Christougher

Wouldn't that be more the special effect of a Telekinesis?

Did 6E remove the Absorption power? It seems to be the perfect way to build this effect. 5E: Absorption 6d6 ED Cap +24 to Energy Blast VSFX, 42 points. Plus EB 4d6 VSFX(+1/4) 25 points. If you want to limit the blast until it's had some Absorption added to it, a -1/2 value for that limitation seems right

A little off topic but none the less I have a question. Have there ever been any rules for 'getting past the point', (no jokes about missing the point of the thread please), when fighting someone who has a pike or other pole-arm?

 

First off, I think that someone with a polearm should have some kind of 'first-strike' ability against someone with a sword, axe etc aside from the fact that they can attack with impunity for one action if their opponent is stupid enough to rock up to them and stand a couple of metres away. Of course the spearman could move to within a couple of metres away but I'm not sure that spearmen and pikemen were noted for charging, (could well be wrong on that, military historians feel free to correct me). Positioning aside, this advantage could be represented by a dex bonus which can only be used to attack first against people of the same Speed or by a spearman simply holding his action until the target is in range and then attacking before they get within a swordlength of him.

 

However, once that swordsman is close enough to share a hex with the spearman or pikeman he is at a huge advantage. The business end of the polearm user's weapon is 2-4 metres, (1-2" of Reach), away from the swordsman and he is left with a top-heavy staff that he probably hasn't been trained to use as a staff. I would say that the spearman either can't attack at this range, must use a specific move to shorten his grip on the spear to bring it into range, (thereby possibly costing him an action and certainly reducing his damage) or at least take an OCV penalty. Perhaps once the opponent gets toe to toe the polearm user gets -1 OCV for every point of Reach he has?

Chris.

OP- something noone seems to have pointed out clearly yet is that the way you built it it will only suppress 1d6 PERIOD!. It doesn't add up or acculumlate with any of the advantages you have listed. Also, technically Suppress is a constant power (once you add the Costs Endurance to Maintain Limitation to Drain). Since you have set it to 0 END the Costs Endurance limitation is -0 (and some GM's may not allow it) but you don't have to buy constant as well. However all that does is mean that the suppression is on all the time, it doesn't keep suppressing more and more power from segment/phase to segment/phase or anything like that.

 

Damage over Time will work for that, again assuming your GM allows you to use it with this power. Cumulative will work to get you to the max you could roll on the die (and you can increase the max with further advantages). You could also just buy a Constant Drain instead of a Suppress but then the targets will regain 5 points per "application" at the end of every turn so it would probably fail to do much at the level you currently have it at.

Thanks for the response. I agree about the giving players things to do, especially for starship engagements. In fact that is one of the first things that one of the players stated right of the gate.

Yeah, even a 2d6 END Drain now is... just wrong. Roll a 10, suck up 50 END. Heroic setting? Say hello to unconsciousness!

I'm new at this, but how is Power Defense being cheaper than every possible drain any different than PD being cheaper than every possible physical attack, with different special effects?

In 5th Edition, Drain 2d6 of a specific Characteristic or Power was 20 AP. It cost 12 points to be immune, or about half as much.

If the advantage All Powers of SFX(+2) is applied, it costs 60 AP but is still completely stopped by that 12 points of Power Defense, or one fifth as much.

6th Edition made it worse, doubling the cost of the advantage(+4), so 100 AP of an attack is blocked by one eigth of that in defense.

I have a problem with the base power ignoring the effects of a +2 (or +4!) advantage. Shouldn't some kind of an advantage to Power Defense be required to protect multiple effects simultaneously?

Chris.

It works as well as character combat, though you mat need to tweak a few rules to get the feel you want.

The challenge in starship combat isn't handling starships, its in giving each player something interesting/useful to do in the combat. Or just give them each their own ship.

Chris,

Wow. Now I think I know how other people fell when I go off on a tear about my Master of Orion technology: I'm completely lost. And I'm pretty familiar with both Hero and Battletech. Well, Battletech mechanics; I never cared much for the universe.

I don't think Battletech is absurd; it's consistent with the miniatures/wargame it wants to be. Even if some things don't compare well to reality. (Side note: I read an argument once mathematically proving Battletech armor inferior to /cardboard/.)

