Fedifensor

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Dances With Spirits is next on the review list. One of us should post feedback tonight.

Re: Character Review - Venus Character Review - Venus (Part 2) Okay, time to dig into the character sheet. Stats look decent, though I'll touch on defenses later. If you shun weapons besides your own body and would prefer to ditch the thorns (or make them secondary), I could see you buying STR to 25. It's a competitive attack for the campaign, and gives you an amazing grab. Next, the powers...the main area of review. I'm not thrilled with the Clinging as written. You have a limitation on activation (-3/4 is the correct value, so don't worry about that), Increased END, and Only Costs END To Activate. What this means to me is you can activate Clinging once at the beginning of the day and leave it on until you sleep or are knocked unconscious. A Limitation that isn't a Limitation isn't worth points - you have -1 1/2 of lims for what I would consider about -1/4 of inconvenience. If you limit the Clinging in some way so you have to reactivate it frequently (can't move from current hex when Clinging active, etc), then the limitations would have their perceived value. Even then, I'm not a big fan of combining Increased END Cost with Only Costs END To Activate. The Damage Resistance cap at the beginning of the game is equivalent to Chainmail (6 PD/6 ED), and most will have less than that. But there is a second problem. Taking per turn Regeneration combined with 6 resistant defenses makes you nearly unkillable - anything that would kill you would either require a single massive shot that would kill anyone, or focused fire from a group that would kill any other PC much earlier. Regen at a per turn rate is too much, unless you have NO resistant defenses. If resistant defenses were lowered to the 3-4 range, I could see Regen with a per hour rate. That still heals you up between most fights, but not in combat. For total defenses, I'd suggest per hour Regen, 6 to 8 total PD and ED (of which 3 points is resistant PD/ED), and perhaps 3 points of PD armor with a limitation (not versus Slashing attacks, -1/2). I don't have a problem with the Invisibility...but I think you will. With a 3 SPD, 7 REC, and 30 END, you will go from full Endurance to 0 in just under a minute...but it takes 12 seconds just to get the power running, making it nearly useless for its intended purpose. I like the power, but I don't think it's very practical. I'd suggest removing Increased END Cost so you can maintain the power as long as you're doing nothing else. Or you could just buy this as extra levels in Stealth, limited by the environment. Thorns didn't seem all that thematic, but I can live with them. If you avoid tech, you're going to want to make sure whatever attack power you buy is something you can live with for most of the game, as you'll be using it a lot. The Life Support is fine. No posion/chemical resist means you can be hurt by any poison or chemical which is toxic to plants, but that seems to be what we're looking for. I think Gift of the Land is both cool and thematic. In short, I'll allow it. However, if I start seeing problems with it in game, I reserve the right to call for adjustments (further mutations). If you need additional power ideas...an inch or two of Stretching fits well and be quite useful in the game. Skills are mostly fine, though even with instinctive knowledge I can't really wrap my brain about how you would know Cryptography at the start of the game. This might be a skill to pick up later, so you can focus on other things (more Survival categories, Area Knowledges, etc). I figured out what's been bothering me about your Disadvantages. They overlap a LOT, and you have no Disadvantages that reflects any connection to those around you (positive or negative). No DNPCs, no Hunteds (or Watched), no Rivalries. In addition, you have no weaknesses (Susceptibility, Vulnerability). 2/3rds of your disads can be summed up in three words - "creepy plant girl". I understand the feel that you're going for, but I would lower or drop disads like Unique Biology and Minority for some other disadvantages to round the character out a bit. For example, you could look like a mut whose mutant power involves plants, and take Accidental Change (which would revert you to a more plant-looking form). Fail the roll when the trigger comes up, and suddenly the village goes from "that plant lady seems a bit off" to "Kill the Weed!" It covers part of your current Social Limitation, lets you have a slightly lower Distinctive Feature (making interactions with others easier), but also gives your character something to watch out for. If the character switches from plant girl to killer plant when her life is threatened, she's likely to be more vigilant about detecting those situations before they become a problem. Hunteds also add flavor. What if your plant matter can be distilled into something like Golden Weed, which is valued in the wasteland? I could see several organizations wanting to hunt you down so they could 'harvest' you. A Vulnerability to Fire fits, even if it's just versus STUN damage. Anyway, just take a second look at the disadvantages with those comments in mind.

