Ninja-Bear

Re: Very flashy, acrobatic martial arts styles? As for Monkey style, I din't know that there was sub-styles, but that doesn't surprise me at the least. As for Funakoshi influencing high kicks? I disagree. He has in his kater-do Kyohan the highest point for kicks is the Solar Plexus. Now technically if your oppanent is standing straight, then it is above the belt. But even in practice, your opponent usually bends where the Solar Plexus is lowered. Did you know that Funakoshi recommends running away and spitting in your oppanents face as viable options in self-defence? as for Tae Kwon Do-Olympic style. In a nutshell, TKD was orginally Shotokan based. Even Hwang Kee recognizes this. Since Japan occupied Korea and forced a program of Japanese indocrtination, Koreans wanted to distigusih themselves from Karate and Japan. Which is interesting because the reason that Funakoshi introduced Karate to the Japanese was so the Japanese won't elimante it. Of course this leads to secret techniques and I learned the TRUE art, and what is mainstreamed is false. And for fancier techniques, I would even put that before the '90s, to groundwork was laid in even the '60s with American Freestyle Karate. Because in America we would steal techniques from other styles, and blend it in with what they were taught. I believe Dan Anderson was recalling a story about how in Karate they weren't taught the Ridgehand cause they were told it was a weak technique. After getting knock out he asked what technique was used, and low and behold, it was the ridgehand, so he learned the ridgehand.

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO? I think for write ups whether simple, complex, or something in between, the author explaining some of the decisions why the build was the way it is would be nice. For example, in the Normals Unbound, there is an A.I. that the authors give a vpp for skills. They actually explain that they know that it is illegal, but for this specific case they felt it worked the best. (Which I agree with, fwiw)

Hello to Herofandom! Here is a scenerio that I ran during Thankisgiving weekend, that I've been meaning to post. Before I begin, I should tell you that there are a couple of "rules" that I follow when designing a scenerio. 1.) I play at my hometown, and so I have a time frame of usually 4 hours of play. 2.) I really hate leaving an unfininshed game, therefore the plot will be resolved. So if I have to skip, or prod the PC's in the right direction, I don't mind. "Roll Deduction" and secretly add +3 to roll, "Here is what you figured out...". 3.) I have a fair amount of Hero books, but I sometimes get depressed when I think, "I have all these books and I can't seem to use them?" (Because of my imagination, not the quality of the books.) So if I can, I try to use as many books as possible. So without further delay, the Subterfuge of the Shadow Clan! Background, a ninja-like character has been destroying buildings that belonged to Harmon industries. (Harmon, as in James Harmon A.K.A Defender fron Champions 4th) And the ninja seems to be going in a fairly straight line from one point to another. Pcs figure out the next logical target and wait for the villian. (In my game, this actually acted as a heroes meeting, and we had some characters attack each other, "Hey I see this person sneaking around a building at night that looks like a ninja." Pcs defeated ninja and find out that it was the Steel Ninja from Ninja Hero 5th. Here though I had the Mon put the Ninja to seem that it was from Tanaka Electronics. The Pcs after further investiongation found out that the Tanaka Electronics are a fierce rival of Harmon Industries, and several weeks ago, something broke out of one of their labs. But even further investigation revealed that the Mon on the Steel Ninja is not the Tanaka's but that of the Shadow Clan. Also that in a couple of days the president of Tanaka Electronics is going to meet with James Harmon to as a gesture of goodwill. They deny the attacks on Harmon Industries. The Pcs go to the meeting in disguise. (One character had the means to get the rest in as security guards.) The meeting was at Harpcor Towers, (from Dark Champions 4th). Then all of a sudden, two figures teleported in the meting room. Iron Ronin and Oni no Mizu (water deamon). These two are from the villian group Yoshoo (the elements). (They are sample of Champion level martial art themed villians from the original Ninja Hero 4th. Their background tells of Tanaka Electronics and the Shadow Clan, and how the clan has tried to eliminate the president several times in Japan.) Iron Ronin is the leader, and he is a Power suit, where Oni no Mizu is a sorcerror. mizu summoned Kappas also to help the duo. (and give more agents to fight.) The Kappas I used were modified Chinese goblins from Watchers of the Dragon. And since Mizu had a magic variable power pool, I just was going to use some of the spell write ups from Watchers of the Dragon too. Alas the heros proved too tough and defeated the villians. My one friend was expecting Tschui (Earth) to show up, He's a 70 Strength Sumo wrestler. And I forgot that I had Powerhouse from Champions 4th, I was going to use as a Super Kappa. Oh well. The conclusion was that the Pcs figured out that the Steel Ninja was a ruse to get the Tanaka president to the U.S., because their attempts in Japan always failed. I hope you guys enjoy it. As you can see, it was very short, and it could be expanded upon easily. I put this in Champions because of the power level. Technically the game was an Ultimate Martial Artist game. If anyone uses this, I would love to hear how it goes. Also don't feel bound to use the specific villians mentioned. If you like, I would give my two cents on how to expand it, and what other villians to use. Enjoy! (P.s. maybe I'm too hard on myself, but I really thought I came up with a cleaver plot.)

