phydaux

Since Sorcery skill roll attempts fro counter spelling would be modified by range, I could see my way clear to allowing PSLs to offset the range penalty for counterspell rolls. I could also see allowing PSLs to offset other character's counterspell attempts. " If i have a sorcery skill of 17- and 2 PSL to do with range or whatever, does that count as skill 19-?" No, because that's not how PSLs work. It would be skill level 17 with no range penalty out to whatever game inches. "Can you have specialised skill levels, say in fire magic, healing or something like that?" If this were GURPS then yes, and I've done that. But since it's Hero system then no. "Phil, your character can't use those skill levels. They're for Fire Magic, and what your casting is a healing spell." "Yeah, but the special effect of my healing spell is Healing Flames, so..."

As I recall it is mentioned as a warning to the GM that he shouldn't allow characters expected to wear heavy armor to also buy Combat Luck as it would break the campaign, but it isn't specifically forbidden. Sounds like a good idea, though.

Quazar - "We will go to Primus HQ and formally register your Confidential Informer." Mystica - She ignores the situation, but checks the "hero" for signs of mind control or evil curses. Shadowhunter - He neither says nor does anything. Male superheroes have a long tradition of having mutually beneficial sexual relationships with female supervillians. You might go so far as to call it a perk of the job. Shadowhunter has a few notches on his utility belt, and more than one-long term "friend with benefits." He isn't going to condemn another street-level hero for doing the same.

Wowsie Dowsie! 12 DCs in a 100+50 campaign? I was playing in a 75+50 campaign recently. I made a swordsman. With an 18 STR, a bastard sword, shield, Deadly Blow and some combat skill levels I was rocking an OCV of 9, DCV of 9, SPD of 4 and swinging for 3d6 HtH KA. The only problem was every other PC had a CV of 4, SPD of 3, and was swinging a 1 or 1 1/2 d6 KA. It really BROKE the campaign. I'm trying to avoid that in this one.

Teleport, usable as an attack. Then just teleport people straight up. I had a GM who would do this all the time to our non-flyers. it got annoying. Fairly soon it seemed like EVERYONE had at least 5" of Gliding.

You play the lyre, and then the spirit imprisoned in the skull used the skull's mouth to sing bawdy songs.

So.... you're playing D&D?

*teleport* Pie in the face. *teleport* That was the MO of a Classic Enemies villain named The Fox. The pie was a Flash Attack. I still use him.

Quazar - "I understand perfectly. Now let's go see what the Silver Avenger has to say about this." If my team made didn't agree to go willingly to Primus HQ, Quazar would drag him there. Mystica - "What am I doing here, in an alley, in the middle of the night? What do I care if men steal pennies from one another? There are unseen eldrich horrors that walk the earth and threaten men's very souls. Go! Be about your business and I will be about mine. But beware! The night is dark and full of terrors!" Shadowhunter - "Need a partner?"

Your character is out early one evening paroling Campaign City. He comes across a fracas, and finds The Blue Mask in the middle of a dust up between some gang-bangers and some mafia-type goons. The Blue Mask is a new but well known street-level villain with fingers in a lot of pies and a stated objecting of taking over all gang- and mafia- level crime in Campaign City. Your character swoops in and drops some AOEs, sending the normals to la la land. Blue Mask yells "Smoke Bomb!" and drops one of his trademark grenades, intending to have it yet again cover his escape into the shadows. Your character makes a calculated dive through the smoke and end up between Blue Mask and his escape. You both throw a flurry of punches, and one of your uppercuts knocks off The Blue Mask's mask. You look down and see clearly that It's Roof Top Raider! The Raider is a well respected street level hero, and a member of your super team. He tells you that this isn't what it looks like. He created the Blue Mask persona in order to infiltrate the gangs and take them down from within. He begs you not to turn him in to the police or to the others on the super team, because both have mafia informers on them. What does your character do?

"I would not let them have the 10 extra points and I would suggest designing it yourself." Yeah, I like both those ideas. I'm also thinking that instead of 15 active points I should do 10. I think 15 is too much. Here's a few items off the top of my head. Keep in mind this is a 100+50 campaign with normal characteristics maximums, using 5th Ed rules. +10 STR 0 END (I may adjust that down to +5) 5rPD/5rED (I may adjust that down to 3/3) +1 SPD +3 INT/ +3 EGO / +3 PRE (something tells me this would be too powerful) Others?

One thing I could see myself doing is giving a caster-character an item clearly of use to a melee type, and a melee type a caster-item, and see if the players have the presence of mind to trade.

Also, should I allow players to create their own "family heirloom" or create the magic item myself and tell them "This is what you have." Also, what do you think of the option of a player choosing to forgo the 15 active point magic item in exchange for 10 extra character points? Considering a player could use the magic item to get 5rPD/5rED, or +10 STR 0 END, or +1SPD, I'd say that would be a poor choice. Which means I SHOULD allow it. lol.

