lendrick

Re: Psionic powers -- any comments?

I'm working on some revisions based on these comments. I'll post them shortly.

Re: Psionic powers -- any comments?

For some reason I was thinking that 20 end was per turn. Clearly that's not good as it is.

I'm trying to put together some psionic powers for a sci-fi campaign I'll be running in the near future. I'll be starting the characters off at 150 points and going from there. I might allow characters to group similar powers into a multipower and add, say, a focus of some sort. Anyway, I'm looking for ideas and comments, so if you have any thoughts, please let me know. I'm a complete noob at this.

(I'm also, for the record, working on a nice 6E exporter for the forum. It only does powers right now.)

Here are the powers I've come up with so far:

Healing:

• Healing BODY 2d6, Decreased Re-use Duration (1 Hour; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1 1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 12 END
  
  

Energy Manipulation:

• Telekinesis (10 STR) (15 Active Points); Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 1 END
  
  

• Blast 4d6 (20 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), No Knockback (-1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 4 END
  
  

• Blast 3d6, Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +1/4) (19 Active Points); Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 2 END
  
  

• Blast 3d6, Area Of Effect (8m Cone; +1/4) (19 Active Points); Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 2 END
  
  

• Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6 (30 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Limited Range (-1/4), Beam (-1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 3 END
  
  

• (Total: 30 Active Cost, 14 Real Cost) Blast 1d6, Damage Over Time (5-6 damage increments, damage occurs every Turn, can be negated by Heat; +2) (15 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Blast 1d6, Damage Over Time (5-6 damage increments, damage occurs every Turn, can be negated by Cold; +2) (15 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) (Real Cost: 7)
  
  
  [NOTE:
  This power designates two targets and transfers heat from one to the other, causing cold damage to one and heat damage to the other.
  ]
  
  
  
  
• Costs 6 END
  
  

• Resistant Protection (5 PD/5 ED), Allocatable (+1/4), Time Limit (1 Minute; +1/2) (26 Active Points); Perceivable (-1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 3 END
  
  

Mental Powers:

• Telepathy 1d6 (5 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2), Communication Only (-1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 1 END
  
  

• Spatial Awareness (Unusual Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) (37 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; Character is totally unaware of nearby events; -1), Costs Endurance (-1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 4 END
  
  

• Resistant Protection (10 Mental Defense), Allocatable (+1/4), Time Limit (1 Minute; +1/2) (26 Active Points); Perceivable (-1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 3 END
  
  

• Mental Blast 3d6 (30 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Normal Range (-1/4)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 6 END
  
  

Enhancement:

• +2 SPD (20 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x10 END; -4), Costs Endurance (-1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 20 END
  
  

• +20 STUN (10 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x6 END; -2 1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 6 END
  
  

• Leaping +8m (12m forward, 6m upward) (4 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x6 END; -2 1/2), Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 6 END
  
  

• Running +12m (24m total) (12 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x6 END; -2 1/2), Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2)
  
  
  
  
• Costs 6 END
  
  

This is kind of a continuation of a thread I started a week ago with a bunch of newbie questions. I've done a lot of reading and thinking since then (plus I've muddled around in Hero Designer), and my discovery is that with 6th edition (with Star Hero not out yet) I'm pretty much on my own in terms of determining how I'm going to put the system to use. This is both awesome and really scary.

Some background info: I'm going to be starting my players out with pre-generated characters for an adventure or two so they can get the feel for everything and then let them make characters of their own. My current plan is to run a heroic campaign and start them off at 150 points. I'm not going to allow them to build their own powers (some of them are notorious rules lawyers) but if they come up with cool non-game-breaking ideas, I'll implement them myself.

The actual campaign will be a fairly standard space-based campaign with multiple alien races and psionics. I'll be capping their abilities to the "Standard" values listed on 6E1 p35, possibly with the ability to exceed them at a large character point cost. For characteristics not listed on that table (BODY, STUN), I'll be capping them at the top end of the "Competent" range in the comparison table in 6E1 p 48. Does that seem fairly reasonable?

In terms of equipment, I'll be assigning the cost per item to 100 times its point cost, and giving them 5000 credits to purchase gear, which should limit them (at the beginning) to 50 points' worth of equipment, without making the equipment into a "power" like in a Superheroic campaign. Is *that* reasonable?

