Legendsmiths

1. If I can enter the speed zone as a 0 phase action, I have it at the basic level (so I end up with just 2 actions) and I abort to a defensive action, I assume I use my first Speed Zone action to do so (e.g. Dodge or Dive for Cover for example). I can then follow up with a second (say to move completely away). Is this correct? 2. The END cost for Speed Zone is paid every time you enter it, and then you pay normal END for everything you do inside the Speed Zone, correct? Or do you pay END for Speed Zone EDM each phase that you are in it? 3. If you buy Speed Zone with charges, do they have to be continuing charges to cover the period you are in the Zone or are instant charges sufficient since no time is passing? 4. Since I have it as 0 Phase to enter the Zone, can I just abort to moving within the zone instead of a standard defensive action with the point of view that movement inside the Zone is sufficiently defensive relative to non-Zone attackers? Thanks.

Re: Moving from D&D - rules issues I'm definitely in the opinion boat that if you aren't actively trying to prevent someone from running around you, there's no reason they can't. Now, if you want to prevent it as it happening one thing you might allow is Abort to Block which, if successful, forces the target to win a contest of STR to move past you. Since it is a defensive action, there is no contest of DEX. Sure, you don't get an attack, but you do prevent them from passing by. Lack of AoO I don't think is a weakness and hasn't been an issue in my games. The Ignoring Opponents optional rule I think also goes a long way to stop any "running around" abuse. The other thing to remember is that like d20 there is no facing in Hero. Running around someone doesn't get you anywhere except behind them. It's more of a mental shift that is required. Each system is different and learning to play the game as intended will go a long way to increasing enjoyment of play than trying to recreate a part of one system in the other.

Re: Dive For Cover too effective against Non Area attacks? Agreed. I don't even have a problem with repeated prone DFCs - at a cumulative -2 just like Block. Again, it's very cinematic and fun to have some target "scrambling" on the ground to get away from repeated attacks. I know of no game system that allows this sort of cinematic behavior and provides a reasonable risk/reward mechanic to govern it. :thumbup: Good times!

Re: Dive For Cover too effective against Non Area attacks? Overall a good discussion. I'd just like to share my .02 on DFC. First, I don't think it is broken or an issue - I think it works great for a cinematic game. If you want a grittier game and feel that it is too cinematic, adjust as works or eliminate it. That said, here's how I use it. 1. Versus AoE attacks: Dive as far as you can, up to half the movement mode you choose. If you make your roll by 2, you dive 2 hexes. If you make it by 1 you dive only one. The only failure is if you fail the base DEX roll (ie roll DEX or greater). 2. Versus HtH and other non-AoE: as it is in the Combat Handbook. However, you have to have cover to dive to OR have Acrobatics. One of the ways I make Acrobatics more useful is by making it the only way to DFC in the open. The character has to make the DEX-1 roll (or whatever is necessary to escape the reach of the weapon) followed by Acrobatics - if he succeeds at Acrobatics (and I have the initial DEX roll act as a compliment to the Acrobatics roll), he succeeds at the DFC. If he fails, then he gets DCV+3 against the initial attack, but is still attacked. If he fails by 4 or more he gets attacked at full DCV, but the DFC (in the open) fails. A crit (by more than half) leaves him standing once his next phase comes around. Breakfall can be used to rise from prone as a Zero-phase action, but has no impact on a DFC in the open. Basically, I use the rules as they stand but make one, cinematic, alteration for Acrobatics and DFC in the open. That little tweak is enough to keep joe-mook from doing this without having cover, and still allow Mr. Chan to be crazy. At the end of the day I think it adds a lot of flavor and drama to have this maneuver, especially when an agile character uses it against the BigBad to keep it busy. As for Quick Lee entering a room full of Mooks who all DFC, employ PRE attack. If he beats their PRE he can act before them, which, with DFC being optional anyway, may mean that they can't doing anything extreme - they could still dodge/block but DFC is a bit of a stretch. Either way, if you get PRE+20 they cannot act at all which will definitely take care of the issue.

Re: Attack Questions Right, if he wants to TWF and do a half move, he needs Rapid Attack. And he does get +1 DCV if he has the Off Hand Weapon Familiarity.

Re: Magical Item Creation Just to be clear, IPE on Running for Hearing +1/4 would make your movement totally silent. Whether someone can see you while stealthing is another story, but you will not make any noise.

