ref)

 

But back to game mechanics, he would have an instant change, his powers are the very definition of them.