Christopher

Teleport still leaves tracks every place you stop at. Are you seriously asking if buying IPE for Running is more expensive then Teleport? Even Invisibility (Tracking) would be hard pressed to come up to any decent sized teleport.

Senses, Enhanced Senses, Clairsentience, Sense Groups, Unusual Group, Sense affecting powers. Not exactly one of the easier parts of Heroes. We seem to have a lot of new posters and a lot old misconceptions floating around. Time to deal with both. Sense Groups, Enhanced Senses and Sense Affecting Powers: Every character has all 6 Sense Groups (Sight, Hearing, Touch, Smell/Taste, Mental, Radio), but he does not nessesarily have a Sense inside that group. Most Characters lack Mental and Radio Group Senses, for example. The Unusual group could be seen like the 7th Sense Group, but it does not work like any other. I prefer the term "Independant" Sense as that fits a lot better. Sense Affecting Powers allways affect a whole Sensegroup by default, but can be limited/specifically build to affect less. The cost of that Sensegroup depends on how likely that Group is used for Targetting Senses and as such is Campaign Dependant. That a Sense is listed as "Unusual" in the book does not mean you can not assign it to a Sense Group. Quite the opposite, as most of them have a obvious Sense Group to assign them too (Active Sonar to Hearing Group, Radar to Radio Group, etc.). Merely the counter case (like putting Night Vision into the Smell Group) is hard to define and thus not inherently allowed. If you put a Enhanced Sense into a existing Sense Group, you get a bunch of Free Sense Modifiers according to that group. If the Enhanced sense needs some of those Modifiers, you do not have to pay for them twice and can reduce the cost accordingly. The downside is that it is affected by all Sense Affecting powers targetting that Sense Group. Generally free Sense Modifiers and the likelyhood of running into a specific Sense Affecting Power are equal. Sense Groups and unusual Senses: Unless notied otherwise, a Sense Affecting Power affects all senses assigned to that Group. Image (Sight) would affect IR perception put into the SIght Group, even if the attacker does not have that sense and had no idea he had to fake on that spectrum. In this case it is the defenders fault for wanting to save points. Sense Affecting vs (almost) all variants: At GM option, the player can buy a Sense Affecting Power to all versions of a specific Sense. Sense-Affecting Power (Infrared Perception) would affect nearly every build of that power - no mater wich of the sense groups it is assigned too. As I read it this would not affect ones bought as Independant Sense, however that part of the rule is not clear. Independant Senses, Cost and Sense Affecting Powers: Each Independant Sense is "a group of it's own". You can not buy sense Modifiers or Sense Affecting Powers for the Unusual Group as a whole. Modifiers have to be bought per Independant Sense. Sense Affecting Powers have to be bought per Sense and cost like a whole Targetting Sense Group for each Independant Sense. That makes them incredibly expensive, but also really hard to counter. It is unclear if Active can be taken for Independant Senses, due to the lack of likely Perceivers (it is supposed to be a combination of Advantage/Disadvantage). Targetting: There is no mention of "Blindness" in the rules. Instead the book speaks of the following 3 states: Being able to Perceive with a (ranged) targetting Sense. Being able to Percieve with a Ranged non-targetting sense. Being ablt to percieve via touch or other unranged Sense. As the usual Targetting Sense is Normal Sight (Part of the Sight Group), that means "being unable to perceive with Targetting Sense" is the codeword for "Blind". But it also applies to less usual targetting Senses fully. Clairsentience Targetting Limitation: By default you can not target through a Clairsentience Perception Point. For all intents you are considered using a Non-Targetting Sense, even if it is Clairsentience (Sight). In order to Target through Clairsentience you need to buy Targetting for that Clairsentience on top of the original targetting Sense. Multiple Targetting Senses: The book advises that after the 2nd targetting Sense, further Targetting sense should be reduced in cost. The pricing is primarily there for shifting your Targetting Sense or adding another one. Latest at the 3rd the cost might go overboard. Selling back Senses: In 5E making a Daredevil like Character (Blind, but Spartial Awareness in Hearing Group or as Independant Sense) was ineffective - you took a complication, then bought the sense. With 6E rules for "selling back" Senses have been added. That makes it a lot cheaper to shift the Targetting Sense around. However it does till cost some points due to the lack of Free Sense Modifiers and the fact that you are immune to any Sense Affecting Power aiming for normal Targetting Sense Group. It is not clear if you sell back the Sense or the whole Sense Group (making you unable to assign other Enhanced Senses to it). Important Sense Modifiers and rules: Sense - without that using the Sense is a Standart Action. With it, it becomes passive. Discrimination - This defines if you can keep Sense Impressions appart. If hte character can tell "who is who". "Partially Discriminatory" is not properly defined in 6E, but given as a flawed version assigned to most default sense. You may need Skill or Preception checks to keep stuff appart. Ranged - Without this, you have to touch the other party. Wich will subject you to Damage Shields and the other side Touch Sense. Passive - With passive Detecs you look for emission or relfection of the Sense impression. "Walking" emits sound, whereas eveyrthing in the light of the sun/artificial light reflects said light (wich an be considered a form of emission too, because it is so common). Active - You actively send something out and perceive the Reflections. The downside is that anyone with a passive Detect in that Sense Group might be able to see you. You are making a lot of noise. Example: Active Sonar, Active Radar (passive Radar is becomming a thing). Transmit - In addition to perceive impression, you can actively send impressions. This allows you to convey information via that Medium. It is not a Sense-Affecting Power and not Active. Think C3PO making sound effects to the story he explains the Ewoks. "What does build Y do": Generally providing a build and asking what it does is a flawed question for Hero. We need to at least know what your intention was and extracting that from the Power Build is not always possible. This especially applies to Sense Builds. Hopefully with this you are able to better Formulate what you want your Sense to do, what Sense Group to assign it too, etc. Intereesting Examples: Walkie Talkie: This is build as "Radio Perception, also affected as Hearing Group" on a Focus. Light: A bit of a expensive build in Hero, has to be done as "Images(Sight)" using the rules to make the perception clearer (rather then faking another one). One possible Houserule I came up with was buying a Active brother to the "Normal Sight" Detect build. Tracking Bug: Images (Radio Preception). Basically you use the "light" build and just switch it over to the Radio Group. SD Radar: One of the first ever Shipbased Air Radar was the SD Radar. It is a classical example of a "non directional" Ranged Sense. Encrypted Communication: Here two ways a possible: First is to consider each "Encryption" a Language and allowing a Language VPP. The oher more canonical one is to move "Mind Link" to another Sense Group (like Radio). Telepathy targetting that Sense (Group) is needed to intercept, per the usual Mind Link/Telepathy rules.

