Split Decision

Re: Interlock and the Outsiders

I can't wait!

Re: Ordeal

He is by design low-damage, with several types of 8DC attacks. He can reach most opponents, but he's not a cannon. If you look at the utility belt, he's got a real "utility belt" of attack powers.

In the campaign he was in, damage topped out (but is not capped) around 15 DC, and top-end base CV is 10. So he was close but not at the top of either. btw he was at the top SPD for PCs.

Re: Some Book Of The Machine Pages Posted

As handsome as any comic book. And lots of words, too. I'm thrilled.

Re: Child of Mine . . .

Looks like this promising thread needs a restart. Who wants to suggest the next pair?

Re: Innate Defense vs Power Limitations

Mechanon is a character. A toaster is an object. Although they are both made of basically the same stuff, the designation "character" makes all the difference.

I've recently had the pleasure to take a sneak peak at Inceptum Terminus, a new cross-genre sourcebook for HERO which is co-written by boardmate The Patriot.

Set in a post-catastrophe North America, Inceptum Terminus uses a backdrop familiar to those of us who have used Shadowrun and RIFTS to tell stories which will fit into different genres such as western, Mad Max, Clockwork Orange, superheroes (Called 'Gifted'), Dark Champions, high fantasy with swords and sorcery, and so forth, and gives us an opportunity to mix genres in an immersive, descriptive world which lends itself well to varied and rewarding role-playing.

As a sourcebook, much of the early chapters are devoted to developing the mood, which is overall dour and claustrophobic. Large social structures as we understand them today have collapsed and have been replaced by Corporate nation-state oligarchies represented by the various corporations. Much of the draft copy I consumed covered aspects of an individual's existence and the socio-political ramifications of the new social order. Presumably based upon what I have seen, the differences in totality, equality, freedom, and so forth will be delineated in various corporate territories in later chapters. I will be interested to see how the corporations relate to one another, but one thing is clear: regular human life has much less value in this apocolyptic world of the future than we are used to in the game worlds of most of the current genre sourcebooks.

The highlight of what I've seen so far for HERO number-wonks is a great variety of Package Deals, fully detailed, that allow you to plug into the world with its varied archetypes immediately. There are literally dozens of well thought out packages to buy, such as: Media Star, Bounty Hunter, Vehicle Combat Specialist, Corporate Police, Netrunner, Gnag Banger, Street King, and Fence. Additionally, there have been no rule variants or conventions as far as I can see that would disqualify your favorite character from being imported directly into the Inceptum Terminus world.

The only part that keeps me from recommending this book to everyone as a staple of their HERO library is that the background information seems a little stale. It is perfectly-executed, but I have a feeling that it could be done without too much ink, since we've basically seen it before- most completely in the Shadowrun books from the early 90s. But I will hold judgement on this, because there is plenty more to to be seen. Specifically in the chapter or chapters dedicated to the specifics of the various Corporations and their interrelation, there is great promise that this will not be a cookie-cutter world, but rather one with rich and valuable detail.

Re: What does 'Magic' mean to you?

I tend to think that magic fire that somehow does its damage in ways different from normal garden variety Smokey-the-Bear fire should probably involve a different build. Say' date=' a Drain vs. BODY or AVLD vs. Power Defense with the SFX of "flames."[/quote']

 

Agree.

Re: Supervillains and Philosophy Subtitle Suggestions

Supervillains and Philosophy: Why You Just Don't Get Us

Re: Heroes from All Fifty States

Place Holder for Oklahoma:

 

THE EXPRESS

 

Haymaker! has an exclusive interview with the Speedster

first, so we are contractually obligated to delay his publication...

That is a great costume and tagline. Well done.

Re: Recoil

Again, looks fine. And again, I urge you to fill in the Disads as best you can.

Re: Entangles that Hurt

Can you do that? Can you link a Damage Shield power to an Entangle?

I've never thought of it. Reading the description of the Damage Shield Advantage, it does not mention any way to separate the damage shield from the character it surrounds, although I have seen Damage Shields applied to Force Walls, and that seems to make sense.

