Jump to content

CTaylor

HERO Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,104

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by CTaylor

  1. What books should I buy???

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: What books should I buy???

     

    In all honesty I recommend getting pretty much everything Hero puts out related to the genre you want to run. Get Fantasy Hero, the grimoires, the bestiaries, everything. Even the things not directly related to your campaign can be helpful for ideas and you might find things you hadn't considered.

  5. Hero Philosophy - SPEED

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Hero Philosophy - SPEED

     

    I agree, I would certainly never want to replace the Speed system in Hero, it has a very interesting effect on combat and simulates special combat training better than any I've seen in dozens of game systems. For those who want greater variety in the system, some randomness could be introduced, such as taking cards with everyone's name on them, putting one in for each speed each character has, then shuffling them up but I'd avoid that simply because the speed 3 guy could end up acting 3 times before anyone else. Plus, the predictability of speed helps simulate actual combat experiences, such as timing someone's actions and then moving to disrupt that.

  6. Deluxe Edition of The Fantasy Codex in print!

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    I worked up a hardcover full color edition of the Fantasy Codex, it includes a new spell system and better indexes. It also costs 75 bucks: color printing is spendy! I'm not sure anyone will actually buy one, but its out there.

     

    I also have a hardcover black and white version; its a bit cheaper at $29.99

     

    Then there's the old spiral bound soft cover, its a lot more thrifty just under 25 bucks.

     

    Next stop: volume 2...

  7. Hero Philosophy - SPEED

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Hero Philosophy - SPEED

     

    The game system Aces & Eights dumps all the usual systems and breaks everything down into 10ths of second actions which happen simulntaneously. Cocking your gun: 3 counts (3 tenths of a second). Aiming: 2 counts. Changing to another target: depends on the arc you change along, can be up to 10 counts. Moving is in counts, you move five feet every x count, depending on crawling, walking, trotting, running, and so on.

     

    Its an interesting system, you start with initiative rolls (adjusted by DEX) then everything just happens when you get to the appropriate count, but if you thought Hero combat was slow whoa nelly is this system slow. It's like watching a gunfight in super, super slow motion, one frame per second. Sped up it would move and behave like a real fight but in game time its just astonishingly session-devouring.

     

    Call of Cthulhu has a system I've long considered using for Hero, where half phases take place at half your DEX and are handled separately. You do your first half phase action in order of DEX, then your second half phase action when half your dex comes up. Half move on DEX 24, fire on DEX 12. That seems like a decent system, because it reduces the "teleport around the map" effect and if two people move on the same phase you can react to someone's action before they take another.

  8. Advice: detecting magic from a distance

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Advice: detecting magic from a distance

     

    I just made it a house rule that all magic, unless it is bought with a level of invisible power effects at +1/4, is visible to mages. It is a variant on "Mental Awareness" called "Mystic Awareness" which you get for free by buying a magic skill roll. You can also just buy Mystic Awareness for 3 points if you want.

  10. Transdimensional PREsence

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Transdimensional PREsence

     

    Yeah if it is just a special effect, transdimensional isn't needed. If you are actually a creature in another dimension who wants to presence attack people in this one, you'd need it (and indirect). And I'd probably knock dice off the effect for a disembodied force of will once the characters figured out that's all it was.

  11. Transdimensional PREsence

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Transdimensional PREsence

     

    You'd need indirect on it too but you could use your presence from another dimension if you bought transdimensional on it. I'd guess that it would be a pretty hefty subtraction to the attack though: you're in another dimension, how seriously should I take that?

  12. Any house rules on a different dice system?

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Any house rules on a different dice system?

     

    Steve said in his chat this week he had no compelling reason to change the Roll Low aspect.

     

    Fair enough, I'd have to agree with that statement. Certainly it would make any Hero products put out before 6th edition quaint and less useful to buyers to change the mechanic, which is at least a slightly compelling reason to not change it.

  18. City of Heroes - Online Hero Game

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: City of Heroes - Online Hero Game

     

    COH is a pretty cool game and concept but they really didn't put enough variety into settings. They needed to put more interesting locations into the game; I got sick of the damn office building and warehouse settings by level 10. Lots of opportunity for growth in the game still, tons they could add to it and make it more fun but I guess its probably not worth the money and time now. Last time I logged in it was heartbreaking, so few people around.

  20. Splice

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: Splice

     

    Actually the low end DR sucks a lot of END, but he can't use his special attack. And I try not to completely min/max characters, 17 gives the combat value but is slightly slower than other characters, just a way to give him some distinction.

