Steve

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

Re: What would a supers setting look like 35 years from the present?

Re: Traveller Hero: Traders of the Spinward Marches The Arcadia's combat expert, Joe Cannon. [b]Joe Cannon[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 20 STR 10 20 13- HTH Damage 4d6 END [4] 18 DEX 24 18 13- OCV 6 DCV 6 18 CON 16 18 13- 12 BODY 4 12 11- 8 INT -2 8 11- PER Roll 11- 8 EGO -4 8 11- ECV: 3 15 PRE 5 15 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 10 COM 0 10 11- 7 PD 3 7/10 7/10 PD (0/3 rPD) 4 ED 0 4/7 4/7 ED (0/3 rED) 4 SPD 12 4 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8 REC 0 8 36 END 0 36 31 STUN 0 31 7 RUN 0 7" END [2] 3 SWIM 0 3" END [2] 4 LEAP 0 4" 4" forward, 2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 68[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 7 [b][i]Can Take A Punch[/i][/b]: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% (15 Active Points); STUN Damage Defined As Pain/Shock Only (-1/2), Requires A CON Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll; -1/4), Must Be Aware Of Attack (-1/4) - END=0 1 [b][i]Combat Leaping[/i][/b]: Leaping 3" (3 Active Points); Only To Make Half Moves In Combat (-1) - END=1 7 [b][i]Combat Running[/i][/b]: Running 7" (14 Active Points); Only To Make Half Moves In Combat (-1) - END=1 2 [b][i]Swift Runner[/i][/b]: Running +1" (7" total) - END=1 1 [b][i]Swift Swimmer[/i][/b]: Swimming +1" (3" total) - END=1 [b]POWERS Cost: 18[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]MARTIAL ARTS[/u][/b] Cinematic Fighting 5 1) Disarming Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab Weapon, 25 STR to take weapon away; Target Falls 5 2) Flying Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove 4 3) Punch/Kick: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 6d6 Strike 3 4) Takedown: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, 4d6 Strike; Target Falls Gunfighting 4 1) Accurate Shot: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, Range +0, Strike 3 2) Diving Shot: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, Range +1, Weapon Strike, Half Move Required, You Fall 5 3) Offensive Ranged Disarm: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +2, Disarm, +2 DC to Disarm [b]MARTIAL ARTS Cost: 29[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] Combat Training 3 1) +1 with Small Arms 3 2) Fast Draw (Small Arms) 13- 3 3) Tactics 11- 8 4) WF: Beam Weapons, Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms, Vehicle Weapons (Missiles, Particle Weapons, Screens) Imperial Navy (Gunnery Officer) Training 2 1) +1 with EGO Roll 3 2) Computer Programming 11- 3 3) Electronics 11- 0 4) KS: Imperial Navy 11- 2 5) KS: Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World 11- 2 6) KS: Vargr Military 11- 1 7) Language: Vargr (basic conversation) 0 8) PS: Navy 11- 6 9) Systems Operation (Sensors, Weapons Systems) 13- 1 10) TF: EVAC Suits, Personal Use Spacecraft, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles Everyman Skills 0 1) Acting 8- 0 2) AK: [Home Planet] 11- 0 3) AK: [Home Region-Aslan Hierate, Imperium, etc] 11- 0 4) AK: Spinward Marches 8- 0 5) Climbing 8- 0 6) Concealment 8- 0 7) Conversation 8- 0 8) CuK: Native Culture 11- 0 9) Deduction 8- 0 10) KS: [Player's Choice] 8- 0 11) Language: Native language [Players Choice] (idiomatic) 0 12) Language: Galanglic (completely fluent) 0 13) Paramedics 8- 0 14) Persuasion 8- 0 15) PS: [Player's Choice-Job or Hobby] 8- 0 16) Shadowing 8- 0 17) Stealth 8- [b]SKILLS Cost: 37[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]PERKS[/u][/b] 3 Appearance: Ruggedly Handsome (A large group) 14-, +1/+1d6 [b]PERKS Cost: 3[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]TALENTS[/u][/b] 7 Deadly Blow: +1d6 (only works with firearms) 4 Environmental Movement (no penalties in Zero-G) 5 Rapid Healing 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) [b]TALENTS Cost: 22[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 5 Distinctive Features: Soldier Attitude/Bearing (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 15 Enraged: Last man standing (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11- 10 Hunted: CO of lost platoon 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish) 10 Hunted: Mercenary Company 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish) 15 Psychological Limitation: Flashbacks/Relives Combat Massacre (Uncommon, Total) 10 Psychological Limitation: Soldier Mentality (Common, Moderate) 5 Reputation: Warrior of Death, 11- (Known Only To Soldiers/Mercenaries) 5 Social Limitation: Unsophisticated (Occasionally, Minor) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 75[/b] Base Pts: 100 Exp Required: 2 Total Exp Available: 4 Exp Unspent: 2 Total Character Cost: 177

