chariot

Re: The Ultimate Mystic

Still no PDF?

Re: Long Time Heroes get any Beta chances?

Well.. thanks for that Steve. Nice to know that it might be a consideration.

Here's hoping that this really turns out to be in a feather in your cap. I've really appreciated everything DOJ has done since taking over the Hero franchise (though I can't seem to get a new campagin off the ground using any of the new goodies).

I really was just doing some shameless self-promotion; I want in, and willing to do almost anything to get in ;-)

Re: Long Time Heroes get any Beta chances?

I am familiar with the concept, but then I didn't ask anyone to give me any info...

Ok... I admit, I'm not much of a forumite. So if that's my only chance to get into Beta, I'm screwed.

But I've been a Hero gamer since the days of the box set with the Big Blue dice

What are the odds that some of us lurker types, who've been around for a while get a shot at this? I mean... I am a COH\COV player, been invited to every previous closed Beta there... Stormreach Beta....

It'd be good to get me in there

Re: The Ability to Cloud Men's Mind...?

Silly me. If I just got back to my old habits of actually READING the rule book, I'd have know that was an advantage not a limitation.

I'm really starting to think that CE is not enough. And with all the advantages, and radius I would need: too expensive.

Also, I still have Lamont Cranston stuck in my head. And that is Invisibility, plain and and simple.

I've decided on two powers: Psionic Invisbility from the USPD, and combat skill levels that cost endurance each phase and the same sentient being limitations as Psionic Invisbility. That way, he can use the levels in combat without his friends having to turn to him afterwards and say: "where the hell did you go, dude?"

Re: The Ability to Cloud Men's Mind...?

Now... I've run into a bit of an issue with the Change Environment idea. It probably just needs an appropriate limitation, but I'm not sure how to word it.

Using Change Environment would effect every person in the radius of effect; including fellow heroes. So everyone would be getting a bonus to their DCV, and that is not the effect I want. It really should be just against the character using the power.

I really prefer the Change Environment effect to invisibility or just a bonus to DCV.

So... suggestions on how to limit this?

Re: Creative uses for Change Environment

Figure the area is really much more limited than it appears... unless you're dealing with a towering monstrosity, in which case its easy to perceive from a goodly distance. Blocked LOS might save your sanity, at least until it slithers close enough for you to hear... or smell. If you're deaf, blind and have no sense of smell you might be safe... if you're perceiving it by touch, you're probably in bigger trouble already.

dah..hahahahah.

Great power, too. Gonna steal some parts of this.

Re: How build a "Cerbral Hard Disk"

How about eidetic memory with the limitation that it can only be accesed by certain means? Figure that to be a pretty hefty limitation, -1 or so.

Not positive because I never saw the movie or read the book. But this sounds like what you want.

Re: The Ability to Cloud Men's Mind...?

That is an interesting idea: Change Environment. I will have to look into that.

Greetings Heroes!

Yes, it is he of the annoying and simple-minded questions, yet-again.

So I needed some defensive abilities for a hero in a darkish, action adventure game. He just happens to be a mentalist, and having a fondess for Lamont Cranston and other serial radio figures... I thought to myself: why not?

But then came the problems. He's the only that seems "super-powered". His powers are not meant to be flashy, and he has the Psych Limit that he's reluctant to reveal his powers, even to his closest friends.

So I'm looking at this two ways, right now:

1) Some sort of Invisibility, which is really my first choice, but the most difficult to pull off. I need to tone down its super quaility and make it more selective, some-how.

2) Levels with DCV, used to represent this ability. Thoroughly unflashy, though very SFX oriented approach to this power.

Other thoughts? Thoughts on my two approaches?

Your wisdom and experience are much appreciated.

There's no mechanic in Hero that really represents saving throws, is there? I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time.

I'm not 100% sure they are needed, but I am in a bit of a quandry as I convert some D20 stuff to Hero.

Say we have some demons that have the ability to afflict a person with a spiritual disease such as gluttony, or lust. D20 simply states that the demon can do this, the victim gets a saving throw... if he fails, this is what happens.