Finally had some time to dig out the rules. The Unusual/Idependant Sense group has the following rules surrounding it: "A character may defne a Detect he buys as belonging to none of the standard Sense Groups — in effect, it becomes a Sense Group of its own, making it difcult to affect with Sense-Affecting Powers. On the other hand, “independent” Senses usually cost a lot of Character Points, since they gain no beneft from having a Simulated Sense Group and thus ofen need a lot of Sense Modifers." 6E1 207 "Te Unusual Sense Group includes the following Senses: Active Sonar, Clairsentience, Detect, High Range Radio Perception, Infrared Perception, Radar, Radio Perception/Transmission, Spatial Awareness, Sensory Talents, Ultraviolet Perception, Ultrasonic Perception. Characters cannot buy Sense-Affecting Powers that affect the “Unusual Sense Group.” Te Unusual “Group” isn’t really a group; it’s simply a convenient term to describe all Senses that don’t automatically belong to a specifc group." 6E2 209 "At the GM’s option, a character can buy a Sense-Affecting Power to affect all versions of a specifc Sense, regardless of what Sense Group it belongs to. For example, a Heat Blast might Flash all types of Infrared Perception, regardless of whether the Infrared Perception is assigned to the Sight Group, Touch Group, or some other group. Te character pays for such a power as if the power affected a Targeting Sense Group. Sometimes a character wants to buy a SenseAffecting Power to affect one specifc Unusual Sense. Unless some more specifc rule states otherwise, the cost for a Sense-Affecting Power bought to affect a single Sense that belongs to the Unusual Sense Group and is not defned as belonging to some other Sense Group (such as most instances of Danger Sense and Combat Sense) uses the cost for a “Targeting Sense Group." 6E1 159 I really need to write that down for all the new ones, it does come up often.

