Kirby

Re: Building KITT

My wife's character belongs to an overt government operation. In addition to her sensory implants she also gets to drive around in a car that is similar to a purple KITT. How would someone build it? This includes which form to use' date=' characteristics, powers, etc.[/quote']

I'm not great at building vehicles, but I would look up standard weapons and give it enough armor to take any shot that did maximum. I remember it also had a type of spacial awareness and could "look" into buildings. Sort of a radar via video game icons. Also give it superspead (extra time for activating) superleap, and superleap useable on others (ejection seat). Build a communications device with it and give it an AI.

 

A purple KITT. Hmm, women. (Though the next female PC I create will have a pink Mustang....)

Re: Liberty or Freedom League?

I like Liberty League better of the two, but how many are in the "league?"

Personally, I like Freedom Force, but that wasn't an option.

The guys I used to game with always liked the "Sentinels of Liberty and Justice." I was in the minority who thought that was corny.

Though Justice Society gives me sentimental goose bumps.

Re: Need a name for a hero...

What about Dr. Feelgood?

D'oh!

Re: Need a name for a hero...

Here's the concept:

 

1) He's a doctor....

 

2) He has inate powers of healing and regeneration.

 

3) Uses gadgets(of a nonlethal nature) to help fight crime.

Dr. Feelgood

Dr. Doctor

Dr. Page (secret ID: Paging Dr. Page)

Miracle Max (tribute to The Princess Bride)

Medic

Medivac

Medicine Man (if he has Indian background)

Spin Doctor (sorry, politics crept in there)

Dr. Pepper (there's a lawsuit pending if he doesn't endorse)

Dr. Love ("KISS the good doctor.")

Do you have a basic background or personality yet? That may help us.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

"Finally' date=' if he is using the [i']actual[/i] Greek Gods in his campaign (as presented in The Olympians), then the GM should decide how the two groups interact. It is entirely possible that Zeus and his brethren will be angered by the alien mimics. Perhaps the PCs will have to avert a divine war!"

 

That's why I stated that they were gods. Guess the info in Alien Enemies was wrong.

Well, I can see it meaning that the aliens in The Olympians were the "true source" for the Greek myths and thus the true "gods" that way, while the Pantheon is the imitation league.

Yes' date=' I was talking about The Pantheon. Sorry for not being clearer on that point. The Pantheon's arrival likely came after The Olympians cut themselves off from Earth to fight the Titans (though again, I don't have Olympians in front of me to see when they cut themselves off; The Pantheon arrive around 100 B.C.)[/quote']

It doesn't state the time in the book, though it seems to imply right before the Romans invaded (due to the Titan fighting). "The Greeks were perplexed by the gods' sudden departure. Even this seemed less important when the Romans invaded and conquered all the Greek city-states." I don't know off-hand when this happened, and I'd have to look it up, but I believe it was prior to 100 B.C.

 

But like you, I treat the Olympians as the true Greek gods. I just wish I had the Aliens book.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

That' date=' and 400 points was the mid to low end. [/quote']

Going back to my book, the primary fourteen beings listed average about 783 points, with the low being 497.

They are:

(Deity - Points)

Zeus - 1110

Hera - 722

Aphrodite - 611

Apollo - 897

Aries - 721

Artemis - 793

Athena - 715

Demeter - 754

Dionysus - 720

Hephaestus - 637

Hermes - 810

Poseidon - 986

Hades - 992

Charon - 497

 

They list lots of other "deities & demigods" as well as heroes, villains and beasts, but most major characters don't have their points listed, just a compacted character sheet with little to no numbers. Circe is 375 points though.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

The Olympians sourcebook is the real Greek Gods.

Not according to The Olympians they aren't real gods. The book states "[T]he Greek 'gods' are not actually divine beings. They are simply fictional extra-dimensional life forms with extraordinary abilities." (p. 3)

Now, if you're saying that the beings in the book are what the myths are supposed to be based on, yes, but they are listed as aliens, not divine beings.

They also first appeared to the Romans' date=' and thus use the Roman names (Jupiter, Neptune, etc)[/quote']

By "they" do you mean the Olympians, or the Pantheon? I'm going to guess the latter since The Olympians states "Although the Romans never actually encountered the Olympians, they did imitate the Greeks and adopted the worship of the absent gods. However, the Romans never had personal interaction with the gods, and this accounts for the Roman view of the gods as more idealized and less human." (p. 5)

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic

Using your brain to do math or physics(which would be represented by skills' date=' not powers) is very different from using it to say, throw cars around with TK too though.[/quote']

Well you could theorize that it's different.

 

Though, this could even add to the argument that it's an independent power source not requiring a focus.

