incrdbil

For my personal version, I'm of two minds about EC. EC is either A trap: made by some cosmic level baddy long ago, it goes from dimension to dimension, establishing itself, drawing people in, slowly subverting them..then doing something bad before moving on. that something bad might be opening the way for malevolent beings (Tyrannon maybe), Qlipothic energy that kills all life in the dimension..you know, bad stuff. Or maybe the city itself is just alive and hungry. the players powers come from the failure of the first group of heroes to try and stop the city--their powers and memories got sort of taken for the ride, and random people in the Eclipse zone that are compatible simply pick them up, slowly recovering memories..but usually too late to stop the City from doing whatever bad thing it is doing. Can our heroes break the chain? Maybe others, like the Empress of a Billion Dimensions, recognizes the city for what it is, and tries to destroy it, perhaps even trying to enlist the heroes to turn against their new home before it is too late. or A defense mechanism--long ago, a bad guy laid siege to a Universe. an effort was made to stop him, and some valiant spirits scarified everything to create a guardian that would shadow this Cosmic baddy, appearing where needed to stop him. The City spawns, and powers are given to a few worthies, and the city itself acts as a sort of rallying point, drawing in the bad guy who just cant resist its lure of promised power..but usually resulting in his defeat..and the devastation of the City, it heroes, and sadly many of its residentd, and it them moves on to another Universe to start the fight all over again. Sometimes winning with less devastation, sometimes failing, but never quite finishing off the particualr bad guy or his agenda. eventually. Maybe our heroes can unlock all of the cities secrets, defeat the big cosmic bad guy once and for all, and give the city a new permanent home. Other big powerful types want to usurp the cities power for their own, leaving the big Comic bad guy free to wreak devastation unchecked.

No matter where you go, there you are.

the teleportation to him can just be an effect of instant change. However, it can't work if someone takes the armor away from him. if hes in a situation where hes been specifically denied his focus, instant change cant fix that. Basically, the instant change is just a convenience for donning a costume, and not a way to easily overcome the effects of a limitation. THE focus is obvious. so if hes captured, even in secret id, and the enemy strips him of all equipment, then presumably they've taken away whatever triggers the teleportation, because its something obviously high tech or suspicious. If he claims his armor cant be stopped from teleportation easily, and he can always take his armor back instantly, , then its more of a hero identity other than a focus

https://store.steampowered.com/app/804320/Papers_Please__The_Short_Film/

This glorious creation came about just as Our years long shadowrun game is running down, and my group is wanting to play Superheroes. I needed a campaign city.., so......They say plagiarism is the highest form of flattery..so feel very flattered. My incarnation has the player characters waking up in the city. . They were at their respective homes, watching the Eclipse them...they wake up in an empty city, with superpowers. I'm thinking story wise, what they don't know yet is that the powers they have are the powers of the failed superheroes in the earlier incarnation of Eclipse City. Eventually, after the campaign has been going a bit, they will find beneath the utility and service tunnels of Eclipse City where all its marvelous automation is housed is the undercity.....which, with enough deduction, they may recognize as the collapsed ruins of an older Eclipse City, that looks to be a decade older...and beneath that one...an even older one.and another..and another..until they cant descend anymore. All sorts of creepy crawlies will migrate to these levels. Thoughts: extra weirdness was that in addition to the city, interstates and other roads were altered to tie the city in; airport databases changed to have the codes for Eclipse Cities multiple airports. Rail lines as well. Might even change a river. This city is just too good to be true, or notu utilized. The cities unique architecture and technology is self powering, further enhancing the popularity of the city with numerous corporations and advanced groups wanting to join this cutting edge city from nowhere that seems to be going somewhere fast. Its become an instant rival to Millennium City, and there is already a demand for sports franchises to capitalize on it. more weirdness: being the earliest inhabitants of the cities, the Heroes (and a few other, but not all early arrivals) have developed Bump of Direction, only in Eclipse City. Its like there is some growing connection.... A troublesome gang has developed, many members seem to be growing more unstable and are developing low level superpowers. Going to call them the Lunartics.

depends on the genre. In a grittier campaign, more bronze or Iron game, people without resistant defenses come out very much the worse for wear when a lethal attack hits them rather than a punch. You'd have to tweak some things whose defenses/characteristics were inherently resistant to be fair. by the time you tweak automatons, barriers, vehicles, bases, and other tlittle things I've forgotten about..just seems easier to keep killing attacks.

Its been a long time since I posted regularly, and am saddened to see this as I recall his many great insights and comments.

A Christmas story live was sort of good. A few added sections were..well, puzzling, but it had the spirit.

You seem to be worrying about the maximums. I'd focus on the average as a basis of comparison. For a normal 3d6 blast 11 PD or ED stops all average damage, (rounding up to 11) while it takes 15 points for negation. For a 1d6 KA, 12 points of resistant PD and ED stops average damage..rounding the average body roll up to 4. Again, 15 points for negation. The cost advantage for normal or resistant defenses becomes more pronounced for minimums. Added extra complexity because you take maximum damage rolls as the testing point for a defense doesn't seem to be the optimal solution. For negation guys in an explosion..roll a separate reduced total against them taking off dice for range, then the negation at the same time the other damage is rolled.

