Champions Powers book issues...

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

Deflection - definitely right. I'd suggest those characters should reinvest the Deflection points into levels with Blocking ranged attacks.

 

Unfortunately, my biggest criticism of 6e materials to date is that they seem only to be updating 5e characters as literally as possible to 6e. There's no real use of the added flexibility 6e offers (eg. OCV's and DCV's not moving in lockstep; de-linking figured characteristics).

 

I had that concern from the sample characters in the 6e books, when it was noted that even though we no longer needed high DEX to be combat-effective, none of the sample characters' DEXes declined from 5e, so the norm was once again established as "heros of all types and SFX all have comparatively high DEX". For all the arguments that de-linking figured's provided more options (and I believe they do - the wily but not combative rogue, and the slow, lumbering, very skilled warrior, for example), 6e products to date seem to have done very little to demonstrate or utilize those new options.

 

The books to date seem focused on showing how well 6e can be used to simulate 5e, with little or no effort to show off the new features of 6e, and sell the merits of the new edition.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

Here's another observation. Judging by the number of times a Deflection power has a description similar to "To protect himself"' date=' it looks likely that someone keeps forgetting that you don't actually need Deflection to do that anymore. For example, [i']Heavy Missiles[/i] (pp86) uses it with the description that the missiles "... aimed at him ... fall to the ground before they strike him"; Dimensional Point Defence says that the character can "... keep them from striking him."

 

I'm not wrong about this, am I? As I understand it, in 6e you can block ranged attacks aimed at you without any specific power. (Yes, it says that some GMs might require you to have a shield or something, but I'm assuming that most superheroes are going to be able to do that innately - after all, many of them are stronger than shield materials). Deflection is just if you want to block ranged attacks against someone else now, right?

 

I think that blocking a ranged attack would have to require an explanation. If your character can ignore the damage, why bother blocking the attack? Ozymandias aside, if you character is vulnerable to the attack, how would you be able to block it? I always thought of that stunt as Missle Deflection anyway.

 

To my mind, this sort of Block must be inherently less reliable than Missle Deflection. Otherwise, why have the power at all? Does Wonder Woman not need to buy Missle Deflection in 6E. Can she just buy Levels with Block to simulate her bracelets?

[GAZZA]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

I think that blocking a ranged attack would have to require an explanation. If your character can ignore the damage' date=' why bother blocking the attack? Ozymandias aside, if you character is vulnerable to the attack, how would you be able to block it? I always thought of that stunt as Missle Deflection anyway.[/quote']

In order:

• Why bother blocking? So you can Reflect it would be the main reason. But basically if you can visualise people blocking HTH attacks that they could ignore, then there really is no difference with ranged attacks - which I assume was the reasoning Steve used.
  
• How would you be able to block it? Well, you've taken Ozymandias off the table, I see, but this is really a kind of weird question. Prior to 6e you'd have had some idea how you could use Missile Deflection to block attacks. Well, the only difference is in 6e you can do it without that power - so take your pick: Superman catching the bullet, the Flash flicking it out of the way, Charlene pyrokinetically blowing it up - whatever you like.
  

 

To my mind, this sort of Block must be inherently less reliable than Missle Deflection. Otherwise, why have the power at all? Does Wonder Woman not need to buy Missle Deflection in 6E. Can she just buy Levels with Block to simulate her bracelets?

In 6e, Wonder Woman indeed would just buy block levels. Missile Deflection now is the power you use if you want to block at range (ie block attacks against other people); you don't need a power to block ranged attackers where you are the target.

 

Now, if you're saying that this is weird and you prefer it the old way - well, I can't say that I totally disagree, and as I pointed out it would seem even Steve forgot that you didn't need Missile Deflection when writing Champions Powers. But as written, the 6e rules don't need Missile Deflection unless you want to block ranged attacks against other people.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

In order:

• Why bother blocking? So you can Reflect it would be the main reason. But basically if you can visualise people blocking HTH attacks that they could ignore, then there really is no difference with ranged attacks - which I assume was the reasoning Steve used.
   
  
• How would you be able to block it? Well, you've taken Ozymandias off the table, I see, but this is really a kind of weird question. Prior to 6e you'd have had some idea how you could use Missile Deflection to block attacks. Well, the only difference is in 6e you can do it without that power - so take your pick: Superman catching the bullet, the Flash flicking it out of the way, Charlene pyrokinetically blowing it up - whatever you like.
  

 

I need to read this section of 6E. You can reflect without the power now as well, huh? That just totally nerfs that whole power set. It used to be this cool thing that only a few characters could do. Now it seems that a Viper Agent with a lucky roll can snatch a bullet out of the air. Whahoppen?

 

 

In 6e, Wonder Woman indeed would just buy block levels. Missile Deflection now is the power you use if you want to block at range (ie block attacks against other people); you don't need a power to block ranged attackers where you are the target.

 

Now, if you're saying that this is weird and you prefer it the old way - well, I can't say that I totally disagree, and as I pointed out it would seem even Steve forgot that you didn't need Missile Deflection when writing Champions Powers. But as written, the 6e rules don't need Missile Deflection unless you want to block ranged attacks against other people.

 

Yeah, I guess I prefer it the old way at first blush. I still have to find about a week to devote to reading 6E. I have only recently resigned myself to switching over, and I've only been able to get through about twenty pages of Book 1.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

You can reflect without the power now as well' date=' huh? That just totally nerfs that whole power set. It used to be this cool thing that only a few characters could do. Now it seems that a Viper Agent with a lucky roll can snatch a bullet out of the air. Whahoppen?[/quote']

Well, you can reflect without Deflection, but you still need Reflection (on top of a successful Block) to reflect. Deflection and Reflection are now separate Powers, and Reflection is bought based on the Active Points in the Attack Power (though you have a reduced chance to reflect attacks that are above the power level you bought it for).

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

Deflection allows the character to block Ranged attacks at range. It probably assumes you're using some aspect of your other Powers to do it (i.e. Telekinetic Deflection, Point Defense Lasers, Arrow Deflection Spell, etc.)

 

6E2 p. 59 details how characters can block Ranged attacks, without Deflection. Tl;dr: it's up to the GM; common sense, dramatic* sense, and game balance, apply.

 

* I typoed this as "dramagic" and thought it needed to be preserved.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Champions Powers book issues...

 

Oh, and note that--ironically due to the Powers' history--you cannot use Deflection and Reflection together; you can only reflect attacks blocked with a normal Block maneuver (not at range).