BlueCloud2k2

Re: Forgotten Reallms in HERO

Why do you need to "convert" a player? Can't they use/run/play/enjoy more than one system?

 

Anyhow, good luck. It is hard to find players that even know what HERO is.

This really isn't on-topic but you asked...

Not so much as "convert" as get them to try. What it came down to was that they were too lazy to try something new (even though they complained when they got screwed by the core-mechanics of D20 3.5). I tried to get them to do a one-shot, and they refused. I wroteup several characters from the DnD books (Drizzt, Jarlaxle, Artemis, Catti-bree, Wulfgar, etc) that were conversions from the Forgotten Realms campaign guide or were based on what I had read from the Salvatore novels. Even with me doing all of the work they didn't want to try something new. Very frustrating.

Never did find the box that had my D20-to-HERO conversion stuff in it... was going to hand my writeups over to Susano for his website...

Re: Forgotten Reallms in HERO

Had an FR one-shot planned to convert some friends from DnD to HERO... but it fell apart because 2 of my players had played GURPS and FUZION and hated both, who then went and told my other 3 players how crappy both systems were and HERO would be just as much a waste of time.

I even had a write-up of Drizzt Do'urden that one of my players was going to run (like many, he was OBSESSED with the Drow Ranger). *sigh*

Anyway, I'm living in a new town with my fiance and have some friends who are willing to give HERO a shot because they agree that DnD 3.5 is unbalanced and they don't like 4e Dnd one bit as they already play WoW. Maybe I'll give it another go *shrug*

Re: A Thread for Random Mooings

I better steer clear of this thread... I might get stampeded. I know so many cattle puns that its udderly ridiculous...

btw... Cows with Guns is friggin funny

http://www.cowswithguns.com/cgi-bin/listen_animation.cgi?cart=1276194090

Re: The Last Word

And a "Gross!" thrown in for good measure.

A Gross of what? Supposive Uber-Menshe (SP?).

While granted, one shouldn't breed within one's family tree, blending ethnic lines (genetically) SHOULD prove beneficial. I believe this is called "Hybrid-Vigor." This so-called "master-race" BS is just that - BS. And we all know what happened with Nazi Germany - the so-called "master-race" had it's keister handed to it by nations with a little bit more common sense.

Third Reich my aunt Fanny.

Re: Do I need a metaplot for Star Hero?

Other Meta-Plots - The PC's are pirates/mercenaries/bounty-hunters. They basically do anything for money, and often run afoul of some government or alien race.

• Perhaps in Space the great Terran Confederation was broken by the war with the Evil Alien Empire , and both sides are recovering from the conflict, leaving lots of room for former Naval Captains to make a quick Intersteller Credit by hiring their ships out to the different Warlords that have arrisen fighting over territories...
  
• Or maybe the PC's are followers of some Warlord and go on missions to thwart the other Warlords and bring peace to the Galaxy.
  
• Humanity was enslaved and scattered by The Evil Alien Empire and after a few centuries has finally put its plans for Uprising into play. They have a few non-human allies but are generally mistrustful of non-humans in general. Now the rag-tag group of former slaves is fighting to overthrow the slavers and free themselves (and subsequently, the rest of of the alien races enslaved by the Evil Alien Empire .
  
• Or you could steal from the original StarCraft: The Terran Confederacy is corrupt and engulfed in civil war and besieged by an alien race or two (or three). In the Chaos, the Rebellion overthrows the Conderacy and defends humanity from the ravages of the alien invaders.
  

Find a few meta-plots and then mix and match until you find a story you want to tell. Just be sure to give your players a general overview of what is going on.

Re: Sensory Input (5e)

If they are so tiny' date=' should a typical member of the species have reduced physical characteristics (eg. STR, BOD)?[/quote']

 

Very True. I'm still working out the details but that is a good point.

Re: The Non Sequitor Thread

...

Re: Sensory Input (5e)

I think you could get points for either selling back vision or take a Physical Disad for not having it, but I wouldn't take both. I would also point out that any Disad would be dependent on the setting. For the Squee homeworld there is hardly a limitation since their society will be geared toward non-visual information transfer. In fact a human there would be the one with the Disad.

 

I have not read the books, so I am unfamiliar with this alien race, but I wouldn't bother buying Radar myself for 3 reasons. First, as you noted, it is expensive, and from a gaming standpoint somewhat redundant. Biologically it is also redundant; it makes little sense to devote so much sensory power to two entirely different senses. That is why humans have excellent sight but dogs have excellent olfactory powers. It is hard to make room in your brain to process both, so few creatures will have evolved like that. From a physical standpoint, radar doesn't work underwater, so one wonders why they would have developed it at all (unless you are using radar as a stand-in for a similar ability at a much different wavelength; even so the range is going to be restricted underwater). Of course you can take this "realism" with a grain of salt; Star Wars was great fun even if it didn't make a lick of sense sometimes.

How much difference is there between Sonar and Radar (other than one uses sound waves and the other uses low-powered radio waves...

That said, you are correct that Radar doesn't work underwater. Therefor I will remove the Radar Sense.

