Lord Liaden

Re: New Player Hates All The Dice Another suggestion I've seen for large dice rolls is to use Standard Effect for all but the last three or four; those are rolled normally. Much faster, but still adds some randomness to the result. I haven't tried this out myself, though.

Re: Alternate SPD Chart While I also love the Speed Chart, I've played in games that used a method kind of like what you describe. I don't think you have it quite right, though. If your speed is 6 and you roll 6d12, that's potentially 72 Segments. You may be thinking of another common alternate method, in which each player rolls 1d12 every Segment and compares the total to their SPD; if they roll their SPD or lower they get an Action Phase that Segment. What this brings to the table is, of course, unpredictability in the order of player actions, which some players prefer to the ordered Speed Chart method; while still making the points invested in SPD valuable. I found this to work pretty well. While you might think that an extra die roll would slow things down, eliminating consulting the Speed Chart more or less balances the time required once everyone is used to rolling. There are a few things you need to deal with to translate some of the standard mechanics, though. One of these is how to handle Aborting and Held Actions. For our group the motto was, "keep rolling." If we Aborted we automatically got to act without rolling the d12, but then the next Segment you succeed in your roll is used to pay for that Abort, so you don't get a Phase on that Segment. For Held Actions the player Holding would roll d12 on a Segment that they decided to act; if they chose to use their Held Action on a Segment where the roll succeeded, they didn't get to roll on the next Segment. Another issue is post-Segment 12 Recoveries. In our game everyone got one of those who rolled a "natural" 12. I say "natural 12" because of another adjustment to the die roll that we found necessary. Due to the vagaries of random chance, someone could keep getting bad die rolls Segment after Segment and never get to act, especially if their SPD is relatively low. If a player blew a d12 roll on one Segment they got to add +1 to their roll on the next Segment, cumulatively, until they succeeded. After that the roll would reset to their raw SPD again. BTW the "post-Segment 12" and "+1 to roll" ideas came from the article I first saw this method described in, by Steve Peterson in Adventurers Club.

Re: New Player Hates All The Dice All I've ever done with the dice-phobic in my games is cut the number of dice rolled in half (or to one-third for really big attacks), and multiply the result, e.g. 10d6 becomes 5d6 x 2. Add one separate die for odd numbered dice rolls. The bell-curve for results becomes a little flatter, but it's faster to count and, apparently, less intimidating.

Re: Heroic vs Superheroic I've found the rules designated "heroic" or "superheroic" to be a lot like features on a computer system. You can choose to toggle any of them on or off, enabling or disabling that particular feature. That will alter how the game plays and the feel of playing it, in ways which you may or may not prefer. IME very few of those rules are completely inappropriate to either heroic or superheroic games; but the more rules recommended for one or the other that you toggle on, the more the feel of the game will shift toward either end of the grim-and-gritty/four-color axis.

Re: How do I build THIS? Hmm... from what you describe, I'd suggest building these discs as Automatons and buying them as Followers for Doc, or else from a Summon Power for him. Give them enough INT to follow a few simple commands even when Doc is unconscious. Since the discs don't move once set you should probably buy back their Running, but perhaps purchase Clinging to represent their adhesive backing. You might also give them a Mind Link to Doc's helmet AI so that it can issue new commands to them. After that it looks like just a matter of designing the abilities of the discs' energy spheres, probably as slots in a Multipower. If this doesn't match what you're going for, please post a followup with corrections and we'll try again.

Re: The Beverly Hillbillies Hmm... how do you write up grain alcohol strong enough to strip paint? Have to think about that.

Re: How do I build THIS? To repeat my reply to one of those earlier threads: I for one could use a few more details about what these discs do before I make any game-mechanical suggestions. For example, are the discs static once they're set up (perform one function until shut off), or can they change their activities from Phase to Phase? Do they function independently of Doc Vision, i.e. once instructed do they attack on their own, choosing targets or otherwise reacting to changing circumstances? Or does Doc control them directly himself, making them function on his own Phases?

Re: The Beverly Hillbillies I think I would boost Jed's strength somewhat, perhaps as high as 18. In the few stories where some type of physical exertion or conflict was involved, the Clampetts were all shown to be strong as horses and capable brawlers. Even Granny might have STR 13, and Jethro would certainly be 20 or higher.

Re: Free online Champs adventures Well, our own Sketchpad has provided us with a fine free adventure of his creation statted for Fifth Edition, "New Year's Eden," featuring an original supervillain: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40107 . To download it, scroll down the thread to Post #11, where Sketchpad has Attached the PDF file.

Re: Worlds of Empire - Waddya think? How much mention is there of the Thane or the Elder Worm? (I don't need details - don't want to put Hero's IP on public forums - just general coverage.)

