Zephrosyne

Re: 6th Edition thoughts Well, first of all, I don't want to see 6th Edition for a very, very long time. That being said, I would like to see some of the powers have more generic names (e.g. Energy Blast, Darkness, Flash, etc.).

I couldn't edit my last post so I have to make another one. Sorry. When one looks into the past using Retrocognition, is the past viewed in real time? In other words if a person is looking into the past and views an event that takes one minute of time, does he spend one minute of current time to view the event? Furthermore, if the answer to the above question is yes, what about Endurance expenditure. I mean the power is Constant which means that the user will have to spend Endurance every Phase to maintain it, which can get really expensive. Would it be acceptable (by the book) for the clairsentient to reduce his Speed to 2 so that the Endurance cost is less expensive while maintaining the power? Thanks.

Before I ask the question, I want you to know that I have read the section in 5th Edition Revised on Retrocognition, I have read the FAQ, and I have read the UNTIL Superpowers Database Revised (love that book by the way). I am still a little confused. If one reads the section on Retrocognition as well as the power construct Retrocognition in the UNTIL Superpowers Database Revised it more or less seems that a clairsentient can see into the past of a specific "location." However, reading the description of the power, Psychometry, the clairsentient can see into the past of both a "location" and an "object" (granted there are limitations). Does this mean that a clairsentient with Retrocogntion can see into the past of an "object" as well as a "location?" Thanks.

Re: Opinion Fluff: Knockback Sean, I understand where you are coming from but in the game in question an object being guided with telekinesis moved rather slowly. I would have allowed him to stand on something and move with it. In fact, this game allowed a telekinetic to move himself without purchasing flight. He just would have been moving slowly. If I recall correctly it would have been around 10 kph or so. He literally wanted to use the telekinesis to "throw" himself across the sky, which is faster than guiding himself. After a certain distance, approximately maximum throwing distance, throw himself again. Just imagine some telekinetic flinging himself about. That was just a little more than I could stomach.

Re: Resurrection I love that story (Orpheus and Eurydice). Of course, the dummy did have to ruin a perfectly happy ending by looking back!

Re: Opinion Fluff: Knockback Prestidigitator, your example reminds me of a really munchkiny guy that I used to game with. He tried to convince me (I was gming a different game, not Hero) to allow him to use his telekinesis to "throw himself" around so that he didn't have to pay for flight. Needless to say, I told him "not a chance in Hell." Where to I find these people?

Re: Opinion Fluff: Knockback Has anyone run a Superheroic campaign without using Knockback? By the way, I like the idea of using the standard effect for knockback reduction. One less dice roll is a good thing.

Re: AVLD and NND Design Philosophy Curiosity Well, thanks for the responses. Dust Raven, I think I am in your camp as far as AVLD simply switching "exotic defenses." I guess overall, it is more of a balance issue than anything else. Thanks again.

I know Steve doesn't address questions regarding design philosophy and I can both understand and respect that. However, I am curious about a particular rule and I am hoping that those of you who understand the full scope of the game to a greater degree than I do can help me appreciate the rulings in question. I understand that Attack Versus Limited Defense is a +1 1/2 Advantage and I can certainly understand why. It is potentially quite potent. What I don't understand is why is it a +3/4 Advantage if one wants to exchange one "exotic" defense for another "exotic" defense. I mean why would say an Ego Attack that affects Power Defense instead of Mental Defense be worth +3/4 Advantage? It just seems a bit much. I have a similar question regarding No Normal Defense Attacks. Once again I can appreciate the +1 Advantage. It is very reasonable. However, why would say a Flash (we'll say the special effect is sand in the target's eyes), which normally affects an "exotic" defense (Flash Defense) require a +1/2 Advantage if the defense was changed to something like "rigid eye protection" (e.g. Resistant PD or sunglasses), which in nearly any campaign I would imagine is more common that Flash Defense. Both of the above examples seem like even exchanges unless I am missing something. Any enlightenment would be appreciated. Thank you.

Re: Tactics Skill CDad, that is very interesting. Tell me, is the "once per combat" rule for a practical reason or a balance reason (if you don't mind elaborating)?

Re: Tactics Skill Thanks for all of the input. It really helps a lot.

Re: Tactics Skill Yeah, Edsel, I agree with the difficulty. I am trying to find that balance between making the Skill useful and not simply telling the player what to do. I have a player with it, but I know her well enough to know that she will make it a crutch if I let her. If I have something more concrete and mechanical, it would make things a bit easier.

I was wondering if I could tap some of you gms for a bit of advice. How do you all adjudicate the Tactics Skill? Do you actually have any hard mechanics that you utilize?

