devlin1

Re: Extra Extra: Is 5ER actually bullet proof

Is this where "damaged copies" come from?

Re: Mystic Champions

So the Mystics 'spells' are nothin' more than regular powers stylized differently then? If that's so then you really wouldn't need to other stuff unless you needed the fluff....or if you were playin' in the champions universe or jsut like to collect the set....

That's the beauty of the system, brother!

Re: Mystic Champions

What do you need? The HERO System Rulebook. Seriously. I don't want to hurt sales or anything, but that's all you need to put together a character. That, and some imagination.

If you want to know more about magic in the Champions campaign setting, buy The Mystic World. If you want pre-generated magic-oriented villains, buy Arcane Adversaries. If you want to see more ideas and suggestions (beyond your own) for magic-oriented characters in general, buy The Ultimate Mystic. But these are all optional. If I were you, I'd see what I could come up with using 5ER and my brain, and pay money for someone else's ideas only when I ran out of my own.

BTW, I don't own any of these books, but I'm sure they're all good stuff because they're part of the HERO System.

Re: Young Nerd Outreach Program

We don't want nerds.

We want geeks. Lots of them.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

You know, everyone says that it's funnier out of context, but that's rarely the case. The reason for this is because, "out of context," "Quit Stalling and smash our balls" is a single entendre - pummel my testicles once you've stopped prevaricating.

 

If the balls were some sort of jewels or crystals or something like that... that would make it funnier, making it a double entendre.

 

I want to know the context. Things are *much* funnier in context than out of context, always.

I don't want to get into a whole thing here, and I certainly don't want to go against your authoritative decree about what's funny and what's not, but in this instance, IMO, "Quit stalling and smash our balls" is only funny because it's out of context. Putting it in context will do nothing but let me know how it made sense in the first place. I don't want to know how it made sense-- not knowing makes it funnier, to me, because I can use my imagination to fill in the blanks. We already know there was a double entendre, because it's highly doubtful anyone would just order someone to crack him in the nuts (unless here were into that); getting additional confirmation would only weaken the joke, IMO, according to the age-old rule of "Less is More."

So you do what you like Jhereg. In context, out of context... whatever flips your switch.

Re: turning off powers...

Whatabout when he loses powers when eating an armadillo burger and drinking a can of Jolt on the asteroid belt?

That might be worth fewer points as a Disad, what with Jolt being a lot harder to find these days.

Re: Looking for Spidery names ... sort of.

Doctor Spiderbrain.

(He could be called "Doc Spiderbrain" for short.)

But seriously....

Professor Spiderbrain.

Re: turning off powers...

Well' date=' that would fit for the istant transformation power but presumably he would drink the potion at house and then he wouldn't use it again unless the effect wear of in the middle of the action...[/quote']

Okay. I don't see how the OAF/Gestures/Continuing Charge construct contradicts that. *shrug*

 

If there's a concern that his +30 STR potion would be used twice in quick succession to give him +60 STR, then it should be easy enough to either give it the Limited Power limitation of "Not cumulative with consecutive doses," or even a deterrent Side Effect like a STUN (or STR) Drain that only applies upon consuming a second (or third, etc.) dose.

 

By the way, I as interested in the general questio on how to deal with characters that lose powers in circumstances outside their control, for example like the Incredible Hulk that trasforms in a form of the other when he is angry or not

Take the Disadvantage "Enraged" or "Berserk," then buy him Multiform (or Growth, STR, and the rest of it) with "Only when Enraged."

 

or, as I said, a superhero that lose powers when he sees a certain color or the like...

Sounds like a Physical Limitation ("Loses Powers When He Sees Anything Colored Purple").

Re: Linking a characteristic decrease to a power

I've seen an alternate construct: a Multipower with two variable slots. One is for 15 points of growth, the other is 15 points of INT. There are 15 points in the pool, and the character has bought off 5 points of INT.

 

This only works if it's a point-for-point ratio, of course.

Now that, I like. Rep whoever thought of that.

Re: turning off powers...

Potion? Buy it with OAF, Gestures, and Continuing Charge.

Re: Linking a characteristic decrease to a power

Hmm, tough one. I'd probably link it to an Extra-Dimensional Movement, Single Dimension: The Dimension Where Growth Is Linked To Stupidity.

(Actually, as a short guy, I'd have to say I already live in that dimension.)

Re: Romantic Villians

This seems fairly simple to me: a 16+ COM, a 15+ PRE, at least 5 points in the Money Perk, and Bob's your uncle!

Re: Character for review:Ran

threw: past tense of "throw."

He threw the ball.

through: preposition meaning, among other things, in one side and out the other.

He threw the ball through the hoop.

throughout: during every part of.

He threw the ball through the hoop throughout the game.

I get extra anal-retentive at 3:30 in the morning.

Re: Paranoia Fun for One and All! Anyone seen any signs of the former Kara/Rachel ?

I won't go to the NGD so the NGD comes after me! Help!! Aaargggghhhhh!!!!!

