Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

[Major Tom 2009]

With all of the experimentation in various genres that's been tried with HERO/Champions

over the years; specifically, superhero-type anime, I'm hoping that someone here

on the boards can tell me the following:

 

How would you write up the Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack from

Battle of the Planets (a.k.a. Gatchaman -- the original TV version, not the more recent

3-part OVA)?

 

For those who haven't ever seen BotP, this attack involves the five heroes forming a

pyramid -- 2 on the bottom, 2 in the middle, and the fifth one standing on the very

top -- and spinning at high speed, generating winds of immense power in the

process (F3- to F5-strength winds, if I've understood the background info

correctly. There's a clip on YouTube that you can watch to get an idea of

just how strong it is -- just type either "Whirlwind Pyramid" or "Tornado

Fighter" into the search field).

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[DusterBoy]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

H'mmm. . . how about Energy Blast nd6, AoE (Radius, (x2 Radius, +1 1/2), Reduced By Range (-1/4) with maybe Reduced Endurance (so they don't knock themselves out using it) and Only In Contact With the Ground (since I don't think they could do this attack standing in midair).

 

It's a very rough build, but what do you think?

[Netzilla]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

I had worked on something like this once that involved the following elements:

 

* TK

* Only to throw targets away from center of cyclone

* Explosion

* Requires at least 2 team members (I remember them doing lesser versions with only 2 or 3 members but never solo)

* Side Effect: DEX Drain

* Continuous

 

I then was basically going to allow them to combine the TK strength of the various members (by adding the lift values) to get the final effect. So, if they each had 20 STR TK (400 kg lift) you'd get these STR scores:

 

* 2 members = 800 kg (25 STR)

* 3 members = 1200 kg (28 STR)

* 4 members = 1600 kg (30 STR)

* 5 members = 2000 kg (~32 STR)

 

You could substitute Blast, Only to Cause Knockback for the TK, Only to Throw Targets Away From Center of Cyclone.

[CoreBrute]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

Perhaps take the ritual limitation from Fantasy hero (p135). It's for spells that require multiple casters, but should work for this attack.

 

For 5 people it's a 3/4 limitation. All the players would buy the power but would only be able to use it together. The damage might or might not stack, GM call.

[Certified]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

Whirlwind Pyramid: Energy Blast 8d6, Hole In The Middle (+1/4), Explosion (+1/2), Double Knockback (+3/4) (100 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll (Teamwork; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Must be used in conjunction with other team members Whirlwind Pyramid; -1/2), Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2)

 

Real Cost: 33

 

This build represents the a basic power each of the team members would purchase. Using the teamwork rules the 8d6 is enough to send just about anything flying when all 5 members are in the pyramid. The GM may rule that they can combine their damage total for things like breaking barriers as they do things like easily shred through steel plate but when used against oppentes it doesn't seem to have this destructive an effect. I might allow this with a custom +1/2 Advantage. That wold bring the finial cost to: Active Cost: 120 Real Cost: 40.

 

Members of the team would likely need Teamwork skills in the low to mid twenties to pull this off consistently. That doesn't seem to be out of line for the characters.

[Matt Holck]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

4d6 PhB

x4 knockback +1.5

explosion x4 radius +1

self immune +0.25

(20+2.75=75)

 

 

 

a 2d6 base would be more cost effective but too erratic to simulate an area effect wind blast

 

 

 

 

Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2)

excuse me?

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

There's also some flight involved with this maneuver; in the opening sequence

of BotP, the WP is shown rising upward past the hordes of faceless minions,

only to break apart once the team had gotten past them.

 

Aside from that small omission on my part, what's been posted so far looks good.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Certified]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

There's also some flight involved with this maneuver; in the opening sequence

of BotP, the WP is shown rising upward past the hordes of faceless minions,

only to break apart once the team had gotten past them.

 

Aside from that small omission on my part, what's been posted so far looks good.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

 

This could simply be a flight linked the power.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

I pondered this a while back while trying to figure out how to do a conglomerate weapon like the Power Rangers' Power Blaster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlNzTnqMfoo

 

My thinking for the Whirlwind is something on the order of...

Xd6 EB, AE Radius, Personally Immune, Usable by 1 other, miscellaneous limitations to taste. This helps split up the cost amongst the team; I haven't seen that show since the seventies, so I can't recall if smaller units could perform the attack with weaker results (but hey, who cares about canon?).

[Duke Bushido]

Re: Whirlwind Pyramid (a.k.a. Tornado Fighter) attack: how would you write this up?

 

Wow! That just _looked_ like a flat-out 1980s toy commercial!