I still don't know about Entangles, but it's a gut thing. Logically, it ought to work just fine.

Re: Continuing charges

Work from the effect back to the cause. Do you want the firey sword to ignite its target and make the target burn for some period of time? Or does the fire simply add damage to the sword's HKA?

Decide what it does, and we can build it. We have the character points (with apologies to Dust Raven).

Re: Immunity to Electric Attacks

All official writeups' date=' and the official -1/2 limitation, are assinine. Damage Reduction against all energy defense is worth considerably more than a 50%premium over damage reduction versus electricity only. Therefore, restricting it to Electricity Only should be a limitation far greater than -1/2.[/quote']

 

 

Agreed. Probably -1 to -2 depending upon how exotic the type of energy is.

Re: Heroes from All Fifty States

TURBO TWINS

are up for review. consider this a rough draft, I'm too tired to do anymore tonight.

they need an origin, or have they always been a speedster, like Dash Parr ?

Natural-born mutant sounds good to me. Being twinned is enough of an interesting origin.

This/these are well developed, both in terms of powers and in terms of characters. I like their many professional rivalries. My only negative criticism is that SPD 8 is probably unnessesary and would bog down a ftf or online game.

Re: Ordeal

Looks nice' date=' but why the 25 Dex?[/quote']

 

Simply to give room to grow. This is a "Batman: Year Two" version of Ordeal, as reflected in some of his hinky stats and his 8 DC main attack. He was originally a 150 + 100 4e character and gained something like 75 XP over the course of that particular campaign, but also gained new Hunteds and a new DNPC... so I rewrote him as a 350, and have not had a chance to play him yet.

 

Additionally, he'd not meant to be a straight martial artist, a straight weapons master, or a straight superskilled detective; he's a Swiss Army knife. He does a lot of things, but does not outshine any dedicated archetype.

With special thanks for the name to Balabanto

Ordeal

R. Patrick Kelly

Val Char Cost

25 STR 15

25 DEX 45

20 CON 20

15 BODY 10

18 INT 8

14 EGO 8

15 PRE 5

10 COM 0

15 PD 10

11 ED 7

6 SPD 25

9 REC 0

40 END 0

38 STUN 0

10" RUN 8

2" SWIM

5" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 161

Cost Power END

27 Utility Belt Multipower, OIF (-1/2) (collection of OAFs), 40-pt Reserve

1u Tangleweb minigrenades: 4d6 4 DEF Entangle, 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1)

1u Combat disks: 8d6 EB vs. PD, 2 recoverable charges (-1), OAF (-1)

1u Weakness dart gun: 2 1/2d6 Drain vs Strength, Ranged (+1/2), Not vs. targets with full-coverage rPD (-1/4), OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-3/4)

1u Chemical gun: 1d6 RKA vs. PD, Penetrating (+1/2), AoE: 1 Hex (+1/2), OAF (-1), 6 Charges, continue 1 additional Phase (-1/2)

1u Laser torch: 1 pip RKA vs. ED, 0 END (+1/2), Penetrating x2 (+1), OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)

1u Ice capsules: 4d6 Minor Transform: Freezes one small object. Heals back as temperature dictates. OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1)

1u Smoke pellets: 4" radius Darkness to Sight Group, 4 Charges continuing 1 turn (-1/2), OAF (-1)

1u Flash pellets: 3d6 Flash vs. Sight and Smell/Taste Group, OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-3/4)

1u Mini camcorder: Eifetic Memory, Sight/Hearing Only (-1/4), OAF (-1)

1u Rebreather: Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing, 1 Continuing fuel charge lasts 1 hour (-0), OAF (-1)

1u Minibinoculars: +6 vs. Sight Group Range Modifiers, OAF (-1), Concentrate: 1/2 DCV (-1/2)

1u Shotgun Mic: +4 vs. Hearing Group PER Rolls, +8 vs. Hearing Group Range Modifiers, OAF (-1), Concentrate: 1/2 DCV (-1/2)

1u Mini toolkit: +2 w/Criminology, Demolitions, and Security Systems, OAF (-1)

