Wilfred_Death

Re: Robert E Howard or J.R.R. Tolkien? Howard, Then somewhere down near to beating my head against a brick wall ( Some of my headaches get real bad - and I have tried it ) Tolkien. I mean Tolkien is an excellent writer, fantastic settings well developed and all that. However you have the 10E6 Pt Gandalf type, 'triumphing' over the Hordes........... I Find Howard the other way round. For a critical Review of Tolkien's Middle Earth, read Michael Moorcock's article about Sauron & Co. Representing : Working Class Yobs, attacking the bucolic Middle Class represented by 'The Shire' Most respondents write of Howard's Conan stories, of which there are only a few - ( But I think they are good ) I think you'd have to include: Buckner Jeopardy Grimes, Solomon Kane, Kull Of Valusia, Bran the Pict and others. Yes he does waffle on about Aryan Racial Purity and such and so is probaly "too non PC" to "Allow people to read":) I like the Terror and Spectral dread that Howard creates. Also as far as I know Howard never wrote a "Silmarillion" analogue and therefore is by definition "better":) I find even Howard's poetry gripping, especially "That which will be scarcely understood" And: I Hates Hobbittses!

Re: Stealth Characters - **SMACKS HEAD** Yes it sure can.. be read that way, and that is probably the correct way. The other way just makes more sense to me Yes, your point is logically correct, and then backed up by a ridiculous example......which would seem to refute itself. Which I say is like Detecting Smell, "ooh odourless" is as distinct as "phew", or detecting gravity "ooh we're floating in zero G", "oh no we're turning into Jam" but then again.................. Maybe all powers turn invisible in dark rooms......

Re: Clarke's Third Law as basis for fantasy campaign I got this 'very unfinished' world background, that if I had dedication could make some 'cheap' novel out of. The whole thing started thus: Two Long term 'Traveller' Characters who to cut a long story short, were both going crazy, and had a fair bit of money. The Captain ( of His Ship ) Gilbert Von Maximillion - Mafia Family Throwout ( My Character ) Col. (ret.) Hannibal Masterson - His First Officer - looks like COlonel Sanders, a real carpet-bagger, and now relegated to Full time Flunky. The Captain had ordered a custom built genetic construct "Victor" A Lizard Man type bodyguard, and had been trying to force COl. Masterson to Have Breast Implants to 'feed' Victor as he was growing up. We Had some ideas about opening this tourist planet for 'Historical Re-enactment' type people to enjoy themselves on. It would be 'safe' we would populate it with Androids and genetic constructs. They would pay us and spend their vacations in this : Massive Real Time Adventure Game The Planet would be called 'DANDY' he he The actual game died before the Planet was purchased......... There would be orbiting laser and such equipped satellites. So that when a Tourist / Mage cast a 'FireBall' at some android 'Orks', the Mega Computer running the place would 'Zark them from Space' Tourist Character Development would be handled in various ways by the Mega Computer. All 'beings' on the planet would have an artificial Mind Link with the Mega Computer implanted, or built in at construction. Tourist Swords would have hidden accelerometers that reported to the Mega Computer on how many 'hits' were made. This would also help with 'indicating' how much 'damage' a creature would take if struck, and the Mega Computer, would inform the creature 'that it was dead' or whatever. Computer Centres would be built. The 'Native' Hominids would have to show up there, and be given Instant AI Learning courses that implanted Fighting skills etc as appropriate for their Mega Computer determined Character Class. All native creatures would have a small mark on their forehead, this mark would indicate their class, type, level, and profession. Due to Interference by the Mega Computer this mark would be invisible to those with it. A whole lot of other things would be done to give tourists the ultimate Role Playing Experience! We'd be rich! Any ways I was thinking further along those lines... The Park is built, but after a while fails financially. The operation is not closed down however. Over a period of thousand's of years the inhabitants are left to themselves, playing out their assigned roles in life, but with no Tourists. Due to AI improvements the Mind Link to the Mega Computer becomes a genetic trait rather than an implant. Some Natural Psionic abilities allow for the casting of 'Real Spells'. The Computer still assists with others. The Computer, now more crazy than its' former owners, plays the roles of the various Role Playing Gods. Life becomes like a 'real' fantasy novel. The Inhabitants are unaware of the true nature of the Planet's set-up. Maximillion and Masterson are villified as the two Evil Lords Of Chaos and Usury. Some of the more preposterous parts of Level based Role Playing games are explained away by the original Setup and the actions of The Mega Computer. Ressurection is possible and can be explained thus. The Dead's remains are brought to the Temple. They are taken away - outside of any inhabitants observance - into one of the computer centres. Whilst those cast in the roles of Priests, try to cast their spells. The Mega Computer has its' servitors create a new appropriate clone body of the appropriate genotype and appearance. The Computer then imprints its' latest recording of the deceased's mind into the new clone. The New clone is then brough ton stage to the accompanying 'oohs' and 'aahs'. The New clone is perhaps missing a few weeks memories, but is otherwise none the wiser. Classes: Well they're stamped on your forehead. Levels: After Killing some beasties, there is a record of your activities gathered primarily by the accelerometer inside all weapons, and by the MegaComputers Spy Eyes. An adventurer then goes to one of the Holy Temples. ( tourist education centres) There after the Priests or whatever insert the weapons into the accounting slots, the adventurer recieves an intense instant learning course in appropriate skills. They also might recieve some extra muscle grafts ( STR ) Or have their Nerve Pathways improved ( DEX ), They also may become immune to certain Spells, - the Computer no longer targets them with the orbital satellite.. And So On..................

