Stone

Re: Killing Attacks - Eureka! The idea I have seen on the boards and will be testing in an upcoming campaign is to set the default stun multipler at 3. Increased stun mulitiplier is available at a +1/2 cost per level. A PC can then choose to buy AP, Penetrating, or Stun mulitplier w/the +1/2 (or a combination). ex. 3d6 RKA min Body - 3 default Stun - 9 avg Body - 9 default Stun - 27 (avg roll being a 3) max Body - 18 default Stun - 48 Appling this to characters/items w/out resistant defense would acheive the effect of being very deadly/damaging w/out having rely on the stun. Although on higher rolls stun does become a factor, but that is the same for normal attacks as well. The 3d6 RKA example is a 45 pt power. If a PC wished to make his RKA more effective by buying multiple levels of stun multiplier, the increased cost (+1/2) would quickly make it a very expensive power. ex. 3d6 RKA - 45 pts 1 lvl SM - 67 pts 2 lvl SM - 90 pts Its not a perfect solution, but I think it works. Yeah it can be abused at low level (1/2 d6 - 1d6) to make the stun a bigger factor, but it already can now for a cheaper cost.

A player in our campaign has a character that throws his aid into his energy absorption, then has half of the absorption back into his aid. The next phase he bumps his energy absorption again and the cycle continues. Would you allow this? Personally, I think energy absorption is over rated. I do not believe it's worth the cost. Its the circular aspect of this power that does not seem right to me.

Re: WWYCD: Foxbat The Mighty! Quantum - first, he would try to wake up from this nightmare or mental illusion. Failing that, he would considering checkin himself in for a psych exam, but would attempt to follow Foxbot to see where he was going in hopes he could find some answers. He would also call for back-up...of course he would not say it was Foxbat. Specture - Hmmm...would depend. His main duty is protecting innocent souls (mainly found in children). Assuming this applies, he would go desolid and enter the bank and rescue them. If not, he would most likey notify some other supers to take care of it while he continues on his mission. Stone - Would stand there disbelieving anyone (especially Foxbat) could shrug off his punch (75 STR). He would try to jump ontop of the bank, and hope Foxbat takes hiim where he needs to go. He would also call for help.

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign? I guess it depends on the Jedi's power level. I mean if he/she is a Yoda level, the Jedi could easily outshine the PC's. The lightsaber alone is a very nasty weapon (major HKA w/AP & pen..prob 2 levels of each) plus missile deflect/reflect. Then add in the "Force". Minor telepathy/empathy plus precog/postcog plus major TK plus a nasty RKA plus whatever ability you have seen from the movies. The Jedi would also most likely have Mentalist level EGO stat and a fairly high DEX/SPEED. Granted the character's defenses would most likely be fairly low, but I think the character's abilities could have the PC's running to him/her on a regular basis.

Re: WWYCD: Anti- 'Authority' Hmmm...sounds kinda familiar...in the campaign I am currently playing in, we are facing a would be world dominating villina that we have no hope in defeating. The GM has already told us we will never be able to surprise the villian or his team. Quantum - After losing his temper, he would begin trying to recruit and organize other heroes. Then would try to figure out a way to stop the other side. Once it becomes clear that the 1st world countries cannot stand up to an attack from the "villians", he would plan a pre-emptive strike in the hopes he could take out some of the other sides' heavy hitters or cause enough damage to delay the attack long enough for the 1st world countries to come up w/a defense. Spector - being half dead kinda gives you a different look on things. One government is kinda like another. He is more interested in protecting the few innocent souls left in the world. Stone - When/where is the fight and what should I wear?

Re: I could watch him get slapped around all day In an interview, he admitting to not really liking Nightcrawler that much and tried to take focus away from him. He also used him for comic relief. An example of that is in one of the last issues he did for Xmen. I can't remember the issue number, but its the one w/Wendigo.

Re: I could watch him get slapped around all day I stopped reading shortly after the Claremont/Byrne/Austin team broke up. Although I did not like how Byrne treated Nightcrawler, and from everything I have read, he was a big fan of Wolverine and tried to make him a bigger part of the story...so maybe it's his fault!