When trying to do a comparison or conversion between systems, you have to decide on a point of equality between them. That 120mm Tank Cannon, is it an AC/10 or AC/20 to you? You could decide to upgrade it to 10d6K, and then scale every point of Battletech damage to +1d6K. I saw another attempt at Battletech HERO try to peg tonnage at Active Points / 20. Armor becomes an issue because of how differently it works in each system. A truer method might be to by scores of extra BODY as "armor", marking it off as damage is applied. Your entirely DEF based approach would mean a Machine Gun could never harm an assault Mech (instead of just taking a week to do so). So maybe some method to split the difference is required.

Good luck with it.

Chris.

I had a slightly different test in a superhero setting featuring intelligent animals, aliens and artificial intelligences. The test was what it took to become "an accepted member of society", and the answer was "asking for the right". It demonstrated understanding there was a culture and that there were some conditions placed upon being a member. Once you understood and accepted that, the rest was just details.

Chris.

Equipment Kits for various specializations/jobs within a military corps. Probably also usable as miscellaneous equipment in other genres.

EverySoldier Kit:

Personal Locator/IFF Transmitter

Multitool: Light, Knife/Saw, Opener, File, Screwdriver, Pliers, Scissors, Spark

Surveillance Kit: Audio/Visual Sensors, Bug Sweeper, White Noise Generator, Strobe Light, UV Light, Laser Microphone, Radio Monitor/Decrypter

Climbing Kit: 25m rope, grapnel, rappelling harness, 4 pitons with hammer, Autoclimber

Computer Kit: Computer, Display Goggles, Holomonitor, Keyboard, Network, Printer, Scanner, Debugger, Decompiler, Decrypter, Firewall, Database

Criminal Kit: Camera, Gloves/Booties, Tweezers/Vacuum, Fingerprinting, Samples Case

Fingerprint/Identity Database, Spectrometer, Weapon Analyzer

Demolitions Kit: Incendiary Cord 5m, Tripwire 20m, Explosive 1kg, Detonators, Wire 10m, Wire Cutters

Electronics Kit: Voltmeter, Wire 100m, Wire Cutters, Electric Tape, Solder Gun, Magnets, Mini Tools, Magnifier, Logic Chip/Board

Electronics Analyzer/Bypass:

Lockpicking Kit: Lockpicks, Combination Breaker

Mechanics Kit: Adj Wrench, Screwdriver, Drill, Saw, File, +Power, Welder

Parts Kit: Screws, Bolts, Nuts, Nails, Oil, Cloth, Cleanser

Medical Kit: Bandages, Wound Sealer, Drugs

Surgical Kit: Antiseptic, Saline, Scalpel, Cauterizer, Clamps, Forceps, Retractors, Bone Saw, Drugs

Medicine Kit: Antiseptic, Painkiller, Sedative, Stimulant, Antibiotic, Antiviral, Carbon/Charcoal

Bio Monitor(Blood Pressure, Pulse, Respiration, EEG), Medical Analyzer

X Ray/MRI Scanner, Defibrillator, Respirator, Thermal Blanket, Dialysis

Engineers Kit: Duct tape 50m, Portable Framework, Crowbar/Shovel, Stiff Wire

Jack, Brace, Clamp, Block/Tackle, Nails/Screws/Bolts/Nuts, Putty, Epoxy, Silicone

Chemical/Science Kit: Chemsniffer, Microscope, Spectrometer, Scale, Micrometer, Test Agents, Sample Case, Fire Extinguisher

Survival Kit: Multitool, Compass, Metal Pan .5m sq, Silicone Water bladder, Waterproof silk sheet, Extendable Mirror, Marker, Rations 30 days, Water Purifier

Weapons Kit: Cleaner, Oil, Cloth, Spare Parts

Ammo Reloader:

It's...interesting. Could really use an example with G force(s) and especially a comparison/contrast to doing the same things with Flight. Going to have to read it a couple more times before I can make better comments.

Chris.

I stand corrected. It's a limitation.