Re: What Would Your Character's City Be Like? Let's see The Stalker!'s favourite city would have: Less Spandex, Less Hippy Do Gooder Supers. More Nurses ( who dress like beauticians rather than real world nurses ) A Hospital Lab that paid better, had a less @$#%#&^ boss and more Nurses A Bio- Warfare lab with good security, That would let The Stalker! have a proper job doing what he does best. A fully equipped Library with a copy of "Dating For Dummies" With the special added chapter for 'Disreputable NBC Weapons Scientists' especially those now working as low level 'Heros' More of the Magician Chicks who dress like Shania Twain from the 'Feel like a Woman' clip. Less of the Magician Chicks who fraeak out the Stalker with their weird non - scientific magical Powers ( She Threatened to 'take my Word away' ) More Softer Building roofs..... A way of tracking down Cute Supervillainesses, who for no apparrent reason plant one of their stilleto heels in The Stalker!'s chest, and knock him off the roof of high buildings. A computer database that has some information on the weird guys in the techno bubble car who robbed the Hospital that The Stalker works at during the day, and more Nurses. Somewhere The Stalker! can get Dusters that don't rip apart when punks fire a SHotgun at him. Less Chicks who ride their bycycles at night in central Park, and then crash, almost dying after The Stalker! Tells them that Central Park aint safe at night, only to come upon them having crashed into a gutter 10 mins later ( due to avoiding 'that horrible man' ) Some way of pulling out the Magical Arrows that 'hurt' n direct proportion to how much you have made 'women cry' ( hey it hardly hurt a bit, but how embarrassing!) Ambulance Officers who don't panic when The Stalker! calls them to pick up some unfortunate lady bycyclist in Central Park at 2:00 am Police Officers who don't arrest The Stalker! when his 'Pal The Spider tells them "He was the ring leader" grrrrrrrrrr! Wooden doors that don't develop this mystical resistance to damage from time to time ( What? 1,1, 1, 1, 2, ...........) Updated Elevator Muzak Nightclubs that would let The Stalker! in ! After all minor villains and such can get in.... More places to ride The Stalker!'s BMW really really fast. More Places The Stalker! can take a girl with Growth and DI on a date. Some free Stellazine for hardcases like The Spider Shops with more comfortable Hockey Masks for The Stalker! to wear. More Computers to play with. Somewhere where the government didn't black ball him all the time. More Cute Nurses But other than that, the City That Never Sleeps is just fine.

Re: Re-vitalising the speed chart I always though that they way you suggested about 'Clicks' is how 'It' should be done. Only no actual combat rounds, just one continous sequence of actions. AS long as you can work out 'how long' something takes, and make allowances for different speeds. As Hero has no real cap on maximum SPD there seems to be no minimum time that you could set for doing something that would then be the base 'Click'. After working on something like this for a while years ago, I decided I wasn't up to it and players would probably hate it though.......... But I envisioned something like: A combat between One moderate speed player and two slower Orks Phase 1, Player Draws Sword ( 1 Time Unit ) Orks Draw Swords.. Phase 2 Player Starts to Move at SPD 3 run 7 - ( 7" per Time unit ) Orks Start to Move at SPD 2 run 6 - ( 3" ??? per time Unit ) Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 ( Player Reaches First Ork ) ( both parties arrive at same time point ) Player acts first because of higher DEX Player does One Simple attack ( 1 TIme Unit ) Luckily Killing First Ork... Second Ork does Simple Attack ( 1 Time Unit ) Phase 6 Player 'Recovers For Next action' ( ??? Time Units ) Ork 'Recovers For Next Action' ( ??? + Time Units ) Phase 7 3rd Ork Enters Stage Left Phase 8 Player does 'Simple attack' and only wounds Ork 2 Ork2 is still waiting for 'Action Recovery' but loses a Time Unit for getting wounded Phase 11 Player Attacks again, slightly wounding Ork Phase 13 Ork 2 Gets his attack Ork 3 is advancing..... And so on... Phase