Re: Traveller Hero: Traders of the Spinward Marches First up, the Captain and owner of the Arcadia. [b]Zachariah Hunter - Zak, Zachary, the Captain[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 15 STR 5 15 12- HTH Damage 3d6 END [3] 18 DEX 24 18 13- OCV 6 DCV 6 15 CON 10 15 12- 12 BODY 4 12 11- 13 INT 3 13 12- PER Roll 12- 11 EGO 2 11 11- ECV: 4 15 PRE 5 15 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 10 COM 0 10 11- 6 PD 3 6 6 PD (0 rPD) 4 ED 1 4 4 ED (0 rED) 3 SPD 2 3 Phases: 4, 8, 12 6 REC 0 6 30 END 0 30 28 STUN 0 28 6 RUN 0 6" END [1] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 3 LEAP 0 3" 3" forward, 1 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 59[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 7 [b][i]Brawling[/i][/b]: +10 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) - END= 5 [b][i]Not Easily Impressed[/i][/b]: +10 PRE (10 Active Points); Defensive Only (-1) - END= [b]POWERS Cost: 12[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] Combat Training 8 1) +1 with All Combat 3 2) Fast Draw (Small Arms) 13- 4 3) WF: Small Arms, Vehicle Weapons (Small Commercial Spacecraft), Vehicle Weapons (Small Military Spacecraft) Experienced Free Trader 2 1) AK: Spinward Marches 11- 3 2) Bribery 12- 3 3) Mechanics 12- 3 4) Navigation (Hyperspace, Space) 12- 0 5) PS: Free Trader 11- 3 6) Systems Operation (Life Support Systems, Radar, Radio) 12- 5 7) Trading 13- 4 8) TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Air/Raft, Commercial Spacecraft, EVAC Suit, Military Spacecraft (Small), Personal Use Spacecraft SolSec Training 2 1) +1 with EGO Roll 5 2) Bureaucratics 13- 3 3) Conversation 12- 3 4) Criminology 12- 3 5) Deduction 12- 0 6) KS: The Law Enforcement World 11- 3 7) Paramedics 12- 3 8) Streetwise 12- Everyman Skills 0 1) AK: Solomani Rim 11- 0 2) AK: Third Imperium 11- 0 3) Acting 8- 0 4) Climbing 8- 0 5) Concealment 8- 0 6) CuK: Solomani Culture 11- 0 7) Language: Galanglic (completely fluent) 0 8) Language: Solomani (idiomatic) 0 9) Persuasion 8- 0 10) Shadowing 8- 0 11) Stealth 8- [b]SKILLS Cost: 60[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]PERKS[/u][/b] 1 Appearance: Nice Eyes (A large group) 8-, +1/+1d6 3 Appearance: Ruggedly Handsome (A large group) 14-, +1/+1d6 30 Starship (Type-A Free Trader) [Fully Owned, +KCr500] 1 Fringe Benefit: Starship Master's License [b]PERKS Cost: 35[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]TALENTS[/u][/b] 4 Environmental Movement (no penalties in Zero-G) 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) [b]TALENTS Cost: 10[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 10 Hunted: Grigori Yanukovich 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish) 15 Hunted: SolSec 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, Capture) 15 Psychological Limitation: Chivalrous: (Common, Strong) 10 Psychological Limitation: Hatred of the Imperium: (Common, Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Machismo: (Common, Strong) 5 Rivalry: Tanya Diamante: Professional (Mercantile), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry 5 Social Limitation: Former SolSec Officer: (Occasionally, Minor) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 75[/b] Base Pts: 100 Exp Required: 1 Total Exp Available: 7 Exp Unspent: 6 Total Character Cost: 176

Re: Traveller Hero: Traders of the Spinward Marches I forgot to copy in my my house rule in this campaign for Comeliness. It is taken from this thread a while back in the Hero System Discussion forum.

Re: Iconic Villains I think I'd add Green Dragon to the list.

