lou_tennant

Thanks for these quick response guys. A few things to think on.

I was just wondering how others deal with the spell components for the spells in the Grimoire. Do you just take the 'Free' spell option? I can see that this would be a simple option, but kind of removes the point of the components, which do add something to the spells and the spells. Especially when used in the TA setting as I am doing. Do you remove the 'Expendable' from the focus? I had toyed with this idea, even the idea of trying to give the focus/components a number of 'charges'. One reason is a wandering Arcanist is going to need a porter just to carry multiples of each component - not much good if you need to cast a spell twice but only have one 'crystal eye' (or whatever). Do you leave it in place and make the Caster find the components? This option then means that 'very difficult' to replace foci will cost an absolute fortune - so Arcanists better be the richest people on the planet. If using this option does anyone have a 'price list' of the components at a 'typical' market value? Given the (long-standing) problem with the HERO system and money; how much does 1 character point get you in money, if an item costs 50 Gold, how many character points (if any) do I need to spend as well. I have a general way that I am currently handling this, it is working so far. How can a balance be struck; should characters be required to spend points on a Perk saying they have X number of components? If the OAF: Component (difficult to replace, expendable) is to be a limitation, how do you stop it from being prohibitive in play? I like the 'essence' of the spell components, it has also sorts of side-stories attached, adventurers go to places to collect a particular 'moss' for an alchemist because it is 'difficult' for him to obtain, and he pays them - but how much? How much is that moss worth? How many 'charges' of the moss can they collect? It could prove a nice little earner for characters to help repair their kit, pay for lodgings, etc. if they collected various 'bits & bobs' on their travels that they know are in demand.

I am currently (actively) working on a conversion of ICE's Cyberspace. I have a campaign that I want to run again, but the system is hard work. I am building a part-generate, part-build character creation process, to very closely mimic Cyberspace - I want new characters to closely emulate originals (in their converted form). I have also done work on the conversion of existing characters.

I know, but I feel that TA has more to it and feels better than VA - but it is a preference thing.

Gamma World - like that one. Conan would be good, but you can do a very-close impersonation of a Conan style campaign using the Turakian Age / Ambrethel setting - plenty of appropriate locations, and big sweeping tundra vistas.

Indeed he is, I have had dealings with him - I own a lot of the Rfits and Palladium stuff and did a lot of mega-verse stuff with it back in the 80's & 90's. Brought all sorts together, TMNT, Unltd, Mechanoids, N&S, BtS & Rifts. My gaming group at the time loved various material, the game sessions I ran... then there was the system - oh dear! I did a lot of work to bring it together and work with better conversions between books, things like SDC & MDC, and all sorts of other stuff. Got in touch and even suggested possible ways to convert to and from Palladium. I could say a lot more, but it isn't required as Tasha's statement covers it. I have recently been looking at a way to do TMNT under HERO, using package deals and the like to tailor things for the use of BIO-e etc. Still in my mind and on the back-burner.

I agree Spence, I haven't yet found using PDFs during a game to be quick. I agree they are handy and you can carry all your books with you for very little weight. The other thing I find is that I want to be referencing one book, whilst my players would like to look up the spells in the Grimoire, or the Equipment in Gadgets & Gear - or whatever. We don't all have readers either, but we can all pass books to one another. I quite often use PDFs when prep'ing or character creation on my laptop (with a second screen attached), but whilst GM-ing or playing you can't beat a book - at least not that I am aware off. Perhaps if everyone had a tablet and you had a local wireless network set-up you could share the PDFs whilst playing - but generally only a couple of us have laptops, let alone tablets, and laptops take up a lot of real estate on a dining table.

not to mention the extra half dice of damage.

@NuSoardGraphite, this is generally how I have been working with regards to cyber/bio-ware. From memory it is close to the suggestions in CyberHERO (4th Ed).

The Irish (in general) faced a lot less racial aggression/prejudice in America in 1920's than they did in London for instance. The Irish had been migrating to America since the early opportunities of the 'Land Rush' that took place in ~1888-1895 - especially in Oklahoma, and almost all of them came through New York. So the Irish were very much part of New York by the 1920's. Most of the Social 'restrictions' related to the type of positions and reputations that they had earn during that those ~30 years. Plenty of Irish-Americans when growing up and starting the 2nd generation of I-A. I generally work on a Social Limitation : Irish for 5pts - whereas in London around the same era I would normally suggest 10pts.

