Frenchman

Re: Better living through Alchamey

Here is a list I made for a game a couple years ago. I didn't look too closely at them to check, but I'm pretty sure you can find some low-AP potions on this list. Also check Killer Shrike's site and I believe Eodin posted a prefab of potions a while ago.

Re: A very strange build for critiquing.

Yeah. The player was after an anti-magic effect, but I was leery of giving him anything that covered magic completely, given that this is to be a high magic world with a wide variety of magical styles.

 

It clicked that I could cover a wide variety of bases by making a drain/suppress that affected characteristics tied to casting. This then covers all RSR magical styles. It's also intended that it not be useable on any target who doesn't have a magical RSR characteristic.

 

What is your problem with the power? It seems perfectly legitimate under the rules, to me. Have I missed something?

If you want to give a penalty to magic skill rolls, why not use Negative Skill Levels or Change Environment?

Re: Your Favorite Fantasy Weapon?

Scimitar or Khopesh.

 

sorry ?! was that too obvious ?

... the Bone sword from Brotherhood of the Wolf.

And Flails - I love flails

Re: A very strange build for critiquing.

Personally, I would buy a Mind Link rather than Telepathy, and if you want to go for the creepy One Ring type of obsessive wielders (or whatever) I'd use a continuous Major Transform: Wielder into Wielder with Psych Lim (Slavishly Loyal to Sword)

Re: potion

Hmm... After reading KS's linked post, I remembered something. (sorry Steph for hijacking your thread)

Way back when my group was first starting Hero we were going to use Delayed Effect to re-create a dnd style magic system, and we came up with two variations on DE.

1: We would allow a character to buy different levels of DE on each of their spells. So instead of having to buy DE x2 for ALL of his spells to be able to cast more firebolts, they could just buy DE x2 on Firebolt, and then preparing a single firebolt only cost 1/2 a slot. Or buy DE x3 and it cost 1/4.

2: Still thinking it made casters too expensive, we thought about buying DE as a naked advantage. You only paid for it once and you could buy more low-powered spells than high-powered ones if you wanted to by buying DE x1 for 50 AP, DE +1x for 30 AP, and DE +1x more for 20 AP, or whatever.

We liked the second one so much that we almost used it - and then decided to just try the default Hero way instead. We like that better.

Re: potion

Another benefit (setting-wise) of using trigger rather than delayed effect is that potions become susceptible to dispels.

As a sidebar explains (ReFred 255): "A power prepared with Delayed Effect has been prepared, but not yet activated and used. A power built with Trigget has been prepared and activated, but not yet used."

This does add a point in favor of Delayed Effect though (cost-wise), since a potion or 'memorized spell' built with delayed effect cannot be wiped out with a dispel.

Re: Luck System: Whimsy Cards

Ouch. Short sessions might be a b**ch.

For short sessions we either forgave leftovers (if it was short cuz someone else had to go) or let them roll over to the next (If one of the characters with unluck had to leave early and was therefore the reason the session was short)

Re: Help with power? Don't know system well enough...

Ok... I am supposed to be coming up with some character concepts for a Champions game here soon' date=' and I have an idea of a power or two I wnat but don't know how to make them. I am sure that these powers have been radically discussed in the past, so if they are still on the Message Boards somewhere that I missed you can refer me there... Thanks![/quote']

I'm not very well versed on the comics, but I'll give it my best shot.

Always a good rule of thumb for any new system is to sit down with your GM and create your character from scratch, if possible. Also these boards have a nifty search function that comes in pretty handy at times like these.

 

1. Reality alteration - Something along the lines of the Scarlet Witch. I just got done reading the House of M' date=' and have always been a fan of "Reality Warping" powers. I just [i']really[/i] do not know how to pull it off using the HERO system.

As I implied, I don't know specifically what sort of powers the scarlet witch has, but reality alteration sure sounds like the ability to make whatever you want to happen happen - like the abilities of a Mage (from the white wolf setting of that name) without the limitations.

