Labrat

Re: Need a good name for Mind Control magic

I'm thinking of making my next cadre of villains and NPCs having some sort of power play behind the scenes using a lot of mind control magic. I know the grimoire calls it sorcery but that sounds too generic to me.

 

I'd like a name that can translate into a title like sorcery becomes sorcerer.

 

I remember Rolemaster calling it mentalism which would be a perfect fit I, and my players, didn't already associate mentalist and mentalists with supers. Enchantment would be great if it wasn't already associated with something that is a good fit too. Mesmerist and Hypnotist sound too pulp. I briefly toyed with "Confusionist" but that just sounds silly. I even thought of just naming them after a color like Blue Adepts or something but that felt wrong too.

 

Suggestions?

In the Bible, 'sorcery' is sometimes translated from the Greek farmakoi, obviously leading us to pharmacy. Pharmacists?

How about working with the word Overlord? Mastery?

Re: Voice of the Ancestors

Ok, here's my quick and dirty take on the Contact angle:

Ancestor's Ghost: Contact (Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Contact is slavishly loyal to character), Spirit Contact (x2) (12 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) 8-

Voice of the Ancestors: Mind Link , Ancestor's Ghost, No LOS Needed, Psychic Bond, Requires A Contact Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll; +0) (20 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2)

Why does this seem munchkiny to me?

Eosin, I like where you're coming from with your build. We're getting closer...

Re: Voice of the Ancestors

Good, good, I'm listening...

I envision it as more than a plot device, the Ghost desperately wants to help the PCs but he's not always where the PCs are and when he 'catches up' to them he lets them know by the quiet durge that the players may or may not hear. I want weather, environment and PC alertness all to play into whether or not they can sense him around. Sometimes they may call on him and he's not there (limiting the use of the Spirit Contact which I looked at as well), but he is so driven by this quest that it would be hard for him to deny them advice if asked for and if he can give it.

One thing that I left out is that the major quest involves chasing down a Necromancer. So the NPC being a ghost could be influenced by the BBG with or without the PCs' knowledge.

To justify the Clairsentience, I am saying that the Ghost can't speak to just anyone... only those who share the ability to hear him. Mind Link might work but as a NCC as suggested. I would think that I might have to couple this to the Spirit Contact though so I'll have to look at the cost structures side-by-side.

Hey guys and gals

I'm looking to make a power that all the PCs tend to share which I describe as hearing the 'Voice of the Ancestors'. The effect is this: the ghost of a specific ancestor is keeping his eye on the PCs to help them along in the major arc's quest. The ghost had the same quest when he was alive but died before he could document any of his progress. The Ghost is stuck in the 'Domain of the Dead' so he can't manifest himself into the Prime Material Plane to communicate as per the standard HERO write-up for Ghosts. Instead I want the PCs to hear a durge when the ghost is around and then be able to more or less 'summon' it to speak to them directly (Normal Hearing) during parts of the game where they are stuck or on the wrong track.

So here's what I have:

Voice of the Ancestors: (Total: 47 Active Cost, 21 Real Cost) Clairsentience (Hearing Group), Discriminatory, Perceive into a single other dimension, Transmit (32 Active Points); Independent (-2), No Conscious Control (-2) (Real Cost: 6) plus Detect Ancestor's Ghost 11- (Hearing Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Perceive into a single other dimension, Sense (Real Cost: 15)

Any comments?

Re: Reminiscing About Star Fleet Battles

OMG SFB! Great thread, buddy!

I was always the Lyrans. Anti-missle shield and drones baby.

Can't remember the details but I was in from the 1st edition and totally bought up all those suppliment books the day they hit the shelves (prior to the internet by at least a decade).

I remember using the grease pencils to allocate power from the batteries to the main shields, letting the opposition unload their ordinance and then letting those drone fly. Great times. Simple, yet so engaging.

Rep for the memories....

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero

I was interviewed by All Games Considered' date=' for their segment on "religion and gaming." I gave PAH a plug, for Darren's innovative setting of the historical apocalypse.[/quote']

 

Seconded. As a student of the Christian Revelation I must admit that he nailed it firmly. And he did so with much respect to the real-life belief system. Kudos, Darren!

Re: Urban Fantasy Hero

I would consider it a Fantasy sub-genre, not a Dark Champions sub-genre. In most examples of the genre, most of the hallmarks of modern-day action-adventure -- guns, cars, espionage, etc. -- are nearly or totally absent. Some sub-sub-genres, such as Monster Hunters, come closer to Dark Champions, but still I'd call that Fantasy with DC flavoring for the most part.