I am thinking that the Squee would use Armored Combat Suits and that they would be equiped with Radar arrays that translate the data into the Sonar Images... not really sure on that...

Thus I present the Squee, MkIII

Ability (Cost)

+3 INT (3)

+3 EGO (6)

Talents (Cost)

Aquatic Evolution: Aquatic Environmental Movement (3)

Cephalopodic Body: Double Jointed (4)

Radial Symetry: Ambidexterity (3)

Powers (Cost)

Aqua-Jet: +4" Swimming (4)

Aquatic Evolution: LS: Breathing - Underwater (5)

Cephalopodic Body: Extra Limbs - +4 Arms, +2 Legs (5)

Cephalopodic Regeneration: Healing 1d6, Can Heal Limbs, 0 END (+1/2), Persistant (+1/2), Always On (-1/2), Heals 1 Pip per Hour (-2) (8)

Active Sonar (Detect Limited Class of Physical Objects [5 Character Points], Targeting +10, Active +0, Sense +2, Transmit +2, Discriminatory +5, 360' Perception +5) (29)

Ultrasonic Perception (Detect Ultrasonic Sound [3 Character Points], Passive +0) (3)

Sellback Vision (-25)

Disadvantages (Cost)

Physical: Small Stature (3" tall, 50 kg mass, +3 KB)(Infrequently, Slightly). (5)

Package Cost: 43 Points

And I realized I forgot to enter all of MkII's data into my spreadsheet and the math was WRONG. *sigh*

I'm thinking I need some more disads... maybe a racial superiority complex "You humans think you are so great. Who Developed the Universal Translater? Who gave you the Quantum Space Drive? You wouldn't have half of your pathetic empire without the technological might of the Squee! And we kept our greatest inventions for ourselves, knowing you would someday attempt to subjegate the Squee! as you have the other races. Do not provoke the Squee! We will crush you beneith our Psuedopods!"

Re: Sensory Input (5e)

Okay! So it looks as if selling back normal vision is GM's perogative, but it would be acceptable. So how does this look for a racial package deal:

Ability (Cost)

+3 INT (3)

+3 EGO (6)

Talents (Cost)

Aquatic Evolution: Aquatic Environmental Movement (3)

Cephalopodic Body: Double Jointed (4)

Radial Symetry: Ambidexterity (3)

Powers (Cost)

Aqua-Jet: +4" Swimming (4)

Aquatic Evolution: LS: Breathing - Underwater (5)

Cephalopodic Body: Extra Limbs - +4 Arms, +2 Legs (5)

Cephalopodic Regeneration: Healing 1d6, Can Heal Limbs, 0 END (+1/2), Persistant (+1/2), Always On (-1/2), Heals 1 Pip per Hour (-2) (8)

Active Sonar (Detect Limited Class of Physical Objects [5 Character Points], Targeting +10, Active +0, Sense +2, Transmit +2, Discriminatory +5, 360' Perception +5) (29)

Radar (Detect Limited Class of Physical Objects [5 Character Points], Targeting +10, Active +0, Sense +2, Transmit +2, Discriminatory +5, Analyze +5, 360' Perception +5)(34)

Ultrasonic Perception (Detect Ultrasonic Sound [3 Character Points], Passive +0) (3)

Sellback Vision (-25)

Disadvantages (Cost)

Physical: Unable to view flat surfaces/holograms (All The time, Slightly) (15)

Physical: Small Stature (3" tall, 50 kg mass, +3 KB)(Infrequently, Slightly). (5)

Package Cost: 53 Points

Ouch! Costly little buggers.

Re: The Non Sequitor Thread

Hey! This is my sword! Go get your own!

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Swedish Flag Day is not a very big deal around here. ^^

Neither is Flag Day in America.

Re: The Non Sequitor Thread

No no no' date=' I'm smurfette, the nymphette Smurf.[/quote']

 

I thought this was against the rules? I thought each post was supposed to be unconnected to the ones before it...

 

And now, my Non-Sequitor:

 

Clowns... why'd it have to be clowns? *shudders uncontrollably*

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

Well. that confirms who these five are supposed to be.

 

Quite a fearsome lot, arent they?

Are you refering to the Teen-Titans Nemisi (The hive guys, can't remember team name) that Included Jynx, Mammoth, and that migit with a jetpack?

Re: Sensory Input (5e)

This is an old Hero saw. If you can not see, that is worth a disadvantage/complication even if you replace the missing sense with a comparable other, because you have to pay for that other sense.

 

The best way to deal with it, a way Hero unfortunately does not approve, is to buy back your vision and buy up your other sense.

I seem to remember somewhere in FRED that it said to do exactly that... but when I went looking for it I could not find it...

Re: R2-D2

Try PMing Shadowcat. Also, Neventhal has Star Wars HERO writeups http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/ressj52q/

Re: Sensory Input (5e)

How is this:

15 Physical: Unable to view flat surfaces/holograms (All The time, Slightly).

5 Physical: Small Stature (3" tall, 50 kg mass, +3 KB)(Infrequently, Slightly). (I originally just renamed this Disad from the one in FRED pg 218)

As for the blindness issue, I'm basically taking the points they would get for Vision and moving them into another sense (does that make sense? lol). It feels like this race is being penalized for having a different set of sensory apparatus. Normal Vision is worth 25 points, shouldnt those 25 points take the place of some of the points in his Sensory Suite? I seem to remember Daredevil being written up with the Blind disad and replacing it with a passive Sonar/Targeting Hearing sense... the only difference between this race and DD is that theirs is Active and they have two forms of the same power - sound and radar.