Re: Magical Item Creation 5ER 124 (Movement Powers): It explicitely says to not buy IPE for movement powers since it is obvious you are moving from point A to point B. However, buying IPE for movement powers to make them silent is cited as an example of making movement silent. 5ER 261 (IPE Advantage Description): It cites IPE +1/4 for Hearing group to make Running silent. So, I'm still unsure why this is getting so complicated. You buy IPE +1/4 on the +3" running to make it silent, and then IPE +1/4 as a Naked Advantage on X" running (cost effective value is about 16"). Your 3 senses here: Sight, Hearing, Magic (since the SFX of the power is an enchantment). You can't make Running invisible to sight, because that would just be wierd (picture a person just sliding across the ground without moving his fee). You would still visibly move from A to B, so this would be pointless (although creepy). Hearing - that's pretty obvious, but it is a non-targeting sense group so IPE is only +1/4. Magic - well, that is up to you as a GM whether you allow magic items to be invisible to detect magic. Usually, this is handled by Images to mask the effect, or a blanket -3 to PER to see that it is magical with no indicator of power level or effect. As for making something obvious/inobvious that has little impact here. The power Running is visible as you actively move your feet to cross space. The fact that comes from boots is somewhat of a non-issue. If you make the focus inobvious however I would say that someone with detect magic would see that the boots are magical but not be able to tell that they are the source of the running - that may have value or not. Obvious/Inobvious usually helps explain the 3rd sense in the three sense rule, the first two (usually sight and hearing) are often taken care of directly by the power's obvious effects. I hope this helps. I put the page references in there so you would know exactly where to look, especially since the effect you are trying to create is explicitly spelled out.

Re: Magical Item Creation Good idea, but to stop damage from a fall you'd really need a 1 hex force wall of 30 DEF (term velocity is 30d6, correct). Otherwise the STUN would take you out. That's 75 Active Points - probably a bit expensive. I like the approach, but don't think it will be cost effective for feather fall - a relatively minor magic item, however useful.

Re: Magical Item Creation I still don't understand your build on the Boots. IPE is only +1/4 for the Hearing Group. It is a specific example in the book (I cited it and everything). Invisibility to Hearing Group I think is overkill - just buy IPE on enough Running to cover whatever movement someone might have - on 16" of running it is still cheaper than Invisibility the way you bought it. Combined that covers 19" of running silently and for 4 points total (2 points cheaper than you have built). There is no "right way", but 4 pts for a magic item like this is pretty darn cheap. What's the issue with Teleport?

Re: HTML Hero Don't sweat it. I've been kicking this around internally for about 2 years or so and TRUST me, it has gone through many improvements as well. Amazing though. Even after all its use, I can still find things to fix/tweak on it. The other challenge, and the reason I missed some polish now, is I had to pull all of the Narosia specific stuff out of it (Narosia uses 2 cost STR for example), not to mention making an attempt to do both OO and XL versions simultaneously. I like your sheet and it is remarkably similar to an earlier Hero sheet I had made (which did Skill autocalc and such). I believe it was in ClarisWorks/AppleWorks however (that program was rockin'). I gave that up in favor of a little less detail, but still supporting named rolls. For instance, if you bought a skill at DEX+2, you can just enter in the roll column "=DEXr+2". In the games I run I have a very real need to track equipment/encumbrance. I also wanted to be sure that those players without HD had a simple way to make powers, and I believe my powersheet does that.

Re: HTML Hero Like I was sayin' http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45676 /Cue banjo vs. guitar

Re: HTML Hero So is Open Office and a spreadsheet.

Re: How to create power: flight via temporary energy platform Very similar to what we have in Narosia. The twist we did was to make the "vehicle" desolid with Affects Physical World on STR. The ESS numbers are both the penalty to cast and the cost of the spell. From the grimoire: Force Riding Target/Area: N/A Duration: Enchantment Range: No Range The caster shapes a disc of force on which to ride. Controlling this disc in combat requires the Flying skill. The caster can be knocked off, although he can bring the disc around under him in his next phase with a successful Flying roll provided the disc can move quickly enough. The disc is an independent motive platform. Use the rules for Mounted Combat and maneuvering, substituting the Flying skill for Riding. While this disc provides a platform with a certain lift capacity, it cannot be targeted physically. Only Essential Manifestations can target it, or it can be dispelled. As it is invisible, targeting it is at ½ OCV unless the targeter possesses an appropriate enhanced sense. The disc provides no amount of protection for the rider. The disc is 1 hex in size (2m in diameter). While more than one person could be supported on the disc, maneuvering it in combat would be very difficult. The caster must be standing on the disc to operate it; it will not move otherwise. Base Effect: Disc Stats: STR 13, DEX 17, BODY 8, DEF 2, SPD 3, Flying 11”. The disc is invisible, exists in the Essential Plane (effectively desolid), but it’s STR can affect the physical world. This spell is a special application of the Summon power. For all intents and purposes a flying disc is created by the spell which only the caster can control. ESS Effect 3 Base 4 STR 17, DEX 17 5 STR 20, DEX 20, SPD 4

Re: HTML Hero Interesting site. I'll stick with HD but I think this is pretty slick.

