Reskinning Killing Attacks

[Sean Waters]

My take is this: if something is going to do more damage it should cost more AND if something is labeled a killing attack it should not be doing more STUN than a normal attack with any frequency, but a reasonable amount as getting cut up hurts.

 

I have never liked the volatility of the KA mechanism, even as it is nerfed in 6e.

 

I come back to the question "What is a KA for?" and the answer I have is to cause Body damage.  There are plenty of mechanisms to do that in Hero without KAs and there are better mechanisms if we want something new: for example - you can buy your Killing dice to Penetrate or Damage for 4 points per 1d6, so for 60 points you could have 12d6 penetration and 3d6 damage, for example.  If the penetration dice get through defences then the damage dice take full effect, otherwise it bounces.  If the Stun is exceeded but not the Body, you only take Stun damage.

 

E.G. Omnicide attacks Horus with the above attack.  Horus has 20 DEF, 10 of which is resistant.  Roll 12d6, it easily tops his normal and resistant defences so he takes 3d6 damage (3 Body and 10/11 Stun on average).  With a 'current' 4d6 KA he would suffer 4 Body and 8 Stun on average, but that is highly variable.  With a Normal attack he would suffer 0 Body and 22 Stun on average.

 

Killing Attack

 

Type:               Attack Power

Duration:         Instant

Target:            Target’s DCV

Range:            10m x base points

Costs END?:   Yes

Cost:                4 points per die

 

You may buy Killing Attack dice which you then divide into Penetration and Damage dice.  The ratio is set at creation.  You must allocate at least as many dice to Penetration as to Damage.  If you buy an advantage for the power you must apply it to all dice.

 

Using Killing Attack

Roll your Penetration dice.  If the total Body roll equals or exceeds the resistant defences of the target then all of the Damage dice apply.  If the Body total is less than the resistant defence of the target no damage applies.