nexus

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

I'm curious if HtH block will now also usually require...

I certainly hope not.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

I like the idea of Range based on Base Points. So Steve, before you go to press, you should change the second paragraph of the sample page:

 

"do not include these points in the Active Point calculation when determining the Power’s Range"

 

That should be "Base Points," not "Active Points".

 

The rest of the stuff I'll have to see the details on. It sounds OK, but I have to wonder, what's the utility difference between Blocking and Deflecting?

 

If a guy is shooting an arrow at me from 20 m away, I can either Deflect it at, say, the 10 m mark, or I can Block it when it comes within arm's reach. What's the real difference? Either way, I don't get hit by the arrow. But Deflection I have to pay points for, and Block I don't.

 

I trust that this will all be spelled out in the book.

Maybe Deflect lets you protect other targets? That what I was assuming.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

I see this change as a logical expansion of the rule that allows strong characters to occasionally throw objects of opportunity at opponents.

 

Under the new rule it seems likely that when Strong-Dude picks up a car and hurls it at Ultragirl (without having paid points for a 'ranged' attack) she can now attempt to catch the thrown car or bat it away with another object like a car or lightpost (also without having paid points for the Deflection power).

 

I am sure there are more nuances to it than that but it seems like a balanced idea.

It also means that Ultragirl and Strong Dude can attempt to bat aside Electro boy's Bolter Blast and all of them attempt to knock aside Lazaar's Death Beam if he has an object (or something appropriate).

I'd have to see how it all fits together (including the new weapons of opportunity rules and modifiers).

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

IIUC, the ability to use a Block maneuver against Ranged attacks is now a basic (universal) ability?

 

Edit: Nope, my bad. I misread. Sorry about that!

And I must correct myself again. I can't say I agree with the ability to block ranged attacks being a basic part of Block.

Re: Superhero Images

Razor: A bloody minded young woman from our Dark Champions PBEM

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

If that character can do 8d6 with a thrown rock, I would say it is not possible to Block it barehanded -- unless the defender takes the damage to his hand. If you meant that the Deflect Power (capital P) is thusly limited by special effects, I would say it depends upon the genre and the GM. In this respect, it is only as limited as you want it to be. There is no spoon.

What a players calls their EB is special effects. They don't typically have a major effect in Hero System but can provide situational bonuses and penalties at the GM's discretion. That additional damage could be exceptional accuracy, being able to find "chinks" their opponents or even just dumb luck. Even if it is just pure handwavium I don't think the additional bit of verbiage attached to the Power isn't very Hero particularly if its worded like the example (deflecting lasers with your bare hands is a bad bad idea). Why? I can Block a 10 foot sword swung by a giant with my barehands unless the GM says otherwise.

If the book is also aimed at newbies who will not have totally grasped the ideas of sfx and Reasoning from Effect statements like that will make an impression particularly in the core rules It reads very much like giving the power a default OIF: Object of opportunity and Gestures or Restrainable as well (IME, many players assume Missile Reflection is restrainable by default anyway) and a default special effect. In a way like stating the Energy Blast should usually be used to represent laser, blaster bolts and magical rays in its write up.

But again, we haven't seen the entirety of the rule as it will appear in print but I confess I'm dubious on that section of the write up as it stands.

Re: Reality Alteration: Welcome to the comics

sonds like foxbat with witchcrafts powers

Sounds like she wields raw fiatium. This is an NPC right?

A little more explanation.

This is a player character (mine) in a "people with powers" style game where our characters only recently developed super powers are the only beings in the world that have them. The setting is the real world world circa Summer 2006.

Laura Henderson is a mentally disturbed young woman that suffers from the delusion that she is a character in a comic book. Her recently enhancement hs given that delusion more weight since she can bend reality to accommodate her instead of the other way around.

