Lord Beavis

Re: Setting up super-prisons

No offense, but I think super prisons are "one shot adventures" and there fore not really worth the time going in depth to describe them.

I liked the simplicity of the negative zone of Superman. It's simple to get them in, keep them there, and when you need the villian again, bring him/her back.

I liked Stronghold of 4th ed, and anything added it to it, would be an upgrade but nothing earth shattering!!!

Re: 5th Edition Villain Updates

I don't have those books....thanks for the info.....I am thinking of doing some of the villains from Enemies I,II,III.

That's some memories!!!

Re: 5th Edition Villain Updates

I did Armadillo (Champions book) and Crusader (Champions book) in HD format. I gave them both a few new more points. Anyone interested in the HD versions, drop me a line.

I am working on Pulsar (Champions book) and Chershire Cat (Champions book).

I did a version of F.I.S.T. from V&V.

Re: Character for Review: Gizmo

Overall a very solid character. A little too dependent on OIF but if the GM doesn't enforce this limitation...oh well.

You have solid characteristics. You won't be stunned by most attacks figuring 25 PD or ED and 20 CON. This depends on the attack/damage DC class. An average 10d6 attack does 3.5 STUN or 35 STUN. Giving you 10 STUN. However an AP 10d6 on average does 35 STUN and your defenses are halved 13 PD or ED. You take 22 STUN...and are Stunned....leaving you with 8 STUN. Another basic attack finishes you off.

You do have a good speed, and high DEX. You have a good selection of attacks.

I don't understand why you list the Swinging twice.

Re: Sex and the Single Superhuman

I never played in games that went too heavily into sex, politics, religion, or graphic violence.

I run a PBEM and these subjects will never be "role-played" as they are not fundamental to the game. This is not to say that they won't be mentioned at all, but very little emphasis.

I always thought the "players" who delved too far into these subjects (especially sex) were sad, pathetic people who needed to go out and meet people instead of sitting around a table "role-playing" them!!!

NOUGH SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Player Openings: Knights of New L.A. PBEM

I have joined the group and read the messages. It's an interesting beginning.

I like the Reticle and John Doe. I don't really care for Ghost just yet. I like to see her develop a little more.

I hope to see the new characters in action and role-playing.

In an earlier post, you mentioned you could convert Heromachine pics to be uploaded. Is this program again available???

Visual aids are so helpful!!!

Re: Anyone interested in playing this speedster?

Definatley a well rounded character....with pic....very nice.

Re: Villians & Vigilantes (aka Living Legends) "to HERO Adaptations & Conversions*

I don't agree with his translation....but I like the setup......maybe I will take the next step and bring them into HD format.

Re: Player Openings: Knights of New L.A. PBEM

Sent you a full submission in HD format. Enjoy!!

Re: FYI: why more people aren't playing HERO (rpg.net)

No offense....but are any of the people who have posted in this thread affiliated with the company (except that they have bought the product like me.)

Does anyone realize that the company is very small and has no marketing budget??

The people who run the company must have decided it is more profitable for them to accept their small niche of gamers and provide quality products to them, than throw money into marketing.

Instead of talking amongst yourselves (all who play and enjoy HERO like myself), invest in the company to bring about your ideas!!! When you see the actual numbers, you'll see the truth of the company and the RPG industry in general.

Re: Standard Effect Table

You could give the players the option (before rolling damage/effect) to select the SE table or killing attack table (whichever applies) or roll for random results.

Another suggestion is the minimum damage done is from the table (again whichever applies) and the player still rolls. If the rolls are higher, the player takes the result. If equal to or less, the table applies.

These rules have to be agreed on before the session begins and applies against the player as well as for the player.

Overall, nicely done tables.

Re: So speaking of Dr. Destoyer....

I have and GMed Day of the Destroyer....lots of fun...the version I have is from 4th ed.....

I like the reference to Island of Dr. Destroyer in it, another adventure I played.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

You think you were being teased?? I understand your dispair.

Try it from the other side one time. Set up a game with website, background, villains, organizations, NPCs, storyline(s).

Then go out and recruit a group of players.

You'll get a large number of applicants. You'll have to sift through origin stories with typos, bizarre or complicated elements, or simply incomplete.

