Cantriped

Re: Magic System Question #1 By the RAW I'mk pretty sure that such a construct would give you a "new spell" but only for one phase, then the Charge runs out and the power ends. for what I think you were going for, change to 0 END (if it doesn't already can't remember), Persistant, and Always on. Technially you still have the old form with the Multipower, but because the old forms power can never be turned off it's effectivly non-existant. Though perhaps Independent is in order as well, FH indicates that would make the spell a one-shot (they use it for Wish effects...) However, it seems are very overcomplicated way to learning new spells

Re: Divide by 3? Aah, yes I see your point... I usually don't need to though, at least for the MP's I've used in the past.

Re: Divide by 3?

Re: Bizarre Spell Ideas tanky tanky (Idiotess for Thank you, Thank you, I really apperciate it)

Re: Bizarre Spell Ideas Scissors beats paper AND rock: No Normal Defense (Defense is Being made primarially of Living Tissue; +1/2), Does BODY (+1) for up to 60 Active Points of Bladed Weapons, Variable Effect (any Bladed Weapon power one at a time; +1/4), Usable By Other (+1/4), Lingering up to 1 Minute (+3/4) (202 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), OAF (Weapon This Spell Effects; -1), Gestures, Requires Gestures throughout (Requires both hands; Broad, sweeping, scissoring motions with the blade and your other hand; -1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; Must Concentrate on the phrase "One Musn't Run With Scissors"; -1), Incantations (Requires Incantations throughout; I call to thee oh Elemental Plane of Sharpness to endow my blade with the virtue of the most holy of Scissors!; -1/2)

Re: The cost of bases... Yes but it is somewhat difficult to justify fitting supercomputers, "guard dragons" (gods think of the upkeep...) or moat in a house-space the size of a gnats naval. So paying for space is sort of like having a Reserve in a Multipower. I wouldn't call it an argument, I like discussing game mechanics most of the time, even if the person I'm discussing them with has a different perspective then my own. In any case as I said, I plan on using Resource pools so the point cost is only marginally important for determining relative value on what are essentially temporary holdings.

Re: The cost of bases... Well, Coming from DnD perhaps my perceptions are somewhat off base. but if I remember correctly the Variable Special Effects advantage is paying for special effect; so there is precedent, but I digress. I think part of the decision was that there had to be some classification in regards to area size to account for the fact that having a larger base is more advantageous then having a smaller base. Like any potential advantage, there has to be a corresponding cost or there is no incentive to be frugal. Now as to your earlier question PhilFleischmann, I might require the character purchase a house as a base, depending upon the circumstances and the setting. But in most cases I would consider a Home appropriate to ones wealth level to be an Everyman. However, just because one doesn’t have to pay CP for it, doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be represented in HERO Mechanics. FH Equipment is a prime example, in most games (certainly most I’ve played in anyway) Equipment doesn’t Cost Points, but is still represented as a power or other construct unless it’s potential benefits are utterly out of scale with the system rules. Boots for example generally don’t have a “power-construct†unless they have some kind of Anti-Gravity-O-Mat built in or an enchantment to make you fleet of foot if you wear them. Now in my games I plan on using the Dark Champions Resource Pool optional rules, thus that Castle would be considered a much more temporary purchase point wise, and should the party lose it to the afore mentioned Lord BBEG from the Tower of the Necro-Deatho Bookie-con then maybe the party can reinvest in a smaller more secure dungeon that they just “cleared-out†while they plot their revenge on Lord BBEG.

Re: Magic Question #2 or perhaps he intended the following A Gate who's teleportive effect is invisible, you can see around it and through it normally, but any objects passing through would be teleported to the terminus point of the Gate and vise versa. (which is what I meant earlier but explained very poorly) Of course I could be incorrect.

Re: Magic Question #2 I'd say IPE is better in this case. since Opaque indicates that you can't see anything on the other side of the Gate physically, such as if you set up a vase on a pillar the opened that gate in front of it, the vase would be hidden. IPE on the other hand indicates by it's very name that you don't "see" the effects of the power in question, which is to "open a Gate"

Re: The cost of bases...

Re: Master List of Procedural Limitations Updated List, Added several of Curufea's sugestions, as well as a few extra I thought up.

