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Outsider

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Everything posted by Outsider

  1. Magic armor could have a degree of "dune shield" in it. The faster a projectile is moving, the more the magic protects. An arrow moving at 200 fps and a musket ball moving at 600 fps might (magically and oh so conveniently) end up with about the same effect after armor.
  2. In a setting with a lot of magic (high fantasy) this may not work, but in a low magic or no magic setting where guns are rare, one could give them a linked Presence Attack against anything not specifically trained to face them. The flash, bang, and smoke tend to upset the horses, and sometimes the peasants. They tend to shy away from and resist orders to approach the source, and possibly make a ride or leadership check necessary. PCs should have enough PRE that the attack largely bounces off them.
  3. I will second -1/2. Basically, you're adding a defense (Forcefield) that doesn't stack with other defenses (or even clothing) and, IIRC, non-cumulative is -1/2. You could also add "Extra Time (only to start)" to represent the time it takes to apply the woad. And maybe even "can be dispelled by being washed off", but then, woad is a dye, so it might be pretty hard to wash off... Probably best to leave this as a special effect limitation (-0) rather than trying to get points for it. I know if one of my players took "can be washed off" it would happen sometimes!
  4. Hence Trump having had 3 wives... Or is it his native charm and looks that draw them in?
  5. You could also write it up as an AoE Hex dex drain or suppression, large enough to drop most people to 0 or negative. IIRC, when at 0 or negative dex, one has to make a dex roll (at the lowered dex) to do most anything physical. A failed roll means they just flop around uselessly, suspended in the middle of the gravity trap. A successful roll means they manage to 'swim' out of it, or snag something to pull themselves out with, or whatever. This might be more of a 5th edition idea though. I don't have any of my books handy, as everything is currently packed for moving.
  6. HERO already favors high OCV, and has several mechanisms already in place to convert high OCV into more damage. The existing methods all incorporate the trade off where one's chances to hit go down in exchange for increased damage such as with levels used to increase damage and aimed shots. Adding a method by which high OCV adds to damage without decreasing odds to hit seems like it would result in CV being not just good to have, but all that really matters.
  7. If he were shy and named Roy, he could be her coy goy boy toy Roy.
  8. By the book, a character can only make a magic item by spending character points on them. Using that method for expendable items seems pretty harsh, even with the -2 Independent limitation. My method was to build the power as usual, but to add Trigger advantage, combined with Usable by Others advantage if the person triggering the power could direct where it went as opposed to simply being hit by the triggered power themselves. The maker of the scroll or potion paid the END cost when the trigger was set, and I controlled how many of these they could have laying about by requiring expensive, rare or otherwise difficult ingredients, and by requiring a long casting time of at least hours, and possibly days per trigger set.
  9. Using both is easily justifiable, I'd think. Say you have a lightning bolt spell. It requires the caster to have a wand carved from the wood of a lightning struck tree in order to cast it. Such a wand isn't a trivial expense, as it requires not only a specific special subcategory of wood, but also some intricate specialist carving. Said wand holds some residual magical energy from the lightning strike, enough to power a single shot of the lightning bolt spell. When the spell is cast, and the residual energy is released, it consumes the wand. Larry the Lightning Wizard keeps eight wands prepared and stored in a special, easy access holster he has had made to hold them. Larry's Lightning Lance: 2D6 RKA (E) Armor Piercing (+1/2) Gestures (-1/4) Incantations (-1/4) Skill Roll (-1/2) Expendable Obvious Accessible Focus (-1 1/4) 8 Charges (-1/2) (30 Base Points : 45 Active Points -2.75 total limitations : real cost 12 points) If Larry didn't take expendable on his focus, but still took charges, the explanation could be that while the Lightning Struck Wood Wand isn't consumed in the casting, it does only accumulate natural magical energy at such a rate that it can only be used to power up to 8 shots of Larry's Lightning Lance per day.
  10. Charges that do not recover DO NOT RECOVER. If you're staying strictly within the rules, the only way to get more use out of a power bought "Charges do not recover" that has had all of its charges spent is to spend character points to improve the number of charges available to the power, or to buy off the "Does not Recover" entirely. You could, I suppose, lock up experience points in loot you give the spell caster that can be spent only to reduce the charges limitation, but that seems awkward to me. Expendable Foci, on the other hand, seems to be specifically made for this, so it is probably what should be used.
  11. It might be more interesting to simply give him a spell that points to the owner (or heir) and he has to go on an adventure to get to them and return the item. If the spell points to the rightful heir, things could even get sticky when it doesn't point to the person people recognized as the heir...
  12. Ah, see this could be something entirely different. When a spell is found, does the character have to spend experience points to learn it, or does he simply have that spell available from then on if he has the requisite hermetic or wiccan skill? The first option would be like finding an instruction book on how to make a magic sword that the gm says will allow you top spend experience to make one. The second is like finding an actual magic sword. Pick it up and go!
