SteveZilla

If a power that costs Endurance has the Trigger Advantage with "Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates", does the resetting 'action' cost Endurance, or just the "initial setting" of the Trigger? If it does, presumably if the character cannot expend Endurance for any reason, would the Trigger reset fail? Since the trigger "resets automatically", would it do so even if the character is elsewhere (if tied to a location), Stunned or even Unconscious? If those could cause the reset to fail, would having the power cost Zero END allow it to reset despite those conditions? I'm thinking of a magical land mine that "recharges and rearms itself" (obviously the Focus wouldn't destroy itself when activated - as IRL land mines do)?

Mind Scan is listed as a "Mental Power/Sensory Power", and I can find no mention in 6e1 or 6e2 that prohibits buying Sense Modifiers for it. So, would it be legal/viable to buy modifiers like Discriminatory/Analytical for it, and expect greater information to be gleamed? Possibly even before the Effect Roll is generated (and applied to the Target)?

I am working on a new character, with some abilities I haven't explored yet in Hero System. The Duplicates (and "Original") are all identical in Powers, Skills, Complications, etc. I don't see the reasoning behind Christopher's statement: Especially given 6e1, p202 says: "Vehicle, Base: The rules note that a group of characters can pool Character Points and buy a Base or Vehicle together. This doesn’t apply to a group of Duplicates. If a base character has paid X points for a Vehicle or Base, and he builds all his Duplicates as “exact duplicates,” then each one has also spent X points on a Base, and thus has his own Base. All the points don’t add together; instead, each Duplicate has his own Base that only appears when he’s in existence." This would lead me to think that, just like all the other Powers an Identical Duplicate has, each Duplicate gets their own "copy" of EDS, the same as all their other powers. And yes, 6e1 does say what happens to a Base/Vehicle/Follower that only a (non-Identical) Duplicate has - they disappear when the Duplicate is not 'active', and appear when they are. But "disappear" doesn't have to mean "ceases to exist in all of reality" - it could mean that Duplicate's EDS is out there... somewhere... sealed up and inaccessible until the Duplicate comes along and accesses their EDS. This would also solve the "what happens to the contents when the EDS ceases to exist" problem. Since (IMO) each of the Identical Duplicates (and the Original) all paid for the EDS, they each get a "keyed" EDS of their own. If they all have a Weight Limit (remaining Identical), then any Dupe/Original trying to cram 10 lbs. of junk into a 5 lb. sack, then APG2, p28 would come into effect: "... if the weight limit is exceeded, the Extradimensional Space “breaks” and deposits its contents at a location in the character’s dimension corresponding to the Space’s location." Which, for simplicity's sake, and IMO, would mean where the character is located that caused the "breaking" is located, since they were presumably accessing it at the moment they caused the "break". So, since each Dupe and Original normally would get their own independent EDS, it would be a significant reduction in total volume/mass transportable if everybody had only *one* EDS shared amongst them all - and the fact that Dupe/OP could pass something through the EDS to some other Dupe/OP wouldn't make up for the limited volume and weight capacity - it's an 'unintended byproduct' from the way my mind works. But YMMV.

If I build a character who has both Duplication (6e1, p198), and Extradimensional Space (APG II, p27) - presumably each Duplicate and the Original Character (OC) has their own EDS. The EDS is something they can do - no Focus Limitation. Would it be a Limitation, an Advantage, or both for all to *share* the same EDS? This would allow one Duplicate/OC to put something into the EDS, and another Duplicate/OC anywhere could then take that item out. The downside is the EDS isn't "multiplied" by the number of Duplicates...

I'm building something like the T-1000 from 'Terminator 2'. It has Shape Shift (Any Humanoid Shape, Imitation, Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups). It also has some Damage Negation and "normal" defenses. When the character gets attacked physically while imitating SOG (Some Other Guy), and is hit - would people see: 1. The character gets hit, and the wound/bruise appears fully consistent with the chosen Shape Shift form, or 2. The character gets hit, and the Damage Negation becomes apparent at that time, or 3. The character gets hit, and the Shape Shift becomes apparent at that time, or 4. Both #2 and #3? Would it take a Limitation on the Shape Shift, the Damage Negation (and/or other Defenses) that makes the hit on the character temporarily have an Obvious visible change (ala the silver craters in the T-1000's chest) - or is that how things would appear without any Limitation (i.e., no Perceivable, or "Does Not Cover Damage For a Phase" on Shape Shift needed to behave as seen in the movie)?

