Col. Orange

Re: local game HERO AnswerMan vs. being GM?

I've become the AnswerMan for most games our group plays because I got tired of GMs using the system against the players.

Well, that and I like to know my chances of success when doing "X" before I do it.

Well, that and I like to know how to build a character without "wasting" points (or mini-maxing as the unenlightend call it [grin]).

End result is that I'm no better at GMing the games I don't regularly GM, but I am able to help out when a Player needs help building a character or when the GM can't remember some little used or overly complex rule.

Re: Side Effects that cause damage?

Side note: Can you put advantages on the side effect itself?

e.g. Instead of Side Effect = 6D6 EB, 4D6 Explosive EB...

sfx: Steel Sentinel's Head-Cannon overheats, leaking plasma everywhere.

Re: Can some one clear up the multi-heads thing for me?

How about a pair of A.I.s?

Don't buy 'em on a focus, they should be incapacitated when the character is (if bought as a focus they'd only be stopped when their focus (their head) is blown off), and if they're hit the character takes damage (they're still his heads after all).

If you want them to make attacks, you'll have to buy them their own DEX and Powers. If you want to have them manipulate objects or non-specific-to-them foci, buy them each of them extra limbs (e.g. your body now has a third arm that Head 2 uses and a fourth that Head 3 uses).

Non-abusive. Fairly simple. And they can argue now.

Zaphod Beeblebrox anyone?

Re: Telepathy that does stun..

Couldn't you simply buy "Does STUN" for Telepathy? It seems to fit reasonably well within the rules' date=' and seems to be what you're looking for.[/quote']

 

Does Stun as a naked advantage with BOECV on it?

Otherwise it's too cheap I'm thinking.

Re: Help with a power

Uh, couldn't you just buy extra Speed?

SFX: I'm not going any faster, everyone else is just going slower.

Maybe some linked 8pt CSLs to represent hitting/avoiding "relatively" slow moving targets?

Re: Hand Killing Attack/Hand Attack

I appreciate the responses. Thank you.

 

8d6 NND? OK, it seems I didn't add something properly....

 

So let us see if I have this right;

 

My character has a 30 STR and has purchased a 6d6 Hand Attack with Area of Effect-One Hex (accurate, +1/2) and No END Cost (+1/2). I won't get into the power limitations. In the end, using this power at full strength will make this a 12d6 One Hex Accurate, No END attack (the 30 STR is equal to the unmodified active point cost of the Hand Attack of 30).

Yup. Think he still uses the 3 END for his STR though.

Another character has a 30 STR and has purchased a 2d6 Hand Killing Attack with Armor Piercing (+1/2) and No END Cost (+1/2). Again' date=' we won't worry about limitations. Using the Hand Killing Attack at full strength will make it a 3d6 Armor Piercing Killing Attack costing No END (?). One DC of the advantaged Hand Killing Attack is worth 10 active points (5 base active multiplied by the advantages for Armor Piercing +1/2 and No END Cost +1/2). Since it takes 10 active points to get one DC of the advantaged HKA, a 30 STR will provide three DCs or an additional 1d6 advantaged HKA. Thank all goodness I have Hero Designer to calculate this.[/quote']

 

3D6 +1 HKA, AP. Again using 3 END for base STR. Pretty sure the prorating is based on damage effecting advantages.

*Pushing STR (by 8), he could get 3 1/2 D6 (or 4D6 -1) of AP HKA.

*Using Offensive Strike (4 Normal, so 2 Killing DCs, which aren't prorated further) he could get 4D6 AP (at which point he'd have maxed the possible damage, so no point pushing).

 

 

The last character has a 20 STR' date=' martial arts with Martial Strike (adds two DC's to his STR damage when attacking with the maneuver) as his only offensive attack in the set, and has purchased a 4d6 Hand Attack with a No Normal Defense advantage (+1). Once again, limitations are not a factor. Now at full strength, I thought the attack was 10d6 NND. The 20 STR is equal to the base active cost of the Hand Attack (20), allowing the character to apply the full 4d6 from his STR to the base 4d6 NND Hand Attack. The additional two dice comes from the Martial Strike Maneuver. If so, that would make the attack 10d6 NND (not 8d6 NND).[/quote']

 

Damage maxed at 8D6 NND. M.Strike would just be there for the lovely DCV topping.