Then you make a final decision, and ask for actual submissions. You receive unbalanced characters (although you recommend using HD) with powers that aren't used correctly or power levels which don't fit your campaign.

Once you get started, expect all of the people to post furiously for a week or two, and then wait for some to drop out. After too many have left, you get to start the process all over again!!! YEAH!!

Anyone still interested in running a PBEM??? HELLO????

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

Originally posted by saffo

Regarding the snake and the pipe... From 5th edition revised page 216

"Shape Shift (touch group) only allows a character to alter his size or mass by about +/-10%. To make greater changes in size or mass, the character should buy growth, shrinking or density increase linked to shape shift."

I agree. However, I believe you have to figure out what would a snake with the equivelant mass and size look like.

I looked at the numbers on shape shift for 5th ed.

Variety of shapes: Any =20

Sight = 10

Cellular = 10

Hearing = 5

Smell/Taste = 3

Touch = 3

Instant Change = 5

Imitation = 10

That comes up to 64 covering alot and maybe more than every player wants to use.

Most games usually allow a maximum 75 active points in any one power.

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

Originally posted by Dust Raven

Stretching has nothing to do with squeezing or malleability. It's the ability to reach further than one hex away. Nothing more. Anything else is SFX. The ability to change shape is Shape Shift. If you can change shape but not strech, you buy Shape Shift. You can reach way over there, but not assume anything other than an elongated arm, you buy Stretching. If you can do both, you buy both. They don't really overlap.

You are correct. I reread the rules on both. However, if you stretch any part of your body to reach 1 hex away, your shape does change. This does not constitute shape shift, though, and they don't overlap.

This is a good example where powers with similiar concepts have one big difference that clearly defines each.

I also agree if the super villain, Shifter, needs to get through a pipe to make his escape, he could "shape shift" to a snake form that allows him to crawl through the pipe. He would need sight and touch but unless someone is in range to smell, taste, or hear him, he doesn't really need these sense groups. Also, while in the "snake form", he cannot use his normal attacks, speak, or carry things.

I agree they should have defined shape shift alot better. I understand the intent was to give as many options as possible, but this time it back fired on them.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

Many thanks, oh Lord Beavis the Benevolent! I'd like to post mine. Depending on the game, I think it has several rough spots, but without feedback I'm not that sure. I'm also not sure if there are potential problems with posting characters - does it compromise game play if other players know everything about each other? Some games yes, some games no.

No problem, I will be under a foot of snow very soon. If you don't want to compromise your potential character, send to my e-mail ischmail3@aol.com.

I have a really dumb question, never having done PBEM games before. How do they work?

This not a dumb question, there are alot who don't understand PBEMs and really need to read up on them before trying 'em out. I think there is a thread in the General Role-playing section.

My guess is the host broadcasts a scenario to the players, who then say (in character...?) what they do. Does this happen in near real-time, daily, weekly, what?

Depending on the speed of posts, it usually works best as 1 post per day. This can make large battles go on for a long time.

How do you handle rolling dice?

I usually make all the rolls, but if a player likes to roll, he can roll and send it to me in an e-mail.

Does it vary by the game (e.g. a weekly game is more high-level action and the GM writes up action scenes, where minute-by-minute produces a disjointed set of "I move to the bushes and fire at The Ravager's Anvil o' Death!") ? Is there a need for deathless prose, or is the Anvil example sufficient?

Game time in combat goes slow and out of combat zips along. A week can pass in a post or two.

Anyway, that's part of the reason I wanted to try PBEM - to sate my curiosity. The main reason is I want to PLAY, and opportunities are few. Still, accepted or not I had fun making a 750pt character. Hadn't done that before - thanks for the incentive Nexus!

If you are not familiar with the PBEM game, I would start with a low power game, just to get your feet wet.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

I have played in and GMed many a different PBEM. I have also submitted characters for many PBEM; some I was accepted for and some turned down.

On the ones I have been turned down for, I have never heard why. Is that wrong? Should someone tell me? You can decide, I let it go.

As a GM, I have been fortunate to keep calls for characters small so that I would end up accepting all. I have rejected characters because they were unbalanced or munchkined. In these cases, I would e-mail my objections and ask to have the character altered and be resubmitted.

Some players make the changes and join the game and some I never hear from again.

I suspect Nexus is in that process now or getting set for the game; either way she is too busy to e-mail back to each person who was initially rejected to explain why.

