Dr. Anomaly

Re: Can someone explain knockback to me?

Now you've got it. [bODY of attack] - #d6 = inches of KB

It's not minus the number of d6, it's minus the number rolled on those d6 of knockback dice...

Re: Can someone explain knockback to me?

As Doc Democracy said, what you roll on the Knockback dice is subtracted from the Body damage done by the attack. If what's left is a positive number, that's how many inches of Knockback you do.

You roll one less die if the target is airborne. That's because if you're airborne, you've got nothing you're even partially braced against (like the ground) so it's more likely you'll get knocked back. If you roll a smaller number of dice, you'll subtract a smaller number, so it's more likely you'll get knocked back, and further.

You roll one more die if the attack was a martial arts attack. That's because a martial arts attack is supposed to apply the energy to the target in a concentrated specific way, and energy that would knock the target away is "wasted" energy. If you roll a larger number of dice, you'll subtract a larger number, meaning it's less likely the target will get knocked back, or if he does, won't get knocked back as far.

Re: Longest Running Thread EVER

I've just noticed that the removal of the Custom User Titles has also removed the "BANNED" title from the not-so-dearly departed.

But as I've noticed when perusing the membership list as part of my recent revitalization of the Magic project, the custom user title still shows up below the name in the membership list...

Re: Rules to ignore, or replace

I don't see the dilemma. Shapeshift vs Touch changes the actual physical shape of the character. So Daredevil with his Spacial Awareness (which is a Detect: Physical Object) detects the physical object with its new shape. What's the problem?

That Daredevil's ability is, and has been referred to for years as, his "radar sense". It's that "name-vs-what-it-actually-does" or "name-vs-how-it-actually-works" thing again...

So someone thinking of it, from years of reading him in the comics, as a "radar sense" may have some problems with how radar, the HERO system sense power, does or does not interact with someone that's changed his shape via a Shape Shift Touch power.

Re: Rules to ignore, or replace

In your example our vision is only effected as much as it would've been if he sat down. Using Shapeshift vs Touch to change your physical shape will indeed be noticable to other senses' date=' as your physical shape has indeed changed. Just like changing your physical configuration by sitting down on the floor is a physical change that is noticable to many senses. Do you require players buy Shapeshift vs Vision to be able to sit down?[/quote']

 

Oh har har. Thank you so much for reducing an attempt at a valid point to a laughing point. Very well done oh noble mod.

 

(And yes, I actually am pissed off, archermoo.)

 

My point was... as I thought was obvious... that changing the physical form (via Shape Shift Touch) also affects how we see him, because we see the shape... we don't have to go up and feel him in order to notice that he's changed shape using Shape Shift Touch... we can do that with our eyes.

 

And that because there is a VISUAL difference, when using Shape Shift Touch, people may be getting hung up on that.

 

But no. Mocking derision instead. Very nice. Very nice way to obscure things.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Since I moved the computer, my aging/elderly cat has discovered he can get up on the bed, go across the back of the chair, over my shoulder, and thus put himself on my chest, where I can't effectively type... and since my hands can't type, they should obviously be employed stroking HIM...

Re: Rules to ignore, or replace

"Folding himself down" into a "cereal box" implies a change in size. If he's remaining a human-sized cereal box' date=' our view of things behind him is not seriously altered, no more so than if he starting waving his arms or simply sat down. It's trivial, and doesn't represent a power that affects vision any more than an HKA via retractable claws or Flight via fold-out wings.[/quote']

Certainly it DOES make a difference, without having to use Shrinking. Take for example contortionists that can fold themselves up to fit into a suitcase. They most certainly occupy a smaller, more compact, area than before. Assuming Plas does the same, he most certainly IS going to block a different section of view than if he's standing there in his full human shape.

Re: Seductive combatant powers?

She's only sidekick level, so the force of her powers would need bumping up considerably for master villain level, but I refer you to Girls Gone Wild Lass!

Re: Sanctuary.....Anyone Use It ?

Yes, if the players like the idea. (Some I've had do, some I've had don't.)

As to how it works... most recent group, very well.

Re: New Power: Invulnerability

Gritty pulp noir espionage atomic tabloid horror in the 1950's leavened with superheroes? Too long.