Re: Character Review - Venus That sounds good to me. Part 2 of the review will be posted shortly.

Character Review - Venus Okay, I've consulted with Zac, we've debated several things, and it's time to give a full review of Venus. However, I'm going to do this in stages, because the answers from the first part will affect other things on the character. We like the concept, though (as expected) playing a Weed requires us to ask several questions about how the character functions. I'll start with the questions that arose from having a plant character in the game: Does Venus breathe, or have a breathing equivalent where she needs access to oxygen like a human? If not, Life Support of some sort will be required. What does she eat? My thought was that she takes in more water per day than a human needs, but garners remaining sustenance by drawing nutrients from fertile ground. Fortunately, Venus has the ability to make ground fertile - a beneficial mutation. Does Venus sleep? My thought is that since Venus is mobile unlike most plants, she needs periods of inactivity to recover from the exertion of movement. These inactive periods would be similar to a human's sleep cycle. If she doesn't have a sleep equivalent, she'll need Life Support for that. Does Venus have the equivalent of sight, hearing, etc? This would include parts of her form where sensory growths are concentrated, so she could be blinded, deafened, etc. Is she missing any of the five senses that a human has? Venus appears to be a mold-based plant, but has thorns, which is a departure from theme. Are the thorns mainly so Venus has an attack, or is there a conceptual reason for them? As an alternative, you could buy up STR to 25, which would give you a respectible 5d6 N attack (enough to stun your standard wasteland ganger).

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Character Theme One thing that may not have been clear from my earlier posts is that I'd like to see characters with strong backgrounds and a theme to their special abilities. I realize the original Gamma World game assigned abilities to mutants in a random fashion. With Starfall, we're taking a different approach that utilizes the power of the HERO system. I'll use Venus as an example. While there are still things that need to be resolved with the character, Venus has a detailed background that explains who she is, where she came from, and why she's looking for Cargo. The character's powers all fit the plant theme, and some have the secondary theme of renewal. Specifics on how those powers work can be negotiated, but there has to be a good framework to start with.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Fedrex's first line of defense is secrecy. Zac's map is off in one respect...the "modern" road from Cassrock ends about two miles away from town, next to rocky terrain that conceals tracks. Those who meet with the traders go out to that point to do their trading. That said, if the village was attacked, every citizen would come to the town's defense. All adults have earned their right to stay under the Rule of Cargo, which means they've successfully traveled into the wasteland, survived the dangers out there, and came back with Cargo without having it taken from them. That means they know how to defend themselves. Most villagers know how to use melee weapons of some sort or another, some use missile weapons, and a few may even have firearms (though the gunpowder may be of questionable reliability). The secret weapon of Fedrex is Cargo. As the council receives Cargo privately, no one knows what they have hidden inside the ancient building where Cargo is stored. Many believe the council has at least a few weapons of the Ancients, and Daryne (the head of the council) is rumored to be able to cut a foe in half with a single swing of his blade.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign I only have time for a quick read of Venus, but I did notice a few things. Invisibility has the wrong limitation amount for Extra Time. As you have the power written up, it takes a turn to active, lasts a phase...and then you have to activate it again. It's only a -1/2 limitation (half of -1 1/4) to have the Extra Time only apply to the activation of a Constant power.' Clinging has the same problem, but you could add a limitation of "cannot move when power active" to compensate. The Regeneration is pretty strong - we're talking Wolverine-level regen. Then again, it appears to be the central theme of your character (renewal). I'll have to discuss this one with Zac. Gift of the Land is another one I'll have to think about. One limiting factor is that just because you 'clean' the land, doesn't mean it'll stay that way. One Bad Water rain can undo what you have done, for example. If you plan to pick up weapons of one sort or another, the HKA is fine as a backup. If it's going to be your only attack for the majority of the campaign, you may want to buy it up to 1d6K (2d6K with STR). The DR is fine...I'd actually suggest a higher PD, maybe with the limitation that it doesn't work against slashing attacks. Bullets and clubs don't do much against a plant. Maybe 2 or 3 points of PD Armor with the "not versus slashing attacks" limitation. For playability, you may want to tone down the Distinctive Feature to Major instead of Extreme. Unless someone looks closely, they may think you're just a mut with a rather strong mutation, which would mitigate their reaction towards you. I'd actually take two Distinctive Features: Distinctive Feature - Mutated Plant (5 points). This represents the difficulties you'll have with devices of the ancients. Interestingly, you'll have less of a problem with such devices than beasts. Distinctive Feature - Weed (15 or 20 points). This is the Distinctive Feature you already have. I think Unique Biology is both advantage and disadvantage, and shouldn't be worth a disadvantage on its own. Some things that won't affect a Pure will hurt you, and vice-versa. However, I could see taking the disadvantage Plant Biology, as Paramedics skill is useless to help you. I think your two Social Limitations are double-dipping, as the reason people may not trust you is because you're a Weed. I'd drop the 'Not Trusting'.