I'm really stuck on how to represent this in Hero. I know there are a few ways, but deciding on the one that I feel will work for my campaign has been difficult.

I like the element of chance provided by the saving throw; but I don't feel that an attack roll provides enough chance. Most PC's will not have Power Defense, nor will they have much in the way of ECV (I really feel this is an boecv attack, but I'm still brushing up on 5thEd, so I may be wrong).

So, what am I saying here? I'm looking for a boecv attack that will (most likely) transform the afflicted, but there is some way to "resist" the attack that is not represented by "defense".

Would anyone say that this is already built into Transform, with the need to roll Body+? Maybe it is, and that is my answer right there... I'm just looking at a special effect.

Thoughts, hints, ideas?

TIA,

c

Re: Campaign Creation

Ok, I feel dense for not realizing this before, but over at The Harrow (online mag of horror and dark fantast), there is a wonderful collection of RPG articles penned by our managing editor/publisher/creator.

http://www.theharrow.com/rpg/index.html

Really, really good stuff. It comes from a D&D slant, but that it, of course, irrelevant.

Re: Campaign Creation

ah well, my mistake. But I see now, what you are saying.

Re: Campaign Creation

ummm.. are you saying you are the author of Shades of Black? Pardon my ignorance if you are. But, good show. I love that adventure, though I'll admit I have not really read through all of it.

And a wonderful example you gave, too.

Re: Campaign Creation

Ok... so this has been good. I've got some ides, and started filling out some Word docs.

Here's an associated question: fleshing out those ideas into adventures?

My older gaming groups were pretty short on the roleplaying, very long on intricate, hours-long combats. My new players want more than combat, and I'm a little weak on the other areas of an adventure.

People's processes for going from germ to full fledged viral outbreak?

I'm a big reader... I've taken inspiration from movies before, but novels seem to inspire me more.

I'm running a sort of Horror Hero meets Dark Champions over a cup of coffee with John Woo, campaign... the main thematic elements are gothic horror, but the heroes, for the most part, are your typical Woo-ish street-fighters and gunslingers.

We're off to a good start, but I need some complications.. and really need to spin some plots to make the gothic horror elements shine, and interweave that with some more mundane criminal elements to give the characters a break.

My reading has always tended towards horror, fantasy and some dabbling in Sci-Fi; so the underworld has me a little out of my depth.

Suggestions? I thought I had seen a thread about this a while back, but couldn't find it again.

Re: The Sanguine News!

that is mighty sweet. Been thinking about this idea, and other possibilities of the same type since I saw the idea mentioned yesterday.

Now... does anyone remember way back in Champions II or Champions III where this idea was presented by A.A. (I think)? Makes me wish I still had those old gems.

Re: Campaign Creation

I have a Genesis Setting called the Crystal Room.

 

I've got it documented and GM tips and idea.

 

I can email it to you if you want.

 

- Christopher Mullins (schir1964 @ netzero.com)

Chris, I'd be interested in seeing it. Thanks for the offer.

you can email me at chariot @ cox.net

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

From what was a D20 Modern campaign, that has morphed into a Hero System conversion of RPGObjects Blood & Relics campagin setting.

Two first level heroes, utterly uprepared to discover that there are monsters below the streets of Providence, RI are forced to improvise weapons... a lead pipe and rock. The lead pipe wielding hero proves to be little more than a meat shield, but the rock wielder saves the day. In an inspired bit of dialogue, after fleeing the scene -- bloody, battered and scared witless:

"Never let go of the rock, never let go of the rock."

Re: Campaign Creation

Great thread.

 

I wanted to mainly respond to those who are worried about flying too much by the seat of their pants. Its not always a bad thing. Sometimes thats just your style. I find very often that I delay games and get all worried about them because its not exactly what I'm looking for. Realize that most sessions are going to be a hook, then the players reactions and a lot of ad-libbing.

