Legendsmiths

Re: Well blow me down I didn't see anything like AE: Line, AE: 1 Hex or the like in your constructs. It seems that there ought to be something along those lines. If you did TK, it would be 15 pts per 10 STR, which is basically STR bought with the Ranged Advantage. If you then applied affects whole object -1 limitation, you end up with 7 pts per 10 STR. You can use TK to Shove someone instead of Grab & Throw. This requires a STR vs. STR roll which I think is appropriate because STR represents so many things. If you get slammed by an object, you resist it with your STR. Gail Force: 26 STR TK, AE: Line x2 +1 1/4, Active 87.75; Whole Object Only -1, Only to Shove -1/2, Targets Behind 1st in Line Suffer Only 1/2 Effect -1/2, No Range -1/2, Real 25 Wind Blast: 6d6 EB, AE: Line x2 +1 1/4, Double Knockback +3/4, Active 90; KB Only -1/2, No Range -1/2, Targets Behind 1st in Line Suffer Only 1/2 Effect -1/2, Real 36 Both of these are about 5-6 pts per 1d6... about the same as EB.They'd be about half that if it weren't for the AE. With KB you are causing damage and moving the target, both very significant things on the battlefield. The only problem I see with these powers is the Active Point cost, which would usually put them outside of campaign guidelines, even at these levels. I might allow these in that instance because they are interesting powers and don't seem to upset the game balance too much. Just for fun: Force Blast: 8d6 EB, Double Knockback +3/4, Active 90; Reduced Penetration -1/4, Reduced Range (Half) -1/4, Stun Only -0, Real 60

Re: Eberron Hero Seems on target so far. Friend just started an Eberron game in d20. It's okay. Seeing a solid HERO conversion would be sweet.

Re: Animated Series Style Character Images This isn't my stuff, but it's really great none-the-less. The artist is a good friend of mine (and doing the Artwork for Narosia as well). http://www.universe-m.com/gallery/

Re: Result based on skill roll Hmmm, not quite sure about your math, but here's a little sumpin' about the bell curve. The std deviation is roughly 3, with a mean of 10.5. So, 50% of your rolls are 10 or less, and 10% are 11 or greater. Significant values would be: 5,8,11,14,17. Essentially, making a roll by 6 points represents maximum potential, if you will. This approximates how the Analyze skill works. Applying that to RSR, you would get 100% of your variable effect if you make your roll by 6. If you like nice math, go with by 5. Regardless you get the following (with an 11- activation, using the by 5 model): 12+ (37.5) n/a 11 (62.5) 0% 10 (50) 20% 9 (37.5) 40% 8 (25.9) 60% 7 (16.2) 80% 6 (9.3) 100% 5 (4.6) .50*0 + .125*.2 + .116*.4 + .097*.6 + .069*.8 + .093*1 = 0 + .025 + .0464 + .0582 + .0552 + .093 = .2226 So that means, with an 10- activation roll (base 20% effect) adding +20% per point of success, that power should have a value of roughly .2226 of its full price. That's about a -3 1/2 limitation. Comparing that to the value of a 10- activation, and adjusting for neatness, I'd say that "Graduated Effect" is worth an additional -2 limitaiton. I would build the power with a base damage, say 8d6, and then buy the variable portion RSR -1/2 or varies, Graduated Effect -2, Linked -1/2. If you added 8d6 EB in this manner, it would have an active cost of 40 pts, and a real cost of 10. The base power would have just RSR on 8d6 for a real cost of 27, for a total cost of 37. You then have 8d6 + 20% per point (1.5d6, 3d6, 5d6, 6d6, 8d6) of RSR success, to a max of 16d6. Now, that said, there was a DH article about something very similar to this, and probably did it more elegantly.

Re: Calculating Damage... I agree with blackmoor on this. If you look at the "value of weapons", essentially for the STR required to use them they are adding 2 DC. That's actually how we play with all weapons, not just improvised ones. This makes dramatic and realistic sense to me. It would still be limited by the DEF/BODY of the object, and I think a -2 penalty ( or -3 for lack of Weapon Familiarity) is appropriate.

Re: held action We also play with a 3 pt Talent called Counterspell which allows a mage to abort to any spell used in a defensive manner. This allows for a defensive entangle (i.e. wall) and other things, while accounting for slightly increased utility, yet not making such an ability too expensive that a dedicated mage would most certainly have it.

Re: held action Never had a problem with open-ended held actions. Players only do a Haymaker when they have a total advantage - it's too easy to DfC on the next segment and completely avoid it.