I would avoid EDM (extra-dimensional movement) and transforms if possible, both are clunky 'one-size fits all' powers most of the time. Transform will definitly be what you want to use if your reality change is to petrify something/one, create an inanimate object, or turn one thing into another - ya know, to Transform it.

I think the best fit for this would be a VPP (variable power pool) - sorta like a big chunk of point that you set aside and say "This is to buy whatever power I need on the fly." A VPP allows you to create any power you want in it, up to the active point cieling of the pool, and you can have as many powers available in the pool (at one time) as it has real points. It is sort of an advanced construct, but it would fit the reality alteration thingy very well. The only drawback is that they are EXPENSIVE - for good reason.

 

2. Gambit powers - That or something like it... even some of his "other" powers from the Gambit line comic book would be cool.

What bloodstone said.

If you have several different 'types' of charged object (one way explodes, another just puts holes in things, a third only creates shockwaves which cannot do permanant harm, whatever) then you could buy them in a MP (Multi-Power pool). This is another type of framework (like a VPP) that allows you to buy many powers at a fraction (1/10 or 1/5) of their cost - but you can only use one at a time. There is a little more to a MP than that, but thats the gist of 'em.

 

As far as I know from looking at the HERO book there is no way to have a power get "better" or "weaker" the more you use it' date=' short of leveling up.[/quote']

Two things:

1: You don't level up in Hero - there are no levels. Losing the concept of levels was one of the most difficult things to 'get' for my group when we switched to Hero, so please understand I don't point this out to be mean, only because I know it can be a sticking block for people who have only played level-based systems.

2: Actually helping you - As you probobly have heard, you advance in Hero by spending XP (1 xp = 1 character point). The simplest way to make your powers more powerful is to spend xp and buy them up.

There are other ways though. There is an entire suite of powers called Adjustment powers which can add or subtract points from other powers. The basic adjustment powers are aid and drain, which work in essentially the same way. Roll a number of dice, and add (drain subtracts from your enemies) that many character points to a power or characteristic. A basic aid/drain will modify a single, pre-defined power (such as Strength, or Energy Blast) but the Variable Effect advantage can make it affect any one of a set of characteristics or powers (any fire-based power, any defensive power) or even multiple powers - from two to ALL of a defined type.

Adjustment powers allow you to make your (and your friend's) other powers more powerful whenever you use them. If you want a power that gets more powerful every time you use it, you could buy a construct like this:

 

<Flames Grow Hotter: Aid All Fire Powers 1d6, Can Add Maximum Of 30 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action to reset; +1/2) (38 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2)>

 

This power automatically is on a Human Torch type of character, and activates whenever the character uses a fire power (such as hurling a fire bolt or maintaining his flight) and gradually makes his powers more and more powerful the more he uses them. It does cap out after a while, and it slowly goes away when he stops using them entirely.

 

Like the Scarlet Witch ana the more she uses it the more she loses control.

You could use a side effect limitation to reflect this, possibly also with a Burnout Roll. A power with a burnout roll has a roll which is made after every time it is used, and the roll gets harder and harder. When you fail the roll, you can't use the power until it resets. If the GM were to allow this, you could have the side effects happen when you fail the roll, so that your powers are out of control (instead of merely inactive) until you 'reset' them.

 

Or every time I do "this' date='" "this" gets weaker/better/control loosens/ or a charges for a power.[/quote']

I think these could be done with adjustment powers and/or side effects

 

I can only use this power "blank" many times before it's exausted all its force.

This is what the limitation (usually) called Charges is. A power with charges can only be used a certain number of times before it is used up. A gun has charges to represent the bullets in it, and a car does for its gasoline, but any power can have charges to show that the character cannot use it an unlimited amount of time.

 

Thanks in advance for all the help. I just have no idea how the HERO system works.

 

Much Appreciated

No problem. I'm just surprised your post went for two hours without more than one reply to it. You'll find that the Hero community here on the boards is very friendly and helpful.