Does Block require the use of one (or more) fully manipulatory Limbs? What are the limits on "valid SFX" of a Block? 1) if a character has both their arms disabled does that render them unable to Block? 2) if a character is using their one (or more) manipulatory limbs by maintaining a Grab, are they unable to Block and maintain the Grab? Presumably this would be identical for the regular vs Martial versions of these maneuvers, but if not please detail that (and if allowed, why the difference).

When building a Mental Entangle, the rPD/rED converts to rMD. But how much per die of Entangle? I.e., if I buy 1d6 Entangle (10 Base Points) and apply the modifications to make it a Mental Entangle, does it now have 0 rMD, 1 rMD, or 2 rMD? EDIT: Apologies for editing my question after an answer was posted - I gained additional info after the fact. I've found 4 examples in various 6e books that have a Mental Paralysis - yet *all* of them list PD/ED, and not Mental Defense... A regular Entangle gets 2 pts of resistant defense (usually 1 PD/1 ED) per die of Entangle, plus more Defense can be bought at a rate of 5 pts per 2 pts of defense (with limits on how 'off-balance' the PD/ED distribution is). But for a Mental Entangle, it is 3 pts per *two* points of extra Defense, which I would think implies a full d6 of Entangle would grant the same - 2 pts of rMD, not one?

Dungeons, Ogres, Gods, Dragons, Beholders, Trolls, and Rakshasas! Doubt Only Grateful Dead Bouncing Trampoline Repairmen!

Barbers, bartenders, Artists of various mediums, hyper-specialists, Emotional Support Humans... It's a city. But because of technology there is little call for manufacturing positions. There seems to be no widespread use of advanced robotics (unless you count holographic characters on the holodeck, which could do work - though I think that would be energy-wasteful). A hyper-specialist that for whatever reason isn't in Starfleet is also a possibility. The civilian population would need counselors of their own - Deanna Troi can't shrink the entire crew and civilian compliment after all. If one presumes that some technology and/or substances cannot be replicated into existence, then there will need to be the industry to produce them - possibly on a large ship even.

He did much (if not all) the music that was in the Carl Sagan's Cosmos series. Alpha, Albedo 0.39, etc. The past two months have been a struggle. Knowing this inspiring mind is no longer around dims the lights further.

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Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Dark Knight! ;)

Hi Steve, I have a quick clarification to ask you. Allocating points of a MP or VPP (with the "Change Powers As A Zero-Phase Action" Advantage) is defined as a Zero Phase Action. But 6e also says things like "point reserve can be allocated only once", but then gives an example of what can't be done which would involve allocating points, using the activated power, and then taking those points and reallocating to a different power and using that one - all in the same Phase. Implying (to me) that the restriction is on "double-pumping" reserve points. So is there only a single opportunity at the start of a Phase to allocate one's framework(s) and if not taken then too bad so sad, or could a character at the start of a Phase allocate a portion of their pool into one or more powers (a non-attack Zero Phase Action), make a non-attack Half-Phase action (like a half-move) -- and *then* allocate (not re-allocate) the remaining, unused, pool points into other powers since Zero Phase actions are allowed after a non-attack Half-Phase action (typically a half-move)? Example: Mr Framework has a 90 point Multipower pool, and several Variable Slots - a 12d6 Blast, a 30m Flight, and a +10PD/+10ED Resistant Protection. On Phase 12, he allocates 30 points to the Flight, and not seeing any problems around does a half-move of flight around the corner of a building. He now sees his sworn enemy, Mr. Bad. Currently he has only allocated 30 of the 90 reserve, and has only done a half-move. As a Zero-Phase action he allocates the as yet unused 60 points into the Resistant Protection (using 30), and the remaining 30 into the Blast. Yes? No? Antwerp?

In Entangle under 'Mental Paralysis' (6e1 p217) it says one of the required Advantages is 'Takes No Damage From Attacks(+¾)'. But under 'Takes No Damage From Attacks' (6e1, p219), there is no +¾ option. What am I missing? Does making a Mental Paralysis follow the rules of the +1 level of TNDFA where I have to define "one reasonably common and obvious way to remove the Entangle"? And does it follow the +1 level that no outside help/attacks can free the target - only the target can free themselves?

At least some of the Enterprise-D occupants do get their hair cut by a barber...