Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

[Epiphanis]

I made a little Excel spreadsheet to help balance out attacks by cross indexing the attacker's SPD and modified offensive CV to find a balanced level of Active Points for the attack power. I used defaults assuming a campaign with median attack power of 60 APs, SPD of 5, and modified OCV/DCV (factoring in CSLs) of 10, which I believe is about right for published Champions Universe materials. You can modify these defaults for your own campaign.

 

The spreadsheet is macroless in the ZIP file. I also included a picture of the output table. Anybody with knowledge of Excel and interest in such things is invited to examine and critique the formulae I used. Otherwise, feel free to use it to help you balance encounters. I believe the text box in the spreadsheet adequately explains its use.

 

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[Kap]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

Nice job.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

Interesting.

 

How would you apply that to characters with Overall Levels built as a slot inside of a Power Framework?

(ex: my versions of Captain Marvel/Shazam, Flash, Superman and Wonder Woman).

[Epiphanis]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

I guess that depends on what you are using the spreadsheet for. I meant it largely as a generic tool to approximately judge relative damage output of different character builds, compared to an abstract median target. You could, however, use it to assay the average damage output of specific attacks against specific opponents. For the former, just use the highest possible modified OCV against a hypothetical average opponent. For the latter, you can calculate the specific CV being used with a particular attack, figuring in the exact skill levels and maneuver modifiers being used, as well as an equally specifivic defensive CV for a particular target.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

I'm sorry if my questions sound critical and please just ignore me (like most folks do ) if this seems like a derail. I really do appreciate the effort involved with such an endeavor.

 

I'm just curious about how best to apply any such a tool when looking at characters constructed with such out of the ordinary builds inside of frameworks.

 

In addition to the Overall Levels I mentioned before, most of the example characters I mentioned also have a super-speed sfx HA w/AOE 1 Hex Accurate that can be Blocked (and Dodged where the Dodge bonus only adds to the 'Base Hex DCV' of 3). Technically, they can use the Advantaged HA without also using the power-based Overall Levels (choosing instead to use their remaining VPP Pool points towards another ability altogether like movement or extra defenses). The Superman and Captain Marvel examples in particular have several ways the controlling player/gm can choose between having the characters fill the combat archtype of lesser-speedster (movement + better chance to hit or not be hit by targets) OR classic-brick (higher defenses + tougher attacks).

 

More generally, it seems that determining what is Average or Median is the real question to begin with when building any type of 'rule of x' formula.

 

Isn't it safe to say that at a certain point, a high relative DCV becomes indistinguishable from a high relative defense? How does Block and Dodge figure into that considering they require an Attack Action to use? What about a Power that increases Defense or DCV? Where does high END usage become a factor? (especially with powers built with Costs END to Activate inside of a framework slot).

 

I think it's pretty safe to say that Everything is connected.

Some characters will have framework based power sets that force some tactical choices on what they are currently good at (and not so good at). This is similar but not quite as drastic as the choices Ultra-Boy of the Legion of Superheroes has to make all the time. Any VPP based Green Lantern build will bring the same kind of game-time choices as well.

 

My goal is to find the best formal methodology to fairly compare these swiss-army-knife characters to more traditionally constructed ones so any efforts such as yours are appreciated.

[Ndreare]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

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A long time ago someone (I think Lord Laiden) posted the attached sheet which takes all that into account.

 

I see both as having advantages, the one here works great for looking at NPC's and basic characters from the books. But Players tend to make complicated characters so perhaps this one would work better.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

Yeah, I've seen that one before as well. I don't have office installed on the pc I'm currently using and i'm not sure if it works correctly with openoffice.org.

I don't believe it takes into account the tradeoffs of abilities contained in frameworks vs. all usable simultaneously (where appropriate of course).

[Ndreare]

Re: Spreadsheet for balancing SPD, CV and AP strength of attacks

 

It does a pretty good job at counting the advantages of versatility, and raw powers versus multipower/VPP are accounted by point total. As a disadvantage while you can figure out AP Calculator v1 Hero in 30 seconds it takes about 5-10 minutes to fill out Efficiency Rating.xls