Basically

[Lucius]

The last time I really looked at the base rules was in 4th edition.  From what I remember, 5th didn't change them much, if at all.  I don't play 6th and so don't know what happened with that.

 

But from my experience, bases are one of the things that are hard to get "right" in Hero.  There's a fine line between a base being a useless waste of points, and being ungodly powerful.  There are some pretty simple tricks to abusing the base rules.  You can get things a lot cheaper than it first appears.  I like to buy a character's "gadget pool" (particularly one that can only change in the lab) through the base.  That gives you basically a 5 for 1 discount on those powers.  Another good one is to buy the size of the base up much larger than you need and take (I believe it's called) "sectional defenses" on the actual 'base' part of your base.  If it's actually going to be any sort of fortress you can get a great price break on its Def and Body that way.

 

Anyway, in the end I don't think they're balanced properly and so I try to avoid them now.  You either end up with some crappy place that you never want to use, or a super-fortress that you never want to leave.

It's already been pointed out, the Gadget Pool doesn't necessarily work off-base. So maybe you're off-base with that in more than one sense.

 

As for the Limited Coverage exploit, I don't yet see how to prevent that without effectively ruling that the entire base has to have the same DEF and BOD.

 

As long as you recognize that they are both book legal. There are a lot of things that GMs say "no" to, for game balance.

 

 I don't think your first suggestion IS legal.

 

A base is an infinitely vulnerable dependent susceptible to everything that endangers your SID, exposes you to new weaknesses, and it still costs you CP?

 

I never understood why Bases weren't complications that you got points for taking on the burden of owning.

 

You CAN do it that way. But then you are guaranteeing that it WILL be a complication. Conversely, if you pay points for it, you should get the appropriate benefits - but there are REASONS it comes with a 5 for 1 built in cost break.

 

 

Dependent "NPC": "Baby's got a secret lair, Baby's got an army there" Infrequently (As powerful as the PC; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills)

 

For effectively zero points, this gets you a base built on the same points as your character - but it's going to be problematic at least as often as it is helpful.

 

 

Dependent "NPC": "I'd burn the place down for the insurance, if anyone would insure it." Very Frequently (Incompetent)(25 pts)

 

For a 25 pt Complication, you get a base built on -20 pts that causes trouble constantly in one way or another.

 

 

 

Aren't there meaningful drawbacks to such a tiered construction method?  Seems like someone wanting to infiltrate the base would have an easier time with the discounted 'outer perimeter' which would in turn suggest easier access to the security system connected to both.  Just spitballing here...

That's assuming there is a security system, and that it's connected to both.

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Securing a palindromedary