  13. This sounds like a limitation that isn't likely to limit the character any time except in character creation. Unless, as Netzilla said, things that remove the prerequisite skill will be coming up occasionally. I too would probably mark it up to "campaign flavor requirement for spell casting" and be on my way. However... if I really really wanted it to be a limitation on the spell, then I would look at how it would change the character point budget during creation, and value it such that it was likely to be a wash or a near wash. . Even as just a -1/4 limitation, this impact can be pretty big, depending on how you're allowing people to buy spells.
  14. Can you haymaker your STR while netted? If so, then even a mimpy 10 STR peasant can break out pretty quickly.
  15. The UK has 92 rest areas supported by 66 million people. The USA (lower 48 only) has 2740 rest areas supported by 319 million people. The UK ones are generally farmed out to private industry to run and profit from, while the US ones are a free public service.
  16. If your characters are generating "too many" DCs, partly by using skill levels to add damage, just up the DCV of their opponents. Give the players a decision to make... Hit for 7 DC on a 12-, or hit for 9 DC on an 8-...
  17. You can keep it next to the offog!
  18. Seems a bit steep if that is the only way to recharge, unless maybe the campaign has a lot of non-played "down time". I actually used to use that method, but also each staff had its own additional way to recharge that depended on the type of magic it was made to be used with. A fire wizard, for example, would have to build a bonfire and put is staff in there for several hours to get a full recharge, but might get less from a smaller fire or more time. A necromancer would have to perform a ritual (sapient) sacrifice to fully recharge, would get less from sacrificing an animal, and would even get a little from the (mass) sacrificing of plants. Generally, my rule was that it would take a whole day to fully recharge, with complications (such as needing a bonfire, or a human sacrifice) speeding the process up. A staff (or what have you) containing one kind of magical energy could not be used to cast another kind of magic, generally speaking. I thought it gave the magic system flavor.
  19. My sister never read Lord of the RIngs, saw the movie, and said it had a lot of cliches.
  20. You know how it is with role playing games. Any weapon with an East Asian origin will usually be at least a little bit better than its European counterpart.
  21. I've been thinking about this, and decided it would probably have been better to run these numbers at 6DC instead of 12, as 6DC would be a much more common damage level in a heroic game (In my experience), and it would make adding DC via skill levels better, relatively (2 levels add 1/6th instead of 1/12th to the damage) So here's that: STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (7 body hit, 12 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 2 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 9 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 16 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 8.38 If the player can shift by 1 1x : 1 : 0.46% : 0 2x : 34 : 15.74% : 2 3x : 73 : 33.80% : 9 4x : 88 : 40.74% : 16 5x : 20 : 9.26% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 12.01 If the player can shift by 2 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 10 : 4.63% : 2 3x : 46 : 21.30% : 9 4x : 125 : 57.87% : 16 5x : 35 : 16.20% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 14.99 If the player can shift by 3 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 4 : 1.85% : 2 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 9 4x : 156 : 72.22% : 16 5x : 56 : 25.93% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 17.56 If the player can shift by 4 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 1 : 0.46% : 2 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 9 4x : 134 : 62.04% : 16 5x : 81 : 37.50% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 18.56 If the player can shift by 5 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 0 : 0.00% : 2 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 9 4x : 108 : 50.00% : 16 5x : 108 : 50.00% : 23 Average STUN Per hit overall : 19.50 Now the same tables, substituting +1 DC per 2 OCV (compare to shift by 2, and shift by 4): +1 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 2') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (8 body hit vs 12 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 4 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 12 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 20 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 28 Average STUN Per hit overall : 11.19 +2 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 4') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (9 body hit vs 12 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 6 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 15 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 24 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 33 Average STUN Per hit overall : 13.99 +3 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 6') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (10.5 body hit vs 12 PD *Half STUN results rounded up) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 9 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 20 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 30 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 41 Average STUN Per hit overall : 18.39 In this iteration, being able to shift hit location by 1 is better than adding a DC, but not as good as adding 2 DC. Call it 3 times as effective a use of levels for damage. But shifting by 4 locations is pretty close to adding 3DCs. This would be only 1 1/2 times as effective. Another thing to think about is that average damage isn't the whole story. Shifting to a better hit location also results in more high stun hits, which are much more likely to be 'fight enders' as they will possibly leave one's opponent stunned and an easy target for a 'finishing blow'.
