Omni-gadgets -- how Batman abuses Summon in 5th edition

[Tasha]

To be fair, there are often several different ways to do the same thing in the HERO system.  (As my former boss likes to say, "There's many ways to get to Toledo."  Why someone would want to go to Toledo, I don't know, but that's neither here nor there.) 

 

I remember having an online argument with Champsguy many, many years ago about his build for a character with "invulnerable armor plates" over nearly all of his body.  Rather than having a ton of armor, he bought a relatively normal amount of defenses plus a bunch of levels in DCV, the special effect of which was that the shots don't miss, but rather bounce off his armor plates.  AoE damage, plus targeted attacks from a sufficiently accurate foe, would get through the gaps between plates.  It took me a while to realize that his build wasn't wrong, it just wasn't how I would have written it up.

 

That "many ways" versatility is one of the strengths, and potentially one of the weaknesses, of the HERO system.  It's both a blessing and a curse.

 

My only real argument is that the OP's idea isn't really a legal way to use Summon. That VPP is what one is supposed to use for a versatile set of powers (if Multipower is too restrictive). Summon is technically for People/Animals etc. Powers/foci etc are a VPP. VPP's are quite expensive in 5e, but that's fixed in 6e. 

[massey]

If it works for your group, that's all that really matters.

 

My opinions tend to stick to RAW, I can be a real sick in the mud that way. Though it may be showing some weakness as to how the system deals with Summon, Buying Vehicles, Allies, Bases etc. 

 

I really find it annoying when a system has a slightly different system to handle stuff that when you look closely at them really seem to do the same thing. Hero has a bunch of these exceptions and they make the rules harder to understand/remember/use.

 

 

My only real argument is that the OP's idea isn't really a legal way to use Summon. That VPP is what one is supposed to use for a versatile set of powers (if Multipower is too restrictive). Summon is technically for People/Animals etc. Powers/foci etc are a VPP. VPP's are quite expensive in 5e, but that's fixed in 6e. 

 

 

Well, other than Summoning a focus (which might still be okay), and our homemade "no time delay" +1 advantage, I think it is perfectly book legal.  I'm looking at 5 EDr, page 222.  The power description says "A character with Summon can summon a being from another location or plane of existence, or create certain types of beings or objects" (emphasis added).  Page 223: "With the GM's permission, a character can use Summon to 'create' inanimate objects defined with Character Points (such as vehicles and bases).

 

So, Batman's super-explosive batarang could easily be written up as:

 

"Invisible Batarang Thrower"

 

Str 10

Dex 30

Con 10

Body 10

Int 10

Ego 10

Pre 10

Com 10

PD 2

ED 2

Spd 6

Rec 4

End 20

Stun 20

 

Invisible to all sense groups

 

15D6 EB, Explosion (+1/2), 1 charge (-2), using attack dispels Invisible Batarang Thrower (-2)

 

 

 

 

 

I think I can get around the "full phase" problem with creative uses of the Trigger Advantage.  So add Trigger to the 15D6 EB Explosion, Trigger - action that takes no time (when summoned) +1/2.  And add it to the Summon as well so it doesn't take an action (Trigger is whatever condition I want +1/2, Trigger resets automatically +1/2).  It was simpler to me to just use a blanket +1 homebrew advantage to make it work how I wanted.

[Hyper-Man]

Kinda looks like a vehicle to me.

 

go to 1:30

 

[st barbara]

 Unfortunately it is mostly a comic "book of lists" but I recently purchased a book entitled "Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent ?" by Brian Cronin. The first list is "Ten Crazy Items found on Batman's utility belt".