Vanguard00

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Kid Charlemagne - Steely Dan

Re: Desolid attack

I'm tired. I know it. And I'm not thinkin' particularly clearly at the moment, but still... I'm making a guy with an EC based around his ability to go Desolid. I don't have the book or HD with me at the moment, but I want to simulate phasing his hand into someone, causing serious pain/damage. My thoughts on this: To cause pain, 6d6 EB, No Range, NND (vs. Force Fields) To cause damage, 1d6 HKA, AVLD (Force Fields) That seems too easy. What am I missing? I'm more interested in the build than the number of die of damage, but for those who want/need such things, let's say a 50 AP cap. Ease my troubled and tired mind and help a brutha out?

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Robin and Marian - Nickel Creek

Re: Robert E Howard or J.R.R. Tolkien? And here's the crux of it, I think. How many of us have stated our opinion based on something we've read recently, as opposed to opinions based on something we read years ago. For example, I haven't read Tolkien in years, but I think if I were to read him again, he'd fall to a lower place on my list. Butcher, Brust, Gemmell, Stackpole and others are near the top of my list because I've read them more recently. Donaldson is on my list, but I haven't read the 6 Covenant books since...well, since just after the 6th one came out. In my mind, as odd as they could be, I liked 'em. Same with Shannara stories. I still have fond memories of those books (at least 3 of 'em, maybe 4), but I don't think I could (or should) read them again. It might spoil it for me. Robert E. Howard is someone I wasn't a big fan of when I was growing up and getting into the fantasy genre, but I don't believe I fully appreciated the subtleties (much less the blatanties) of his style until I reread the books not long ago. As we mature so do our tastes, styles and preferences. We change, and by default part of what changes is what we like and dislike. What was a "fun read" as a kid might annoy the bejeezus out of you now, and what was tedious and boring to you back then might be pure gold today. Just some random thoughts on the subject.

Re: What do you think... How 'bout the earthquake in Pakistan uncovering secret hi-tech/nuclear/WMD bases? The government says to the PCs, "Hey, we can't go in there, but you can. Clear it out and we'll see about getting you back into good graces (which they may or may not do depending on the evilness of your campaign government). Screw it up and we don't know you." Use some shady government black-ops-type connections to get 'em to India or something, then send the PCs on a good ol' fashioned superhero dungeon--er, secret base crawl, complete with agents, maybe a superpowered villain or two, etc. Heck, if you read "Ultimate Nightmare" by Marvel Comics, the base could be a screwed-up lab of genetic research. Maybe the PCs get there to find crazy and deformed metahuman monsters getting ready to break out into the world once they've finished eating the soldiers the scientists who created them/kept them prisoner/tortured/tested them...

Re: What do you think... Kudos to ya, tinman, for running with the campaign. It can't be easy, all things considered. That being said, maybe a bit of "Thunderbolts"-style redemption is in order. Maybe have the PCs save some government-approved heroes from some threat, earn their grudging respect (even if the actual government doesn't like 'em) and rebuild from there. Or, if possible, maybe have the government come to them for a "plausible deniability" scenario where, if they fail, so what? A bunch of renegade heroes died doing something they shouldn't have been doing. If they pull it off, however, it's a nice boost to their reputation and earns them a favor. Just some ideas to help keep ya going. Lookin' forward to seeing how things work out later on down the road.

Re: Let's hear it for villainous organizations Directly across from the time-stamp of each post is a little icon looking like a scale. Find the post you want, click on the scale icon. Comment as appropriate.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Gerdundula (live version) - Status Quo

Re: Musings on Random Musings Too funny. And too close to real for comfort

Re: A Thread for Random Musings I've never wished spontaneous combustion on somebody so hard in all my life, but if the dumas boss comes to bug me about his broken procedure one more time I'm gonna light him up myself.

Re: Let's hear it for villainous organizations Ooh...that's good.

Re: Let's hear it for villainous organizations Here's some help for ya; the Iconian Acronym Maker. Should be kinda helpful, I'm thinkin'. Here's a quick definition I threw together: Maximized Advanced Logistics and Ideas Command Executive Granted, it doesn't make much sense, but it's kinda fun to browse.

Re: Valdorian Names I've used that generator a couple of times, but I suck at putting together my own formulae, so thanks for that. Now do one for each of the races in TA, would ya?

Re: Robert E Howard or J.R.R. Tolkien? I firmly believe there's a place for all these authors. Eddings, for example, is a nice diversion. Tolkien requires commitment. Most of the other authors mentioned reside between the two, IMO. Howard, Tolkien, Lieber, Moorcock...um...there was another on my list, but I forget who it is--anyway, I recommend reading at least some of their stuff, if not all of it, to any fan of the genre, because they helped put the genre on the map. You could, of course, argue many other authors into the list (and some probably deservedly so), but these were my favorites growing up. I also devoured Glen Cook, Eric Flint, the "Thieves' World" series, Katherine Kerr, Robert Asprin, Eddings, Donaldson, and even Piers Anthony (hey, I was young!) through the years. Now that I'm older my preference is to read Gemmell, Martin, Stackpole and (now) Butcher. Honestly, at the moment there isn't anyone else that makes me automatically reach for a book if I see his/her name on it. I read dozens and dozens of books every year, but only a few authors really make the grade these days.