Okay, I'm working on an alien race based loosely upon the Hexosehr from John Ringo's Vorpal Blade books. The race I'm building is similar in concept in that they are blind and use Sonar and Radar to view their surroundings. I am removing the Hexosehr inability to speak in our hearing range without a computer assistant...

Physical Description: The Squee (based on the sound they make when they speak) are squid-like arthropods. They have 4 legs and 6 arms. Their arms are radial symetrical as are their legs. They have a mouth near the top of their head and no eyes. They "see" by using pulses of Sonar and Radar. Their vocal range varies from below human hearing to just above human hearing. They have a hard time understanding 2-dimensional imagery, as their technical input systems create a 3-d environment of sound/radar input. Their language is a mixture of Sonar Pulses and Radar Pulses, although they can modulate the sounds they make to communicate with other species.

Thus so far I have the following for the Racial Package:

Disadvantages:

25 Physical: Blind (All the time, Fully Impairing)

15 Physical: Small Stature (All the Time, Slightly Impairing)

Powers:

5 4 Legs, 6 Arms - Extra Limbs

Squee Sensory Abilities

29 Active Sonar (Detect Limited Class of Physical Objects [5 Character Points], Targeting +10, Active +0, Sense +2, Transmit +2, Discriminatory +5, 360' Perception +5)

34 Radar (Detect Limited Class of Physical Objects [5 Character Points], Targeting +10, Active +0, Sense +2, Transmit +2, Discriminatory +5, Analyze +5, 360' Perception +5)

3 Ultrasonic Perception (Detect Ultrasonic Sound [3 Character Points], Passive +0)

Powers Cost 71

Disads Cost 40

Package Cost 31

Does this look right? Do they still need to buy Ultrasonic perception even with Sonar? If they are able to detect Radar, do they need to spend another 3 points for that?

Re: The Non Sequitor Thread

You aren't paranoid if they really ARE out to get you.

Re: The Last Word

No' date=' but it would be a good title for a monster book.[/quote']

 

It would also be a good title for a Micro-World type RPG...

 

"As you explore the jungle of thick, matted fur you encounter a cluster of Fleas. Roll for Initiative."

Re: The Last Word

... pathogens and parasites. ...

Is that the new Monster Manual for DnD 4e?

Re: R2-D2

Having trouble with your droid?

I may use Verizon, but my phone is a pre-paid.

Re: The Last Word

Sprained brain? ^^

Meh. I can wrap my feeble little mind around the basic premises of quantum physics but any math "higher" than Trigonometry causes my brain to hurt. Just like higher computer languages... I can do simple coding with vBasic and I am the god of HTML... but I can't understand Java Scripting and C++ looks like something I'd expect to find in HP Lovecraft's Necronomicon... and I don't think I'll ever be able to do Calc without actually taking a class... I need someone to break it down for me an explain what all the notations mean.

I don't even consider Calculus to be Math.... it's more of "Let's just throw a bunch of numbers on the blackboard and confuse people."

Interestingly enough... I HAVE done simple 5th dimension vector plotting for a Sci-Fi novel I'm working on (3 dimensions of volume, 1 for space/time, and the 5th has to do with travel through Hyperspace) but then again, the science for the novel is completely fictional.

Re: R2-D2

Ah the joys of thread Necromancy...

Re: TASER in 5ER

20 Tazer Round Loaded Shotgun: Suppress STUN 8d6 (standard effect: 24 points)' date=' [DEX & STUN'] simultaneously (+1/2), 8 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (+0) (60 Active Points); OAF (Shotgun; -1), Can Be Missile Deflected (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4), Physical Manifestation (Shell sticking to victim; -1/4), Limited Range (Shell must hit target with enough velocity to stick to clothes or skin [There is no damage from impact]; -1/4)

[Notes: from 5er page 36, Negative Dexterity - At DEX 1 or less, a character is CV 0. A character with negative DEX loses control over his reactions, and must succeed with DEX Rolls to perform any Actions requiring physical movement (even just aiming at a target, or making Gestures). If he fails the DEX Roll, he cannot perform the Action that Phase. Characters with a DEX of -30 (or minus their initial DEX value, whichever is better for the character) or less may take no physical actions.] - END=[8 cc]

 

2-3 hits by this round will bring down most supers (unless they have some Power Defense).

Oh I am so stealing this... Have Rep Hyperman.

Re: The Last Word

PHYS 204' date=' special relativity. No quantum. But they've all had the freshman physics with calculus series, and calculus, and a variety of other math courses.[/quote']

 

Oh hell, if they are smart enough to understand Calculus then show no mercy!!!

 

My math abilities top out at Trig. I picked up and perused a Calc book and put it down after 5 minutes of WTF IS THIS!!!