True to some degree. But there are abilities that transcend skills ability to be faulty. Shape Shift with Mimicry completely negates skill Perception Checks to see through it. All you might stil need is acting. Invisibility completely negates Skill checks to counter stealth (with the exception of the Fringe rule). Flight, only along Sufrace does trigger Pressure sensors, so it will likely also leave tracks. Regardint the OP: Basically you are asking how to do the "Trackless Step" of the D&D 3.0+ Druid in Hero. First we need to define what tracking even is in most games: 1. A skill 2. A adder for certain senses (tracking via Scent). Note that depending on the GM, tracking might operate totally differently from that. In 5E there was a version of "Gliding, only to not leave tracks". But that was a bit hacky and Gliding is now folded into Flight. Invisibility to Touch might work, either as pure power or IPE advantage on normal movement (like running). By RAW you can not use IPE/Invisibility on touch to become Intangible (that is what Desolidification is for), but since it is only about not leaving tracks it might be allowed. Not leaving a Scent trail might be another thing altogether however. Invisibility to Tracking: There are precedence cases of Invisibility in odd cases. Like a invisibility that can overcome Danger Sense. Or Invisibility to "Detect Life Signs" (Feing death; as mentioned above), wich would usually be done with a Skill used like Perception (First Aid or Medicine). Invisibility any Tracking Sense: Normally you buy invisibility to certain sense groups. However there are rules for buying it against a certain sense. Like "Invisibility, IR perception". That variant would cover every possible build of IR Perception - Sight, Hearing Smell, Touch, Radio and Mental Group (just in case somebody considers putting IR perception into one of those groups). I am not quite sure off the top of my head what happens if the tracking sense is put into the Unusual Group (wich means not assigned to any existing sense group).

You still have to hit the enemy OMCV vs DMCV. Or shift it to OCV vs DCV with a limitation. You can not really get around that rule.

You have a mixup of special effect and game effect: You do not need transform to restore damaged stuff. That is what the power Healing is there for! Healing can easily "repair lost body" on non-living mater just as well. Add the Resurrection adder just to be on the save side if something was utterly destroyed (you 'resurrect' the building from it's ashes). Do not forget that Hero deals in game effects only, the names of Powers and powers do not imply anything about what they do or can not do. The text defines what they can/can not do.

That did not clarify what you mean at all. Could it be a local cultural effect you are talking about? Context is still not sufficient.

The engine only maters for Graphics and Aesthethics, not gameplay mechancis. Especially for a MMO, where the bulk of work has to be done on the server for Anti-Cheat reasons. The mechanics behind the Ability useage, that is what I am talking about. We have abilities that can be used: At Will, X/Encounter, X/till big rest. Wich goes as close to the original design as you can go in a MMO.

Context is needed. Because at tops "knowing how to fight" enables the "possibility" part of a crime. You still need opportunity and reason to do it. Or even evidence that it was you that did it.