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

Tax-free shopping? What' date=' does Texas not have sales tax on Friday, or are you making a trip across one of the borders to...where? (have a good night and fun shopping)[/quote']

When President Bush was Governor Bush, he instituted and it was passed that there is a three-day weekend in August prior to school starting where clothing $99.99 and less is tax-free. It's a big boost for the economy and especially for lower-class parents. Each year more things get added (such as shoes and backpacks) that are school-related. And, since the stores know people are out to spend money, they have huge sales (including reducing $200 outfits to $99.99). Since the clothing stores have sales, lots of other stores in malls have sales in hopes of getting that cash.

 

"It's like Christmas in July." Except that it's in August and instead of buying for others, you buy for yourself and family. Very much fun to be had and people are generally friendly (since toys aren't big sellers). It's very funny to see what clothing stores look like on late Sunday afternoon.

 

"Bwah ha ha!" - Blue Beetle

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

Yes' date=' I did, I just realized I left the info out there without explaining why they did that.[/quote']

Ah ha! I thought so. Okay, well, I must go to bed and get some sleep. We have tax-free shopping to do tomorrow (& Sat. & Sun.) and we must get up early while the stores are still decent.

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

Basically' date=' the Japanese ...simply required them to perform in circuses, including showcasing battles between supers.[/quote']

That's just wrong. Funny, but wrong.

 

PS - their primary motivation was not only entertainment' date=' but to always have supers ready to fight the mutated monsters such as Godzilla or Mothra![/quote']

Hey, did you just edit and add that?

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic

First....

 

Second....

Dangit, don't use my writing stye against me! Wait, not against, in response to. Ah, drats, never mind; it looks good.

I think we are simply having a difference of opinion on how to represent things.

Agreed.

I will allow that there are a few exceptions' date=' but not many.[/quote']

I'll still take the opposite on this. I don't think the "exceptions" are few.

 

Finally' date=' I would refer everyone to the very first sentence under END Reserve in Fred: "A character with an END Reserve has [i']an independent source [/i] of Endurance which provides END to run powers." By definition, an independent source is not part of a character. So I restate my point about inherent powers: any power which draws its energy from the character must use personal END(possibly with a reduced END advantage) or in rare instances charges, unless there is a VERY good reason otherwise.

But I can even say from life experience that when my body has been fatigued and I couldn't lift my M-16, run, or pick up my baseball glove, I've still been able to use my brain quite effectively, even if my answers came in puffs. Also, I'd add to the argument that involuntary reaction (such as muscles or sensitive tickle spots) can be considered quite independent, even when a person is near the passed out zone.

 

Also note that FREd doesn't require the power to be taken with a focus. And the focuses would probably have to be bought with usable by others for anyone else to use, (thus adding to the independent source, while not an independent item case) but that's debatable.

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

Warlord

 

Sierra Leone

The UN pulls out the last of its mission troops. One month later total chaos ensues with several uprisings. Anarchy has returned. With the tension created in Southeast Asia over Taiwan, Warlord uses that (preplanned) distraction to invade. Will anyone aid this poor, African country in its most unfortunate of times? (Especially since the uprising rebels all join Warlord.)

Heck, you could also apply this to Liberia next door to the east; it's even more unstable (and has "intervened" into Sierra Leone).

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

I wonder...are supers in Japan covered by the "no stanging [sic] armies" disarmation [sic] act?

I believe the official version of HERO 5E states that the Japanese government employs no supers, so they would definitely be civilians. Now, the concept of businesses hiring the supers actually makes good sense.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

I may have to take another look now. I don't want to make them aliens though; I'd rewrite that part certainly.

They made them aliens so not to offend anyone by calling them actually deities. Our GM that ran them ignored that part too.

I'd say take a look, especially if it is discounted. It can be great fun, even if you only run one adventure on Olympus.

PS: The rest being run on Earth, or linking them to the Zodiac if you use them (or at least Taurus).

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic

Mentalists. Mystics. Solar powered characters.

Let's talk about these as END Batteries when it comes to drains & suppresses.

If a villain has a power that drains/suppresses END, but with the limitation that it only affects a certain Fx, then on successful attacks the END battery is gone (for the time being) while the character can still run and hide, go get help or evacuate a wounded person.

If the hero didn't have an END battery, then when his END was gone, not only could he not use his powers, he couldn't move.

(Okay, this is more simplified than I had originally wished, but I'm busy at the moment chatting with a niece, so it'll have to do. Sorry about that.)

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic

Actually' date=' many mages require personal END to cast their spells.[/quote']

"Many" means neither "majority," "most," nor "nearly all." Regardless of how many mages require personal endurance and how many do not, END RESERVE can still be logically used to represent the END drained.

 

 

And D&D would be built with charges' date=' not END reserve.[/quote']

That's debatable. It could be argued that D&D magic runs off of multipowers (one mp per level spell) (maybe with charges that cost END) and then you could use the END RESERVE for their "source." One nice thing about HERO is that an open imagination can dream up many different ways for the same power.

