Katherine

Re: The De Construction Krewe Avant Guarde from Villains, Vandals and Vigilantes. He finds the idea wonderfully absurd especially after realizing that Bulldozer didn't mean "Deconstruction" the way he assumed.

Re: The Geas Effect Aubry Degeneris Player: Val Char Cost 8 STR -2 12 DEX 6 17 CON 14 10 BODY 0 15 INT 5 18 EGO 16 20 PRE 10 20 COM 5 4 PD 2 4 ED 1 3 SPD 8 5 REC 0 40 END 3 36 STUN 13 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 1 1/2" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 81 Cost Power 25 Geas Effect: Mind Control 18d6 (Human class of minds), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (112 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses almost all of its effectiveness (Can only be attempted Once Per target; -2), Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Physical Contact required; -1), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Discrete Orders only; -1/4), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4) Training 10 1) Mental Shroud: Invisibility to Mental Group , No Fringe (20 Active Points); Requires A Skill: Psi Manipulation Roll (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Lockout: Mental Powers; -1/2) 8 2) Mental Bond: Mind Link , Specific Group of Minds: Her Cabal, Any distance, No LOS Needed (25 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; -1), Extra Time (1 Minute, Only to Activate, -3/4), Costs Endurance (-1/2) Equipment 9 1) Mind Spike Chakra Gem: Ego Attack 4d6 (40 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), IAF Fragile (-3/4), Requires A Skill: Psi Manipulation Roll (-1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2) Powers Cost: 52 Cost Skill 5 Acting 14- 3 Bureaucratics 13- 5 Computer Programming 13- 5 Conversation 14- 11 Concealment 16- 5 Deduction 13- 3 KS: Demonology 12- 3 KS: Psychic Events 12- 2 KS: Occult History 11- 3 Language: Latin (completely fluent) 3 Language: Greek (completely fluent) 9 Lockpicking 14- 5 Power 14- 7 Security Systems 14- 5 Seduction 14- 3 Shadowing 12- 7 Stealth 13- 5 +1 with Interaction Skills 3 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Equines 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms 6 +3 with 9mm Handgun 5 +1 with DCV 5 +5 with Geas Skills Cost: 112 Cost Perk 5 Money: Well Off Perks Cost: 5 Total Character Cost: 250 Pts. Disadvantage 20 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer (Common, Total) 15 Psychological Limitation: Disdains Direct violence, physical coward (Very Common, Moderate) 10 Social Limitation: Subject to Orders (Frequently, Minor) 10 Distinctive Features: Psionic Aura (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Simple Tests) 15 Susceptibility: Physical Interrogation (encoded sucide programing) 1d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon) 5 Unluck: 1d6 Disadvantage Points: 75 Base Points: 175 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: The Geas Effect Off topic: How do you get those neat formatted character sheets to show up on the board?

Re: The Geas Effect I'm not asking for absolute effect. Aside from what was mentioned the power works exactly like it does regularly. I didn't say anything about that. I said we don't used Mind Control as an effect to create long term loyal subjects but prefer to use Mental Transforms to give the target the appropriate Psychological Limitations. AFAIK, there is nothing mechanically wrong with that. The intent of the design is a powerful Mind Control ability that can only be used once a target ever regardless of it succeeds or fails. It cannot be used to create servants or issues commands like "Obey me forever" but could be used to for discrete if complicated commands "Drive me to your home" "Tell me the password" or "Bring me this particular document". "Kill them all" would be acceptable but "Kill them all, then copy these files to disk and then kill yourself." wouldn't be. The command must be something the target can understand and is physically able to do even if it does take time. "Go to China" for example would work for a somewhat silly example. Cleverness and wiggle room orders would be judged on a case by case basis. The setting is occult/horror where the PCs and their primary opponents will be members of psychic/magical cabals seeking world domination, knowledge and other agendas for themselves and their respective groups.

Re: The Geas Effect

Re: The Cat Launcher Couldn't the hit to the face just be a lucky hit location and based on the sfx of the attack? It didn't really seem to do much.