Usually when I GM other systems I allow players to start the game with a "family heirloom." This is usually a low level magic item of the player's choosing. I'm looking to start a 100+50 campaign, and I'm wondering should I allow my players to buy magic items with points, or allow them to choose (or create) a magic item of their own? I don't want them to buy magic items with their 100+50 points, because it the item gets lost or stolen then they lose an actual chunk of their character. I'm thinking that I'll allow each player so many active points, and let them build a magic item of their own. Obviously the item will have the OIF or OAF disadd. what other disadds should it have? I'm capping all spells at 45 active points, as well as a 45 active point cap on "feats" (powers bought to represent exceptional skills). But I think 45 active points is WAY too much to allow for a magic item. I'm thinking 15 active points. Even that might be too much. I cringe at the idea of a fighter with chainmail, Combat Luck, and a ring that gives him 5rPD/5rED. Thoughts?

Hmmm. So eliminate the Characteristic roll for Combat Luck. I can see that. Eliminate Thaumaturgy as a middle step and just have libraries and the Sorcery skill. I can see that, too. I want to keep the Sorcery skill roll because I want to include the counterspell game mechanic. And I want to use use "find the ancient, high level spell book" as a campaign mechanic. I'm not too worried about players missing rolls. I have a clear path to any starting character having a Sorcery skill of 15, and in a world where the city guards & common orcs will have CVs of 4 it's not hard for starting characters to have an OCV of 9. Spell Users can still "grow" as casters, not by slinging bigger spells but by growing their pool size and having MORE spells active at a time. I really can't see my way clear to allowing casters to sling more than 9 DCs if non-casters won't be able to throw more than 9 DCs. I like the specter of "fake books damage your Sorcery rating" even if i never use it in game play.

Thanks guys!

I need a little input from the group. I'm starting a campaign that will revolve around books of magical theory. Some will be of the hermetic tradition, your traditional magical tomb. Others will be of the clerical tradition, so more of a sacred text. Each type will have several "levels" of text - Basic, Intermedial, advanced, and forbidden. I'm looking to crowd source a list of names of books. Can you guys come up with some?

"Rote magic equals multipower. freeform equals VPP" Agreed "multipower magic systems can be game-breakingly cheap when configured correctly" Depends on starting points level. In a 100+50 campaign 20 points is a decent chunk of character points for someone who isn't going to be a "full time" magic user.

I'm supprised that there is so much discussion over one aspect that I was only THINKING of adding, and so little over that things I actually put in. I'd really like to discuss my approach to magic. I'm not TOO worried over the X2 END restriction. 4 END isn't that costly for a 3rdRKA, and if the player wanted he could blast away with 0 END 2d6RKAs all night. And In my head it just makes sense that magic would be a multipower, and characters would spend experince points to "learn" new spells. I know that eventually playerd are going to want to convert their Multipowers to a VPP. I'm going to tell them "No." I think letting a player come up with any power he wants at any time he wants is game breaking at this level. I want players to have to make decitions, and have those decitions have consiquences. "I knew I should have learned that flying spell instead of another mystic blast!" I really like the idea of letting spell casters use their Sorcery skill to counterspell the casting of other spell users. I fugure it won't take long before one of the players becomes Mr. Spell Jammer, particularly if I have an NPC caster interupt their casting over and over in an early encounter. This will lead to players wanting a high Sorcery skill, and what is, IMO, the biggest restriction - Linking the Sorcery skill to Thaumaturgy skill, and Thaumaturgy skill level to library level. Getting access to a level 13 library will be fairly east, and a level 15 library only mildly more difficult. Higher level magic and sacred texts will be rare, most will be bogus, some actually detrimental to Thaumaturge skill, and a few will be Chathulu-esque (Mu Wa Ha Ha Ha!!!). In fact i see the search for high level magic tombs geing a prime motivator for adventuring. Mages seeking to find lost books. Theives trying to steal them. Fighters hired to protect them.

Here's what I've come up with: Priest Acolyte Social Rank – Acolyte 2 Access – Holy Reflectories 2 PS – Priest of _____ 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Priesthood -5 Subject to Orders – High Priests -5 -9 Total Initiate Social Rank – Initiate 4 Access – Holy Reflectories 4 PS – Priest of _____ 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Priesthood -10 Subject to Orders – High Priests -15 -20 Total Mage Circle of Sequestered Magics Social Rank – Acolyte 2 Access – Magic Library 2 PS – Magi of the Circle 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Circle of Magi -5 Subject to Orders – Master Magi -5 -9 Total Inner Circle Social Rank – Initiate 4 Access – Restricted Library 4 PS – Magi of the Circle 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Circle of Magi -10 Subject to Orders – Master Magi -15 -20 Total Rogue Thieves Guild Social Rank – Acolyte 1 PS – Order of Assassins 2 License – Operate as Thief 5 Social Obligation – Underboss -5 Subject to Orders – Underboss -10 -7 Total Black Hand Social Rank – Initiate 2 PS –Order of Assassins 2 License – Operate as Black Hand 10 Social Obligation – Master of Assassins -10 Subject to Orders – Master of Assassins -20 -16 Total

Quazar "Congratulation on your fresh self awareness. I wish you well in your new life." Mystica "Your words from before, they were of no consequence. They cause no lasting harm." Shadowhunter "Go be gay somewhere else."

"It's an artificial construct that snuck into RPGs for no good reason" It's a way to help enforce genera. You just don't see mages in chain mail & helm in the source material.