Rapier

Re: Does your Team have a Charter? LOL! We were sitting around chatting IM tonight after ER. I asked them if they wanted a charter. Chad's response: Do we REALLY need something on paper that says we shouldn't kill old ladies and kick puppies? Brian's response (the smartass): As long as its still ok to kick old ladies I'm good. The general feeling was that a charter is unnecessary. Hey, if they wanted to write one...I was all for it. They felt (and I can agree) that a charter would make things too much like work and we are here to play. They also don't think they need some bylaws and papertrail to kick someone off the team. They aren't going to kick someone off the team for not participating in the Pancake Breakfast, and if someone has just skinned alive a member of the clergy there is not going to be much debate about keeping that character around.

Re: Speedster Construct Question: One Man Starship Crew

Re: Duplication and Transformation Question Eh. I would just go for the Major Transform. I would suggest a Time Delay or Gradual or something...say a week. Give the little suckers some time to work. This would also work better as a plot device as the heroes vainly search for a cure. Remember, this is only going to Transform the person. No equip. You are also going to need some way to heal the damage (taking 5 BODY in electricity damage will kill the nanites and the body will heal normally). If this isn't intended as a plot device, I would just go with Mind Control. Its a lot easier on everyone, and could logically work fairly quickly (within an extra phase or so).

Re: held action

Re: GM's "rights"

Re: New To Hero: Character Advancement 1 XP is a little low, but not tragically so. Maybe there is something you are missing with your character that could free up some points. If you got HD you should post your character, maybe there is something we can see that will help out. Does everyone get only 1 XP? THAT would seem more strange than anything. It's Socialist Roleplaying! From each according to his ability, to each 1 XP.

Re: Does your Team have a Charter? They don't have an actual charter per se. We have two main campaigns running (there is an occasional trip into a side FH campaign but that is infrequent). In the champions campaign the Heroes are part of the New Texas Rangers. They are an arm of law enforcement and thus share the charter of the organisation, in short, To Protect the Peace and Foster Justice. The second campaign is a Hero level (similar to a Chill setting). The heroes were recruited by the Circle of 12 (a group of magical powerhouses that needed some lower power muscle) to help protect the realms from marauding magic and those that woud upset the natural balance. Actually thats pretty close to their charter. Having spent more years than I care to remember as a part of Corporate America , I have come to the realisation that Charters are overrated. The only reason a charter is necessary is to concretely define a set of principles that are otherwise unclear. If your UN Rep tells you to go beat up the Evil Echelon, you might check their charter if you had never heard of them before...just as on opening bit to figure out their greater goals. Charters really have no effect or impact on day-to-day activity.

Re: More weird yet useful mini stuff for Champions and HERO

Re: Fixing Martial Artists Are you guys STILL arguing? Can you just agree to disagree? Obviously everyone has very strong feelings on this matter and this thread has darn near degenerated into "Does so" "Does not" "Does so" ad nauseum.