This power reflects Laura's ability to impose her delusion on reality itself, transforming the world into a comic style universe. It does not create additional super powered beings or inflict massive alterations on the physical level but people were behave like residents in a supers universe, history and the laws of reality to bend to be supportive of the tropes, cliches and conventions of a superhero world (of whatever age occurs). Just add supers. Player characters and other major figures are not affected in the sense they realize things have changed (such as finding costumes in their closets). When the world reverts back, they'll remember but everyone else won't...not much anyway.

The power is triggered when some Laura is confronted by realities she finds uncomfortable or that conflict with her world view too much or anything that makes her question her reality. The effects fades over a week and will not happen again for at least a month ot "real" time. She can only cause it revert unconsciously if she gets too deeply and emotionally distracted by something (GM's call)

So yeah, she kind of this game Mrs Mystyplk..ehh Mystylpk.. uh... Bat-mite.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

... it was a Force power that allowed him to do that.

Well yes it was sfx wise a force power but can you build that force power (effectively "blocking" a ranged attack defined as "lethal energy beam") with your bare hand with this new set of rules. Or the sfx that would allow a character to do so.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

After a whole lot of thinking, tinkering, and draft-writing, I finally came to the conclusion that I could make Deflection and Reflection both have unique functionality that’s worth paying Character Points for by making one change to the combat rules: allow characters to Block Ranged attacks made against them. So, now characters can do that, though usually it requires a shield or some other implement (as the rules note, trying to Block laser beams with your bare hands tends to be a Very Bad Idea ).

This seems to impose a mandatory "limitation"* on the ability regardless of special effect or to give specific sfxs a permanent bonus when acting against it. For example, If a character defines their 8d6 eb as a thrown rock a defender can Deflect it barehanded but if someone else defines their a plasma bolt they cannot. Being overly sfx dependent was an issue I had with the 5th edition version of Missile Deflection.

Of course these aren't the rule in their entirety so this might be addressed there.

*they'll need a focus or Object of Opportunity to use it against many sfx regardless if they get a cost break or not.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #4: Deflection, Reflection, And Range

IIUC, the ability to use a Block maneuver against Ranged attacks is now a basic (universal) ability?

Edit: Nope, my bad. I misread. Sorry about that!

I am curious how the ability to block ranged attacks with your bare hands (the martial artist or speedsters that can catch bullets) can be built and is there any addition that allows for Melee/Hand to Hand attacks to be Deflected?

This character will have the fairly cosmic ability to rewrite reality on a global scale but her power is pretty focused. She can change the nature of the world so that reality behaves like its driven by the tropes and conventions of specific comic eras including the cliches and unrealistic conventions. It does NOT create superpowered individuals but history is changes to be conducive to such beings (myths really occurred, there are lost lands, etc, whatever is appropriate to a superpowered setting).

A tongue cheek way to put it would be "Transform: Mundane real world background/physics into comic book world background/physics" Most people don't notice the change but major figures (particularly other PCs) usually will. The character can't control when this happens and she won't even notice (She's psychotic and always thinks she's in a comic book). So its definitely no conscious control (or maybe triggered) and she can only do once a month and things automatically revert to normal or if she's sufficiently distracted by something she'll unconsciously let go and allow the world to return to its mundane state.

Re: Confused about 6th edition

Ah, so COM may make it back in, in say…APG7?

I actually had a faint hope Comeliness might appear in the APG.

This is area where I'm foggy when it comes to senses. Just what is the difference between a Discriminatory sense and an Analytical sense in terms of what information they provide? This gets particularly when human senses are described as being somewhat Discriminatory by default but can be more so by purchases the modifier outright and Analytical can then be purchased on top of that. What exactly changes when "full" Discriminatory is purchased for regular and what's the difference between Discriminatory and Analytical overall?

Re: Making sense of Senses

....and actually' date=' you CAN identify individuals by smell (and I'm talking your everyday nose, not equipment based enhancement).[/quote']

 

Humans can actually track by scent. It takes experience and most of us just don't use our sense of smell to that level but it can be done.

