Alcibiades

Mainly because I have never seen it in a published character writeup.

Thanks

Fantastic. Do you have a page ref in 6th?

I have a question regarding limitations that are shared throughout all the slots in an MP, but have different values. As illustrated thusly: I know the following is legal: Multipower: x points in reserve, all slots Gestures (-1/4) 1. Power 1, Gestures (-1/4) 2. Power 2, Gestures (-1/4) Is the FOLLOWING legal? Multipower, x points in reserve, all slots Gestures (-1/4) 1. Power 1, Gestures (-1/4) 2. Power 2. Gestures (throughout; -1/2) So all slots have Gestures, but with different values. Can the base MP still take the limitation? ????

Well. TK effectively is Strength + Full Indirect + Range, which is quite expensive. If Strength and HTH attack have cost parity, there is no mechanical point in buying HTH attack.

Sure, but Strength isn't just an attack (Blast with No Range), It does more than that (lifting, throwing, grappling). So it should cost more, no?

Not only extremely complicated, often pointless. You had the bizarre state of affairs in which you had whole arrays of martial arts written up that were mechanically useless. (Knife fighting for instance -- +2 DCs is meaningless if you already have a 10 STR and a 1/2d6 KA knife.) So I'm not missing anything? There is no mechanical benefit to getting a 2d6 HKA rather than 25 STR and a 1 point HKA? EDIT: I think it was made to bring the system for HKA + STR into line with that for HTH Attack + STR. because they are functionally identical now except that one does Killing Damage and doesn't have a -1/4 limitation (which I am thinking it should have).

Am I missing something here? 45 STR + 1d6 HKA. Cost is 60, end result is 4d6 HKA + 45 STR 15 STR + 3d6 HKA. Cost is 60, end result is 4d6 HKA + 15 STR The first option is better in every way but costs the same. Am I missing something about HKAs that makes their cost being the same as Strength justifiable? It seems like there should be a -1/4 stuck on it, as with HTH Attack.

Since I'm making an homage character rather than an exact duplicate, how would you do: 1) Plant control, animal summoning (only swamp animals, requires being in a swamp or swamp animals otherwise being nearby) 2) Ability to change area into a swamp, complete with alligators etc. I'm not sure what kind of Change Environment effects would be required to change an area into a swamp I assume the second ability would be something like Variable Limitations (OIF (plants of opportunity)/Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale or Linked with Change Environment) EDIT: For an instance of "expensive beyond value" -- summoning a couple of alligators from the Bestiary that are Fantically Loyal is creepily expensive.

I always loved those weird 70s Marvel Comics (Ghost Rider, Rom, Werewolf by Night) and especially Man-Thing. So I've been trying to come up with an homage. The thing is, I'm not sure how to build him. Especially because those plant-manipulation powers seem to cost an absurd amoutnt for the effect. Any ideas? Has anybody done this? EDIT: whoops this should probably have been in the Champions forum...

I always liked Magma of the New Mutants; that kind of energy projector.

You know, I think I'm going to steal that "Beneath the Endless Frozen Sea" one...

1) The mandatory Side Effect won't work, because the Side Effects rule states that you get _no defense from the damage_, which doesn't make sense in this case. 2) The problem with using the Side Effect + Activation Roll rule is that the power itself does not require a roll -- only the charges do, and then only if they are boosted, He can use the weapon without fear as long as he doesn't boost any charges, I suppose that with 1, what I could do is something like Side Effect (Summons a heck-of-a-lot-of-points Hole in the World), with the HitW being built something like: Some stats -6" running -2" swimming automaton powers Desolidification (affected by magic), 0 END Cost, Always On 10d6 Blast, Area of Effect (Explosion radius), 0 END Cost, Continuous, Affects Physical World, Always On and maybe for color: Extradimensional Movement (the corresponding point in the dimension that the Hole in the World corresponds to), 0 END Cost, Usable as an Attack, Continuous, Damage Shield, Affects Physical World, Always On This way, you would have a hole in space that would take you into another dimension if you jumped into it, and would also be constantly emitting energy. Plus you could shut it down by destroying it with magic.