 

 

Really' date=' magic can run off of an END battery, but for most it's going to require either a) an object or creating a serparate Aura stat(which I have heard of people doing).[/quote']

Objects would be called magic items. Couldn't an "Aura stat" be the same thing as an END RES?

 

Other than that' date=' magic is normally going to require using personal END or charges the overwhelming majority of the time.[/quote']

"Overwhelming" majority? I easily disagree on that. In fact, the HERO system is the only game I can recall playing that was set up where you could use magic off of your personal END. Star Wars (d6) may have been, but it's been a long time since I've played it.

 

The ones that actually use an END battery can usually be explained by the fact that not all magic systems require the caster to personally invest their energy into the spell' date=' instead serving as a channell or vessel through which it flows. Others use the idea of mana, or tapping into an outside source to provide the energy.[/quote']

Are you arguing that it shouldn't be called an END RESERVE, or are you providing instances to your statements "How often do you see in the comics (or any other genre) that someone burns themself out using their powers but still has lots of energy to do other things? I'd be hard pressed to think of ANY such circumstance that could not be explained by putting charges on the abilities as opposed to an END reserve."

 

Mentalists - same thing. Most of them are hard-pressed to exercise their mental powers to their fullest when physically tired. Which would indicate that both their "physical" abilities and their Mental powers draw from the same pool of END.

I doubt you could classify Professor X this way. While it's been years since I've read comics, especially Marvel, I don't see Prof. X being able to wheel himself through a marathon, but I do see him able to using his mental powers for the same length of time and then some. Thinking of it, D&D mentalists are like and END RESERVE as well. They can fight with weapons, but their psionic powers drain with each use and need rest to recover. Even when drained they can still do other "normal" things.

 

And when you keep saying "most" and other majority words, I'm thinking you're taking liberty with the term as opposed to having a better qualifier. Maybe "most" in your games, but I don't think you could say "most" for HERO players or "most" games are created this way or "most" characters are created this way.

 

Solar Powered Hero - Could be built with an END reserve' date=' but as I said. [[i']sic[/i]] It's a rare exception. Most of them could be built other ways.

I seriously doubt it is a "rare exception." The powers could be built several different ways. None of which would disqualify buying them with an END RES.

 

Again' date=' it isn't that you don't have exceptions, but they are very rare.[/quote']

Again, I doubt this.

 

 

Basically' date=' if a player wants to have an END reserve for inherent powers, they need to justify it to me.[/quote']

Which has nothing to do with Zebediah's posts and questions. Your statements on this seem to be "you can't or shouldn't do this because I don't allow it in my game," which is pointless here. Even after you ask for justifications you argue against them.

 

I think it would be much safer to say that one could easily justify a "natural" END RESERVE, but in your campaign you would not normally allow it.

 

I think I have a better END RES logic, but I'll save that for a new post.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

I'm currently of the opinion (though I've not impelemented it in game yet) that the Greek Gods were merely early superheroes. a 400pt super could seem pretty godlike to people who've never flown or sent people to the moon.

There was a sourcebook appropriately titled "The Olympians" which used this concept also, though they were actually alien, cosmic energy beings. That, and 400 points was the mid to low end.

Re: Non-standard mythologies

This has prpbably been done before' date=' but has anyone here ever done anything with non-standard mythology?[/quote']

I tried creating a Lovecraft/Cthulhu type myth in my game. Sadly, none of the beings I used before have shown up in HERO 5E. Said beings are Darkulans, Leatherwings, the Seven Horseman, White Cralwlers and Primes.

Re: Social Limitation: Legacy

I still don't see how any of this is a Social Lim. Someone please explain to me how everyone in Hero City could expect you to live up to Hero X's reputation without that causing a great deal of pressure within you' date=' Hero X II, to live up to their expectations.[/quote']

It happens in politics all the time. An incoming president is always compared to the previous president (especially if from opposing parties). The same goes for governors, mayors, and in Dallas it goes for DISD superintendent (changes about every year) and police chief. Back to presidents, not only are they compared while running and once in, but the media makes a huge comparisson after 100 days in.

 

I can see this happening with supers. The first time they fight a certain infamous villain the media compares the length of the fight and property damage. The first time the new team is defeated (Well, the *old* team was never beat by that guy!) or the first time a villain escapes (Ya know Jim, the old team made sure to capture villains 95% of the time. No villain escaped until after their first year on duty, not their first month).

 

No one can spin a story like the media. And then: magazines! (The 50 most beautiful supers.)

Re: Name My Character

Q' date=' the Winged Serpent[/quote']

"Now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time...."

 

Or, for the media the first time he's seen: Godzirra!