Re: Stealth Characters - **SMACKS HEAD** I always rely on using a slightly variant understanding of Visible / Invisible to what most people would assume to be meant by these. I kind of take it to mean 'detectable'..... In the rules it states for Desolidification: "When desolidified a character can not be touched, does not register on sonar or radar, and emits no scent." So If "we" put Mr. Mysto in our laboratory, and say: "Mr Mysto, kindly activate your powers now." The Lab technicians report: "The Carving Knife goes right through him", "Our X Wave Generator thingy can no longer detect him" and "At Last, his awful B.O. is gone" The Lab then puts down 3 Check Marks Power Tests against : Touch, EMag, and Smell Results: Power Usage Is Detectable By 3 Sense Groups. Read as Power Is Visible to 3 Sense Groups. Mr Mysto is not to be fined for violating the "Visible to 3 Senses Rule #45678" This power is not Neccessarily Visible to Sight, so without 'Testing', just looking at Mr Mysto does not 'reveal' his power, unless he walks through a wall ( In which case it is visible to 4 Senses ) If Mr. Mysto had Invisibility to Touch IPE on his Desolidification. When The Technician stabbed him with a knife, it would have to 'feel like' he just stabbed someone, Mr. Mysto would not be harmed however. Then Mr Mysto Demontrates his "Invisibility To Sight" , which due to 'Cosmic Ordering' is always considered to occur after desolidification for purposes of observational effect. Now the Technicians report the same as above but also report that they can no longer 'See' the subject. For most other powers, as to whether Invisibility covers them up 'for free' that depends on a number of things. Mainly How 'Visible' they are by themselves in the first place. Take For Instance Mr. Mysto's Personal Armoured Battle suit ( ie. he paid Character Points for it ) Normally ( although I don't think it's officially required ) That is visible to Sight, Touch, Hearing, Smell & etc.... In Other words when the Technician bops Mr Mysto with his Mace, There is an audible thunk, the mace 'stops' (touch), and some of Mr Mysto's B.O. is blocked by the armour. If he then desolidifies, I allow that his personal Armour goes desolid with him, as it is a personal focus. If he just goes invisible, the armour is invisible as well, but only to the senses that Mr. Mysto's Invisibility specifically works against. If he Desolidifies and goes Invisible. He and his armour can travel through barriers. As For Force Fields. Well that usually depends on how they are bought. Firstly there is usually some 'Reason' why they are different from armour. This is mostly taken to mean that they are more like a 'Shield' around your body, at least a few cm away, rather than next to the skin like armour. Also the senses they are 'Visible' to might be slightly different than those for Armour. In My Fantasy Games, almost all Force Fields have a 'Visible' Limitation - because they are especially visible to sight, and 'The Magic Sense' So Normally if Mr Mysto goes Desolid and Invisible, and then turns on ( his now redundant ) force field, It IS Visible. So in the example laboratory, the technicians can 'see' this glowing human shape of his forcefield. Mr Mysto must buy IPE vs Normal Sight if he does not want this. Perhaps Mysto likes it this way, If his team mates line up exactly behind him they are going to suffer less damage from bullets that strike Mysto's Force Field. The .50Cal AP rounds that penetrate the Force Field can not harm the Desolid Mysto..... So Invisibility would cover Density Increase and such powers, but only make them 'Invisible'. They still show up to the appropriate 3 Senses, unless any of them are masked by the Specific version of invisibilty. For Invisibility & Density Increase and such, The Guy stands on a Technicians foot, he gets : A Bruise ( Sight ), Feels Pain ( Touch ), and hears the crack of his phalanges breaking ( Sound ), but he can't 'see' Mr. Mysto. For Any and all powers, that if used by a Character without Desolidification and Or Invisibilty, that would be 'detectable' or Visible to 3 or more senses, They still remain visible to those 3 or more senses, when the character goes Desolid and or Invisible. If someone wants his powers undetectable then they must pay and pay for the IPE.. This probably don't make sense to you, but we play that way here, and it works O.K.

Re: Sectional Body Armor I found it much easier ( to use Hit - Locations ) and use Sectional Armour Exactly like in Fantasy Hero. 'Build' the Armour with 'Reduced Mass' if you are 'statting' it out. Work out the Mass of 'a full coverage Ninja Magical Kevlar? Nightsuit' Then use the 'Fractional' mass listed in Fantasy Hero to give you the Mass of each piece. You might Decide that a total coverage suit weighs 10 Kg and this easily gives you the weight of 'Shin Pads'. Whether or not you then use 'Hit Locations' it is easy to say : " This Helmet has a 3 DEF FaceGuard ( Locn 3 ) and 5 DEF Head and Neck Cover ( Locn 4 , 5 ) and weighs X" Otherwise I found the vagaries of "where exactly my armour covers" a bit too much to deal with. See Fantasy Hero Pg 192 For the "Hit Location Sectional Armor Weight Table" Multiply those Numbers by your 'mass fraction' ( ie so that a full suit weighs 10 kg or whatever ) Couple this sort of thing with the "Armor Coverage Table" on pg 488 HS5ER And its easy to work out a 'Bullet proof vest' for instance. It makes it much easier to stop PCs from being walking tanks with vaguely defined armour activation, and allows Snipers to shoot Kneecaps out ........

