Earthquake

[Fearghus]

So I am considering building a brick character who has a stomp attack that knocks people down.

 

At first I was thinking I would make this some sort of change of environment, but that just didn't seem to fit.

 

What I think I want to do is add area of effect to a throw maneuver, but that would be 3 or for points. That's WAY too cheap for how effective the attack would be. So I figured I'd put it on the boards. How would you do an attack that knocks everyone in an area of effect down?

 

Maybe I am just missing something simple.

[Ice9]

Re: Earthquake

 

Energy Blast, AoE Radius (or Explosion), Only to Deal Knockback (-1?), Only Knocks Down (-1/2?), No Range would be one solution. You'd need at least 10d6 to consistently deal knockdown, more if you want to be certain. The issue with this is the high active points relative to actual usefulness - it's not going to work with a Multipower or VPP.

 

Flying 1", Usable as Attack, AoE Radius (enlarged), Instant, No Range would be another option - it moves them 1" up, and they land prone when they fall, unless they have a good Breakfall skill or can fly. This is a lot cheaper at 8 AP/4 RP for a 6" radius.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Earthquake

 

This is not legal, but works very nicely for an earthquake power:

 

Earthquake 69 active and real

Tunneling 1" through 8 DEF material, Area of effect (radius 2") with 5 doublings (64" radius) and 2 dimensional (+2)

 

It is not legal because, apparently, you can not put AoE on tunelling. However, it cuts through 7 DEF of material to a depth of 2 metres across a pretty big area (you could megascale it but I try to avoid that if I can).

 

Basically it lowers the level of the earth by 2 metres. Not much of a problem for most characters - even a normal is not going to have a problem with that BUT it means it cuts through everything at ground level that is NOT at least 8 DEF (like reinforced concrete). So, unless something is built to withstand an earthquake, all the buildings around will fall down - and THAT is what tends to kill people.

 

You might want to add some extra time and such, but that should get ht eefect quite nicely.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Earthquake

 

Here's one off the top of my head:

 

28 Earthquake Stomp: Change Environment 16" radius, -6 Characteristic (DEX) Roll and all Skill Rolls based on Characteristic (DEX), Side Effects (Side Effect always occurs whenever the character does some specific act, Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; Breaks ground/makes small crater; +0), Personal Immunity (+1/4) (56 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Only When In Contact With The Ground (-1/4), Two-Dimensional (Only characters on the ground; -1/4) 6 END

 

Could possibly add Instant to indicate that only people standing in the radius when it happens are affected, not those entering the area the next phase (but I’m not sure about that), or possibly Restrainable.

 

Here's some older thread on the subject also:

 

Probably the most helpful: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31649&highlight=earthquake

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37312

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64908&highlight=earthquake

 

See post 8: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60778&highlight=earthquake

[Sean Waters]

Re: Earthquake

 

A potential problem with Chamge Environment is that it doesn't damage buildings and rigid structures, which is the main effect of an earthquake, really. I'm always left a bit puzzled when I see 'side effects' being used (perfectly legally, of course) to cause damage to the environment. I mean, it is not really a problem, is it? I mean it is no more of a problem than the damage to the environment that an AoE EB would cause.

 

Now you can argue, of course, that buildings and such are just scenery, so it doesn't matter so much if they do fall over. My difficulty there is twofold - first what if it is a building that the characters have paid points for - like their base. That's scenery too, but scenery they have invested in.

 

Second if an earthquake kills or harms people it almost always does so because of the indirect effects of damage to the environment. I don't think you can get those benefits (well, potential benefits - you are the one triggering the earthquake) for the 'price' of a limitation.

 

Like I said, the tunnelling option is not legal as AoEs apparently only apply to powers that are targetted. You could, however, replace that with a 7d6 EB AoE (only damages buildings and rigid structures - that should) to damage buildings and you could link that to a CE for the falling over effect. The trouble there is that you need to do damage in excess of the DEF of the material to actually damage the buildings and make them fall over. I think whichever route you take there will have to be a bit of handwavium.

 

Mind you I don't know - cinematically or realistically - if earthquakes out in the open actually do make people fall over.

[jtelson]

Re: Earthquake

 

This is not legal, but works very nicely for an earthquake power:

 

Earthquake 69 active and real

Tunneling 1" through 8 DEF material, Area of effect (radius 2") with 5 doublings (64" radius) and 2 dimensional (+2)

 

It is not legal because, apparently, you can not put AoE on tunelling. However, it cuts through 7 DEF of material to a depth of 2 metres across a pretty big area (you could megascale it but I try to avoid that if I can).

 

Basically it lowers the level of the earth by 2 metres. Not much of a problem for most characters - even a normal is not going to have a problem with that BUT it means it cuts through everything at ground level that is NOT at least 8 DEF (like reinforced concrete). So, unless something is built to withstand an earthquake, all the buildings around will fall down - and THAT is what tends to kill people.

 

You might want to add some extra time and such, but that should get ht eefect quite nicely.

 

Making it UAA might move it into the realm of the legal.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Earthquake

 

Making it UAA might move it into the realm of the legal.

 

That is a very good point What's more - it works!