 

I'm not saying this because I think no one here knows this, just that they might be so focussed on "I need to stop ad-libbing so much" that they try to railroad the players or forget that ad-libing is one of the best skills a GM can have.

I agree that a good GM has absolutely got to be ABLE to fly by the seat of his pants, and preferably do it well enough that his players are unaware and all have a good time.

But I really feel I need some more structure, because I am not looking far enough ahead... I should have some idea where this big ship is going, that way if I need to take the wheel and wing it, I still know where the destination is; how I get there is not always as important.

Re: How many threads?

When I GM I generally have 1 main plot that the PCs are working on' date=' and I'm introducing 2-3 sub-plots for other things that will come up in the future. And then I'll generally have 1 sub-plot for each PC somehow relating to their secret identity/personal life.[/quote']

 

Now this is what I want to go for... I've never been as good at getting the subplots for each character, or the foreshadowing type subplots going. How do you keep it all together? How many adventures do you have planned ahead?

 

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to MitchellS again

Set off by the Story as good as Villain thread...

Anyone have any good tools for Campaign Creation? Or just methods that they use to keep it all together?

I've been at this for a long time, but I have a new, young audience -- and frankly, they are probably the best group of role players I've ever had. I want to do my best by them. I want to reduce the flying by the seat of my pants that has gotten me through in the past, and really present them with some well thought out stories and subplots.

The old one-page Campaign checklist is a nice place too start, but there really is not enough there.. and there is soo much that goes into a good campaign (looking back at my longest running campaign, I wish I'd known at the beginning what I knew at the end).

Thoughts, tips, hints, advice and other bon mots appreciated (ok, the occaisional bit of derision will be accepted with good humor, too).

Re: Story is only as good as its Villain

In my longest running campaign, I had 3 continuing villains who made life difficult for my heroes.

First there was Marcus Stillwell, who was variously disguised as: the terrorist Atomic Knight; the drug kingpin The Candy Man; and his final incarnation that never actually saw much game time, criminal mastermind The Monitor.

Marcus was bonkers, plain and simple. But he had money and talent to back it up. In his clouded mind, he knew he was going to be the greatest super-villain to ever make a hero tremble. But there were no heroes worthy to be his adversary. So he made one out of his own son. Had lots of fun playing with the hero for many years: is he your father, is he not your father--- is he really dead this time?

Then there was Despair, who was a pretty blatant rip-off of Fear from the Wrath of the Seven Horseman adventure. But my version of Fear was much more gothic, with zombie servants and vampire coutiers. He never did fill out the entire 7 slots in the Horsemen, but I used Despair as a wonderful plot device for many years; in the process we killed a God, and gave birth to another (twins in fact); corrupted a hero (player left the campaign) and turned her into a Horseman; and resurrected an assassin who had been hired to kill the PC's years ago but who had failed and died in the process (he was a little ticked off when he came back, and took the name: Pain).

Finally there was Damien Blackwood. Father of a hero and a heroine; father of at least two villains; had a blind werewolf manservant; was possibly the most powerful magician on the planet. Damien wasn't really evil, but he was ruthless and self-serving -- another plot device more than a combatant. But it was almost always assured to be a twisted good time if the name Blackwood was mentioned.

I'm building a character for a player who'sa Hero Newbie (and since buying 5th edition, I feel like one myself). We've got a very cinematic, almost Anime thing goin (think Equilibrium or The Matrix). His thing is his matched Desert Eagles.

I'm going with Double Tap and Quick Fire, thinking that his ability stems from beingable to fight two handed.

Since he's paying points for it, I'm thinking this is really just FX and not having to pay the points for Two Weapon Fighting, or anything to support that. Though I may throw in Ambidexterity.

Thoughts?

Re: Dark Champions hero fragility

Thanks... I owe a bunch of rep here. I'm just not playing the game I should be. i see where I fell down, and should be able to compensate nicely.

The big mistake was in copying D20 Modern heroes in order to get the players acclimated to the Hero System. And really on not enough points.