Chris Goodwin

That was the SF author Charles Stross.  I'm reasonably certain that at the time, Games Workshop was a TSR licensee, and that White Dwarf was at least in part considered the house organ for TSR in the UK.  I think the githyanki submission was to a column in the magazine called Fiend Folio, from which TSR compiled the monster book of the same name.  
 
It was for sure Stross, and it was for sure from GRR Martin's work; Martin was apparently unaware of this use of his material, but apparently the Stross version bears no more than a passing resemblance to Martin's creature.  
 
The Wikipedia article on Githyanki has a bit more information. 

The internet has made decades of study and learning-- and knowing anything at all-- pretty much redundant.  
 
I have become a suppository of information......  
 
 
Thanks, Chris.
 
 
 

So Str,Dex,Con,Int,Ego & Pre are clickable to trigger a basic test. The dropdown for skills allow you to select a skill and roll against it. The input field next to it works as a dice modifier field for either Stats or Skill rolls.

You either click on the stat .. or for the skills you click on the dice.

Roll results (totals only) are broadcast to all in the game chat window, the person making the roll gets the rolled Dice results as well (but no one else see's them). All rolls are also sent to the GM Logs.

Hover over a movement icon to see the speed of that type of movement both combat and non-combat. Hover over any text for a description.

Now that I can read characters from Hero Designer, I can implement the crosshairs next to the Saved rolls. This will do the basic attack roll and report back which DCV could be hit.

I have written a JSON exporter for Hero Designer, the output from which can be pasted into the TTS coloured  Notes field and named. You can then Import Character to load it into the control.
 

 
The JSON file could also be downloaded from a website if preferred. Simply place the URL into the Notes entry instead of the JSON.

All told this becomes an on-screen easily accessible combat record which interfaces with the dice roller.

That was the downside of a -2 limitation.  And the reason I, like Chris, never liked the limitation.  It did mean that you kept the loot you found for no point cost - that is someone else's limitation coming into play.  His lost points is your power gain.

Here's where it helps to know what edition.    Independent is gone in 6th edition (and I supported removing it); the permanent expenditure of points then becomes a GM's campaign option in Fantasy Hero, and one which I tend to shy away from.  
 
If it is in effect: you'll probably see few to no PCs start with points spent on magic items (as opposed to their spell Foci) nor make them in play, and in fact with Independent, characters explicitly don't pay points for items they find in play.  But Independent, or permanent expenditure of Character Points regardless of whether there's a Limitation for it or not, breaks the relationship between character point totals and power level, and changes them from a meta resource to something with some weird, inconsistent, nebulous, in-game, almost-currency sort of thing.  And, aside from the "character loses points permanently" aspect, it's almost presented as being more advantageous than limiting; if it doesn't limit the character it shouldn't be worth points, yet if it does come into play, someone gets really screwed.  (An aside to my good friend @Duke Bushido: I don't see a permanent expenditure of 2 points in a 250 point Champions game as breaking things too much, but 10-20 points in a 150 point Fantasy Hero game can be a lot more painful.)  
 
I just wouldn't use it.  Not that I ever ran a Fantasy Hero game in the 5th edition era, but I had as one of my standard house rules in case I ever did, "Independent is not permitted."  
 

I'm thinking about the idea of publishing "editionless" stats.  Characters, at least, with point costs hidden, except for the total at the end.  I'm on my phone at the moment but I'll try to work up some examples later.

For what it's worth, I never found Independent to be particularly "limiting," especially with newer players (those who grew up with the internet).  They would push each other toward it, proclaiming "remember: he can't take it away for more than a scene or two...." 
 
Yeah. 
 
Sure I can't. 
 
No: I'm not an adversarial GM-  quite the opposite, in fact, given my emphasis in character and story development.   But if you signed up for a power that Doctor Gunthief can use as easily as you can, and he gets his sticky fingers on it, you're going to have to figure out a way to take it back from him: he's not going to leave it laying on the stand in the foyer for you to grab on your way out. 
 
And if you _dont_ go to any effort to get it back..... 
 
