John Desmarais

Re: Do you have Active Point Limits? I typically dislike setting hard active point limits. Past experience has shown me that if you set hard limits my players tend to build their characters with their primary powers right at the limit - which creates a certain feeling of homogenized sameness to the characters. Instead I like to have the players work around suggested averages: For a standard Champions game, 60 points would be my suggested active point average. Can you build a power higher than that? Sure, but if it's a primary power for the character I expect to see the other primary powers lowers than 60 active.

Re: Questions regarding the use Of EGO and Pushing Something not present in your description of pushing. Under the Heroic rules for pushing, on a sucessfull EGO check you gain use of 5 points of extra strength plus 1 point for each plus 1 you made the EGO roll by - so the results of the push are not completely consistent or predictable. Someone with a higher EGO will, on the average, make their EGO check by more and thus be able to push for more.

Re: Code vs Killing, in your group? If it's a big-point disad (ie. Strong or Total commitment) than I read it as "won't make an attack that reasonably be considered deadly". A 10d6 attack vs. a normal, while it probably won't kill him in a single shot, could very easily drop them into "bleeding to death" (I usually use the Bleeding rules) and would not be done by someone with a CAK.

Re: Shipping times My most recent order was placed on May 22. The box arrived on May 31.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Barnes & Noble coffee-shop background noise.

Re: Protection from Undead Ward So many bad thoughts popped into my head with this that I almost exploded.

Re: Classic Sci-Fi Novels for Scenario Ideas

Re: What do I need to start GMing with? What you need: Hero System 5th Edition Rulebook (or Sidekick) (you got dat) a story to tell. What you want: Fantasy Hero (you got dat) Fantasy Hero Grimoire (if it lines up well with your magic system) Hero System Bestiary MM&M (if the critters in fit into your world) Ultimate Martial Artist (if you plan on using anything even remotely resembling martial arts) Re: Combat Handbook. This book was released at basically the same time as the Equipment Handbook. Both are collections of material from other books. Personally, I find that I get more use out of the Equipment Handbook. YMMV. Do you already have a game world? Turakian Age, in addition to being a nicely usable world, I've also found to be a nice example of how to create a FH setting.

Re: question for gm Typically, disadvantages aquired in game play do not grant points.

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ? Yes, but... Actually, I'm a big fan of this concept. I think for most genres (outside of Superheroes) Sidekick is pretty darn near perfect.

Re: Protection from Undead Ward

Re: Protection from Undead Ward Mind Control, Area Effect Radius, telepathic Command "Go Away", Only vs Undead.

Re: Pulp Egypt Way cool. Pete does great pulp!

Re: FIRST ASSIGNMENT as STRIKE-FORCE:THETA Generic mystic baddie, or someone interesting?

Re: Shazam! Glass jaw?

Re: Shazam! Weird, but it kinda works (but the potential for socially incorrect jokes is really high - maybe two high for my players to resist).

Re: Shazam! Definitely an "odd" source of power inspirations - but a really fun word to yell.

Re: Shazam! We'll just set this one over in the corner with ICKY FEH, SHBOOM, & SHAZOOM. Maybe they'll form a barbershop quartet. :whistle::whistle:

Re: Another Hero in search of a name I'm sure there's a physics joke here - but I'm missing it.

Re: Another Hero in search of a name Wasn't he the guy that Apollo had the hots for? Died when Apollo accidentally hit him in the head with a discus? (Or maybe Zephyrus blew the discus off course in a jealous rage?)

Re: Las Vegas 5E A quick aside for those who didn't catch the name - Marcus L. Rowland is the same cat who created the Forgotten Futures rpg.

Re: Algernon Files from Black Wyrm Games (Cross Post) You can read my review of it here: http://www.herostuff.net/weblog/2005/11/review-fires-of-war-algernon-files.html Personally, I thought it was cool.

Re: Shazam! So far, I'm thinking AMSHIR is the coolest one.

Re: Another Hero in search of a name It's been done (and, to me at least, it sounds like a villain name).

The character is a manipulator of chaos, and has ties to the ancient Greek (actually pre-Greek, Pelasgian) goddess Eurynome. Per myth, Eurynome created the universe, the Earth, and the Seven Planatary Powers (placing a Titaness and a Titan over each - Theia and Hyperion were given the Sun; Phoebe and Atlas were given the Moon; Dione and Crius were given the planet Mars; Metis and Coeus were given the planet Mercury; Themis and Eurymedon; Tethys and Oceanus were given the planet Venus; and Rhea and Cronus took the planet Saturn). The hero was a mortal man "gifted" by Eurynome and given limited power over the Chaos that she was originally born from. He won't be one of the "tights and capes" crowd, but more of a Shadowpact-style mystic operating a world of tights and capes. His creation is a result of Eurynome taking an active hand against the coming of great "cosmic destroyer type to be named later by the GM". (Yes, he's here to save the universe - later.) So, I have this idea. I'm having fun dreaming up odd Chaos inspired powers. But I have no idea what to call this poke. Anyone got any interesting ideas?