Short Shot

Re: Throwing a Manhole cover vs a OIF Here is a bit more info from a thread titled "Ranged, STR Adds Damage"

Re: Throwing a Manhole cover vs a OIF I tried this, and would love to do it. The problem comes up with a change in 5er that doesn't let you add Range to a normal HtH attack but does allow you to on a Killing HtH attack. Go figure. I'll likely talk to my GM about doing it anyway.

Re: Throwing a Manhole cover vs a OIF The multipool I visualize as essentially a mystery blob of metal that reshapes itself on command. Decker has a bunch of strange relatives who aren't necessarily all there. One of his uncles invented this multitool for possible military use. It's a sheild! It's a shovel! It's a pick! A pry bar! Watch it reform into these set shapes! Only problem is it weighs in at 100 lbs. Decker handles it easily but it ain't something that the average joe is going to be able to use at all. Might as well TRY to use the man hole cover as a shield. I hadn't actually planned on using it as a projectile weapon when I created the character. I think the original inspiration for it was actually Cheshire Cat's billy club with +4D6 and Missile deflection for 20 pts and one thought lead to another. At this point the 3 shapes that have already been used are a chain whip (3 inches stretching, indirect), a staff form (+4dc), and shield form (missile deflection). Another player commented about ranged HtH attacks when we were fighting a villian who stayed to high for me to reach. HD wouldn't let me, leading me to a search and finding Fred and 5ER treat ranged HtH attacks differently. All of which leads back to here. TMI, I know, that there you go. I think the key point is the (active points) / 5 = Defense thing. Essentially, that would limit the EB I could do with it to 4dc, which, gee, is exactly what I could buy with a 20 pt active multipower.

Decker has 40 Strength and runs around with a (20 pt multipower) shape changing OIF that currently has 4 shapes, including a shield. With his 40 str, he can pick up a man hole cover and chuck it at someone doing a maximum damage of 8d6. If a man hole cover isn't around, he wants to be able to throw his shield ala Captain America. What has to happen for this to be legal? The reason I'm asking is all the builds for Cap have his shield have a xd6 energy blast put into it and I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how things change in tossing a random peice of scenery vs a focus you're carrying around. Thanks.

Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks Well, if it isn't sure a "Charity" but a "Cause": Battered Women- Battered woman is being persude by Evil Villian for having heard too much of the plot. Keep the girl alive, find proof, stop the evil scheme. Government in Exile(name your country)- Group YYY is trying to gain money/support to oust the evil dictator. The rightful ruler has become her confidant. Enjoy the assasination attempts, the Proof of Evil Doings hidden somewhere, black mail attempts, hidden treasures needed to fund the revolution/dictatorship. Society for the Protection of the Snipe! A disease is spreading throughout the population. Anaylis determines that it is a prototype virus with latent properties designed to cleans the earth all life. Track the virus vector to the lair to fight the aliens determined to change the earth's eco system to suit their own biology! Historical Preservation Society. Connections lead to a historical (spooky) property that is being purchased by an eccentric millionair. His stated plans are to level the building and surrounding area and make a resort. In reality, this place is a focus of magical energies and combined with dark sourcery, he will open a gate to Hades!

Before I get going, this character is going to be a contact, so it will be in the hands of the GM. I'm trying to build a family for my character, Decker Kincaid. The premise is that the Kincaid family probably has more metahumans in their family tree than just about anyone but they tend to be... odd. It isn't quite the way some one described it, a cross between the Incredibles and the Addams family, but it's close. If Tesla were a Kincaid, he would be a good example: brilliant scientist, definitely having a screw loose. Or Shirley McLaine. Talented person, but considered out there by the most people. I should also say that the family policy is pretty much that if you choose to play with fire, be ready to get burned. They look out after their own, but generally not if that member went looking for trouble. The exception is when large number of innocents will be affected. As an example: You take on Viper in a robbery, no help. Viper is coming after you because of your actions, they will likely start paying attention but for the most part, you should have known it was going to happen when you stepped up. You discover Viper is planning on poisoning the water supply of a city? Okay, NOW you can call on the family. The character in question in this case is Auntie Grazelda. The abilities she has talking to ghosts and Clairsentience. The ghost thing is all the time. She can see them, hear them, etc, all the time, and are as real as ordinary people to her. She knows they're ghosts but still wouldn't dream of being rude to one, by doing something like ignoring them. The Clairsentience is the one I'm having more trouble with. I want it to have two levels. The first is uncontrolled, precognition and normal Clairsentience, only with regard to her extended family, where ever they might be in the word. The second part is controlled, but I'll have it obvious accessible focus (deck of tarot cards), gestures, concentration, etc. If this was YOUR game, how would you like to see these powers built?