1u Paint Gun: 5d6 Cosmetic Transform: Paints all or part of target. Heals back with thorough scrubbing or vinegar. Partial transform (+1/2), OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1)

1u Swingline I: 20" Swinging, no NCM (-1/4), OAF (-1). END: 2

1u Swingline II: 14 STR Telekinesis, Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Limited types of manipulation of limited types of objects (-1/4), Range: 20" (-1/4), OAF (-1)

1u Lockpicks: +4 to Lockpicking, OAF (-1)

1u Libra-shaped shuriken: 1d6 RKA vs. PD, Armor Piercing (+1/2), Autofire-3 (+1/4), 9 Recoverable charges (+1/4), Range: 20" (-1/4), OAF (-1)

1u First Aid Kit: +2 to Paramedics, OAF (-1)

---

10 Costume: 5 PD/5ED Armor, OIF (-1/2)

3 Mask I: 5 points Sight Group Flash Defense, OIF (-1/2)

7 Mask II: Nightvision plus UV Perception, both OIF (-1/2)

5 Hooked bracers: +15 STR, Only for Martial Disarm (-1 1/2), OIF (-1/2) END: +1

3 Hooked bracers: +2 DCV with Martial Disarm, OIF (-1/2)

Powers Cost: 74

Cost Perk

1 Perk: Law License

1 Perk: Wealth(100k/yr)

2 Contact: Local Police Chief 11-

Perks Cost: 4

Cost Skill

2 PS: Attorney/Criminal Law 11-

2 KS: Courtroom Tactics 11-

10 Defense Maneuver IV

5 Rapid Attack (hand-to-hand)

3 Criminology 14-

3 Deduction 14-

3 Demolitions 14-

3 Security Systems 14-

3 Paramedics 14-

3 Shadowing 14-

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Stealth 14-

3 Lockpicking 14-

1 FAM w/Systems Operation 8-

5 +1 w/Intellect Skills (figured in)

3 Linguist

6 2-pt proficiency with Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Cantonese Chinese

So'n Kung Fu/South American Judo Martial Arts Maneuvers:

4 Palm Strike (Martial Strike): 8d6 Strike

5 Choke Hold/Small joint lock: 2 1/2 d6 NND

4 Martial Block: +4 OCV +2 DCV, Abort

4 Martial Disarm/Weapon break: 55 STR Disarm

4 Martial Escape/Reversal: 45 STR Escape

4 +1 DC w/So'n Kung Fu/South American Judo (figured in)

12 +4 levels with Martial Arts maneuvers

2 KS: So'n Kung Fu 11-

2 KS: South American Judo 11-

Skills Cost: 107

Total Character Cost: 350 = 107 + 8 + 74 + 161

Val Disadvantages

15 Social Limitation: Secret ID

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing

20 Psychological Limitation: Always protects innocent bystanders first, even at his own peril

10 Psychological Limitation: Soft spot for children

15 DNPC: Adopted Daughter 11-

15 DNPC: Law Partner 11-

20 Hunted: Team Villain or Villain Team 11-

15 Hunted: Rogue's Gallery 11-

20 Enraged when children are hurt, threatened, etc 14-/8-

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Re: Heating it up

Hawk God has the physics of it down correctly I think.

But you may wish to buy a tiny VPP with the limitation Only Change Environment Heat Effects (-1 1/2) to simulate your ability to do quite a lot of different things by throwing off and sucking up heat.

Re: Megascale Movement, Lightspeed, and Escape Velocity

There's a saying you should keep in mind though. "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it." A Human Torch rip off having escape velocity I could almost buy. But light speed? I don't see it. Your GM made a good call on having you put your MS move into your MP but I'd really give some thought as to whether you need the move you have. Just be true to your concept.

Yep. The most outrageous construction I have ever seen:

1 Bowling for Galactus: 1 pip RKA, OAF Immobile Expendable: Earth (-2 1/2) 1 Charge, Never Recovers (-4). (5 Active, 1 Real)

Clearly this is humorous. But at what point does this sort of thing become the realm of humor and fantasy? Probably about the time the Human Torch breaks lightspeed.

