Manic Typist

The Cover maneuver does not prevent Aborting, period. However, isn't intuitive narratively, as has been seen. Narratively, the difference between the two scenes is writing. In one, the heroes use their powers to prevent the danger. In another, they pause because they KNOW (or at least worried enough to give them pause) that they can't successfully use their ability before the target from being hurt. They exchange tense looks and begin to plan on how to get out of this situation. Meanwhile, on reddit, fans are engaged in debates about how plausible it is - some defend it, some think it's ridiculous, others thing you should just go with it for the sake of telling a more interesting story and aren't worried about consistency. Put another way: it's the same as "Why don't 99% of fights versus the Flash end before they even begin, since most opponents shouldn't even be able to realize he's there before he's beaten them senseless?" The reason is because of The Writers. If Cover hits, then the Writers wanted it that way. If Cover misses (or is thwarted), it's because the Writers wanted it that way. To Chris' example - situations in which the hero stomps a foot/thwarts the cover are situations in which Cover missed, or even because the hero aborted to a Block/Dodge when Cover was being used and that's how it played out.

Most stats aren't relevant - only worry about the stats most likely to come up. Low level opposition - don't track their Endurance or Recovery, since the fight will be over before that could become relevant. Also, don't feel the need to build every ability out - you have an infinite budget and know you CAN achieve any build... so you don't need to do the homework. However, be generous in working with players to confront these abilities, so you don't accidentally create an impossible to beat build.

It sounds like you're in violent agreement with me, since that is an alternative way of stating what I said. You asked, after no one suggested this was the case, if PCs can't Abort when Cover is in play. I noted that, once a Cover is successful, that is the case... because that means the attack has happened, and the standard rules for Aborting apply (as always). That is all.

...actually, they kind of do. The player was told that their opponent was making an attack against them. If they don't declare Abort before the attack, then they don't get to do it afterward. You can't abort to a Dodge after you know the opponent hit you in the hopes that your DCV will make the difference. Remember, with Cover, the PC has already been hit. It's just damage hasn't been rolled yet. Also, as a general aside... I've only ever played Champions once. I was introduced, have GMed, and with one session exception only ever played NON-supers games. I view equating HERO with supers as erroneous - it's a legacy that's there, but Champions =/= HERO. Though I still do want to build a PC who can survive a fall at terminal velocity and then use it in a game...

Interesting, Duke. I do the DEX roll of currently but I hadn't considered checking the Activation time as a default litmus. And interesting... giving the Coverer a chance to "re-Cover" (groan) should they lose the DEX off but had a better chance of winning in the first place. At least, I think that's what you said? Could you do an example, from "Freeze!" to completion?

So NPCs have been using Cover a lot lately against the PCs. The rules clearly say you can't abort to a Dodge or a Block once you've been Covered, as the attack has already taken place. Obviously this should extend to Dive for Cover. However, what if the PC has some kind of Defensive Power they could activate, such as Desolid or a forcefield? I'm torn on it. I think a strict RAW approach would mean no, you can't do that before the damage is applied against you. You were hit without those defenses active. I also don't want to make Cover less desirable than it already tends to be, and this could set a precedent that would be reduce the tactical options employed by opponents and frustrate players when used against them. On the other hand... it feels dramatic to let powers like that do this sort of thing. I'm leaning toward... you have a negative to your DEX roll equal to how much the enemy beat their To Hit roll by, minimum -2. Enemy hit your DCV exactly? DEX roll-off to determine if the bullet hits you before your power's effect occurs, at a -2. Enemy beat your DCV by 4? -4 to your DEX roll. How have you all approached it?

No objection to any of what you said (what works is what works), but I just wanted to flag that this is substantively different from how Penetrating works. I understood it was meant as an analogy, but it's so different from how it actually works that I wanted to make sure you'd reviewed the rules on it recently so you're sure your target solution is what you think it is versus what a player reviewing the rules might think.

Wait... maybe I'm being dense here. Why not just use various levels of Hardened, Armor Piercing, and Penetrating? Base "small arms" have no AP, stuff not available to typical civilians has one level of AP, scale up from there.

Not actively looking at the moment; currently in the last legs of a 1+ year game I've been running ~2 times a month. Would like to look at virtual groups to move closer to achieving consistent gaming - even combined face-to-face/remote. Enjoy a good mix of narrative/combat - ideally, combats have lots of roleplaying in them to make the stakes feel real. Basically what you describe is exactly what I'm interested in, and therefore a good fit. I want to run a D&D 5E game just to use a rules set put out by Matt Colville - or maybe I'll use that to supplement a HERO game, etc. But HERO is my first love.

Gotta you beat - HD 6, 20170109. I guess I need to update it.

When I'm messing around with Desolid for a PC... it lists IPE under the non-allowed Advantages. I've reviewed the rules on Desolid and Invisible Power Effect, and unless I'm missing something... I can't seem to find why that would be the case. Any insights?

That someone is me, and so the fault is purely mine (and moreso for not remembering the Perceivable Limitation). And thanks for the reminder on Turn Modes - I'm not used to a lot of these Powers and I still have a lot to learn.

Keep it coming!

If "Bravo, flank left and prepare enfilade. Alpha, advance to cover and engage. Charlie, set up overwatch on that ridge. Move!" qualifies to you as tactics... then Liaden's awesome list is full of equivalent tactics/tactical maneuvers/tools. Just rename LoneWolf's example to the codephrase "Doubletap!" and it would fit right onto the list. Same for Doc's example. The examples you cited... are basic maneuvers/abilities. They are of course brought up because they are a major part of play, and thus are relevant to discussing the "improvement" of play.

Some things I learned after the last session, and a question I'm still researching. 1) PC with the Reaper ability of going Desolid and flying around was sneaking through a place. In the moment, I decided that turning into a cloud of black smoke in a dimly lit environment would given him a +5 to his Stealth roll. However, reviewing the rules for Obvious/Inobvious Powers... it's a (-1) to Stealth per 10 APs for Obvious Powers, 20 APs for Inobvious. It's a Linked Desolid (60 AP) / Flight (67AP), which means (-6) and (-3) to Stealth for a total of (-9). Also, the Desolid was bought with Perceivable, so... it should probably give some kind of bonus to the PER rolls of others to notice on top. 2) The Desolid is defined as the Lesser Power, and is Linked such that it can only be used when the Greater Power (Flight) is used at full strength. Does that mean the PC needs to move the full 30m he paid for in order to the Desolid to be active?