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign The character creation guidelines are finalized. Those interested in playing should post their concepts here. Character sheets are not required at this stage, though we will need to see one eventually.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Quick answers from my G1 phone: The worth of recovered Cargo is solely determined by the village council. There might be grumbling...but as the town would lose access to Good Water if the leader walks (as no one else knows how to maintain the ancient tech) they don't grumble very loud... Examples will have to be asked about in game. People just reaching manhood or newcomers to the area haven't seen the Council review acquired Cargo. People can give Cargo to others before it is presented, but the person presenting it gets the benefits. There are no "Cargo evaluators" in Fedrex, especially since Cargo can be nearly anything.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Update: We're going with 5E. While I'd like to give 6E a try in a heroic-level game, there just isn't enough market penetration to justify it for a Hero Central game, and to be honest it's too much of a hassle to convert all of the work done by people without 6E. That said, I may incorporate a few aspects of 6E into the game as house rules, notably the Attack Versus Alternate Defense advantage. It doesn't make sense to me that switching an Mind Control to work off of Flash Defense (hypnotic light patterns) instead of Mental Defense should make the power cost 2.5 times as much. I've added a sample power for the other two races (muts and beasts) and added the Everyman skills. Note that even if you're a newcomer to the town, you still get AK: Fedrex 8- (representing the time waiting for spring so the next Cargo hunt can start). LS: High Radiation requires GM approval, and will also require the character to take a few points of Power Defense (radiation only). Taking the LS only gives you environmental resistance, and radiation attacks (such as certain mutant powers) can hurt you. Commerce is pretty much as Zac presented it. Fedrex has a slight surplus of Good Water, foodstuffs, and Hemp. However, none of these have the high quality of the primary producers of such trade goods. The few merchants that know of the town are trading for Cargo, because they know that rare or unique items can turn up after each season's hunt. Cargo hunts take place in the spring, summer, and fall. It is possible to ask for an exemption for the summer hunt, as the lands to the east can be particularly hostile during that time. Such exemptions are granted on a case-by-case basis, and seems to depend on how well the village council likes you. No hunts take place in the deadly winters - all of Fedrex's villagers work together to survive the snows. There will be other Cargo hunters besides the PCs, and some may ask to travel with the group. There is no truth to the rumor that these additional travelers are wearing shirts colored with red dye...really.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign It works, though are you a 'stock' Ggaru, or are you different in some fashion? For example, you could have developed the ability for normal speech, which may have contributed to some packmates turning against you.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Looks good to me. We'll have to work out the specifics, of course. While you'd have immunities to several types of diseases and poisons...you'd be vulnerable to some that wouldn't affect other creatures the same way (like pesticides) so it'd be a wash overall. The Venus Mantrap in the Post-Apocalyptic book is a good starting point, but I'll check a few other sources and work up some guidelines.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign As we update the campaign info, we'll post the information known to the players at large (either here, on the Campaign Message threads of Hero Central, or both). Starfall is a campaign inspired by Gamma World, but is not copying directly from it. For example, there is a group known as the Order of the Pure, commonly called Purists. However, they may not be exactly like Gamma World's Knights of Genetic Purity. More details to come. There are a few traders that know of its existence, but it has thus far escaped notice of most of the predatory groups in the wasteland. The biggest nearby threat is the Gang of 70, which will be detailed in future posts. No and no. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to show the picture that was the inspiration for Fedrex (thanks, Susano!). It's not exact, especially since the tech level at the time of the Final War was higher, but should give you a good idea of what the village center is like. Yes, though I prefer more of a team game than one with PCs plotting against each other. That excludes PCs from being members in several of the more extreme organizations (including the Order of the Pure).