Re: Numbers as a Campaign Hook I enjoy the show a lot. Rob Morrow (remember "Northern Exposure"? He was the doctor) does a nice job as the FBI agent. To answer your question, I don't know that it's a viable setting. The mathematician is very active in the overall plot, but never in the field (well, once, but he wigged and probably won't do it again). In order to make this a viable character you'd have to give him enough skills to not be useless in combat (which isn't difficult; a single level with a gun and he's at least a capable agent). However, if you make him a follower/DNPC/NPC, you risk overshadowing the other, less cerebral PCs. His skills, by the way--in addition to a butt-load of math-related KS, PS and SS--would probably be very similar to the Dark Champs Precog Clairsentience power (I forget the name); 0 END, extra time (minimum 5 minutes), precog only, no range, requires a deduction and a math/statistical analysis roll. Something like that. You could also do a Mind Scan variation in order to find a guy by running various equations. Still, while the mathematician presents an intriguing character, it's potentially unbalancing IMO, either because he'll be the center of attention or because he'll be left out. That's as-is, of course; modified versions would probably fit better.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? And as we fire up the music for the day we get Photograph - Nickelback.

Re: Skills for Battlesuit Technician? I've used a similar list before, with some additions like freakboy suggested. PS:Battlesuit Technician, and SS: biometrics to fine-tune the armor. As a GM I'd be pretty lenient for exact skills as long as the bases were covered; which, with the suggestions above, I think you've done.

Re: A Question on Liaisons I've never had liaisons live with the team, mainly because a lot of the teams I've ran don't have official headquarters available to the public. The liaisons in question are stationed at a field office, much like the FBI has. When not actively interacting (nice turn o' phrase, that ) with the heroes, the liaison has myriad administrative duties to keep him/her occupied. Following up on case files, data mining for hero or villain activity related to his/her post, keeping up with world meta events, etc. The liaison introduces himself to the heroes, gives them a card, number, whatever. They say the whole "We'd like to work with you, or you with us, so that we can optimize our resources," and then they hope the heroes come aboard. Failure to do so brings the agency's ire, and all kinds of meddling is possible. Agreement brings investigative and data resources to the team, and someone on hand to smooth things out with local law enforcement and emergency agencies. It's a "I wash your back, you wash mine" relationship, and not predicated on the team liking their liaison, nor their liaison liking them. As long as each does the job they're supposed to, everyone gets along. When one side starts holding back, problems start. Multiple agencies interested in liaising with the heroes will compete for the best intel, the first call, first response, and so on. They're liable to up the ante, so to speak, and furnish the heroes with gadgets, communications, vehicles, maybe even a base. With multiple agencies there's no reason you can't have each liaison be of a different stereotype: The by-the-book military man who follows the rules and expects you to do the same. He's good at his job but not a great out-of-the-box thinker. The laid-back liaison who empathizes with the heroes plight. He's likeable and charming, and seems to have their best interests at heart, but he's not very good at persuading either the agency or the heroes to do the right thing. The cut-throat agent. She possesses severe beauty and a sharp mind, and she knows all the ins and outs. She's playing both sides, working for the heroes' trust even as she puts on the best front for the agency. Does she have a hidden agenda or is she merely ambitious, trying to make herself indispensable and thus pave the way for promotion? The guy who hates the heroes and wishes they didn't need 'em at all, but he's here so he might as well do the job. He's more interested in being a pain in the butt than in helping the heroes, but when push comes to shove he grudgingly does the right thing. But he still doesn't like them... And so on... If your world is one wherein the heroes must have local, state or national sanction to operate, the negotiations can be one-sided in favor of the agency(ies), but the heroes will (should) always have a little pull just because of who they are. Anyway, that's my take on it.

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat I've voted for Nader in the past. And Perot.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Spank - Kenny Wayne Shepherd (with Kid Rock)

Re: csl As long as your character has an axe in his hand, he can use those levels in either OCV or DVC, as long as he's facing HTH foes (I left that part out before; sorry). It doesn't matter what weapon his opponent is using (axe, sword, ladle, cucumber, etc.) You cannot use your levels just because your opponent is using an axe, though. The levels don't work that way. The levels only work for the weapon you use, not the one that is used against you.

Re: csl The skill levels represent your warrior's ability to use the axe offensively and/or defensively, so you may apply them to his OCV or DCV in any combination you choose for each phase in which you act. You cannot use the skill levels when facing an axe-wielding opponent if you do not have an axe yourself. You would need to purchase appropriate skill levels with DCV (possibly with the limitation "only vs. axe-wielding opponents", if you so desired). Hopefully that answers your questions.

Re: Handling interpersonal skills I wish there was a way to equate Interpersonal skills to the charts they use for Presence and Mind Control. Even then, some things you should never be able to make a player do (which is great grammer, I know, but it flows... ) For instance, in the above example Sidious basically uses PRE & Seduction to affect what is normally an EGO+30 Mind Control. I don't see how that's possible with a skill roll, no matter what the characteristic value or modifiers are. At the very least, Mother Theresa should've been allowed an EGO roll to resist what is essentially an action against her very nature. At the most, the GM should have told the player of Sidious that he knows such a direct command wouldn't work and give the player a chance to try and be more seductive and subversive. In my mind, Mother Theresa is darn-near Yoda when it comes to convictions, and Sidious wouldn't ever be able to convince her to kill an innocent. Dice should be rolled whenever the GM doesn't have any idea what the outcome could/would/should be, or it doesn't matter. If something specific needs to happen, or should happen, then let it happen and the dice be damned. Reward players for extraordinary RP when it comes to interpersonal skills, but don't punish them for shortcomings their characters might not have. Dice should never replace common sense under any circumstance, plain and simple.

Re: Name This Gun