 

Batman's Utility Belt has been taken away from time to time. So has Wonder Woman's magic lasso, and used against her.

 

Speaking of the latter, can Mind Control have a Set Effect limitation such as "Don't move and tell the truth?"

I guess what I'm ultimately after with this would be a shield table similar to the melee weapon table, only balanced. It would involve breaking out DCV bonuses for ranged and melee attacks, +OCV for blocking, attack modes for spikes or edges, whether the off hand is free, DEF/Body, and so on. Basically all the stuff Christougher listed.

Hero doesn't have a lot of crunchyness to make individual shields distinct, but there are factors you could play with.

- Shield size/shape changes number of hex facings protected.

- Shield size/shape changes number of hit locations protected.

- Shield size caps maximum number of blocks.

- Smaller shields may be +Block rather than +DCV.

- Different construction can be different DEF/Body.

- Shield cutout for weapons might give +1 OCV.

- Shields have a base +HA. Heavy shields double it.

- Two Weapon Fghting variant: Weapon Strike and Shield Block.

Yeah, I was just working on similar thoughts for a Fantasy Hero game...

Chris.

Take the Code vs. Killing away from the characters.

No, seriously. Don't let them read what the book says it means, make them define what that Psych Lim means /to them/. Present a couple choices like this you can easily put into play, so you and they understand what to expect.

It's not wrong, just vague.

Chris.

I'd have to check if 6E changed that rule, but in 5E you could not put a limitation on a CSL smaller than 5 points. And IMO, those are cheesy limitations. When I built that for a character, I used two point levels single attack, second, third, etc. It was incredibly more powerful than expected. With a 2.5df6 KA, three shot autofire with those levels, I took down our team brick (I was mind controlled.) in one phase.

Chris.

In a campaign with a Characteristic Maxima rule (6E1 p50) in effect, a character buying STR 25 (5 over the max) pays 20 points.

If the character wants a Naked Advantage: Zero END(+1/2) on STR 25, is the advantage also subject to the doubled cost? (IE: Does it cost 12 points or 15 points?)

6E1 p50 lists Characteristics as Powers and Adjustment powers as exceptions, which implies Advantages shouldn't cost double, but that's not explicitly stated.

Chris.

*Kicks self in pants* Over a month dude, post something. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery on what they'd like to see?

Chris.

Does it simulate two swords? Yes, if that's what you say it does. The special effect of an attack doesn't require any additional modifiers to be two attacks; however you might want to look at the Autofire advantage, the Reduced Penetration limitation, the Two Weapon Fighting skill, and/or the Sweep and Multiple Power Attack maneuvers. Each offers a different take on the subject.

How to read damage? As a Hand to Hand Killing Attack, your Strength adds to the damage done. As written, your character has a STR of 15, and so does 2 1/2d6 total, 2d6 from the power and 1/2d6 from added STR. To add 2 1/2d6 for a total of 4 1/2d6, he would need a STR of 60. Normally STR adds to the Killing attack on a 1 for one point basis, but you also have to account for the advantages on the attack.

What does x2 items mean? The rules allow a duplicate focus for only 5 points, this allows the character to have a backup focus in case something happens to the first. In my games, this does NOT allow them to use both of them to double the power. Other GMs might allow that.

Chris.

Yes. Do the rank and file agents have to take vows? Different vows for different branches? Vow of Celibacy might get in the way of some undercover assignments.

Chris.

That's a lot of points in Psych Lims with them having a lot of similar circumstances. Might they be better represented as a single Psych Lim: Religious Vows with higher frequency and/or severity? Individual aspects could be listed similar to Code of the Hero (Won't lie, cheat, steal or kill).

Chris.

I joined Facebook.

Makes me wonder if I should offer up the fantasy campaign setting I've been working on. It's called Abcedeus, and it's about four elemental gods who created their own world, each with a chosen race and distinct style of magic. The dwarves of the earth, the elves from the water, the faery in the skies and the fiery demons. And then they created the Humans...

While it has a lot of classic fantasy elements, there is a unique feel to them, minus a few bits clearly stolen from other sources. The magic systems start with the idea of different limitations, but still have room to apply additional ones, and have a few predefined spell lists.

Chris