SpydirShellX

Re: Resolving a Combat in One Roll?

I like Zornwil's (and to some extent Sean Waters's) ideas on the quick resolve.

Zornwil has what sounds like a nice system, but it looks to me like it's no longer doing a single roll - not even one per character.

Here's a slight variation on the idea -

Each character (or character group for weak NPCS) gets a number of points. The character may get more dice if they want to use expendable abilities - abilities that cost charges - (like from Sean's system, except that the use of charges is the player's choice.)

Points can be allocated to:

- 1 point of Character survival defense.

- 1 Chacacter goal dice.

The goal dice are rolled and normal BODY is counted.

If it is something that directly affects a particular character or that they might choose to block they can apply the defense to it.

Once all the defense is applied the remaining BOD of the goal dice is applied toward the goal.

Some goals may have more or less points required to achieve. However each goal BOD done should have some affect.

For example, if the objective is to kill a character - you may need 3 BOD, but lesser amounts would mean some damage occurs.

If the object is to knock out a bunch of weak NPCs you may need 1 BOD for one + 1 BOD for each doubling of NPCs. Less the the number needed may let some escape.

If your object is to protect NPCs - the character might put all his dice into defence and defend against the goal.

Note that I didn't put in an order to where the goals are declared or when defenses are chosen to be applied. You may choose to have suprise goals or declare defenses before rolls. Or you may let them apply as they come up. My preferance would be:

1) Declare goals.

2) Allocate points for or against each goal. I would have players allocate them hidden (and use dice - put dice her to help this goal, here to oppose this goal and so forth)

3) Roll dice.

This method means one set of dice is rolled for each goal - generally less sets of dice than there are players.

I'm trying to construct a character with the ability to bore other characters - he has mounds of useless trivia that he could go on for hours about (I'm sure this doesn't apply to anybody here.)

The character has the appropriate knowledges - trivia skills.

What I want to figure out is what the possible game effects of bordom would be...

In the particular case, the character is honestly not aware that he has this ability. He believes that everybody else should be equally excited in his interests and will tell them in great detail anything he thinks is cool, stuff that they might not know. The character's primary interests are: Superheroes (it is a superheroic and the character calls himself - and puts on his business cards: "Professional Fanboy."), Comics, and Weird Science. The character has attached himself to the PCs and conviced one of them to take him on as a "hero-in-training" since he has a superhero costume of stuff he "borrowed" from his uncle's lab.

Re: New Mechanic: Reach

Both Reach and the Manipulation mechanics were results in an the analysis of what exactly Limbs are mechanically. So these two needed to be defined as mechanics before I could address Limbs as a more flexible power than Extra Limbs.

 

In answer to your first question, technically yes. But combining Stretching with Extra Limbs results in some problems with how they mesh. Plus the definition of each are really different. Stretching by default allows any part of your body x number of inches. Reach allows you to take a specific SFX that has x number of inches of reach. You can't move it around like you can Stretching.

 

A humans arms are always the same length regardless of how they bend. Stretching falls short of that SFX, which I think you would agree would be the most common SFX. Stretching is geared for Superheroes and Sci-Fi where normal limbs won't cut it.

 

Therefore, the Reach mechanic makes more sense for normal limbs or robot limbs, while Stretching makes more sense for Plastic Man, Reed Richards, and so forth (the fantastic).

However, you can generally bend at the elbow or move your limb around slightly to touch things within that area. Which is why stretching allows for distances out to a particular point.... and why foci bought as Stretching can also be used for hitting in close - despite having even less ability to bend around than even normal limbs.

I believe that moving limbs around things is the original source of the Indirect included in the power.

For more extensive discussions, see the Analysis: Extra Limbs - SFX or Power? thread.

 

- Christopher Mullins

Yes... much more extensive... been keeping up with it mostly until I decided that the repeat level on both sides of the argument was getting too high.

Re: CSLs overpriced?

One thing I find annoying is that when you buy the various CSL, they can't be used "at all times" like the DCV from DEX is.

The only way to get that effect is to buy all the levels of Defensive Maneuver (whether it fist the character concept or not)

This part about it gets annoying when the rules for small character comes into play. The book method of creating such characters is to buy DCV levels for their size.... this is supposed to represent an always-on effect. Somehow it doesn't.

Re: New Mechanic: Manipulation

Isn't this just limited DEX? Or even just Penalty Skill Levels?

Re: New Mechanic: Reach

Hmmm....

Can't you just limit stretching to get the effect of no Indirect attacks and only to an exact amount of inches?

