Dr.Device

Re: Cost END only to Activate

It should be noted that the limitation of Cost end to activate (opposed to the advantage) will also make a power non persistant' date=' another -1/4 lim[/quote']

 

And visible, another -1/4 limitation.

 

Which is really bizarre. If you take Costs Endurance (only to activate) for -1/4 on a persistent power, you get a total of -1/4 worth of limitations, but your power is now non-persistent and visible, in addition to costing endurance to activate. On the other hand, if you take non-persistent (-1/4) and visible (-1/4), your power is non-persistent and visible, but costs no endurance, and for this you get -1/2 worth of limitations. Does this make sense to anyone?

 

Even 0 END constant powers don't make sense with Costs Endurance (only to activate), since that still tacks on visible. You would get exactly the same limitation value by just taking the visible limitation directly, but leaving the power at 0 END.

Re: Character out of balance

I agree with the consensus on the character, except that I might allow OIF on the tattoos. If the tattoos are obviously the source of the powers and simply visibly altering the tattoos will stop them from working, then OIF is a perfectly reasonable.

I'd have no problem with the bad guys whipping out a sharpie after rendering the character unconscious, and proceeding to put mustaches on all the face tattoos, add extraneous letters or glyphs, and so on.

The character could eventually get the powers back by getting rid of the ink, but it might take a while.

Re: How to block the "unblockable" punch?

I've used variations on the following for a "Block Anything" power.

You Call That Unblockable?: Force Wall (12 PD/12 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (75 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Self Only (-1/2), Instant (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2)

If you want it versus PD attacks only, you can go with:

You Call That Unblockable?: Force Wall (17 PD), Hardened (+1/4), Transparent to ED Attacks (+1/2) (74 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Self Only (-1/2), Instant (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2)

Re: Ultimate Speedster: Other stuff

Why would it be possible to buy up ranged OCV and DCV separate from DEX' date=' but not to buy up HTH OCV?[/quote']

 

Two reasons.

1. It's just how I see it working. Hitting someone in HTH requires a combination of both of agility and accuracy.

2. I think it balances better.

 

Similarly, there seems an inherent unfairness in linking some DEX skills to a 1 point attribute, while others are linked to a more expensive stat.

WHy is that any more unfair than the current system? INT & PRE skills are already based off 1 point attributes.

 

 

Note that each 3 points of DEX now provides 3 points of Figured characteristics. Is this intended?

Yes, that's intended. I set it up so as not to be a mini-max target. Purchasing two of the figureds (one of which will almost always be speed) should basically break even with buying regular DEX. The only reason to buy up agility or accuracy is because it fits the character concept.

 

Looking at it again, I do see a potential for abuse that might keep me from implementing it, though. An invisible blaster or other sniper variant could get away with murder by buying up accuracy, if a GM weren't vigilant. That's probably enough to scuttle it unless I find a fix. I'd still favor this system over the one it The Ultimate Speedster, though.

Re: Ultimate Speedster: Other stuff

I'm not entirely sure about splitting DEX up, but if I were to do it, I would want it to look more like this (heavily influenced by several posts in this thread).

Dexterity is a primary characteristic. It costs 3 points per level.

Accuracy is a figured characteristic which represents Hand-Eye Coordination. Base Accuracy is equal to Dex. Each level of Accuracy costs 1 point.

Agility is a figured characteristic which represents full-body coordination. Base Agility is equal to Dex. Each level of Agility costs 1 point.

Speed remains as is.

The current aspects of DEX are divided up as follows (The split of skills is just my first pass):

Dex - OCV in Hand-to-Hand combat (HTHOCV), Initiative, Climbing, Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, Fast Draw, Stealth

Accuracy - OCV in Ranged combat (ROCV), Lockpicking, Sleight of Hand, Teamwork

Agility - DCV, Acrobatics, Breakfall, Contortionist, Riding

Having several of the function of DEX stay with DEX, while the other two are figured characteristics should reduce the risk of severe mini-maxing.

Re: No damage from falling

BTW: I don't think the Detect is at all necessary. The character doesn't usually have to (be able to) perceive the Trigger condition; it just has to be generally detectable with normal senses.

You're probably right. I was just considering cases like falling into a darkness field or similar.

Re: No damage from falling

Stop! Teleportation 1", No Relative Velocity, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; (When about to hit the ground at greater than 1" velocity); +1) (30 Active Points)

and if you want to be absolutely sure you know it's coming:

There it Is Detect The Ground 13- (Unusual Group), Range, Sense (10 Active Points); Only for Trigger (-1)

Re: Proposed Advantage: Transformative

I'd rather have a simple power or advantage that achieves a reasonably straightforward effect than twist existing advantages in ways that require special exceptions. That's why I use 4th edition Regeneration instead of 5th in my games.

I appreciate the comments, though, and will keep them in mind when deciding whether to implement the advantage in my games.

Re: Proposed Advantage: Transformative

I'd rather just buy Costs END only to activate (+1/4) and Persistent (+1/2), then use the points saved (11 in your example) to buy limited Power Defense to protect my size/shape change powers as you describe than create a whole new advantage that doesn't really do anything new.