 

Personally, I'd prorate STR any weird power that didn't have a "standard" (normal PD or normal ED) defense, not just for Killing Attacks - If they can justify it for HKA they sure as carp can justify it for NND.

So... 2D6 STR + 4D6 NND HA + 1/2 D6 M.Strike = 6 1/2 D6.

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

That's easy to say unless your one of potential thousands of innocent bystanders that could have been killed.

 

But that doesn't really address Rene's point as I see it. The comic didn't even touch on that. It wasn't a concern, it was not addressed at all. Destroying an entire country was simply done and the potential negatives weren't addressed. That, in its way, is as simple minded as anything you see less "realistic" comics.

Did they need to be addressed? I mean, we've (either individually or as a group) thought about them and brought them up.

I'm in no way implying that that is what the writter had in mind, they probably just couldn't be arsed with going into that much depth for an alien invasion story.

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

And something always bugged me. When the Doctor devastated Sliding Albion's Italy' date=' was everyone there evil?[/quote']

 

Maybe, maybe not. I remember just about all the blue alien/daemons and half-breeds were there.

 

So they could have stuck around, took time to go around the country arresting everyone there and held trials to determine who was guilty or innocent.

All of which would take... years. During which time the blue boys could keep at their attrocities (against the whole population, not just Italy's), and "home Earth" would have to make do without them.

 

OR, the Doc could hold the country in it's relative possition in space while the Earth goes off in it's orbit.

Does that ensure that ONLY the guilty are killed? Unfortunately, no.

Does that allow the survivors of that Earth to get rid of their oppressors? Yes - because their oppressors have now been crippled.

 

 

The Authority.

It's a team that says "PLAY NICE, OR WE'LL SPANK YOU". Some bastards out there SHOULD be restrained in that way.

Re: Authority, we just need a few good men.

Marvel: The Defenders

DC: JLA

Rack up the full roster of either team and you have a group that have the power and intelligence to run things.

Or Doom.

Re: The Authority:What the heck?

Millar:

I enjoyed Warren Ellis’s run on StormWatch/Authority, but he kept making promises then not delivering on them. Under his pen, Jenny preached about fighting the causes of crime rather than the crime itself, but she did nothing. Not her fault, there was always some alien invasion, or superhuman terrorist army, or god coming along to distract her.

Millar took Jenny’s intentions and ran with them.

The Authority:

They interfere with the running of the world because they see people getting screwed over left, right and center, and feel they have no choice but to do something about it. Non-interference would either help no-one.

Their powers and resources could have them ruling their planet – that they don’t just take control FOR FUN makes them “good peopleâ€. They’re humans with SUPER-human power who’ve put themselves in a highly dangerous position (making enemies of EVERYONE who has any power) not just protect the people of Earth, but to ensure everyone can have a shot at the best quality of life.

Okay, so everyone wants me dead, and my mission is all but impossible. Hmm… Yep, if I were in the same position, I’d kill my enemies when it was easier than not.

And if someone abused someone close to me I’d want to see them suffer (I wouldn’t want to make them suffer to the extent Midnighter makes bastards suffer, but I’m not him).

“But hey, they might start hungering for control like Doom does.â€

Correct. This idea has already been presented in the Authority/Planetary crossover book. The Authority are gambling that their ego’s won’t become more important to them than the goals they’ve set themselves (for a glimpse of what would happen at this point read about The High’s mob in StormWatch).

Re: Teleportation, useable as an attack...

I see... I see... I see a martial artist getting Teleported 20" straight up.

Re: Cyberpunk Champions

That would be one of the best RPG products out there. Unfortunately' date=' somebody stole mine. [/quote']

 

 

Read my first copy to pieces, got a second from eBay for about £5 (~$8.80).

 

Great for dealing with problem players, inspiring campaign themes, understanding the conventions of the genre... Cyberpunk is a genre right? Or is it just a style?