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Related to the 5E/6E discussion - there's a special at DriveThruRPG where you can get the Basic 6E rules plus the Advanced Player's Guide for $10... According to this thread, the special lasts until January 7th.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Available to muts as a type of mental mutation. Unavailable to pures, rare among beasts. Must still fall within the 30 active point limit. No modern vehicles available at the start of the game, though the group may be able to acquire one later. A Pure may be able to swing a vehicle as his one purchased tech item. Even then, the best I could see would be some sort of autogyro (like the one in the Road Warrior) and fuel would be a constant issue. Followers are available, beast followers are not. However, there are still normal animals (like dogs) that a character could have as a follower. I'd prefer to avoid having followers in the game unless it's essential for your character concept - the Sancho Panza to your Don Quixote, the bear that follows Grizzly Adams, etc. Not at character creation. Both require advanced knowledge to install. Even if you find them during the game, and a medbot to install them, you have to be compatible. Pures shouldn't have a problem getting a medbot to install cybernetics as long as they can acquire clearance for the procedure. Muts may have problems - if the initial scan shows parameters outside of human norms, the medbot may halt the procedure. Not to mention that if the procedure continues, the mut may die on the table because of incompatibilities. Beasts won't be able to get either type except in rare cases, such as cybernetics specifically designed to be placed into an animal. Even then, they are likely to run afoul of the same problems as muts. Weeds - not happening. We are willing to consider certain skills as powers, though we don't want to go overboard. It's a post-apocalyptic setting, not wuxia or superheroes. Not as PCs. Keep in mind that the intro text in the first post is one person's point of view. The actual truth may be very different...or be exactly as was said. Such are the mysteries of the wasteland...

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Currently, the plans are for Zac and myself to share GM status, so it's best to post to this thread. It saves me from having to forward private messages to him.

Re: Starfall - A Gamma HERO campaign Character proposals are welcome, though you may want to wait on full writeups until we have the character guidelines fleshed out. Submissions will not be accepted on HERO Central until we have narrowed down the list of candidates here. While the character guidelines are a work in progress, I can share my thoughts about overall power level of the characters at character creation. Attacks are going to top out around what a strong Pure can do with a greatsword (2d6 killing, or 6 DC). Most weapons are killing attacks, and Hit Locations will be used. Starting weapons are medieval-level technology, though a select few have heirlooms of ancient tech (see the Pure section of post #2 in this thread for an example), and the village stockpile of Cargo includes weapons. Characters have access to armor up to chainmail, though chain may not be practical in certain situations (especially with the temperature fluctuations in the wastelands). Characters should have some level of resistant defenses (even if it is a cinematic defense like Combat Luck), but no more than 6 resistant DEF at the start of the game. Also, innate armor and worn armor overlap instead of stack, which means a mut or beast with armored scales won't benefit from wearing light armor. The exception is if both armors are bought with character points. For example, a Pure with 2 rPD/2 rED from the Combat Luck talent who also pays for Sports Padding (3 DEF) as his one tech item can have a total DEF of 5 (on locations protected by the Sports Padding). Characters should have a Speed between 2 to 4, with 3 being the average. 2 SPD characters have some leniency with the Active Point limits of attacks and/or defenses, while 4 SPD characters may need to lower attacks or defenses to be in line with the other characters.

