Lucius

I suspect that Hero Designer does not distinguish between STR Min 4 and STR min 8.
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary is also surprised to see "Beam" as a Limitation on a hand to hand power....

Because it never occurred to the game designer that someone would want to build a vehicle or base that can be stunned or rendered unconscious, therefore such things take no STUN by default.
 
The palindromedary thinks that before something is rendered unconscious it has to be conscious....

Before you can model resistance to poison, you have to figure out how to model poison. Do you know yet how poison is going to work in your campaign?
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary says if you roll your Trading Skill and save money on a purchase, that's a saving throw.
 

Must....resist.....have to fight the temptation to make a comment....No one wants to hear my opinion on chain vs rope....keep your mouth shut, Lucius.....
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary says I lost that battle.....

Well let's go back to the source material:
C.S. Lewis' Jabberwocky
 
The word vorpal appears twice:
 
"He took his vorpal sword in hand;
   Long time the manxome foe he sought—"
 
"One, two! One, two! And through and through
   The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
   He went galumphing back."
 
Gygax decided "vorpal" meant "tends to behead easily" but that is not at all obvious to me from the poem; in fact, the meaning of "vorpal" is pretty obscure and before I encountered the word again in D&D I always thought it referenced some imaginary metal like adamantium or mithril. It could also reasonably be a style of blade, like longsword or broadsword.
 
Note that "He left it dead and with its head He went galumphing back" could easily mean he slew the monster, than beheaded it post-mortem; there's no reason I see to conclude that he definitely slew it by cutting off the head.
 
All the poem tells us is that if you go "one two! one two!" with it, it will go "through and through" and go "snicker-snack!"  This does not really distinguish it from any other sword in the hands of a capable warrior courageous enough to brave "the jaws that bite" and nimble enough to evade "the claws that catch." At most, it suggests that the sword easily cuts through the hide, flesh, and bone of a jabberwock. Or of "The Jabberwock" as it seems possible the monster was singular and unique.
 
So perhaps I'd give a "vorpal" weapon a combination of Armor Piercing, Penetrating, Reduced Negation, and some extra damage. Or maybe just make it a Sword of Jabberwock Slaying
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary is experiencing deja vu
 
 

This is addictive.
 
InspiroBot.
I am an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence.
 
https://inspirobot.me/
 

Before you can model resistance to poison, you have to figure out how to model poison. Do you know yet how poison is going to work in your campaign?
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary says if you roll your Trading Skill and save money on a purchase, that's a saving throw.
 

Re-arming Roll:  (Total: 5 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Fast Draw DEX +1  (5 Active Points); Conditional Power Only to pick up weapon from ground or floor (-1/2), Requires A Roll (Skill roll; Can choose which of two rolls to make from use to use; Breakfall or Acrobatics; -1/4) (Real Cost: 3)
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary has a dinner roll

Shape it up:  (Total: 52 Active Cost, 21 Real Cost) Major Transform 2d6-1, Partial Transform (+1/2), Does BODY (+1), Improved Results Group (Any shape; +1) (52 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (-1/4), Reduced Penetration (-1/4) (Real Cost: 21)
Victim is beaten into shape - any given shape desired.
 
Get Straight:  (Total: 12 Active Cost, 4 Real Cost) +5 EGO Roll, Usable By Other (+1/4), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Recipient must be within Limited Range of the Grantor for power to be granted, Recipient must remain close to Grantor (12 Active Points); Conditional Power Only to keep a straight face (-1), OAF (-1), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) (Real Cost: 4)
"Keep a poker face, no matter how ridiculous it gets!"
 
Go Forward:  (Total: 10 Active Cost, 5 Real Cost) Running 6m, Usable As Attack (+3/4), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Grantor can only grant the power to others, Recipient must remain close to Grantor (10 Active Points); OAF (-1) (Real Cost: 5)
"I crack the whip and they move!"
 
Move a Head:  (Total: 7 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Stretching 3m, Does Not Cross Intervening Space (+1/4), Usable As Attack (+1), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Grantor can only grant the power to others (7 Active Points); Cannot Do Damage (-1/2), Limited Body Parts (Head; -1/4), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3)
"I can take your head off with this whip! And put it across the room from you! And make you like it! Or at least, you won't be hurt."
 
Try to Detect it:  (Total: 30 Active Cost, 13 Real Cost) Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to [two Sense Groups]; +1/2) for up to 60 Active Points of Whip Powers (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), Extra Time (Extra Segment, Only to Activate, -1/4) (Real Cost: 13)
"Didn't see that did you?"
 