 

 

 

The one-page full map of Hudson City is printed twice in the book: once on page 76 as a general reference, and once on page 181 with the ley lines marked on it.

 

Generally speaking, I think the settings/scenarios that take place in Hudson City are easily ported to any other city setting of your choice. The one possible exception might be Lines Of Contention, which would require some work on the part of the GM to figure out the ley lines for another setting, and the consequences of that (if any) for the progress of the adventure.

Thanks Steve.

Me being the lazy fool that I am, I'm still going to buy HC and the Map so I don't have to stat out my own city. I was also considered getting Predators in order to use with UFH... unless you would rather me keep my money...

Now if you could just re-release Dark Champions.

Re: Urban Fantasy Hero

Some Urban Fantasy is a cross between Dark Champions and Fantasy Hero. Some Urban Fantasy has few, to no, Dark Champions elements beyond sharing the mordern day time frame.

 

The Hudson City settings can get more benefit from the Hudson City book - but they do provide a basic map of the city for you to use if you choose those settings to play in. At the very least, the Hudson City Map PDF is a good addition if you want to use that city itself.

 

The scenarios, however, are easily transported to the City Of Choice (real or otherwise) with no problems at all.

Many thanks, my friend.

Re: Urban Fantasy Hero

I bought it! Now, maybe someone can answer some questions that I have.

Is it considered a 'Dark Champions' sub-genre?

Being interested in the Hudson City scenarios, will I need to buy DC: Hudson City to get the full effect?

Are there Hudson City maps inside?

Thanks!

Re: PA: Wasteland HERO Reboot

if you want to use the plague

look for a copy of the Hero almanac #1

it is stated out in 4th ed terms but with a bit of work you could fit it into fifth ed

The Almanac is probably one of the only 4ED books that I never owned. Any way of transferring the stats without ticking off the copyright? If not, could you maybe provide just the gist of how it was done?

I have yet to get it down on paper but I was thinking of using Transform Healthy Human to Infectious. The more that I think about it the more I am thinking that the Pox will keep the infected bed-ridden, more or less a Mega Entangle Based on CON... but then I also thought about the Rage from 28 Days/Weeks Later (i.e. a permanent Berzerker Talent modified from Fantasy Hero) and got a nice evil grin over that one... eventually the Entangle will probably win.

Re: PA: Wasteland HERO Reboot

if one group are known to be carriers(typhoid Mary)

there will be a lot of discrimination or even hostile hatred for outsiders

cities will be walled

outsiders shot on sight

 

how well is disease transmission known

You got it. That's exactly how it's planned out to be. So, yes, there is a Soc Lim: Scavenger/Outsider/Wasteland Crawler that's in all PC Package Deals. Dome Dweller paranoia will be rather high as well, but no PCs will be able to come from the Dome (well not as planned anyway). I'm sure that I'll fit in the 'golden genome' where a Dome Dweller eventually has the immunity but that has yet to be worked out and I'd rather keep that in my pocket for now.

Re: PA: Wasteland HERO Reboot

Dude. What are you doing? Starting this back up and NOT telling me??!! I don't think so.

 

As for the disease, the Transform works IMO. It could give the disad as well.

 

Now I am off to find Cale.

Don't worry, you're on the short list to be sure. It's still quite a bit off.

Mallet: Yeah, my thinking with the Phys Lim was to keep the element in the game without statting it out. As it is, the Dome Dweller status will be highly coveted and thus interaction with a Dome Dweller would be a goal worth setting, but that would be detrimental in a face-to-face encounter thereby giving the PCs something to work towards (a cure, a way to establish a quarantined section of the city, etc.) so it's a bit more than a plot device.

I was thinking that if I made the Plague it's own 'character' then it could be defeated in due course with the right amount of work... and that would be a major arc of the story line. Of course I could pull this off without statting out the Plague, but hey it's Hero and it's crunch-worthy...

I hope that makes sense.

I'm gearing up for Wasteland Hero: Blitz into Oblivion (name still pending). I thought I'd post some ideas here as they come to me.

For instance: I want to make Humans carriers of a dreadful disease. There are certain city dwellers that would suffer from this exposure but the Wasteland dwellers are all immune. At first I thought to make it as a power structure (Transform, etc) but then I thought about just making a Physical Limitation: Highly Infectious to Dome-Dwellers with the disease being some special effect. Then I thought about writing up the disease as it's own 'Character'.

Thoughts?

Re: Alien Wars/PA Hero. Any thoughts?

Living Steel?