I am glad you like the Brick idea. I am a BIG fan of Lego, and I have a 4-and-a-half year old boy who is also loving it, not massively surprising really.

Does he also like to get up to mischief? Perhaps, given the Scandinavian (Denmark) roots to Lego, you could combine Lego and a certain god of mischief... Legoki Billundson could be a secret identity. Then something like Blocker or Constructor. Presumably he would have a set of support agents; [Lego] constructs? I am assuming that not only is he a gadgeteer, he would logically be a [Lego] Brick - would he not?

Could you upload the HD files for these - I would be interested in having a look.

Answered my own question by looking a little closer at reply options...

Here are the packages I have used. Also Raegan 1st draft in HD, and pdf (for those that don't have HD). Raegan the Bastard.hdc Raegan.pdf

Thanks, I thought it felt pretty good, but always nice to hear it from someone else. The GM likes it. Where/How is the best way to post the build? Lowering Characteristics is a possibility, but they are only 73 points, and trimming them much more than 10% will hamstring him alongside a general fighter, yes he has moves, but if he can't deliver them quick enough... Once the build is up you can see what you reckon. I don't have Danger Sense - just Combat Sense - he is very focussed in combat and has a sense of his surroundings enough to fight blind or visually hampered, but outside of combat - whilst perceptive - he does not sense danger any more than other experienced fighters might. The Gladiator package uses the Weapons Combat MA from Ultimate MA - I can post if necessary (in fact I have both packages as images but can't quite work out how to post content into 'my media'). He doesn't have a signature weapon as the weapons used would vary to provide added entertainment, perhaps one of different weapons around an arena for the Gladiators to select. To represent this weapons mastery I have bought various weapon elements with the MA package. A Gladiator at the top of his game _should_ have all the moves, it is what helps to separate him from those with a couple and just starting out. Thanks, I would like to see how he could be built by others. I am using talents alongside his very reduced skill set, MA & characteristics. I have him with 10-12 points of skill levels (some for using armour, some for hit location & a couple of general ones - the MA moves have enough variation to give him an extra edge. Warrior culture - I agree. Sought of a 'Spartan' lifestyle. I went for Follow Through Attack, rather than Def Man or Rap Att. Yep very few skills which will make him like a fish out of water for most things than combat, how does one bargain, society, manners - he knows little of these things - not a 'thug' but very little understanding. Not sure abiout streetwise - he hasn't spent any time 'on the street' - perhaps FAM only. Not literate - I agree, it is a waste of resources to teach gladiators to read. Yep, function over fancy - again I have Combat Luck and Fearless, I opted not to have Deadly blow due to "rather than just killing his opponents - he respected them, giving them a chance to stay down once he was in a position to do so." Do unto others... philosophy, he felt (a little unusually) that all gladiators are brothers-in-arms not enemies. Cheers for all this so far.

I shall check out the PDF.

I think you build the cybernetics with the appropriate limitations, like magnetic fields. I would also suggest that you need to consider what happens when the metal bits take damage, if both arms are fully cybernetic then any damage (through defenses) to locations 7 & 8 will not be healed with normal REC or even a magical 'Heal'. They have to be repaired - how easy is it to get the materials, how long does it take. You might need to assign a BODY stat to each arm and if half is taken then perhaps the arm only partially functions, once it is one then the arm is broken - perhaps beyond repair. If there are other elements built into the arms - like scanners, or energy projectors - then these systems would also suffer if the arm is badly damaged. If the arms do not feedback to the central biological nerve system then 'in theory' the STUN damage is not relevant - hence the automaton suggestion, one could argue that the arms at least are effectively automaton. I realise in a Superheroic game that you don't (generally) use hit locations, but in this instance you might need to. I am actually working on converting ICE's Cyberspace to work under HERO5e. I have a copy of CyberHERO, which is 4e and I think has quite a few issues - hence not using it straight (ignoring the version). This includes re working the character generation to keep some of the feeling of the 'random' element, but with a lot more control for the player. As part of this I have got to rework the cybernetics - so of which I have done in part at least - so I have been trying to think how it would work.. I have also reworked the suggested conversion (at back of CyberHERO) from Cyberspace to HERO. Whilst this won't be running alongside the likes of a 'Superman' or 'Spiderman' type of Superhero - it is more gritty and I will be making use of some Dark Champions and Star HERO bits to get the feel I am after.

Well, in response to the above 'posts' I have started a new thread to fit a concept to the points, have a look; http://www.herogames.com/forums/topic/88297-go-on-make-my-gladiator/.