Sidume

Re: Would this require shapeshift Casual observation would reveal just a bird. If casual observation doesn't reveal "superhero," shrunken or otherwise, I would think that you would have to have a reason why not. Shrinking a person doesn't make them look like a hawk. Even if it's shrunk and has wings, a person doesn't look like a bird. Not even if you put them in a tux and throw them in the water. Either Shapeshift or Multiform would work, possibly even a well made disguise roll. But I wouldn't allow a special effect to fool anyone paying attention.

Re: Would this require shapeshift I'd say that shapeshift is necessary. If you want to get by without it, you shouldn't be able to fool anyone. Just a passing glance should make it apparent that you aren't a hawk, unless you have shapeshift.

Re: Desolid and Strength You may have to check with your GM though. If your Martial Artist has a 15 STR, useable desolid, s/he may insist that you pay the +2 advantage on all the STR, not just the STR you paid points for.

Hi all, I posted this on another VPP discussion, but had no takers. Anyone want to take a shot? I'm looking for input on some costs. I've built a character with a fairly large VPP (90 active pts.). I'm looking for input on building, and what the appropriate math might be. While the pool is large, the effect is fairly limited. He is a power mimic. The concept is that the character has significant mental abilities, but hasn't figured out how to access them. So he can copy any power with a mental component. In doing that he has the following limitation: Cannot copy powers that are mystic-based, focus-based, strictly physical, or stats. (-1, for now) For example, if he were to copy Aquaman, all he could get would be the minor telepathy and the ability to speak with the fish. He wouldn't get the benefit of Aquaman's Life Support, Enhanced Senses, Swimming out the wazoo, or Brick Stats. Do people think that -1 is right, or should it be higher (or lower rather)? While this limitation might not mean much after he knows enough people to copy, there is another significant limitation. He has to be in range of the other person to copy them. I should assign this as a limitation, but I'm not sure what to call it, or how much of a negative to assign it. Any suggestions? Hopefully I haven't scared people away, because I need to throw in yet another monkey wrench. Limiting the character to only copy those restricted powers in range made him virtually unplayable. So I expanded it a little bit, by saying he could carry 6 recoverable charges of copied powers. These aren't real easy to recover - it requires 20 minutes of exposure in range of the newly copied power to put it into a charge. But I don't want to limit the entire pool to the 6 recoverable charges, or I'll have spent a huge chunk of points on something that will almost never come into play. Any suggestions on how to set this up, and what math to use?

Re: Variable power pool? Questions... Just bumping. Any takers?

Re: How would you build this sci-fi machine/weapon? Spaceships & Rayguns - cheap! ---- This message brought to you by the makers of Soylent Green.

Re: A Thought on Speed Chart Order Quote: Originally Posted by Susano One could also argue that's Lightning Reflexes at work. Alternately, one could argue that somebody with not enough experience with the task at hand should have a penalty to their DEX for the purpose of calculating initiative. You could purchase a psychological limitation - reduced OCV in combat, or even unable to attack without an EGO roll - and then use XP to buy this off as you became more combat aware and experienced. __________________ I would think few players would create characters that were already limited. To show it as "Experience" it could be bought as: Lightning Reflexes, Requires skill roll (Tactics, PS: Football QB, etc.)