Re: I could watch him get slapped around all day 1) Batman - Batgod has become WAY over the top uber-character "I can beat anyone" character. Please have Nightwing or Robin (anyone) drop him....alot. 2) Wolverine - I agree...way over used and kinda ushered in the whole anti-hero era. He also has become WAY over the top compared to his abilities/powers. I would love to see Cyclops or Nightcrawler smack him around. 3) Cable - gotta agree here too. Just for being a general pest. What powers does this guy really have anyway? I've seen some minor TK, but nothing that should have made him the force he became. I mean, at least Capt America had a story behind his rise to legend status.

Re: Thoughts on using 1d20 instead of 3d6? I see your point, but a single d20 is double edge sword. It's alot easier to roll a 1 or a 20 on a single die than a 3 or 18 on 3 die. I agree that 3d6 lands more in middle on average. I also agree that this simulates a common level of ability from PC's/NPC's, and that PC's & important NPC's can be significantly better in some skills w/out being too over-balancing. To me using OCV/DCV calculations are no more difficult than using a "to hit" matrix from just about any other game. As far as modifing HERO or using House Rules, I have no problem w/that. I do it myslef. There are some areas I absolutely disagree w/the rules. If using a d20 feels right to you, go for it & have fun =)

Re: Mystic Superheroes Blue Devil Ok, I admit it has been many many years since I read this comic, but I could swear this character's origin was a stuntman trapped in a suit that amped his strength and agility? Am I wrong?

Re: Ever have one of those moments when... I guess I should've put up more detail. I am really not sure the players see that they did anything wrong. The game world is kind of "gritty". The team leader is worried that normals are beginning to truly fear all "supers" not just the villians. He is trying everything he can think of not to give normals a reason to fear him and the team, but this is how the session went downhill. The team is sent to Mongolia to take down a "super" terriorist who has pretty much taken control of the capital. On the way there, the team leader uses diplomacy working w/the the military and police in order to be allowed into the country to take down the terrorist. Once the team moves into the area of the city where the bad guy is, they fall under attack from a nearby building. They determine there are 5 suspects w/sonic stunners shooting from the building. They also determine there are other people who may or may not be involved or hostages. 1 PC tells the brick to throw something through a window, so the brick spots a junked vehicle and uses his full strength to throw it through the window, and the building, and the three buildings behind it. He kills four people (the PC's know of) in that building. The PC's storm the building and find the attackers are automated defenses. They quickly defeat them. Citizens are now freaking out and running all over the place. 1 PC entangles a citizen so the group can ask her some questions. This angers another PC who begins to threaten the 1st PC. They begin to bicker. The leader makes his PER roll to sense there are more attackers. The PC who used the entangle is shot, but not stunned. A different PC decides he is going to head off on his own. The leader tells him not too. He ignores the leader and starts to head out, the PC who just got shot, decided to entangle the the PC trying to leave and starts another bickering session. Things went down hill from there.... Like I said eariler. I am not expecting them all to have "protection of innocents" like the team leader. There are going to be times when deadly force and even killing a villian will be necessary. The players seem to think they are free to use their powers and not worry about collateral damage or injuring innocents.

I freely admit I am not the best GM or the best gamer around. That being said, one of my last sessions had me doing some serious soul searching. The players succeeded in killing 4 innocent people, in group bickering upto the point of 1 PC entangling another PC (which made the bad guys job much easier), throwing a car through four buildings (85 STR brick), and oh yes, taking out the team leader (same brick blindly threw a metal object into the building the team leader was in and hit him). I tried to explain to the group that they are supposed to be heroes, however I think my words fell on deaf ears. One response I received was;"Can't make an omlette w/out breaking a few eggs". Now I could lower the boom and have all of the supposed heroes become hunted by UNTIL, PRIMUS, and all the major heroes, but I am sure the PC's would do something along the line of attacking an UNTIL or PRIMUS HQ in an attempt to get them to leave the PC's alone. I could have some villians try to recruit them, but I really really detest running a villian game. Right now I am leaning towards just scrapping the campaign, PC's, and maybe finding a new group of players. I do not expect the PC's to win the boyscout merit badge for good behavior, but I have a group of 5 "anti-heroes" who don't mind opening up full power on normals. I would try to a Dark Champions campaign, but I'm pretty sure we would end up w/a body count contest. Sigh.... I am open to suggestions...