This particualr use is aimed mainly at campaigns that focus on one or two power sets, creating drains targeting special affects more than specific powers--it aids the attackers somewhat, in that versus the targeted effect,, they don't need the +2 advantage, whihc is still largely negated by a small amount of power defense. It makes unified power something a player might actually use, because the limitation currently isn't worth applying to more than two or three powers not commonly drained. In a game with the usual multitude of power origins, its probably best to stick to the book.

Just remember, even if they are unified, any form of Drain effect against any defense mutant characteristic that is a form of defense, the effect is halved. (CON, DCV, DMCV, PD, ED, REC, END, BODY, and STUN). The problem with Unified Power is that any drain, that hits any of those powers, taken them all down, even if, for special effect reasons it makes no sense. If some mages spell of Atrophy Muscles has nothing to do with mutant powers, reduces a mutant heroes STR, which was bought with unified power, then everything is reduced. When applied strictly like these, players are loathe to take unified power. In theory, the way to target all common special affect powers isn't to give a cost discount through limitation to characters, but charge a big costly advantage on attacks through variable and/or expanded effects. And in a mixed campaign where there's all different types of origins, that is a perfectly fine way to do it. But there are alternatives, especially if your game heavily is focused about certain types of powers (all mutants, all magic, or all hi tech heroes). This different way of handling unified power is by changing how it works: Unified power kicks in when the players is targeted by a drain power that targets the special affect. So you could have drains that target a mutant powers using the variable affect (affects mutant powers) advantage, and take a limitation of "affects only mutants". You require all mutant powers to take Unified power limitation. . Poof. That drain now reduces all mutant powers, but now your mutant heroes aren't losing every power and characteristic to random drains that have nothing to do with the special effect. Drains that don't buy variable affect and just pick out one power or ability don't have any additional affect. Mutants with a less vulnerable physiology might not take the unified power limitation..but their powers may still be mutations, and at least the original power named by the drain would be affected. If mutant drains/power suppressors are common enough in the campaign, you can keep it at the same limitation level. The above can be adapted for any special effect. It makes or certain less focused on powers than special effect. (Unified Power Magic Armor, Unified Power Cybernetic Suit, Unified Power telekinesis).

Long time, no post... Well, two of our long running campaigns are winding down. when asked, the group unanimously decided it was time to return to super heroes. I've kept my skills from rusting by running a short game/episode format vigilante campaign via Skype, though it was mainly roleplay. So, I'm diving back in to a full fledge, aggressive campaign. I've cracking open all of the new villain books I picked up at GenCon the last few years, and see there's a lot of new villains, which is great; I feel the need for some new blood. The setting is "Young Heroes"--characters just graduated from Ravenswood Academy (or some quitting school to leave with their friends). Not vigilantes, but definitely hotheaded and reckless, and none of them registering with the government. Standard Hero start (400. 75 complications, 12 DC average, DC max, 24 defenses, 30 max), but using some of the Teen Hero disadvantages for under 18 heroes. They lack a lot on resources (no millionaires, no gadget based character, no detective), and aren't loaded down on skill levels (as is appropriate for their age). Any suggested villains, especially among those newer ones just appearing in print for the first time? I'll cheerfully borrow any plot ideas you'ld like to inflict on some just starting out heroes. Roll call: Major Glory A Young, idealist super patriot, with basic superpowers similar to Clark from Smallville (pre flight) power origin: Kelvarite exposure. Turbo, Speedster, possibly the least committed hero of the group. Mutant who is dreadfully terrified of the anti-mutant hysteria, tries to hide his powers as technological. Red Star; 2nd Generation hero, son of a Russian Superhero who defected late in the Cold War. Many Radiation based powers-a very limited VPP with some lack of control problems. Jovial type who simply enjoys being a hero. Resonance Alien/Human Hybrid. Cheerleader. Naive, idealistic. Powers: control manipulation of radio waves, and some electromagnetic energy.Dedicated, responsible protector of the innocent. Spellbinder: Tragic Hero Origin. Parents and Kid visiting Far East, Parents disappeared, kid was found, burned badly. Brought up by a lone mystic, who tried to overcome his fear of fire and tech him magic. Failed on the fear of fire. Uses lots of Drains and unique magical attacks. Notable facial burns makes him feel isolated from normal society, and has found refuge and comfort in the close knit band of super-human friends who accept him. Rather harsh on evil-doers. Afraid of fire greatly..and goes enraged if actually attacked by fire. The Kinetik Kid--just barely 16. Super intelligent kid, most sciences of the group. Mutant with TK based powers. Idealistic, stubborn, reckless..and still very immature. Very much a Teen Champions mentality..but full powers. Attending college for advanced degrees, and reacts in a super sensitive and aggressive fashion to taunts about his youth. Prone to about ever one of the geek fallacies. Good to see many familiar faces still here. I'm feeling a West Coast setting; the players wanted to stay in the universe of their last group, from about 2009 to 2010, but far enough away from the Chicago based group. L.A seems sort of a hum drum choice. Come to think of it though, I've only done one game with a team based on the west coast. as a side questions, is there any errata for the Villain Books? A few of the villains I saw had problems..like horrendous END costs and no recovery or END to mention (The Overbrain). Nothing I can't fix I'm hoping I can make do with the old 5th edition GM screen until the customizable one shows up and I can a new one.

