schir1964

Re: Just wanted to reiterate my original post. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Limited Power Limitation Conditional Power Costs Broken? I always inferred that Twilight is that span of time at sunset when the sun has dropped below the horizon and lasts until the glow on horizon vanishes. How long is that? 20 or 40 Minutes? Perhaps 1 Hour at most? So I agree that the cost is undervalue, but then perhaps Twilight includes the Sunrise portion also which might give you 2 Hours every day where you can use the power dependably. A -2 Limitation implies that the power is nearly useless so I wouldn't consider Twilight at that level. Daylight lasts for what... 10 to 11 Hours? And since most characters operate during the Day instead of at night, the -1/4 Limitation seems about right. Obviously, the campaign and setting the GM is running will affect the actual value of any Limitation, not just Conditional or Limited Power Limitations. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Superhero Images Werehawk! Glad to see you back. (8^D) - Christopher Mullins

Re: The problem here is that there isn't enough information to give a valid/meaningful response. Are you talking per the rules as written and remaining within those constraints with no GM permission to go outside them? Or are you talking mechanically too complex to be impractical in play? If the latter, then where do you draw the line for "too complex" or "impractical"? Also, what type of game are you wanting to play? Are you talking Genre constraints or Setting restraints? Depending on the answer to these questions you can get different answers that may or may not be valid or meaningful. There are some things that should not be built with mechanics since there would be no point in playing the game with mechanics then. Such as an all powerful being for any particular game. If you could build it with the mechanics and it were allowed in such a game for a player to run as his own, then what would the point be for the rest of the players? So yes, there are things that can't, or more precisely shouldn't, be built with the game mechanics, depending on the specific game and the goals thereof. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Just to prove I'm not a complete Comeliness Grognard Alternative Name Changes: Strength becomes Force: Measure of force that can be exerted upon the environment (Damage/Lift). Dexterity becomes Agility: Measure of performing complex physical tasks (Physical Skills). (Initiative should be moved to another characteristic) Intelligence becomes Insight: Measure of processing information and understanding (Scholar Skills). Speed becomes Quickness: Measure of movement/performance (Speed/Actions). Just Suggestions - Christopher Mullins

Re: 6e Characteristics

Re: 6E Rules changes confirmed so far I did, multiple times. I didn't use the word "compromise", but it was one of my main efforts to try to help those in favor of COM. Well this was your mistake in thinking there was a negotiation going on. There wasn't and I'm not sure why you thought there was, but it does explain your frustration. - Christopher Mullins

Re: 6E Rules changes confirmed so far

Re: 6E Rules changes confirmed so far I'm going to keep asking this. Who specifically gave this "Mantra" that "... so it must GO!". If accusations like this are going to be made about a general group of people, I'm going to want specific names and who you are including in this group. - Christopher Mullins