Re: How would you do this concept? Strobe Player: Val Char Cost 10 STR 0 23 DEX 39 15 CON 10 15 BODY 10 11 INT 1 11 EGO 2 13 PRE 3 14 COM 2 5/20 PD 3 5/30 ED 2 7 SPD 37 10 REC 10 40 END 5 36 STUN 8 6" RUN02" SWIM03" LEAP1Characteristics Cost: 133 Cost Power END 43 Light Focusing: Multipower, 65-point reserve, (65 Active Points); all slots Limited Power Does Not Work in Total Darkness (-1/2) 7m 1) Light Blast: EB 13d6 (vs. ED) (65 Active Points); No Knockback (-1/4) 6 9m 2) Sight Group Flash 13d6 (65 Active Points) 6 6m 3) Nova Burst: EB 3 1/2d6 (vs. ED), Personal Immunity (+1/4), AOE Nonselective (5" Radius; +3/4), AVLD (Flash Def; +1 1/2) (63 Active Points); No Range (-1/2) 6 13 Body of Light: Elemental Control, 40-point powers, (20 Active Points); all slots Limited Power Does Not Work in Total Darkness (-1/2) 8 1) Convert to Light: FTL Travel (8 Light Years/year), Usable Simultaneously (up to 32 people at once; +1 1/2) (40 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1) 12 27 2) Light Flight: Flight 25", x8 Noncombat (60 Active Points) 6 14 3) Nimbus: Sight Group Flash 3d6, AOE Nonselective (One Hex; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (41 Active Points) 0 16 4) Regeneration: Healing 5d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (100 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, -3), Self Only (-1/2) [Notes: No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).] 0 13 5) Point Defense Lightblast: FF (15 PD/25 ED) (40 Active Points) 4 27 6) Light Form: Desolidification (affected by Darkness), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points) 0 10 Targeting with Normal Hearing 0 Powers Cost: 193 Cost Skill 2 Survival (Mountain) 11- 7 Climbing 16- 3 KS: Mountain/Rock Formations (INT-based) 11- 3 PS: Rock Climber (INT-based) 11- 3 Language: Brail (completely fluent) Skills Cost: 18 Cost Talent 3 Bump Of Direction 3 Absolute Time Sense Talents Cost: 6 Total Character Cost: 350 Val Disadvantages 20 PhysLim: Blind (All the Time, Greatly Impairing) 20 DF: Glows with Bright Light (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Darkness (Uncommon) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY Darkness (Uncommon) 20 Susceptibility: Total Darkness, 1d6 damage per Phase (Common) 20 PsychLim: Self Conscious (Constantly trying to check appearance) (Very Common, Strong) 15 Hunted: Pied Piper 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish) 10 Accidental Change: Desol Activates When Takes Body 8- (Common) 15 PsychLim: Will Not Kill (Common, Strong) 10 DF: Eyes are Completely White (Easily Concealed; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: How would you do this concept? Starlight Player: Val Char Cost 9 STR -1 21 DEX 33 20 CON 20 15 BODY 10 15 INT 5 12 EGO 4 10 PRE 0 12 COM 1 10 PD 8 10 ED 6 7 SPD 39 6 REC 0 40 END 0 40 STUN 10 6" RUN02" SWIM01 1/2" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 135 Cost Power END 16 Starlight Powers: Elemental Control, 40-point powers, (20 Active Points); all slots OIHID (-1/4) 11 1) Sight Group Flash 8d6 (40 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2) (uses END Reserve) 8 26 2) EB 7d6 (vs. ED), AP (+1/2) (52 Active Points) (uses END Reserve) 5 13 3) Light Burn: EB 4d6 (vs. ED), AVLD (Power Defense; +1 1/2) (50 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1) (uses END Reserve) 15 16 4) Flight 20" (40 Active Points) (uses END Reserve) 4 13 5) Bend Light: Invisibility to Sight Group , Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (40 Active Points); Bright Fringe (-1/4) 0 17 6) Control Light: CE 2" radius, -4 to Sight Group PER Rolls, +1 Points of Damage, +2 Temperature Level Adjustment, -2 Temperature Level Adjustment, Multiple Combat Effects (41 Active Points) (uses Personal END) 4 9 Starlight Reservoir: Endurance Reserve (75 END, 10 REC) Reserve: (17 Active Points); REC: (10 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, -3) 0 25 Sense Light Waves: Sense Invisible A Single Thing 12- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Range, Sense, Targeting 0 5 IR Perception (Sight Group) 0 5 UV Perception (Sight Group) 0 10 Toughness: Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED) 0 15 Twin Link with Laura MacLeod (Twin Sister): Mind Link , Human class of minds, One Specific Mind, Any distance, Psychic Bond 0 7 Regeneration: Healing 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), Self Only (-1/2) [Notes: No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).] 