Re: How to create power: flight via temporary energy platform Yes, you would have to have different write-ups but once you have the base platform modifying it is simple. size+speed+protection I think has to go to the vehicle. It has BODY and DEF, plus the added advantage of adding powers if necessary (although, admitedly this gets a little wonky). Just sticking with basic size, spd, dex, def, and body get's you what you need. And this requires no handwaiving. The other options require you to stretch the rules more. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but you have to be willing to accept those limitations. I think the UAA+AE+PM is an elegant solution and does represent certain FX well, but a summoned platform seems more representative of some of the realities of that flying style. For example, if you use the UAA+AE+PM, who moves when? Can one character make a full phase attack while the generator performs a full move? If it is a summoned platform, there is no question.

Re: Magical Item Creation IPE would silence the normal sounds of walking: 5ER 261 (2nd para from bottom). So, you'd need it on the bonus move (+3") and on the naked advantage (to apply to the wearer's existing movement). You have to decide if 16" of base running is enough to hand-waive any amount of movement (e.g. if a character actually has 17" base running). In most cases, that would be okay since 16" is so far beyond normal characteristic maxima it might as well be total. Whoops! I forgot IPE on the base power: Boots of the Desert Raider: +3" Running, IPE (Hearing Group) +1/4, 7 Active Points; OIF (-1/2), Independent (-2), 2 Real Points plus IPE (Hearing Group) on 16" of Running, 8 Active Points, IIF (-1/4), Independent (-2), 2 Real Points. Total Cost: 4 points.

Re: How to create power: flight via temporary energy platform That's how our Narosia Force flight spells work. In play it is very cool.

Re: How to create power: flight via temporary energy platform Summon the platform as a vehicle. Advantage: You can make it as big as you need it to be and then you can actually "ride" it, meaning you can maneuver it while (potentially) taking other actions. This would require a combat piloting/riding/flying skill but the result is a mobile platform allowing you full combat actions every phase.

Re: Magical Item Creation Feather Fall: Flight 1", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4) (4 Active Points); Slow Fall (Straight down only, cannot stop until landed; -1), OIF (Ring; -1/2), no Noncombat movement (-1/4) I chose Slow Fall at -1 because Levitation is -1/2 and allows you to go up or down. This cuts that in half and requires that the character move until he lands. You could probably set this at -1/2 and use Gliding instead, but either way you end up with a 1 pt power. The main reason I went with Flight is you would be able to change your velocity... if someone threw you out a window at 10"/phase, Flight would allow you to reduce that to 1". I don't know if Gliding would allow that (I believe you keep your velocity).

Re: Magical Item Creation Yes, IPE would also work as long as you added a Naked Advantage for the base amount of Running as well. Boots of the Desert Raider: +3" Running, 6 Active Points; OIF (-1/2), Independent (-2), 2 Real Points plus IPE (Hearing Group) on 10" of Running, 5 Active Points, IIF (-1/4), Independent (-2), 1 Real Points. Total Cost: 3 points.

Re: Magical Item Creation I think the footsteps limitation is fine, it just doesn't apply to the Running power, only the Invisibility. Naked Adder/Advantage is essentially about only paying for the portion of the power that grants that advantage or adder. Example: Eyeblast: 8d6 EB Laser, 40 pts; END 4 Mega Eyeblast: AP on Eyeblast, 20 Active Points; Increased END x2 -1/2, Concentration 0 DCV -1/2, 10 Real Points; END 4 The Mega Eyeblast is an example of a Naked Advantage. There are other examples such as someone who is so fast with a gun that he has autofire with any pistol, but this is the basic form. Naked Adder is the same thing, but with an Adder. The text on 5ER 244 talks about the different ways you can do a Naked Adv if you need to know more. However, the thing you were getting hung up on wrt the No Fringe Adder is inherent - the Naked Adder requires the Invisibility base power or it doesn't work, so there is no reason for the limitation "only to existing invisibility power".