Starfall - Character Creation Guidelines The guidelines for character creation are listed below. Character Types: Characters can be one of three types - Pures, Muts, or Beasts. There is a fourth type, Weeds, that are limited to one in the group and only with an exceptional application. Pure Descendants of the survivors of the Final War, Pures have remained unchanged despite the perils of disease, poison, glow spots, and countless other dangers. Some say the Pures were gifted with ancient tech that was woven into their bodies and passed along to their descendants. Others believe it to be a natural adaptation to the harsh environment - given the billions that existed before the Final War, some small percentage would have the necessary traits to thrive despite the hazards. Several religions claim that Pures are the Blessed - not virtuous enough to have been taken into the Heavens, but still favored by the divine. Regardless of the reasons for their purity, the Pure share several traits that protect them. Pure characters are required to purchase the following: Bloodline of Purity (3 points Power Defense, Hardened, Resistant) - 6 points. In the Starfall campaign, this is the only way for a character to gain Power Defense without restrictions (Radiation only, Poisons only, etc) at character creation. This applies to all types of Drains, Transfers, Transforms, and related attacks. At the GM's discretion, it may even provide some resistance against NND attacks based on radiation, biological attacks, nanoviruses, or poisons. Accelerated Healing (Regeneration, 1 BODY per Day, increased food intake) - 5 points. Pures who survive injuries will eventually return to full health. While they cannot heal back lost limbs or destroyed organs, the Pure can recover as long as they survive the initial injury and bloodloss. Pures healing from such injuries gain a vastly increased appetite. A lack of food can hinder their healing, possibly resulting in the injuries becoming permanent. Stat Minimums (special) - Pures are the best of humanity, the ones who have survived and prospered in a harsh world. Barring illness, injury, or age, they are in excellent condition both physically and mentally. Pures may not buy down any of their stats unless there is an associated injury (reduced Running for having one leg, etc) and should have above average stats in most areas. Tech Access (special) - Several devices of the ancients, particularly death-dealing weapons, will only function in the hands of a Pure. The few guardians of ancient tech that survived the Final War will recognize a Pure on sight. While this doesn't necessarily protect the Pure from harm, it will usually give the Pure a chance to negotiate or depart the area before being attacked. This is represented by the character not taking one of the Distinctive Features required by the other character types. In addition, Pures may choose to buy a single signature item of tech with points (maximum of 30 Active Points) at character creation, and are the only characters who have the option of acquiring tech via character points. Sample tech item: Solar-Powered Civilian Laser Pistol - 1d6+1 AP RKA, OAF, 8 charges. 30 Active Points, 12 Real Points. This weapon has been passed down through the generations to the eldest child. Each new wielder receives the weapon in an elaborate ceremony, that ends with the current wielder placing the weapon in the recipient's hand and intoning the ancient incantation, "Transfer authorization to new user". The weapon runs out of power after 8 shots, but recharges after sitting in sunlight for a full day. [Note that weapons bought with points do not take limitations like Real Weapon.] Muts (pronounced either as 'Mutts' or 'Mutes') Muts are humans that have been changed in the aftermath of the Final War. Most muts show some physical sign of their mutations, and some have suffered massive alterations. Mut characters must take the following: Distinctive Feature: Mutated Human - 5 points. All muts must take this disadvantage, even if they have no physical signs of mutation. Many devices of the ancients can see past appearance to the true nature of a being. Distinctive Feature: Mut - 5+ points. Muts with physical signs of their mutation may take this disadvantage. This may also be the basis for taking certain hunteds, as there are groups in the wasteland who hunt down muts. Mutant Powers - Varies. The changes wrought by the Final War have given some (but not all) muts special abilities. Examples of such abilities can be found in the Post-Apocalyptic HERO book, pages 112-128. Powers have a limit of 30 Active Points, and all proposed powers will be carefully scrutinized for balance. Sample mutant power: Kinetic Fist - +2d6 hand-to-hand attack, Double Knockback (up to 4d6 Double Knockback with STR). Note: This changes the default of the attack from Knockdown to Knockback. 