My issue is that Drain Strking Appearance does seem to be used as an Ugliness Effect in some published write-ups

I realize I could just assign an arbitrary Limitation, but I want to do this by RAW. I am trying to built a gun that opens portals to other dimensions for fleeting periods. This is just the SFX of a series of attack powers -- opening a hole into a dimension of "roiling chaos" is Blast, opening one into a dimension inhabited by a giant tentacle monster is an Entangle, etc. The issue is this -- I want to be able to increase the gun's power via Boostable Charges (increasing the size of the portal). I want this to also have the possibility of overloading the gun, so that it creates an uncontrolled portal, rather than the weapon just ceasing to work if the Burnout Roll fails. The "uncontrolled portal" would be, in game terms, changing the attack that was being made into a Continuous No Range Explosion lasting for 1 Turn, centered on the character doing the firing. How to do this? I cannot just appy Side Effects to the weapon, because the weapon itself has no Requires a Roll-- only the Boostable Charges do. I thought about buying the Charges as a Naked Advantage (or Naked Limitation, if that is possible?) and applying Side Effects to that. But that won't work either, because, again, the Requires a Roll- only takes effect when the charges are Boosted. Oh the perplexity. Second, under Side Effects, there seems to be no way to do this, because of the "defenses do not apply" rule. If the explosion take place under the weapon wielder's nose, sure it will hurt a lot, but he should get defenses against it. So, Herodom, is there a way to do this RAW? A gun with Boostable Charges that blows up if the Burnout Roll on the Boostable Charges fails. EDIT: good lord, so many typos.

Drain Striking Appearance. I see this used as a kind of Ugliness Spell, but I'm not sure how it works. Isn't it actually a "Make You Look Normal Spell," since 1) it affects negative SA and 2) zero SA is the baseline? Is there some special rule regarding this that I just haven't seen?

Re: Critique my base please Without looking at the Ultimate Base, I'm not sure that's legal (?). I thought you had to buy them as labs, giving a complementary skill roll (?).

Re: Critique my base please The VPP is set up thusly specifically to avoid balance issues: 36 points of the pool can be modifed on the fly, albeit with successively greater limitations and diffocult of changing it. Also he has virtually no defenses, so they have to be bought through the VPP. Powers of up to 48 points takes hours to change, and require at least -2 of limitations (this is mainly for ensorceled artifacts). A power that uses the full 60 points takes hours to change AND can only be changed in his base AND requires -4 limitations. This is for such things as demon summoning rituals that require long periods of chanting, specially arranged foci, and so forth. Thusly: 60 Eldritch Magics and Invoking Things That Should Not Be: Variable Power Pool, 60-point reserve 8 Cantrips: + 12 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Zero-Phase Action (+1), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/4) 5 Minor Magic: + 12 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Half-Phase Action (+1/2), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/2) 3 Greater Magic: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -3/4) 2 Greater Arcana: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4) 1 Rituals: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -4 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -2), Can Only Be Changed in Sanctum (-1/2), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4)

Re: Critique my base please I decided to delete the ST and SK (cool as they may be as part of my homage), replacing the key with 14 The Gate of Dreams: Extradimensional Movement: To One Location in the Dreamzone, Area of Effect (2m radius; +1/4), Usable Simultaneously (+1/2), Constant (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END Cost; +1/2) (55 Active Points), OAF Immobile (-2), Gate (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) I know the issue with VPPs, but it is _heavily_ limited. To generate the Silver Key effect in the VPP would require -4 Limitations and the power would take hours to be switched out of the VPP. It's designed so that the higher levels of the VPP can only be accessed via extensive ritual magic.