Well, as I said: I have no big issue with "points are gone forever." 
 
(and all I really need is a _token_ effort; that's the worst part!) 

All but one of the players is completely new to the system, so even asking them to do the math with the hit location chart, while they are trying to take in everything else, feels like it won't go over well (I know it's not difficult, but they are already super intimidated by the character sheets). 
 
Since I've converted their characters from another system, I have no fear of a +8 vs head build. It's also something I probably wouldn't allow in a game anyway. 

That and Danger International were the games that pretty much got me into Hero back in the day. Even used the FH magic system when I needed some kind of weird powers for DI (e.g. horror campaigns). I tended to run fantasy campaigns that don't fit the D&D mold very well (heroic fantasy based on Classical mythology and such) so I loved it. Haven't played anything later than 4th ed., though.

I'm posting this here, my latest blog post on Champions (and the Hero System), because I though that it might help some of the folks currently planning to work on Community Content for Hero. None of it is really mechanics or even anything new for long-time aficionados -- and I'm sure some of you might have other takes.
 
But in light of many of the gaming trends these days, I think it's important to celebrate the confluence of factors that keep Champions & Hero relevant and -- dare I say it -- unique in the game-o-sphere.
 
 

Lucius makes an excellent point; it would be quite helpful to know what edition you are using, and which books in particular from that edition.
 
 
Without knowing for certain, I would offer something like this (Keep in mind I don't know 6e, and barely know 5e, so I'm going to be a little vague here; fill in the gaps as needed):
 
 
Build the monster.  Build it as you would any old monster: give it DEF, BODY, SPD-- build an actual monster; not an illusion.
 
Whatever Disadvantages you build into the monster, be sure to include something on the lines of "cannot do damage to anyone who as Disbelieved / realized it is an Illusion.
 
 
See: that's the thing that a lot of folks-- new players in particular-- have a hard time getting their heads wrapped around: you don't have to _buy_ every aspect of the character / creature in question.  Disadvantages / Complications can be used to _define_ a thing without actually adding to that thing.  The "SFX separate from mechanics" concept at the core of the game allow you to simply say "this monster is an illusion.  However, it will work just like a monster so long as no one realizes it is just an illusion."  You can define that further with the idea that as soon as an observer realizes the beastie is just an illusion, it has no more power to harm that observer.  Go even further with it, if you want, and add a limitation to each attack: damage disappears when illusion is disbelieved."  Keep in mind that it's not _mandatory_; it's just an idea that might really mess with a PC a bit.    
 
Once you have a cost for your monster, build Summon: X-point monster with whatever loyalty modifiers, etc that you want it to have.  Add a Limitation to your Summon: disappears when all observers are aware it's an illusion / when any observer realizes it's an illusion.  Select the mechanic that you find best represents Disbelieve:  INT roll?  PER roll?  EGO roll?  Something else?  Whatever.
 
Have fun with it.
 
As for creating a single hex of fire, you've got options there, too, now that (if I remember 6e correctly) to do this directly through Change Environment.  Traditionally, I would do it with RKA, Area of Effect: one Hex.  Remember that AoE does _not_ remove range by default (unless it does now).  If your range is, say, thirty hexes, then you can place that fire at any point up to thirty hexes away from you.
 
Presumably, you are building this as a Spell of some sort.  Thus, you can build it as Continuous _and_ incorporate an END Reserve / Battery / Pool / Whatever the Hell your edition calls it into the spell, and the fire will remain until the END runs out.
 
Now I don't know (but I assume) that there's an issue with Continuous that has been fixed by now: older editions had it set so that every time the "attacker's" phase (in this case, the spell caster's phase) came around, anyone standing in the effective area of the Continuous power would suffer the effects / take damage.  For what it's worth, I found this to be monumentally stupid:  In the case of your spell caster tossing a burning bush out onto the playing field, anyone was perfectly safe to stand right in the thing, so long as they weren't there when your phase came around.  If your edition does this, I would recommend house ruling that straight into something sensible.  If your edition has already fixed this, then run with that.  
 
