The Souljourner

Say I want to be able to give my allies a bonus to OCV... sounds like CSLs with UBO: Simultaneous (so I can affect multiple allies)... but what's the range on "giving" the ability to others? Since it's multiple people simultaneously, can I give it to anyone in an area, or do I have to purchase area of effect? -Nate

Re: Need help with 5ER and targeting a hex. The rules say you can target a hex. Most of Hero rules kinda assume a 2D map, but there's an implicit assumption that hexes are 2 meters tall. Anyway... if you want to shoot your EB Explosion at a hex 20 meters off the ground.... unless you took some kind of limitation on it like "only detonates on contact with a solid surface" then you can do just that. Targetting a hex is targetting a hex, nothing says there has to be solid ground there. -Nate

Re: The Munchkin Build Contest Succor 1d6, 0 END Persistent, all powers of a special effect at once: 20 points. Every time you activate it you get 1d6 points to every power you have (including succor) and you can do it over and over and over without limit (since succor stacks endlessly with itself). Also, classic: Drain Int 4d6, standard effect, ranged. Drop most enemies in a single hit (well, requiring an int roll to do anything).

Re: Multiform, Multichange The base form being required to be the most expensive is no longer the case... used to be that way, but it has been changed in the latest revision (I can't remember if it was to the revised edition of 5th that did it, or from 4th... anyway..). Since that is the case, I don't think you should ever make the base form not the true form. By definition, the true form is the one that you go to if you lose the ability to change.... and that should be the form with the multiform power that gets lost. -Nate

Re: Skills a True Hero Must Have Tactics and Teamwork... so when you tell your fellow players how to play their characters more efficiently, the GM can't complain too much Other Guy: I'm going to blast him again Me: Wait, the last two blasts didn't work... put your variable advantage on armor piercing and AOE: one hex so you won't miss and will hopefully punch through his armor GM: Umm.... Me: Oh, sorry, want me to make a tactics or teamwork roll for that? 0:-) And KS: Supervillains and Superhuman world are awesome.... I can't tell you how often they've come in handy. -Nate

Re: OIHID vs Multiform? I use OIHID for a form that purely adds powers to the character. OIHID is the easy and simple way to do it. If you have more than one alternate form, or you need to do more than just add powers (i.e. reduce characteristics, skills, change disadvantages, etc) then multiform is the way to go. I guess I just think of OIHID as the "mini multiform" for when you don't want two character sheets for one character whose abilities really aren't all that complex. -Nate

Re: Damage Conversion I think END reserves are the key problem with this ability (then again, I think END reserves are overly cheap anyway, which is why they break this ability). One way you could do this would be with a forcefield with x10 END, instant, and trigger (whenever I get hit). A 20 PD forcefield with these limitations would only cost 6 real points. That's the other thing about this power, it doesn't differentiate vs. attack types like all other defenses do (damage reduction, absorption... all require you choose an attack type - physical, energy, mental) It's a neat thought, though. Seems almost like absorption: costs END, if absorption actually stopped the damage (which I think it should), and if it could apply against stun (which I think it should be able to, even if it doesn't default to that). -Nate

Re: Is anything in the system correctly priced?

Re: CSLs overpriced? I don't think you should ever have to pay extra to fit special effects more accurately, if there is no mechanical advantage. You're paying for the mechanical advantage and making up the special effects. I do think there needs to be a mechanical reason why two very similar rules effects have significantly different costs, and special effects are not the answer. And saying "as long as people are aware, it's ok" is not ok, in my mind. You could price killing attacks at 100 points per DC and say "Well, as long as people are aware, that's ok". It's not ok. The prices don't represent the mechanics. Now maybe the prices are only slightly off and wouldn't work if you changed them, that's possible, in which case we'd have to accept that some of them are really only viable in NCM games... and that wouldn't be the end of the world. -Nate

Re: CSLs overpriced? I wasn't saying that there's no place in Hero for combat skill levels. Rather the opposite... that I like them, but find them overpriced. Saying "it fits SFX better" doesn't mean anything when we're talking about cost. If CSLs were 100 points each, they'd still fit some SFX better, and still be overpriced. Schr1964 - +1 dex does not equal +1 OCV/DCV. +3 dex does. Thus, you need 9 points. And I wouldn't put Only For OCV at -1/2.... you're reducing dex's effectiveness by half *at least*, so it should be -1. Braincraft - this is something I was thinking about last night... CSLs need more usefulness. Right now, they're primarily only +1 CV, or two for +1 DC. If there were other cool things you could do with them, that would make their cost a little more palatable. Bouncing is one good example of a way to make CSLs more useful... are there others I've missed? I'd love to see more things like that, things that make a character with CSLs actually different and more interesting than a character who just has higher Dex. -Nate