Re: Need help with my PC

Just the last Session the PCs and their 'Troops' ran into an enemy 'Elite Lancer' ( Hussar types ) squad. ( The PCs party had not been seen yet ) The 2 PCs set their men in some undergrowth, and rode forward to 'meet' the Lancers, they then taunted them into charging. The PCs 'rode for their lives' luring the Lancers towards their waiting ambush. Aside: It weren't a good ambush plan, they'd left orders to not fire til 6" and such like. By which spot 2 of the Lancers 'Saw' the ambush and skewered a couple of NPC troopers. Fortunately when the troop did fire they got enough 'kills' that the PCs who were turning their horses after passing the ambush spot did not also get skewered. One saving herself by adroitly falling off her horse The Scene worked well I thought, - I was trying to push the drama by making the PCs make Riding Skill each phase to stay ahead of the Lancers. There was exchange of banter, and one PC got a 'gift' of a new dagger, which he promptly gave back..... Only thing, I hadn't thought that the new Rules say: Non Combat Movement 0 OCV 1/2 DCV So how does this work in your games for cavalry charges ? Do they charge 'Flat out' but are then Incompetent ? In the 4th Edition 'NCV' moves were 1/2 OCV So these 'Lancers' would still have had a reasonable chance to hit, and thus should be 'Feared' At 0 OCV they can be just laughed off. I'm having ( as you can tell ) a little trouble 'grasping' the whole mounted combat thing. If the Villains were in 'cars' going flat out in a straight line, leaning out the window to shoot, I'd think " 'Easy' Full OCV maybe -1 or -2 for any bumping around..................." So If an NPC is Mounted and Charging with a Lance, or even firing off a horse-bow, How do you people rate their OCV, and DCV ? I mean in a Supers Game where Characters might be moving at 100", I can live with the 0 OCV thingy. However in Fantasy Hero it doesn't seem right for these much lower speeds. Also I wasn't sure how to Work out the OCV for a Flat out foot charge made by Spearmen......( Using Spears of course ), 0 OCV seems too low. If Charging Attackers must restrict themselves to 1/2 moves, and or 'Regular' Movement, won't everyone else just go to NCM and back away........... Help ?

Re: Magic... but not Magic Personally I'd first decide Whether: 1. The Shaman / Druids Have any 'real power' at all, no matter how small, that work better ( at all ) vs Tribals ( ie Really Limited Spells ) OR: 2. The Shaman / Druids only have a Belief System going for them Especially with relevance to these quotes ( power descriptions )... I would use all the above suggestions like 'Succeptibility' to Shamanic 'suggestions' in either case. However I'd be more inclined to actually give the Shaman 'Real Magic' with at least a -2 Limitation on everything ( Or More ) so it affects 'Tribals' and is otherwise not noticed. In the examples above: How do the Tribals 'Know there is a fetish buried in the cave, and the second warrior guy, if he gets bitten by a snake how quickly does he die, compared to a non Tribal ? To this end I'd be inclined to actually give Shaman Characters 'Real Magic' And also give every 'Tribal' a 'Takes 2 * Effect From Shamanic Magic Limitation perhaps related to their KS: Tribal Rituals. This could end up allowing the use of 'really powerful' Shaman if neccessary, you know the 'N'Longa' (?) type who can actually 'animate dead' , and the non tribal PCs go 'Oooh aaah, impressive, it must be done with mirrors.....haw, haw', or other such things at the extreme end of Shamanic power level. I'd probably Build most of the 'Spells' into a MultiPower ( allowing things not normally allowed in multipowers ) . Making Sure the 'Power Pool' or whatever you call it is severely 'Limited' Like: Shamanic Magic Pool ( 40 AP ) , RSR Shamanic Magic -1/2, Gestures, Incant, Extra TIme, IIF, Extra Endurance, Blah, Limited Power : Reduced Affect on Non Tribals, Does Not affect Non Tribals unless they are 'Superstitious' -2 (?) And that'll only end up costing a few points ( about 8 ? ) Then any Spell you put in here is usually going to only cost 1 Pt. Then You have to decide 'how you allow Magic Potion / Item creation' - ( I use Transform for this) With Part of the 'Focus' of any Magic Item Creation Spell being represented by " A Certain number of Character Points sufficient to cover the Real Cost of the Item must be provided by 'beast parts' ( at a 20 for 1 ratio ) " (arrgh I'm vaguing out..............) OK then: For the SnakeBite Charm the Shaman actually creates a 'Real Magic Item' Life Support, Immunity to SnakeBite Independent Only works on Tribals or those the Shaman 'Favours' IAF Snakebite Charm If you can understand my ramblings, - How I do it is : The Shaman as One of his 1pt. Tribal Spells has a Power: Major / Minor Transform ( 3D6 ? ), With the above limitations for Shamanic Magic. He Gets a ( For Example ) 20 Character Point Snake. He then takes out the 2 CP Eyeballs, putting them into an amulet which he can build as he has PS Shaman, and maybe other skills. He Then 'Impresses the Tribe' by exaggerating all his preparations ( Gestures Incants etc ) and casts his 'Transform Spell' On the Amulet. This then becomes an independent Magical Item that actually works. This way I allow Spellcasters to make Magical Items, with these restrictions: 1.The Powers in the Item created must be Known to the Shaman ie one of their 1Pt Spells is : Immunity to SnakeBite 2. They must Know enough Transform to 'Match the AP of the Item Created' and I allow Cumulative on the transform for that. 3. The Real Points for the created Item must be provided by using items like Snake Eyeballs, Bear Teeth etc, ie, they are removed from a X Pt Monster and you can use 10% of X to represent the available CP in the eyeballs. This sort of apporach easily allows for the Good Luck Charms mentioned. For the buried Fetish that disturbs Tribals, you build an item with too low an effect fro most normals to notice, but Tribals take Double Effect...... This means that certain PC with the right 'magical backgrounds' may notice and or be affected by the Shamanic Spells...........