  22. STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (14 body hit, 25 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 3 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 17 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 31 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 15.83 If the player can shift by 1 1x : 1 : 0.46% : 0 2x : 34 : 15.74% : 3 3x : 73 : 33.80% : 17 4x : 88 : 40.74% : 31 5x : 20 : 9.26% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 23.01 If the player can shift by 2 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 10 : 4.63% : 3 3x : 46 : 21.30% : 17 4x : 125 : 57.87% : 31 5x : 35 : 16.20% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 28.99 If the player can shift by 3 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 4 : 1.85% : 3 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 17 4x : 156 : 72.22% : 31 5x : 56 : 25.93% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 34.11 If the player can shift by 4 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 1 : 0.46% : 3 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 17 4x : 134 : 62.04% : 31 5x : 81 : 37.50% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 36.12 If the player can shift by 5 1x : 0 : 0.00% : 0 2x : 0 : 0.00% : 3 3x : 0 : 0.00% : 17 4x : 108 : 50.00% : 31 5x : 108 : 50.00% : 45 Average STUN Per hit overall : 38.00 Now the same tables, substituting +1 DC per 2 OCV sacrificed (compare to shift by 2, and shift by 4): +1 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 2') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (15 body hit vs 25 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 5 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 20 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 35 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 50 Average STUN Per hit overall : 18.64 +2 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 4') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (16 body hit vs 25 PD) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 7 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 23 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 39 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 55 Average STUN Per hit overall : 21.44 +3 DC (direct comparison is 'shift hit location by 6') STUN Multiplier : Chances in 216 : percentage chance : STUN after Defense (17.5 body hit vs 25 PD *Half STUN results rounded up) 1x : 14 : 6.48% : 0 2x : 67 : 31.02% : 10 3x : 79 : 36.57% : 28 4x : 46 : 21.30% : 45 5x : 10 : 4.63% : 62 Average STUN Per hit overall : 25.8 So being able to shift your hit location by even 1 is the equivalent of between 4 and 6 levels put into adding DC, as far as average STUN output goes.
  23. I dunno. Seems to me that adding 'holy' special effect to an attack via consecration is just that, adding a special effect. Look at something like Fire vs Ice special effect... Lets say I have a Frost Brand (sword) that does 2D6 killing. Now lets say I am an Elementalist, and I have a spell that changes special effect from one element to another element, but doesn't change anything else. Damage stays the same, just a new Special Effect. One day, I am facing mummies, who I know have a 2x Body Vulnerability to fire based attacks. So I cast my 'alter element' spell on my Frost Brand, changing it to a Fire Brand. Still 2D6K, but the mummies have that vulnerability, and the 2D6 they take will be doubled. In 6th Edition, this is clearly a minor (5pts per D6) Transform. The rules use the specific example of changing an ice/fire special effect. Transform in 5th Edition has one less level of granularity, so it isn't entirely clear if this would be cosmetic (5pts per D6) or Minor (10pts per D6)
  24. Ah, I was reading the 2 bullet points as separate methods. 1) Allocate skill levels ahead of time to modify hit location OR 2) Spend a Hero Point to modify hit location after the fact, with a max mod of how much you hit by. So you're saying the method was to allocate skill levels ahead of time (reducing your chances to hit) THEN have the option of spending a HERO point to actually do the modification, and even then only if you hit by more than you needed? Example : Duelist Dan has 6 OCV and 6 Skill Levels. He is facing Maurice the Mook who has 5 DCV. Dan allocates 3 of his levels to location modification, leaving him at 9 OCV, which means a 15- to hit. Dan rolls a 13, meaning he hit by 2, then rolls an 8 for Location. Dan decides that he wants to change that 8 to something better and spends a Hero Point. He previously allocated enough skill levels to location modification that he could modify by up to three, but he only hit by 2, so he can only modify by 2. He chooses to hit Location 10 (chest) The third level allocated to location mod is effectively wasted. Tying the modification to hard to come by Hero Points makes a big difference.
  25. If you allow your players to modify their hit location roll by one for each level they dedicate towards doing so ahead of time And a player has enough OCV advantage to dedicate three levels to this, while maintaining a decent/good chance of hitting Then they will get to change their hit location roll by up to 3 either way, right? On any given location roll, they will presumably change from a worse damage location to a better damage location. So if the player rolls a 6, he can change it to a 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, or 9. Since he wants maximum damage, he will change it to a 3, 4, or 5, all of which do 5x STUN and 2x BODY If he rolls a 7 or 8, he can still change to a head location for 5x STUN and 2x BODY. On a 9, the best he can get to is a 12, for 4x STUN on 10-11-12, he can change to a 13, for 4xSTUN and 2x BODY. and so on Basically, if he can shift by up to 3, his hit location chart effectively looks like looks like this : 3-8: Head 2xBODY, 5x STUN 9 : Stomach : 1.5x BODY, 4x STUN 10-16 : VItals : 2xBODY, 4xSTUN 17-18 : Thigh/Knee : 1xBODY, 2x STUN Which is a LOT better than the regular chart. And also a lot better, as far as increasing damage done, than the standard rules option for using 2 levels to add 1 DC.
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