Now, the meaty questions:

• I'd like to have them fight off large numbers of generic goons. Assuming 150 points for a player character (plus 50 for gear), how many points (ballpark, I know it's a matter of preference) should a typical goon have? What kind of damage class should they be able to do?
  
• Is there a good way to calculate how challenging a particular encounter will be for a whole party? That is, how many goons can I throw at them at once? If they fight a single "boss" NPC, how powerful can that NPC be to pose a serious challenge but not wipe them out?
  
• Endurance seems pretty easy to come by, relative to how much various powers cost. How does this balance out in actual combat? Do people find that special powers are used too frequently if you don't increase the endurance cost of them to very high levels, or are things relatively well balanced as is? I don't want my psionicists to seem like super heroes.
  
• Would anyone be interested in looking at my WIP list of psionic abilities and giving some suggestions?
  

Thanks!

Bart

Re: "Leadership" multipower

Here it is, in HD format:

http://www.herogames.com/getHDPrefab/247918/Leadership.hdp

Re: "Leadership" multipower

Here's my attempt at it. Since they're part of a framework, the leader can only give one command at a time. Each command can affect up to 8 people of the leader's choice, provided they're within 6 meters. At that point, the people affected can move away, but the command expires after one minute. I stayed away from Aid and Boost because this way was actually a bit cheaper, and it feels simpler. Thoughts?

[b]Cost    Power[/b]
14      [b]Leadership[/b]: Multipower, 25-point reserve,  (25 Active Points); all slots
       Requires a PRE roll (Characteristic roll; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)
1f      [b]1)[/b]  [i]Attack![/i]: +2 OCV, Usable Simultaneously (within 6m) (up to 16 people
       at once; +1 1/2), Recipient must be within Limited Range of the Grantor
       for power to be granted (25 Active Points); Time Limit (1 Minute; -2),
       Requires a PRE roll (Characteristic roll; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)
1f      [b]2)[/b]  [i]Take Cover![/i]: +2 DCV, Usable Simultaneously (within 6m) (up to 16
       people at once; +1 1/2), Recipient must be within Limited Range of the
       Grantor for power to be granted (25 Active Points); Time Limit (1
       Minute; -2), Requires a PRE roll (Characteristic roll; -1/2),
       Incantations (-1/4)
1f      [b]3)[/b]  [i]Hold the Line![/i]: +20 STUN, Usable Simultaneously (within 6m) (up to
       16 people at once; +1 1/2), Recipient must be within Limited Range of
       the Grantor for power to be granted (25 Active Points); Time Limit (1
       Minute; -2), Requires a PRE roll (Characteristic roll; -1/2),
       Incantations (-1/4)
1f     [b] 4)[/b]  [i]We're in this Together![/i]: +5 Teamwork, Persistent (+1/4), Usable
       Simultaneously (within 6m) (up to 8 people at once; +1 1/4), Recipient
       must be within Limited Range of the Grantor for power to be granted (25
       Active Points); Time Limit (1 Minute; -2), Requires a PRE roll
       (Characteristic roll; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)
[b]Powers Cost: 18[/b]

Re: Why no Penalty Skill Levels in a Multipower?

I ended up dropping the multipower altogether and went with Unified Powers and Lockouts. The result actually costs slightly less.

Phasor Rifle

1) Accurate: +2 RSL (4 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Power Only works when firing single shots (-1/2), Unified Power (-1/4)

2) Fusion Battery: Endurance Reserve (40 END, 2 REC) Reserve: (12 Active Points); OAF (-1), Unified Power (-1/4); REC: (2 Active Points); Slow Recovery 1 Minute (-1)

3) Kill (6): Killing Attack - Ranged 4d6 (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), Lockout: Stun (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4)

4) Stun (4): Blast 4d6, STUN Only (+0), Autofire (3 shots; +1/4) (25 Active Points); OAF (-1), Lockout: Kill (-1/2), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Beam (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4)

I also managed to work in an "optional" Autofire in Stun mode. You always pay for it, but if you fire more than one round, you don't get the benefit of the extra accuracy. A fun mechanic is that now that I'm using an endurance reserve, it recharges between fights.