Re: Magical Item Creation Um, I'm confused. If you want to increase SPD, why not just buy SPD at +1 for 10 points? Your fractional speed will be irrelevant and the active points will be significantly lower than if you bought limited DEX.

Re: Magical Item Creation Boots of the Desert Raider: +3" Running, 6 Active Points; OIF (-1/2), Independent (-2), 2 Real Points plus Invisiblity to Sound Group, 10 Active Points, IIF (-1/4), Only for Footsteps (-1/2), Independent (-2), 3 Real Points. Total Cost: 5 points. Amulet of the Ghost: Naked Adder: No Fringe to Invisibility, 10 Active Points; IAF (-1/2), Independent (-2), 3 Real Points. 5ER 244: "Unless noted otherwise, the rules for buying and using Advantages generally apply to buying and using Adders." This is right before it talks about Nake Advantages. Inherently, an Adder only applies to an existing power, so buying "No Fringe" like above will only work with the Invisibility power. Additionally, it will not work if the Invisibility power has been purchased with any advantages on it, as those advantages would have to be applied to the Amulet as well. You could build it that way, or at least close enough that for story you can hand waive it if necessary: Greater Amulet of the Ghost: Naked Adder: No Fringe to Invisibility, Reduced END (0 END) +1/2, Persistent +1/2, 20 Active Points; IAF -1/2, Independent -2, 6 Real Points. As for my attunement pool system, here goes. An adventurer currently has the following magic items with the correpsonding costs. Sword - 10 points Ring - 4 points Boots - 2 points = total 16 points Later in the adventure he finds a new sword that is better than the existing one. So, he opts to replace his old sword with the new sword, a process I call attuning. This change costs him 1 point (gone forever). Additionally, the character now has to allocate enough points to pay for the newer, more powerful (and thus more expensive) sword. Let's say it costs 14 points. He already has 10 points from the old sword to throw at it, so he only has to come up with 4 points to make up the difference. Now his magical gear looks like this: Sword - 14 points Ring - 4 points Boots - 2 points = total 20 points Essentially, once a character invests in magic items he never loses those points, his "pool" keeps getting bigger. However, once he has allocated points into his pool he can never put them anywhere else. Additionally, to change the items in the pool, to swap one out and put a new one in, costs 1 point that is lost forever (think the Independent lim but with a really nice GM that only makes you pay 1 point). Now let's say his sword is destroyed by a rust monster. His gear looks like this: Unallocated - 14 points Ring - 4 points Boots - 2 points = total 20 points He can't put those 14 points into skills or anywhere else. He simply has to wait to reallocate them to the next items he might find. Now, for fun, try this. If the character buys off the Independent lim, the item is no longer enchanted per se but an extension of the magic of the character. This means that if the item is lost or stolen the character can have another mundane item crafted that will then receive the power of the stolen item. The idea here is the item is part of what makes the character a hero and not a "universal" focus. In Narosia, we call these Signature Items. There is a real incentive to do this, although most characters will only do it with a single item. Does that make any sense?

Re: Magical Item Creation One thing I might suggest as a tie-in to the independant lim is to house-rule that this is your item pool. Changing your pool costs 1 character point (lost permanently), but you can keep the points you've already invested. Example: Sword - 10 points Ring - 4 points Boots - 2 points Later in the adventure you find a new sword that is better than the existing one. So, you opt to use the new sword, costing 1 point (gone forever) and then pay the points for the new sword (say 12 points or so). This does the job of balancing a character's abilities/point cost but still allows a character to "upgrade".

Re: Size & DCV: A Big Problem Agreed I agree with your logic here, however I think there are more factors in play than a scaled endurance to reflect the amount of energy required for larger/smaller bodies. Just as there are large and small creatures with a great amount of endurance, there are plenty of the opposite. Point being unlike a STR/mass relationship I do not believe there is as strong a correlation between size and END, and it would get muddled when the CON of the creature is set. I think our different views on this issue stem from our different goals in creating a size "template". I don't think it would be fair of me to try and state what your goals are, but my goals of keeping things as close the the rules as possible lead me, in this instance, to leave well enough alone. The END system in Hero is not granular or realistic enough to accurately model real world exertion but at the same time it isn't broken - it is what it is, works as intended, and isn't enough of an issue that I feel I needed to address it in my size templates. Fair enough. I don't think I was actively heavy on these boards prior to the Bestiary's appearance so that at least explains something.