Re: Multiple Characters per Player The game I'm in is 4 players, and we rotate between 3 characters each (never running more than one at a time in real time). It sometimes can make for a difficult to follow plot, but it lets us explore a lot more character possibilities. I tend to love to create new characters, so it's been great for me not to be stuck playing the same character all the time. I think giving control of a few common NPCs can be just fine, but that means they move out of your control, so you can't depend on them for any plot critical actions. Plus, it puts them out of GM fiat range, so if the party needs a quick heal and Mr. NPC Healer is out of END, you can't fudge it for them. I don't think it's ever a good idea to have players running more than one character concurrently in real time.... it's too hard for the player to keep track, and too likely that they'll get run with too much knowledge and cooperation of the other character. -Nate

Re: New Mechanic: Reach How is this different from stretching?

Re: CSLs overpriced? I'm not saying lower point CSLs are bad compared to higher point ones. I'm saying higher point ones are bad compared to dex. 8 point CSLs are almost always worse than just buying more dex. 10 point overall levels are a different matter, since they work with all skills (and really don't make much sense for most character concepts... few people are just plain better at *everything*) That's a very good suggestion, I definitely should pick it up. -Nate

+3 Overall CSLs is 24 points. +9 dex is 27 points. [edit - this should be "Combat Skill Levels with All Combat" as Hyperman pointed out... I'm mixing metaphors as it were] +3 overall levels gives you +3 to OCV or DCV (split as you choose) +3 overall levels can sacrifice two of those CSLs for +1 DC (a pretty poor martial manuever) +9 dex gives +3 to both OCV and DCV +9 dex gives you 9 points towards +1 speed +9 dex gives you +3 to all dex based skills +9 dex lets you go earlier in a phase (effectively 13 points of lightning reflexes... but I think LR is overpriced as well) Why are CSLs so expensive? If I were to cost them out, I'd say they'd probably be right at half the cost. I can almost never justify giving them to my characters except sometimes the 2 point CSLs. I love the concept of a very skilled character, but just buying more Dex comes out cheaper and more effective 95% of the time. Here's how I'd price them and the limitations that get me there: Overall Combat Skill Level +3 Dex, Only for OCV or DCV (-3/4) = 5 points (calling it -3/4 since you can choose which you want round by round) Ranged/Melee Only Combat Skill Level +3 Dex, Only for OCV or DCV (-3/4), Only for Melee/Ranged (-1) = 3 points DCV Combat Skill Level +3 Dex, Only for DCV (-1) = 4 points The DCV CSLs are actually the closest to the correct price both from my personal experience, and from what seems to make sense from a rules standpoint Single Attack Combat Skill Level +3 Dex, Only for OCV or DCV (-3/4), Only for one specific attack (-2) = 2 points Ahh yes, we get to the 2 point CSL and I think they're priced just right. -Nate

Re: What is awsome? Who's awesome? Why Baron von Awesome, of course! Spokesman for Binary Corp, international supermodel, and the most powerful superhero in Millenium City (just ask him!). Basically a superman knock-off with huge presence and a low Ego... he was a hell of a lot of fun to roleplay, but got boring in fights pretty quick since he didn't have a lot of options. -Nate

Re: Limited Characteristics I do limited characteristics all the time... one of my favorite is linking presence to another power.... for example, the Human Torch is a hell of a lot scarier when he's on fire. I've also made characters who have various charged items for characteristics, but that's generally the character's schtick - I'm the guy that has to juice up before battle... Most characters don't limit their characteristics because it doesn't make sense for their character. Superman's strength isn't limited because he's always strong, for example. Sure, you could make a guy who's a normal and turns into a super with only in hero ID, but that doesn't fit everyone's character. -Nate

I started to make a character today who I wanted to have high-ish strength, but if he uses all of it, it's a big strain on his body (i.e. increased END). So what I did was buy 20 strength normally, then +10 strength at x3 END and +10 strength at x5 END. This isn't him increasing his strength temporarily... it's always there, he just tends not to exert himself fully, 'since it's so taxing. Now here's the problem... that 20 strength costs 8 points... but you still get all the figured characteristics out of them, and you still get a higher strength roll, etc. and none of those are affected by "increased END". Increased END only matters when he exerts his strength to lift something or hit something. I know this should likely be filed under "Strength is too cheap" and leave it at that, but the interaction with Increased Endurance is an interesting one, since there are so many ways that Strength can be used without costing END (such as contributing to figured characteristics). -Nate

