Need Help with Low-powered supers

[JPicasso]

It's been a while since I played HERO and trying to get a grasp of power levels and points.

 

What we're looking for is lower-powered heros, basically 2nd string supers.

I've played 5th 350 pt supers and that was well and good (more points than this, but fun), but trying to get a handle on how far to scale back for 6th. If 350 is about a 15% increase to 400 points, would a 250 point super in 5th be good for 285 pt hero in 6th?

 

So if I were to run 285 points in 6th, what are some good limits on APs and ocv's?

 

Sorry for the lame question, trying to convert some M&M players to HERO.

 

Thanks!

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

check out TEEN CHAMPIONS for a low power level or DARK CHAMPIONS

[JPicasso]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

I was hoping to get some numbers to work with.

 

I just got 6th ed vol 1 & 2.

 

Other books I have are Ninja hero 5th, sidekick 5th and HERO system 4th.

 

Mostly the numbers I have to use are based on 400 point heros with ocvs 8-11, which is going to be too high for what we want to play.

 

Thanks

[BNakagawa]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Simple answer: Build a sample character of 285 points and let your players scale their PCs to that one.

 

Envision what average SPD, CVs, DCs, Defs and skill levels you think your game should have. Built it. Let your players add to some things and subtract from others to make their PCs.

 

If CV 8-11 is too high for your game, make a sample character with CVs of 6.

If 12d6 is too much, give the sample character 8d6. Or less.

Scale Defenses to DCs.

[JPicasso]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

yes, I suppose that is a logical way about it.

 

I was perusing the Dark CHampions board and I think DC is really what I'm aiming for, but less dark and more like, mid-afternoon, party cloudy.

 

I hope they are going to release a DC book for 6th.

[Tasha]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

It's been a while since I played HERO and trying to get a grasp of power levels and points.

 

What we're looking for is lower-powered heros, basically 2nd string supers.

I've played 5th 350 pt supers and that was well and good (more points than this, but fun), but trying to get a handle on how far to scale back for 6th. If 350 is about a 15% increase to 400 points, would a 250 point super in 5th be good for 285 pt hero in 6th?

 

So if I were to run 285 points in 6th, what are some good limits on APs and ocv's?

 

Sorry for the lame question, trying to convert some M&M players to HERO.

 

Thanks!

 

First, I would like to direct you to 6e1(Sixth Edition rulebook 1) pgs 34 and 35 those are the "Official" recommendations for "Low Powered Superheroic" 300pts (inc 60pts in Complications). The next page gives good guidelines for Characteristic values.

 

I would recommend avg DC 8 attacks, max DC 10, def from 16-25. Avg Dex 18 max dex 23, avg spd 4, 5-6 max

 

you should be able to come up with the rest

 

BTW I started by figuring DC 8 attacks, then I multiplied it by 2 to get the defense min of 16, then multiplied the max DC 10 by 2.5 to get the max def of 25.

 

For spd I took my average "normal superheroic game" SPD 5 and decreased it by one to show that these heroes aren't as heroic as normal champions heroes. Took the avg 23 dex down to 18 for the same reason. Made the max 23 for those martial artists and Speedsters.

 

The rest of the stuff is in the 6e book.

 

Tasha

 

PS the DCx2=Def min and DCx2.5=Def Max were values recommended in the 4e rulebook. It's a great rule of thumb and a good way to reality check the powerlevels of both your heroes and Villains. Also remember that 1d6 rolls 3.5 on average (ie 10d6 Energy blast does 35stun on average). So you can look at an attack and figure out what damage it does on average and compare it to the targets defense. ie a person who has a def of 25 would take 10 stun (dc 10x2.5) which would take 3 hits to Knockout a target with 30stun. A person with a con of 15 wouldn't be stunned by the attack unless the person rolled very well.

[Kal'El Wayne]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Personally, if I wanted to try something like Dark Champions but not so dark and gritty, I'd just have the players make Dark Champions characters, but to fit the style. So if one of your players writes up 'The Punisher' simply change it from 'Military Psycho With Military Assault Rifle' to 'Supersoldier with laser rifle'.

 

But on the whole, I'd say 200 points with up to 50 points of disads. Then apply a maximum of about 50 AP per power. Then demand that everyone take at least ten points of 'Code VS Killing'.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

good thinking kal'el

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

One suggestion from Dark Champions 4e is any power above your suggested ap limit (say 50 pts) the character should have a minimum 0f -1/4 limitation per additional 10 pts.

[Cassandra]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Most of my characters are 250. I prefer building low powered characters. They are fairly easy to increase points with.

[Cassandra]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Most of the characters I've been are 250 Points.

[Epic Legand]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

I think the numbers you are working with are fine, though with 6E, 300 is probably closer to where you want to be(=250 in 5E). I never liked the arbatry limit of 23 dex though, now it is no longer linked to OCV/DCV... so it is not nearly as powerful as in 5E. Don't forget people now have to pay for all the stats they got for free before. I would build at least 3 char before setting my limits. A Brick, a Blaster and a Martial Artist. Remember, you will make char with your own tastes in mind, but your players will have there own style. Make them conform to the power level of your world, but please do not make them have to be clones of your STYLE. Good luck.

[JPicasso]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Good points EL, but too late! the players are not familiar with the HERO system at all. One played a few games of CHAMPIONS in the time before, but not since.

I settled on 225 point characters who are all very different, but since I created the characters from their descriptions they all feel cool, but certainly all my STYLE.

 

I think we will play a few more times and as they become familiar with the rules, they can rebuild or create a new char as they want.

And I do like the disconnect from DEX. The powersuit character has a 10 dex and 8 str, and is one of the heavy hitters in the group.

[AnotherSkip]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

tis easier to give points than take them away....

[RexMundi]

Re: Need Help with Low-powered supers

 

Aye....I would call my current 6e game, Main Arc, Low Powered Supers........even though they get all 400 6e points to play with, they only start with 275 and matching complications, and Earn the remaining 125 in game play.......on top of that, Normal Human Characteristic Maxima is part of the campaign setting, hence, you get far more Hugo Danner and Less Superman......In a sense, they have more Points to play with, but the NHCM, keeps the rest of the issue, contained.

 

~Rex....there's other things as well.......but that's the foundation of it.