Re: Rings of Power Another thought, how about a change in personality with each ring. Nothing overpowering, but for Fire-impulsive, Earth-Stubborn, Air-fickle, Water-not sure. I was going to use fickle for water, but I thought it was best for air. Of course these are sterotypical, just for inspiration.

Re: Very flashy, acrobatic martial arts styles? Besides what was said, under Kung Fu look at Monkey Style, its is very acrobatic. And some styles of Karate have been more acrobatic in the last decades.

Re: Ranger Choke Hold? I wonder if maybe Ranger Choke hold might reference the technique where you jump on an unsuspecting sentry and shap his helmet back as you both fall to the ground. And failing the sentry having a helmet you just go into a rear choke hold. That technique would be useful to a Ranger.

Re: Mayan temple found in Georgia (US) Repped him for yah!

Re: Mayan temple found in Georgia (US) This reminds me of the story of the Viking runes found in, I believe Minnesota. The farmer who found it was riddiculed for the rest of his life. And after he died I believe the runes turned out to be real. Starcloud has a point that the athor might be trying to make a proffit. But to summarily dismissed the idea because it seems incredulous is not very scientific. And what a great pulp idea!

Re: Ranger Choke Hold? Could you describe it? I haven't heard of a Ranger choke hold before, but then again there's still alot I haven't heard before, lol. Is it known by certain styles, and by that I'm including MMA as a style.

Re: Grab zero limbs Thanks Christopher, I understand now what your saying. I figured standard manuever should be able to handle it. This now helps me to be diverse in special effects.

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction How about the fabled King Solomon Mines? Though the mines are supposed to be in Africa, who knows? How about El Dorado? the fabled city of gold. Or maybe a last outpost of Atlantis? Or perhaps the secret to the American pyrimids? Or maybe following the trail of the last Knight Templars? Okay a more "realistic" quest would be hints of either the Phoenicians came to the New World, or perhaps Vikings? Like to hear what you picked. : )

Re: Pirate Hero I wouldn't be so worried about the cannonballs than the splinters from the ship. Itsalwayssunny, are you going to worry about that-for cinematic I can see yo if you don't. Up here we have a neat display where they took a section of gunwhale and fired all the ordinances from the war of 1812. On the outside everything is smooth, walk around to the inside and its a diasaster, even rifle fire went through. Btw Oliver Hazzard Perry has some big stones from the battle of lake Erie.

Re: Grab zero limbs

Re: Pirate Hero Itsalwayssuuny How about this for a Pirate Template? 4 WF Com melee, early firearms, and early emplaced Weapons (which would represent cannons) 1 TF Large Wind-powered Boats (optional is rafts, sm rowed boats, lg rowed boats, sm wind powered) 3 Navigation 4 Swimming +2" (or maybe a ps skill instead?) 2 KS: Sailing Procedures 11- 2 AK: Ports of Call 11- 2 AK: Oceans 11- 3 Choose one of the following: Breakfall (sea legs), Climibing (going to the Crows Nest, Gambling, Paramedic, Streetwise, Trading, KS: Sea Legends (You may not have mermaids, but that doesn't mean the pirate doesn't know alot about them, and curses too!) Possible Disadvantages Dis feature: Hooks and Peg legs Phy lim: for the appropriate hooks and peg legs Hunted: by the English (or Law) capture/hanged Phy lim: Lives Only for today Reputation: Pirate Scum Social Lim: Pirate and or Racial (don't know how "realistic" you want to go with it) For a side note, have you checked out Hero sytem genre by genre? Its in the free links it does have a paragraph or two about Pirate Hero, but there are some other goodies to glean from it. I believe the online version in Pupl hero has an Explorer template. Let me know if this helps.

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO? Tasha I honestly can't remeber if it was you or not, kids are suppresing my memory. I agree though that we should be upfront woth posters too. I should make clear that my suggestion, I should make clear to the new person that this is a sample, or taste of what can be done with Hero system. Maybe I missed the point in the post that you made it clear that the extra books are helpful not essential to game play. I get the feeling though, and of course I could be misinterprete the posts, that for whatever brought you into Hero system, that is the only way to bring in people. I feel that people forget that with Hero system is broad enough to incorprorate a wide style of game styles. You can choose to go as detailed or minimalist as you (as in play group) choose to go. So as a responder try to address the needs of the poster.