I'll admit, I found the longer thread on this occurrence in the NGD forum and have been reading it, just because it's so bizarre. I never spoke to him/her/them on these boards, but as someone who used to be in a few GGU games, I have a general knowledge of who he/she/they "are" and their involvement in those games. So... yeah. Fascinating stuff, although what I saw of NGD while searching for the right thread was enough to convince me that I should continue to stay out of there. *shudder*

Re: Paranoia Fun for One and All! Anyone seen any signs of the former Kara/Rachel ?

Really not trying to rub salt in old wounds.

 

Just wondering if, now that things have died down a bit, anyone has noticed any signs that this 'person' might be trying to slip under the radar with a new board persona.

 

Anyone who has a wild suspicion that they don't want to share with everyone is more than welcome to PM me.

(If for no other reason than being able to say "I told you so!" at some future date.)

 

Again, not trying to take the brass knuckles to an equine that has passed on.

 

But I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through that all crap again, somewhere down the road, because everyone forgot all about it, and this goober got themselves 'established' again.

 

KA.

And here I thought that by staying out of the NGD forum I could somehow remain blissfully ignorant of whatever the hell it is you people "talk" about in there. So much for that plan....

Re: Things that work in comics but don't work in Champions

Note I said characters....NOT players. Basically, when it hits the fan, there's no dissension...ever....unlike most real comic book teams where Storm and Wolverine discuss the morality of using his claws in the middle of a fight.

 

Rob

I did note that, and I'm still going to say "Ha!" I've just seen plenty of in-character disagreements. *shrug*

Re: Things that work in comics but don't work in Champions

Most of the time characters won't even disagree with each other in game.

Ha! That's a good one.

Re: Things that work in comics but don't work in Champions

An artist can draw "Y-Man grabs X-Wife's hand" and the writer can insert "Doesn't this diamond ring mean anything!?" and it's an unopposed action, no roll. Next panel, Y-Man is pushed aside, and X-Wife runs away through the hex Y-Man was occupying, even though he has 60 strength. In a game, X-Wife may have double digit defensive combat value, and immediately you have a contest of flying hands manoeuvring for position. If there was a next panel Y-Man would be way too strong for a wimpy martial artist to push. (I've seen that.)

 

Player dialogue, not made up: "I don't think so - go on, roll if you think you're tough!"

 

Now, I'm not sure if that quote was 100% right, I can't quite pin down where I heard it - but I did hear it in game in a situation a lot like that, not with the guys I used to adventure with regularly, but not in a convention game either. I mean, this is how plenty of people play.

These are petty players with petty concerns who care nothing for story or character, and as such, their "style" of "play" has little bearing on this thread's topic, which is what works in comics that doesn't work in Champions. Even the best RPG is easily ruined by idiots. They may as well be playing baseball for all this has to do with Champions or roleplaying in general.

Does that give you a sense of the level of play I'm referring to?

Yes. Unfortunately. Why even associate with those people, even at a con? I'd get up and leave.

Re: Use the news

With all this stuff lately about Choicepoint (a huge consumer data broker spawned from Equifax) being involved in a huge fraud/identity theft scandal, I keep thinking there's a story angle in there, but what that angle is isn't coming to me. One obvious hook is that Choicepoint is actually a front for some criminal bent on uncovering every super's secret ID, then selling the information off piecemeal to the highest bidder. However, I'm convinced there's something more there that hasn't occurred to me. Anyone have any thoughts?

Re: Hero System women are all insanely attractive

Girls are pretty.

I understand how to buy a lab for a base as a Skill: 3 points for a 9-, and then it's the standard cost to increase it. However, could one buy Skill Levels instead? That is, if I had a library with books on criminology, maps of cities, treatises on literature, and the like, could I just buy some 5-point Skill Levels with all INT-Based Skills? I understand that this can only improve skills my character actually has, instead of providing skills he doesn't have at all. S'okay.

I don't see anything in 5ER or the FAQs about this.

Re: Why the name "Dark Champions?"

Here ya go. The entire thread where this was discussed and debated before the book ever hit the shelves.

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17561

 

I think Action Hero was the name most of us felt was appropriate.

Without having read the thread, did anyone ever suggest Anti-Hero?

Re: How would you build this

Unless the mentalist has Telepathic mind control' date=' he has to communicate his orders verbally. If you couldn't hear them to play along, you also couldn't hear them to follow his orders if he succeeded.[/quote']

And if he does have the Telpathic adder, you're still going to "hear" his commands. I don't see that there's a problem. I like MitchellS's suggestion of Images above, along with whoever suggested IPE on his Mental Defense (which you could also put on his EGO, if you wanted to buy it way up like someone else suggested).

 

Explain again, though, what all this convoluted power construction would really accomplish. As I understand it, you'd "menace" an ally on one phase, then attack the mentalist on the next. I guess, what, you'd expect him to have his guard down for a phase? No CSLs to DCV or something? That's assuming he had a phase in between mentalizing you and being attacked, of course.

Re: Props and your PCs

I appreciate when a GM has some pics, especially if he has trouble describing our foe our the location.

 

I tend to draw the original characters in my campaign. I've made miniatures (from heroclix). I've constructed cardboard buildings. A couple people in our group have made buildings, castles, out of plaster, cardboard, stryofoam, etc. and in each case it HAS enhanced the game.

I do like using miniatures; if the prop in question is actually meant for the battlemat, then by all means I'm for it.

Re: More Naming Help Needed

Headstrong?