archermoo

Re: A level of confusion

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

Re: A level of confusion Well, the actual rule on point is on 6e1 page 69. "Unless the GM permits otherwise, a character can only allocate a CSL on a Phase when he uses an attack/power that CSL applies to." So if you buy a 3 point CSL with the small group "all knives", that skill level can be assigned in any phase that you are using a knife. If what you want is a CSL that you can use for OCV or Damage with any knife, and for DCV anytime you are using a knife or being attacked by one, what you want is a limited 8 point CSL with all HTH combat. A -1 for all of the limitations brings it to 4 points, or slightly more expensive than the more limited "Only when using a knife" level. Sounds about right. If you don't think that it makes sense for people to trained in such a way as to allow them to be harder to hit when using one type of attack but no harder to hit if they aren't using it, only let people use 8 or 10 points levels for DCV.

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

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

Re: Defense Maneuver IV There are penalties if you don't have a functioning targeting sense with which to perceive someone attacking you, whether it is because your targeting senses are non functional or because they just don't work on that person. The severity of which are dependent on whether you make a non-targeting perception roll or not. Not having a functional targeting sense with respect to an attacker isn't the same thing as that attacker being behind you.

Re: The cranky thread You have my sympathy.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

Re: Defense Maneuver IV

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER Never found 'em to be very comfortable. Generally because they're too hot. I prefer some type of comfortable shorts.

Re: Defense Maneuver IV

Re: Defense Maneuver IV More to the point you get the "Surprised" bonus if your attack from behind is sufficiently "surprising". And yes, in my experience it works pretty well.

Re: Defense Maneuver IV In times that I've fought single opponents I've never needed to particularly worry about them getting behind me, and I've certainly never needed "careful and proactive attention and planning" to stop it. And in times that I've fought multiple opponents while being able to get into a position where they couldn't flank me but I still remained mobile didn't deal with all of the difficulties of fighting more than one person it certainly made it considerably easier. And for that matter when I've been on the outnumbering side, most of our maneuvering tends to be based on getting ourselves evenly spread around the defender, making it as difficult as possible for them to avoid having at least one of us behind them. Of note, if I was thinking of any game system when I mentioned set in stone modifiers for flank and rear, it was GURPS. I haven't played D&D since it was AD&D, and have almost no recollection of how combat worked even in that version. And I certainly agree that "because it is in a game that I don't like" isn't a good reason to not do something, anymore than "because it is in a different game that I do like" is a reason to do something. I was just pointing out that my take on people talking about a lack of Hero dealing with facing/rear attack issues has to do with there not being a set in stone way of always dealing with it solely based on the facing.

Re: Defense Maneuver IV Yeah, I think when people talk about Hero not addressing "from behind", what they often mean is that there isn't a set in stone "you are at -x DCV if someone is on your flank, and -y if they are behind you" kind of thing. The examples you give are examples of what someone I used to game with refers to as "GM negotiation". Which is to say that rather than having a rule in the book that the Ref can fall back on, he actually has to make a ruling himself as to whether the situation calls for any modifier, and if it does, frequently how big that modifier is.

Re: Handling social stuff in HERO That is certainly how I've always handled it. To at least some degree the PCs only have me to rely on for things like gut reactions to meeting and talking with people, since they aren't actually their characters and I'm not actually whatever NPC they are reacting with. Whether or not rolls are being made on either side, I'll frequently note things like "he seems to be telling the truth" or "he seems to be hiding something" or the like. I guess it also helps that for the most part I've always gamed with people who are very much capable of separating what they and their character know, what their goals are and what their character's goals are, etc. I have for the most part always been able to depend on my players to, if handed a note saying "your character has been mind controlled to think that your teammates are bad guys" or even "your character has been replaced by a bad guy" to do a great job of role playing their part correctly. With generally no worries that the rest of the players will react with anything other than "cool, great job, you really nailed us!". I think a lot of that comes down to not only not having the "Players vs the Ref" mindset, but also the "we're here to have fun, and while our characters succeeding is fun, overcoming setbacks can be fun too" mindset.

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore Actually, I generally bread and fry them.

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore The one that seems most confusing to people for me is my absolute hatred of broccoli. For some people you'd think I said that I don't like air...

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore Right up until they hit the boiling water.

Re: Musings on Random Musings Hey, look! Page 400.

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

Re: How do Hero System players/GM view DnD? How do I view D&D? It was the second RPG I ever played. I played 3 different versions of it (Dungeons and Dragons, Basic D&D, Advanced D&D). We had a lot of fun with them at the time. Then Champions came out, and Iron Crown started releasing their "Law" products. I started playing using what because Rolemaster for fantasy settings before they actually ever published it under that name, and Champions was mostly what I did when I wasn't playing RM. So how do I view D&D? I don't know anything about any version after AD&D, and I stopped playing that in the early 80s. I remember some of the games that I played using it fondly, but not the system so much. So I guess I'm not really the best source of info, but I couldn't help but throw my $.02 in.

Re: Visualising Block Pretty much. I've never had any problems working in both mechanical descriptions of what I'm doing as well as "flavor text". I work out what mechanical effect does what I want to do the best, and go with that. If I'm doing something to actively stop a particular attack from hitting me, that sounds like a Block to me. If I'm doing something that will make it harder for me to be hit in general, but nothing specific to particular attacks, that sounds like a Dodge to me. If there are mechanical effects that don't initially seem to make sense with the textual description the players uses, I handle it on a case by case basis. For example, someone using a block to avoid an attack entirely will as noted still take damage from a damage shield. Regardless of how they describe a block, they'll still take damage from the damage shield. Part of my job as Ref is to make it make sense. I also keep in mind that the player is describing what they would like to have happen. In a game that I'm running, I'm the final arbiter of what actually does happen. So just because they describe a block with no physical contact occurring, that doesn't mean that is actually what happens, even on a successful block. IMNSHO part of my job as Ref is also to make sure that, regardless of any flavor text being used to describe things, everyone knows mechanically what is happening. Unless there is a REALLY good reason that they shouldn't know.

Re: Musings on Random Musings As you may remember (since I have talked about it on the boards) my mom died on her 64th birthday. Which has been 6 years now. I still miss her, every day. But life goes on. My biggest regrets are that since I met Keri after she died she never got to meet her. And that she never got to hold Maeve. As to time to prepare, the first I knew there was a problem with mom was the call I got at 1ish in the morning to tell me that she probably wasn't going to make it through the night. At the time I lived in Denver and she lived in Oklahoma. She died a few hours later. I was a wreck for a while, but I pulled through. I've known people who have lost loved ones that they knew were dying for quite some time. They recovered afterward faster than I did, but were wrecks beforehand for longer. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it all balances out. And that yes, losing a parent that you love is a hard blow. But it is one that you can and will recover from.

Re: Visualising Block As always when this discussion comes up I'm boggled as to why it matters so much to some people the language someone uses to describe the mechanical effect that someone is using. If someone is using the Block maneuver, regardless of how they describe it, that is what they are using. I can see why a Ref would want to keep things under control in their campaign so as to keep the tone where it is supposed to be, but other than that, why does it matter?

Re: OCV/DCV Am I doing the math right? It could easily be as simple as geographic area. While we currently live in the same basic area, I've only lived here a short while and have only played with experienced Hero players out here. As a math-phobe my current game would likely drive you nuts. In addition to using 3d10 instead of 3d6 for determination of success, in combat most of your defenses come from a "parry" skill. You get 1/2 your current roll with it as PD if you succeed. And 1/2 of that is resistant.