SSJ Archon

Ok, so I was thinking, and I would like a sort of Anarchist's Urban Survival Guide book. Included should be stats for police officers, cruisers, swat, and the police choppers. Standard emergency procedure, fire trucks, all of that. Procedure for dealing with different natural disasters, rules for floods and avalanches, survival in harsh climates, international crimes, INTERPOL, what countries extradite to where and exceptions (Like capital punishment) Advanced rules for acquisition and creation of improvised and home built explosives, Bomb Squad tactics, advanced wound rules including infection and exotic diseases. Cellphone grids and setup, low-level electronic sabotage and interception, radiation and bio/chemical weapons damage and effects, Welding equipment adjusted for quick use. The underground world of gun smuggling, as well as details on forgery of official documents and counterfeiting. In short, everything you need to accurately run a modern city with crazy players.

I thought about this for a moment, and dimenional movement is so very powerful in part because dimensions are so undefined. I like the fact that they are undefined because that allows more customization and creative uses, so I don't want to take away from that. What I am preposing is that X-D Movement and dimensions be more defined in the sense that the sense groups are. Different ways of Examining Dimensions: Opaque: Your normal, non-transdimenional senses see only things in your current dimensional location. Translucent: Perhaps like an etheral plane, where you can look on to other dimensions. Transparent: Perhaps your own private mental hell, or sanctum, watching the world without you there. You cannot percieve your own world, only others. Very Lovecraft. --> (Do creatures from dimensions such as this need to buy invisibility to all normal senses? Or should they not have to pay because it is the very nature of there homeplane?) This brings up an intresting idea; Do there exist sense groups which are naturally transdimensional? Perhaps partly transdimenional, but some planes are Opaque? [Running on the assumption that a sense which only operates in a particular dimension should take that on a limitation] So If we have some senses which operate on all dimensions, some on multiple, and some only on one single dimension, how does that work out? Are those three distinct Sense groups? Perhaps they are Supergroups, groups which contain other groups. Of course, the GM can simply restrict what they allow there players to buy if they don't want them having dimension spanning senses. Also, I could see a player buying Transdimensional on a sense in a special case, where they can see into a dimension with there eyes that is normally not possible. All of this assumes that traveling to other parts of a dimension should be bought with Teleportation instead. Which in my view is totally appropriate, as long as a origin and destination are coterminous. But, if they are not, then I think a system closer to what is in the book would be more appropriate. This doesn't even go into the types of dimensions such as alternate timelines, other universes, heavens and hells and soforth. I'd like to get opinions on these idea before I go forward.

Re: Is the Fantasy Hero book still in print? Hey, sense were at it... I happen to own 2 FREDs and a 5ER (long story), and only one of the freds is still in decent condition, others have falling out pages and spinal problems. Funny enough, the one that is just fine has miscut pages and I got it on the cheap because of that, though it doesn't effect use. Could I get a book printed on stainless steel coated depleted U238 with ceramic ablative armors, with a tungsten-titanium cover and pages of milled steel stamped with anodized titanium for ink?

Re: Is the Fantasy Hero book still in print? Holy Crap! How things change! I don't look at the forums in a few months and what I ask for is a reality! I remember this thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43489 Rock on! I'm buyin!

It the Scifi world that I'm building, outright cloning and is outlawed, as well as slavery, but there there exist "Geisha". In this world, the term refers to beings that are created and enginneered for entertainment and pleasure. They are mostly organic and appear human in all respects with a single exception; small thin metal bands around the wrists. Trained Extensively in entertainment, politics, and the arts, and programmed with limitations such as: Cannot harm Humans. Must obey Master. Must entertain and make comfortable Master his family and guests. Theses creatures are not bought and sold, but rather leased by their manufacturer as a service. These creatures have emotions, but are restricted by what kind and severity. If these creatures are sentient or not is topic of debate, but few senators go without one. So I'm trying to build a typical Geisha, and like suggestions and perhaps a little help. Player: Val Char Cost 8 STR -2 15 DEX 15 12 CON 4 12 BODY 4 15 INT 5 5 EGO -10 23 PRE 16 20 COM 5 2 PD 0 2 ED 0 2 SPD 0 4 REC 0 24 END 0 21 STUN -1 5" RUN -2 2" SWIM 0 1" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 34 Cost Power END 4 Life Support , Immunity: Alcohol, Longevity: 200 Years 5 Controlled Conception: Custom Power (5 Active Points) 10 Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Mental Defense 2 Lack Of Weakness (-2) for Normal Defense 10 +10 Mental Defense (11 points total) Powers Cost: 31 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver Basic Body Guard 4 1) Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; +10 STR to Disarm roll 4 2) Nerve Strike: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 2d6 NND 4 3) Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort Martial Arts Cost: 12 Cost Skill 3 Acrobatics 12- 5 Acting 15- 2 Animal Handler 14- 3 Bureaucratics 14- 7 Conversation 16- 3 Paramedics 12- 3 Disguise 12- 2 Gambling 12- 9 High Society 17- 4 KS: Politics 13- 2 KS: Fine Arts 11- 3 Persuasion 14- 3 Riding 12- 7 Seduction 16- 3 Linguist 3 1) Language: Japanese (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) 3 2) Language: Russian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) 3 3) Language: Cantonese (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) 3 4) Language: Spanish (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) 3 5) Language: French (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) 3 6) Language: Arabic (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points) Skills Cost: 77 Cost Talent 21 Universal Translator 13- 22 Danger Sense (Function as a Sense, Intuitional, Sensitivity: Any Danger) 12- 3 Lightsleep Talents Cost: 46 Total Character Cost: 200 Val Disadvantages 0 Normal Characteristic Maxima 15 Psychological Limitation: Cannot Kill Humans (Uncommon; Total) 20 Psychological Limitation: Cannot Disobey Master (Very Common; Strong) 5 Distinctive Features: Metal Banded Wrists (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 20 Social Limitation: Treated like a slave/possesion (Frequently; Severe) 20 Psychological Limitation: No initative (Common; Total) 20 Social Limitation: Owned by a Corporation (Very Frequently; Major) Disadvantage Points: 100 Base Points: 100 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Thats what I have so far.