 

Given how "common" adjustment powers that act vs these powers are, I could likely live without the power defense and spend the points elsewhere, and take a limitation for "costs END to return to normal size" to further reduce the cost.

Well, a couple of points:

1. Persistent with Costs End Only To Activate is against the rules as written, so requires an exception anyway.

2. Using power defense to mimic the described effect is going to be very iffy as far as making sure you've take enough, and is going to require overly detailed limitations to make it behave in the fashion described.

Given those, I'd just as soon have an advantage that does the full package rather than kludging it.

Why not create a variant of Inherent that allows you to adjust the levels at which you've purchased a Power.

One could look at this as exactly that, just with the reduced endurance and persistent already rolled in. Part of my reasoning for proposing this was aesthetic. It bugs me to have a power with the Reduced Endurance (Zero Endurance) advantage, which, in fact, does cost endurance.

I'm with ya on that one. We already have Advantages and Limitations that can do that. If you want to lump them together (aka Spell Limitation in FH that is shorthand for Gestures' date=' Incantations, etc) that's one thing, but I don't see the need to create an entirely new Advantage that, poorly, recreates the wheel.[/quote']

 

First, a quick aside. The Spell limitation in Fantasy Hero isn't shorthand for gestures and incantations. It's a separate limitation that affects what maneuvers you can use the spell with, among other things.

 

If Hugh's alternative achieved the same results, I would agree with you, but, as I noted above, it doesn't. With the Power Defense, you have to guess the right amount for the campaign. Or you can leave the Power Defense off and hope it never comes up. If you've guessed wrong, you leave the character open to results that don't match the character conception.

Transformative (+1): This advantage is available for the powers Density Increase, Growth, Shape Shift, Shrinking, and Stretching. Applying Transformative to a power is similar to applying Reduced Endurance (Zero Endurance), Persistent and Inherent. However, the possessor of the power must pay endurance (calculated from the powers active cost, as usual) to change the power's state.

Unlike a an Inherent power, a Transformative power can be affected by some adjustment powers. For the purposes of adjustment powers, a Transformative power is treated as if it were an instant power, much like Transform. Thus, while using a Dispel Growth on a character with Transformative Growth who was currently eighteen feet tall would not cause her to revert to normal size, a sufficiently powerful Suppress Growth could keep her from getting any larger. Similarly, a Suppress or Drain Shape Shift, could, if it suppressed or drained sufficient points, keep a character with Transformative Shape Shift locked in his current shape until its effects ended.

The endurance cost of Growth, Shrinking, Stretching and Density Increase is calculated proportionally from the amount of the power turned on or off. To change shapes with Transformative Shape Shift, the character must pay the full endurance cost of the Shape Shift power.

Reduced Endurance can be taken on the power to reduce or eliminate the endurance cost of changing states.

At the GM's option, a character could be allowed to apply Transformative to the power Desolidification. It is recommended that this be allowed only if desolidification is taken with either or both of the limitations Does Not Protect Against Damage and/or Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects.

Questions? Comments?

Re: What power would you buy (with a twist)

Side Step Extra-Dimensional Movement (Related Group of Dimensions (Parallel Earths), Any Location corresponding to current physical location), x4 Increased Weight (42 Active Points); Extra Time (Extra Phase, Delayed Phase, -1), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

Magic Fingers Telekinesis (2 STR), Fine Manipulation, Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (26 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

Re: What bizarre rules issues have you encountered?

It is defined in the rules. The Entangle's DEF+BODY act as Armor vs any attack that hits the character' date=' with the exact same mechanics of any other defense (as far as the application of STUN and BODY to the target are concerned).[/quote']

 

Can you give a cite from 5th or 5er for that?

 

Fourth edition stated that clearly:

When the Entangled character is attacked' date=' The Entangle absorbs STUN and BODY equal to the total of its DEF + BODY, then the Entangled character takes the remaining damage normally.[/quote']

 

but I can find no such text in 5er.

 

I assume that it's still that way, but I don't see it actually spelled out.

Re: Regrowing limbs

I'd go with:

6 Salamanderism: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Day (-2 3/4), Only to regrow body parts (-1), Self Only (-1/2)

Re: Self Defeating Powers

Sadly' date=' I've seen GMs [i']require[/i] Shape Shift for any character who looks significantly different than human.

Well, GMs do wacky things some times. If a GM wants to use that a a house rule, that's his prerogative.

Re: Self Defeating Powers

As written' date=' this is not really useless; it allows you to change shape to any one other form and then remain in that shape even while asleep. While it might not represent the best use of points, I think you need to add some limitations to make it truly useless...[/quote']

 

Well,I find it completely useless because you can get exactly the same effect by defining it as a special effect of any persistent power, or a characteristic which is boosted "only in heroic ID."

 

So, while it does do something, you could do exactly the same thing without it, for a lot fewer points.