Re: Rules to ignore, or replace

The main problem I belive people have with Shape Shift is the real-world idea that if one changes the physical shape of their body (i.e.' date=' the Touch Group), they are *bound* to look different as well (the Sight Group). And the perception that unless one changes Touch along with Sight to that of a snake, it isn't a real change.[/quote']

 

I think you may have hit the nail on the head with that. Consider this: here is Plastic Man, who's folded himself in the the shape of a cereal box...

 

 

Now, according to the HERO rules, he has only used Shape Shift vs. Touch, as he's changed his shape, but you can plainly see he's still Plastic Man, so he hasn't used Shape Shift vs. Sight.

 

BUT.

 

Suppose he'd been standing in a doorway, in his human shape, and then folded himself down into this box shape. Our vision is affected, because now the objects that were behind him, some of which were blocked by his body, are not the same items that are blocked now, or they are blocked differently.

 

So using Shape Shift vs. Touch to change his physical shape does in some fashion also interact with our vision, how we see him. And that is, I think, if not the stumbling block, at least a big part of it.

Re: Metahuman Tactical Response...

Metahuman Tactical Assault Legion, or "MeTAL"

Officially called "Legionnaires", unofficially referred to as "metalheads".

Your heavy assault armor then could be "Heavy MeTAL" and so on...

Re: 4th Edition question RE: Gweenies

Ask Haven Walkur sometime about meeting the last, desperate hope for freedom in a world controlled by evil... FOXBAT!!

Re: Your Superhero Identity for Today

Name: Lord Flame

Secret Identity: Right, like I'm going to let you know that...

Special Power: Incredible Finger

Transportation: Nuclear Train

Weapon: X-Ray Carbine

Costume: Hardened Cape

Sidekick: Caruthers

Nemesis: Cindy the Black

Tragic Flaw: Addicted to corn dogs

Favorite Food: Key Lime Pie

I do really like corn dogs, though am so-so on key lime pie. The "Lord Flame" bit is interesting, considering a few real-life examples as a couple of posters here can confirm...

...though I'm not sure I want to know what "Incredible Finger" does...

Re: Istvatha V'han - why can't she conquer Earth?

In my current campaign I'm running on HeroCentral' date=' V'han has arrived in a single shark-shaped ship (about a thousand meters or so in length - about the length of an Imperial Star Destroyer) in Earth's orbit. Inside the "belly" of this shift is a huge technological dimensional gate where the invasion ships (about 100 meter diameter disk-shaped) come through one at a time to descend into Earth's atmosphere to invade. So, on the one hand, she has a fleet capable, but on the other hand, it can only arrive piecemeal. (The mother ship can carry four of these ships to begin the opening volley.)[/quote']

Umm... I have a question...

 

If she can only bring ships through one at a time... why the heck did she come into orbit, then start bringing them through? For pity's sake... hang out somewhere far enough away (among the asteroids, perhaps?) where she's not likely to be easily detected, bring through a few hundred or a few thousand ships, and move them en masse to Earth!

Re: WWYCD: To Bee or not to Bee?

Dr. Anomaly would sit down and give this some thought. (And as an aside, it would likely be MORE troubling if the signee were an unknown, as it means there's a great big gaping hole in things somewhere for this kind of information to leak out, that he didn't know about and see coming.)

First, take the precaution of preserving, both cryogenically and magically, a nice cross-section of bee DNA, just in case. Spend some thought processes wondering if he and Kathleen might be able to "build a better bee" to replace the dying/disappearing ones, that would be immune to the cause of CCD. But that would require knowing the cause of CCD first...

Second, examine the demanded item. Research it THOROUGHLY. Run possible use scenarios of the item. If there are no obvious uses (particularly malign ones) set about figuring out the inobvious ones. Determine which, in the long run, would be worse for the country / environment / mankind... the death of all the bees, or the blackmailer getting their hands on the desired item. (And with several days of time to do research, believe me... Dr. Anomaly can come up with a truly astonishing amount of data.)

Assuming the culprit actually getting their hands on the item won't lead to an immediate crisis situation... steal the item for delivery, as stated. Load up on gadgets, spells, and so on heavily geared towards defense, pursuit, and capture. Proceed to the drop-off with the intention of doing his level best to capture the blackmailer, find some means of obtaining the cure for CCD from them once they are in custody. (The reason for stealing the actual item is that it seems likely the item will have to be presented to be vetted during the meeting, and Dr. Anomaly is aware there may be things about it that he doesn't know to look for or detect that would reveal a fake, no matter how apparently complete such a fake was. Best chance for capturing the blackmailer seems to be to take the actual item, and return it afterwards.)