It's Not Too Late:  (Total: 37 Active Cost, 12 Real Cost) Naked Advantage: Transdimensional (Single Dimension; +1/2) for up to 60 Active Points, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; +1/4) (37 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Power Through time, back to character's DEX on their last phase (-1) (Real Cost: 12)
"I'll hit you with a whip haymaker. No, not in one segment, RIGHT NOW!"
 
 
Lucius Alexander
 
And a well exercised palindromedary
 
 

Shape it up:  (Total: 52 Active Cost, 21 Real Cost) Major Transform 2d6-1, Partial Transform (+1/2), Does BODY (+1), Improved Results Group (Any shape; +1) (52 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (-1/4), Reduced Penetration (-1/4) (Real Cost: 21)
Victim is beaten into shape - any given shape desired.
 
Get Straight:  (Total: 12 Active Cost, 4 Real Cost) +5 EGO Roll, Usable By Other (+1/4), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Recipient must be within Limited Range of the Grantor for power to be granted, Recipient must remain close to Grantor (12 Active Points); Conditional Power Only to keep a straight face (-1), OAF (-1), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) (Real Cost: 4)
"Keep a poker face, no matter how ridiculous it gets!"
 
Go Forward:  (Total: 10 Active Cost, 5 Real Cost) Running 6m, Usable As Attack (+3/4), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Grantor can only grant the power to others, Recipient must remain close to Grantor (10 Active Points); OAF (-1) (Real Cost: 5)
"I crack the whip and they move!"
 
Move a Head:  (Total: 7 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Stretching 3m, Does Not Cross Intervening Space (+1/4), Usable As Attack (+1), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Grantor can only grant the power to others (7 Active Points); Cannot Do Damage (-1/2), Limited Body Parts (Head; -1/4), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3)
"I can take your head off with this whip! And put it across the room from you! And make you like it! Or at least, you won't be hurt."
 
Try to Detect it:  (Total: 30 Active Cost, 13 Real Cost) Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to [two Sense Groups]; +1/2) for up to 60 Active Points of Whip Powers (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), Extra Time (Extra Segment, Only to Activate, -1/4) (Real Cost: 13)
"Didn't see that did you?"
 
It's Not Too Late:  (Total: 37 Active Cost, 12 Real Cost) Naked Advantage: Transdimensional (Single Dimension; +1/2) for up to 60 Active Points, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; +1/4) (37 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Power Through time, back to character's DEX on their last phase (-1) (Real Cost: 12)
"I'll hit you with a whip haymaker. No, not in one segment, RIGHT NOW!"
 
 
Lucius Alexander
 
And a well exercised palindromedary
 
 

I knew there was a reason I liked you.....
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary thinks there's plenty of reasons

Aka: The Goldilocks Zone

I wish to ask for a bit of tolerance up front:  While I generally try to put in as little set-up as possible (believing that if it was really noteworthy, it shouldn't need much help), but this time there will be some set-up.  Forgive me, please.
 
I had my youth group game today, though it didn't look like I would be doing much of anything ever again.  I spent the bulk of Friday in the ER and was eventually stabilized and admitted for observation.  Enough on that.
 
I have a ceremony for calling the game to order.  It started as a joke way back in the 70s, back when Bullwinkle would still pop-up in re-runs.  It also started as a joke: the group (game was D&D) had been left in an intentional cliff-hanger as the majority of us were looking at finals, cram sessions, etc, and we figured at least four weeks before we got back to the game.  Not only was it a cliffhanger, but the PCs were in far worse shape than I had anticipated them to be, in spite of copious fudging to keep them from being slaughtered.  
 
The day came that we re-convened.  Before I developed my genuine old man voice, I was a fair mimic-- not great, but fair.  However, I could _nail_ the narrator from Bullwinkle (and a few others).  The chit-chat and catching up was slowing down, and I decided to call the game to order with a bit of humor, considering as how we were all in great spirits and about to dive into a dire situation.  I broke out the Narrator voice and launched into a quote I remember from _childhood_, and don't know why:
 
"When we left our story last time, things were in _terrible_ shape!  Some of the nation's smartest geniuses were being turned into _complete_ idiots!  It was all the result of a mean little man from a _mean_ little country--"
 
[Boris voice]: Go on, say de name!"
 
[Narrator]: Boris  Badenuf.  In desperation the government sent for Bullwinkle J. Moose
 
I went on a bit further, while they were taking their seats, and trailed off while the came to order.
 
Eventually, this went on to become a recurring gag, particularly when they were taking too long to settle themselves or if, when we left our story last time, things really _were_ in terrible shape.  Over the next decade, it became first a tradition, then an inescapable ceremony.
Adults appreciate ceremony and group culture, no matter how odd it is:  "Hey, that's our thing!  It's what we do!"
 