Re: Lucha Hero

I have a copy of Luche Libre Hero and I'm slowly making my way through it. It's a fun book and interesting read. I have this vague idea for a Hald Demon Wrestling/Occult Investigator type with Affects Desolidified on all their manuvers. Kind of Hellboy by way of Mexican wrestling.

Re: Making sense of Senses

Dogs OTOH have Discriminatory Scent - they can discriminate between you and your neighbor by smell alone. And between two different dogs. Likewise they can tell by smell if a female dog is in heat or not.

"

Dogs' sense of smell is amazing. They can be trained to detect so much even medical conditions such as high and low blood sugar in humans. Even untrained some seem to at least know "something is wrong" with a sick person due to their scent being off.

An article on the use of dogs in medicine was partially what prompted this thread, the other having a character given Discriminatory for her all her normal senses. I've always been puzzled by the description in Fred of human senses being "partially discriminatory"

Re: Making sense of Senses

Detect Air - there is some, I can breathe (everyone kinda gets this for free)

 

Discriminatory - There is clean air, I have no troubles with it, we aren't running out.

 

Analytical - I know the chemical composition of this air

 

 

And like any form of sense - Knowledge on the subject is also paramount to interpreting what you have sensed.

I like to emphasize that last point.

Re: Making sense of Senses

I always looked at Ranged and Targeting as increasing the functionality of the sense not necessarily conveying anymore information. Ranged just expands the functional reach of the sense beyond the character touch (or immediate hex really) and Targeting means that, for whatever reason a successful Perception roll with this Sense allows full of use of CV against the subject or use of effects that require such a condition.

Re: Surbrook's Stuff and 6E

No. I'll still accept 5E and even 4E stuff if you send it to me.

Cool, thanks

This is area where I'm foggy when it comes to senses. Just what is the difference between a Discriminatory sense and an Analytical sense in terms of what information they provide? This gets particularly when human senses are described as being somewhat Discriminatory by default but can be more so by purchases the modifier outright and Analytical can then be purchased on top of that. What exactly changes when "full" Discriminatory is purchased for regular and what's the difference between Discriminatory and Analytical overall?

Here's how I understand it

If I get Detect: Unobtanium the information is simple and binary. Is there Unobtanium within my perception range with maybe a vague indication of direction

If I get Discriminatory I get more information: a more specific direction, possibly rough distance, approximate amount of the substance in question, if there's one or more deposits, etc.

With Analytical the information is precise. I know exactly how far away, the exact amounts including number and size of deposits, information about purity, irregularities and other relevant data.

With all this being subject to the margin of success on my perception roll.

Re: your pcs might be OVERPOWERED IF...

They have Chuck Norris AND Mr. T as Ls Pow DNPCs

Re: Surbrook's Stuff and 6E

Will you only be accepting submission in 6th edition format after a certain point?

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #1: ACV And AVAD

AVAD vs Hardened Defenses is certainly an interesting idea and implementation of the new rule. I'd be hesitant to use it to replace AP in my games as Hardened Def is pretty rare but that's game based not a problem with the idea.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #3: Area Of Effect And Damage Shield

Hmm. Sounds good. I remember having friends complain that megascale area effect was too cheap--will that aspect of megascale be subsumed into AOE as well? Am wondering because of the part about AOE area being based on the value of the advantage rather than the active points of the base power...

Now that you mention it, I wonder what the fate of megascale will be too.

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #3: Area Of Effect And Damage Shield

Sorry' date=' didn't mean to come off like I was telling you you shouldn't have asked. Just giving a possible reason why people who know might not answer. [/quote']

 

No problem on my end, didn't come across that way. I just didn't want seem like I was insisting/whining that Steve Long or people into violating any NDAs.

 

Though I'm am really curious about the Surface AOE since its both one of the really "new" new things in 6th and it deals with Dmg Shield which has been a sticky issue for awhile.