Re: 6E Rules changes confirmed so far

Re: 6E Rules changes confirmed so far

Re: Character advancement One of the options I provided with my "Genesis Setting" was to allow the GM to create full powered versions of the Superheroes the players wanted to play. Once the "event" happened the normal versions of the characters the players had designed, the players would then have to figure out how to use their powers. This allows the GM to keep the general power level in check, but can let any particular character to use whatever power level is necessary for any particular situation as a means to show growth. Never got to see this actually used in practice. It requires a great deal of trust between the Players and GM. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Pain My approach was for the GM to create a new Combat Pain Sense Category and treat it like the other Senses with environmental penalties pre-defined by the GM and imposed as the situation dictates just like the other Sense penalties. A Perception Roll is only required if the sum of all Penalties/Bonus results in a negative number which becomes the penalty to the Perception Roll. Therefore, a Pain Roll is only required if the sum of all the Pain Penalties/Bonuses result in a negative number which becomes the penalty to the "Pain Roll" or "Stat Roll" or whatever might be appropriate. Hmmm... you've got me thinking now about how a more fleshed out mechanic might work... Anyway, the current system does not require that the player define whether their attacks cause "Pain" or not. It is something that perhaps should be required since you can have the following: Personal Taser: Energy Blast (Stun Only) [Causes Pain] Sonic Attack: Energy Blast (Stun Only) [Causes Pain] Carbon Monoxide Attack: Energy Blast (Stun Only) [Causes No Pain] Sleep Gas: Energy Blast (Stun Only) [Causes No Pain] One could argue that the last two should require some level of Invisible Power Effects, but these are quick examples and given some time I'm sure there are examples of visible attacks that cause no pain but only do stun damage. So if the rules/GM were to require definitions include Pain/Non-Pain attacks then you are halfway to creating a workable mechanic based on Pain. I'll continue thinking on a more developed mechanic that works consistently with the existing mechanics. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Pain Okay Doc... here's my take. Based on your analysis, it sounds like a Combat Option that imposes a Stat Roll to the Character's actions based on what is being attempted. A Pain Penalty is obviously in effect which why a Stat Roll is required at all. The particular Characteristic that needs to be rolled against is determined by the action the character is attempting to perform. Writing a Term Paper during a Migraine (vs INT or EGO) Running/Walking with a sprained ankle or broken bone in the legs (vs DEX or EGO) Lifting weight with a muscle cramp (vs STR or EGO) Any action during the bends (vs EGO) Does this help? - Christopher Mullins

Re: Killing Attacks vs Stun Lottery Ditto. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Open ended damage Done. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Open ended damage Open-ended Damage Roll This alternative damage roll allows for more volatility in damage results than the current system. Each Six may be rolled again to add more damage while each One does not add to the damage and cancels out the damage of the largest value die rolled correspondingly for that rolling of the dice. Die Roll [6]: Each Six rolled on the die is rolled again. If the Six rolled is not canceled out then it's value is included for calculating damage. Die Roll [1]: Each One rolled on the die cancels the damage of the highest value die rolled on a one to one pairing of the dice. Also, each One rolled is not included for calculating damage. Dice Rolling: Each rolling (or re-rolling) of dice is handled separately using this procedure. Examples 6d6 Roll [654321]: The Six is rolled again but it's value is canceled (not included for damage) by the One that was rolled. Total Stun = 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 14 + Six Re-roll. 6d6 Roll [654311]: The Six is rolled again but Six and Five's values are canceled (not included for damage) by the two One's that were rolled. Total Stun = 4 + 3 = 7 + Six Re-roll. 6d6 Roll [664321]: The two Six's are rolled again but the first Six's value is canceled (not included for damage) by the One that was rolled. Total Stun = 6 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 15 + Six Re-roll + Six Re-roll. GM Options Objects Need Not Apply: Open ended damage only applies to living or complex targets that have areas that cause disproportional damage if hit. Life Support - Difficult To Kill (10 Points): Prevents open ended damage (both 'good' and 'bad') that represents the character having no critical locations. Example: A living stone statue with no heart or brain as such so it hurts just as much where ever they are hit. Concept By Sean Waters - Christopher Mullins

Re: I know what you are getting for Christmas (I've felt your presence)

Re: Two adjustment powers sharing the same maximum. Sounds like two standard Multi-Power Slots to me (with the power pool serving as the Adjustment Pool). Not sure if that helps or not. - Christopher Mullins

Re: I know what you are getting for Christmas (I've felt your presence) Okay, I now see where you are going with this. Basically you are imposing penalties on the target if they don't react in accordance to the attacker's wishes/will/command. They still get to react, but if they react in discordance then they suffer the penalties to whatever they are attempting. This effect can already be achieved with the existing rules. Presence Attack: Change Environment (Limitation: Target's PRE/3 Penalty vs Attack Roll, Limitation: Non-Selective Targets, Variable Limitation: Has No Effect vs Condition) More elegant, defined, and flexible than the current PRE Attack mechanic. I wouldn't have a problem with players purchasing the mechanic above. It is balanced and consistent with the rest of the rules. - Christopher Mullins