17 Active Points, 11 Real Points. The mut has the power to magnify the force of a punch and distribute it along the foe's entire body, catapulting him backward. Beasts Legends say that before the Final War, the only creatures capable of thought and reasoning were humans. However, part of the changes wrought upon the land changed many of the animals. Many became larger and more aggressive than their pre-War counterparts, and several became sentient. A rare few developed mutations unrelated to their form. Altered animals, whether sentient or not, are known as beasts. Beast characters must take the following: Distinctive Feature: Mutated Animal - 10 points. All beasts must take this disadvantage, regardless of form or level of sentience. Many devices of the ancients can detect them, and beasts are more likely to suffer an adverse reaction when interacting with the ancient tech. Distinctive Feature: Beast - 10+ points. Beasts have significant physical differences from Pures and Muts, and are hard to disguise from those who hold prejudices against them. This may also be a basis for taking certain Hunteds, as several groups in the wastelands fear beasts and may attack them on sight. Altered Form - Most beasts have special powers related to their form. These are similar to the mutant powers possessed by muts, save that beasts generally have physical mutations and almost never have purely mental powers. Examples of such abilities can be found in the Post-Apocalyptic HERO book, pages 112-128. Powers have a limit of 30 Active Points, and all proposed powers will be carefully scrutinized for balance. Sample altered form power: Carapace - 6 PD, 4 ED armor plus Hardened advantage for Armor PD plus Hardened advantage on base PD (up to 8). 19 Active Points, 19 Real Points. Several beasts have developed natural protection from the rigors of the wasteland. The carapace is tough enough to blunt the force of even high-velocity piercing weapons. In addition, the beast has a limited resistance to energy-based hazards of the wasteland like fire and electricity. However, lasers have an easy time cutting through the carapace. Weeds No one is sure how some of the plants of the Wasteland gained sentience. The most common legend is that a mut with the ability to control plants pushed her powers too far, and died. At the moment of death, her consciousness fragmented and was imbued into the many plants under her control, and passed along to the seedlings. Another legend states that in the last days of the Final War, desperate men tampered with plants to create guardians for their fading civilization. Several of these plants are hostile and/or insane by human standards, and the Pures have nicknamed them 'Weeds'. Players interested in playing a Weed should contact the gamemaster for details. Everyman Skills Acting 8-, Climbing 8-, Concealment 8-, KS: of player's choice 11-, KS of player's choice 8-, Native Language (4 pts of Amrikana, no literacy), Paramedics 8-, PS of player's choice (job, hobby, or other area of interest) 11-, Shadowing 8-, Stealth 8-, Survival (mountains) 8-, TF: one subset of Riding Animals. Other Character Guidelines Characters are built using the Hero System 5th Edition Revised rulebook (5ER) at the Heroic level (75+75). Power Frameworks are not allowed. All characters will be reviewed for balance and to ensure they fit within the setting. Aside from the tech item allowed to a Pure, equipment is not bought with points. Starting equipment will be based on character background, and should fit within the pseudo-medieval tech level. Firearms will not be given out at character creation, but may be bartered for if a supplier can be found. Specific notes on skills, powers, and disadvantages are listed below: Characteristics: Normal Characteristics Maxima is a standard disadvantage for characters, though special permission can be given to avoid taking it. Characters with NCM get 20 points for the disadvantage, as per 5ER page 329. Skills: Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, and Transport Familiarities with vehicles are allowed, but the character will not have access to