Re: Difficult Build: Armor that tranfers damage Do both armor wearers suffer the damage taken, or only the one who experiences the "transferal" effect?

Re: How do I build THIS? Well, I for one could use a few more details about what these discs do before I make any game-mechanical suggestions. For example, are the discs static once they're set up (perform one function until shut off), or can they change their activities from Phase to Phase? Do they function independently of Doc Vision, i.e. once instructed do they attack on their own, choosing targets or otherwise reacting to changing circumstances? Or does Doc control them directly himself, making them function on his own Phases?

Re: Anyone use the Champs Universe Arena? More of your usual great ideas, Hermit. I'm particularly partial to these two:

Re: Stunt with Option to Buy Another possibility for "permanent stunting" would be Variable Advantages as a Naked Advantage on all applicable Powers. You could Limit the Naked Advantage to reflect the degree or type of difficulty that you think appropriate for non-standard Power use: Activation Roll, RSR, Increased END Cost, Concentration, etc.

Re: Power writeup: "I know everyone's number." Okay, Robyn, I'll start throwing out concepts and subsystems that I think might provide useful precedents. We'll see if any stick to your wall. Here's the first variation that came to my mind: a simplified Skill-based system for "netrunning," from Michael Surbrook's excellent Kazei Five HERO anime-cyberpunk sourcebook. Since it deals with telephone connectivity and data extraction, perhaps you can use some elements of it: http://surbrook.devermore.net/kazei5/k5netrunning.html

Re: Not for DCV? Well, there was an option presented in the Reality Storm crossover book for Champions and Silver Age Sentinels: 5-pt. CSLs, OCV Only. Kind of the opposite of DCV Only levels. Like those they would apply to any attack, HTH or Ranged. (Does your dragon breathe anything, perchance?) According to Steve Long this isn't an officially-sanctioned use of CSLs, but a special exception to translate one of the SAS mechanics for the conversion matrix between the two games. For the life of me, though, I can't see how this would be abusive. I've been using it in my games since RS came out, and find that it adds flexibility to character builds.

Re: Anyone use the Champs Universe Arena? Through blackmail, threats to a DNPC, etc., one or more of the PCs are coerced into fighting in the Arena. They have to find the leverage that's being used against them, or the people who have it, and remove it/them so that they can escape. Escaping will probably mean fighting their way out of the Arena past not only armed guards, but other super-gladiators. Alternatively, the Arena can be the start of a campaign; the various PCs, each having different reasons for competing, meet in the Arena and decide to stick together as mutual support. The campaign may start with a focus on Arena combat; the PCs may even become known as a team and draw other team opponents. Eventually they may decide to get out altogether, perhaps forming a true superhero (or villain) team. The Mob will likely be unwilling to let an attraction like them just leave, though, especially with what they know about Arena operations.

Re: Power writeup: "I know everyone's number." Okay, now I'm a little . It sounded from your first post like you wanted to design an exceptional ability for a particular character - he or she can contact anyone desired by telephone pretty much wherever they happen to be. Now it sounds as though you want that ability to be written up as a function of telephones? I think I'm missing something here. Could you please add some more details of what you're going for?

Re: Help with Ram powers for a super villain. Perhaps a few animalistic Enhanced Senses? If he has any bighorn sheep DNA in him, perhaps Acrobatics and/or Environmental Movement to reflect great sure-footedness.

Re: Truly Original Setting Concept I just discovered the problem; all is functional now.

This thread over on the RPGnet discussion forums has been generating a great deal of excitement over the last few days. It started with IMHO a very innovative but logical idea, and has snowballed from there, with many people contributing their own suggestions to create a fantasy setting like I've never seen before. Although inspired by an element of orthodox Dungeons and Dragons, it's developed such rich potential for any high-fantasy game that I thought I should bring it to people's attention here: The city built around the tarrasque.

Re: Power writeup: "I know everyone's number." I take it my Extraordinary Skills suggestion didn't pass muster.

Re: Yet another, help me name my team(s) thread: South America Nothing like a good English/Portuguese free Online Dictionary. From that I got: Martelo (hammer) Armamento (arsenal) Borracha (rubber, as latex from trees - suits a stretchy dude with a big head) I'll have to give more thought to the Spanish ones; but I did once create a growing brick type called Andes, after the major South American mountain range.

Re: Storn's Lady Warrior from UMA & NH I'm curious to know whether Silk Whirlwind's writeup has appeared anywhere yet?

Re: Desol Move Through As per the section of the rulebook dealing with added damage from Movement for Advantaged attacks (5E p. 272 - 5ER p. 408), Movement damage is prorated for the Advantages used. So, I would say that depending on the SFX of Desolid, the character could gain the benefits of a Move By or Move Through, but you'd have to calculate the proportion of that which would apply to STR with APW.