Nevelon

Re: Boomerang

A little TK if you want to be able to use it to trip levers. Hit someone on the return? Indirect. Bounce off of multiple people? autofire. (also good for throwing a few at once)

Re: Free fall teleport

Isn't the "no relative velocity" advantage the one you use to blink onto moving trains and the like without going splat? If he paid the points for it he has the power to teleport from terminal velocity to the top of a building with no problems. If he mis-times it, he'll be a splat, but if he uses it in time he should not be penalized.

Re: Toons

"Only for comedic affect" as a limitation, or uncontrolled. eg. a lot of powers can only be used when they would be funny. You can't teleport/tunnel/fly casually all the time, but when the laugh calls for it, you deliver. You should only get points for it playing a toon in "real" world. In a toon campaign everything you do and that happens to you is for comedy, so it's not worth a whole lot.

Re: Thoughts about Vibora bay

Any time they want you to pay more, there will be a huge outcry. There is also a question about how big a zone is. Canada and the desert have a huge amount of content in them, another zone like that would be worth paying for. If it's just a small space, with 5 levels worth of content, I know I'll not buy it. I haven't seen a lot of details, just a lot of rumors and doom & gloom. Game forums are like that.

One question is what do you expect an expansion to have? Most are just more zones, new quests. Sometimes you get new mechanics or powersets. Free ones just have little additions, payed ones have major stuff. Another is how much they are charging. I expect a lot less from a $20 pack then from a $50 boxed expansion.

Right now I don't think there is enough information to make any sort of call. Not that most forumites won't get worked into a rabid frothing rant-war over the tiniest tidbit. (not you, there are some real characters over on the CO forums)

Once I see a formal release, with features and price, I'll make the call of weather or not to buy it. I try not to get worked up with rumors. So much can change before things release.

Re: Toons

How do you emulate the "walking on air until you look down" ability?

Flight, requires you fail a skill roll (perception)

Re: Free Character Defining Skills

Nice idea. This kind of thing helps keep players in character, and adds to the fun at the table. If you want to add rewards, letting them act as secondary skill roll should give them a little oomph. If you are going to use them mechanically, I'd cap them at 3-5.

My group uses 1 point "quirk" disads (up to 5) in a similar vein. "Addicted to coffee" or "snappy dresser" might not be full-on disads like dependence or distinctive feature, but they do help define the character and bring him to life. There have been many a time where those little one point wonders have had more impact then a 15 point psych limit.

Re: Library Cataloging System for a Multidimensional Library

Schrodinger's Library?

Where all the books are both checked out and on the shelf until you go to get them.

Re: Library Cataloging System for a Multidimensional Library

Put me in with Ghost-Angel and Markdoc. Stack another pair of catalog numbers (for identification of universe and timeline) onto existing library classification schemes and I think it would work.

 

The truly interesting part of the library would be the self-documentation of the classification schemes for those other parts of the classification. Where those belong in the library is clear, but it'd be very fun to read....

When you are talking about all the information from all the parallel universes the problem is less how it is organized, but more of who knows what's important. I think the librarians are going to be very important. You would need a whole pack of xenolibrarians. The index and a map will tell you where the books are, but who is going to tell you that the Ernest Hemingway from Dimension 432f5a wrote everything in limericks, or that everything published in dimension 863ab4 is porn? You would have specialists in various fields, and when you needed to know something, you'd find the right person, who would then help you find the information.

Re: special base powers

but put them all in the same place and you've got yourself a Deduction Lab

Figuring out the Big Bad's plan in your lab, with all the boards and pictures is a lot easier then doing it in a 10x10 concrete cell. You can figure things out with no tools (after all, you probably got some clues from the monologging fiend before he tossed you into the aforementioned cell) But they do make it easier to work things out (hence the lab).

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore

Here is a link I found in a friends of mine's food blog (http://www.whatgregeats.com/)

http://www.thesneeze.com/steve-dont-eat-it/

where someone blogs about eating food you normally find in dares and/or the dusty back shelves of the "bizarre" section of your local megamart. Funny stuff.

Re: New friction(less) power

I've been updating Slick to fifth rev and thought that he should have a minor power to go along with his other friction powers. Well I came up with a ranged disarm like attack against OAF type heroes. Basically the SFX is that he makes the foci slippery (lack of friction) and it makes it harder for the hero to hold onto the focus. The problem I had is how to make a disarm a power? So here is my solution, and of course I welcome any feedback.

 

Hard to Grasp: Change Enviroment (5 pts), -6 to STR roll (15 pts), only vs Foci (-1/2) Accurate: Optional Rule (-0) Optional: this targets arms so there is a -5 OCV.

 

Act 20 pts Real 13 END 2

 

Typing this, I just realized, I could add multiple combat effects and -3 OCV to reflect how much harder it is to use an object if it hard to hold.

(Don't have my books in front of me, and just use non-revised 5th, so take with a grain of salt)

I think CE has the option for TK in there. Very low STR, but combined with the -STR would make for a disarm check. The way you have it built seems to be -IF- they need to make a check, they will likely fail, but no disarm is called for.