Also, it would seem that you could do the same thing with the limited stretching and extra limbs for the increased targets.

Not to mention that the SFX of something that can reach out to exactly some number of inches (no more) seems rather lacking in something it would model.

Re: Magical House Locks

Or even better - Make the key into Tunneling - Only through a defined doors, Fill In(By closing the door). Define the doors as part of the wall, since only a key can open it up.

Or define it as a teleport gate - only to the other side of the wall with a required focus of a key.

Re: LS: Unusual Anatomy

I tend to dump quite a few ideas into Life Support, although it is not essential: you could use something else, or a new power, or whatever, but here's what I was thinking...all characters in Hero are subject to the rules. The character building tools can and in some cases do enable characters to circumvent or ignore certain rules at a point cost.

 

Now all characters are assumed to deteriorate when they get to 0 BODY or less. How about a LS: Unusual anatomy (does not bleed/deteriorate) at a

cost of 4 or 5 points?

 

What about a LS: UA (undifferentiated anatomy) power, which means the character has no vital points and so all hits do 'standard damage' in games with hit locations (1x nstun and nbody and kbody and 3x kstun). Not sure how much that should cost, but probably not much, 5 points? Theoretically on average it it no advantage at all, but it does foil the 'aimed shot merchant' so does have some positive value.

Um... aren't these first two powers in the automaton powers and not alowable for PCs? 15 and 10 points respectively?

What about LS: UA (no nerve points/unusual nerve points) for a cost of 2 or 1 point (the 2 points for none at all, the 1 for 'not int he usual place'), which would make you effectively immune to some martial arts attacks and certain other sfx.

 

Or LS: UA (unusual breathing) for maybe 2 points: you can still suffocate, you need oxygen just as much as the next guy, but the supply cannot easily be cut off be squeezing your throat shut because, say, you breathe through your skin, have multiple mouths, a steel pipe in your throat or whatever.

Generally it seems like the lack of nerve points is is bought with lack of weakness. However, I think 2 points is particularily low for complete defence against that type of NND attack. Of course this somewhat depends on how common that attack is in the campaign.

Unusual breathing would fit as "Expanded Breathing" - Character may breath in one unusual enviroment, with the enviroment being choked in the normal manner.

Personallily if I was going to use the nerve point Life support I would put it at the same cost as the Expanded Breathing (5 points) since Nerve Strike and Choke Hold - the two most common things it defends from are both the same cost (4 points). However I might reduce it one point since it doesn't include the suffication effects that choke hold does.

With the exception of the first one (which you can do as a regeneration build and works out at 4.2 points if you assume 'only when bleeding to death, to prevent deterioration' is a -2), these are things that Hero would struggle to build and would probably be relegated to the murky territory of sfx. It seems to me they do have value and this seems like an easy way to represent it.

 

What thinkest thou?

I point out with the bleeding rules, that the 1 point of regen would only help with the BOD (or some of the stun if using the simplified rules). The rest of the stun would be unaffected.

Re: The thing's I've learned playing a Brick...

Look!

Up in the sky!

It's a straw!

It's a plank!

 

No, it's a Flying Brick!

 

http://www.fugly.com/images/12165/flying_brick.html

"The ships hung in the sky, much like bricks don't." - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

I'm designing an attack that I want to have invisible misses.

Thus even when the attack misses it looks like it hits (unless it really misses by a lot). It has no effect when it misses, but the target and others wouldn't realize that it failed.

The weapon in this case is a flare projector - (a flash to sight group). However, even if the attack fails to hit the opponent, the blast still likely washes over them.

The character is a rather goof-ball character that pretends to be a far better superhero than he actually is... junk gear, a few martial moves, and a slightly better than normal human resistance to attacks.

Re: Elminating tracking stuff in HERO - but preserving the essential ideas...

Sorry... no... I was trying to sum up Zorn's original post. My bad.

Ah - the word "color" threw me.

Re: Elminating tracking stuff in HERO - but preserving the essential ideas...

I may be confused... but let me see if I'm getting your suggestion right.

 

You apply damage as per normal rules. Subtracting applicable defenses.

 

If any damage gets through, you compare that amount to a "percentage of normal total."

 

Depending on how much of a percentage you took... you get a "color statement" like "That seriously hurt me!"

 

 

Cumulative damage can provide a "color statement" of higher level?

 

 

Basically?

 

Is there a functional/mechanical aspect to the "color levels"? The "-1 if seriously hurt" type of thing?