Ok, Herophiles, I need your help. Out of sheer boredom and the fact that I already had some of the work done I've decided to create a Master list of Procedural Spell Limitations. Now as I've gathered there was one for 4th edition, but I haven’t heard anything about a 5th edition version. Now currently the list is nowhere near complete in my mind, but thus far what is there is largely geared towards systems which use Variable Limitations in place of fixed spell procedures. For the sake of definition, when I say Procedural Limitation what I mean is just about any modifier which represents something that must be done in order to utilize the ability. Rather then an Effect modifier, which changes the end result. Examples of Procedural Modifiers: Gestures, Incantations, Concentration, Delayed effect. Examples of Effect Modifiers: Lingering, Gradual Effect, No Range, Armor Piercing. Anyway On to the lists. Anybody interested can post new procedures and I'll try to add em all to the list. The "Procedure" doesn’t have to be just one limitation; it can be a grouping of Lims and maybe even advantages thown in. For ease of reading I've split the List itself, and related Footnotes (indicated by underlined superscript numbers in the Procedures name) [ATTACH]22324[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]22323[/ATTACH]

Re: Magic System Question #1 Well In a system where spells are relativly unhindered Limitation wise, the Point cost of the power is it's own deterent. It may take a long time for a caster to build up the necessary XP to learn a new spell, from there simply define a general guideline for how much training it takes to learn a spell of RP cost "X" In one magic system I have learning the necessary skill roll takes about 2 months per 1- Roll (thus a 8- takes 16 months to learn). if you wanted to adapt this to RP Cost I'd sugest perhaps 1 month/2 RP, that way your average Fireball alone could take over a year of training to master.

Re: Review my Spell ooooh aaah, thats what I call a Beautiful Curse *puns and runs*

Re: Recommend a fantasy world map? The Ebberon Maps are pretty good, I think you can get em off the D20 site.

Re: Magic and Mechanics, to you besides, depending on how "realistily" to paint your structure, your magic system while "limiting" can also provide cohesion to the plot. The magic will also seem a lot more amazing if past experience tells you what the villian is doing seems impossible. For example, in the story I'm writing the primary form of magic is a quasi-vancian prepared system where you have to draw, etch, carve (etc) a "seal" into something in order to perform that kind of magic. Now, one of the characters in the story is well known simply because he doesn't seem to have to draw a seal in order to use magic. while whats really going on is that he has a Seal tattoo'd onto his arms which allow him to "Draw" other seals. Normally said seal is hidden by the cloths he wears, as are the seals he "draws" on his body to cast. thus the impression is given that he he not limited by the system when in fact he's merely found a shortcut.

Re: [Vanor] Artifacts of Power (actually, the origional was LOS and AOE Radius, I put No Range and AoE Cone cuz it seemed to fit the sfx better.)

Re: Adventuring Archetypes Thief who only steals works of art, and leaves a card the night before stating that the object will be stolen, and when.

Re: [Vanor] Artifacts of Power Well, Thematicly they are fine, but the mechanics need work. Personally I'd either rebuild the sword as an Elemental Control, or just not use a Framework at all (you don't have to use a Framework the link powers thematicly, its usually just cheeper that way though) The shield needs a complete revamp. Personally, heres how I would build it Taiyoushi, the Shielding Sun: Multipower, 22-point reserve, (22 Active Points); all slots OAF (-1) [11] 1) +3 with DCV, Required Hands One-Handed (+0) (15 Active Points); Mass (Normal Mass; -1), OAF (-1), STR Minimum (18; -1), Real Armor (-1/4) [1U] 2) Hand-To-Hand Attack +3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (-3 OCV; -1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4) [1U] Plus Taiyoushi, the Shielding Sun's Powers: Elemental Control, 54-point powers, (27 Active Points); all slots OAF (-1) [13] 1) A Shining Shield: Force Field (6 PD/6 ED/6 Flash Defense: Sight Group), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled ([Needs Duration and Conditional clauses]; +1/2), Hardened (x4; +1) (54 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Coverage [61-180] Degrees (Only on the same horizontal Level; -3/4) [10] 2) A Bursting Sun: Sight Group Flash 10d6, Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect (21" Cone; +1) (150 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2) [49] Total Cost: 85 RP

Re: Magic VPP variant I've loved VPP since I started playing hero (not to long ago I might add). My primary issue has always been that a VPP's cost doesn't accurately account for high limitation Pools. Even limitations which apply directly against what powers can be applied to the pool do not effect the actual pool, it kind of like saying that VPP limitations are only worth 1/3rd of what they are actually worth. However, even normal VPPs do have some incentive to limit your powers, as that Powers RP cost is applied against the Pool just like AP is for a Multipower, but even so, I like the idea of being able to adjust the pool to be different from the AP cap. To take it a step further though I would say that any Modifier which directly effects the availability of powers in the pool should be applied against the Pool, while anything that effects the powers themselves or how you change them going into the Control Cost. Thus you could have pool limitations such as “Only Powers which Cost END”, “Only Instant Powers”, or “Only Attack Powers”. Then control Modifiers such as “Increased END Cost”, “Lingering”, and “Armor piercing”.