a vehicle at the start of the game. It will be possible to acquire vehicles during the course of the campaign. Concealment is also used for scavenging, as per the Post-Apocalyptic HERO book (pg 36). Inventor can be used in conjunction with other skills to create primitive guns and other devices, but ancient tech requires resources far beyond what is available to the characters. The skill can also be used to figure out basic uses of ancient tech. The language of the ancients is both familiar and strange to the denizens of the wasteland. It is possible for characters to figure out some words with INT rolls. Some scholars have taken the language Pre-Apocalypse English. Starting characters may purchase this language at no higher than the 1 point level (Basic Conversation). Characters may also purchase Literacy, and those who do are literate with all languages known to them (if those languages have a written version). Survival must be bought for different environments. There is one new environment - Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland, which allows characters to survive in areas with Bad Water and Glow Spots. Weapon Familiarity may be taken with weapons the character doesn't have access to, if their background justifies the purchase. For example, a character who originally came from Lo may have used firearms in the past, even if they currently don't have a gun. Perks: The Money perk is very rare in the wasteland. The few that have it generally derive their wealth from control of resources, either directly or indirectly. For example, a character who knows how to make weapons may have the Money perk, representing the bartering power of trading assembled weapons for raw materials or other supplies. Reputation generally isn't appropriate beyond the starting area of Fedrex, as there is no widespread communications to carry the tales of the character throughout the wasteland. Powers: LS: High Radiation only protects against environmental effects, not radiation attacks. It has the prerequisite of at least 3 points of Power Defense that applies versus radiation. Power Defense must be bought versus a specific effect (radiation, poison, etc), with the exception of the Power Defense possessed by Pures. Power Defense bought versus radiation only applies to low-level radiation effects. Stronger radiation requires that the Power Defense be bought as resistant (via Damage Resistance), and some lethal radiation effects may require that the Power Defense be bought with the Hardened advantage. All purchase of Power Defense versus radiation requires special approval, as radiation is one of the major hazards of the wasteland. Disadvantages: Dependent NPCs in the Starfall campaign are often bought as 'floating' DNPCs. Examples include the "girl in every town", the "child in trouble", etc. While the DNPC changes from adventure to adventure, the standard rules about the character being obligated to protect the DNPC applies. Most DNPCs are only bought at the 8- level. Hunteds only apply if the Hunted knows you personally. Simply being a mut or beast isn't enough to have the Order of the Pure as a Hunted - they have to have some reason to seek you out specifically. Hunteds work best as organizations, as most conflicts between a Hunter and a PC end up with one or the other dying. Hunteds are limited to an 8- roll except in exceptional circumstances. Reputation requires special permission to take as a disadvantage, since the lack of communication between areas makes it difficult for a reputation to be sufficiently widespread to be worth points. Sample Hunteds: Order of the Pure (More Powerful, 8-): 15 points. A group dedicated to rebuilding the ancient tech, and the ascension of the Pure over the aberrations created by the Apocalypse. Stargazers (As Powerful, NCI, 8-): 15 points. Religious cult that believes the tech of the ancients to be responsible for the Apocalypse. Gang of 70 (More Powerful, Limited Area, 8-): 10 points. A gang that limits its membership to 70 people (not including recruits). Normally seen on the ancient road near the Great Var, but they have been spotted as far north as Unirad and as far south as Cassrock. Darwinists (As Powerful, 8-): 10 points. A group that believes that the fall of the ancients is the result of evolution, and that Pures have been surpassed by the new races that arose after the Apocalypse. Wasteland Gang (As powerful, Limited Area, 8-): 5 points. Any one of a number of small gangs that dwell in the Wasteland.

