Folded

Re: Selling back OMCV

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa fa-fa-fa-fa-fa better run run run run run run run away

Re: Selling back OMCV

Just read the BR entry on OMCV, and I must admit that it doesn't make any real sense for this to be a default attribute. Allowing non-mentalist characters to sell it back seems a little unbalancing, since it essentially adds 15 points to the cost of running a mentalist (everyone else would sell it back). My solution (barring more information) would be to make it a potential attribute, which comes into existence at the base value of 3 for the character when they purchase a Power that uses it. Otherwise, it is ignored, unless a use for it that would apply generally is added (certainly possible, in one of the supplements or rules I don't have).

Re: Telephone conversations in combat

I include cell phones in modern campaigns as Everyman gear.

Re: For your post-apoc learning needs

But they don't have fleshy-headed mutants from the Forbidden Zone to deal with...

Re: Attack vs. Limited Defense in 6E: how to build?

This would be the case if, and only if, the base Power being used normally goes against a defense that is somehow more common than Very Common. I don't see how that's possible.

 

More likely, it would be a +0 Advantage. Or if the attack type normally goes against a defense that is less common than Very Common (For example: A Drain that goes against PD) then it is actually a Limitation.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Palindromedary vs Alternate Tagline

Ah, misread things on my part. Sorry about that, Zeropoint.

Re: Attack vs. Limited Defense in 6E: how to build?

It just depends on how common it is to find people without the special defenses. If magical armor, force fields or magical protection are Very Common, the Advantage counts as +1/2. If they are Common, +1. Uncommon is +1 1/2, and Rare is +2. In most fantasy campaigns I have played in, magical protection of any kind was at least Uncommon (considered over the entire population, not just adventurers and monsters), meaning that this attack would render most people defenseless. If you want the NND effect, add an All or Nothing Limitation (-1/2), as well.

Re: Spring Heel Jack

Andrew Lang has a collection of twelve volumes of collected Fairy stories. It's available in Kindle format (all 12, one file) on Amazon for $1.99. It's an excellent reference for stories about the Fey as told in the British Isles. If you don't have a Kindle, you can download their Reader for the PC software for free and read it on that.

Re: Telephone conversations in combat

Talking is zero-phase action' date=' so using the phone/commlink/radio as much as you want during a phase. Depending on the genre, I wouldn't penalize the PC much, if at all, for using the phone during the fight (supers, for instance, do crazier things on a regular basis) outside of having one hand occupied. How fast the person they're calling can get to them, and how helpful they feel compelled to be, would be the limiting factors.[/quote']

 

Talking is a zero-phase action, but holding a detailed conversation is not. My post above is based on the idea that playing out the entire thing is critical, that for some reason, exactly how it plays out will affect immediate gameplay. Otherwise, I agree, just wave it away.

Re: Telephone conversations in combat

If it were critical, I would suggest the following guidelines

1) Using a normal cell-phone puts the character at 1/2 DCV for the duration of the call. Using a hands-free model without voice-command dialing puts the character at 1/2 DCV during the phase that the number is being dialed.

2) Dialing a number is a half-phase action. Speed dialing might be a zero phase action.

3) Assume an average of three rings for the person on the far end to answer. At (roughly) one ring per segment, this means the call will be answered three segments later. You could also roll 1d6 for segments to answer, with a 5 or 6 maybe indicating the call went to voicemail.

4) I would allow a single, brief sentence to be spoken per phase (5-10 words or so). Comprehension on the other end would take at least another phase.

All in all, unless you're calling in an airstrike, I can't see a whole lot of reason to bother with trying to call someone in combat. For me, a phone call takes a minimum of one minute, which is five full turns. That's a very long time in game terms, and nothing in terms of actions-after-combat.

Re: Self-directed illusion

Worth bearing in mind that the 'Images' power can react to outside phenomena (the example in the book is that an image shot with an arrow will start to bleed) and that an image can be programmed' (you just make it an 'interacting' image at +6 PER roll).

 

I'd probably just go with Images. This build is a small device (inobvious fragile focus) that you set up (takes a turn) and can be programmed with visual, audio and scent components that goes off when something occurs (trigger) and runs under its own power (0 END uncontrolled).

 

Programmable Sensorium Projector: Sight, Hearing and Smell/Taste Groups Images, +/-6 to PER Rolls, Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (85 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), Only to Activate, -3/4), IAF Fragile (-3/4) 85 Active, 34 Real

Repped. I shall dub this the Arnold J. Rimmer build.

Re: What Champions Universe character would you gender change?

Like I always tell my drama students' date=' "If you want to break from convention, first understand why the convention exists and what purpose it serves, so you know what effect breaking it is likely to have."[/quote']

 

I fully agree, it is critical to learn the hows and whys that already exist before you start changing them. However, I am not really talking about the Gender-Bending trope, where the change is sudden and not reflective of a true alternative gender identity. I am interested in how a popular hero deciding that he or she wished to go through the gender reassignment process might alter that hero's relationship with the public and with other heroes.