In my FH setting, I'm allowing a form of the + to PRE vs Undead talent / spell suggested in 'Fantasy Hero' and the 'Hero System Bestiary' The way I read it: Only those with, 'the power' can 'turn undead'. So That the 'Priest character' with say 12 PRE and 'Divine Wrath Spell' - +40 PRE only vs Undead, blah, Spell Limitations, can 'PRE Attack' undead with 52PRE and so on. Whereas, "Breaks Campaign Setting guy" with 60 PRE, ( Not that I'd ever allow that ), Just can't affect undead at all. Is that how every one else does it? I mean to say that so far in the campaign, only one undead has shown up. The PCs are NCOs in a 'Fantasy Army', one of their NPC minions got wounded and died without them noticing, and, for setting reasons, converted over to a zombie. One of the PC NCOs was trying to 'PRE attack' - 'give orders' to what was to him just an unruly underling, not knowing it was a Zombie, and of course his 'orders' were having no affect. Eventually they cotton on to it being an undead, (which was fairly easy to kill), and while they were at it they called up the Company Mage, who had his mighty 'Turn Undead' Spell. Of course I as GM managed to roll ( 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,.......Low numbers ) and nothing happened... What If a PC did say "I Presence Attack" the zombies ? - Say they claimed " I could get a lucky roll" Do you just say "No you can't you don't have that power". With Characters that do have the Turn Undead Power, Do they get bonuses for 'Extremely violent Action", "Good Soliloquy" and such like? Or do you say "The Undead do not care...." and just gve them the base roll ?

Re: Heroic Limits On Entangles? Thanks: this is good advice Yes I hadn't thought that through properly, 'whoever' is the victim, they might not have their 'sword' / dagger already drawn, so that cuts way down on the Attack AP

Re: Heroic Limits On Entangles? I thought through most things but didn't catch this one... Yeh, that's sorta the way I made up the NPC Entangle spells, but I glitched and didn't think through properly how advantageous a non limited Entangle can be. Yes, I figured about the DEF, but you can then gang up on the entangled foes one at a time. And The Players expect ( so they tell me ) : "What we do to the villains, should be done back to us", But if I do that they're dead Muahahahah! end of 'continuity' With the succeptibility thing, that's O.K. cos I can demand that, as part of the "spell" makeup. It's just that if the 'Entangle' is succeptible (?) to Fire, how does that help an entangled character unless they already have a 'Torch' burning? Just goes to show me that I should check things over a lot more.... So far the PC Mage only used the entangle once, and it was versus another mage, who had the "setting" - Limited Suppression Field versus Magic - ( CounterSpell ? going ) which cut down the entangle enough, that it only took him a full Phase to cut out of it with his Dagger. At which point the PC Mage cut off the guys head with his Axe. The PCs were happy because the NPC Mage could not cast any more 'Lightning Bolts' whilst escaping from the entangle Further: If the PC Mage does entangle someone, is there anything to say that the PCs can't go "Allright On 3 we Hit Him for all we've got" and all Haymaker their swords / axes so as to strike the Entangle and victim together ? I figure if My character was in such a party, he would organise that.. ( But I won't run an ongoing NPC Character, I don't like that style of GM'ing ) I'd tend to allow a coordinated attack there, because the NPC is more or less not moving....... And: If you were a player, and I was the GM, and I said "You know that Entangle you wanted and were hoping to build up later?, Well.. it now has 'Set Effect' Legs only, and it's really flammable..." Would you spit the dummy?