Re: Constant vs. Persistent I just read the sections, and this is how it goes: For a power that is instantanous, persistant does nearly nothing. If you are knocked out in the phase in which you activated it, Persistant will make it continue to operate until the end of the Phase. For powers that are already continous, Persistant is much more valuable, because they may have lasting effects will you are knocked out, for example an Life Support is a persistant power, so if your knocked out, you can still breath underwater. Now, if you bump it down to continous with a limitation and if you got knocked out, you will most likely drown. So, Persistant is not really changing the Duration, its more controlling you control of the duration. So comparing the costs of Constant and Persistant in such a direct manner is a bad comparison, sense they do to seperate things. Now if your thinking about buying it instead of Uncontrolled, there is a closer comparison. Uncontrolled really means 'Fire and Forget' while Persistant means 'It only turns on and off when you press the button, and stays where you left it when you can't press the button' (Barring of course dispel or some such outside force) So the primary difference is that an Uncontrolled power has a particular way in which it will end, with out things like despel happening to it, Even if its bought to No End, because it must a common set of things that shut it off, where as Persistant does not have this, and will keep going until you turn it off. They both have there good sides and down sides, and they are both costed at +1/2. I hope my input here helps.

Re: Technology and Powers I had a talk with the player, and we realized part of the problem was his character was not built entirely correct, he had short-changed himself by accident. He had also been under the impression that they did not pay points for somethings, and there were in fact a few things that they didn't, but infact I had considered these items to be normal enough to folded into some of the perks that they had bought. The main problem I found was in play style. He kept using 12D6 of mind control directly on his mutant enemies, and was suprised when it didn't work consistantly on some of them. I pointed out to him that, despite the fact that the .44 magnum is the primary weapon of most of the agents, they don't use it directly against mutants and expect it to always work. I showed him examples of how the agents had used there abilites to a more effective end. He seemed to catch on that front face fighting doesn't always work in my games. This player is a bit of a munchkin, and an Anal Annoyance when he doesn't get his way, and I've had to deal with him before. Hes just not very resourceful, or creative. Ah well, I suppose every group has one. Thanks for your advise though guys.

I have a mixed game, that is, a game with both heros and superheros, and there are PCs on each side. Some are playing government Agents watching the Mutants and trying to keep control of the situation, ie make sure buildings don't get blown up. So far, the general scenario has been working out, with them both working agianst other mutants who keep attempting to disrupt society. However, I had a player come to saying they didn't think it was fair how much the agents could get accomplished with skills. I had a long talk with them. I have three agents and three mutants. One of the agents is a military enginneer and scientist, and has a hefty gadget pool, but it has limitations such as, "All new powers must have prototype builds that must take extensive testing, and have limitations such as Activation Roll, and Side Effects." -1/2 This has worked out great in my opinion, as hes doing things like going to radio shack, and trying to build a broad bad white noise generator in a matter of 45 minutes. Its really exciting and fun, even for people not at the scene. Another Agent has incredible contacts and connections with the NSA, OSI, and MIB groups, and I have let him purchase a head computer a la shadowrun, and he has clarsentience in the form of satalite photography. In addition, he has a tremendous number of skills and contacts, and gadgets such as Infared Sunglasses (He has paid for these as IIF Power, and the Clarsentice is also bought as a power.) The last of the agents has a near unlimited amount of clones, and up to 8 exist at any one time. His code name is The Bureau, and they are bought as straight duplication essentially. We have great fun listening to his character argue with himself about smoking in the black sedan and other nonesense. Imagine that. 5 Agent Smiths, and 1 wants to smoke. He also has some nifty gadgets, but mostly communications. Hes effectively playing a whole squad of agents by himself. Anyway, this player thought that the agents were taking away from the spot light on the mutants. I told him taht I would try not to let this happen, but to remember that they have several advantages, for example the Agents must keep there cover. Anyway, I'd appreciate thoughts on this. (Its so hilarious to watch the Mind Control (Nick named HPC & Mind Control) dude try and control all the duplicates at once.)

