HD: Advanced Player's Guide I & II Powers

[SangurianSoul]

Im terribly sorry if this has been discussed before, but i simply could not get a good search result to find the answer.

 

Where or how, do you access the additional powers in the ADV guides in HERO Designer? I see Possession, but where are the Powers such as Extra-Dimensional Space or Probability Alteration? I am still getting used to using HERO Designer, but i wanted to use it help speed up character creation math and double check some of the player characters i have in my game. Which, currently, i have players using the previously mentioned powers.

[Simon]

Abilities in APG I & II are not part of HERO System cannon.  They generally fall into two categories:

 

1. Abilities that are specialized builds of existing Powers. These can be modeled in HD the same as any other ability -- write them up the same way they are presented in the book (purchasing the standard base Power, assigning Modifiers, etc.).  Often you'll need to use a Custom Modifier, but that's kind of the nature of the APG.

2. Abilities that have no equivalent base Power in HERO System. These are rare, but they do come up.  You'd need to create a custom rules template in HD to model these (the rules templates are where HD gets the definition/setup of all abilities).

[SangurianSoul]

Okay, thank you, ill work on that. I guess with Possession being listed i was confused why the others weren't.

[SangurianSoul]

If i may pick your brain for a moment, i have a player with an old fantasy troll character. Stone skin and all that. I have Density Increase and Growth on him. Both 0 END, Persistent, Inherent, Always On. The Density increase properly increases the Characteristics, but the Growth does not. Nor can i find the option or checkbox like Den-Inc has in its power options.

 

Is it because its technically a size buff? am i missing an option? or is this just something the player has to keep track of separately?

[Simon]

Let's start with the basics:  under 6E, Growth is not a level-based Power (i.e. it's not purchased as +X for every Y points) -- it has discrete increments defined.  Density Increase, on the other hand, remains a level-based Power.  That is the reason for the difference in how they act relative to automatically adding to Characteristics.

 

That said, what you're doing is incorrect and not in accordance with the rules of the system.  Density Increase is meant for characters that can change their density.  Characters that are always dense simply purchase the relevant bonuses (and take the relevant Complications).  Similarly, Growth is meant for characters that can change their size -- characters that are just big (always) purchase the relevant bonuses and take the relevant Complications to reflect their size.

[SangurianSoul]

Ahha, okay. I see what your saying there.

 

Okay, i think i see what you mean. I am relearning the system after a good number of years (from back when it was just "Champions") and trying to teach it to six others, so it been a little nuts.

 

AH! Size and Weight Templates! i found them, alright yes. this is much better that messing with the powers. okay. 

 

Thank you!

 

Sorry, another quick question here, im just happy to finally be getting to the bottom of some of these issues with someone who really knows the system. the character has a roar, that adds +30 to PRE for a PRE attack only. So i purchased the +30 PRE with Extra Time (-1/2) and Costs END (-1/4)to simulate the effort in the action. Am i doing this right? I feel there needs to be something with the "Only with PRE attacks" or some such here. Also, im getting a Real Cost of 4 points from the Designer and i truly dont understand how the Designer is coming to that conclusion.

[Simon]

Adding "Only with PRE Attacks" is up to you/the GM.  I've seen it in the past at up to a -1 Limitation, but that's more about how prevalent PRE attacks are going to be in the campaign (as in: how often not having +30 PRE for defense against attacks is going to matter) and how limiting you see it in light of the existing Limitations on the ability.

 

As for the cost, it sounds like you've checked off "add Modifiers to base Characteristic" -- that means that _all_ of the character's PRE has Extra Time and Costs END to use (not just the +30).  Uncheck that box (so that the Modifiers apply only to the +30 PRE) and it should have a cost of 17 points.

[SangurianSoul]

Mmkay, yes i think on that.

 

I did! okay now that i see that the math adds up now. Goodness this has been a journey. Thank you so much!

[Brian Stanfield]

2 hours ago, Aaron S. said:

Mmkay, yes i think on that.

 

I did! okay now that i see that the math adds up now. Goodness this has been a journey. Thank you so much!

 

If you have more questions about rules and what not, try the Hero System Discussion thread. Lots of good explanations and ideas there!

[megaplayboy]

I'm just going to bump this to ask whether anyone has tweaked the rules templates to add all or most of the APG abilities.  

[HeroGM]

Some yes and I'd have to find it. The issue on some of it is I had to go into the Java files and add things so that I can't share here.