If you want to show your character on here, I would be happy to provide some feedback.

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

Originally posted by Dust Raven

5E introduced quite a number of similarities between Shape Shift and Images (and other Sense Affecting Powers as well).

Shape Shift has a number of similarities but one major difference: Shape Shift is a "real" change and Images is not.

There is a key difference, however, in the mechanics of how Shape Shift and Images work. Images creates something perceivable to particular sense groups, and leaves everything that was already there along (it's still perceivable, though it might be "behind" the images).

This is an illusion. This is where holograms should be used.

Shape Shift takes something that is perceivalbe, and makes it perceived as something else. If you make a hologram using Shape Shift, it's impenetrable by that sense group (you can't sense though it to sense what it's hiding or covering up, at least not by using any of the Sense Groups covered).

Holograms are illusions not a tangible change.

This difference might be subtle, maybe about as subtle as the difference between an EB and an RKA, but it's there and it's important.

I agree, the difference is Images are illusions and Shape Shift is a tangible "real" change.

As for deciding what actually happens using Shape Shift to appear to be a completely difference shape, such as a human looking like a snake, it is a bit tricky. I like some of the ground rules mentioned above (such as requiring at least Touch with Sight Group to actually assume a different shape).

Yes, to assume a new shape you have to have as a minimum the following guidelines:

Animate objects: Sight, Hearing, Touch.

Inanimate objects: Sight and Touch.

Suppose I can shape shift into a 20 ft long snake, but a snake that still feels like it's made of human flesh with hair. I wouldn't need to buy the touch group, but would still be 20 ft long.

I would require Sight, Hearing, and Touch, which allows Smell/Taste, Cellular, and Mental to "detect" the shifter.

Maybe I can just buy some Stretching so I can reach 20 ft (which I should buy even if I buy the touch group).

You could do that. Another instance where shape shift runs into another power.

Maybe I want a super skilled contortionist, and just buy Shape Shift Touch Group so I can fit though bars and pipes and such, though I still retain my human appearance (though somewhat contorted when squeezing through stuff).

No. Making your body able to squeeze or become malleable is Stretching. Shape shift is a "real" change from one form to another.

Shape Shift runs into Stretching, Multi-form, Duplication, Mental Illusions and Images.

Re: Seeds of Change PBEM

If the GM running seeds of change PBEM is done with the selection process (and I suspect she is) I wouldn't hold my breath.

There is a chance that some that have been accepted will later drop out. You could sit and wait.

I have a game just started on the PBEM. It's a beginning power game. If interested, lurker or player

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Champions2005/

Good luck!!

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

Originally posted by PhilFleischmann

I am getting somewhat burnt out on this topic. People seem to forget that to create a power, you should start with the concept in mind, and then find a mechanic that implements that concept. Don't start with a rules mechanic and then try to figure out what the SFX are - it's not always possible to come up with a concept for every possible mechanic. But so what? The point of the "Ultimate Gamers' Toolkit" is to provide a mechanic for every possible concept, not the other way around.

I agree with this statement.

If you want to actually be able to change your shape (fit through the pipe, scoop up water, become aerodymaic, become a ladder, etc.), buy SS* to all the sense groups that would be affected by your change. This would include Sight and Touch 99.999% of the time. Offhand, I can't think of any reason why you could fit through the pipe, but not be seen to be a shape that could fit through the pipe. Nor can I think of any way that you could actually fit through the pipe, but not be "touchable" as the appropriate shape. In many cases, you might want to buy the Hearing group as well, to reflect the fact that your footsteps won't sound the same if you radically alter the size and shape of your feet, for example. Logically, this "actual shape shifting" would affect sonar and radar as well, but these can be hand-waved as included "for free" as Steve Long himself has recommended.

I think Sight, Touch, and Hearing are all default senses that have to be taken.

If you want to be able to cover your appearance with a hologram, then just buy SS* to Sight only.

I disagree, this is clearly covered by Images or Mental Illusions. My point is you either shape shift to an actual tail or it's an illusion. An actual tail is covered by extra limbs, if it's permanent, shape shift if temporary.