The preacher read from the ancient book. "And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." He then turned to the crowd to explain the passage. "First came the sword, as men turned upon each other with weapons unimaginable." "Second came the hunger, and all who lived suffered the changes wrought by the tech." "Third came death, as men simply fell over, their souls rent from their bodies." "Fourth, the beasts of the earth rose up as men huddled in the shattered ruins, for Man had broken the sacred covenant that gave dominion over them." The preacher skims ahead a few lines, then continues. "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." "And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains" "And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" The book is closed, and the preacher turns toward the crowd once more. "The Day of Wrath has come and gone. The Lord has judged the guilty, and brought the virtuous into his embrace. We know this because His word is spread far and wide, contained in every Inn of the Holiday." "But what of those who remain, those who neither reached the heights of virtue nor the depths of depravity? We have been given a second chance, to work our way back into the graces of the Lord. And we must avoid the hubris that led to the Day of Wrath, when men worshiped the tech and lost sight of Him." "This is not belief. This is fact. The town of Cassrock rebuilt much of its ancient tech, only to be smote barely a season ago by a Star of Heaven. Their fate is warning to us all..." -------------------- Happy New Year, everyone! For the past few days, I've been discussing with a friend (Zac) the possibility of a HERO Central campaign set in a world that draws inspiration from sources like Gamma World and Fallout. At this point, we're ready to solicit interest in the campaign, and see what comes out of it. We're trying to decide between 5th and 6th edition HERO as the ruleset for the campaign. 5th edition has the advantage of being more accessible and more familiar to people. 6th edition has the advantage of some rule changes that are useful for this type of game, and it's the newest version of the system. We'll make the final determination based on the feedback we receive and the players we get for the game. So, for those interested, here's the campaign background: The campaign begins in the village of Fedrex, located in a hidden valley in the mountains. The heart of the village is host to a massive building of ancient tech, next to a bridge over a waterfall. Fedrex has survived because of the Rule of Cargo. Those who reach adulthood must prove their worth to remain in the village by securing Cargo - resources that the town can use for the benefit of its citizens. The more resources a citizen can secure, the higher their position in the village hierarchy. Those who bring small amounts of Cargo may only be given temporary citizenship, and be forced to quest for Cargo again after the turning of the seasons. The current leader of the town is Daryne, a middle-aged Pure who returned to the village with ancient tech that makes the water safe to drink. His position as leader appears to be guaranteed for life, as he not only is responsible for acquiring the tech, but jealously guards the knowledge of how to repair it when it breaks down. The current members of the village council were part of the same expedition that recovered the device. While limited amounts of tech are accepted by the village, particularly if it is needed to survive, many in Fedrex are fearful of acquiring too much technology. Last season, a great bolt of light lanced down from the Star of Heaven. Weeks later, a woman arrived as a refugee from Cassrock. The town had recently activated a device that awoke previously unusable tech. Unnatural lighting kept the town visible from miles away in the dark of night, strange vehicles began traveling the pathways laid down by the Ancients, and there were whispered rumors that a war party attacking Cassrock was felled from afar by metal wands that unleashed death on all who approached. These ancient wonders availed them not, as the light from the Star of Heaven destroyed the device and killed nearly half the population of Cassrock in an instant. Many say that to depend on the tech is a form of worship, and the Star of Heaven will smite any who worship false gods. The characters in Starfall are seeking to become full members of their village, either from reaching adulthood or as travelers seeking to settle in Fedrex. As no one may stay more than a season in Fedrax without having offered Cargo to the village council, groups often band together to seek out tech. While the impact of the Cargo is diminished by sharing it among a group, this is more than outweighed by the safety of traveling in numbers. The world outside Fedrex is very dangerous, as bands of mindless Beasts or savage Muts prey on solitary travelers.

Re: Post Apocalypse Resources This link doesn't work anymore. Hasn't Geocities been shut down for good? EDIT: Appears so. However, there's a link to a thread with the author here.

Re: Greatest Western Movies of all Time Several people have mentioned The Shootist, but no one has mentioned why. It's John Wayne's last movie, and the story of a gunfighter dying of cancer has eerie parallels to the actor's own impending death. I've put it on the top of my list. Others I like include the various Clint Eastwood westerns (particularly Unforgiven), Quigley Down Under, Purgatory (though it isn't a "pure" Western due to the supernatural elements), Maverick, Support Your Local Sheriff, and The Quick and the Dead.

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central While I have no current plans to convert Catalyst to 6E, I was curious to see what some of the characters would look like under 6E rules. Here's a 6E writeup for Miracle: http://homepages.peakpeak.com/~fedifensor/games/hero/silverstone/miracle-6e.htm Some of her stats are lower, but her multipower is much more flexible than the 5E version.

Re: Heroes TV show regeneration