BTW: Balabanto and I were playing with Megascale on Growth. (It increases your size, but not your mass). You could make someone as large as the Milky Way, and weigh about 440 lbs with just a handful of points. But wouldjawanna?

Re: Entangles that Hurt

I think it would be Linked (-3/4), Indirect (+1/4), Continuous, Persistent, Uncontrolled and 0 END (+1, +1/2, +1/2 and +1/2 respectively) on the RKA.

The Uncontrolled would end when the character broke out of the Entangle, or when doused with sand or water, or when the RKA did twice the maximum BODY damage (whether applied to the victim's BODY or soaked up by his defenses) that could be rolled on a single instance of the RKA dice.

So, like this:

Burning Bands of Biharrio

60 Entangle 6d6, 6 DEF 6 plus

32 Killing Attack - Ranged vs. ED 1d6, Indirect (+1/4, always targets the target of the Entangle but does not harm the Entangle), Continuous (+1), Persistent (+1/2), 0 END (+1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2) ends when target breaks Entangle, when doused with sand/water, or when the RKA does twice the maximum BODY damage that could be rolled on a single instance of the RKA dice (whether applied to the victim's BODY or soaked up by his defenses)(56 Active points), Linked (-3/4 Entangle; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value).

The italicized block above are the advantages that you need to apply to the RKA to make sure it keeps burning the victim after you throw it.

Almost identical to Sean Waters' excellent construction. This one differs from that one on the value of the Indirect and a few of the other Advantages that are applied.

Since the attack is essentially "bands of fire" in this construction, you may wish to apply some various advantages and limitations to the base Entangle, such as

Entangle and Character Both Take Damage (+1/4) or

Entangle Takes no Damage from Attacks (+1/2), and

Vulnerable: Water or Cold powers (-1/2) or

Does Not Prohibit the Target's Use of OAFs (-1/2).

Re: Follower/Summon Question

Build the Spirit Merged character first; use the stronger of the two characers (mystic or bear) as a Multiform; Give the Multiform character Duplication with the (-0) Lim Cannot Recombine and make the Dupe the third character- the weakest form. If the bear is the weakest character, then you can make it up as a regular Duplication power, and make the special effect of the splitting that the Shaman summons the Bear.

Energy Blast can be bought by either of the two characters in the Duplication twinning, with the limitation Must be in the same hex as the other Dupe (-1/2). My suggestion is to buy it as a fractional addition to the Shaman's base EB, and put the limitation on the last few DCs... for instance

Shaman's Magic Blast: 8D6 EB vs. ED plus +4D6 EB vs. ED, Must be in the same hex as his Spirit Bear (-1/2). (Active: 40 + 20) (Real: 40 + 13).

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

How do I export the picture once I make it...I am currently feeling very inept.

Turn off your Invisibility.

Re: Who is your Taskmaster?

Well' date=' then, no problem with the Pieman joining up with Blackbird and the gang at all. And wasn't Little Jack Horner keen on pie-related themes?[/quote']

 

"...what a good boy am I," he repeated, each time he kicked the unconcious Mr. Nice Guy in the ribcage. "What a good boy am I...what a good boy am I."

Re: Who is your Taskmaster?

Dude' date=' Foxbat has been with us since, I think, first edition Champions. Pie themed crimes ain't no big thing. Add Simple Simon and the Pieman to the gang, and you're all set.[/quote']

 

Oh, no, Simple Simon got fed up with being called a retard, and started a Revenge Squad. See, he's my Taskmaster. Simple Simon's Revenge Squad is for hire when you need thugs or agents.

Re: Who is your Taskmaster?

Well, for villains with nursery rhyme themes.

 

How about The Old Woman in the Shoe (she was the one with all the kids, right?) She could be a villain, who recruits all her agents/thugs from runaway teens. (and she of course could send them for training to your guy)

Hehe Granny Goodness' Happiness Home?

I want to do Black Bird (and her Four-and-Twenty gang), but who would take seriously a villain obsessed with pie-themed crimes?

Re: in the spirit of christmas!

Thank you, Dr. Destiny. It's like fireworks. You know more or less how they are done, but every time you see them, it's magic.