Re: House Rule: Banning Multipowers & Elemental Controls? You know, you guys, I almost wish I would have let him keep the "Hates Ham" Disadvantage and nailed him with it. The interesting things is that I am considered a strict gm by the various groups for which I have gmed. Bigdamnhero, you must have read my mind. I told myself that for the next campaign, the players will be required to have 10 points of Background Skills. Furthermore, there must be at least three different Background Skills represented. In all honesty, I really have no one but myself to blame for this. I should have seen this coming. I have played with effects-based systems before (e.g. Mutants and Masterminds 2nd Edition and Silver Age Sentinels); therefore, I know that with such flexibility is great opportunity for abuse. I think that I was so concerned with getting the rules and details to Hero System down that I neglected other (arguably more important) responsibilities. Shame on me but lesson learned.

Re: House Rule: Banning Multipowers & Elemental Controls? Some nonsense about the shadows leeching the speed..er..energy out of the character blah, blah, blah. I asked him is this thing (I still refuse to acknowledge it as a character) really his concept. He said "yes." I said "fine." He is the one stuck playing it, not me.

Re: House Rule: Banning Multipowers & Elemental Controls? First of all, like I said, I allowed the character and let them have total control over what they made (with the exception of my own House Rules, which are few) so I am to blame and I accept that. I just gave advice here and there when asked. Gming this system is new to me to and I am still learning the ropes myself. I work hard at it but it is a lot to digest. The only reason the character isn't worse is because he doesn't understand the system well enough to effectively min/max it. My problem is that I can see the blatant attempts at it. They are just piss poor. The character has no Skills with the exception of Everyman Skills, Breakfall, Analyze, and Combat Skill Levels. I mean zilch for Background Skills. His powers are based on his ability to control darkness. Ironically enough, he can't even create an area of darkness. In other words, he doesn't even have the Darkness power. His reasoning is that it is too expensive. He has a Multipower that includes Energy Blast, Drain Speed, Entangle, Darkness (sight, hearing, combat sense)Usable as Attack w/Uncontrolled (I put my foot down at No Endurance), Healing (I put my foot down again when he tried for Resurrect), Flash (sight/mental sense groups). He has an Elemental Control that includes a Force Field, Teleportation, and a Force Wall. He also had the unmitigated gall to try to get me to accept "Hates Ham" and "Hates Wearing a Tuxedo" as legitimate Disadvantages. I was deemed unreasonable when I said "hell no." It isn't that the build is so tough or too difficult to challenge or anything like that, it is just insulting. For god sakes, I'm the gm and I have the whole 600 page rulebook at my disposal to stomp a mud hole into his character if I was some insecure idiot who needed an ego stroke. The artist in me will accept a lot for a concept. I honestly can but "Mending Shadows" (the lame name for the Healing slot) was a lot to swallow. This thing or construct doesn't even look like a character to me. It looks like a mediocre attempt at min/maxing. I just know that when the next campaign comes around, I will assert myself more. I took a leap of faith and fell flat on my ***!

Re: House Rule: Banning Multipowers & Elemental Controls? I just started my campaign, actually, just converted the characters from 2nd Edition Mutants and Masterminds. While I don't have a problem with Elemental Control or Mulitpower Frameworks, I did ban Variable Power Pools outright. I don't like Variable Power Pools because I don't like anything that is that open-ended nor do I like the fact that they can slow the game down to a crawl. I do realize that certain concepts are virtually impossible without them and I am fine with that. In fairness, I don't create NPC's with them either, so it balances out. This is my first time gming Hero System 5th Edition. I have three players: my best friend who is a munchkin from hell, his girlfriend (wannabe munchkin in training), and a guy who has never roleplayed before. My best friend is a very experienced roleplayer and his girlfriend has only been doing it for a few months. The last guy is totally new. The new guy's character I don't really have a problem with. It is a Wolverine knockoff (his favorite character) but not badly built. The girlfriend's character is a rather oddly built mentalist. My best friend's character makes me want to scream. Every time I see that character sheet, I get disgusted. I think he is an example of the reason that a gm would feel the way some feel about Frameworks. I don't know. Maybe I am a total neurotic. Whenever I build a character I have always made the background/concept first and then made the character. Roleplaying the character always game me so much more than kicking some bad guy's ***. Please, don't get me wrong. I am not some moronic fascist who thinks that everyone should roleplay the way I do. My best friend's character though, I would love to just butcher! Of course I won't do it and I hide my contempt because the character is built legally. He didn't violate any rules in the game and he didn't violate any of the few House Rules that I had established but I detest that character.

Re: House Rule: Alternate Characteristic How does the Con based Entangle work? I understand how one applies the Constitution Characteristic (just like doing Strength damage I would imagine) but how would you break out of it otherwise? What powers would you use?