Going over the classes. I will focus on the Free to Play ones as I can say the most about them. Tanks: The Behemoth: The Behemoth is your classical Melee/STR based Brick. Wich fits as he is a classical Melee Tank for MMO roles The Glacier: The 2nd Free tank, this one is a ranged Tank. Stat difference to the Behemoth is that he uses Ego instead of Str. Noticeable is that his abilitie include a lot of Debuff and CC abilities. As he is ranged KB does not faze him too much. Without taunting I see issues with having Ranged Bricks being translated at all. It might be easier to do them as "tough" or "versatile" Blasters instead. Other Tanks: The Tank is a powerarmored ranged Tank. (The Blaster equivalent is the Automaton). The Master is a what I call a "squishy" or "light" melee Tank. A melee Characters whose durability does not come from high defenses, but high self or incomming healing combined with a extralarge Health Pool, dodging and some extra active defense abilities. The SWTOR equivalent would be the Tank Assasin/Shadow. The Mountain is another Ranged Brick. I think he has more knockdown and Knockback where the Glacier has Slow and Roots. The Rockstar (I am not joking, that Archetype exists) is a Melee Tank with unsual Elements thrown in. Where the other two elements use one element/special effect, he uses Blunt, Sonic and Fire attacks. Unless you got a GM that allows you to derive Energy HTH-Attack bonus damage from STR, this class would be unfeasible. Ranged: These are basically all Blaster types. Main difference is the source of power (wielded Element) and derived secondary Effects (Fire causes DoT's, Ice Slows, etc.): The Inferno is among the most durable of the Blasters (Primary superstat is not offensive, high Recovery), but in turn suffers in the burst damage department. A slow burn rather then a Explosion. The Marksman is a AoE and utility focussed Blaster. Incredibly Squishy compared to the Inferno and weak against single targets, but more mobile. The Soldier focussed more on verstatility the outright damage. Noticeable for a high amount of charge and maintained powers. The Automaton is another somewhat tough Blaster. This class is semi-F2P. The Tempest, Icycle, Squall and Scourge are Lightning, Frost, Weather/Wind and Dark Magic special effects for Ranged Blasters. Melee: I think "scapper" is a common term. These are high damage melee range Chracters. The Martial Artist comes to mind, but here the game really came into it's own: The Unleashed is a dualwielding Fighter. He got his Block improoved considerably, while dealing almsot exclusively slashing damage. The Blade is the one weapon equivalent to the Unleashed. Somewhat slower attacks, but much more effect. The Disciple is a Psionic Brawler/Scrapper. All melee abilities have the Bonus damage moved off Str to Ego and he is the only one without STR as Superstat. There is something around those lines in one of the APG's. The Predator is a "wild beast", with HP leechign attacks, and Poision/Bleeding DoT's. The Devastator uses a single two handed weapon. That allows usual amount of Knocking the enemy around. The Fist is a Martial Artist. His attacks are so fast, mostly they are rolled into a single Maintained or chargeup ability. The Unchained is a Melee Gadgeteer. From all the Melees he has the most choices for attack powers during leveling up. Support/Healer: I noticed that the healer clases are more generalsied called "supporter". As such they can add buff/debuffs to thier priamry job of healing. The classes are teh Radiant, Mind and Inventor. As said before it might be best to just run them like Blasters. If you want to play up ther adaptability there is also room for a VPP/wide Framework within thier special effects. Hybrid: The final kind of class is simply undecided. They are Ersatz Bricks or Supporters, mixed with Melee or Ranged DPS. Specialist, Savage and Night Avenger are obvious expies of 2 Marvel and 2 DC characters. Anywhere you think I am wrong? Any class you might want to analyse in more detail?

FYI, one thing about Eastern culture we westeners have to struggle with is that White and Black are somewhat inverted: White is the color of death. Because bones are white. Black in turn is the color of life. Wich is exactly opposite to how we westerners see it. This difference is very obvious in the Anime Bleach where the good guys wear black, the bad guys white.

I am advising against trying to model taunting in Hero at all. It simply does not translate that well. And trying to do so will at best be useless, at worst be detrimental and lock you into bad design decisions. Every brick must already be able to keep his enemies attention or the defenses would not bring his team anything. There are myriads of ways a Brick's Player in a P&P session at the same real/virtual table can do just that. None of them would translate to a MMO Grouplevel bossfight. MMO's are even carefull not to allow Taunt to be used in PvP. And if they do, at a much reduced rate (SWTOR gives a 60% damage penalty when not attacking the Taunter, duration: 6 seconds). Ignore that taunt and aggro exist during translation. Asume they only mater for the MMO setting, because a computer (rather then a human) needs to be able to control the opposition.

