Stone

City environment? You could always bust open a fire hydrandt and direct the flow of water with you hands. Won't do much damage, but the knockback against a bug would be quite high. You could also stand near the opening and let the water fall on you. Unless the shrinking character has a EB, he/she will have get next to you to attack and again be hit with the falling water.

Doesn't this blow your arguement? You admit that a character concept would be greatly hampered, but justify it by saying almost no one plays that type of character. In my group, rarely does a MA appear. Personally I disagree with some of the MA abilities. To me MA's can be just as unbalancing (if not more) as any character type in the game.

Anyone ever tried to put this together? I was thinking about it, but trying to figure out how to handle quickenings. I was leaning towards making 2 types of XP. One a character normally gains and one that is gained from quickenings. Then any "highlander" abilities could only be purchased by quicken points (QP). Any ideas?

If two weapon skill in conjuction w/a rapid attack skill allows a character to make two attacks in one phase, can the character use one of these attacks to block or to add to his DCV?

I'm in the process of making a character with high Int (23). Why it is not incredibly high, it does exceed the magic 20 for human maximums. This got me to thinking about how do you handle high Int in game terms. If a PC has of 30 plus, does it make it easier for that PC to learn new skills or "fake it". Would that character be able use the high Int to simulate other skills (ex. code breaking). Would it be a simple Int roll with a negative modifer for not having the skill?

Thanks for your help =)

I am trying to design a new character and need some help. The character is basically a martial brick, but has some ego abilities. 1) Emotion Sense - Empathy. He can sense other people's emotions, use them to identify, track, and target people over a large area. (detect - emotions, sense, range, disc/ana, targeting, 360, megascale 1 km). If I did the math right, thats 50 points. I would also like to add a feedback to it (ex. a fire in a crowded theater, lots of panicing people) thats does damage to him...maybe 2-4d6 Ego attack. My question is how much (if any) of a limitation would this be? Also tinkering w/idea of magnetic fields or something like that interfering with this sense for -1/4. 2) Psi-knives - Ego attack. He can create blades of psi-energy, but he has to physically throw them. The blades can be dodged (but not deflected), therefore the attack would be based on OCV/DCV not ECV. The range would also be reduced from LOS to a much shorter range and affected by normal range modifiers. The problem I am running into is I am not sure how to set up the limitations on the Ego attack. I am planning to go with 3 to 4d6 Ego attack w/autofire. I know gestures (-1/4) will apply, but unsure about the other limitation. Another question I have to decide is if a target has partial or full cover, can the attack go through the cover (since it cannot be deflected). So far I am leaning towards no, since the attack is going to be based on OCV/DCV but I would like to hear what everyone thinks. I would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks =)

No, I'm not altering the cost of advantages. Armor piercing still costs +1/2. You are applying "Costs END" as a disadvantage to a power which like any other disadvantage will lower the cost of the power. As far as buying extra dice as an advantage on a power, I would not allow that in my game. As I said, I know my "house rule" can be abused. It is up to me as the GM to watch out for it. Obviously I am in the minority on this issue, thats ok. I do not see a major issue here. I believe the extra cost of an advantage alone is enough. Examples can be given for both sides of this issue. If advantages cost END, then why do disadvantages reduce END? Some disadvantages barely limit a power why others greatly hamper a power, but both only reduce the cost of the power and do not effect the END cost. I am not trying to change the subject, just pointing out what I believe to be an unbalanced aspect of the game. That being said, Hero still is the best system out there.

Thats what I have been saying. The END cost should be based on the base power cost. Not the base cost plus advantage cost.

Kinda related to the "Whos the baddest Mutha in your campaign" post. I was wondering what type of villian scares your group or you the most when the fight begins? For my group, hands down its the Egoist. The second is a villian with an area effect entangle. Anybody else??

And I do not think you are getting my point. I am not trying to encourage any advantages or disadvantages on powers. I am not trying to alter the costs of any advantages. My point is the power with the advantage already cost more. Unless you are playing in an very high powered game, that alone is the determining factor on powers. The extra END cost is a double whammy and un-necessary. If I have a PC that wants to load up a power with advantages, fine. If I have a PC that buys up a power with no advantages, then thats fine too. A 3d6 EB loaded with autofire, area effect, double knock, and armor peircing is still a 3d6 EB. Yeah its a great room sweeper againts street thugs and such, but against a 250 pt or higher villian its pretty much useless. You might lucky and score a few points of stun or knockback, but other than that not much. You can take the same points and make a much more effective EB, EGO attack, or whatever. Thats my point. If a character wants to overload his/her power with advantages because it is in the design of the character to have that power, the extra cost of the advantages themselves will keep the power from being very effective. Why pile on with extra END cost as well?