Re: What Champions Universe character would you gender change?

You forget the basic concept of Gender bending and it's tendency for male-to-female:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GenderBender

And the first Law of Genderbending:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FirstLawOfGenderBending

Yes, but breaking tropes is often far more interesting than following them.

Re: Paper

"In 1951, The U.S. Constitution, U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Bill of Rights were hermetically sealed with helium gas in glass cases housed in the U.S. National Archives in Washington, DC. In 2003, they were moved to new glass cases hermetically sealed with argon." - Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetic_seal

The noble gas atmosphere makes sense. It won't react significantly with the paper or ink, and prevents the dessication effect that vacuum would cause. Print what you want to keep around on the best acid-free paper with inks designed for longevity, seal it up in an argon filled box, and boom, you've got an archival copy that should last for at least a few millenia.

Re: Toxic Laser

Oh, almost forgot. Sounds like this would qualify for a Bulky Focus (wielder at 1/2 DCV), which puts another -1/2 Limitation on the thing. Cuts the cost of the first variant to 22RC and the second to 18RC.

Re: Toxic Laser

Fair enough. It's not hurried in a way that would (game mechanically) bestow upon it a degree of unwieldiness, defocusing, or anything that would compromise it's accuracy, in any event.

 

By the way, how do you model the fact that the tank itself can rupture and spill corrosive chemicals?

Hadn't thought of that, in mechanical terms. Add a Side Effect that's triggered or may be triggered when the Focus is broken/takes BODY? This build would have PD/ED of 12 (based on the Basic 6e book), and the rules state that the Focus loses one power any time it takes BODY damage. A roll at that point (say, 8- except on a called shot to the tank) might be appropriate. You could simulate anything from a leak to complete loss of containment, but the specifics rely on how much of what is released how quickly and how violently. I don't know the specifics of the chemicals you mentioned, but I'd start there and work with how bad you want that problem to be. That could run anywhere from "don't wipe your eyes until we clean up" to "tank fails, everybody dies".

edit: HD does allow for multiple Side Effects on a single power.

Re: Toxic Laser

If anything' date=' there should be a [i']bonus[/i] to OCV: one of the benefits of using the laser is that it is extremely accurate. Better lasers (those that use solid-state lasing mediums) don't emit noxious clouds, and don't require pumping...but they're much more difficult to build on the fly. A chem laser is a nice, "low-tech" compromise for those unable to do so.

I was thinking that hurried building might lead to problems with lens alignment and control, unreliable power levels, things like that.

Re: Character Class Mottos

Paladin "Lawful Good, not necessarily stupid."

Barbarian "The person wearing this shirt cannot read. Plan your swindling accordingly."

Ranger "Son of who?"

Dwarf "Whores, ale, yadda yadda yadda"

Thief "While you're reading this shirt, I'm stealing your money."

Rogue "Not a thief. Really."

Townsperson "Proud parent of a grave robber."

Wizard "Will work for material components."

Cavalier "My other mount is yo' mamma."

Re: Toxic Laser

Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/4) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Knockback (-1/4), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; -0), 4 clips of 125 Charges (Increased Reloading Time: 2 Full Phases; +3/4) - Real Cost 27 Points

That's what I came up with in HD. This is with the assumption that the Side Effects are considered minor. Bump it up one level and you get the below:

Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/4) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; -1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), 4 clips of 125 Charges (Increased Reloading Time: 2 Full Phases; +3/4) - Real Cost 22 Points

Given the situation described in your last post, I'd think about adding Requires a Roll, maybe with Burnout. Possibly a penalty to OCV while using it, and a custom Lim to represent the bulk, the two-handed requirement, and the general slapdash degree of engineering.

Re: Toxic Laser

How long does the pumping of the tank take?

Re: Toxic Laser

This is not a weapon system I want to use, thank you very much. I'll just hire snipers to puncture your tanks, sit back, and watch the fun.

Re: Anti Magic-Field

The problem with that is that it would only inhibit spells cast within the area of effect. Most anti-magic fields (in D&D, at least) also prevent spells from entering the field from outside.

 

I had considered using Change Environment with an "anti-magic" effect costing x points per level of effect, and each level of effect blocking a number of active points of magic representing one "level" of spells.

Then, you can have Minor Globe of Invulnerability, which blocks spells up to 3rd level (70 AP), Globe of Invulnerability, which blocks spells up to 4th level (90 AP), and Antimagic Field, which blocks spells up to 9th level (190 AP)

But Globe of Invulnerability doesn't affect items, nor does it dispel (IIRC) currently active spells on someone who moves through the globe. The OP is looking for something that will shut down ALL magic in a given area, regardless of AP, source or pre-existence. D&D only uses such things as plot points, not character abilities, unless things have changed a lot more than I remember.