You do not need immortaltiy for that. Just some Hybernation, Timetravel or similar thing written into the backstory. If anything not having hybernated/lived in another dimension needs you to explain why is not well known/was killed by one of his enemies ages ago/has much more power due to experience. Just ask Captain America on the Hybernation Part. Did he need a "LS: Breathing, Aging, Food, Water; Only while encased in ice[-2]" power for that? No he did not, because his ability to use that in play is way too limited to even consider it. I often use things that are needed for the Origin, but on a dedicated "one time use" basis. Timetravel where you only got one shoot (because the time machine explodes/follows a certain idea of time travel). Temporal Hybernation that was based on specific, not replicateable circumstances. Something like a Druid having a Tree form spell that allows to survive the ages, but without active participation in the flow of the world. Once even single Telphathic abilities (a spell or serum) that backfired, allowing some parts of the story to take place (in this case the Hero copying the mad scientists knowledge - mostly). I get the argument, but the premise is flawed. This is not a show of skill, but reasoning why the story goes forawrd. The character having that long life is the reason he can identify that tablet and thus is the reason why there even is that tablet. In detective/mystery adventures information control is paramount. So it is either planned in well ahead (does not need points) or will wreck significant parts of the story by shortcutting the flow (not having paid with points for it will avoid any bad feelings about being "entiteled" to that knowledge). Never forget that "what not to spend points on" is also/especially benefits the GM: If you did not pay points for those "Justice League Earpiece Communicators", then he can turn them off without any powerbuild if the story demands it. Like back when Superman and Huntress resqued question form Cadmus in JLU. Or turn them into plot devices, like that time the Com system was suborned by Luthor in "Grudge Match" Episode of JLU. Those are not every Herogames Scenarios. Those are in part specific settings and/or Roleplaying systems design around such a premise. That those scenarios might exist is propably the only reason that LS: Immortality has a value to begin with. It is one of those off-chance guideline values like "NND: Hardened Flash Defense".

Stat effects besides Superstats: Strenght: Melee Damage, Melee Knockback Strenght, Knockback Resistance (ranged and melee); a logical stat for any Melee, but Bricks can use it too. Dexterity: Critical Hit Chance, "Agression Stealth" (reduced aggro for dealing damage). Natural state for DPS classes, melee or ranged. Especially the ones that attack with high frequecy/damage over time abilities. Constutition: Just more health. Equals Body 1:1 Intelligence: Cooldown or Activation Time Reduction, Power Cost reduction, ability to see to pierce stealth; Int does allow perception, wich does counter stealth. The rest is a artifact of MMO combat. Ego: Ranged Damage, Resistance vs Holds, Ranged Knockback; A ranged fighter stat, inlcuding for Mentalists. But most roles could use some hold resistance. Presence: Bonus Healing, Hold Strenght, CC resistance. A natural stat for healers, that also gives them CC resistance and CC ability Recovery: Energy Strenght, Equilibrium, Maximum Energy. See energy mechanics. Endurance: Maximum Energy (much stronger then recoery). Energy Mechanics: An interesting aspect of how any role/archetype plays is the energy mechanic. Maximum energy decides how long you can use active abilities befor you ahve to return using energy builders. Equilibrium in turn definse wich value the Energy will return out of combat (both regeneration and decay). So it directly translates to how many pauses the character can take between combats and how much time he has to spend "building up" energy when entering one after a longer peacetime. Classes with high recovery have much higher upfront Energy and recover quicker without having to use the energy builder on an enemy. It is also noticeable that the energy pool is rather shallow. You have to switch much more often to energy builders/cost free attacks then in other MMO's. Especially with classes like the Sith Sorceror/Jedi Consular in SWTOR, the energy reserves are laughably small. When you compare the various Energy Systems for the SWTOR you can learn a lot about that part of class design: Wheter the reserves are high or low. Wheter the regeneration is fixed (same no mater how low you are) or dynamic (weaker the less power you have left). Unit-size (some classes only track a bar of 12 ammo/fury/focus units. While others have a bar of 100-400 energy. Mechanic Flipping: Sometimes the mechanic is seemingly flipped for more variance. For example the Bountyhunters "Heat" is basically the smuglers Energy bar, just reversed. You see "used up" energy rather then "remaining energy", but the regeneration and pooldepth are the same. How usefull the "costs no energy" attacks are. And wheter they really only cost no/little energy (and thus are there to bridge gaps of intersting action) or are mandatory to keep fighting. Casting Mechanics: The options how to use abilities are actually quite a bit unusual among MMO's. While there are the usual combinations of Tap to activte, Activation time and Cooldown two special cases stand out: Maintain and having the option to charge or not to charge. Maintain is primarily used for "Slotted Passive" abilities. Sometimes called a "Toggle". Something that gives passive effects, but also takes up a quickbar slot (those may be highly limited like ESO's 5, but here we got at least 14+). Or something that has positive effects but with a downside (Better tanking, worse DPS). Here it can be used to "channel until you run out of energy" abilities. Charge or Tap: Some abilities allow you the choice to tap them, partially charge them or fully charge them before release. You usually can not move (or only slow) while charging, so you will be vulnerable to enemy attacks that need to be dodged. The closest equivalent I can think of is using a Haymaker: Added Effect and even energy efficiency, but at reduced defenses. The main difference is that you can open the fight with a Chargeup. Mandatory Charge: This basically works like extra Time and/or Concentration, depending on if you can move while using it.