Now comes a couple of slight twists.

First, as he's done on a couple of other occasions, Dr. Solomon Kinkaid will ALSO happen to be on the scene, for some reason or other... just in case there happens to be any possibility of secret IDs getting revealed. (Dr. Kinkaid is, of course, a homunculus, but one with the actual Dr. Kinkaid's memories, personality, beliefs, and so on. In short, Dr. Anomaly but without the powers.)

Secondly, the note specifically warned against discussing the matter with anyone, so Dr. Anomaly will not have discussed it; however, at the time specified for the meeting, several very specifically tuned psionic databursts will go off from devices back in the lab, downloading a synopsized version of the events, his research, conclusions, and course of action into the minds of his team-mates. As a back-up, in case some or all of them are not in a state capable of receiving the psychic download (a fair chance with all of them) a brief one-paragraph written synopsis would also be materialized in front of each of them. And in either case, a one-shot teleport device that homes in on Dr. Anomaly would be included along with the printed information.

So, roughly 20 to 30 seconds after the pre-arranged meeting time, the meeting place will be hosting ALL of the Millennium Knights... and Dr. Anomaly will NOT have been guilty of violating any of the conditions... and the blackmailer would have to be very, very lucky to get away...

Re: resist being stunned by EGO attack with EGO not CON?

If the target gets to choose which attribute they get to use to resist, tack a small disad on the mental attack that's doing the stunning:

Target Checks For 'STUNNED' Result With EGO or CON, Their Choice (-1/4)

Re: Alien Stereotypes

The race that is sly and treacherous, as a racial ideal. Completely untrustworthy, and prone to developing various "stealth" technologies and so on.

The perfected human race: looks just like humans, but every member of the race is physically perfect, technology is usually at least slightly more advanced, and they tend to be arrogant and regard themselves as clearly morally superior to all others, especially if they aren't.

The species that has a highly-regimented dueling tradition, very rigid codes of personal conduct, and probably thousands of ways to get you involved in a duel and kill you because you happened to say "Would you please pass the salt?" in just the wrong way...

Re: Instant, Constant, Persistent

It is now legal to put Persistent on EB (assuming it's already 0 END) and get Continuous for free... and it is also illegal under the exact same rule. It is also neither at the same time.

Schrödinger's power build!!

Re: Analysis of the Red-Shirt Phenomenon in Star Trek

If the machine has no manual overrides. Do NOT collect the pink slip' date=' leave it with the sales rep. As Scotty said in one of the TOS movies, the more plumbing they install, the easier it is to break.[/quote']

 

"The more they overtech the plumbin', the easier it is ta stop up the drain."

Re: Looking For Info: Ameboid Aliens

Let's see... Stretching already mentioned...

Extra Limbs, Non-Persistent, possibly

Spatial Awareness, costs End? (sending out a multitude of tiny feelers)

Entangle, using own body? (a la many stretching characters)

Bonuses with Grab

Bonuses with Escape Artist

Double (!) Jointed

Depending on what their body chemistry is, you could justify Growth, but only with a ready source of water (or whatever the appropriate material/fluid would be) on hand.

Re: Hulk vs Superman

If they get to call their relatives for help' date=' the Hulk wins hands-down: Jennifer Walters shows up, reminds Superman that the Siegel and Schuster families won their lawsuit against DC for the Superboy trademark, and with his past gone he retroactively ceases to exist.[/quote']

Byrne tried that, and Superman is still around... Byrne just managed to gut the Legion in passing with his attempt at retconning Superman out of existence...

Re: Dumbest thing...

Superman was never Superboy post-crisis. Spelled disaster for the Legion of Super-Heroes.

This one gets my vote. And has for... gak! 2 decades now?!?

Re: Hulk vs Superman

Even at his current non-Silver Age power levels, I'd have to give it to Superman, for most of the reasons already outlined: super speed, flight, heat vision, freeze breath (they brought that back, eh?) and a host of over more minor abilities on TOP of his strength and durability.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

That's Fabulous and Talented.

Modest and self-effacing, too!