Kids....   well, you know how those pre- and early teen years were: everything was awful; everything is uncool and corny (or whatever they call it now.  Is "corny" still a thing?)  About the third time I did it with the youth group, they began to groan and complain, and every week there's one or two "not this again!"  and "why do you have to do this?!"  nothing really malicious; they're just intent on letting their peers now that they are too cool to accept this crackpot ceremony. (and it doesn't matter that I can't do the voices anymore; they've never even heard of the characters. )
 
 
Flash forward forty years.  I am in a hospital bed, awaiting transfer to an observation room, with a doctor telling me "Well, Mr. Oliver, you're not dead, but we have no idea why not.  You've been stable for the last two hours, but we'd like to keep you under observation for the next 24 hours."
Well, Doc; that won't work.  My spine is busted up bad, and I have had about all of this bed it can handle.
"Can you give us twelve hours?"
[wife]: He will give you twelve hours.
[me]: Apparently I'm going to, either way.
 
skip ahead a few more hours.  My wife has called my bi-weekly group to tell them there will be no Friday night game; she has called the Youth Ministries director to let the kids know there will be no Youth Game Sunday.  (though we did have one, thanks to the miracle that left me alive).  Some hours later, I am wheeled into an observation room.  In the observation room are four of my youth group players, with a card.  I'm awake enough to appreciate this by now, and I grin and make happy noises and tell them Mr. Duke is going to be fine in a few days.
 
Well, _good_, says Colleen (Kinetica's player).
Yeah, says Everette (Magnus's player)
Yeah, Mr. Duke, I'm glad!  says Eric (Red Cloak's player).  Because when we left our story last time, things were in _terrible_ shape!
Yeah, says Everette.  Some of the nation's smartest geniuses ---
 
then all four, like they were reciting a poem-- were being turned into _complete_ idiots!  It was all the result of a mean little man---
 
 
and so on.
 
 
I'm fifty nine years old, and despite what I've thought for several decades now, I'm not done crying.
 
 
That's my quote of the week from my gaming group, and quite possibly the best one I've ever had, posted or otherwise.  I apologize for the lengthy set-up.
 
 
 
Duke
 

Now enter I, Gilgamesh the king
Of mighty Uruk, high gated city.
Two thirds a God am I, let poets sing
Of how I know of neither fear nor pity.
 
 
 
Hi, I'm Enkidu.
Shamat taught me to haiku.
She taught me a lot.
 
Gilgamesh the king
Thinks he's so hot; my fate's to
Teach him pity, fear.
 
 
 
Pythia am I, oracle and seer.
I draw aside the very veil of time.
Apollo holds my sanctuary now
His priestess there dispenses idle rhyme.
I am Delphi's oracle, original and true
Take heed if i prophesy to you.
 

Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary thinks we've seen this team before....somewhere....
 
 
 
 
 

Now enter I, Gilgamesh the king
Of mighty Uruk, high gated city.
Two thirds a God am I, let poets sing
Of how I know of neither fear nor pity.
 
 
 
Hi, I'm Enkidu.
Shamat taught me to haiku.
She taught me a lot.
 
Gilgamesh the king
Thinks he's so hot; my fate's to
Teach him pity, fear.
 
 
 
Pythia am I, oracle and seer.
I draw aside the very veil of time.
Apollo holds my sanctuary now
His priestess there dispenses idle rhyme.
I am Delphi's oracle, original and true
Take heed if i prophesy to you.
 

Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary thinks we've seen this team before....somewhere....
 
 
 
 
 

Now enter I, Gilgamesh the king
Of mighty Uruk, high gated city.
Two thirds a God am I, let poets sing
Of how I know of neither fear nor pity.
 
 
 
Hi, I'm Enkidu.
Shamat taught me to haiku.
She taught me a lot.
 
Gilgamesh the king
Thinks he's so hot; my fate's to
Teach him pity, fear.
 
 
 
Pythia am I, oracle and seer.
I draw aside the very veil of time.
Apollo holds my sanctuary now
His priestess there dispenses idle rhyme.
I am Delphi's oracle, original and true
Take heed if i prophesy to you.
 

Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary thinks we've seen this team before....somewhere....
 
 
 
 
 

There was an age of wonders fair to see
After the thawing of millenia winter's chills
Before the peoples round the inland sea
Fled their great cities for the woods and hills.
After the thawing of millenia winter's chills
Before the folk who built with bronze and stone
Fled their great cities for the woods and hills
With Legends in their very blood and bone.
Before the folk who built with bronze and stone
Came those who forged strong myth from dreams and words
With Legends in their very blood and bone
Their Gods and Heroes were both seen and heard.
Came those who forged strong myth from dreams and words
Before the peoples round the inland sea.
Their Gods and Heroes were both seen and heard.
There was an Age of Wonders fair to see.
 