Re: Destiny as a Disadvantage Hmm, well something like that is partially plot device, but if you wanted to define it points wise then destiny is really a lot of different limitations depending upon what you need it to do. But basicly I'd handle it kinda like a Luck/Unluck in most circumstances, every adventure you roll X, if you make the roll (or fail could work too if its a negative destiny) then at some point in the scenerio something will happen that has some bearing on his destiny. For example the Blast of an enemy sorcerer might miss and accidenly knock a valuable statue right into that PCs lap. Now in most cases the PC should have the option to attempt to fight their destiny, maybe he throws the statue back at the sorcerer before running because its the only thing available to use as a weapon. in this case that part of his destiny is uncompleted and "fate" (the roll) will continue to put him in the appropiate situations until he finally completes his destiny. Whether this counted as Luck or Unluck would be up to the GM. This does create a small problem, a lot of destinies involve the manner of the characters premature death, which if you roll wrong could really ruin your players day, so those kind of Destinies should be kept for NPCs where you won't end up with Butt hurt players. (though the vulnerability idea posted above would work well for most of those if you chose to use them anyway)

Re: Magic and Mechanics, to you Well, that’s all well and good, but its not a very good way to debate the validity of your views. Being comparable to the term "God is all powerful because the bible said so" (well of course it would, god supposedly directly influenced those who wrote it) Now, the crux of Eosin's argument IMHO was not that your particular views on magic are wrong, simply that he did not agree because where yours views on magic are rooted more in Comic conceptions, his are rooted in literature. Both have their pros and cons that are derived from the role they play, after all "Form follows Function". Most literature [that I have read] tends to involve limited magic systems with very specific flavor because that allows the authors to better predict the effects that the ability would realistically have on the ecology and demographics of the populace it is introduced into. One factor also present is that fewer of the characters are inherently magical, though I'm sure there are exceptions, I can only speak from my somewhat limited experience. Where as my limited exposure to Comic/Manga Magic tends to be more open-ended and powerful; usually with less consideration taken in how that kind of power would realistically affect the development of a culture. Also more of the actual characters tend to be magically inclined, even where magic-users are a small demographic. Personally, being vain as I am, I prefer magic systems that have a strong cinematic element, and fall closer to the High/Epic fantasy definition then the Low/Epic Fantasy. I just eat up those Epic magical and pseudo magical battles you sometimes see in Anime and manga.

Re: Adventuring Archetypes Nomad Artificer/Enchanter (crafter of magical items/constructs) Necromancer Sorcerer/illusionist (master of deception and misdirection)

Re: Final Fantasy potions and items and Monsters Hmm, funness, keep up the good work, I always love seeing conversions and other "content" threads. Hell, If I had any experience with FF I'd join in (I've never played a FF game in my life.) Really though what little I've seen of it (counting the movies as thats pretty much all I've got) I'd say its definitly Superheroic, genre usually seems to be High Fantasy with either elements of Modern fantasy or Steam/Cyberpunk. As far as rules go, I would try to emphesise the Cinimatic aspects of the setting rather then the actual mechanics/gameplay (as it's usually pretty standard Consol format) no NMC, in fact I would encourage characters to buy high Stats as well as lots of Combat Luck (and damage resistance for their normal DEF), definitly high points 3-500+, but sevearly limit Mega-Scale Effects of any kind. High End Combat gets to the point where normal Sword Attacks are basicly Naked AoE Lines (nonselective and Beam so that characters can still dodge) Ranged combat is usually downplayed (everybody has Missle deflection). Items seem to follow more heroic rules, so I'd use DC Resource pools for Items and Equipment.

Re: Magic and Mechanics, to you I overcomplicate my magic systems. no seriously. Right now I've got one thats basicly Rune-magic, "Permentant Seals" are built using the Craft power presented in FH, and "quick" ephemeral seals all use a prepared casting system (bout -3 in preperation lims, then Delayed effect). Activating a Seal always costs end (even Delayed effect ones, though I'm hand waving that those don't automaticlly cost end to set), and requires a Skill roll to chanal the energy (failure indicates increased END costs)