Also, targeting foci is a -2 to hit, seems the -5 OCV is a little much.

Re: Genre-crossover nightmares

One that came to me in the shower, after watching too many kid's cartoons (w/ my 4-year-old):

 

Special Agent OSO meets Dethklok

 

Paw Pilot:

"Three special steps,

That's what you need."

Nathan Explosion:

"Three special steps,

then get ready to BLEED."

or Kill Bill:

The 3 special step exploding heart technique.

Re: Second reputation based on successful reputation roll

Or you could just make the second roll regardless of how the first came out and if it's made, assume they know both reputations.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Reputation: If you see Lucius Alexander, there's a palindromedary around somewhere

But think of the fun if you keep them separate:

"I know he's reformed, can't quite remember from what though. One of those religious distinctions? or the 'I don't do that anymore' type. Maybe he had a problem with drugs or alcohol. or he was something evil, like a telemarketer..."

Re: "Needler" -- sci fi projectile weapon

And' date=' in particular, I agree with you that pretty much every instance of 'needler' I've ever run across has the needles doing at least a bit more damange than 1 pip (perhaps 1d6K).[/quote']

 

Depends on the needles. If it is purely crystalized drugs/poison, 1 pip sounds right. The advantage is that they will dissolve and become hard to detect (good for assassins) If we are talking about hypervelocity envenomed slivers of steel, 1d6K sounds better. Penetrating or reduced penetration also fit depending on how you you want to build it. Some needlers work on the "cloud of darts" philosophy, that tear apart unarmored targets (reduced pen). Others fire high speed penetrators, possibly autofire. Depends on what you are trying to model.

 

I'd build the toxin as a linked attack, only if the needler does body. For a pure poison injection system, I might go for a NND, but only for the shooting crystals at people build, not the darts.

Re: Math

Mythus wasn't THAT bad. You never had to find the cube root of any number in Mythus' date=' that I can recall.[/quote']

 

IIRC Mythus was also a system where almost all the math was up front. Once you were done with your character it was just roll and add.

Re: Would you allow this

My group allows 5 points worth of quirks, little one point disads, mostly for flavor, but often with game impact. It's a good place to put disads that are an important part of your character, but don't have the impact of a full on disadvantage. Disads are only worth points if they are disads. How much inconvenience are these guys going to cause you? 5 points of aggravation? 10? Disads are plot hooks you give the GM to snag your character and work into the story. How big the hook (points) should be reflected in how often it's relevant. If you are hunted by a group of omnipotent gods that almost never show up, that's something, but not a lot. Even if they never show up, the fact that you have such a hunted will impact your character. Do you cringe every time a cloud passes over the sun fearing a slaver warship? Live in paranoid secrecy? Restrict use of your natural abilities for fear of word getting back to -them- that one of your kind is active on this planet? I'm not sure if should be in the hunted category (might be psych or social at that point) but it's should be worth a few points.

Re: What labs are in your wallet?

Deduction (whiteboards' date=' post-it notes, colored yarn matching photos, etc.)[/quote']

 

I always favored a few comfy chairs and a selection of brandies for a deduction lab. Sometimes you just need to sit down and mull over the clues with a good snifter. Depends on the genre I guess.

Re: Summon 1 big or several small

How about a partially limited power with the 'top' part of the summon and the extra creatures adders suibject to 'Lockout'?

 

Summon 200 point creature, expanded group (very limited - specific demon types) 50 points

 

PLUS

 

x16 creatures summoned (20 points) with each 5 point block (x2) built with 'lockout' on 5 points of the summon power.

 

So you could summon 1x200 points, 2x175 points, 4x150 points, 8x125 points or 16x100 point demons.

 

The build would look like this:

 

20 points summon (100 point creature) (expanded class +1/4): 25 points

 

+20 point summon (+100 point creature) (expanded class +1/4) (LOCKOUT on extra creatures adder -1/2): 17 points

 

+20 point adders (x16 creatures) (expanded class +1/4) (LOCKOUT on part of summon power -1/2): 17 points

 

Total: 59 points

 

This compares to 40 points for a single 200 point demon or 16x100 point demons: what really ups the price is having to buy 'expanded class of summoned demon' to account for all the different types. If you persuaded the GM they were all the same type - just built on the same base with more points(like using 'Summon' at less than full effect) - and so you do not need 'expanded class' then the cost goes down to 46 points. I think that is book legal too, which is a bonus, and avoids frameworks

(I don't have 6th, or my 5th book handy, so this is just random musing)

Could you also use an aid with the adds adder advantage (possibly with standard affect)? You could use the points to boost the size of the summons OR add x2 multiples. Barring triggers or odd builds it would take longer to cast, but a phase or 2 to tweak your summons is not unreasonable (YMMV depending on your magic system)

Re: Likelihood of a Country Producing Costumed Heroes

The first thing to consider is why someone would wear a "costume" apart from being a comic book geek with no sense of proportion. There are reasons.

 

1. You have powers that cause you to run or fly at high speeds. Speed skaters and lugers do not dress that way because they are big comic book fans. They do it to avoid drag. I've always thought that they should have had Clark Kent's clothes end up in rags when he ran so fast that the human eye couldn't see him.

