Mentor

Re: Update to 6ed?

The layout and organization are much improved as are some of the Powers, especially Life Support, merging of NND and AVLD, and the tightening of the Deflection and Reflection descriptions. Edit: And Barrier. I really like Barrier.

The changes in Characteristics were a neutral to me as I don't yet see the advantges of them. Granted I have been playing Hero for over 25 years so I am very comfortable with the original CHA builds and points so I may only be dealing with familiarity and comfort zone issues.

The only negative IMO is the elimination of Elemental Control. I always considered it a good concept reward and the duty of a GM to rather than the rules to prevent abuse.

6E is very much worth getting but I don't see any reason to convert our long running campaign or PC at this time. At the same time, we may well retcon the new and improved versions of the powers from 6E if the balance holds.

Steve always does good work and since his gaming philosophy has always seemed to agree with ours, I didn't really expect a disaster.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

Did you even read what I posted? I'm not arguing semi auto vs. auto' date=' I'm arguing that player carried ammo be reduced from 3000 to 30.[/quote']

 

Sure I did. I was arguing concept rather than pure scale. Also humor. Jeez, I didn't realize the grumpy avatar was so life like.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

Exactly. If they reduced ammunition carried to a couple dozen rather than a couple dozen thousand' date=' then there would be a lot more movement and aiming and a lot less suppressive fire.[/quote']

 

Wasn't that what the Marine Corps said about switching from the Springfiend to the Garand in 1942? The ability of the leathernecks to hold of the banzai charges on Guadalcanal changed their tune pretty quickly.

 

OTOH, the ability of the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq to both maneuver and aim fire an supress by rapid fire, depending on the encounter points more to training IMO than than hardware.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Sweetheart' date=' there's guys here who coulda told you that, oh, 35 years ago. [/quote']

 

:lol:

 

Repped!

Re: [PA Hero] Limited Nuclear War Not So Good

How many nuclear bombs worth of stuff were kicked up into the atmosphere by the eruptions of Pinatubo or Mt. St. Helens?

OTOH, if we are going to get mutant powers or zombies from the post apocalyptic "science" why not mass starvation to give us those one billion potential zombies?

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Okay. So last year they sorta remodelled our branch. I know you're thinking, is that all? Of course it is.

 

Anyway, as part of our remodel we got a new check writing station. The old on e was about 4.5 ft tall and could fit 6-7 people around it.

The new one? I'ts like 3.5 feet tall and you can get maybe 4 people around it. Kids like it because they can see and play with the pens.

So we whine. I am told it was compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. I ask how. They say that people in wheelchairs can now use it. We have like 7 customers in wheelchairs, tops. And I've noticed that they prefer to come to the teller row and bypass the stand all together. So we get customers complaining that it's too short and bad for their backs (so it might eventually be removed). That's the PC element. We mad it worse for the gross majority so that a minority could use it better.

The sexism? Well we have noticed that when the ladies use the check writing stand and have to bend over slightly we get a better view of their bewbs.

I have to admit that the last bit of reality actually has caused me to not be so concerned with the first bit.

You looked at their bewbs and counted the wheelchairs?

Allright, another vote for Guliani.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Definitely repped!

 

As stated in my rep, I really will have to make a villain like this. (If the only person who actually looks at my posts on these boards sees this, please don't tell anyone else in the group - but I couldn't hold back saying it)

Thanks, Zorn, and I have to say that the perverse temptation to review more ABBA titles to fully flesh out the concept is equally hard for me to resist.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

. . . So' date=' when the dvd of the movie comes out, I guess it'll be doing repeats in your player?[/quote']

 

I may just be driven over the edge to become the new Dr. Phibes and commit my vengeful murders to the theme of ABBA tunes.

 

"Can you hear the drums, Fernando...?" Bwa, ha, ha:eg:

Re: Musings on Random Musings

. . . I think the popping sound just then was Mentor blowing a blood vessel.

 

In his fists.

My wife and daughter have already become fan's of "Mama Mia", the musical, so you don't get the blame for most of the damage.

"sigh"

Re: Musings on Random Musings

...and she's buying a Stairway to Waterloo.

I hate you!!!

Re: Musings on Random Musings

I say, Squadron Leader ! Bit extreme carpet bombing Australia, isn't it ?

The enemy are putting ABBA songs in our heads, Gentlemen.

Permission to make a second run then sir ?

Granted !

American AWACS standing by proud to serve alongside our British cousins and assist in targeting, sir.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

. . . You're gonna have that song playing in your head for the rest of the day' date=' you know. [/quote']

 

Dammit, both of you.

 

 

I gotta get some Zepplin playing now.

Re: Telepathy

As the power sounds like the Telepath is only tryng to reach the "surface thoughts" of the receiving brain, a simple "equals EGO" should be sufficient, but Mental Defense would still operate, so you would need rather more than a couple of D6 effect to have a guaranteed success.

Re: Fifteen points of wealth is very justifiable

I go by the idea that what is on the sheet is a request from the Player to the GM, and the more points, the more the Player is asking me as the GM to make that item part of the game.

 

A player who sinks 15 points into wealth is asking for his character's wealth to serve as a major game element, showing up about as often as five base level skills. If I don't want it to be that much of an element in the game, as GM I'm obligated to tell the Player he's wasting his points and give him a chance to spend them on something else. If I allow him to spend those points that way, and don't warn him that I won't give him much screen time related to his wealth, then as GM I've agreed to let him make those 15 points count in the game.