Re: Transforms vs. Mental Transforms Essentially isn't this putting the -0 disadvantage "Does not know how to use a phone" on the targets Everyman Skill EveryDay Life? Because, in my view, they are effectively putting disadvantages on skills, which have a serious mental component, I would rule this as either a Mental Transform, or build a more permanent form of mind control, such as, Mind Control, Reduced END (0 End), Continous, Uncontrolled, Persistant, Inherant, Standard Effect, So on. On a side note, since they may still remember phone numbers, it might take just an intelligence roll to figure it out, a fairly easy one considering they may still have computers or electronics.

Re: Casual Survey: Age of players and Hero's utility vs. other games 21 and a half, started roleplaying freeform with my brother at the age of 14 to get over long car trips, eventually bought a D&D book at about 17, quickly graduated D&D and have moved through at least 50 systems in the intervening years. D&D (MANY VARIANTS, just about anything D20) Shadow Run 2nd, 3rd, 4th HERO Anything White Wolf Paranoia Harn Just too name a few. I'm also a resident GM/DM/ST (I prefer GM, though a friend of mine chooses GOD, for Game Organizer and Distributer)

Re: How would you create this power? I just remembered another point. If your character is not very knowledge about technology, then in that way this method it better that the TK route, because you will still have to purchase the skills in some respects for the TK to work. Its great if you can touch the gun from range and all, but you have to know a little about it to take it apart with any speed.

Re: How would you create this power? There are a few subtle things to note about this approach. 1) If you use this on for example, a gun, it will not turn around in mid air to fire. In fact, you most likely won't be able to even shoot 'at' someone. However, you could for example, put the safety on, drop the magazine, even perhaps begin to disassemble the gun. This assumes your GM will let you do this with Systems Operation. 2) You will not really be able to attack some very well, if at all with this. In my house, I would rule this as Str 0 TK, with a limitation of Cannot be used to attack. For example, you could open and close a door, but you could not effectively hold a door closed against an opponent, because they would be so much stronger. (If needed, we could roll the combat, but I generally would not let you add anything to it, so you would undoubtiblely lose.) If this is not the effect your looking for, then go the TK route instead. 3) To be truly effective, you should buy a whole suit of skills this way, such as Weapon and Vehicle Familarities, Systems operations, Electronics, and so on. 4) To model the fact that it is simple machines, instead of putting a limitation on it and letting the GM have to decide, this method allows you to simplely purchase the skills at a low level, so that more complex things would be very difficult. I personally like this, because it allows you to with XP, slowly move to complex machines as you build your ranged skills. 5) Remember, you will not be able to use your hands when using this power, and will most likely be prohibited from taking gestures, because the normal use of the skill could be considered having the limitations Gestures. It is difficult to change a flat without your hands after all. These are points that I believe would be true. Depending on your intreptation of the spirit and text of the rules, this may vary from game to game, but this is how I would perform it, unless convinced otherwise. These may not even be how Steve would do it, but I also have been curious about how he feels about Skills with advantages, such as ranged. I hope this is helpful, though I am not nearly as expierence as many of the nice people on this forum.

Re: How would you create this power? Curiousity: Is this like the gift Control Simple Machine from White Wolf's Werewolf the Apoc. ? Anywho, I would throw this at my GM and see what he thinks. Systems Operation 11-, Ranged +1/2, Concentration (Must Concentrate throughout use) -1/2 = 4 Active Points, 3 Real Points Welcome to the forums!

Re: Quick Multipower Question Well again, by just placing the disadvantages into the notes section, and only using custom modifiers, I got the math to come out the same. So I can still put powers and stuff in it without problem. However, this does bring to my mind a question: If I have a power bought in the Framework with an Active point cost over 80 but still less than or equal to 120, and it is in a flexible slot, can I, once playing the game, scale the power back, only using say 60 active points of it, does it still have the Focus limitation Staff? Infact, sense I took an additional limitation on the last 40 Base points, does that mean I must purchase Staff -1 for all my powers that have active points greater than 80? Does this limitation dissappear when I use only say, 60 points, of a 100 point flexible slot? If not, and If I don't want it that way, do I have to purchase those powers that I want to be exceptions to this rule in a manner similar to how I purchased the multipower, partially limited, and will that do the trick?

Re: How do I get a Hardback? Thats another good one. I'd get that too.