 

2. You have powers that envelope you in a sheath of energy.

 

3. You have powers that cause you to flex or bend in a way that fabrics that aren't stretchy or loose-fitting (like a martial arts gi) can't accomodate.

 

4. You are using your powers to entertain the public. The leotard became superhero garb because they were imitating circus strongmen and acrobats. You know who dresses the most like a superhero these days ? Pop singers in their stage personae. Wrestlers. Foiling crimes in the costume from your act would be priceless publicity.

 

5. So your government can show everyone the hero they have on their payroll.

 

And then of course there are the heroes who get powers from their bizarre get up. Doctor Strange may look ridiculous, but the cape and Eye give him a lot of power.

Also to keep a secret ID secret. If we are talking about a "Poof, Superpowers!" event, there is not going to be laws on the books for super-heroic actions and their legal consequences. Or in more violent parts of the world you might not the local warlord you are fighting to track down you and your family. When witness to your actions report you as "the big guy in the purple spandex" rather then "a 6' 2" man, with a mole and a scar" it makes it hard to track you down. This also flips around to why villains wear the get up. When you take off the suit, you blend.

Re: The Art and Science of St. Nicholas

 

Hes a disturbing thought: maybe he has to be invited in. Santa's a vampire

Only comes out at night? Christmas eve only.

Command over animals? On Dasher!, on Dancer!...

Mind control/domination? Does anyone think he's a bad guy? He's mind-whammied us all!

Feeds on the blood of the living? Here we may have a problem. It may be we don't hear of the victims. Some vampire myths involve strange compulsions, like having to count ever grain of rice if you toss some at them. There may be a modern corollary in milk and cookies being left for santa.

Red fur would hide the bloodstains well...

Anyone have any good garlic cookie recipes?

Re: The Art and Science of St. Nicholas

That would explain the incredible cargo capacity of the sleigh (amongst other things) but you still have to stat him out.

A few thoughts for target numbers;

How many people does he need to hit? Every house in the world? Only those of certain faiths? Only those who have a child in a certain age range?

Do we have an estimate of the naughty/nice ratio

I don't have 6th ed, but it seems that clairsentience with a detect:naughty/niceness in the megascale range would work. Probably with a lot of rapid. He'd also need detect:sleep. He just needs to scan for states, so no need for discrimitory, etc.

He know's when you are sleeping

He know when you're awake

He know's if you've been bad or good,

So be good, for goodness sake.

Santa: Jolly old elf or CIA spook, you make the call.

Re: Combat Luck when you cannot be surprised

Combat Luck has the limitation luck-based' date=' which basically means it doesn't apply when you are unaware of an attack, or unable to do anything to defend yourself. That's fine, but what happens when the character also has something like Defense Manuever IV, spatial awareness, lightsleep (or no sleep), and/or danger sense? Of course you have to look at the overall combination to determine the actual effectiveness, but if a character essentially is never caught by surprise, doesn't that really make the [i']luck-based [/i]limitation not limiting?

 

The limitation is worth -1 which is pretty significant, and is the same value as a (9-) activation roll. In theory it should make the talent useless about half the time, though in actual play being surprised is infrequent.

 

Still, if a character is almost impossible to catch unaware, I'm thinking that Combat Luck could be changed to a 9- activation roll in order to preserve the effect of the limitation. Otherwise the character should pay full price for hardened resistant defense. Interestingly, using an activation roll would make it truly luck-based. For characters who are only partially "surprise-proof" but still enough to be significant, you could go with a higher activation, somewhere between 11- and 14-.

 

Thoughts?

IMHO combat luck should also not affect times where you willingly get in the line of fire. If you dive for cover in front of an ally, you should not get it. Also it shouldn't work if you are being crushed by a boa constrictor or something similar. Being fast/lucky won't help in a situation like that. There are more times then just surprised when combat luck isn't effective.

Re: NCIS Main Cast

A few levels of luck for everyone. They always get the break they need before the end of the show.

Re: Abilities Discussion

Ok, good to know. I had previously assumed it was doing some good, but I came to suspect that I was really seeing Killer Instinct in action. I have AM on most of my attacks, so I'll definitely be getting rid of it in an upcoming respec.

 

 

The message is really misleading.

On my munitions character I have AM on two gun mojo and my gatling gun. When you put it on a power that hits fast, you have more chances for it to proc and give you the END. It's a waste on something like sniper rifle, with only one chance to trigger. Between AM on 2 attacks, killer instinct, and a END on Kill effect on one of my items I almost never have to use my energy builder. With just some of those I wouldn't have enough juice to kill non-stop, but the combination lets me fight on with just a rare tap on gunslinger.

I think it also has a chance to fire off for every target you are hitting, so you get the most milage from fast hitting AOEs.

Re: List Your CO Heroes!

I'm @Khuldar over on CO

Skyknight :PA/gadgets

Celestian :munitions

Khuldar :Single blade

Blue-Collar Hero :might

Mandrax :Fire/force, headed for sorcery

Bladewind: Ego blades, probably retconning out to duel blades/archery