 

 

What I seem to see here is MORE book keeping... but for no more benefit than some assigned "color" language.

I'm assuming this refers to my post -

The colors just refer to BOD, STUN and END and differ with the three.

Ex. BOD counters are red, STUN counters are blue and END counters white - thus if they get mixed up (such as a table bump) you can differentiate them.

The counters are just alternate method to keeping track on paper and pencil - and it does require some additional up front work. However during the session it quickens things up with less pencil/eraser work and since the the system rounds to important amounts (REC amount, usual END amount spent a turn)

The numbers of the color indicate the semi-relative amounts of the three stats.

Re: Elminating tracking stuff in HERO - but preserving the essential ideas...

I find that tracking is often easier if you use physical counters rather than writing down number.

This makes it easier for the players to determine what their condition by comparing how much they have currently to what they've lost.

For Hero I'd suggest three primary different tokens. (Distinguished by color preferably.) Generally, I would suggest poker tokens or the colored glass garden stones. If the tokens become a problem dice may be an acceptable alternative - although steps may need to be taken to insure the players don't accidentally roll them.

BOD tokens - Each token represents 1 BOD (I like to keep track of BOD exactly)

STUN tokens - Each token represents REC worth of stun.

I use partial STUN tokens - I'd use 2 since REC is rarely above 10 in my capaigns.

END tokens - Each token is worth REC worth of END

Also partial END tokens - The number of partial END tokens per full END tokens should be:

REC amount divided by (Amount of end for half move + use of full strength)

As the game moves, the tokens move between three piles.

First Pile holds the amount the player currently has.

The second pile holds the amount the character is down.

The third pile is only used when the first pile is empty and used to represent when the player is in negative.

As long as the player has tokens in the first pile he has positive STUN/BOD/END and has the appropriate status

Terms

Down a pile: First Pile -> Second Pile -> Third Pile

Up a pile: Third Pile -> Second Pile -> First Pile

Partial Tokens

When less than a full token is moved down a pile - The player moves a full token down a pile and the GM gives the player however many 'Partial tokens' they should have. If they already have partial tokens, they use those instead. Thus a player should never have more partial than a full token.

STUN Partial tokens - Partial STUN tokens allow minor hits to add up to full hits.

When an attack does damage not equal to a full token. On full STUN token is moved to the second pile and the GM provides the partial tokens. Note that I only use these for the hits that do under one full hit. Attacks that do say, a token and a half are rounded. This allows low powered attacks to still be able to build up to a full token.

END partial tokens - Partial END tokens represent the amount of END the player tends to use in a phase.

These are used more often. Players should note next to the END cost of an ability how many tokens and partial tokens an ability costs. Generally abilities that cost less than a partial token are rounded up to one partial token and everything else is rounded down.

Note that while STUN tokens round to the full token, END tokens round to the partial token.

Recoveries - when a recovery occurs the player gains one Full STUN and END token - If they

Pushing - Characters should mark on their character sheet partial/full END tokens count in a usual push.

CON Stunning - A CON stun occurs at the same numerically based amount it does normally.

NPC control - If using this for NPCs, I recommend that you don't allow unconscious NPCs to recover (Or at least not many of them at once) - This allows you to only have to deal with 1 pile for each NPC - plus the pile to store the ones not in use.

This system has the effect of making very low powered attacks a bit more powerful.

One other issue with the system is it becomes a problem with a cluttered table or if you use it to keep track of large numbers of tokens for NPCs.

Re: Firing Into Melee, a rules quandary

Hmmm... Generally, I would think that firing into a melee, the person is only aiming at the one target. Generally secondary targets are going to be rather random especially since the targets are moving.

What I would do for a player that wants to avoid hitting a wrong secondary target is hold OCV levels back for purposes of the secondary target. Basically they are lowering their focus on the primary target to insure that if they miss they won't hit the wrong thing or character.

These held back OCV levels can be used to add or subtract (players choice) from their ability to hit secondary target. PSL could probably be bought to represent skill at this. These can also be used to prevent the Sucker Attacks (from the Champions book)

This method allows skilled characters to be able to prevent themselves from hitting incorrect targets without giving them a free bonus from their earlier to-hit roll AND it allows them to a chance to hit a secondary target if they wish - just save a few OCV for the chance of hitting later.

Re: Solidification

Hmmm.... what would happen if you use a Desolidification when you were already desolidified.

If you could presume (in otherwords, if the GM permits) that that would make you desolid to the desolid universe and back 'solid.' Buy that as a focus and give it only to Solidify(-1).