In all the time I've played Fantasy Hero as a PC or GM, I've never used an entangle, nor did the other GMs... Now I'm running a Campaign, where one of the players has bought an entangle as a spell. In this campaign almost all the opponents are Humans, with a STR 20 being the absolute maximum, ( Over that they become 'Non Human' - transgenic / semi mystical creatures ) Most 'Warriors' have a STR between 12 and 15 Most Normals have STR 8 - 10 I Just assumed no-one would use an Entangle that only affected one target, so when I designed example entangles for the NPC's ( Like 'Spider Web' Spells ) it seemed alright, - "Ah yeh that'll trap them but then they can get out sooner or later" OR "It only entangles part of them, so they can cut out of it with their swords...... Now I've realized ( ) how an entangle is going to actually work. I.E. The trapped NPC, PC can not draw a dagger or whatever to cut out of the entangle, and so must 'Grunt' out with STR. This being so, then the 'Conans' of this world ( not many of them ) with STR 20 can Exert up to 30 ? STR ( +5 for pushing with +1 per point they make their Ego Roll By ) and Roll a max of 12 Body (If they get a lucky roll ) to snap out of an entangle. However Most PCs could probably only 'Exert' to 20 STR and do a max of 8 Body And most Normals 6Body So I have a 45 / 60 AP limit on Spells, ( 45 being a starting limit and 60 AP being the maximum 'ever' ) SO its easy to have a 4D6 4DEF Entangle ( 40 AP ) or better, and then the PC's / NPCs will be stuck permanent like............. As All spells require Gestures to cast ( and Incant etc ) even the Mages are stuck............ What sort of limits do you people put on your 'Entangle' Spells? Because it looks like It's too easy to get an 'Absolute Effect' vs Humans Entangle.... And In this game, it is a 'One shot Death Spell' . - ( The PC Mage's Entangle is lower than this as they just started ) - as once that 'enemy' is entangled, they can just kill them later Monsters and such will have higher STR..... Any advice will be much appreciated.

Re: ?? "Abort" to Panic : +0 OCV, -2 DCV, Full Phase, Make Full Move but remain in same Hex, Incant, Gesture 'It's that succubus, and her minotaur follower!, This must be the Pub!, I'm a teapot, I'm a teapot....."

Re: Flaming Arrows, And Swords Of opportunity How? The Typical Spell In this game requires a big Burst of Mana (END) to activate then none as long as it runs. ( I have time limits and etc ) UBO and UBO simultaneously say : "The Recipient Controls The Power and Pays The END to use it......" What I'm allowing is this: A Spell which Normally costs 20 Mana to start up might have UBO and if so. A Spell with UBO (4People) would normally Cost 20 Mana Per Person Or 80 Mana in total. I'm letting the Mage divide this up amongst the recipients as he sees fit; but he has to Pay at least his share or 20 Mana. As his 'friends' are not likely to even have a Mana Stat, they count as being at Zero Mana, at which point they have to use Stun in lieu of Mana. So the mage confers a 'magical bonus' on you that lasts 5 Minutes, but that unaccustomed Mana being chanelled through your body hurts like hell.... And It is likely to actually "Stun" the recipient.. That was the effect I wanted... Of course I had to also rule that recipient must be willing... This is to build in this setting group spells.. Stealth, Climbing, Morale Boosting etc With the Flame Weapon though, I'm not allowing UBO, partly because of the special effects of Fire Magic ---- A really really sloww cumulative transform into a fire elemental --- and because the 'Fire Mages' don't specialise in 'helpful group' spells in their basic spells Thanks for all the help..... I will see how it works tomorrow....

Re: Flaming Arrows, And Swords Of opportunity How? I used the suggestion From Fantasy Hero pg 258 : Variable Target. For 'Repeated Use Instant Spells' Continous +1, + Variable Target + 1/4 This allows Power to be 'targetted' anew while still remaining on. As I described, I did not want a spell that would 'Set Fire' to Only One Target, Which is what you get from the continous and/ Or Uncontrolled So If the PC was attacking Only 1 creature ( for instance ) THis Spell is Of Lesser Value than One that's continous, as he has to 'Hit' over and Over again. So I think I'll Stick with the suggestion you made: "Requires Seperate Attack Roll Each Phase (-1/4)" , as that seems OK I'm not sure how to link this to a 'Power' The guy 'does not have'. And I wanted it to work the same if the guy Picked up a Razor or A Metal Awl Pike WIthout paying for Linked To up to 2D6 HKA Ah but the "people" who can get this spell in the campaign are Only Mages ( Unusual ) Aligned to Fire Element ( More Unusual ). Who may or may not be warriors / Archers, and it's supposed to be distinctly different from something a PC could get by purchasing High Quality Penetrating Arrows and a Throbmoanium Bow ( Someone 'famous' - made that up - I had to use it ) - Plus they've had to make about a 30 Pt Investment in various Magic Stuff (skills, Mana Reserve, Spells ) to have a spell like this. Of course in the actual course of the game it will be usual for the PCs to encounter groups of warriors with a Backup Mage (s) - So limitations vs Opposite Elemental Type apply Ah a Common Advantage of The Void ( Spirit ) Magic user, Not common For Fire Mages, but this game has lots of spells bought with Usable By Other Simultaneously ..... Of course the mundane recipients are usually going to have to burn some STUN in lieu of Mana ( which they don't have ) Apart from what the others said : "It's easier to build A HKA that doesn't get added STR this way" It's Not a Magic Sword, Its a Spell the Caster can cast on any Sword / Metal Weapon he is holding, Flaming Magic Swords would be easier I Just link The Flame to the HKA Perhaps a Similar Example would be "Mystic Brass Knuckles Of Electro Shock" A Spell that must be cast on the Mages own Gloves or Fists. Every Time he Hits a target in HTH he gets his (3D6N ) Hand Damage AND the target recieves an Electric Shock ( Say 3D6 EB ) - where the spell only has to be cast once and lasts as long as he likes... As Distinct from the "Extremely Rare" Loganic Claw Spell +4D6 HKA AP Penetrating Costs Mana ( END ) only to start Where Mystical Adamantium Claws ( I like Throbmoanium better ) Sprout from the backs of your hands, and any target you have a high enough running speed to catch is really going to have a bad day . All these Spell 'Must Have' : Gestures, Incant, RSR Magic Skill, Costs Mana (END) So there is a 'need' to design spells that work longer after one casting....