Re: Variable power pool? Questions... Slight change of topic - but it's a question along a similar vein, so I didn't think a new topic was in order. I'm looking for input on some costs. I've built a character with a fairly large VPP (90 active pts.). I'm looking for input on building, and what the appropriate math might be. While the pool is large, the effect is fairly limited. He is a power mimic. The concept is that the character has significant mental abilities, but hasn't figured out how to access them. So he can copy any power with a mental component. In doing that he has the following limitation: Cannot copy powers that are mystic-based, focus-based, strictly physical, or stats. (-1, for now) For example, if he were to copy Aquaman, all he could get would be the minor telepathy and the ability to speak with the fish. He wouldn't get the benefit of Aquaman's Life Support, Enhanced Senses, Swimming out the wazoo, or Brick Stats. Do people think that -1 is right, or should it be higher (or lower rather)? While this limitation might not mean much after he knows enough people to copy, there is another significant limitation. He has to be in range of the other person to copy them. I should assign this as a limitation, but I'm not sure what to call it, or how much of a negative to assign it. Any suggestions? Hopefully I haven't scared people away, because I need to throw in yet another monkey wrench. Limiting the character to only copy those restricted powers in range made him virtually unplayable. So I expanded it a little bit, by saying he could carry 6 recoverable charges of copied powers. These aren't real easy to recover - it requires 20 minutes of exposure in range of the newly copied power to put it into a charge. But I don't want to limit the entire pool to the 6 recoverable charges, or I'll have spent a huge chunk of point on smoething that will almost never come into play. Any suggestions on how to set this up, and what math to use?

Re: suppress Suppress can be tricky. It isn't alway that flashy a power, but when used properly (especially in a support role), it can be devastating. Case in point: Our group of high powered heroes busts into Megavillian's far-flung, super-secret satellite base. We attempt to be stealthy, but know that when we get caught , which is bound to happen, we are going to have to fight our way out. One character, whose entire schtick is energy manipulation, gets the bright idea of suppressing Energy RKAs in the area. Yes, it limits the players options. But those hordes of guards with the nasty 5 and 6 die RKA energy blasters aren't nearly as dangerous when you shave 2d6 off the top.

Re: The Ultimate Character Sheet I'd like to see a sheet that comes in HeroMaker that automatically minimizes the number of pages. If I have a multipower with large limitations, I get tired of having the middle column run on for 3 pages while the first column (stats & disads), and third column (manuevers & whatever else) only take less than a page.

Re: Logic v Balance As a GM, I would allow you to keep the momentum, but with the following restrictions: - Your base OCV is 0. If you are attempting to hit a building, that won't be a problem, but hitting a moving target will be real tough. But I would apply velocity disads as if you were hitting a moving target (except you are moving, instead of the target). - You could offset this if you have an appropriate skill roll (skydiving, or something else appropriate). And a move-by is not an option. It's move-through or nothing. And with a 0 DCV, getting thrown is a real threat with the damage you might be faced with.

Re: I'll mimic your powers.. what? That's impossible! I can't! Have the character buy a custom advantage: Inimitatable (+1/4) on the powers that cannot be imitated. Oh course, this assumes that the advantage is justifiable. You can adjust the value of the advantage depending on how often you (as GM) forsee the situation coming up.

Re: Trick Arrow Villain? Arrows w/ "Suppress Flight" can be particularly nasty. And the "Paint Arrow" mentioned above can be really irritating when you hit skulker types with glow-in-the-dark paint. And "the Piercer" High levels of penetrating, limited to 1 body, with a suppress on life support that takes DAYS to recover, but with invisible effects. Mr. Powersuitist won't know that his life support doesn't work right until he's in the burning building, or worse - outer space.

Re: Assistance from Others... Tomato, Tomato (er, Tomahto).

Re: water - ice - gas Are you trying to effective create something combat capable? Or just the special effect? If both, buy Change Environment with the limited effect of changing Water to/from solid/liquid/gas. Then buy a VPP, linked to the Change Environment power, to actuate the mechanics of the effects. Technically it wouldn't be the linked advantage, since the Pool will cost more (much more to be combat effective), but the effect will be the same: A 1/2 limitation - only to create effects of Change Environment power.