Actually it did get there. Neverwinter Online. It is clearly a 4E adaptation.

Characteristics: Champions Online does feature a selection of Hero Characteristics as part of the Mechanics. The ones are: Strenght, Dexterity, Constitution, Endurance, Recovery, Presence, Intelligence, Ego. However they do not work remotely like thier original. Closest I can relate them is that they work like STR for HTH attack, but for whatever power you have to use. Some powers/archetypes are boosted by Ego. Some by Presence. Some Endurance or Recovery. No power is assigned to a specific Stat (afaik). Instead you select 1 to be your "Primary Superstat" and two to be your secondaries. However the Stats do have effects besides boosting your powers - like STR and EGO giving CC resistances. So some stats work better with certain roles, like Str, Con and Rec fitting good for tank.

It would be easier to just accept that healers of this kind are simply a artifact of MMO's. They make no sense outside the context of one. But as luck would have it, every Healer class can be operated as a DPS class too. Healing is simply one of the 3 trees. D&D is a bit of a exception here. It is designed to work somewhat like a MMO here. With 4E even being much clearer in similarities. If nothing else, D&D 4E was a experiment in making the MMO similarities much clearer.

Freeform vs Archetype: Freeform (where you can freely selelect the powers) is closer to real Hero System. The Archetype system (where certain choices are locked in) is closer to what is actually practiced. Where everyone picks a certain Archetype (like the ones from Champions 6E) in order to give the group some coherence and easy defined roles wich works better for the MMO world. As I never went full member, I do not know how usefull Freeform is. But afaik they queued for a seperate set of PvP. MMO role translation: Tank equates mostly to brick. Healer is a MMO nessesity. A affordance. Group and Raid bosses are realised by giving the bosses immunity to a lot of cheap "I win" combinations and giving them a LOT of HP. Wich in turn draws out combats. As a positive side effect, every Healer class can usually be run as a DPS class too. Same stats, just somewhat different selections. Mechanic translation: Taunting: A Hero Brick would use Entangles and/or Grabs to keep the attention of the enemy. Thier defenses bring nothing if they can not force the enemy to attack them or otherwise make themself an issue. A MMO has to go for a codified system like Taunting. Energy Builders: This is a more active form of "having recovery". Energy Builders build Energy (Endurance Equivalent). Differences MMO/P&P RPG: As I said in other places, the gameflow of a computer game - in particular a MMO - and P&P RPG are massive. There are no turns in a realtime game (or rather the turns are really small and continuing with or without user input). The engagement is entirely focussed on Combat. There is no real out of combat decision making. Doing that would not play to the strenghts of a MMO. Bossfights are dragged out affairs. Lot's of HP and immunity to weak abilities (stun, slow, root), but not taunts. That makes both tanks and healers a nessesity (and often a core of the game mechanics). It is common knowledge that "DPS are in abundance. Tank and Healers are not." That is a absolute truth of every MMO with the trinity or an approximation to it. How they engage classes in bossfights: Tanks first job is to get the aggro, to draw damage away from teh DPS and healer. Second job is to survive the aggro (without making it too taxing for the healer). That involves turning AoE's away from the rest of the group, taking single target attacks that can not be avoided and dodging AoE that can be. Healers first job is to keep the Tank alive, then the rest of the group. They usually keep back, tracking the health of the team. They may also be fored to "cleanse" certain enemy ability. Usually some stuff that stacks. DPS job is to deal damage so the fights actually end anytime soon. The worse the DPS, the longer the fight will take. Some fights might even be impossible due to abysmally low DPS, because the healer can not keep up that long. Thier other equally important job is to not take too much damage. Engagement is primarily keeping thier combinations steady/flowing while dodging AoE and random target attacks. Another engagement can be additional enemies that have to be dropped fast. Usually the weak foes deal the most damage. The final engagement can be what I call a "damage race". Where it is paramount that the DPS drop the enemy before the Tank and healer are overwhelmed under stacking debuffs that can not be avoided or cleansed. Raid bossfights usually need 2+ Tanks. There are some approaches for that: - physically seperating the group/forcing them to do actions in two distinct areas, either with enemies and seperate mechanics - having adds spawn, that force one tank to deal with the boss and the other with the adds - tank swap force. Usually some form of stacking debuff from the boss basic attacks, that makes the basic attacks/special attacks worse. The stacks are immune to cleanse abilities, but time out quickly if not re-applied. That way a quick taunt of the other tank will deal with it. Having more Tanks and more players in general, also needs more healers. Usually each tank or each group of players has thier own dedicated healer, to keep things balanced. However stuff like having to cleanse debuffs/dot's on anything but the tank is dropped, because it becomes too hard to manage/spot on such a large group. DPS still have to deal damage. But more focus is put on defeating Adds and dodging AoE. Since there are more DPS then any other group, they are prone to be tagged by anything random targetting. Sometimes minature "fetch item and bring to boss" mechanics are added. Those have to be done by a DPS in the know, as Tank and healer are bound at the boss.