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39656&highlight=Living+Steel

 

Battletech/Mechwarrior Hero Resources

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31861&highlight=Robotech

 

Robotech/Macross/etc…

http://www.starherofandom.com/h_robotech/index.php

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14174

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23404

 

Post Apocalypse Resources

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62354&highlight=Twilight+2000

 

 

Predator's can be found in the HERO System Bestiary under a different name.

 

 

Hmmm... more later

 

 

QM

Cough cough... *Wasteland Hero* cough cough...

BTW Wasteland Hero is about to get a reboot with the idea that I listed above. Stay tuned.

Re: Alien Wars/PA Hero. Any thoughts?

Hi guys,

 

I'm starting up a game that is going to be an Alien Wars meets Post Apocalypse Hero campaign.

 

The basic premise is that the PC's on on a frontier world that falls early to the Xenovores and quickly ends up deep behind enemy lines. The PC's would be survivors of the invasion/bombardment and must now take to the hills and begin trying to survive and fight back against the Xenovore invaders and other human survivors fighting out for food and supplies.

 

Over the long term I would like them to take the fight back against the aliens, and then when it turns out that the Xenovores are using the world as a major staging point/tactical point for the war it will be up to these rag-tag survivors to try and disrupt the aliens plans in order to allow the Terran Military a chance to win in a big looming battle.

 

Inspirations include: Living Steel, Robotech (the 3rd generation series with the Invid ruling earth), Red Dawn, Battlefield: Earth (the book, not the movie).

 

So does anyone have any advice/opinions/ideas/thoughts/warnings/other inspirations I should look at?

 

Some other random thoughts and ideas:

 

-Xenovores start terraforming (or should that be Xenoforming?) the planet and it's inhabitants to match their own homeworld.

-Eventually have the PC's get off the planet and assist the Military in their search for the Xeno's homeworld, given the PC's now expertise in all things Xeno from their long up close battle with them.

I was in a game that used Beldonna V (I think) in pretty much this way. The PCs were hanging out for different reasons waiting to be shipped off-planet when the sheet hit the fan. Check out the posts on Herocentral.com if you're interested. The GM made it more or less a 'one shot' (in PBP terms it was probably over a year or so) and he did a very good job at it.

Also I'm currently structuring a Terran Empire game combining PA, AW and TE based on Tetsuo from Worlds of Empire. There is even some good enemies for this in Scourges of the Galaxy. It will be a PBP game as well so I don't want to give too much away in case there are potential players reading this. The TE part could easily be removed, but I don't know off hand what Tetsuo's hand was in the Alien Wars or if it was even annexed yet...

Re: BioShock

Now that introductions are basically over' date=' I have a question for those of you who have played Bioshock. Do you think the setting might translate into some sort of short-lived Post Apocalyptic Pulp game? I think it would be really cool for a small group (say 2-4 characters) to run through an "Escape from Rapture" style game. Thinking about 24 - 30 "episodes" at 4 hours each.[/quote']

 

Absolutely! I just started playing it again after a few months, too. I believe that the real key here (in order to keep it creepy and fun) is to keep the party size down to 1-2 OR to divide 3-4 characters up. If you have a medium-sized party trudging through Rapture loaded for bear it would quickly erase the element of surprise, paranoia and creepiness.

 

Treat it more like a zombie game in this respect, it's 90% atmospheric and that has to be played to the hilt. The low-power plasmid 'super-powers' will keep enemies fresh... and then there's the Big Daddies that you can potentially control.

 

Sounds fun!

Re: Your favorite Fantasy Hero villains

I actually got some great mileage out of Taal Salira, a sample NPC evil priestess from Fantasy Hero. She serves Tharex, god of curses, and has been a student of Valtherex (also in FH), lich lord of Ambrethel and black hand of Therex.

When I first got FH I got my group together and we started playing as soon as I finished reading it. The NPCs were convenient and I never intended them to last this long, but the underlying theme of a world-wide Curse seems to become the main story arc.

Re: Scourges Of The Galaxy

There is no direct mention since this is a Terran Empire space-opera genre book, but there are some higher point charcters (350+ CPs) such as those in the Psindicate (Mentalists), worshippers of the Sons of Edom, galactic bounty-hunters and others who could pass off as super-villians. As a matter of fact, a quick perusal of the material reveals quite a number of NPCs well into the 400+ CP region.

I'll leave it up to Steve and Jason to correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Scourges of the Galaxy (Quick-Review)

Both! The Plot Seeds are honestly one of the cooler features of Hero Enemies Books' date=' IMO at least. I'd mourn their loss. Though, if you had to trim I'd suggest only 2 instead of 3 seeds. . .[/quote']

 

Ditto. Keep the plot seeds please!