     

    The only build point I'm not real sure about is the perk. I wanted him to be shifted out of dimension at least somewhat at all times, so he'd leave no trace but it's probably worth more than 3 points to leave no trace evidence: no fingerprints, no DNA, no hair, etc. I could have bought him invisibility to tracking but that's pretty expensive for what amounts to a meaningless power.

  21. Splice

    in Champions

    Posted

    I started to build a character in my head one night when I ought to have been going to sleep and the idea kept building until I had to take notes and build him the next day. He looks like a GM nightmare at first blush: he has about every stop sign power in the book from transdimensional and indirect to desolidification usable by others and an AVLD attack, even damage reduction at the 75% level. Yet the way he's built the concepts all are solid and he's heavily limited and he's got an odd sliding scale of abilities that change how and what he can do. I thought I'd share him on here and see what people thought.

    SPLICE

    Orrin Wainwright

    Player: CT

     

    Val Char Cost

    13 STR 3

    17 DEX 21

    18 CON 16

    14 BODY 8

    14 INT 4

    11 EGO 2

    17 PRE 7

    10 COM 0

     

    10 PD 7

    11 ED 7

    5 SPD 23

    7 REC 0

    36 END 0

    30 STUN 0

     

    6" RUN 0

    2" SWIM 0

    2 1/2" LEAP 0

    Characteristics Cost: 98

     

    Cost Power

    26 Intangibility: Elemental Control, 52-point Powers

    17 1) Damage Reduction Construct: Custom Power (Defense Power) (60 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Costs END Every Phase; -1/2), Visible (-1/4), Limited Power (Not Persistent; -1/4) [Notes: 3 levels of DR, each costing more END:

    25% rPD and rED, costing 5 END per phase

    50% rPD and rED, costing 4 END per phase

    75% rPD and rED, costing 3 END per phase

     

    48 Intangibility: Multipower, 60-point reserve, all slots: (60 Active Points); Limited Power (Items on body and held do not stay desolid without concentration (not persistent); -1/4)

    5u 1) Intangible: Desolidification , Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points)

    5u 2) Walk With Me: Desolidification , Usable Simultaneously (+1/2) (60 Active Points)

     

    Splice Punch

    34 1) Splice Punch: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2), Attack Versus Limited Defense: tough all the way through, not wearing armor (+1 1/2) (60 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Limited Power (Can only use while at 25% DR; -1/4)

    10 2) Splice Punch: Hand-To-Hand Attack +3d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2) (22 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Linked to ??? (-1/2), Limited Power (Can only use while at 25% DR; -1/4)

     

    Intangibility Defenses

    2 1) +0 PD, Hardened (+1/4) (2 Active Points) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic) (added to Primary Value)

    3 2) +0 ED, Hardened (+1/4) (3 Active Points) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic) (added to Primary Value)

    6 3) Flash Defense (7 points) (Sight Group) (7 Active Points); Limited Power (Reduces 2 points each level of DR (-6 at 25%); -1/4)

    6 4) Flash Defense (7 points) (Hearing Group) (7 Active Points); Limited Power (Reduces 2 points each level of DR (-6 at 25%); -1/4)

    6 5) Power Defense (7 points) (7 Active Points); Limited Power (Reduces 2 points each level of DR (-6 at 25%); -1/4)

    10 6) Mental Defense (15 points total) (13 Active Points); Limited Power (Reduces 4 points each level of DR (-12 at 25%); -1/4)

    6 7) Lack Of Weakness (-7) for Mental Defense (7 Active Points); Limited Power (Reduces 2 points each level of DR (-6 at 25%); -1/4)

     

    10 Dimensional Sight: N-Ray Perception (blocked by high energy and dimensional barriers)

    0 Solid Touch: Strength (Attack Power, Body-Affecting Power), Affects Physical World (+2)

    15 Dimensional Reach: Custom Power (15 Active Points) [Notes: Gives Transdimensional and Indirect (base) to STR to any very close, "adjacent" dimension

    11 Walk on Air: Flight 6" (Position Shift) (17 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2)

     

    -13 END Cost Adjustment: Custom Power (-13 Active Points) [Notes: END Cost for movement and Strength is increased while not desolidified:

    x2 (2 END) when at 75%;

    x3 (3 END) when at 50%;

    x4 (4 END) when at 25%

    -5 Strength limited by solidity (-5 Active Points) [Notes: Loses 5 STR for each level of DR over 25% (desolidification = -15 STR)

    Powers Cost: 202

     

    Cost Skill

    3 Climbing 12-

    5 Stealth 13-

    7 Tracking 14-

    3 Paramedics 12-

    10 Survival (Arctic/Subarctic, Desert, Mountain, Temperate/Subtropical, Tropical) 12-

    10 +2 with HTH Combat

    2 Guide: PS 11-

    2 Fisherman: PS 11-

    2 Hunter: PS 11-

    3 Hiking: PS 12-

    Skills Cost: 47

     