Current version of this is here: http://www.herogames.com/getHDPrefab/247881/Phasors.hdp

Re: Question about keeping equipment balanced in heroic campaigns?

A sci-fi campaign with psionics, which I suppose is just magic by another name.

Are there any good rules of thumb for keeping equipment balanced in a heroic campaign? Say, if I have a 175 point character, how may points' worth of equipment is it safe to give them without throwing the whole game out of whack?

Re: Why no Penalty Skill Levels in a Multipower?

It will, yes. It just complains about it.

I'm trying to put together a laser rifle with several firing modes and I want to apply a penalty skill level to reduce the range penalty. Hero Designer is complaining that I shouldn't put PSLs in a Multipower. Why is this? As a GM, will this come back to bite me in some way?

Bart

Re: "Leadership" multipower

Okay, a bit of background on where I'm coming from. My players and I are all rank beginners at Hero (coming from D&D/Pathfinder) so for the time being I'm trying to keep combat as simple as possible by reducing the number of rolls needed. On the other hand, I want this power to reflect the fact that it's derived from the leader's Presence. It's not intended to be magical or psionic or something of that nature, more that the leader is issuing a specific order and raising the morale of the troops. I don't want to let people choose an arbitrary characteristic to increase -- I'd rather pre-make a few different orders that increase a particular characteristic (or set of characteristics). I also want to make sure that no more than one order can be active at one time. It doesn't make sense to tell people to take cover and simultaneously make an all-out attack.

I'm torn on whether or not the power should cost endurance to maintain or just have a fixed duration, however I don't really like the fading mechanic that the standard Aid power has.

Re: Questions from a newbie

Just wanted to say thanks a lot for all of the excellent advice.

Given what I've heard, my plan at the moment is to pre-generate a group of space marines (around 150 points or so) with varying skill sets and let them choose a character, then run an adventure or two for them. In the meantime, I'll be putting together various items and powers and such that make sense in my campaign (psionics, etc), and when they're done with the one adventure I'll let them make new characters, and present them with a list of powers and items they can choose. If they want to make their own, I'll have them tell me what they want, and build something reasonable for it. I'll also be setting some reasonable caps so things don't get out of hand.

Now, I didn't see anything about this in the book for heroic campaigns, but it seems reasonable that for starting equipment, I give everyone roughly the same number of points' worth, so I'm going to take that into account when I balance the character out.

Anyway, thanks again.

Bart

Greets!

I'd like to put together a Leadership type multipower for a commander or squad leader. Essentially, I'd like the leader to be able to give commands that grant various bonuses to friendlies.

Here's what I want to have happen:

• Leader makes a PRE roll.
  
• If successful, all friendlies in range gain a temporary, fixed bonus to some stat (OCV, DCV, etc)
  
• I don't want the leader to have to make additional rolls (such as attack rolls or rolls to see how much the stat increases by)
  

I was looking at Aid, but it doesn't seem to work quite like this. Is there any way I can put this together?

Thanks!

Bart

Greets!

In a few weeks' time, I'll be attempting to get a skeptical D&D35/Pathfinder group to try the Hero System (which I've never played myself). I want to run a sci-fi campaign, and rather than waiting for Pathfinder Future book (if such a thing will ever exist), I thought we might try something different.

Anyway, I've got a couple of questions:

• D20 (D&D in particular) doesn't, in my experience, scale very well past about level 12 or so. Combat tends to take a long time (in actual minutes) to play out, while happening over a very short amount of in-character time. At a similar level of power, is Hero less cumbersome? How does it scale as you become more and more powerful?
  
• I'm reading that your typical sci-fi or fantasy game is "Heroic" and starts at around 175 points per character. How many more points might someone accumulate during a fairly long campaign?
  
• One of the more annoying aspects of D&D in the mid to high levels is how easy it can be to kill off characters, which is something I prefer to avoid unless they brought it on by doing something dumb. If you're dealing with very powerful characters in Hero, how easy is it to accidentally kill them off?
  
• In another post, someone mentioned pre-generated characters as a way to ease people in to the Hero System. Any other suggestions?
  

Thanks!

Bart