Re: Scourges Of The Galaxy

I posted this in the Star Hero forum, but afterwords realized that it would fit better here... d'oh...

Not to step on Ghost-Angel's toes or anything I just wanted to briefly comment about the SOG PDF that I purchased yesterday. This is just a few notes about my first glance-through and the impressions that I have about the book so far.

Content looks very versitile and extremely usable right out of the box. I really like the 'What they say: X' portion getting mock-third-person comments on the NPCs in the book. Great touch! I really appreciate the sporatic expansions about subjects not extensively covered in the TE/WOK books (the Clone Mob, the Psindicate, Church of the Infinite Dark and even a few new ones like the Imperial Bounty Hunter Network!).

Layout: Excellent.

Artwork: Supurb. Maybe the best collection of art seen in many a year from the HERO product line. The look is right, the headers and fonts are right and the Chapter intros are quite nice as well. There's only a couple of instances where 'old' artwork was inserted but that's quite understandable. It really completes the 'feel' of this book. Well done!

Playability: TBD. The plot seeds, combined with WOE and TE should make for some fantastic story constructions. Can't wait to get started.

Overall: If you are a Star Hero fan, especially wrt the Terran Empire setting then buy this book. Even if you are just a fan of Alien Wars, there are a few Xenovore NPC write-ups that make the book worth looking into.

Not to step on Ghost-Angel's toes or anything I just wanted to briefly comment about the SOG PDF that I purchased yesterday. This is just a few notes about my first glance-through and the impressions that I have about the book so far.

Content looks very versitile and extremely usable right out of the box. I really like the 'What they say: X' portion getting mock-third-person comments on the NPCs in the book. Great touch! I really appreciate the sporatic expansions about subjects not extensively covered in the TE/WOK books (the Clone Mob, the Psindicate, Church of the Infinite Dark and even a few new ones like the Imperial Bounty Hunter Network!).

Layout: Excellent.

Artwork: Supurb. Maybe the best collection of art seen in many a year from the HERO product line. The look is right, the headers and fonts are right and the Chapter intros are quite nice as well. There's only a couple of instances where 'old' artwork was inserted but that's quite understandable. It really completes the 'feel' of this book. Well done!

Playability: TBD. The plot seeds, combined with WOE and TE should make for some fantastic story constructions. Can't wait to get started.

Overall: If you are a Star Hero fan, especially wrt the Terran Empire setting then buy this book. Even if you are just a fan of Alien Wars, there are a few Xenovore NPC write-ups that make the book worth looking into.

Re: Shifting

This sounds like the 'Follow-Through Attack' outlined in Fantasy Hero (p106)... "A character with this Talent is accomplished at strinking down multiple foes in combat. After he kills one enemy he may immediately make another attack against any enemy in HTH combat range." So it's not 2 hexes per your post, but the adjacent hex only. This may not help you here but maybe it will.

If you don't have FH, it costs 10 pts so compare your build to that one if it sounds similiar. (according to HDv3, I don't have the book with me at the moment). I'm not sure how cool it would be to give out that info publicly though...

I hope this helps.

Re: Question for Steve re: TUBase

Cool enough, thanks. Can't wait for that book... especially if you do a little something from the existing setting books (TA, TE, VA, and the like).

Steve

This week's mention of The Ultimate Base had me wondering... Since the Aarn project was scratched, did you have any plans on putting Aarn in The Ultimate Base as a Fantasy Hero 'campaign'?

I think that it would make a great chapter, and you might still get out some of your proposed ideas for the Aarn book using this book as a vehicle. If not, did you have any other TA Kingdoms in mind? I know it's early, so I wouldn't expect you to throw anything out with any kind of commitment to it.

Many thanks

Ron

Re: Loyalty To Ziandwyrth

My guess would be that he would treat the undead just like anyone else. He would refuse to admit that they were unusual in anyway, certainly he'd kill them if they attacked him but otherwise he'd strike up a conversation, perhaps offer them food because they look a little thin or sickly and perhaps even try to convince them to stop working for their necromantic masters and strike out on their own or even form a Union.

 

If he has a smite ability then perhaps it always manifests itself in a way that is deniable. Rather than a bright flash of holy light when he hits a Skeleton it would trip over or suddenly bash itself in the face with it's own sword, the extra damage comes from a brief moment of bad luck that the creature suffers.

Brilliant! (You must spread Rep around... yada...)