    Cost Perk

    3 No Trace Evidence [Notes: Splice leaves no physical evidence behind: no finger prints, no foot prints, no hair, no epithelials, no DNA

    Perks Cost: 3

     

    Total Character Cost: 350

     

    Pts. Disadvantage

    20 Accidental Change: Becomes Desolidified when unconscious or stunned, (Uncommon), Always

    20 Dependent NPC: Anyone in need, (Normal, 11-, x2)

    5 Distinctive Features: Afterimages and strange perspectives while desolid, (Easily Concealed, Noticed and Recognizable, Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses

    10 Distinctive Features: Freaks animals out, (Concealable, Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction, Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses, Not Distinctive In Some Cultures

    25 Hunted: DEMON, (Mo Pow, 8-, Harshly Punish, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find

    15 Physical Limitation: Silent unless Desolidification turned off, (Frequently, Greatly Impairing [Notes: Becomes louder the lower the Damage Reduction level (normal voice at 25%)

    5 Physical Limitation: Requires concentration to hold solid objects, (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing

    15 Psychological Limitation: Hates his condition, (Common, Strong

    15 Psychological Limitation: Curious, (Common, Strong

    10 Social Limitation: Well known, public powers, (Frequently, Minor

    10 Vulnerability: Spacial distortions, (Uncommon, 1 1/2 x Effect, Vulnerability Multiplier (1 1/2 x STUN)

     

    Disadvantage Points: 150

    Base Points: 200

    Experience Required: 0

    Total Experience Available: 0

    Experience Unspent: 0

     

    Background: Once a guide, hunter, fisherman, and hiker, Orrin found himself exposed to a powerful thunderstorm while hiking in the rocky mountains. Exposed at Medicine Wheel to the elements, Orrin was struck by a powerful strange lightning that first hit the Wheel in the center. He was ripped partly from this dimension and shunted into several at once and has ever since lived a life trying to find a cure for his strange condition.

     

    Personality/Motivation: Orrin loves to explore and see new things, and has often found himself along with others on fact finding and scientific expeditions. His unique abilities make him very useful in a dangerous setting, and Orrin has discovered he likes saving lives and helping people.

     

    Powers/Tactics: Splice is only partly in this dimension. As such he can only interact with the physical world with effort. He reverts to this state when unconscious or stunned, and must force himself to be solid to any degree. He can see through solid objects and in nearly any sort of lighting conditions, and can reach through into other very "close" dimensions (indeed, our dimension is "close" to him). He is also able to, when as solid as he is able to become, strike people through their defenses. The more insubstantial Splice is, the harder he is to harm with nearly any sort of attack. Splice is unable to even make audible noises while totally desolidified, but he is able to pull people into his dimension and carry them with him if they do not struggle much. Splice can walk on the air, moving as if on any ordinary surface.

     

    Splice has a strange nested group of powers based on how solid he becomes. The Damage Reduction structure allows him to become more solid but doing so requires greater effort. At the same time, moving around in the world becomes more difficult as well. However, he cannot hit effectively unless mostly solid, and he is able to interact with the world much more significantly while solid. However, movement becomes more difficult in his slightly solid form, as he must concentrate to interact with the world around him. The more solid he is, the less effort it takes to move.

     

    The Splice Punch does 4D6 AVLD, but all 8D6 of maximum effect is armor piercing (thus, even if you have the defense against the AVLD, it is halved; if you don't the defenses are just halved).

     

    Campaign Use: This character is meant more for an exploratory seekers of the unknown campaign than a sock em up justice superhero game. More old Fantastic Four than Avengers, the kind of characters that travel the world to find out things, explore places and deal with odd problems than sitting in a city and waiting for trouble to deal with. However, he can fit into a more standard campaign, he'll just be less effective and less happy unless he can get out of the city once in a while.

    As characters go he's not terribly powerful, but he'd be very effective in some ways. His N-Ray plus affects solid and indirect/transdimensional strength lets him do some strange things, like swipe a wallet through someone's body or grab someone and pull them through the wall (they have to be willing, of course - not enough points to buy it as an attack). His most powerful ability, the HTA, combines to about 70 active points although it will be effective against all but the very toughest opponents.

  22. Opinions wanted on a custom limitation

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: Opinions wanted on a custom limitation

     

    If you give any "hero points" or fate points or what have you, this could be a way to compensate characters who deliberately cripple a power: give them one point per adventure arc for each of these powers; but only after people have gotten xps and could have progressed further with the powers they chose not to for rp or character concept reasons.

×
×
  • Create New...