I think Doc Democracy has it right, above. Build all magic powers with "Doesn't Work In Anti-Magic Fields" and then set up a base power that generates them. If they're to be common and easy, base it on Change Environment. If they're to be rarer and more difficult, base it on Darkness, Barrier, or some kind of Defense. There wouldn't be any levels of effect, only Advantages and Limitations such as AoE, END modifiers, Concentration/Gestures/Incantations, et cetera. Something like this, maybe:

Anti-Magic Field - Cancels all magic within the area of effect. Base effect only covers caster, who becomes immune to magical effects of any kind while the field is active. Secondary effects are not reduced unless they, too, are magical. (Example: The Fireball doesn't do any damage, but the flames caused by setting the room on fire with it certainly can). Magical effects on weapons are ignored by the caster, but not the effects of the weapons themselves (pointy is still pointy). Magical effects that come in contact with the field are disabled while in contact with it (for permanent termination of effects, link an appropriate Dispel or Transform to the field). Base cost - 20 points (2 END).

A-M Field, 4m Radius - 25 AP/RC

A-M Field, 4m Radius, Always On - 40 AP/27 RC

Seems a little on the light side, in terms of cost, but bumping the Base up will allow for fine-tuning the ultimate points that have to be paid.

Re: What Champions Universe character would you gender change?

It's an interesting notion, but for a lot of groups it would require cross-gender RP. Of course, if the PCs are somehow the only male superhumans/wizards/starpilots in the campaign world, that's a plot point right there. Why them? And how do their female peers respond to them?

Plenty of ways to do this without cross-gender stuff getting involved. Assume supers are a new thing (1-5 years). Attempts are being made to control them by governments and other organizations that have lots of resources. Most supers are (at this point) relatively weak and untrained. The PCs are a capture squad for the nascent PRIMUS, not significantly different from a modern day special ops squad in terms of abilities and equipment. As the campaign progresses, more powerful 'villains' are encountered, and better technology comes to the fore to defeat them. Some of the supers are 'conditioned' to work with the capture squads (a la Rachel Summers, way back when). Lots of possibilities for moral exploration, resistance movements, recapturing already defeated enemies, and so on.

Re: What Champions Universe character would you gender change?

I've thought about changing Istvatha V'han into a man. To me, the character concept echoes Ming the Merciless more than anything else.

 

note: sex (morphism/chromosomes) & gender (role/orientation) are two different things.

 

 

~ Mister E ("Max Von Sydow rules.")

And that takes things to a whole new level of complexity. What about changing the gender identity of a hero, rather than retconning their actual sex? Would Defender qualify for reassignment surgery if that was his/her preference? This is a long process requiring (justifiably) extensive periods of counseling and psychiatric evaluation, not to mention biochemical treatments to prepare the body for the change. How would this affect public opinion of him/her? How would this affect his/her relationships with other heroes? Would it even be possible for an altered human, mutant or alien to be medically treated in this way? I'm going to have to think about this one. I love truly complex characters with motivations outside the norm (no, I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong with an alternative gender identity, just that it is not common from a purely statistical point of view).

Re: What Champions Universe character would you gender change?

I tossed out the idea for Defender to have a gender swap a while back.

 

Imagine Defender born as a female with a father who believes that women have no point to serve in the military. A father who thinks that the family's long tradition of excellence has pretty well fallen short. A young lady who's out to prove shes every bit a hero that all of her family has been.

 

That was pretty much the blurb I gave her when I tossed out an Alternate Champions team in the beginning of 09.

Triggers a thought - a campaign world where only women are capable of superpowers (not all women are supers, but all supers are women). If it's an old development, history changes in rather interesting ways. If it's a new one, society would undergo some rather extreme and sudden alterations. Could be altered to work with just about any group - ethnic, religious, gender preference, et cetera. Also adaptable to other genres - only women can pilot starships, only women can use magic, like that.

Re: Night vision goggles

Some minor points occurred to me, based on above posts:

1) Day use - don't need them, which is why every version I've seen allows you to move the unit away from the eye while leaving it in place on the mount.

2) Losing natural night vision can be a real problem, which is why (I think) the newest units shown in one of the videos linked to above only covers one eye. That allows the other eye to remain dark-adapted (or at least mostly so). Full dark-adaptation takes about twenty minutes, due to differences in adaptability between cones and rods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_adaptation).

3) Seeing in the dark is not the same as having full stereoscopic vision in the dark. It may be worth considering, in terms of ranged attacks, fast movement, determining distance and so forth, or it may not. Depends on how realistic/complicated you want things.