Re: New To Hero: Character Advancement The reward should equal the rate of advancement you want to experience, based on play schedules and what not. I generally reward 2 pts/4 hour session, +1-3 at the conculsion of each adventure based on how well the group did. If I'm using a fate/xp system, then that can change, but my players like a little more advancement than 1 per. Now, if the characters could not realistically spend time working on their skills (i.e. deep in a dungeon), I don't give them anything... until they get out. Then if the dungeon was 3 sessions long, and a conclusion of the adventure they might get 3x2 = 6 + 1-3 = 7-9 pts total in one shot. Considering that 10pts can get you +1 with any skill roll, that's a pretty big deal.

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange I suppose more specifically: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/kloogefiles/files/

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange No time to make one right now, but here's a good shot: http://www.ttthg.com/food/redmeat/turnkey-layout.gif Complete with slaughter/hanging track and everything. Kinda small though. Link: why, groups.yahoo.com | the group name is kloogefiles

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange I don't use it because I run all my games locally (i.e. everyone in the room), so all I do is track damage, which is easy enough to add in Klooge. However, the kloogefiles group has posted an export template, which I am posting here for ease of access. The last update to it is 8/22 and I have not tried it. It does include the latest Hero definition file for Klooge, which is a good thing, and does get the speed chart implemented (although combat starts on segment 1). I don't use it for that either. I basically just use it as a digital game table and damage tracker - everything else runs more easily the old-fashioned way, assuming of course you are playing locally. Hmmm, can't seem to post it. It's 2.2 MB but you can grab it from the yahoogroups site.

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange I'm gonna do a better job with textures, but here's my Monument Circle. For scale, the sidewalk is 1" wide. NeroCraft: glad I could assist. Etherio: I've also attached my Klooge Standup of one of your guys. Do you have any more non-counter supers? Is it okay if I do this? (apologies if the name is wrong on the super, but it's the first thing that came to mind).

Re: Alternative to Deadly Blow Looks good to me. This would certainly be known as a Super Skill.

Re: Bulletproof Agreed. That is the second support for my 120pt argument. I like to justify it from 2 angles. Thanks.

Re: Bulletproof Zornwil - I settled on 120 pts for Invulnerability to a damage type (phys, energy) or all types of a special effect (e.g. magic, psionics). What did you come up with? My reasoning was that since defenses cost roughly 1/3 of attacks, and a 360 active point attack is relatively assured destruction, that 120 was appropriate. This is 0 END & Persistant by nature, just like Armor. Big STOP sign and GM approval required. Something like small arms would be a 60 pt version.

Re: Bulletproof I don't think it's necessary. If you want defenses like that, buy the defenses with force wall, 0 END, Persistant. Fundamentally that is what a tank's defenses are like. While I agree the recalc of damage in this manner will work, it seems like an unnecessary complication to solve a problem that already has a solution.

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange Junkyard & Garage. I spent a little more time on the garage than the junkyard as a whole, but you can see some of the built-in textures of OO. Any image file can become a texture, which is really sweet. Also, I am RG Colorblind so I generally stick to simple colored maps or grayscale. I think the Junkyard may be off, but eh. Like it says in the thread, it's free, here ya go.

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange Here is a sample mini-dungeon using the simple toolset I built for use with Dundjinni. My goal was to use a tool like DJ to create old-school maps that had a modern crispness to it. The reason for the all black is that it blends in with the Klooge obscurment tool. That way I don't have to worry about how sloppy my "reveals" are since everything is black.

Re: Game Maps and Counters Exchange For Mapping I can recommend 3 products: 1. Dundjinni. Makes awesome maps and can add a nice hex grid if you want it. Worth the price. Also, take a look in their forums because there are some really great maps posted. Easy to find and high quality. www.dundjinni.com 2. MapX. Nearly as good as Dundjinni and free. The software even allows for major and minor grid lines (which can be hexes). I used this extensively until Dundjinni came out. www.realmcreator.com 3. OpenOffice. Many people overlook this gem. OpenOffice has a drawing program that provides excellent vector graphics capabilities, including merging of objects, transparency, and texture mapping. Additionally, the built-in gallery makes it easy to create a catalog of quick-access objects. The software will export to jpg, png, or direct to pdf. I use this for larger, modern maps (like for Dark Champs). Free. www.openoffice.org I have used DungeonCrafter and there is no comparison to these tools. However, if you want to make maps like Mr. Curtis, you need a tool like Illustrator, not to mention the talent. While no tool can make up for talent, it is important to have the right tools. If you don't have Illustrator, here are some alternatives that cost $0. 4. Inkscape. This is a great tool with many features on par with Illustrator. It is still a vector base program, so object manipulation is standard, and there is an extensive library of clipart, much of it gamable. It also uses SVG, which gives it mucho geek points. http://www.inkscape.org/ 5. Gimp. Touching up maps is always nice to do, but for that you need a program like Photoshop ($$$), PaintShop Pro ($), or Gimp (0). Using things like the clone tool and so on you can easily eliminate any text/marring from whatever map you have and clean it up. Great for scanning in a dungeon map and eliminating secret doors and traps. I prefer Gimp but have used all three and any of them are fine products. I believe they all have trial versions so decide for yourself. I use all electronic maps because I run all of my games using Klooge (http://www.kloogeinc.com/werks/index.htm). The latest release added paint tools to the program which make it great for doing maps on the fly for those moments when you just can't railroad your players . I will take a look at what I have and post it. I have several maps that my be of use. Here is a subway encounter I drew up. Complete with OO file.