Re: Rationalize this.... I can't see any problem with it. Geeks have access to high systems capable of rendering the movies in 3d, program in correct responses, etc. I would do one of two things as part of the system, though. Either make it so your limbs are not in the battle suits limbs when it throws a super fast punch, or have the suit interface with YOUR nerveous system so your actions are in coordination with the suit's. Even the later is pushing it in a lot of ways. Having your limbs jerked in directions your not expecting could result in some serious muscle strain, even if it doesn't go outside normal range of motion.

Re: Birkoff goes independant I'm not real concerned about the GM's reaction to this guy for the simple reason that with the disads I'm giving him, including paranoia and secretiveness, the GM can take him off line for days at a time, game time. Just say "he thought he might have been spotted going after something, so he's changing locations and rebuilding a new hideout", or "he thinks he's found a black ops plot to force a selection of the next president and doesn't have time for your petty concerns". The GMs is pretty solid about not letting stuff like this break the plot, even if he sometimes it isn't very graceful in doing it. (/waves Martin)

Re: Birkoff goes independant

Re: Combat Question: The "counter" The fact that Block is an attack is exactly my point. Two Weapon Fighting is a specialized form of sweep, which allows multiple attacks. Also, the side bar on page 51 in 5ed is using two different types of attacks. In this instance, I can't think why one attack can't be block and the other a punch.

In the process of building a hero, I've gotten side tracked building a follower. Background story is that two young people get recruited to a black ops organization (think Section One, La Fem Nikita). One, a gifted athlete and actor (Decker), is to be trained as an operative. The other is the brainiac, specializing in computers (Birkoff type). "Birkoff" is in the orginazation several years before Decker shows up. At this point, stuff goes wrong. I haven't decided if it's the organization itself, a rival org, or one of the groups they are going after that causes the problems. "Birkoff" gets the warning out but gets nailed. Decker comes tracks down and breaks Decker out. The rest of the organization is (seemingly) wiped. They are now out in the cold. THE ULTIMATE Version "Birkoff" knows whats out there, and who's out there. What I'm shooting for with him is the computer genius who has back doors into every major system and everywhere he thinks useful. You need to know what PRIMUS has on someone? He's got sysadmin prividges and, oh, fixed the security leak they didn't even know they had. Try to track him? The trail will wind it's way around until it shows an absolutely solid case that it was your real father who did it, and I don't mean the guy your mother was married to at the time. Need to know what the mayor is up to? Oops, the laptop on the desk just had the built in mic turn on and starts transmitting. Paranoia is his watch word. Decker doesn't even know where he is. Minds can be read, you know. Birkoff will KNOW if your trying to track his signal will lead you around like. His base is hidden, he has several escape routes, the routes in are closely monitored, and he has a several backup sites. (I should note that Birkoff is not a DNPC but either a contact or a follower who is going to end up in the GMs hand.) Obsessive? If might, just possibly, be someone who unknowingly may have something to do with associates of black ops, he will set his traps to lie in wait for months for an opening into your systems. If he thinks it important enough he may send Decker in to deal with the human factor. On the other hand, he may also be monitoring your hardware purchases and sneak something into your net before it's even yours. REALITY.. um.. to use the term loosely. Okay, I'm not going to blow more than 20 pts on this guy as a follower, and I'd prefer to do it with less. We are running Standard Supers. I'm thinking in terms of a 100/75. The only thing I've got is a selection of computer skills and Clairsentiance-Requires networkable devices. I'm shooting for someone who can hack a system, get me floor plans, figure out who a costumed creep is from the discription through access to government/police databases, follow an electronic paper trail through a shreader, and maybe if the satalites are aligned correctly give me some idea of what's waiting for me at the drop site. Besides the disads, and direct computer skills, what abilities, skills, powers and perks are required to make this guy fit concept? His disads are going to include paranoia, obsessed with remaining unfound, possibly Agoraphobia, and likely physical cowardance. Motivation: Who guards the guardians? He does.