It was Perfect World. The same guys doing Star Trek Online and Neverwinter Online. Indeed I remembered: If I enable "show all games", I could even download the STO and NWO client with the same launcher.

I would be up for it, considering it was the MMO that even brought me to the RPG. Has just been age since I had it installed. Whose launcher do I need again to download it? And whose account system do I have to log in with?

Indeed you do not need to be a combat monster. But you should at least be capable. As I said before, combat resolution does take a lot of time when started. It is never fun to have a character that can not participate. Historically Combat is the part of the game with the most inherent meaningfull decisions. Shadowrun 4E and 5E would have the same problem, if the books did not give guidelines/maximum values in thier book. As you mentioend "400 points", I asumed you were using the caps from the book. Every point buy system has to have exponential cost or defined caps, even if those are relative to a starting value or whatever.

With that game it is not so much who you are connected too, but who those are connected too. For example, there was a Storyline where it was revealed that Black Widow had been infected with "Mind Control STD" way back in her KGB times. That was not a direct issue as she only ever slept with 4 people, 3 of wich were not likely to sleep around themself. The 4th person was Tony Stark. Wich over She-Hulk, Hercules and Snowbird was connected to Wolverine. As well as over Emma Frost and Cyclops, Jean Grey: http://brobible.com/entertainment/article/marvel-infographic-sex-wolverine/ Within six degrees of seperation, everyone had sex with Wolverine.

I noticed something similar when someone asked me to covert Dark Heresy to Hero. I noticed that the success chances were way lower then what the Hero System could ever provide. Ended up dropping 8- to 7- or even 6-. And reducing the flat part of the formula to 6+Char/5. Never occured to me that I could also change the divider to get more granulatiry.

No, one of the other definitions of level: http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Up_a_Level,_Down_a_Level Or at least I hope. Damn I like just talking about character Level, Dungeon Level and Spell Grades. So much less ambigious.

In a way Mimicry does work as the foolproof alternative to certain "imitation" Skills: You can use Disguise and Mimikri. But Shape Shift (Sight) or (Hearing) with Mimicri allows no roll competitive roll to see through it. It just works. Same way Invisibility (Sight and/or hearing and perhaps even smell) is a foolproof alternative for Stealth. But getting around acting propably requires something like a Mental Illusion. The Shape Shift/Disguise could still help here, as it makes the change less drastical.