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

At long last, my Traveller Hero campaign has finally begun. Here is the campaign document, although much of it was cribbed from AlHazred's post here for his Flight of a Thousand Years campaign (and I hope he doesn't mind): What the characters didn't know at the time was that the Fifth Frontier War was about to begin, pitting the Sword Worlds, Zhodani and Vargr against the Third Imperium. The characters were drafted into the naval auxillary in District 268 of the Spinward Marches. Coming up next... the crew of the Far Trader Arcadia. EDIT: Wow! This is my 1000th post.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Some bits from the first regular session of my new Traveller Hero campaign, "Traders of the Spinward Marches." I will be posting more details on the campaign in the Star Hero forum. The campaign opens in the middle of the Fifth Frontier War. The crew of the Arcadia, an aging rustbucket Far Trader, consists of four human males (PCs), a female replicant (NPC), and a male Vargr (PC). They've been recruited as naval auxillaries, and their first assignment is to shuttle supplies and a couple of Imperial marine fire teams to an outpost about a dozen parsecs away. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Female Imperial marine upon first seeing the ship: "It's a piece of junk!" Lupo (PC-Vargr Pilot): "Hey! She's made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs." More Star Wars riffs quickly followed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another Imperial marine "Is there any entertainment on this ship?" Benington (PC-Ship's Doctor): "We've got a Vargr." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The ship's engineer does some maintenance work a few jumps out and promptly rolls an 18 on his Mechanics check. GM (Me): "It looks like the air scrubbers are burned out." Owens (PC-Mechanic): "It's not my fault! The navy techs pulled out all my mods when they retrofitted the ship. You know the Vargr sheds."

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See? Is there a possibility that a PA "alternate future" for the Champions Universe could be included? I remember one being mentioned in the back of the VIPER sourcebook "VIPERS in the Dust" I think was the name. Maybe that could be expanded a little bit and included here?

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See? Sorry, I meant to say characteristic levels. Grittier settings seem to fit better with lower primary characteristics in the 8-18 range. The wilder the setting, the higher the characteristics. Using skills, "fighting tricks" and super-skills instead of Powers should also get some mention in the lower-powered settings.

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See? Character Creation: Please include discussions on how point levels should fit into the various genres. For example, a grittier, more realistic PAH setting I would like to see follow along the lines suggested in Valdorian Age (ie primary characteristics starting at 8 and more skill-based talents and fighting tricks instead of powers). A wilder, Gamma World-style setting could go into low-end superhumans (maybe with characteristic maximas set at 30 or 25 instead of 20). Settings: You must include at least one homage to the "Planet of the Apes" somewhere among the various settings.

Re: test. The OP is now showing up as "A jewel in the rough" on his rep rating, but his rep score still shows 0. Why is that?

Re: Beowulf-class Type-A Free Trader Deckplans Let me second the request for an HDC on a Far Trader.

Should the Deadly Blow Talent be taken into account when figuring the costs of Naked Advantages affecting weapons? Several of the Super-Skills in Dark Champions use an assumed Active Point value of the weapon involved to figure the cost of the Super-Skill, such as Double-Tap or Quick Fire. Should Deadly Blow add to the Active Point value of attacks to figure the costs of those Super-Skills?

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Digging through old D&D campaign notes: Said to a lawful evil cleric by the party's chaotic good cleric: "I find your acts of faith... disturbing." From my old Talislanta notes (run with 1st Edition Fantasy Hero! and 50 base + 50 disad heroes): The party's wizard to the rest of the party after acquiring a shiny gold ring from an ancient tomb: "Don't worry, I can control it." (said in a very haughty tone)

Re: Regrettable Disads This reminds me of someone I knew who played a wookie in a Star Wars game. Since few humans speak that language, all communication had to be routed through his partner.

Re: test. I agree. Pile the rep on him!

Re: Questions On Expert I thought Expert was only to be used with Knowledge Skills, Languages, Professional Skills and Science Skills only? Did I misread that section in TUS?

Re: Hero's game design secrecy I've always found you to be pretty candid answering questions on the game, but my curiosity at your reluctance to answer 'why?' questions finally got the better of me after all these years. My question was not meant to be insulting, and my use of the word 'secrecy' was because I couldn't think of a better term to describe what I've seen on this particular issue.

Maybe this belongs in Company Questions, but I guess it's also a Hero System Discussion question. Something I've been occasionally curious about is the reasoning behind the answer Steve Long gives to anyone who asks a "why" sort of question regarding the Hero System. "Why is X like this?" It's always answered with something to the effect, "I'm sorry, but I don't answer game design questions." It's like there's this big secret known only to Steve Long that can't be shared with the masses, a black box of reasoning that explains why Hero 5th is written the way it is. Can anyone tell me why this is? What's with all the secrecy? Is it an intellectual property issue? Did someone upset him in the past by questioning the reasoning behind a game mechanic? Does he find questions on design philosophy annoying? Can anyone confirm or deny my guesses as to why such questions are never answered?

Re: HCPD - The 13th District (Campaign Idea) I would like to read about your game, but the link is not working.

Re: Foxbat....Where can I find Him?

Re: Attack of the 150-point Housewife Maybe something like Desperate Housewives, I suppose.

Re: Attack of the 150-point Housewife How would you modify a housewife for different eras or regions? The write-up that Weldun did suffices for 20th century America. Would there be regional differences? Would a Japanese housewife be any different than an American one? How would a 25th century housewife be different? Or a 5th century one?