Re: Cyberpunk Champions

Once A Marine Always A Marine

 

We prefer "Former Marine"

Apologies [grin] – whole section cut and pasted from the back of the book.

Re: Cyberpunk Champions

"Listen Up You Primative Screwheads"

The Unexpurgated CyberPunk Referee's Guide

Advice on:

*How to properly start a Campaign

*Good character rule choices -- that aren't just Solos

*When your players think that they're smarter than you

*Beef up your Lifepath: Why should the Cybergen kids get all the angst?

*Should your game walk those Mean Streets -- or fly higher than Dynasty

*How to run combat against an ex-Marine -- and not lose all your NPCs in the first round

*As a bonus, you get Uncle Mike's Dirty Tricks: notes by the Master from a thousand savage conventions

Best RPG book I own.

Re: Dealing with Invisible Heroes

IMO' date=' given the (admittedly sketchy) background you provided, I'd say he's not technically "invisible" at all-- he's just not noticed. He can make himself noticed when he wants to, but most of the time, he doesn't feel like doing it. Thus, if he wants to buy a ham sandwich, he takes out the money, gets in the shopkeeper's face, and is noticed. It doesn't make any sense that his money or any of his possessions would actually be literally invisible, but it does make sense, if he's been ignored his whole life, that he's gotten good at not being noticed (just going with the flow, after all).[/quote']

 

 

Hmm.

 

0-End, AoE Radius Mind Control w/one effect limitation - "Do not notice me"?

 

That way when people know there's something to look for, it's harder to hide (higher effect on the MC table needed).

Re: Rage induced Growth

How about "No Concious Control"?

Re: What Would Your Character Do? #66

She looks all of you over and then starts aggressively flirting with one of the party' date=' who immediately acts like they're under the influence of either some kind of hypnotism or superhuman pheromones. What do you do?[/quote']

 

Start kickING @$$!

 

Joking. Haven't read other threads but... Got a Mentalist on the team? Have them do an Aid to victim's Ego, or dispel Mind Control, or Supress, or whatever. Then talk to her and find out her story.

Re: Precognative Combat II

How exactly do you want it to work in combat . Not mechcanics wise ' date=' but conceptually . (ie ; What it looks like ?)[/quote']

 

Well, he'll be a pretty normal guy, stat wise, at least for a start. His abilities aren't physical - no superspeed, strength, or inhuman reflexes - he just has an unbeliveably developed instinct. In regular life he finds himself stepping to the side, not knowing why, just before a car drives through a nearby puddle. In combat he feels the need to shift his stance or step away just before his opponent throws a roundhouse... or park-bench... or whatever.

I want a character with instinctive precognition who can use his powers to aid him in combat.

Simple enough; 8pt skill levels, maybe a couple of 10 pointers - but can I link these to his precognition? I want him to loose access to these levels as if he enters a mutant power supression field or the like. Is there another, better way of doing this?

Re: Things a wise super hero should NEVER say

"SHAZAM!"

Re: Speedster Concept and Creation Question

"Buy" Major Side Effect as a Naked Limitation, itself having an Activation Roll.

Take as much as you like, but one day you'll roll 8- and be hit with an Xd6 KA.

Re: Critique power please

Couldn't this be done with Mental Transform with 0-DCV, Unaware Concentration?

Transform [Your Mind] into [My Mind]

Lot less clunky and though you're mind/spirit/whatever is wandering about in a new body your old Bod is vulnerable...

Re: Precognative combat

Originally posted by Col. Orange

Clairvoyance w/limitations?

...

Lightning Reflexes w/"must wait/delay/hold action"?

Anyone care to take a stap at pricing those limitations?

Ta.

"I've already played this fight out a thousand times in my mind from every possible angle. You were beaten before you even came here."

- Midnighter

How would you model that power?

Clairvoyance w/limitations?

Shed loads of 8pt CSLs?

Danger Sense?

Find Weakness?

Lightning Reflexes w/"must wait/delay/hold action"?

Defensive Man.?

Hmm...