 
 

People in this thread make good points.  I'm leaning quite a bit more neutrally toward the idea.  I'd probably still count any magic items toward the character's total when I'm working out total capabilities -- in that sense they're part of the character's points.  But I don't necessarily see the need to charge points, as in requiring the character to allocate saved XP to an item.  I'd make it a GM-decided option at the beginning of the campaign, for sure.  

Normally in Hero, Images (light/sound) can't do damage while Mental Illusions (all in the mind, but usually against one target) can.  However, you could write up an "illusionary monster" and then make the spell Summon Illusionary Monster.  You can add Variable Effect to summon other kinds of creatures.  
 
To fill a hex with fire, use a Blast or Killing Attack with Area of Effect and Constant or Continuous and either Uncontrolled (to feed END into it at the start and have it run off of that) or Time Limit (to have it expire on its own). 

This is definitely something the GM will have to consider.  If characters can pay points to start with magic items, but don't have to pay points to keep ones that are found, I would suggest that fairness would dictate that those who paid points to start with them should get those points back.  Alice, a 200 point archer who has spent 20 of her starting points on the Bow of Projectiles, and Bob, a 200 point fighter who has found the 20-point Axe of Spikiness, should both be considered, effectively, 220 point characters.  
 
I would suggest that Alice gets to "withdraw" the points she's paid for the bow, at the same rate as she receives XP.  In other words, if she receives 3 XP for the session, then she should get 3 of her spent points back from the bow, at the same time.  Those wouldn't be considered XP; they would be a cost reduction applied to the bow's cost, which would reduce her total points.  Assuming the point in the campaign at which both have received a total of 20 XP, that would make Bob a 200 point character with a 20 point axe and 20 XP, and Alice a 180 total point character, with a max of 200 points (leaving her 20 points unspent) and 20 XP.  If she later spends her unspent points from the bow, she would then be at the same point level as Bob: a 200 total point character with a 20 point bow and 20 XP.  
 
 
If both the bow and the axe have the Obvious Accessible Focus Limitation, they should have equal chances of losing their weapons.  In the event Alice loses her bow, she would get the entire 20 points back at once that she spent on it (or whatever she hasn't gotten back through reimbursement as above); if Bob spent no points on his axe, he would have nothing to get back if he loses it.  
 
 
If they both have a -1 OAF Limitation... getting a Focus taken away is part of that.  Neither of them should be angry, and whether one or the other gets taken away shouldn't be based on whether it's fair that Alice has paid points and Bob hasn't.  If Alice's bow gets taken away (assuming it can't be recovered), Alice should get those points back, at least whatever she hasn't already gotten back as mentioned above.
 
 
That would be "loss prevention" for the points, true.  Assuming you're using Independent in your games (the general "you"), would you allow a character to regain their lost points by buying off the Independent Limitation on a lost item?  I absolutely would.  But I'd require the character to front the difference.  If a 20-point item had a cost of 12 points with the Independent Limitation, meaning the character paid 12 points for it, then at the time at which they were able to spend the 8 points to buy off the Independent Limitation, they'd get the full 20 points back.  But they'd have to have the 8 XP first.  In case it's not obvious, I've been assuming throughout the thread that Independent is not in use.
 
By the way, it's always been a rule that in order to have a magic item (weapon or otherwise), you have to pay for the entire thing, not just the cost difference between the mundane and magical versions, even if you would otherwise not pay points for the mundane version.  GM's option, to be sure, but it's the default RAW.

I'm thinking about the idea of publishing "editionless" stats.  Characters, at least, with point costs hidden, except for the total at the end.  I'm on my phone at the moment but I'll try to work up some examples later.

I'm thinking about the idea of publishing "editionless" stats.  Characters, at least, with point costs hidden, except for the total at the end.  I'm on my phone at the moment but I'll try to work up some examples later.

Would you build a single spell that could do both of those things (and more) as a multipower?
 
I think it has to be a summons, since the creature can 'die' in normal combat and can be seen by everyone.
 
What limitation would you give something that can be instantly unsummoned with a successful Ego roll? -1?
 