Re: Combat Question: The "counter" What about two weapon fighting used with hand to hand? Block is one attack, strike with the other part of it. This has actually come up before in one of our games but we never actually used it. Is it legal?

Re: Aikido? A big part of the aikido basis came from swordsmanship (kenjitsu). Training starts with escapes since grabbing a swordsman's arm keeps him from drawing the weapon. If in the process of escaping the grab you can damage your enemy, even better. Another factor relies on what I think is caused an "autoneurilogical reaction". Essensially, if you've grabbed onto something and you start to fall you tend to clamp down on it. You can do throws with people who have grabbed you this way because they won't let go in time to prevent it, even without you grabbing them. With respect to the jo or bokken, if your opponent grabs your weapon you can actually do the same throw you would do to get your wrist free to get your weapon free. The weapon can also be used as a lever on joints, etc. Been a while since I've practiced and i wasn't that good even then, but it was a lot of fun doing moves on someone half again my size and having them go down, or having some lady 2/3rds my weight doing stuff to me where I had no choice but to go down. Fun stuff.

Re: Fighting talk What I've been told and read repeatedly is learning a few techniques extemely well will work better in a real fight than a lot of techniques that you perform imperfectly. My instructor refers to it as gems. Teri Tom devoted an entire book to one technique, the Straight Lead. You work one technique until you get it to the point that where, when that technique is what's needed, it is purely reflexive. You may even use it and not even realise it was the right time for it until after it's over and done with. Take that over someone like me. I did tae kwon do in junior high and could do every kick and punch. I've done aikido at a couple different schools a couple times a week for about a year each time. I've practiced about half a dozen judo throws at various times to where I could do them against someone who was nearly twice my size. I'm currently practicing tai chi, with some push hands and some white crane joint locks. I'm just now getting to the point where I'll be starting sparring soon. Put me up against a guy who has spent the last 6 months doing physical conditioning and basic boxing techniques, I'm going to get my head handed to me in no uncertain terms. I have all this knowledge on HOW to do stuff, but I don't have it ingrained to a reflexive action. Lots of techniques vs CSLs, DEX and STR.

Re: What combination would it take to score 40 on the pop-up M16 range? Scopes: None. Once you get used to it, though, the peep site on an M16A2 is much better than a standard open site. With respect to kicking up dirt and getting a score: As I recall, they had modified the target hit sensors so that it had to be a certain frequency to cause the target to drop. Dirt hitting the target has a different type of impact than a .223 round, and wouldn't drop the targets on the range I was on.

Okay, it's been 7 years or so since I qualified with the M16 on the popup range. As I recall, it was high/head shots at 50 meters out to torso shots at 300 meters. I THINK it was about 3 seconds available per shot from a sandbag rest, with being able to take the occational second shot at a target (I don't remember how many extra rounds were available) I'm assuming 0 DCV since the targets weren't moving. What breakdown would you have between the weapon, bracing, extra time/aim to score 36-40 hits out of 40 targets under these conditions?

Re: A villain came up and bit me As I said, the characters to play in this campaign aren't even finalised yet, so I may be bringing up a non issue. And I don't THINK I'm power tripping. I didn't specifically build the character to take down the team. I just was going over some recent stories I'd read and said "Cool, this would be a good story line" and built the character to concept. THEN went "Oops". What I think will most likely happen in this case is that particular story will be shelved for the time being. Part of the concept for this campaign is actually "We've pulled a team together from our membership to deal with this issue, and your particular qualifications give you the best shot." So, if it something they can't handle, well... er.. I guess they wouldn't have the best shot now, would they?

