Force Field

[Laundry Knight]

I am trying build a character that can erect a force determined as a solid light shroud with 20 PD/20 ED. It requires an activation with no role and no endurance cost to erect but does use endurance when it is struck. How is the best way to build that? I looked Endurance Limitation. It looks like the middle option of "power cost END every phase the character uses it" -1/2 would work, but I am not entirely sure if I am reading that correctly.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Force Field

 

Resistant Defenses is a Game Mechanic (Effect), Discription the SFX, and Costs Endurance at either Full End or Half End is a Game Mechanic for a Force Field makes sense to me. Add Impermiable to Force Field is a cool SFX.

 

IMOHO

 

QM

[CptPatriot]

Re: Force Field

 

In the APG 62, they refer that very way of writing up that sort of defense. It is referred to as "Damage-Based Endurance Cost". It is either -1/4 or -1/2, depending on how much END you pay which is based on the active cost of the defense.

[Christopher]

Re: Force Field

 

Unfortunately the "drains generators if Strained and Can be broken" Forcefields do not work in hero very well. Almost all ways end with you paying more for less effect. But then again, it hardly needs to because of the way defenses work (the "Shields at 56%" stuff is mostly interesting for Cinematic effect anyway).

All what I say now is true for 6E:

 

The two most common base powers for "Forcefields" are either Resistant Protection or Barrier. I also thought about using Damage negation for Star Trek like Shields.

 

Resistant Protection, Cost Endurance to maintain:

Is the Superheroic way for 95% of all "personal Forcefields". The defense Provided just adds to the other defenses (like a suite or Armor, tough skin or Combat Luck). The only way to weaken it is Drain. The total defense must still abide to the campaign/archetype limits (Forcefield is a weaker defense, as it costs endurance to maintain).

You might be able to just take Resistant Protection defined as Forcefields without the limitaiton (it has it's own powersource). The rules very often speak of "Resistant Protection that costs Endurance" whenever they meant "Resistant protection defined as Forcefield".

 

Barrier:

It allows you to protect others. The Barrier has a Defense and a Body - so a attack can pass through partially without shattering the barrier. The barriers defense adds to the targets defense.

A barrier blocks attacks like a wall, including a lot of attacks it does not provides defense and that don't do body damage (wich means they can't break the barrier). They also hinder yourself from attacking (you need either the Indirect Advantage on the Attack or one-way Transparent on the barrier).

To make "Energy Only" Shields, you can use "Two-way Transparent" (APG II 23).

For a Star Trek Like shield you could use a Barrier, Mobile, Non-Anchored, Cost Endurance to maintain, Limited Shape + a Endurance Reserve. Every time the shield get's penetrated/his body damage (and a phase is ready) the Shield Computer or Shield Controller just stops using the Power and restarts it immediately (restore the Shield facing to full strenght). That way attacks (that overcome the Shields defense) force you to pay the activation cost again (from the Shield generator endurance Reserve), representing a gradual degration of the shield.

 

Damage Negation:

Intersting Idea for certain personal Shields. The Problem with Resistant Protection is that it does not stops Knockback. Damage Negation affects the Number of Dice Rolled/DC used directly. It also affects some AVAD's that Resistant protection ignores.

Downsides are that the math can be annoying with Advantaged Attacks and especiall Area of Effects and that it is somewhat weak against Autofire attacks.

 

In the APG 62' date=' they refer that very way of writing up that sort of defense. It is referred to as "Damage-Based Endurance Cost". It is either -1/4 or -1/2, depending on how much END you pay which is based on the active cost of the defense.[/quote']

Would be one idea worth looking. However the power costs Endurance to Activate (none to Maintain) and the Enduranc Cost/Hit isn't based on effect stopped, but the total STUN in the attack - 50 Stun vs. 10 Defense still costs END for 50 Stun, not the 10 that are stopped.

 

 

Asuming this is for a Superhero, you should just go for plain "Resistant Protection, Costs Endurance to maintain" as every published Character with a Forcefield has. As Forcefields don't have a "stops all, must be worn down" aspect in HERO, that works pertty well.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Force Field

 

I'd just go with -1/4 (the same as Cost END only to Activate) and specify that it costs END each time it takes a hit. It's actually more limiting than the "Only to Activate" version which costs the same, so most GMs shouldn't have a problem with that.

[Laundry Knight]

Re: Force Field

 

Thanks! And, it also sounds like I need to put the APG on the top of my to buy list. Just about everyone and everything seem to refer to it.