 

Good luck with your character!

 

Edit: Wow. I apologize for my verbosity

Re: Luck System: Whimsy Cards

wow you must have a good payer you can trust.

I'm trying to envision that working in my group.

 

...

..

.

 

nope. can't picture it.

When we tried out a luck points system, the we decided to dock 1 xp at the end of each session for each point of unluck the character had left. It wasn't wildly popular, but it got the job done.

Re: House rule: a BODY adder for Force Wall

...or we could just use the rules for creating barriers with entangle...

I personally think that the barrier rules of entangle should have been folded into force wall rather than entangle, but the rules have been (in my experience) working just fine - so why change them?

Re: Dragon Wing-Buffet

Maybe a change environment that does KB?

But seriously, Change environment is most likely the best way to go, since you don't want the power to do damage. Penalties to Running, Ranged OCV, and TK effects all seem appropriate, just that it also seems way too expensive.

Re: Dragon Wing-Buffet

Continuous is unneccesary, all it would allow the dragon to do is hit the hex each phase without an attack roll - it doesn't really need to make one anyway (no range AOE).

Also, shouldn't it be an AOE radius? If he's flapping his wings I'd imagine it would have greater effect to the sides than to the front.

Re: Hit from behind

When my PCs tried this I told them that they couldn't if they were facing off one-on-one, since their opponents would turn with them.

If they would gang up on one person at least 2-1, then I'd let ONE of them get behind him, but they had to make a teamwork roll to get 1/2 DCV. If they failed it, I'd give the guy 'behind' +1 OCV, cuz I'm generous that way. If they made it, I'd give the guy in front +1 OCV, too, since that is what teamwork does for multiple attackers.

Re: A New Use For Hardened

Which means that your 3 points of hardened defense can stop up to 2 stun per body rolled on the KA. If its a big one, thats a lot of stun. I don't like it because it doesn't scale at all.

Hardened vs. Penetrating doesn't stop all the penetrating damage, only as much as you have hardened defense.

One level of hardened does stop all of the defense reduction of an AP attack, but if theres only a little bit of harded defense, it still doesn't matter much.

For this to work well, I think you would need to do something like have each level of hardened double the value of the hardened defense vs. stun, up to the additional stun gained from the +StunX - so 4 PD hardened would could stop up to 8 stun from a 1d6 KA +1 StunX which rolled 4 Body, 12 Stun (Rolls of 4, 3). 4 Stun from it being 4 defense, and another 4 for it being hardened against +StunX

Re: Change Enviornment: Need Guidelines For A Failed Roll

Maybe create a 5-point adder to change environment: Forces a Roll

Then the Ice Sheet, which forces a roll, would have to take it, while if it didn't the penalty would only apply when the victims make a roll normally.

Re: Luck System: Whimsy Cards

I like them. My group has been searching for something to do with luck - OK, I have been looking for something to do with luck since the rest of the group ignores it and the GM pretends I don't have it, unless it's unluck. 1 point of unluck can mean that your warrior-priest loses all of his equipment in a fire, including his holy symbol which he needs to cast spells or even prove he's a priest (happened), while two points of luck are required to find a few dropped coppers in the bar to pay for a beer.

What are the cards you made up yourself, and what do you use to represent them? I think I could get at least two of my group interested in using regular playing cards to represent luck, or we might just use Munchkin cards - The monster ones would be fun.

I had a thought after reading this post: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41846

It seems to me that this puts the character who bought a magical AP sword at a disadvantage compared to a 'skilled' character who buys AP as a naked modifier usable on any sword - Magic Sword Man pays more points for a single weapon that can be broken or taken away, while the Swordmaster who buys a Naked Advantage pays fewer points and can apply AP to any sword, even two swords at a time if he fights florentine.

Did I miss something vital here? Somehow I think I must be interpreting this incorrectly.