Re: Critique my base please If it helps, thje whole character looks like this: Randolph Jermaine Pickman (superhero monker forthcoming) Val Char Cost Roll Notes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2] 18 DEX 16 13- 20 CON 10 13- 23 INT 13 14- PER Roll: 12-/14-/16- 18 EGO 8 13- 18 PRE 8 13- PRE Attack: 3½d6 6 OCV 15 6 DCV 15 6 OMCV 9 6 DMCV 9 8 PD 6 Total: 13 PD (5 rPD) 9 ED 7 Total: 14 ED (5 rED) 4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 15 BODY 5 12- 9 REC 5 40 END 4 36 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 168 Movement: Running: 8m/16m Swimming: 2m/4m Leaping: 2m/4m Cost Powers END ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Martial Arts: Cane Fighting 4 Block +2 OCV +2 DCV Block; Abort 4 Hook -1 OCV +1 DCV Disarm, 30 STR to Disarm 4 Bash +0 OCV +2 DCV 10d6 Strike 5 Jab +1 OCV +3 DCV 8d6 Strike 60 Eldritch Magics and Invoking Things That Should Not Be: Variable Power Pool, 60-point reserve 8 Cantrips: + 12 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Zero-Phase Action (+1), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/4) 5 Minor Magic: + 12 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Half-Phase Action (+1/2), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/2) 3 Greater Magic: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -3/4) 2 Greater Arcana: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4) 1 Rituals: + 12 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -4 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -2), Can Only Be Changed in Sanctum (-1/2), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4) 9 Heavy Iron Cane: 4d6 HTH Attack (20 Active Points, OAF (-1), HTH Attack (-1/4) 2 3 Rubbery Skin: Resistant Protection 1 PD 1 ED 5 Born to Live in Tunnels: Nightvision 2 Scavenger of Things Best Not Mentioned: +2 to PER Roll for Smell 5 Scavenger of Things Best Not Mentioned: Life Support: Immunity (All Terrestrial Diseases) -4 Hoofed Feet: Running -4m (8m total) -1 Hoofed Feet: Swimming -2m (2m total) 2 Burrowing: 1m Tunneling through 2 DEF Material (5 Active Points), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1 1/4), Limited Medium (soil; -1/2), No Noncombat Movement (-1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV throughout; -1/2) 5 Not Completely Made of Mundane Matter: 5 Power Defense 10 Not Completely Made of Mundane Matter: Damage Negation (-1 DC Physical and Energy) 8 Kevlar Costume: Resistant Protection 4 PD 4 ED (12 Active Points), OIF (-1/2) ---------------------------------------------------------- 140 Cost Perquisites ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Contact: Dorothy Shelley, art agent (14-, contacts of her own, good relationship with contact, limited by identity) 2 Contact: Herbert Dunson, rare book seller (11-, contacts of his own, limited by identity) 4 Well Off ($400,000 a year) 2 Positive Reputation: Talented but Disturbing Painter of Macabre Works of Art (medium-sized group (artists and art connoisseurs), 14-, +1/1d6) 31 157-point Base ---------------------------------------------------------------- 43 Cost Skills --------------------------------------------------------------- 4 +1 with Intellect Skills 2 AK: Other Planes of Existence 11- 3 Analyze Magic 14- 3 Deduction 14- 3 Linguist 1 1) LNG: French 1 2) LNG: German 1 3) LNG: Greek 1 4) LNG: Latin 1 5) LNG: Hebrew 1 6) LNG: Arabic 1 7) LNG: Egyptian 1 8) LNG: Chinese 3 Scholar 1 1) KS: The Mystic World 11- 1 2) KS: Magic and Occult Lore 11- 1 3) KS: Extraplanar Entities 11- 2 4) KS: Art History and the Art World 14- 1 5) KS: Antiquities 11- 6 PS: Painter (INT-Based) 17- 3 Pow: Magic (INT-Based) 14- 2 Cryptography 14- (3 Active Points), Not to Decode/Encode (-1/2) 3 Navigation: Planar, Subterranean 14- 3 Research 14- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 49 400 Points Complications ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Distinctive Features: Hoofed Feet (Easily Concealed, Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction, Detectable with Commonly Used Senses) 5 Physical Complication: Hoofed Feet, Can Only Leap 2m (Infrequently, Barely) 10 Physical Complication: Poor Daylight Vision, -2 to Sight PER Rolls in Bright Light (Frequently, Barely) 15 Psychological Complication: Dislikes Modern Society, Architecture, Technology – Everything Modern (Very Common, Moderate) 5 Psychological Complication: Hungers for Old Books, Antiquities, and Esoteric Knowledge (Uncommon, Moderate) 15 Social Complication: Secret Identity (Frequently, Major) 5 Vulnerability: 1½x Effect from Light-Based Sight Flash Attacks (Uncommon) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60

Re: Critique my base please What this effectively does is mean that as long as he is in the base, he does not have to configure his VPP to use these abilities. If he wants access to them outside of the base, he has to spend his VPP pool on them. Instead of spending hours to configure the pool to Summon, he can just use the Summon in the base with fewer limitations. I'm really not sure if it's legal either -- hence my questions. I don't see a balance issue, but maybe I'm overlooking something. These artifacts aren't really in there so much for use (that Glass from Leng is incredibly points-inefficient) as because they fit the character.

Re: Critique my base please The UB says that itens like TVs and so forth (that you can move from one part of the base to the other) don't necessarily take an Immobile (or even Bulky) limitation. They key is a key, so it can be transported about. The character has the following VPP with a progressively limited control cost: 60 Spells: Variable Power Pool, 60-point reserve 7 Cantrips: + 10 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Zero-Phase Action (+1), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/4) 4 Minor Magic: + 10 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed as a Half-Phase Action (+1/2), Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1/2) 2 Greater Magic: + 10 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -1 1/2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -3/4) 3 Greater Arcana: + 15 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -2 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -1), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4) 2 Rituals: + 15 control cost, Only Magic (-1/4), Variable Limitations (all slots must have at least -4 of Activation, Concentration, Extra Time, Focus, Gestures, Incantations, or Side Effects; -2), Can Only Be Changed in Sanctum (-1/2), Takes Hours to Change (-1/4) With the exception of the Glass from Leng, he can buy all the powers in the base through the VPP, only with many more Limitations. Which would represent further wardings and so forth. So if he wants to take the Silver Key with him, he buys it through the Rituals final level of the VP with another 2 1/2 limitations.