Re: Self Defeating Powers

10 Energy Sponge: 2d6 Absorption (ED, points go to Energy Sponge) (10 Active Points)

30 Invisible Illusion: Sight Group Images 1" radius, Invisible Power Effects, Hide effects of Power (Fully Invisible; +2) (30 Active Points)

58 Useless Shapeshift: Shape Shift (Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste and Touch Groups), Cellular, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (58 Active Points)

5 Wasted Effort: Aid END 2d6 (standard effect: 6 points) (20 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x6 END; -2 1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2)

10 Hear That?: Clairsentience (Hearing Group) (20 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Blackout (-1/2)

Re: Costs END Only to Activate

Another factor to consider:

You can't take recoveries (other than post segment 12) while maintaining a non-persistent power.

For a 0 END power, you drop the power, take a recovery, put the power back up at no cost. For a CEOTA power, you drop the power, take a recovery, pay the endurance cost again to put it back up.

Also, to expand on Hugh's comment above, consider the character recovering from unconsciousness. She's going to have END equal only to her recovery. Is it going to be practical (or even possible, without risking knocking herself out) for her to activate her COETA

power? If there's more than one, almost certainly not. In that situation, 0 END is enormously more advantageous.

Not convinced? You might consider a variant: CEOTA base is a +1/2 advantage, but can be reduce to a +1/4 advantage by making the endurance cost of a CEOTA power the cost of maintaining the power for a turn.

Re: Desolid/advantages on zero points

For the desolidifier in my group, I just gave him 1" stretching, does not cross intervening space (+1/4). It's not exactly as you describe, since he can only use this trick while otherwise solid (ie, vulnerable to attacks), but he was satisfied with it.

If he wanted to do the trick while desolid, I would probably want him to go the UBO route you described, as that is pretty darn powerful.

Re: If you could add one more...

Characteristic:

In some of my games I have added the characteristic EDGE. This acts sort of like Luck, in that you can burn it to get better results on rolls. Also, I have players make Edge Rolls (9 + EDGE/5) to determine things like whether or not there's a suitable car to steal, or whether the alley they turned into is a dead end.

Skill:

Research. Research is the skill of tracking down information (in books, on line, through appropriate contacts, etc.). I have recently added this to all my campaigns.

Power: Regeneration. I still use the old regeneration in my games (with the limbs/resurrection adders). (I also use the old instachange, and a variation on the old shapeshift.

Advantage: End cost based on Damage. I haven't worked out the details on this, but I think there should be a standard advantage for forcefields/force walls (or any other endurance costing defense power) that lets them cost zero endurance, except when actually stopping damage.

Re: Trolling for suggestions, 1982-style.

Don't forget Mork!

Re: What's *your* superpower?

Do perqs count? If so:

Contact: Godess of the Parking Spaces 14-

Otherwise, just:

NightSight: +2 perception, only to counter darkness penalties.

Immunity to mosquitos (This one I got when I was 17. I noticed that my little brother was immune to them and decided that it was unfair, so I decided to be immune, too.)

Unearthly Calm: +10 presence, +5 ego, only when injured. When my hand went into the table-saw, I'm the one who kept everyone calm and got things coordinated to get me to the hospital.

Re: Do you use the official Champions Universe?

4. Strictly homegrown. I might occasionally pull the mechanics from a character I see elsewhere, but I just can't get into running someone else's setting.

I tried one campaign set in a pre-existing fictional universe, but I and my players found it unsatisfying.

Re: Magic-Noir (Pulp?) Hero

So. How crackers am I? Any thoughts?

 

Doug.

I like the sound of it. I'm a big fan of non-standard fantasy settings.

I second the above recommendation for 'Cast a Deadly Spell.' You might also check out Harry Turtledove's 'The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump' for a lighter take, but with some possibly applicable ideas.

I read the FAQ and FREd to say that the +1 Usable As Attack version of Usable On Others needs an additional +1/4 (or more) Advantage to affect inanimate targets of more than human mass (+1/4 for each doubling). Is this correct, or am I misinterpreting things?

Also, if the FAQ below applies to powers as well as skills (say, granting Power Defense to an object), it should probably be duplicated under the section for Usable On Others.

Q:* If a character wants to apply a Skill to an object — for example, apply Lockpicking to a lock to make it harder to pick (by giving it a high roll for Skill Versus Skill Contests), does that require Usable As Attack, or just Usable By Other?

 

A: *It requires Usable As Attack; objects aren’t “others†to whom a character can grant powers. That might change if the object were a Computer, or controlled by a Computer, since then there’s a “being†to whom the character can grant the power.

Micron carries a shrinking pill in a locket around his neck. When he takes the pill, he shrinks to miniscule size for exactly one hour, then reverts to his normal size. It does not allow him to change size during that hour (although the effect can be cancelled by dousing him with water). His player has bought this as Shrinking with 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 hour, for a -1/4 limitation.

Minute Man has a magical amulet that , when rubbed, grants him the power to shrink to miniscule size for 1 hour. While it is active, he can freely change between being really small and normal size. After that hour it doesn't work again until the next day. His player has also bought this as Shrinking with 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 hour, for a -1/4 limitation.

Which of these is the correct use of Continuing Charges?

If it's Micron, could Minuteman achieve his effect by paying more for Charges?

If Minuteman's power is the correct default behavior for continuing charges, does Micron get a greater limitation for charges?