Re: The Geas Effect I should add that the commands given have to be fairly discrete. They can be complicated but not open ended like "Obey me now and forever". Generally we don't allow that effect for Mind Control in our game and use with the Mental Transform or a an Advantage.

Re: What outer space smells like Space smells like burning... That both makes sense and is a little ominous. Either way looks like Professor Farnsworth wasn't so crazy after all, huh?

Re: The Cat Launcher Isn't a Continuous Killing Attack a little lethal compared to how it appeared to be? Don't normal people just have around 8 Body? I realize this isn't a totally serious write up but I was curious.

Re: The Geas Effect The character can only use their Mind Control on a target once; from that time on the target is totally immune to it whether the Mind Control is successful or not. There is no limit to the number of times the power can be used within certain period of time like Charges however.

What Limitation value would be recommended for a very powerful Mind Control ability (along the lines of 15+ dice) but that could only ever be used once anyone in their lives.

Re: Sell my friends on DCV We sat them down and made them read the thread, pointed out that some of the other games we play have rules about evading and defending against firearms too and raised allot of the points brought up here. The FPS comparison seemed to really make a dent. So did the discussion on application of Hero's SFX rules. I think they're going to grudgingly go along with it, they might grumble now and then I don't think they’ll hold up game play as much. Thanks everyone!

Some of you may have seen some of my post elsewhere in which I explain my problem. But here's a recap: Our group switched to Hero System as our primary game of choice fairly recently but there are two newer members that are making waves about one particular aspect of the game; specifically Defensive Combat Value. They don't think it makes sense especially when it dealing with things like guns and other high speed attacks, that it's silly for normal humans to be able to dodge bullets. That should be a super power in their opinion. Most of like DCV and the combat mechanic over all but these two are steadfast in their objection so I need help. Please defend the mechanic here and I'll direct them to this thread. Maybe they'll actually get off their butts long enough to even make accounts and respond… Stranger things have happened.

Re: Build that Character on 350 points Challenge I'd like to see that too.

Re: Build that Character on 350 points Challenge His ability level does seem to swing around wildly from issue to issue, writer to writer. I think he's kind of like high end Superman or Spiderman's Spider Sense. He's been so hyped that allot of writers don't want to deal with him at full power but there are really get off on it and play it up until it's ridiculous. Personally, I'd like to see him written as a competent, reasonable character somewhere between those two extremes. He's a combat cyborg/ultimate soldier type but there's no need to make him godlike. Hawksmoor can often fight him to a standstill even come close to winning.

Re: SFX vs Power Modifier That seems like it would be based on the campaign and how detailed the GM plans to get it. Funnyman's attack still renders the target unconscious against their will with all side effects that might have. He can't really use it willy nily against everyone without some repercussions either. Few people pass out at a comedy club so it seems like his effect is something more than "normal" laughter and suddenly keeling over in the middle the street in a uncontrollable giggle fit could have negative consequences too (even it's just peeing yourself).

Re: How do you visualize combat? Yes, that's what I meant. They just don't like the idea of Defensive Combat Value for anything but hand to hand combat.

Re: Build that Character on 350 points Challenge Sorry, it took me so long to get back to the thread. If it's still going on I'd like to see Midnighter

Re: How do you visualize combat? I think this is a good thread to bring this up. Our group has been using Hero System/Champions for a little while now and overall we like it. We came to it from Storyteller, Cyberpunk 2020 and similar games. But there are two people that are having a big issue with one part of the system: Defensive Combat Value. They don't feel it's realistic or even fits most cinematic battles especially when guns come into play. I'm not sure how to explain or defend it really. For instance, they complain that this scene From V for Vendetta couldn't happen in Hero since if V was as agile as he seemed he'd just dodge all the bullets.