 

I'd have no problem with him using Wealth to justify getting into exclusive parties, clubs, or political fund raisers. Since he hasn't paid for contacts, people he meets this way are effectively everyman contacts justified by his wealth, and are fully under my control as GM; if he'd paid points for a contact, he'd be justified in expecting more control.

 

The same goes for mansions, fast cars, private planes, etc, etc. If he justifies having these through wealth, but doesn't spend the points, I as GM control them completely, and can remove them or turn them into liabilities, or not, as suits me. If the Player had spent points on them, while I as GM could still manipulate them in negative ways, he would be justified in expecting them to be mostly reliable and more under his control.

 

High tech weapons and gear are established as costing points in most Supers games, and wealth does not allow an end run around this. However, as a GM I might allow a wealthy character to purchase (for example) a piece of high tech if it furthered the plot; if he didn't pay points for it, I as GM could have it fail or backfire at the worst possible moment, or not, as I liked. If he paid points, while I could still screw with his equipment, he'd be justified in expecting it to mostly work.

 

Some things in some campaigns will require the right contacts and other skills no matter how much wealth you have; GMs call as to what those things are.

Exactly so. My billionaire PC, Cyberknight, is expected to be invited to the high fallootin' affairs during which the the mayor's daughter is to be kidnapped, the Hopeless Diamond is being worn by the Sultan of Swing and the Matter Transmogrifier is being demonstrated by Professor Squid for his financial backer.

One might as easily ask if the PC is getting Disads without the points as well as are they getting something extra for the money. The answer is that the character gets the good and the bad that comes with (hopefully) solid character concept.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Dibs!

Dang! I'm too slow gain.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Your'e abandoning Gillian Anderson?!?!?!

Re: Musings on Random Musings

. . . And now cowboys! This is just too much!

Oil tycoons ain't pirates. You Vikings all think you own the franchise?

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Now' date=' don`t be gettin' any funny ideas jus' on accoun' o' I wear lace cuffs an' tight leather britches.[/quote']

 

Well, you be callin' him matey an aweful lot, there bucko.

Re: Rant? Speed in Hero

I have an idea. We could dispense with SPD and just use DEX and instead of PD we have something called armor class and instead of having these weird Hero inconsistencies of human reality, what if we just give them hit points have the PC progress, say in something like different levels. Yes, we shall let them improve only when they increase in level...

Re: Traveller Hero Adventures...

I was always a Megatraveller fan as the CT universe seemed too consistently civilized to me until one got to the edge of the Imperium.

It was hard to feel all that tough in an armed trader when there was always the possibility of an Imperial Cruiser rounding the planet.

Re: I was expecting someone taller...

My favorite trick.

 

Zero to Hero: +8 COM, +10 PRE, -1/4 Only in Hero Id

 

He is your typical soft-spoken average guy, but suddenly, he seems taller, more confident, and much less nerdy.

Good approach. I think we may see that.

Re: Hero Sales Figures, new blood?

Not that I'm trying to defend D20' date=' but you can do the same thing with any system. If a D20 book has something you don't like throw it out, the same way you can with Hero. It's actually probably easier since you can just say "I'm not using that book/PrC" as opposed to having to fight off the: "...but the president of the frickin' company says it's this way!"[/quote']

Exactly.

 

In the case of Hero, Steve Long has written on more than one occasion that if you don't like a rule as written for a particular concept or character, don't use it. This maxim is even part of the rules.

 

I have never gotten the impression that the rules were ever intended as unquestionable "holy writ." Quite the opposite, in fact.

 

The need for some RPGers to appeal to a designer as the "last word" is what resulted in the D&D phenomena of "fast and loose rules" to "Gygax needs to tell my players what to do so I don't have to make them mad" to "Gygax is to restrictive 'cuz I don't like it that way" in just a few short years.

 

Any pressure discerned by players that Steve Long is looking judgementally over their shoulder is self imposed, IMHO.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

My Dearest Tribble,

 

I must insist that you share Jeff Wayne with the rest of the former colonies. Send him and his entire War of the Worlds concert tour forthwith to the Eastern seaboard of the United States, or I shall be forced to write a more strongly worded letter. I feel it prudent to remind you that I have at my disposal all locked or forgotten threads, and all of the relentless shambling headless ascended provided to me so haphazardly by our larcenous lapine mutual ally. They could make a great smelly mess of London. Smellier, and messier, actually.

 

Yours,

 

BoneDaddy

Dear Bonedaddy,

I find your position intriguing and I would like to sign up for your newsletter.

Mentor

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Kate Peirson looking her best.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGSDkvh8B0

I had forgotten the extent to which she helped make the 80s a more pleasant decade.

Re: Thoughts on SPD

Exactly my point. And I bet there are bricks that are afraid of you as well.

 

It's all relative.

Many Bricks are afraid of Zl'f after they have fought her the first time, although she looks pretty harmless at first.

She is a powerful and adept PC. She also is a hero and as such get beat up plenty as well.

She is brave and aggressive without being suicidal or foolhardy.

IOW, any encounter that she has with any supervillain is likely to be unpredicatble as to outcome, which to me indicates a pretty darn well constructed and campaign balanced PC.