You beat me to the punch about armor piercing in that is mainly effective against high defenses. However with the current method of calculating END, I see no reason why anyone would buy it. Correct, I do not have anyone in my game throwing around 90 pt plus attacks. The highest I have is about 65 pts. Your point about the advantage going to the advantage is well taken, but...they are advantages paid for by the PC with character points. I do not see an overbalancing issue. Okay so a PC can have a 4d6 EB with area effect and pay on 2 END instead of 4 END. It still eats up 40 character points and will only be effective against low level thugs and agents. Without getting into exotic powers (EB's that bought partially reduced END) I can see your point, but I disagree with you.

Ok, this is not intended as a slam.... If you want to waste points on buying a 4d6 attack with all those advantages, be my guest. Yes it will make that very effective on several different types of targets, however I think the 17d6 attack is far more effective. The point I was trying to make is that the cost of the advantage itself will limit the overall impact of the power. I realize this is a game and the mechanics are trying to simulate things that do not exists. I simply disagree with the way the END cost are generate. As for your example of the EB with armor piercing, considering the fact the PC pays a +1/2 cost for the ability, seems to me the power already cost more. The same PC could have a 10d6 EB with armor piercing or a 15d6 EB. Both can be very devestating. My point is that the powers cost the same. By forcing PC's to buy reduced END to counter the increased END cost on other advantages, you will end up a PC that can use a power several times, but will less impact. The power would be good for agent level to minor super level villians, but not very effective against equal level villians. If the concern about END is an issue of game balance, then I think this clearly points out unbalanced the mechanics can be. As with any system/rule, I realize my "home rule" can be abused. Thats my job as a GM to prevent it from being abused. The current system also can be abused.

The ability already cost more since the PC had to spend the points on the advantage. This extra cost will reduce the overall effect of the ability. the Base cost of the ability/power should be used to determine END cost. This works well especially in campaigns with power limits. I fail to see why a weapon/focus with armor piercing cost more END to swing, than a weapon without armor piercing (in champions). To me, this makes no sense.

I was thinking about putting a duration on it. It can kill, but more intended to hurt/damage. The main purpose of this spell/ability is to defend against getting swarmed by enemies. As for a way around it. It is an aura that surrounds the character and extends in all directions for 2 hexes. It can be surpressed or dispelled, but other than that enemies would have to attack from outside the range or risk the damage. Would putting charges and durations on it make it less twinky?

Need help with this.. I am trying to develop a paladin power. The power is going to a "holy aura". It creates a aura that extends out 2 hexes from the paladin and any enemies that enter the aura will recieve damage from it. Those who play Rolemaster will recognize this from the paladin's spell list. Anyway, I am trying to decide if this would work better as a damage shield or as a EB/RKA no range/continious. If I go the continious route then the enemy would take damage every phase the paladin is able to take an action. However if I go the damage shield route, then the enemy would take damage every phase the enemy is within the range of the damage shield...is that correct??

Not sure if this should be here or on the Fantasy Hero board, but here goes. If a character was buying a magical ability (ex. Demonslayer) that grants an extra 1d6 KA, and this ability gives a visable effect when used (flashes of light, sparks flying, etc..) would this be eligible for the power limitation or is it just considered to be sfx for the power? Not trying to twink. Just starting my first FH campagin and I want to get ready for the questions I know my group is gonna ask me.

You could always make the ability yo use magic a perquisite (10 - 15 pts) if you trying to prevent the average joe non-magical character from buying 1 or 2 spells. Or...(which I'm sure you already do) make the PC's come up with very good reason why they have the spell or make them actually seek out someone to teach them, which also come with a cost (a mission, item, money, arm, or leg, etc..)

I have question about how to handle NND's and the appropiate defense(s). My question is how much of a defeense to require to nullify the NND attack. For example, if a character had a NND attack based on a light attack and the defense is flash defense (sight), how much defense should be required? I have played in campaigns were the required amount ranged from 5 points up to 20 points. I was hoping someone could help me out on this?