 

Earthquake: (Total: 124 Active Cost, 72 Real Cost) Change Environment 8" radius, -4 Characteristic Roll and all Skill Rolls based on Characteristic, Long-Lasting 20 Minutes, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4) (46 Active Points) (Real Cost: 46) PLUS Tunneling 1" through 8 DEF material, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4), Area Of Effect (6" Radius; +1), Two-Dimensional (-1/4), Usable As Attack (+1) (78 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2) (Real Cost: 26)

 

So you trigger the power, the ground shakes for 20 minutes and 5 minutes in all the buildings that have not been specially reinforced, as well as various bits of miscellaneous scenery, come crashing down. Thatnks to megascale the shaking takes place over an 8km radius and buildings within 6km of the centre come on down. You could probably bring the cost down quite a bit more with various limitations.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Earthquake

 

I see 'earthquake' and I'm off on one....and of course it isn't really what the OP asked for - he wanted a stomp power that just knocks people down

 

This should reliably knock down anyone without KBR:

 

Energy Blast 6d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Double Knockback (+3/4), Area Of Effect (6" Radius; +1) (90 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only to knock down; -1 1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

I would not use CE simply because you're not supposed to use it as a cheap way to do something you can do with other powers and it shouldn't work on anything that doesn't have DEX...so you could stamp in a china chop, and the only thing that would happen would be the people would fall over.

 

You can make it cheaper by reducing the dice to 5 (still works the majority of the time) or by making it explosion rather than radius. That would put the cost down to 62 points, or 50 if you go down to 4d6 (that still knocks down over 60% of the time).

 

I wouldn't allow an AoE throw/trip as it is ludicrously abusive.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Earthquake

 

Here's another way to build it:

 

27 Stomp The Yard!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +6d6, Double Knockback (+3/4), Area Of Effect (11" Cone; +1) (82 Active Points); Limited Power Only to knock down (-1 1/2), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)

[Notes: Per 5er Advantaged HA damage adding rules up to 30 STR can be combined with this for a 12d6 total.] - END=8

 

HA seems like a better fit than EB and AOE Cone doesn't require the addition of Personal Immunity either.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Earthquake

 

How about:

Earthquake!: 20 STR Telekinesis, AoE radius, Personal Immunity, Only to simulate earthquake effects (-1½), No range (-½) (Active: 67, Real: 22)

 

"Earthquake effects" would be defined as a grab and throw against loose objects like people and furniture, but crushing damage against objects that are well connected to the ground like buildings.

 

This build strikes me as closer to what an earthquake actually does, except that I think that damage to buildings should probably be a lot higher given that this will knock most people down. If you are going for building damage, you might add:

 

They all fall down!: 2d6 RKA, AoE, AP, Only vs. buildings and rigid structures on the ground (-1) No range (-½) (Active: 75, Real: 30)

[Matt the Bruins]

Re: Earthquake

 

I built something like Hyper-Man's version for my Earth Girl character:

 

25 Earthquake Stomp: Hand-To-Hand Attack +5d6, Double Knockback (+3/4), Explosion (+1/2), Personal Immunity (+1/4); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Only Affects Targets On The Ground (-1/2) Only When In Contact With The Ground (natural earth, stone, and soil only; -1/2) (Active: 62, Real: 25)

 

(She has it as a slot in a multipower with an Activation Roll common limitation, and a MegaArea naked advantage available if she wants the effects to be widespread rather than localized.)

[Sean Waters]

Re: Earthquake

 

Here's another way to build it:

 

27 Stomp The Yard!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +6d6, Double Knockback (+3/4), Area Of Effect (11" Cone; +1) (82 Active Points); Limited Power Only to knock down (-1 1/2), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)

[Notes: Per 5er Advantaged HA damage adding rules up to 30 STR can be combined with this for a 12d6 total.] - END=8

 

HA seems like a better fit than EB and AOE Cone doesn't require the addition of Personal Immunity either.

 

That works!

[Kenn]

Re: Earthquake

 

That is a very good point What's more - it works!

 

Earthquake: (Total: 124 Active Cost, 72 Real Cost) Change Environment 8" radius, -4 Characteristic Roll and all Skill Rolls based on Characteristic, Long-Lasting 20 Minutes, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4) (46 Active Points) (Real Cost: 46) PLUS Tunneling 1" through 8 DEF material, MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4), Area Of Effect (6" Radius; +1), Two-Dimensional (-1/4), Usable As Attack (+1) (78 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2) (Real Cost: 26)

 

So you trigger the power, the ground shakes for 20 minutes and 5 minutes in all the buildings that have not been specially reinforced, as well as various bits of miscellaneous scenery, come crashing down. Thatnks to megascale the shaking takes place over an 8km radius and buildings within 6km of the centre come on down. You could probably bring the cost down quite a bit more with various limitations.

 

That 6 km radius seems a bit large for the quake's epicenter.

 

Also, as written, it could be interpreted that everything in the 12 m radius drops one kilometer! Oops.

 

Otherwise, I like this.

[pinecone]

Re: Earthquake

 

I built something like Hyper-Man's version for my Earth Girl character:

 

25 Earthquake Stomp: Hand-To-Hand Attack +5d6, Double Knockback (+3/4), Explosion (+1/2), Personal Immunity (+1/4); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Only Affects Targets On The Ground (-1/2) Only When In Contact With The Ground (natural earth, stone, and soil only; -1/2) (Active: 62, Real: 25)

 

(She has it as a slot in a multipower with an Activation Roll common limitation, and a MegaArea naked advantage available if she wants the effects to be widespread rather than localized.)

 

yeah that looks pretty much how I do it....