Re: Assistance from Others... Quote: Originally Posted by Sidume OR buy the stretching with the limitation extra end (-1/2). Then put a effective advantage on the limitation - can be neutralized with assistance (+1), to effectively have a 1/4 limitation. This would allow him to use the power himself if necessary. How do you put an Advantage on a Limitation...? Technically it's putting a Limitation on your Limitation. It's sort of like two wrongs making a right. That's why it's an effective advantage. First, calculate the value of the limitation. If Hero has 30 pts of stretching, with a 1/2 limitation, the limitation is worth 10 points. 30 (Power cost) / 1.5 (Base of 1, limitation of 1/2) = 20. 30 - 20 = 10. But you can neutralize this limitation. This is to the players advantage. Calling it an "Advantage" might be a be a bit of a misnomer though. It's effectively putting a limitation on the limitation, because you have a 1/2 limitation, but there are fairly common ways to get around the limitation. Assigning it a value of +1 makes for easy math. So . . . .5 (the limitation) / 2 (Base of 1, w/ (+1) Limitation (which is actually a limitation on your limitation, and works like an advantage)) = 1/4 With this limited limitation, 6 levels of stretching costs 24 pts. Now if another character can effectively use the Hero's stretching power without his consent, then you could work it a bit differently and save some points. Instead of Extra End (-1/2), you could go with No Conscious Control (-2). Then you could limit the NCC limitation by making it limited control (- which costs end). That way any person strong enough could trigger Hero's stretching power.

Re: Assistance from Others... OR buy the stretching with the limitation extra end (-1/2). Then put a effective advantage on the limitation - can be neutralized with assistance (+1), to effectively have a 1/4 limitation. This would allow him to use the power himself if necessary.

Re: What was your best plot twist Mine was running a Star Trek game. It was a long campaign, and this didn't come out until after we'd played the game for about nine months. Even then, it didn't really come out perfectly. I had them on an exploratory ship, checking out different planets in a mostly unexplored area. And, from the very beginning, there was a Romulan spy under deep cover on their ship. Ordinarily, s/he gave no indication of the deception, only doing things that would might be important enough to justify jeopardizing the long term mission of infiltration. But s/he was never caught. Then one day, one of the players had an idea for a one shot story that he thought would go over well for the Trek game. I agreed (somewhat reluctantly, and after much pestering), to allow him to run his story. But before he did that I gave him a write-up of certain things that he wasn't allowed to change, and let him know who the spy was, on the promise that he would keep player knowledge separate from character knowledge. Just the look on his face as this player read my write-up - was priceless. His character was playing the Ops officer, with an intelligence background. And as he read, he realized what every missed roll, incomplete answer, and strange tidbit tied together. And having to keep player knowledge & character knowledge separate as the campaign continued for three more months just drove him nuts.

Re: combat calculation You make it sound complicated. Try it this way. Determine OCV & DCV. Compare. Note the difference. If there is no difference, your target number is 11. If the higher number is DCV, subtract that number from 11. That's what you need to roll (or below) to connect. If the higher number is OCV, add that number to 11.

Re: "Behind" in combat Another option is to allow the person who is being hit from "behind" not lose the DCV, but instead execute a martial throw, adding the 3" velocity.

Re: Flying Carpet and skills? If you create it as a vehicle, give it a level of regeneration with extra time. That way you can use it next adventure, but it can "realistically" be targeted to neutralize your character's flight for a bit, but not totally debilitating to the "power."

Re: Could it be...."I"? The Day of the Monkey is coming. Beware! !

Re: Normal-proofing your Bricks? To "normal proof" your brick, just give him a HKA damage shield as a result of his ridiculous defenses: 1d6 HKA (DS +1/2, Can't add STR - 1/2, Only applies to physical attacks that don't do body beyond the bricks PD - 1/2, Reduced Stun mod -1/4) Joe Normal will punch the brick once, break his fist, and decide to run away. At least if he has sense anyway. Joe Martial Artist may be a threat, but that's called game balance.

Re: Spatial Awareness Maybe. If it is something the player must activate, then no. If it is a sense (as in always on & inherent to the character), then yes. Unless of course the lurker coming from behind is invisible to spatial awareness, or has a special effect that might defeat the special effect (like desolid). Think it through and stick with whatever you decide.

Re: Least Abused Powers "Overall Levels" While these can be very abusive when a hero has a 1/2 dozen, few plays go that route. I once shot down a players use of these when he wanted to have them "default to levels in perception," but haven't had a problem since then.