Is it a huge advantage to appear to have a long snake tail that isn't actually part of your body? No. Unless the guy trying to hurt you by stomping on your "tail" is really, really stupid, he'll change his tactics after the first time his foot passes right through the holographic image. Most of the time, you aim for the center of a body you want to hit.

I don't think it's a big advantage either, but it's covered by other powers more than adequitely.

If you want to fool really detailed examinations, you buy Cellular. It could be argued that this adder is misnamed, becuse it could apply to methods that have nothing to do with your cells. If you buy SS to Sight only + Cellular, you can fool minute visual scans, like most fingerprint scanners and retina scanners. However, you won't fool voice analysis (hearing), body-chemistry-based scans (Smell, or maybe touch), or fingerprint scans that use a tactile sensor rather than visual (touch), etc.

I have no problem with this rule. Better than a cellular scanner (and alot cheaper) is a simple password system. Shape shift can't help you there!!

*Assuming you choose to use Shape Shift to build your concept. There are often many ways to build a given concept in HERO. That's a good thing. You have the freedom to choose how your concept is built. The choice you make determines how it will work mechanically in play.

I agree there are a few different ways to go, but don't reinvent the wheel!!

Re: Help with a power...

This has been discussed a few times. There are two ways to go: (maybe more)

This is a compound Power as it is very complex

1) Mind Control, Desolification, and Mind Link - However the person gets to fight the Mind Control every phase.

2) Major Transform, Desolidification, and Mind Link - However the person buys back his Body....then breaks the "hold"

You may want to create it as Continous attack, 0 END, All or Nothing.

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

Originally posted by Saffo

Cellular + immitation specifically mentions the example of retina scan and thumb print in the book. If you are reproducing someone on a cellular level, then wouldn't your voice also sound identical? Heck, if I can reproduce your retina (which is unique) why can't I reproduce your vocal chords? For that matter why can't I reproduce a relatively simple thing like a wing on a bird for flight?

The problem with the game mechanics (Oh no!!! But, HERO is the perfect system!!) is they have three powers that can work in the same area. Shape shift, multi-form, and Images.

When a player comes to a GM with a character idea that includes the area of shape shift, they should sit down and decide what powers would cover the concept behind the shape shift.

Shape shift mercifully for most GMs is a rare selection by players. In the example that began this with the snake wanting to go through the pipe, you could do the following:

Multi-form would get you through the pipe, but most players don't want to sit down and make up another character sheet just to fit through a pipe.

Images will make you look, sound, and feel like a snake, but it won't get you through the pipe.

Shape Shift could do this but realize you are still at the same size unless you have shrinking. Instead of having a 100kg man, you have a 100 kg snake.

Stretching could accomplish this also.

Shape shift doesn't have as many applications as people think. The more rules they added to it, the more it showed it's own limitations.

Re: Applying shapeshift in game

A few questions of my own...

1. What if you have cellular but you don’t have the touch group? Cellular says that your thumb print will be identical. Does cellular imply the touch group?

No. In any form you take, you have a finger print. Deforming the print, doesn't really change the whole shifter.

2. If you have imitation do you need the hearing group in order to imitate a human or animals voice/call?

This would be best covered under images.

3. Does imitating a Bird (if you have touch and cellular) allow you to fly?

No. This would be best covered under multiform. Although, if you bought Flight seperatley or linked to Shapeshift (with the limitation: Only when shifted into an object or animal that can fly) you could do it.

With multiform and Images, shape shift seems to be the odd power out. I think it can be for used as inanimate objects only.

Re: SFX -v- SFX

I like the premise. ( I am sure there will be those who have responded to this thread, who will have rethink their position!) SFX affects the world and vice versa.

For those players who want the to keep the "comic book feel", probably won't like it.

I played V&V and liked the concept. You have a good start list, adding in many others:

Gravity attacks vs. density increase, earth, etc..

Laser attacks vs. darkness, water, wind, etc..

Paralysis (entangles, drains, flashes)vs. speed, desolification, teleportation

and of course....drum roll please

Magnetics vs. robotics, cybernetics, android, and POWERED ARMOR!!

I would also suggest either 1 extra die or 1 less die of damage or

+1 OCV or -1 OCV depending on the chart!!

Re: Villians & Vigilantes (aka Living Legends) "to HERO Adaptations & Conversions*

And the Mace. I changed around the background a little. I added in a few new changes, hope you liked it.