Christopher

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Snapping your fingers and getting strangers to instantly go down on you?

That what I see too. In order to archieve such a thing, you have to manipulate their mind directly (persuasion is only indirect and only influences). The mechanics seem to support this:

Against MC you get breakout roll, against persuasion not.

A GM can rule that Persasion can't do some things even with super roll and long time, what MC can get with an action and medium roll for certain.

About Diplomatik Imiunity:

Perks can be negated through game results.

Acutally I even though of a "License to Mindbend/Mindread", similar to the "License to Kill" of Mister Bond, for a Mentalist (who is reluctant to use it).

Re: The Beautiful People

This would get him some problems with PSI (the use this formula to get/unleash their powers, right?), Viper and some others, since it either depowers them or makes finding new test-"candidates" difficulty.

It could result in a classical Villains and Heros united scenario.

Making it fluid contagious could mean it can be weaponrized (also meaning it's hidden porpose's could be detected through more intense testing). And sometimes it may not work in the way you anticipated:

"'Just give it a try on Grond', you said. 'What's the worst that could happen?', you said. Well, now we have a even more healthy grond. It can't believe I.....wait, is his just bringing a mountain a flowers?"

Re: VPP active point costs

Don't buy it as a VPP. It's a good chase for a Multipower/Elemental Control. For some minor one-time effects you can use a power skill (if your GM aproves) and if you like it' date=' just spend the few points on it.[/quote']

I just read: Fire Power VPP in 6E is just a VPP with Limited Class of Powers (-1/2). And of course you do get lesser punch. You can still aply adders as you see fit and your target requires (I don't know how Damage Reducting gets negated in 5E, but in 6E it's a really cheap adder).

Re: Free no character point equipment simulating not very powerful powers

IDHMBIFOM* but... are you sure?

Just re-read it (6E1 412). About the loosing it depends on one thing: If you gave the VPP a Focus (the parts you need to build), then it would aply. If your VPP-Controll doesn't takes it, then not. When you give it your teammates (or place it so they can use it), then the points are still "in use". But lossing it, frees them up.

So you can just leave the ladder there, no need to bring it back.

Re: The Beautiful People

In regards to the condom question' date=' the organism passes by means of fluid transmission, so saliva can also pass it to a new host.[/quote']

That would totally change the scale of the transmision. Or is there some build in flaw that it only works with salvia during sexual activity.

Giving them controll about fertitly (at least in the second phase) could generally increase the spreading without having to rely on this (when you don't need it anyway, why bother?).

 

There is a big question complex building up: What about the superhuman world?

There are people with hightened metabolism rates, people regualry moving through time,.... All things that could blow the cover on this.

And what about mutants, werewolves and the like. How would their forms be affected by this? Would it reverse these transformations, or get them to their peak and Teleilos will weed them out later?

Re: The Beautiful People

Interstingly it would allow those infected (and knowing of it's short term effects) to use totally new hookup-lines:

Persuasion: Get immortal, is cool!

Bribery: the bribe is basically "built into" the offer

High Soceity: "Everyone has it nowadays. You don't want to be left out, do you?"

Oratory: "Who of you ladys want's to get imortal too?"

Of course, you could benefit from this with acting to, even if you are not infected...

There could be some disapointments:

"I always thought he should be bigger by nature and he just couldn't fully develop...".

Old persons may find you irrestable, both because you are pretty and because you could give them their youth back.

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

especially since TK is in fact a utility power. You don't get 90 AP Blast, you get 60 STR with Range and limited indirect. TK may be the only power some players need, because of all the things you can do with it....

Re: The Beautiful People

Probably. We'd be too busy eating and drinking and making. . . merry (yeah that's the word) to actually care that we're now slaves.

It specifically says: Only targeted towards those not jet infected. So sooner or later you would find nobody interesting and have a hightened sexual drive.

Also, how does the infection work with saver-sex methods like condoms?

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

If the modifiers are exactly the same then it doesn't matter what the special effects are because Menton does things that no mundane persuasive ability could match.

Indeed. With this "Persuasion" MC you can go to someone and say "Bla Bla Bla, Kill Your Wife, Bla Bla Bla" and he does it. And in court you could even defend yourself: "I thought it as a joke. How could I posibilliy know he would do it? I mean nobody can be that persuasive, can he?"

If this is about still ethics, is his power any more or less ethic than mentos?

Re: Aid vs. Time Limited

That is legal - and effectively, the same as buying:

+10 STR, No END

Naked Advantage: No END, on 10 points of STR

So, this saves you 1 END. Not that big. And your GM might rule that it aplies only if you have used all of your normally END-Costing STR (inlcuding Aid) before you use it.

There are some special rules for naked advantages and endurance. For example the naked advantage always cost's endurance, unless that is bought of.

Re: Free no character point equipment simulating not very powerful powers

Are you in 5E? Because in 6E loosing or sharing the item(bought with focus) doesn't give you the points back. Also any PowerFramework can be drained (he may have to make it inherent to avoid this wierd effect). Because even if it get's stolen in his base, he can just port into the shop where he bought it and buy another one, so this won't really stop him.

About the time limit: Just make switching it a INT(Search)Roll. If he doesn't makes the roll, just find out how much Extra Time he would need to have made the roll anyway - that's the searching time. If he just aborts and tries later (at least a scene later), he can try again. It's the ultimative "where did I put the car keys?".

Re: VPP active point costs

I think I'd call the flexibility to use absolutely any power in the book more than "a level of utility". It's the ultimate utility giving you all the options from the Hero System toolkit in one character...