Re: I know what you are getting for Christmas (I've felt your presence)

Re: I know what you are getting for Christmas (I've felt your presence) The basic premise of the PRE Attack is the ability of the character to convince others that they can do what they claim they can do (whatever that may be... kill/win/lead/etc) by being impressive in some fashion. How does the character be impressive? The current rules allows acts of power to boost this impressiveness which may be defended against with PRE (Possibly EGO). Herein lies the problem (balance wise). 1) You have an attack (No Max Range, Area Of Effect, Indirect - Hearing Group) that does not have to be purchased to be effective and is variable in strength and use (based on what the attacker does and whatever power they choose to employ). 2) The defense is PRE/EGO (Static Value). 3) The effect of a successful attack results in the target being convinced of whatever the attacker has claimed and reacts accordingly on that belief. A solution to the balance problem would be to allow the target's maximum power level to act as a defense modifier against the attack. This makes sense since if an attacker tries to convince a target to surrender or suffer by blowing up a bus, but the target can blow up a building then the target should not find the attacker's claim convincing at all (given that both characters have the same PRE value). So while Sean's idea can work (the mechanic is applied equally/consistently to everyone and is thus balanced in that manner) I still don't like the effect aspect of the mechanic in general. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Social effects I haven't thoroughly read the entire thread so my thoughts below will be generic in nature based on my campaigns and is not in response to any particular idea or post. Player Control: The player has 100% control over their character's actions and choices not withstanding any specific control given up by the player with Limitations/Disadvantages and so forth. GM Control: The world, environment, and all other characters outside of the Players. These characters must abide by the same restrictions as the player's characters concerning Limitations/Disadvantages. A player can choose to change a character's actions at will (regardless of whether it is out of character for that character from prior experience or on the character sheet) and will suffer the consequences of those actions/choices as appropriate in a consistent manner. In other words, a player can have his character act bizarre, erratic, or even schizophrenic if they want to, but the world and the other characters in that world will react accordingly as deemed appropriate by the GM. Using this system, no Social Mechanic is required or even needed to resolve such conflicts of behavior or interaction. I don't like PRE for the very fact that if applied consistently it violates the Player/GM Control as defined above. However, I've rarely seen this rule applied consistently and it then just violates the GM Control portion defined above. Interactions skills likewise violate these definitions if applied consistently. They actually allow a chance of success even if logically there should not be any chance of success. Example: Using conversation to glean information is only logical if applied in the appropriate setting where there is no perceived conflict between the attacker and the target. If a character is at a party and blends in with the guests, then this skill has a chance of success. In other words, a friendly environment is presumed. However, if the same skill is attempted by a stranger who walks up to a guard post in restricted area vs a diligent guard, then there should be no chance of success regardless of the dice roll. Now when a skill should or should not be used is completely within the control of the GM regardless of what skills the Player possesses. This is what mucks things up a bit because it now blurs the line of the Player/GM Control and it is inevitable that a violation of that definition will occur. Either the player can use the character's skills at any time with the chance of success that roll provides, or the GM controls the skill and controls when such a chance of success may be available. Either of these would be consistent. If it is the latter, then why as a Player waste points on a skill that the Player doesn't control. I prefer to let the players run their characters while I run everything else. Social interactions are resolved through game play not through the mechanics. Just my thoughts. Now this does not mean that a social conflict mechanic could not work for those who would like such a mechanic. This is akin to those who like to randomly roll up characteristics vs those who like to purchase their characteristics with points. Neither is inherently wrong or bad, but each may be preferred over the other by the person's own likes/dislikes concerning RPGs. - Christopher Mullins

Re: A Time Traveling Character Sounds like a custom modifier for Teleportation. Duration Modifier (+/-0 Per Segment): Teleportation is no longer instantaneous with this modifier. During travel the character may not interact with the world in any way besides movement. - Christopher Mullins

Re: Thread Linkage: New Power Ideas [thread=70940]Super Block[/thread] - Christopher Mullins