Re: Solidification

How about a summon vehicle affects real world?

Re: Help with a character name

She can see through flesh because it's soft. She can't see through bones, because they're hard, but can see through solid objects like buildings?

 

Rae.

Yes, I imagine the effect something like Clark's X-ray vision in Smallville. Or more accurately something like a MRI... although she's run into problems in a non-technical area where there aren't any radio sources...

Bought it as N-Ray Vision in Radio Sense Group with 360, telescopic, rapid... one really tricked out sense.

Re: Ultimate Brick Error?

At 20 STR' date=' maximum for a normal, they have only a remote chance of breaking a brick wall even at 5DEF/3BODY. On the other hand I know people who can break bricks with their fists, and in one case his head.[/quote']

 

Wouldn't that also be people using martial arts and getting bonuses from that?

Re: New Judge trying to understand Unstoppable Healing

Strangely enough, my Hero Designer seems to have differing END cost depending on where the advantage is... and I've looked thought my books and can't seem to find anything opposing or supporting this construction.

Re: Nnd

I see it as systemic metagaming: Hero trying to cover all the angles. You CAN, in game terms, think of an attack that puts SOME damage through almost ANY defence, you have to have it for some sort of comlpeteness sake, even if there is not a real world analogue or internal logic to it.

 

OddHat gives some good examples of when penetrating could be used, but I do have 'logic' problems with them all:

 

The monofilament wire - so sharp you don't know you've been cut. Well i've cut myself a few times with things so sharp I have not realised immediately and I'b build it like this: 1d6 HKA (Custom limitation: -1/2 the stun damage is applied in the target's NEXT phase) - IME it may not hurt immediately, but it does hurt (actually it may not hurt as much as normal so you could build it with reduced stun multiplier.

I've had paper-cuts that the only cause I could think of happened hours ago.

The problem with building that with penetrating is that , against an unarmoured opponent, the same assumptions do not apply - same with the 'stilletto slipping through armour' scenario - if it does not hurt much slipping between the ribs of an armoured opponent, it should not hurt much slipping betweent he ribs of an unarmoured one. Moreover it assumes weaknesses in the armour that are found on every hit (well you could build the penetrating with an activation or RSR roll I suppose, but I've never seen it done that way).

 

The iron shirt technique v the Ki strike sufferes the same sort of problems as above and would seem to me better suited to the NND approach. I appreciate that it is a matter of style, especially when you are talking about something unquantifyable like a Ki strike, but again I am not sure I like the way the final result pans out against a range of opponents.

 

The problem, with penetrating, as I contended above is that it is a system meta-construct. I would not 'blame' or criticise anyone for using it as it is a part of the core system. I just don't think it should be there.

Actually, I think the stilletto example is a good one... just not the assumption that it's required to hit weak spots in the armor as it's function. The idea should more be a stilletto with a strong enough blade that it can get through the armor (except that hardened against such things) despite it. I think that penetrating represents attacks that focus large amounts of effort in very small spaces.

Re: How to: Memory Invisibility

Invisibility - Extra Time

Actually at one point I ran a character that had this ability. It worked OK, given that it was a minor character... and every body forgot her, not just the characters.

Minor Mental Transform 5d6 Trigger: Being Seen, BOECV, Ego Not Body, Persistent, 0 END, Always On, No Mental Awareness, Side Effect: Lost Time, Extra Time.

Re: Help with a character name

That's what I like about this board.... weeks spent trying to think up a name... and then in one day after posting... Blindside it is. Thanks everybody.

Re: New Judge trying to understand Unstoppable Healing

As others have pointed out, Persistent means it will not shut off once activated unless the character shuts it off. Inherent means it can't be drained. If he's in the wrong slot, oh well. And I don't allow advantages on the reserve without paying for them on the slots. No free lunch.

The point behind putting advantages on the multipower is to avoid putting them on the slots. 0 END is not allowed - thus putting persistant on it becomes problimatical.

As I mentioned earlier, Inherent requires always on.

I'm trying to think of a name for a supervillianess.

She's a teleporter. Can't teleport all that far and is only a 3 speed character, but has a lot of teleport tricks representing very rapid teleporting.

She is blind, but has a 360 radio-based enviromental sense. Soft objects are nearly invisible to her, so most people look like skeletons to her, but she can see through solid objects.

She's one of two second-in-command of a major mastermind in my campaign.

Re: Negative Statistics

The drain/aid all movement powers was a gravitational effect - It bent space-time around the target charcter making it easier or harder for them to move.