0 Powers Cost: 188 Cost Skill 3 SS: Inorganic Chemistry (INT-based) 12- 1 Language: French (basic conversation) 2 Computer Programming (Personal Computers) 12- 3 PS: Chemist (INT-based) 12- 3 Riding 13- 3 Breakfall 13- 2 Animal Handler (Equines) 11- Skills Cost: 17 Cost Perk 5 Money: Well Off 5 Custom Perk Perks Cost: 10 Total Character Cost: 350 Val Disadvantages 10 PsychLim: Vengeful (Uncommon, Strong) 5 PsychLim: Reluctant to Kill (Uncommon, Moderate) 15 SocLim: Secret Identity: Lisa MacLeod Frequently (11-), Major 15 PsychLim: Extremely Curious (Very Common, Moderate) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY Gravitics (Uncommon) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Gravitics (Uncommon) 20 DNPC: Sister: Laura 8- (Incompetent; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID) 15 PsychLim: Show Off (Common, Strong) 15 PsychLim: Recklessly Adventurous (Common, Strong) 25 Watched: InterPol 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish) 10 SocLim: Subject to Orders (Occasionally, Major) Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: How would you do this concept? I've been converting YEARS of heros from WP/Spreadsheets into Hero Designer. I just finished a HUUUUUUUGE batch of light people. Notice the common theme in powers: Starbright Player: Val Char Cost 15 STR 5 21 DEX 33 20 CON 20 15 BODY 10 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 15 PRE 5 14 COM 2 5/15 PD 2 5/25 ED 1 7 SPD 39 7 REC 0 60 END 10 40 STUN 7 6" RUN02" SWIM03" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 139 Cost Power END 10 Light Powers: Elemental Control, 34-point powers, (17 Active Points); all slots Limited Power Does Not Work in Total Darkness (-1/2), OIHID (-1/4) 9 1) Sight Group Flash 3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (37 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) 0 11 2) FF (10 PD/20 ED), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (37 Active Points) 1 7 3) Recharge Healing: Absorption 7d6 (energy, 1/2 Body - 1/2 STUN) (35 Active Points); Activation 14- (-1/2), Costs END (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) 3 8 4) StarBody: Desolidification (affected by Energy) (40 Active Points); Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects (-1/2), Activation 14- (-1/2) 4 10 5) StarBright StarFlight: Flight 15", x4 Noncombat (35 Active Points) 3 22 StarLight Powers: Multipower, 62-point reserve, (62 Active Points); all slots Activation 14- (-1/2), Limited Power Does Not Work in Total Darkness (-1/2), 8 Charges (-1/2), OIHID (-1/4) 3u 1) Starlight Burst: EB 12d6 (vs. ED) (60 Active Points) 0 3u 2) Starlight Flash: Sight Group Flash 8d6, AP (+1/2) (60 Active Points) 0 3u 3) Starlight Beam: EB 5d6 (vs. ED), AVLD (Sight Flash DEF; +1 1/2) (62 Active Points) 0 5 IR Perception (Sight Group) 0 5 UV Perception (Sight Group) 0 10 Hearing Group Flash Defense (10 points) 0 Powers Cost: 106 Cost Skill 16 Penalty Skill Levels: +8 vs. Range Modifier with Light Power Attacks 3 PS: Physicist (INT-based) 12- 3 Combat Piloting 13- 3 SS: Light Physics (INT-based) 12- 10 Systems Operation (Environmental Systems, Medical Systems, Communications Jamming Equipment, FTL Sensors, Medical Sensors, Radar, Radio, Satellite Communications, Sensor Jamming Equipment) 12- Skills Cost: 35 Cost Perk 2 Custom Perk Perks Cost: 2 Total Character Cost: 282 Val Disadvantages 10 Vuln: 2 x STUN Darkness Attacks (Uncommon) 10 Vuln: 2 x BODY Darkness Attacks (Uncommon) 20 Susceptibility: When totally cut off from Solar Radiation (Deep Underground), 2d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon) 15 PsychLim: Afraid of Dark (Common, Strong) 20 PsychLim: Honourable (Common, Total) 5 Reputation: Astronaut, 8- 10 Accidental Change: Into Hero ID When In Presence of High Radiation 11- (Uncommon) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY Radiation (XRay, Gamma Rays) (Uncommon) 25 PsychLim: Protective of Innocents (Very Common, Total) 15 Hunted: Dark Seraph 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish) 5 DF: Glows When In Hero ID (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 5 SocLim: Secret Identity (Occasionally, Minor) Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: DEX Averages I'm roughly new to Hero (circa 1991), so I don't have quite the history with the system of some of y'alls. When I started playing the slowest brick had a DEX of 18...and it was REALLY, REALLY low. I guess I just kind of went with it all these years. All of our characters tend to dump a LOT of points into DEX. Recently, we semi-retired our Champions campaign and moved to Hero (a Buffy the Vampire Hero kind of game). I was really surprised by what we found. The fastest character has a SPD of 5 and a DEX of 26. Most SPDs are 3 and DEXs around 15 - 18. The big surprise was that it didn't seem to affect our combats at all. We hit just as often. I mean, it makes sense, like some have stated...if you move the whole range (for heroes and villains) from Hero DEX 23, Villain DEX 25 to Hero DEX 15, Villain DEX 17...the Hit Rolls are the same. It would take some real concerted effort at this point to move the Champs characters but I see a real merit in lowering the average DEX of characters (both PCs and NPCs) across the campaign. It certainly would free up a lot more points for skills etc.