Edit: And now I realize Summon is an Instant power, but I want it to only stick around for as long as she maintains it with END. How would I do that?

I love to see Hero Effortlessly miming TFT. The power of this system is astounding.

I would like to see Walter Louis "officializify" his "Viper: to Build a Better You"  Adventure.  It deserves it.
 
I would like to see Robot Warriors and Robot Gladiators reworked into a stand-alone game.  
 
I would like to see Super Agents worked into a stand-alone game.
 
As far as bringing the really old stuff forward....   Maybe update "To Serve and Protect,"  "The Coriolis Effect,"  and maybe "Demons Rule."  Maybe.  And decidedly both Foxbat books; he seems to be as much a part of the game's identity as is Seeker's tendency to get trashed on book covers.  Most importantly, though, is making sure that CLOWN dies forever in the fires of a nuclear explosion.
 
The whole thing about "updating old school adventures" is how unnecessary it is.  If you just _have_ to have 6e overbuilt characters, then update the characters.  That's all it takes.
 
As far as old Enemies books, well Greg's doing a solid job on that already, two or four guys at a time.
 
So that leaves new stuff, period. New stuff for whatever edition you preferred, or for all editions.  But that's what we need more than new versions of already-compatible material.
 
 

Thanks, Chris! Both answers are very helpful. If I can ever find a local game, if the GM doesn't already have a solution, I can at least propose these. 
DC

1. A focus is probably considered to have a number of BODY for Transformation purposes equal to the Active Points of the highest point power divided by 5, plus one for each additional power in it.  Pretty much the way a breakable Focus's effective PD/ED score is determined.  We really need a better way, by the way.  
 
2. Probably depends on common sense, dramatic sense, special effects.  I don't think an Unbreakable Focus is necessarily un-Transformable, but it depends.  The average wizard wouldn't be able to Transform Mjolnir, but the Beyonder probably would.

Actually it occurs to me that Transforming a Focus is probably more properly a Transform against its owner.  If it's an ordinary object with its own BODY score, just use that.

Oh good! 
 
They fixed Instant Change, then! 
 
(stir stir stir....  Evil cackle....) 

You might be tempted to have players roll a Driving roll on every trip.  I wouldn't do that. Instead, I'd use what my old group from the 80's called a Luck/Unluck roll.  Roll 3d6 plus any Luck dice the character has (which is often zero); count the levels of Luck.  Roll 3d6 plus any Unluck dice the character has (ditto); count the levels of Unluck.  Subtract the lower from the higher to find net Luck or Unluck.  
 
Net levels of Unluck would require a Driving roll, with the exact result depending on both the net levels and the amount by which the Driving roll is failed.  (If my math is correct, this means that a typical person with neither Luck nor Unluck dice will have an unmitigated three levels of Unluck slight more often than 2 2/3 of every thousand trips.)
 
The typical Everyman has an 8- Driving roll.  Note that failure doesn't necessarily mean catastrophe, though this is a "daily driver" rather than a focused adventure.  How does a driver reduce their chances of failure?  Same way you do IRL.  Give yourself Extra Time to reach your destination, drive defensively, know your route (Area Knowledge as complementary), keep your car in good condition (oil changes and other routine maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer).  Of course, a route you drive every day might grant you an automatic +1-3 bonus rather than requiring an Area Knowledge roll.  
 
Of course, the net levels of Luck are as helpful as net levels of Unluck are unhelpful.  1-3 levels of Luck can get you there faster, with less fuel usage and tire wear, or even mitigate a crit-fail on your Driving roll.  
 
One level of Unluck might not even trigger a Driving roll; two would for sure, but even a crit-fail on this roll wouldn't necessarily result in a catastrophe; it might mean a flat tire, running out of gas, engine trouble, a ticket, or being late to work.  Three (or more) levels of Unluck would trigger a roll, with possibly dire consequences for a critical failure.  
 
Active opposition (an adventure, in other words) trumps all of the above, of course.  

Just hanging this out there. Artist for Hire. Have illustrated several 3rd, 4th,  and 5th edition products. B/W or color. Ping me if interested please.