My setting is the lands around the eastern Mediterranean in the time between the end of the last great Ice Age and the period of disruption called the "Greek Dark Ages" or the "Bronze Age Collapse" - where the flickering light of History gives out and the shadowy images of Legend loom. 
 
Lucius Alexander
 
There's no way I'm fitting a palindromedary into a set of linked quatrains like that.
 
 

There was an age of wonders fair to see
After the thawing of millenia winter's chills
Before the peoples round the inland sea
Fled their great cities for the woods and hills.
After the thawing of millenia winter's chills
Before the folk who built with bronze and stone
Fled their great cities for the woods and hills
With Legends in their very blood and bone.
Before the folk who built with bronze and stone
Came those who forged strong myth from dreams and words
With Legends in their very blood and bone
Their Gods and Heroes were both seen and heard.
Came those who forged strong myth from dreams and words
Before the peoples round the inland sea.
Their Gods and Heroes were both seen and heard.
There was an Age of Wonders fair to see.
 
My setting is the lands around the eastern Mediterranean in the time between the end of the last great Ice Age and the period of disruption called the "Greek Dark Ages" or the "Bronze Age Collapse" - where the flickering light of History gives out and the shadowy images of Legend loom. 
 
Lucius Alexander
 
There's no way I'm fitting a palindromedary into a set of linked quatrains like that.
 
 

Is this a serious restriction?
Or are we permitted rhyming fiction?
 
I hope that this was said in jest
But if it's real I'll make the best
Of writing only rhymeless prose
and fight the urge to verse compose.
 
 
Lucius Alexander
 
The palindromedary says: Stop Lucius before he does something verse!
 

We all know that Anime/Manga/Video weaponry can be wierd. Stuff like a hammer that has rocket jets. Or a blade that is also a key. Or a blade that is also a gun.
But as I just learned, they are totally behind the curve in that regard. History one ups them every step of the way:
 
The problamy most bizare shield in history:
https://youtu.be/0AIUF6iCPj0
This explanation was given below in the comments and it makes a lot of sense:
"I remember this shield. It was specifically designed by "Broma Venschwitz" in the early 1600s. The entire point of the lantern shield was to see the shinny reflection of the deadly pommel throw at night. Once you caught the glinting pommel speeding towards you it was simply up to the master forged shield to stop such an executing blow. "
 
The oldest "tactical flashlight" or just a new way of saying "no evil shall escape my sight"?
https://youtu.be/6ikqHAN2ySc
As for the reason, my best guess is that guy had lost one hand. It tended to happen in those times.
 
Next up, "Keyblades are so pre-gunpowder":
https://youtu.be/a5TlMsLT6-8
 
And finally a longer list of even more weapons. If you thought the Swiss Army Knive was versatile, you will have at least one suprise:
https://youtu.be/WMG9_VS2hNw
And yes, most of these weapons do come from Germany and India.
 
The part where none of those are widely known speaks to volumes to their useabiltiy in combat, particular large scale battles. But I guess not every combination can be a "Bec de corbin":

How about:
 
Extraordinary Success:  Multipower, 140-point reserve,  (140 Active Points); 1 Charge which Recovers every 6 months (-4), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Perceivable (-1/4), Requires A Roll (Power Tricks Skill roll, -1 per 20 Active Points modifier; -1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4); all slots Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2)
   3f Extra-Dimensional Movement (Any Dimension, Any Location corresponding to current physical location) (42 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2)
   4f Extra-Dimensional Movement (Any Point in Time, Physical Location Same As Starting Location) (67 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2)
   9f Tunneling 10m through 21 PD material, Fill In, MegaScale (1m = 10 km; +1 1/4) (139 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2)
   8f Luck 28d6 (140 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4)
 
Real Cost: 44pts. 
 
Add abilities/powers to suit. It only recovers every 6 months, so they can't use it all the time. Maybe once every few adventures, etc... If they want to waste it taking out a Goon then they can, but they can save for when they really need a cinematic amazing success use of power, etc... 

It shouldn't cost more for the XDM. XDM is just a movement power in this case(the best and truest use of it). Think of it this way, would you charge more for teleport if you moved one person on phase 12 and then another on your next phase?
 
If any extra points are needed, it should be to define " the healing halls". This sounds like a base  or at least a friendly contact.

Lucius Alexander
 
This sounds like a palindromedary tagline