Re: Grab zero limbs Christopher, I think you miss understood. In the first video the attacker in white gi grabbed the shoulder of the defender in the red gi. So how would this be represented in hero terms? White gi is not impedeing any of the limbs of red gi. (typically, the danger of being grabbed by the shoulder is not the grab itself, but the attacker is going to punch you with the otherhand.) And the second video, again the advantage of the grab for the attacker is not to impeded the limbs but to stop the defender from moving away from the knife, intimidation and maybe a bonus for covered manuever? How often does a goon break free from the hero when he he is grabbed by the shirt collar.

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO? Since you brought it up The Main Man, one thing important as I see it that we can do as posters, not (unitentionally) scare away potential new people, or lurkers. Here is an example of what I'm trying to say. Maybe two months or so, a new poster asked what do I need to play a fantasy game with Hero? One poster, who I believe was sincere of intent, wrote you need Both 6th ed books, Fantasy book, maybe a bestiry book, and hero designer would be a good buy too. Now I haven't check the going prices, but the poster was recommended over a $100 in stuff to drop on a system that he may only be causal gamer. I think that the tone is set is that the game is overly expensive and too complex. I recommended the Basic book. At the time I forgot that Hero games under their free stuff has the Hero system genre by genre. In it it has the basics of Fantasy, two character write ups and sample spells to boot. So I think that we can also point out this document to new people and use it to help them jump right into a game. And one way to show the flexibility of the system is to show that with little or no effort you can port one character from one genre to another. Building on the fantasy theme, you can also point out that the sample kung gu guy easily lifts from its "game" into the fantasy game. From Sci-Fi genre you have a lizard character and I believe a race template, so you have instant monsters or at least a fantastic race. From pulp you have an explorer, with a little rewording of skills and a couple of replacements such as Bows instead of pistols, you have another character. Now there are some higher point sample characters that need more adjustment to pull them down, but I think you get the point. Fwiw I don't know why but there are a few differences in the hero genre by genre that is free, and what is in Hero 5th rev.-just characters, nothing important. That's my big two cents.

Re: Bring Out The Old! As to Darkon, I looked at adding opaque (sight group)to the force wall. Which makes sense but then I'll have to buy some sort of sense to be able to attack passed the force wall, unless personal immunity applies?

Re: Guide to Street Supers Have you seen the San Angelo sourcebook? WOW that has just about everything written out about a city that could be.

Re: Only Breathe's Through Skin Off point, I was considering once of buying variable sfx for chokehold so I could switch to stranglehold! And Fwiw I have defined defense from chokehold too.

Re: Rings of Power Let me add, as for the saber-tooth, you can have that description, its just that you don't get any free abilities for having it. Let me explain, you can bite someone with your mouth, but it wont do any extra damage than a "normal" character. But if you want some abiities for it, then you have to pay points.

Re: Rings of Power For the Armor look at damage shield rules and indirect at the +1/4 level. Indirect acan be used to change where the pc defines where the power comes from. For the rings then start with a multipower, ring of earth could be density increase with limitation only with contact on ground. Ring of air could be flight, Ring of flame could be a rka, and ring of water could be energy blast vs PD. I can think of other things each of the elements can do, but this is a start. The alter appearence would be a side effect, probally transform, set effect. Lastly, the sense rings would be a form of detect. The time it takes could be either experience or background or a trigger on the detect. As for the rings that sense the owner, you could build a sentient ring, it works like a computer, but oy vey! that is even more complicated than multiform.

Hello Herophilles, The other night, I was thinking, (I know that can be dangerous), in several martial arts, you learn defense from grabs, but grabs that don't affect your limbs in the game machanics sense. Examples of this is label grabs, shoulder grabs or grabbing the belt. So how does this change the mechanics of the manuever. Here I'm looking the basic grab free manuever. And for an image picture the classic intimidation where the tough guy grabs the jacket by chest to either lift the defender or at least go face to face to scare him. Hee the defender has his hands free. I'm thinking that the attacker would be at -0 OCV and -1 DCV and 0 limbs but the defender still has to escape to move. I know that this probally hardly ever comes up and is more of a mental exercise. Thoughts?

Re: All ghosts evil? I'm going to add that in the Old Testement, King Saul went to talk to the phrophet Sammuel, except Sammuel is dead at this time. So Saul seeks out a witch incognito, and promises no harm to her. So now we have a King, who is Divinely appointed, lying and giving sanctuary to a witch, who are to be killed on the spot. Now she summons Sammuel who isn't evil, but he isn't pleased to be awakened either. He asks Saul why did he disturb his sleep. So the take away here is ghosts are brought about by necromatic magic which is not of God hence its evil. Side note, I think its implied, anybody that was dead that God brought back wasn't a ghost but a living person again.

Re: Who the Heck are These?!? Questions about some of the Old SuperHeroes Thanks, that's what I was thinking.