Re: Shapeshifting Oh suuuuuuure. Go ahead with logic and all making sense and shit. Sheesh. Where do you think YOU are? Yeah I do get a bit hung up on the name. Mostly because I just can't understand the reasoning behind the new definition. I haven't even, yet, really seen a character with shape shift (lower case) that doesn't work with "my definition" of Shape Shift. A fair portion of my "freakin-out-ness" also deals with the fact that one of my players recently became a metamorph demon (don't ask...it involves an amulet, a curse and a failed curse removal). We built him with Shape Shift. The rules are so outlandish and difficult for me to understand that I am stuck in the unenviable position of not knowing how the power works. I've got no foundation for any rulings. I don't mind punting with a ruling...but this is a bit beyond my comfort zone (kind of like GMing a game system you don't really know). I'm also wondering if maybe Shape Shift isn't the power I want. We added a small MP and VPP to simulate Shifted effects (claws, wings, etc). Ahhhh me. What to do, what to do.

Re: Is this a good idea?: Killing heroes Well, we've been playing a long time. After a couple years (sometimes only a couple months) we tend to get tired of playing the same character. In cases like this the player and I discuss things and decide on an exit strategy. Sometimes the hero goes to join another super team/moves away, sometimes they retire, sometimes they lose their powers, sometimes they die. I have also killed off players, not deliberately. When we were getting close to the close of the Champs campaign, Iconic Knight threw himself in front of a plasma cannon. His theory was that the plasma cannon would vent its fire on him and not destroy the Dallas/FW Megaplex. I should have had his sacrifice in vain. I mean, his DEF/BODY wouldn't even change the colour on the plasma blast. I had intended for the heroes to just take out the power supply/pull the plug. In this case I couldn't really get around it. IK made the decision to stand in front of the cannon. It would be wrong of me to cheat him out of his noble sacrifice. I've also killed characters off for REALLY stupid things...but that is pretty rare. If you egg on Dr Destroyer and call him a pansy...you got to expect to take a lot of damage. (Sorry, Chad. I know I said I wouldn't mention it...but I couldn't resist!!)