Re: Build Champions Elite Superteam What about just making the current team powerful enough while keeping their backgrounds the same. Give the Champions a facelift. I think that would fit the continuity best. Or have some cosmic force come in and juice them up so that their past is exactly the same, just moving forward they become less "this is how you build a champs character" examples and more "we are THE defining super team", capable of handling the big fish.

Re: What now? Ouch. Now Greg, that's just mean. Sounds like fun.

Re: What now? Well, the names and faces can always be changed to protect the innocent. Terran Empire has some great ideas for running that style of game that can be applied without referencing the original material. However, if he is looking to not cloud his setting with any outside influences of a popular nature, I'm not sure what to say. Go Pirates! It establishes an underlying theme, allows the GM to support exotic locales and fringe peoples, ang gives a baseline of adventure. Just add plot twists, angry competitors, dangerous cargo, and so on. For inspiration you could watch Firefly just to get an idea of the kind of crap you can pull with a freemerchant cargo hauler. Go Bounty Hunters! Cowboy Bebop can help with some ideas for recurring bounties. This has many of the advantages of Pirates in that it can be episodic, flexible, diverse, and allows for plot twists at almost any point along the way. Go Freespacers! The idea is to have the group renounce any citizenship and become a citizen of the universe. Create a society around the existence of such people. Trade passes would be required, kind of like visas, to allow a ship to travel in controlled territory. You could then have stations that exist on the fringe of terriories that allow unregistered ships to dock and trade goods, turn in bounties, swap stories, get into bar fights, etc. Each station would be unique, some more than others (e.g. large asteroids, free stations, halos, junk/glom stations, etc.). Both Bebop and Firefly can give you ideas on tone (not setting). Obviously for these you need either local space (solar system) and non-FTL ships or FTL capable ships. I like the latter, because of freedom.

Re: What is up with falling? Real Armor does very much help in a fall. What it doesn't help is with any amount of torquing or the internal trauma. Here's how we run it: If you have time to orient yourself you can make a DEX roll at -3, or an Acrobatics roll. This will allow you to make impact using your legs. They may be shattered, but they are a shock absorber and will keep your internal organs from turning to mush. If the roll is failed, falling damage is AP. If it succeeds, the BODY damage is AP versus the legs, unless you have breakfall, in which case it is not AP. Breakfall will allow you to reduce the damage. Hard surface is +1d6N Jagged surface is +1 DC and damage is killing Soft surface is -1d6N Water is -2d6N.

Re: slots with different limitations I would also say that you are making things more complicated than they need to be. The FH magic system that says to just divide the real cost by 3 and that's the number of points a character pays was designed to eliminate the need, and exteremly low cost of an MP, while still providing a thematic cost break. By doing this, assuming you can put -1 limitations on your spells, the active cost to real cost ration is 6:1. IMO this is better than the 10:1 or 20:1 that you will end up with a flex or ultra slot, and effectively spreads out the MP reserve cost. Take a 60pt MP with -1 limitations (ignoring the whole variable issue). Cost 30. Each slot, with the same -1 limitations, will cost 6 if flex, 3 if ultra. Put 10 powers in there, total cost 30 + 10*6 = 90. I use flex slots because for comparison to the RC/3 system you could use powers simulatenously. However, the MP has the limitation that it is possible you will not have enough points to allocate for multiple powers simultaneously while the RC/3 system can handle that just fine. Now, using the real cost/3 method: 10 powers at 10 pts each (60 active point powers) = 100 pts. The end result: greater flexibility, nearly the same cost, simpler mechanics, and the ability to model limitations exactly like you want. That's my recommendation.