Initiative & Actions in Mental Combat

[bigdamnhero]

Yeah, I know we don't use the I-Word in Hero, but you get the idea.

 

Per 6e2 p49 (or CC p144) a character using a Mental Power uses his EGO instead of DEX to determine when he acts in a Phase. It also notes that if a character wants to take any physical actions first, he must wait until his DEX to act.

 

Question 1: Say a mentalist has 20 EGO and 15 DEX. If the character makes a mental attack on 20, can he still make a 1/2 move or other physical action on 15? Or has the attack action ended his Phase as normal? If the latter, it seems to defeat most of the benefit of letting mentalists act on their EGO if they only get to use non-attack powers then.

 

Question 2: Slightly more complicated. Say the character has 3 SPD normally, and +3 SPD only to act with Mental Powers (ala Menton in CV1). On Phase 5 he Aborts to Dodge - a physical action. His next Phase is Phase 6 but he only has a mental action on that Phase; his next physical action isn't until Phase 8. So does he lose his Phase 6, but can act normally (both physical & mental) on Phase 8? Or if he does lose his Physical action on Phase 8, can he act mentally on either Phase 6 or Phase 8?

 

Question 2b: Slight variation just to make sure I'm clear. Same situation, but on Phase 5 he Aborts to a defensive mental action. Am I correct that he would then lose his (mental only) Phase 6, and be able to act both physically and mentally on Phase 8?

 

Thanks,

[Steve Long]

Ehhh, "initiative" is as good a shorthand for the subject as any.

 

1. If a character with a Mental Power chooses to act on his EGO to make an attack with that power, the Attack Action ends his Phase just like any other Attack Action would. After attacking he cannot make a Half Move or perform any other Actions other than those which take no time.

 

2. If a character buys extra SPD with a Limitation (such as Menton’s “Only To Use Mental/Telekinetic Powers”), and he Aborts one of his standard Phases to take a defensive action of any sort, the Phase lost is his very next one, whether it’s one of his standard Phases or one of his “extra,” Limited Phases. (The GM is, of course, free to change this rule based on the nature of his campaign, the special effect of the extra SPD, or the like.)