And you usually build them with special effects, that allow you to mimic other sfx's:

A "Gadeget" or "Magic" VPP could concieveably create the basics elements (fire, wind, ice, sonic). The gadeget in adition Laser, Bullets....

And don't forget that certain powers are always limited, Drains and Aid's for example. Just think about a drain anything.

You basically get Variable Special effect, Variable Limitation and Variable Advantage for free with each of them, and then some...

And you can use "usable by others" Focus, meaning your entire team can benefit from it...

A lot of you point to vulnerabilities/susceptibilities in support of a higher AP for the VPP. Should a VPP for "fire powers" be recognized with a lower AP' date=' somehow? It cannot take advantage of all those vulnerabilities/susceptibilities, since all powers are fire-based.[/quote']

Don't buy it as a VPP. It's a good chase for a Multipower/Elemental Control. For some minor one-time effects you can use a power skill (if your GM aproves) and if you like it, just spend the few points on it.

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

I think this was done for easier pricing. Some other powers have that to, Damage Reduction that has to take a Disad to affect only normal for example.

TK as attack:

Just buy blast with the same special effect as your telekinesis and call it "Telekinetik Punch".

That telekinsis is ineffektive at doing damage is only natural, since it is not for doing damage. It's for moving things (applying STR) on range. Even says so in one place. (Don't buy Range for STR, buy Telekinesis instead).

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Mental Defense' date=' area effect, only versus mind control, usable by others should cover it.[/quote']

Okay, now you can foil his plan. But you still can't put him in jail for using his powers. So he can just go to the next city and start anew...

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

Fixxed

Sorry, german. Only saw the english version once and I my time zone it is now 10 pm. So my memory rolls may have a great malus right now.

Re: Partial protective life support

Similarly' date=' a full bio-hazard suit protects you from catching a disease while you are wearing it; but it doesn't cure any disease you already have when you put on the suit. Common sense trumps Rules as Written here, but you can put a further limitation on LS for accuracy, if you would like.[/quote']

Actually the rules say LS doesn't cure you (6E1 245). That would be Transform, healing or just curing it normal, right?

 

You can actually just put a your LS's in one big power, and aply it to them in bulk. For a Hazmat Suite I would just go for: Self Contained Breathing (10 AP) + 1 PD, Impermeable (1 AP) on an OAF. Perhaps even add a time Limit for the Breathing, should be around 5 Points after that.

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

I still think HERO TK is closer to the "force" in "Space Balls".

And perhaps they just didn't had the budget to buy their TK invisible

Re: Partial protective life support

"An ordinarily Inaccessible Focus can be defined as Accessible if it’s easily damaged or destroyed, even if it cannot easily be taken away from the character." - 6E1 377

Re: Partial protective life support

It's simple LS: All Toxines and Disesas, OIF (your armor).

The various versions of focus imply that there is some inherent weakness, that may neagte the effect. Either being caught out of your armor, or because it got penetrated.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Buy a 300+ EGO' date=' I guess.[/quote']

That makes me immune, but what then? My point is, I still can't leagally do anything about him controlling them.

And I don't think UNTIL or any Superteam should be unable to deal with such a power. That would be an inbalancing absolute.

 

Also I am still on the position that MC should always be an attack, regardless of SFX. If you want to persuade without automatically being an attacker, buy persuasion. Like Lucius said: Skill should have reseonable limits, so that they are still distinct form powers.

Can't hide in plain side with a 50- hiding roll, but with a 20 Point Invisbility it is possible.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

I buy Penetrative to counteract your IPE (which I think is what is defined as the "one thing normally blocking" a mental detect). And thus the detection/hiding arms race has begun. You may put a mental barrier around you to block it, but then I just buy indirect for the sense and we have a indirect/counteracts indirect arms race.

Also, it doesn't cost budget. It only costs VPP-Points, temporarily (read: "I modified the tricorder/deflector/sensors/phasers to...."). And it is one thing to detect something and another to prove it legally solid. If not, how could you stop someone like your idea?

Re: Superhuman women less attractive in 6th Edition?

I think the Skills have way more than just atractiveness. They are about presentation.

Just think about the science/bookworm women before and after she takes of the glasses and unties her hair.

Does the women change? No.

Does the Presentation of the woman change? Hell, yes.

So Striking Apereance is also that you are able and willing to use your "most beautifull women alive" power in the nessesary ways.

Re: VPP active point costs

When I read Crosshairs Post right, it seems to be an 60 Control + 60 Reserve (wich in fact would cost 30+60, in 6E at least).

I wouldn't try to compare Multipower and VPP to much. They are both power Frameworks, but totally different. In a Multipower you have to buy and define every power in advance.

In a VPP, you can just pull out the LS-equipment, Mental Power Detector, or Hypno-Blaster you need. Inlcuding the option to exploit weaknesses in the enemys build.

Also, i think the VPP is ideal to defend against NND's, once you know of them.

Re: Aid vs. Time Limited

It think in order for STR to cost less Endurance, you have to buy a naked advantage for a specific amout of STR. If you use more than that, all of it cost's endurance.

Also, don't mistake the power that give you +x STR with the STR. Each costs endurance seperately. STR cost's endurance to use. The powers that modify it work totally normal and may cost seperate endurance.

Re: Odd Damage Reduction Rule

Okay. I gues then it was just balancing or that it could better mimick "rubber" guy types (bounce of clubs, but easily cut) that way.