Re: Build that Character on 350 points Challenge First Time I've tried anything like this. Be Gentle ( whoa deja vu... ) X 23 Laura Kinney Player: Val Char Cost 15 STR 5 23 DEX 39 25 CON 30 14 BODY 8 10 INT 0 15 EGO 10 18 PRE 8 16 COM 3 8/11 PD 5 8/11 ED 3 5 SPD 17 8 REC 0 50 END 0 35 STUN 0 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 3" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 128 Cost Power 9 Healing Factor: Armor (3 PD/3 ED) 33 Healing Factor 2: Healing 4 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (90 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4), Self Only (-1/2) 20 Enhanced Immune System: LS (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 5 Nightvision 10 Discriminatory with Smell/Taste Group 10 Analyze with Smell/Taste Group 10 Tracking with Smell/Taste Group 15 +5 PER with all Sense Groups 42 Adamantium Claws: HKA 2d6 (2 1/2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Armor Piercing (+1/2) (52 Active Points); Restrainable (Only by means other than Grabs and Entangles; -1/4) Powers Cost: 154 Cost Skill 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Breakfall 14- 3 Climbing 14- 7 Concealment 13- 10 Defense Maneuver I-IV 3 Demolitions 11- 5 Stealth 15- 7 Shadowing 13- 1 Seduction 8- 3 Language: French (completely fluent) 3 Language: Japanese (completely fluent) 16 +2 with All Combat Skills Cost: 68 Total Character Cost: 350 Pts. Disadvantage 30 Enraged: Berserk Exposed to "Trigger scent" (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 11- 5 Hunted: SHIELD 8- (Mo Pow, Watching) 15 Hunted: Wolverine 14- (Mo Pow, Watching) 15 Psychological Limitation: Taciturn and quiet, has difficulty relating to others (Very Common, Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Code of the Mercenary, will complete her "mission' at all cost (Common, Strong) Disadvantage Points: 95 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 55 Total Experience Available: 55 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: Pulling Authority & Other Genres The view point might be skewed but our Mutant Liberation Champions game wrapped up with us performing permanent and lasting change and making the world a better place By largely getting rid of the Baseline vermin! But it was a dark natured and pretty cynical by intent. Its what we wanted to play at the time and it turned out to very fun. We're also playing more a more four color game at the moment and it's been pretty fun too.

I need some help for a friend in my group that’s having trouble writing up a power. His character is completely paralyzed mentalist, kept alive by a combination of his own psionic power and an advanced life support system (basically a high tech iron lung). What he wants to do is create a shared Mental Illusion. That is, he and other participants will share the experience (he’ll have a normal body, senses, etc). Mainly it’s so he can actually interact with his fiancée (and at least virtually consummate their marriage). Can this be done with unmodified Mental Illusions or does it take modifiers? Edit: Wow, there's been allot of bells and whistles added since the last time I was here.

I need some help for a friend in my group that’s having trouble writing up a power. His character is completely paralyzed mentalist, kept alive by a combination of his own psionic power and an advanced life support system (basically a high tech iron lung). What he wants to do is create a shared Mental Illusion. That is, he and other participants will share the experience (he’ll have a normal body, senses, etc). Mainly it’s so he can actually interact with his fiancée (and at least virtually consummate their marriage). Can this be done with unmodified Mental Illusions or does it take modifiers? Off topic: Wow, there's been allot of bells and whistles added since the last time I was here.

Re: [Character] Seizure Very impressive! I agree with some of the other comments though, if he's less powerful than the typical 350 point character in your game... I really like the wordplay in his super name. I was expecting powers that let him induce epileptic like fits not a wrestling brick.

Some times characters in stories and movies are badly injured or nearly incapacitated but not unconscious. They might be too dazed and pained to act effectively except for feeble movements, maybe speak and are somewhat aware of what is going on around them but can’t participate meaningfully. Other games simulate this type of situation with wound penalty or death spiral mechanics and penalties for acting while injured. Does Hero have any means of portraying it mechanically? I read that up until you are reduced to greater than -10 Stun your character is sort of “out on their feet” but that state doesn’t seem to last long enough since you recover every phase.