Re: Shapeshifting Wow. As I was in the shower just now, I had formulated almost this EXACT response. WAAAAAAY back when my mates and I were all about the TMNT comic books, the RPG came out we pooled our cash and bought it. We read through the book (a couple times) and still had absolutely NO IDEA how to play. I may have that book around someplace but I doubt it. Probably used it as kindling or rolling papers or something somewhere along the way. I think Shape Shift is a great abberation for Hero. It is a power that seems to, almost universally, cause a great deal of head scratching. It asks more questions than it answers and makes any constructs with it extremely open-ended, open to interpretation and confusing. I would like to see SS modelled something more like it was in the BBB (with costs approximately in the same neighbourhood as Desol): 5pts: Cosmetic Shift a single nontargeting sense (+5 pt adder for a sense group) 10pts: Improved Cosmetic Shift a single targeting sense (+5 pt adder for a sense group) 40pts: Shape Shift (touch, hearing and sight groups) Now, I just made the points up off the top of my head. But I figured SS is about the same level of power as Desol. It would also allow those instances where you want to purchase an additional sense (eg smell). If I change my shape (vs touch) that means my physical form can be a snake. My body has the feel of a snake, dimensions of a snake (albeit a very large snake) and moves like a snake (at least I attempt to, providing my natural movement powers). Now, how can movement as per slithering not SOUND like slithering against the floor? How can my form not LOOK like a snake? Yes, there are isolated instances where a single sense shape shift might be appropriate...but these should be limited to specific sense groups (eg smell) and/or be limited to a lesser version of the power (shape shift with lower case). Shape Shift (with uppercase) covers three default groups (sight, hearing and touch) and do just what the name of the power suggests. Truth in advertising, my good man, truth in advertising.

Re: Transformation trouble

Re: DEX Averages Rounded to the nearest whole number: Brick: 19 MA: 25 Speedster: 32 EP: 28

Re: Favorite Rules of "X" I've tossed out all my maxes long ago. You want 80 DEF? Go for it. I let the points even it out. About the only thing I do is check the character over for concept, make some rulings on specific power constructs and offer some guidance with skills/stats/powers that the player may have overlooked. When all characters are based around the same points, you tend to end up with characters that are fairly balanced. If someone pumps all their points into combat stats/abilities, they are all but useless out of combat...and the reverse holds true. Plus, by not defining ceilings players are not driven to max those ceilings whenever possible. Getting rid of all the Rules of X has greatly improved our gaming.

Re: Shapeshifting THATS IT!! Gadzooks. I haven't been able, up to now, to quantify what was bugging me about FREd Shape Shift. This is it exactly. You aren't changing shape so much as you are changing how you are perceived. It went from being a Transform (BBB) to Images (FREd). Now I have to think about how that effects things.

Re: Fixing Martial Artists

Re: Possession I calculated the range just like you do any regular power (5" per AP, in this case he gets just over a mile in range). The character has a moderate amount of Mind Scan. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle him getting KOd yet. I'm going to have to give it some thought. Snapping back to your body does seem like an advantage. It also adds some difficulty if he is "dispossessed" when outside the range of his body. But then again, knowing he has a limit I don't think he would often allow himself to get close to his max range (if he can avoid it). Although, it being a villain I don't really need to worry (strictly speaking) about how he gets back to his body. But it may become important for the heroes to stop him. I'm definately gonna have to give it some thought. Any ideas?

Re: Shapeshifting Well thought and well argued. Personally, I would never play a shape shifter. Just not my particular cup of tea. The shapeshifter I have in my group has just picked up his shapeshifting power, so I'm looking forward to him using it a bit more.

Re: Telekinetic Martial Arts.

Re: Fixing Martial Artists I can kind of understand where he is coming from. I mean a single recovery might let you hang around for another round. A 10 REC will give you 10 END (which is pretty juicy...there have been times in a drawn out combat where I had to choose between taking a full recovery or knocking myself unconscious) but the 10 STUN...chances are you are going to take more than 10 STUN in a single attack. If most of your combats are short and quick, a good REC doesn't gain you much of anything. His opinion on the value of REC is just as valid as anyone else's opinion.