Okay, there I was, minding my own business, staring at my bookshelf trying to get story ideas for my first campaign as a GM. Hmm.. okay, that story would work and that villian would be fairly easy to build. La-de-da. Ho hum. And then I realised that with any kind of warning, this one guy, built well under caps, can likely take down the entire team. Now, the characters for the team are tentative, and the final builds might be able to handle him. I have come up with a way to get the characters to do it regardless (A simple side mission). I'd be interested in knowing if any of you have ended up with that situation and what you chose to do about it.

Re: Easily forgotten She isn't really forgotten but people just don't pay attention to her. The kind of person who stands up to suggest a solution and people talk over. If she goes someplace with a friend you will remember all the details about the friend but she would be remembered as "SoAndSo's friend" and have a hard time discribing her. On the other hand she can amplify the effect significantly. I think the book discribed it as being able to walk down the street naked wearing purple body paint and nobody would pay attention. She does have friends, though. Not like the episode of the invisible girl in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But come to think of it, similar to her character before she became totally invisible.

Re: Easily forgotten This seems to be about the closest, I think, although during her every day stuff its low key. The books are by Laura Anne Gilman, the series called Retrievers, and the first book is called Staying Dead.

I've recently been reading a series of books where the main character is a thief. One of her talents is to be ignored, or easily forgotten. The difficulty for her is that it is Always On. Sucks when you want service. On the other hand, it would be really nice for that old Backstab. What would be your preferred means of building this? I mean it would be a great defense in a lot of situations (the other targets are always much more important) but it really isn't a form of Invisibility since she would always be visable.

Re: Would you like your character? Like? No. Respect? Yes. They tend to be dedicated, motivated people with a Purpose. Those kinds of people tend to drive me nuts. And then there was Punky. He was specifically built with the "Rodney Dangerfield Complex". Although a really nice guy, NOBODY who meets him likes or respects him, and they aren't sure why. He is pretty much a Peter Parker/Spiderman clone who got his powers because different groups around the science labs decided to haze him. The groups didn't know about one another. He would be staggering out from one attack and be jumped again for another bit of "fun". End result, a wall crawling, extremely agile genius who could throw a truck... and if you saw him do it, your reaction would be "show off", "Where are the wires?", "What kind of crappy special effects are those?", "He didn't have to do that! That paint job was cherry!" oh, and Tactics of 15, Presence was at negative 10. Most common quote was "I told you so".

Aikido comments Not all aikidoists are the same. There are different styles of Aikido and different means of gaining rank. The ones I know of off hand are Yoshikan and Tomiki, and I'm pretty sure there is at least one other major style. The testing requirements are NOT the same, nor are the training methods. They have different training methods and base philosophies. For an interesting read on Yoshikan Aikido check out the book "Angry White Pajamas". There are other martial arts that have aikido as a component of their individual school. Wu chin pai, and shi sae ryu are two that I know of. Both use judo techiques along with aikido. One also incoperates tai chi and the other trains in karate. Bottom line, if two people of identical ability studied diligently at different schools, they may very quite a bit in philisophical points of view and in real combat ability.

Re: Using enemies as human shields Thanks for the input. I had fun building a new martial artist last night and thought that would be a fun thing to play around with.

I tried to search on this since my books are on loan to a new player. Results: Showing results 1 to 25 of 350 Search took 2.59 seconds; generated 1 minute(s) ago. Search: Key Word(s): "human, shield" Classic movie scene: Our hero blocks the punch of BadGuy1, snaps him into an arm lock. BadGuy2 lines up to shoot our hero. Hero yanks BadGuy1 up into place to use him as a shield against BadGuy2's shooting, with BadGuy1 frequently taking a few rounds in the chest in the process. What skills and rolls would be necessary to carry this off? Thanks in advance.