I don't believe so, but it doesn't seem too hard. My main idea on that would be redressing the costs of items versus spells. Spell like abilities come far cheaper than items, to the point of taking spell buffs to normal free items is a far better option.

Anyone have a few sample, starting Atlantean Age characters they would liek to share that I could use for reference purposes?

Re: Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy Simply put, with HERO we can play the fabtasy genre we want to emulate--not the hardwired too deeply ingrained in D&D or Pathfinder mechanics. And, most of all, no classes, no levels, no Armor Class, no hit points, no straighjackets on abilities or skills, and damage and defense mechanics that make sense, that don't enforce a nonsensical healing scheme to support the cludgy hit point mechanic. (Hit points traditionally are said to reflect not just the capcity to take damage but luck, talent and skill..then why does it take potent healing spells to replenish that?)

Re: Second Best Game System ? The last good superhero game other than Hero was MEGS.

Re: Destroy Your Geek Cred!! As for really destroying geek Cred..I think its perfectly rational that Han didn't shoot first. Lucan got that better the second time around. Han, snivelling little cowardly smuggler that he was was scared silyl of Jabba. He did want to try and pay and get pout of trouble. Starting a shootout with hirelings, or even freelancers working for Jabbas bounty waasn't going to make that easier. and Ewoks are ok with me. And Empire strikes back was the weakest of the original three movies. Dune..boring. Dr Who..just not interesting at all. There..enough damage?

Re: What do you really think of Champions Online?

Re: Somewhere....over the Rainbow ok, try this one http://www.champions-online.com/videos Rainbow flight video

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/video/video.php?v=1999297226296&oid=22955612395&comments Watch it. Be amazed. Be Disturbed. Be amused. Taste the Rainbow. Best. MMO video. Ever. Ok, someone in the Bingo brigade HAS to take that as a secondary travel power. Maybe Senile Sentinel can have a 'dirty Hippy' costume from his years in the 60's, which will cause appy Pacemaker challenge him to duel every time

Re: Would your Hero endorse a politician? Hmm, Seer wouldn't. His endorsement wouldn't actually help. He's more likely to meet a politician, scan their mind, determine if they are an honest or dishonest politician, then act as he sees appropriate. Most politicians woudl wet themselves rather than meet with Blaze. Hornet would support a politician he liked in his secret identity. He would not taint or endager his positive reputation or goodwill with citizenry, law enforcement and the government by becoming a political player.

Re: Would your hero register his Secret ID with Primus? Almost no Hero I've ever ran would register with..well, anyone. Maybe except Blaze, as hes so hostile at times to his hoswt/alternate personality. However, he's a viscous power abusing type who would threaten horrendous retaliation and destruction on the Government (in terms of destruction of resources and direct attacks on officials) if anyone andy/Blaze cared about were threatened, harmed, inconveinenced, or otherwise bothered by the Government in an attempt to influence him. Yeah, reckless violent split personalities and large cosmic power pools are a dangerous combination. Hornet would prove how insecure the system was by hacking it..then destroy the files..after deleting any references to his team. Ranger knows the Government, and knows you cant trust any bureacrat or agency. Eclipse unfortunately has a public ID..but no life to protect really. Seer would not register, but cheerfully use his mental powers to convince others he had if it ever came up. Any Hero should immediately scorn registration on principle..especially if they have a Secret Identity.

Re: What do you really think of Champions Online? It has steadily improved. I'm eagerly awaiting the pretty significant changes coming along with the free to play option--the unlinking of many defensive abilities and superstats, power additions, long hoped for changes, interface improvements--I wouldnt go back to City of Heroes if you paid me. As for DCUO..change its name to D©OA.

Re: The move to FTP Other good news: Passives will no longer be linked to specifc superstats; all passives will link to whatever SS you choose. More freedom and choice in making characters. Subscribers get a monthly stipend of C-Store points. Lifetime subscriptions are back on sale. New powers, as mentioned above. This is looking pretty good, actually. ::hugs original lifetime sub tightly:: Oh, about to start a themed supergroup, the Moldy Oldies. You have to play an old superhero coming out of retirement. So far, we have Granny Gatling, Grandapa Gizmo, Pappy Pacemaker, and the Senile Sentinel. Come help us chase those young whippersnapper villains off the Lawn of Justice! Aid us as we strike a blow against the secret headquarters of evil found in every little town. No farmers market will escape our wrath. PM if interested.

Re: The move to FTP