Re: Another How would build question

Re: Another How would build question To allow the character (an NPC villian) to attack several targets at once.

Re: Another How would build question Originally I was going to make the shadows as desolid creatures that could affect solid. They would drain STR and END if they could hit the target. However that ran into the slavish loyal advantage, plus writing up the actual shadow being itself. Not that I am lazy, but this seemed like a much simplier approach. Your right, suppress better simulates the effect I am looking for. I just have to lower the END cost across the board now (will use the 1/2 END mod). Thanks =)

Here is the premise: Attacker animates the targets shadow, the shadow attacks the target. Originally I was gonna try the summon route, but then it occurred to me that an area effect entangle w/a linked STR drain would accomplish the desired effect. The shadows would just be sfx of the power. The build looks like this: 5d6 Entangle AOE radius (x2 area) +1 1/4 Selective +1/4 Target must be close enough to the ground to cast a shadow at least half the size of the target -1/4 Gestures -1/4 Active points: 125 real cost: 83 4d6 Drain (STR) delayed return rate (5 pts/min) +1/4 Linked (Entangle) -1/2 Active points: 50 real cost: 33 Does this look right to you?

Re: Taking Names So are you assuming the defeated person's persona, or you taking all their memories? If you are going the Highlander route, then there would be no negative on the draining character (other than a few phases of being stunned). Once the drain was over, the character could gain some of the defeated character's knowledge and or abilities.

Re: Taking Names Roddy Piper (John Carpenter's - They Live...I think). I love that line.

Re: Suggestion for a book Personally, I would not mind seeing more City Books. Maybe a large book that hits the major cities in each region (NY, LA, Dallas, etc...). It could tie into some of the Org books as well (Until, Viper, Primus, etc.).

Re: LASD Superheros (ideas needed) You could have the villians set the PC's (staged bank robbery where a bystander gets injured by a PC) and of course the media is there. or You could have one of the PC's framed for a serious felony (murder, etc..). The local PD is trying to bring him/her in for questioning, but the PC & group are trying to prove his/her innocence.

Re: Would you allow this or is this too cheesy? Sorry I did not respond eariler. I would love to see your ideas for this effect. Right now I am stuck between a drain or a linked incremental EB.

Re: Same concept, new approach A drain was my first attempt (ED though). However Hugh correctly pointed out to me that drains against defenses are halved, and it would require an additional advantages of ranged & switchable targets (types of ED) to make it work. I would be interested to see your work up on this though. My attempt seemed a little clunky.

Re: Same concept, new approach I thought about that, but penetration for this attack (non-ka) would get only stun through the defenses and then based on how well the roll is. While I am not looking to develop a different type of KA, I would like the sfx to be able to effect non-organic things as well (walls, vehicles, etc...)

Re: Same concept, new approach If my math is correct, it would require 15 charges to get to the max level. Also charges are only good for once per day. While it is unlikely there would be more than two (at the most) in game day, this does greatly reduce the effect I am looking to achieve. It is very likely the character would have to hit more than one target in a combat and thereby spread out the charges amongst the targets. Right now the only way I am seeing to achieve the desired effect is thru an ED drain or the incremental EB (not charges). I put 0 END on the power, because is not something the character consciously does. His powers have grown. The attack hits hard (particle beam AP) and after each additional hit against the same target begins to wear down the targets defenses. It is not that I do not appreciate your idea, I really do and will use it for some other concepts I have for the campaign. Does anyone have any additional ideas how to achieve this effect?

Re: Same concept, new approach Interesting Idea. Can you post an example to make sure I am understanding you correctly?