Re: Name My Character

I do like the Draconis Draconian theme from above, but for an original by me:

Maybe the Chimaera

For secret ID, perhaps Art Hurr (combined is like Arthur sounds like Author)

Arthur: Penciati, Penn, Penrod.

Re: HSVS mistake

Well it made my day to see that the B-52 had a sheet write up' date=' as I had the honor of maintaining them for 3.25 years of my life.[/quote']

While off topic, let me thank you for maintaining them. My father was part of the B-52 crew for about 1/2 his time in the Air Force, during which he accomplished 199 combat missions. It's folks like you who helped keep the Stratofortresses in the air.

 

Seriously' date=' nice write up, and thank you for the nod, as it is to my knowledge the oldest warplane still in service by the USAF[/quote']

This is true. In fact, I believe it is the oldest plane in service in the world, with an estimated life span up to 2050. One hundred years is pretty impressive.

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic

How do you' date=' for instance, justify having an END reserve and personal END both for abilities which are "natural"? How often do you see in the comics(or any other genre) that someone burns themself out using their powers but still has lots of energy to do other things? I'd be hard pressed to think of ANY such circumstance that could not be explained by putting charges on the abilities as opposed to an END reserve.[/quote']

Mentalists. Mystics. Solar powered characters.

 

Mentalists use their "brain power" for mental spells. Their physical END (such as running) do not simply come from their mental abilities. A mentalist could run a few blocks and be winded -because he doesn't exercise- but when he sees a villain, he can put up his mental defenses and EGO blast with the best of them. The mentalist prefers to stay out of direct combat because he's not the physical type and would get exhausted doing half-moves every phase, yet he has the willpower so-to-speak to keep on using mental tricks throughout combat.

 

Mystics are basically the same. Take the stereotypical wizard who is old & frail, yet casts uberpowerful spells. No one has seen him run in years (he has only a 10 CON so 20 "stat" END), but he can cast fireballs for an hour before he feels "drained." Here, D&D is a perfect example. A mage can cast a certain number of spells until he runs out, after he rests -usually eight hours for powerful mages, less for weaker ones- he gets his spells back. Even when he's out of spells, he can still run, walk, ride and throw daggers or whack a goblin with a staff.

 

A solar powered super can walk around all day and party at night; however, the player chose to limit his character's END battery with a limitation of only recharges in sunlight (and maybe under full moons). If the party goes underground, or is battling at night, the PC has lots to draw from, but is then restricted in that he can't recharge. Once his "battery" or solar skin is out of juice, he can still pick up the stereotypical damsel in distress and start carrying or escorting her up to the surface or out of the danger zone, using his other "natural" END based off his CON.

Re: from little plot seeds, mighty games do grow: Share you ideas!

Warlord

(Okay, to qualify this first, I didn't like the Warlord gang write-up the first two times I looked through CKC, but on the third, when I did a more detail read, I thought the only good use from this group would be in taking over a country.)

The China Syndrome

Warlord and the gang (including mercenary/military troops) invade Taiwan. This sparks immediate responses from China, the United States, and Japan. China sends half of the Tiger Squad as a vanguard while preparing a military "liberation" force. The United States sends in the local fleet, while grouping sanctioned heroes as a supplemental "protection" force. The heroes are asked to assist by their host nation (overtly or in secret, depending on their status). Japan has a substantial interest in Taiwan remaining as-is. Since their Constitution prevents an offensive military, Japan has secretly recruited local heroes & mercenaries to repel both Warlord and Tiger Squad, in that order.

Do the heroes assist? Or do they let this play out on its own?

What happens if the Warlord repells both countries' forces? What happens if one country defeats Warlord and then the other nation's force shows up? If the U.S. is victorious over Warlord, will China become belligerant? If China is victorious over Warlord, will they imbed themselves in Taiwan for "Taiwan's protection." What if Japan's supers are discovered? What happens if Warlord takes over Taiwan and cannot be removed? What if China hired Warlord to create this situation for an underhanded, but crafty de facto control over Taiwan?

Sierra Leone

The UN pulls out the last of its mission troops. One month later total chaos ensues with several uprisings. Anarchy has returned. With the tension created in Southeast Asia over Taiwan, Warlord uses that (preplanned) distraction to invade. Will anyone aid this poor, African country in its most unfortunate of times? (Especially since the uprising rebels all join Warlord.)

Cuban Missile Crisis

Warlord is hired by Fidel Castro. If done overtly, how will the U.S. respond if Warlord starts overtly spying on Guantanamo or Florida? Will they ask the heroes to "independently" harass them? If done covertly, Castro may use them to launch hit & run misions on the U.S. (A great distraction from Cuba if Warlord has taken over Sierra Leone.) If the U.S. discovers this secret liaison, will they be able to convince the heroes to "depose" the team? What aid will they offer? (Government supers? Special forces?) What happens if Warlord wants Cuba for his own, but doesn't want the U.S. presence?