Re: Defining Magic

Maybe they burn STUN instead of END to power their spells.

Or Body

You could also have their END reserve recharge in a fashion that damages themselves

Re: Characterstic Rolls

All the time - heres an example from a recent game

Me: If we could just hitch a ride on that giant vulture, we could ride it back to the flying castle!

Theo: I have a grappling hook and 100' of rope! Just use your burst of strength ability and chuck it up there!

GM: Make an INT roll.

Me: *Dice Clatter* I succeed by 4, what do I notice?

GM: That you are absolutly INSANE! What do you do.

Theo: I put away my grappling hook...

Re: Duration Caps on Spells?

Using Lingering in that fashion, you could incant, dance in a circle, and opt to not fly until the evening when it is most convenient, for instance. It merely decouples INITIALIZATION and IMPLEMENTATION.

 

So you do all the annoying an potentially interruptible initialization stuff to comply with the Lims on the Power, and then walk around until you feel like using the Power effect (within the duration of the Lingering).

Not to nitpick, but I thought that is what the Delayed Effect advantage does. There must be something more to adding lingering onto a constant power, since it is so much more expensive.

Re: Weapon Imagery

www.weaponmasters.com has a pretty good catalog. Other similar sites do as well.

Re: Valdorian Sorcerer Tasks Thread

Minor: Go to Mansblood square and light seventeen candles. After they are all lit, randomly place them in the mud as fast as you can and then run all the way to Lowtown.

Minor: Wander the streets of the Snake's Den, carrying a lit lantern all day long, and extinguish it just as the sun sets.

Intermediate: Dress up as a guard and hang around the armory. If asked, you have been transfered from a different neighborhood. At the end of the day, try to collect your pay of 1 coin.

Intermediate/Major: Spend every night for a week in the Palace of the Beggar King - Uninvited

Major: Leave a black candle burning in front of a statue in the Temple in Gold's Reside. Do this before midnight.

Major: Set fire to Yully's bed while he is distracted by a customer.

Life-Threatening: Disguise yourself, and then kidnap someone from Worm's Hole and take them to mansblood square. Tie them up, gag them, and leave them there. A week later, without a disguise, find them and give them half a bit without explanation.

Life-Threatening: Break the River Chains and watch them sink into the river.

Re: Vulcan Nerve Pinch

It's just a nerve strike, must follow grab. He's ususually striking by surprise, which doubles the damage, against CON 10 targets with 20 Stun. A 2d6 NND will do 14 Stun on average as a surprise attack, stunning a target with up to a CON of 13, and letting him finish them off in the next phase.

 

Give him Vulcan Martial Arts or such, make it a 3d6 NND, and when used by surprise it would be 6d6. More than enough for most normal humans.

Didn't read the whole post, so I don't know if someone mentioned this...

But isn't Spock also doing a called shot? I would certainly qualify the back of the neck as a vitals location, netting him another x2 multiplier. So now a simple 2d6 Nerve strike does the equivalent of 6d6, enough to stun or even KO a normal. If you give him a couple of damage classes like OddHat (and I) reccoment, then it averages just over 30 stun. Easily enough to do the job.

A character who Grabs a specific Hit Location (usually the Head/Neck) obtains the Hit Location benefits of enhanced damage with every attack for which the Attack Roll takes the Hit Location penalty (-8 for Head/Neck). For example, if a character declares he’s going to Grab a target’s Head (-8 OCV, x2 STUN and BODY damage) and hits, he does the x2 STUN and BODY damage for that one attack (i.e., the damage he can immediately apply that Phase). In later Phases, when he must make further Attack Rolls, he does not get the damage enhancement unless he declares that he’s continuing to try to target the Head and continues to make his Attack Rolls at the -8 OCV penalty.

Isn't the OCV penalty halved because the target is in a grab?

Just want to clarify this, to make sure I have been interpreting your Word correctly.

Thanks

Re: Combat Skill Levels

I thought it took two CSLs to add +1 DC?