Re: Resurrection Thank you all for your imput. It is most appreciated. I really love this game but there is so much information to take in. LOL.

I consulted both the book and the FAQ but couldn't find any answers (or I totally missed them). I understand that when a player purchases a power, he has to determine if it is powered by an Endurance Reserve or the character's own personal Endurance. What about Frameworks? Do all of the slots in a Framework have to tap into the same place for Endurance (barring the Advantage that allows a character to use both sources) or can the character mix and match them? I know this is case for Variable Power Pools (as per the FAQ) but what about Multipower and Elemental Control Frameworks? I figured Multipower and Elemental Controls worked the same way since the powers are intrinsicly linked but I wasn't sure.

Re: Resurrection Actually, it is a modern day, superheroic game. It isn't really comic book like in the 4 color sense. It is more like people with powers in the Aberrant sense.

Re: Resurrection Actually, I was thinking no point break at all. First of all, the power is at the gm's discretion and second it is only a 20 point Adder. I figure that is cheap to bring dead people back to life. Do you think that my reasoning if flawed?

Hello, I have a player with the Healing (Resurrection) power. The power doesn't give a limit as to how long before a character can no longer be resurrected. I was thinking as long as the character wasn't dead any longer than 1 hour per die the character has in Healing. Is this reasonable?

Re: Mechanics vs. SFX... Where is the line? I am just starting to gm Hero System. I did it once about fourteen years or so ago and did a mediocre job at it (at best). I am in the process of converting my Mutants and Masterminds 2nd Edition game to Hero System. So I am coming at this from a relatively newbie angle. I like Gary's approach to special effects versus mechanics. I default to mechanics for the most part, but I do believe that sometimes special effects have to carry the day. For example, if a character creates a Force Wall (non-Opaque), well say based on solidified psychokinetic energy, and had 10 PD and 10 ED and no Flash Defense, I would rule that character is vulnerable to a Flash based on bright light because Force Walls by default are transparent to light. However, I wouldn't let the same character be affected by a Flash based on a sandstorm no more than someone behind a regular wall would be, let alone someone poking his fingers in the character's eye even if he where at the edge of the Force Wall and technically within hand to hand range. I think some of the places where mechanics and special effects conflict are because of the powers being used to simulate the special effect. A good example is the current thread based on Entangle. I have also seen examples of Paralysis being a bio-manipulation special effect built using Entangle. To be frank, I am not a fan of using Entangle to create restraints that do not simulate matter or solidified energy. How does physical strength stop paralysis? Even with the Takes No Damage From Attacks Advantage, it doesn't make sense. How do you attack the paralysis, which according to the letter of the rules you should be able to do with a -3 OCV penalty? Are you going to use Aid? Personally, I feel Drain, Suppress, or Transform (for long term effects) are a better choice. Just my two cents. Thanks

Before I go into my question, I want you to know that I went back and re-read the sections on Desolidification, Darkness, and Usable as Attack. I also did a search on this board to try to find the answer to my questions. I am new to gming Hero 5th Edition (ran 4th Edition years ago and did a poor job). I ran a mock combat session with my players last night just to get them used to the rules and I ran into a bit of a snag (I know pretty lame). I am hoping that you can help me out. I need an official ruling as opposed to one based on my opinion. My best friend has this construct: Darkness 2'' Radius; Ranged, Usable as Attack, Reduced Endurance (0 End). A few issues came up and I resolved most of them but this power created issues I couldn't quite find answers for. 1). Does Desolidification protect a subject from this power? I do realize that being intangible does not protect you from Sense-Affecting Powers; however, would an intangible subject be immune to the Usable as Attack part that "fastened" the power to the subject in the first place thus making the Darkness neither here nor there. I was thinking it would be similar to how a "shrink ray" (Shrinking, Usable as Attack, Ranged) would just pass through an intangible character. I have seen Usable as Attack constructs with Desolidification as a defense but I didn't know if that was inherent or just one of the list of common effects that granted immunity to that particular construct. 2). Since this power is based on Darkness 2" Radius, does the user target the hex or the subject? I said the subject because the Usable as Attack changed the very nature of the power such that it had to be fastened to a subject as opposed to a hex. Once the subject was affected, a 2" field of Darkness enveloped him as per normal Darkness mechanics. Is my grasp of the mechanics sound? 3). Usable as Attack can be designed to affect more than one subject at once if one is willing to pay for an additional Advantage. Is it also possible to apply the Area Effect Advantage instead and affect everyone in the area without paying the Advantage for additional targets? If the answer is yes, is it fair to assume that the character would then target the hex instead of the subject as per normal Area Effect rules? Sorry for being so long winded but I am snagged. LOL. Thanks