Re: KB discussion Yeah, I think most characters get knocked back from most decent hits. I mean, heck, even non-supers in the movies get kicked 10 feet back into walls, mirrors, through windows, etc. And that's normals. I think most of the time when you get hit solidly, you go flying. Maybe a lot of the energy projectors take "does no knockback" *shrug*. -Nate

I have a martial artist who I want to have several special moves he does that have special effects - area of effect, armor piercing, etc. All of these moves he does with his katana (one example - area of effect: line, selective - basically he runs through a line of guys and strikes each one of them in turn). So... what do you think, should it be a multipower with a bunch of hand to hand attacks each with a different advantage, or should I buy the hand to hand attack separately and buy naked advantages in a multipower? I like the naked advantage idea because it separates the sword from the maneuver. It also allows me to pay end for the maneuver and not for the sword. However, it is a little wacky (and Hero Designer is being a bitch with naked modifiers) So, second question about martial maneuvers... this is a superheroic game... I have a hand to hand attack (6d6) and strength (20: 4d6) and some martial maneuvers (+2 or 4d6). Assuming I'm also doing one of the maneuvers above (in which ever format is most appropriate), can I add strength and martial maneuvers to the hand to hand attack even though it's be affected by one or more advantages? So, let's say I have a 6d6 HA AOE: Line and apply 4d6 from strength and 4d6 from a martial maneuver. I now have a 14d6 line attack for pretty damn cheap. Is this just the beauty (or brokenness depending on your point of view) of hand to hand attacks and/or martial maneuvers? -Nate

Re: What power sets do you like, but never play? A Teleporter someone using absorption a brick (other people always make the brick before I get a chance) I love the idea of someone with such a huge presence, they knock people over. I had a guy with a lot of presence, but found it hard to use on a regular basis. The 40th "freeze, evildoers!" kinda gets lame. -Nate

Re: Need some help with teleporting character concept. I *love* the stretching-as-teleport power! That's totally kickass. I always wondered about how to model the bamf there and back without it taking two actions. Very cool. -Nate

Re: Healing I think healing and aid are different enough that they deserve their own powers. I honestly don't think they're causing any confusion about when you should use which.. they're clearly different effects. As for adding a bunch of advantages and disadvantages to make one power act like two.. I think it's adding complexity where its not needed. The two powers are each very common constructions, and it's a lot easier just to say "aid 5d6 to STR" or "healing 5d6 to END" than to have to specify the 3 or 4 modifiers that make the one power into each of those constructions. Also, having separate powers makes their active points and real points the same for baseline cases. This is important for power frameworks, and given the commonality of these powers, I think it's a consideration worth making. -Nate

Re: Tri-system experiment Heck, you can make it so much less complex than that. Drop all the advantage and limitation modifiers... once the power is calculated, it doesn't matter what they are (at least for newbies). Also, drop the costs as well, they also don't matter. Try this: Holy Ice Cream Cone of Smiting: Hand to Hand Attack, 10d6 --- Penetrating: minimum 1 stun per die after defenses --- Focus: Physical object that returns to Thia's hands if taken away --- Special: +6d6 damage against the avowed enemies of Thia All you need then is to know that "hand to hand" attacks are added to your strength damage, which is a pretty basic thing. I'm glad someone brought this up, because I'm trying to introduce one of my gaming groups to Hero and I think a character sheet like this would make it a lot easier. -Nate

So we have two fighters, Attacker and Blocker. Both have speed 4. Attacker has Dex 20, Blocker has Dex 15. Attacker attacks Blocker on segment 3, Blocker aborts his 3 to block, and succeeds in the roll. On segment 6, both parties get to act. The book says that Attacker is delayed until after Blocker's dex, but may act on his own Dex if he attacks someone else. I don't really understand how that works. It sounds like he could shoot off an attack at someone else on his own Dex. Can he move away from Blocker on his own Dex and then shoot someone else? Can he activate his forcefield on his own dex as he's shooting someone else? -Nate

In Hero designer, there is a martial manuever called counterstrike which in its description says "must follow block". A brick of ours tried to use this last night, and we got a little confused as to how it's supposed to work (and it doesn't seem to exist in the 5ER book, and the combat book just has the table entry without a full description). Does the brick get an immediate counterattack after performing the block (on the same segment) or does he have to wait until his next phase? If he has to wait, what happens if the target moves away before he gets to go again? Can he move before performing the counterstrike? Thanks, -Nate