Just Checking That I am doing something right. So how do you 'legally' build these simple spells, ( My mind has gone blank INT 8- Activation ) Flaming Weapon: The Caster Holds a Metal Weapon In His Hand, He Gestures and Incants his spell, thus Invoking The ManaFlow, and Burning Up a Lot Of his Mana ( END Reserve for Spells ). He checks His Skill If Successful, The Weapon gains an aura of Mystical Flame. This lasts as long as the Caster Desires, Or Until he turns it off, Or Is Stunned, Or Disarmed. When He Fights, He does his Normal Weapon Damage when He Hits ( This can of course vary from weapon to weapon ). If and Only If He Hits, The 'Flame' also Adds Killing Damage vs ED. The STUN from the Hits is considered Coordinated ( But there are two separate ammounts of BODY ) ( Please I don't want to use EB, nor link this power to any specific weapon ) At The Moment I have Flaming Weapon 1 D6 RKA E No Range -1/2 Focus OIF Metal Weapon Of Opportunity -1/2 Costs Mana Only To Activate +1/4 Increased Mana Cost x 10 -2 Continous +1 Variable Target +1/4 RSR Fire Magic Skill -1/2 Gestures -1/4 Incant -1/4 Limited Power : 1/2 Value against all Water Magic Effects or Aligned Targets -1/2 ( that's a Lim Specific to my setting ) Limited Power ( loses about a 1/4 )- Must Hit with HTH Attack -1/4 I'm not sure If I can use the last Limitation, but I feel there should be some sort of break there compared to a 'Magical Fire and Forget Continous FIre Spell' Have I got this right? Secondly The magical Flaming Arrow Spell Caster Incants Gestures Butns Mana and Fires off a Now Flaming Arrow If It hits it does normal damage for the type of arrow and Bow used, but also adds 1D6 Killing Damage vs rED Caster Must Recast the spell for each Shot thus fired. Fire Arrow: 1 D6 RKA E Focus OIF Arrow Of Opportunity, Expendable, Easy Replace, -1/2 Limited Power, !/2 Value vs WATER Effects -1/2 Increased Mana Cost x 10 -4 Gestures -1/4 Incant -1/4 Must Hit Target -1/4 ??????? Same question For this one, Is this limited because you also must 'Shoot' the target ( and thus use a Bow - be at 1/2 DCV etc etc ) ? I don't want to link this spell to some sort of magical Bow.....

Re: No Levels for Familiarities Wow, must have ruthless GM.... Look at the skill modifiers table. The "Security Expert Hero" PC with the 16- Lockpicking Skill can open a door in probably a 1/2 Phase.. The 'Average Joe' Professional LockSmith on the other hand probably only needs an 8- FAM Lock Picking. He's got PS LockSmith 11-. A Truck FULL of Tools, "Lock Picking For Dummies", And A Phone to call for advice on those tricky locks. So he is Picking the Lock to Someone's home as they lost their Keys.... +3 , Routine Lock +1 to +3 (+2 ) Extensive Knowledge from PS LockSmith +2 Top Flight Lock Smithing Tools - Speciality Picks + 3 Extra Time 5 Minutes Hmm - 17- Roll to Open the Lock ( Or thereabouts depending on GM ) ME personally don't know Zip about LockPicking, I don't have FAM: LockPicking 8- So I have to use a Hammer................... I get that from my players sometimes : - "i don't have a 16- Skill at Blah... I can't do anything.... Whine...":eg: "That 25 Point Normal Is turning Over your Secret Hideout, Look She's got your Bat-Corder, and She's Forcing your DNPC into your truck.... but you can track them down with your 20- Deduction Roll":)

