Panpiper

Re: Love for Non-Casters? I don't see it as much of a problem. Any character that has access to such a 'battle field' weapon is likely to be a fairly advanced character anyway, and such a spell would largely be a roleplaying chrome, as how often do adventurers find themselves facing armies anyway? As a tank (I prefer playing melee characters) I would be happy knowing that the crunchy mage I am usually protecting has such utility spells as can reduce an army of kobolds. I am content that when that armored war troll is bearing down on our wizard, I am the only thing that stands in the way of his oblivion. Besides, casters are not the only ones who can leverage their power to specific situations. At the same point level as that caster with battlefield magics, my tank too will be exceedingly scary. Throw in a few things like: 15 pts Heavy Lethality: Deadly Blow: +2d6 Killing, any circumstance, any 'heavy' weapon 6 pts Passive Blocking: +3 DCV; OIF: Weapon of Opportunity (-1/2), vs HtH Only (-1) 8 pts Second Skin: Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED) (12 Active Points); Only While Wearing Heavy Armor (-1/2) 5 pts Battle Recovery: +15 REC (30 Active Points); Only When Taking A Non-Post Segment 12 Recovery In Combat (-2) Add to the likes of that a big weapon that strikes for 3d6 killing, full plate, a martial maneuver for sweep, and I can wade through war trolls. Ultimately the biggest balancing factor of course is the GM. Have character sheets written in pencil. They get handed to the GM before the game starts. The GM makes any necessary adjustments and hands them back. Game starts. All is good. And I'm a player, not usually a GM.

Re: Disappointment I started playing the first edition of the tabletop Champions RPG in the year it first came out. I was a rabid fan. I was a crusader for the Hero System all through the second, third and fourth editions. All other games utterly paled in comparison to the total freedom the Hero System conferred to create virtually anything one could imagine. And the tactical depth of the game rivaled that of the inch thick rule book wargames we also played. Then around fifteen years ago, I drifted from the fold, leaving behind my glory days of gaming. Then just yesterday, I learned that Champions had been brought online! Imagine my excitement! I hurriedly looked it up and started reading. And as the hours passed and I tried to fathom what I was reading, my furrowed brow grew to a frown. And now it is one of supreme disappointment. I do not know what this game is, but it is NOT Champions or the Hero System. It does not even bear a superficial resemblance! Gone is the point build system. Gone is the fine control over stats and powers. Gone is the very game mechanics that made Champions as much a war game as it was a role playing game. In it's place is a system with frigging 'levels'! As if we've learned nothing since the days of basic D&D! This game system has more similarity to Diablo than the original Champions. Here we have a game that has bought the rights to a name, and thrown everything out except for the original chrome, the very chrome which was universally acknowledged among the people I gamed with as the weakest element of the original game. Seldom have I been so disappointed. I am certain someone will be motivated to post a 'play the game and give it a chance' followup to this. I would preemptively retort; why on earth would I want to play this game? It has NO resemblance, none whatsoever, to my beloved game system other than it being based on superheroes. I don't want to play a super hero game. If I did I'd already be playing one. I wanted to play the Hero System. Alas, such now shall never be.