I've never built a base before, and some of the rules in UB seem kind of... hard to get a handle on. Could you guys tell me if anything here looks really out of whack? It's a creepy old New England house owned by a character I'm hoping to play, who is a part-ghoul descendent of Charles Pickman (from the Lovecraft atory Pickman's Model), or a loosely-vieled homage thereof. Hence he's got a bunch of artifacts from Lovecraft's books in a secret room in his home. EDIT: The Glass from Leng has +4 to INT Rolls linked to the Clairsentience to represent flashes of insight derived from strange visions. I'm not sure if Extra Time on that should be "only to activate" or not, since I'm not sure if levels count as a constant power (the levels apply for one Int Roll/"Flash of Insight" -- maybe buy them Instant?). Val Char Cost Notes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Size 10 25m x 12.5m x 12.5m; +7 OCV 4 BODY 4 4 PD 3 4 ED 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 20 Abilities & Equipment Cost Power ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Away from Prying Eyes: Location: Distant Suburb 1 Impressive, Leafy Yard: Grounds: 50m x 25m (plus 2 PD 2 ED fence) Studio 5 PS: Painter 11- Impressive Library 5 1) Analyze Magic 10- 4 2) KS: The Mystic World 10- 4 3) KS: Magic and Occult Lore 10- 4 4) KS: Extraplanar Entities 10- 4 6) KS: Art History and the Art World 10- 4 7) KS: Antiquities 10- 4 9) AK: Other Planes of Existence 10- 3 10) Cryptography 10- (5 Active Points), Not to Decode/Encode (-1/2) 4 Ritual Room: +2 BODY and +2 PD and ED for an 8m x 4m x 4m area (8 Active Points), Partial Coverage (-1¼) 11 Hidden Ritual Room: Concealment 20- (25 Active Points), Partial Coverage (-1¼) 4 Mystic Ward: Invisible to Mystic Sense Group, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points), IIF Immobile (-1¼), Partial Coverage (ritual room; -1¼) 18 The Silver Key: Extradimensional Movement (any location in any dimension) (45 Active Points), OAF (-1), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) 7 The Lamp of Al-Hazred: Aid Magic 5d6, any magic special effect one at a time (+1/4), Reduced Endurance Cost (0 END Cost; +1/2) (52 Active Points), OAF Arrangement (-1¼) , Extra Time (1 hour; -3), Concentration (0 DCV throughout activation, unaware of other events; -1½), Only Aids Other (-1) 19 The Glass from Leng: Clairsentience for Sight Sense Group, Dimensional (any dimension), Reduced Endurance Cost (0 END Cost; +1/2) (67 Active Points), OAF Immobile (-2), No Conscious Control (can activate, not control effects; -1) (17 Real Cost) plus +4 to INT Rolls (16 Active Points), OAF Immobile (-2), Linked (to Clairsentience; -1/4), Extra Time (1 hour; -3), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Requires a Navigation (Planar) Roll (penalty to roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4), Side Effects (something comes through the glass; extreme side effect; -1) (2 Real Cost) 24 The Shining Trapezohedron: Summon 300-point Spectral Hunter (60 Active Points), OAF (-1), Only in Darkness (-1/2) 18 Ward: 2d6 Transform (person into person with Strong Psychological Complication Terrified of Being in House; Major Transform), Continuous (+1), Trigger (person not related to Pickman tries to open door to hidden room; +1/4), Partial Transform (+1/2) (55 Active Points), IIF Immobile (-1¼), No Range (-1/2), 1 Recoverable Charge Lasting 1 Minute (-1/4) 12 Ward: Darkness to Sight Group 4m radius, Reduced Endurance Cost (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (person not related to Pickman tries to open door to hidden room; +1/4) (35 Active Points), IIF Immobile (-1¼), No Range (-1/2), 1 Recoverable Charge Lasting 1 Minute (-1/4) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Powers Cost: 162 Total Base Cost: 182 Value Disadvantages ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 2d6 Unluck 15 Dependent NPC: Gerald the Gardener (Normal, Unaware, 8-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Disadvantage Points: 25 Total Base Cost = 182 – 25 = 157/5 = 31

Re: Low-point characters, intelligence doesn't benefit knowledges? If I wrote myself up, I would be at least 50 points including all the Area Knowledges. "Normal" is a vague term.

Re: Low-point characters, intelligence doesn't benefit knowledges? If it helps, here's a (fifth-edition) version of Mulder. He's 147 points. http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptationstv/xfiles/fox.html