Re: Moderately Large Creatures and DCV My Players accepted : Called Shot to 'EyeBall' does not get the -DCV from Size - and they seem to be happy with that. So A shot to the 'Eye Area' is base 0 , with (-8OCV ) = DCV 8 Shot to 'Eye Ball' is base 4, with ( -12 OCV ) = DCV 16 I think that should do.. That'd bug them and Me too much, especially the Fencer Martial Artists with PSL's versus Hit location penalties Same........ Same........ This I don't understand IF the Pigmy Hobbit Commandos Were to show up, that is probably the technique they would use, if it was the 'Legolas' analogue Pygmy Hobbit, and their 1 Pip Darts would end up doing 3 Body and 15 Stun if they go in an eyeball, blinding that eye. ( No Armour there, except for Mages with Force Field ) So yes The PCs will have to run from the dreaded Legolas the pygmy Hobbit Ah hit locations will be integral to this game, it uses sectional armour, That's amazing! If the Drivers appropriately Blinker their beast it won't suffer these wounds, but will be even more stupid, uncontrollable, and annoyed. Yes, Yes, Always!! Muahaha! Done! The caps 10 - 12 as in Base OCV From DEX + Skill levels never can be over 12. But this can be exceeded by using maneuvers like 'Brace' Hmm... Thanks for the Ideas....... I think with everyone's help I've got this sorted. The Behemoths get no Stretching though, they just have no reach. They do have 12" Move, and usually carry a heavy Arbalest with crew on top

Re: Strength Cost: 1 point or 2 RE: Making STR cost more. Check out the docs, and the forum on making 'extension templates'. Get a Text Editor..... You will need a Template that extends Main.hdt or Heroic.hdt. { You will also need some spare hair to pull out, and someone to yell at, and maybe some bricks to break } You probably want to try and extend Heroic.hdt Clip out the Characteristics section from Main.hdt Put it in your Template. You'll see something like: Play With the LVLCOST="1" (or maybe its the LVLVAL ?) Try making it 2 or whatever. Adjust the NCM values here as well Save your new File. Try and Go: New Character from Template ...... See if it works. If HeroDesigner Barfs or it doesn't work, pull some hair out and try again.... ( It's not too hard just don't overwrite any of the original files )

Re: Have No Fear... I brought the Belladonna! Yeh, I've used herbs that way, typically if it's a setting where Paramedics defined as Herbalism is used. Players may say " I use my herbs " to do 'Blah' If they bring their 'Herbal' or search through one of mine, they say something like "I prepare a Tisane of Comfrey to help with the bruising" I don't bother to make up 'special powers' for the individual herbs though, so it's not compulsory to have a 'herbal'. It just adds more colour.

Re: Moderately Large Creatures and DCV Yes! that's about the same as I've got. The PCs Count as Veterans as they are Highly trained Combat Troops. The Legolas Example was only to get an idea of OCV Negatives for this sort of thing, As Large Creatures like this have a Base DCV of 0 So your veterans would have an OCV of 6 or 7 ? Then they can Hit the 'Eye area' / 'Head Area' of such a Beast ( -8 OCV ) if they Roll 9- or 10- And If I leave the 'Specific Eye-Ball' location at ( -12 OCV ) they hit this area on a 5- or 6- roll and that's reasonably hard. ( if I make the thing DCV 4 by ignoring its' size penalty ) then they only hit on a 3, which is probably more the level I think it should be. ) But PCs can buy PSLs versus Hit locations ( Up to 2 to start ) And Legolas Types can Have up to 4 So Legolas who has maxed out his combat skills and has Base OCV 10 and 4 PSLs-- Only has to Hit DCV 8, so a roll of 13- to hit the Eye Ball ( or if it has base DCV4 he hits on 9- ) So yes, Legolas Imbibed a Potion of Heroism ( +2 OCV ) and Autofire (2) D, his bow and took out the Ork Tank In 1 Phase.......... :)

Re: Continous Area Effect Entangle

Re: Continous Area Effect Entangle In this setting, a Commonly available power to Mages is an area affect Suppression Field. - which once activated is attached to the mage and moves with him - ( For various reasons It's easier to use Suppress rather than Dispel in this setting ) Anyone using the most Minor version of this ( 3Pts ) can disrupt this spell, at least at the low level this spell is supposed to be. Also The Spell Completely Vanishes after 5 Minutes, Or if the mage desires earlier. Or If the mage is 'conked on the head' - stunned. also : Any of the Destroy the local vegetation suggestions work as well. However that usually takes time and, delay is the purpose of this spell Yes, that's the idea, but the Entangle will probaly be only 1D6 I was hoping to design a 'Foot only' entangle, that grabbed you in every HEX that it covers, whatever your speed. The Conans of this world would be slowed by it, the villagers would take some time to break though, and Elephants would mostly ignore it altogether