DasBroot

Double base Body from 10 to 20. Don't adjust Stun in any way.

This all but guarantees that even a normal person won't die from an errant killing attack (it would take a 7d6 killing attack to have a chance, and a 12d6 one to one shot someone with regularity).  The character who invests in resistant defences still has an advantage (as body is slow to heal).

It also lets people fall off buildings and survive, of course, but once again that's within flavour of the setting - even normal people in comics survive tumbling down things they shouldn't (and even as written it takes a 22d6 fall to 'probably' kill a normal person with 10 body, so what's a little more?).

In my game common street criminals are nearly extinct.

Superpowers are relatively common (1 in 1 million people will manifest a mutant power of 60 AP or higher (superheroic or 'class A mutation', but 1 in 100,000 will manifest a power weaker than that).  Combine common mutation with the presence of super-tech equipped factions skewing that 1 in 1 million dramatically (laser weaponry, nano-medicine, transporter technology exists (but is not common - yet), military grade power armor) and your average run of the mill criminal didn't stand a chance against 'super-gangs'.  Let alone against the police force who are equipped to deal with the presence of these super gangs - your pistol isn't going to do much against the average officer who is sporting a 20 rPD forcefield generator and a 9d6 biometric locked energy pistol.

As such my players tend to treat any 'common criminal' they come across cautiously but also with kid gloves: that guy holding up a store might just be a punk with a gun, or he might be bulletproof, or might be able to fly or teleport.  You have to treat him as a punk with a gun at first and pull your punches just to avoid seriously injuring or killing him.

Well, I can always buy a higher maximum.  The power may get more expensive that way than just buying more dice, though.

 

I'll take a closer look at the Complementary Mental Powers rules.

 

The duplicates are supposed to be individually targetable, so the villain gets weaker as his minions drop.

It's a villain which (presumably) means you're the GM. Villains are built on plot dependant points - if this weak little power ends up costing 500 AP who's to know (or care)? I've got 'mook' class opponents with 120 AP or higher attack powers running around (rocket launchers are expensive AP wise but they're the signature weapon of one of my villain groups) .  

As long as the heroes can affect villains with their powers (and the villains are fun to fight - ie no "Drain Speed"), I've found, my players don't really care if a GM follows any kind of point value rules when building them. Your mileage may vary.

It's a really neat idea but there's definitely no written way to stack cumulative.

Mentalists can aid each other, which is normally how I'd play this situation, but you specifically don't want to overpower a strong willed hero - though you could always throw a maximum effect cap on the power (ie it doesn't matter if a hundred of these things throw dice at a 'leader' duplicates mind control - it will always cap out at 20).

How about Draining Ego and Presence instead? That's another way to increase susceptibility to an otherwise weak mental attack (and you barely need a mental attack when they're at EGO/PRE 0).  If you use attack vs alternate defence to change the resistance to the drain from Power Defence to Mental Defence then your hero 'with even a small amount of mental defence would be basically immune'. 

In play a few of these these things using a 1d6 ego/presence drain would set a normal human up for domination in short order (maybe too short - maybe a limited effect of 1 on that 1d6, depending on how long you want these things to have to 'whisper' or how many you want to need) - but the psychic hero with 5 or more MD shrugs it off.

Damage negation is so messy.  I hate it.

I stick with the tried and true high defense and damage reduction.  It covers all scenarios - including being subjected to really high damage move through attacks, falling from orbit, or being hit by a LAW rocket - a genre staple for a tough character (40 DC that would barely tickle a character with 30 resistant PD and 75% damage reduction- even if they didn't have hardened on their PD).

There's also a 100% damage reduction in one of the advanced power guides (can't recall which - probably GM) for 120 points that, for obvious reasons, isn't recommended for characters. I've occasionally broken it out for simplicity's sake for certain enemy types.  For example I used it to make an air elemental with regards to physical attacks (though it had susceptible: magic so a magic sword would do damage to it) - much cleaner than an always on Desolidification (though it did have limited Desolidifcation too) and affects physical world on everything.

Retail-1 by Gemmar Systems International.  It's pretty solid overall operations wise; 'ridiculously fragile' refers more to the things that do break it tend to be ridiculous (like a MS patch fixing Arabic fonts, which aren't even supported by the POS software). 

GWX Control panel worked like a charm on the test system even late in the game. I'll hold it in reserve if my original registry block finally gets beaten.

Invite all the world governments to my super group so they can spent points on my base.  Kindly request the well meaning aliens put that city back. Use the points donated to build a portal generator to move the earth to another dimension because any reality with a sentient devouring unstoppable Entity isn't a reality where a sentient people should linger.  

Then, once that is a secured option, assemble a strike force to take on the Entity.

You may want to change your preferences on your computer and not have your computer automatically update itself. Then search for a list of nagware programs and see if any of them have been installed. You can uninstall those programs.

One of the system's main jobs is 'guinea pig'.  It's a test bed for patches, etc, and how they'll interact with our ridiculously fragile POS software.  As it stands I owe one of my assistants money because GWX did indeed eventually say 'enough sitting around - I'm tired of waiting for you to pick a time so I'll do it myself'.  Even after almost 20 years in the business I didn't think they'd go that far.

GWX Control Panel

I've seen that before. I've replicated most of that programs functionality myself with some very messy registry changes.  Still, it's as good a time to test it as any in case I need a fast and easy to deploy solution and I do like how clean it's UI is. Let's see if it works as advertised.

Well, the time has nearly come for my 'how long can you ignore Windows 10 in the tray' test system.  It's been pestering me to update for quite a while but two days ago it calmly announced that it was going to install on March 9th unless I rescheduled.

I immediately cancelled that date (and theoretically the upgrade) and blocked GWX from running via the registry.  I wonder if that will be enough to stop it this time? Contemplating deleting the $windows.~bt directory as well but sometimes MS gets touchy about that sort of thing and the computer *is* used daily so I don't really want to mess it up trying to stop the upgrade juggernaut.

Anyone else have any luck purging the impending windows 10 update from their system?

Pay For What You Use (6E1 10)

What Not To Spend CP On (6E1 31, CC 10)

Exactly.  My favourite guideline.  I give out so many freebies in my modern set superhero game - tvs, stereos, iphones, public transportation : all cost a surprising amount of points if you try to build them using the rules but unless you take negative wealth you have access to them if you want. (Just expect them to periodically crap out in times of crises compared to ones actually purchased with points - the iphones in particular are often a target of ridicule for the power armour character who paid a ton on his sensor suite).

Conversation 11- if you want it, though? Useful in my game and free (frankly I'd rather you had it than didn't - and it won't outshine the 14 to 18 - the actual social character is sporting.)

This sort of thing is part of the reason that I made the first rank of any non-combat skill free to buy in my games. It's worked out well for my group - nobody has yet to write down every skill in the book just in case they need to use it someday (most characters take 5 to 15 'free' skills that they probably don't even increase in rank - only the 'super scientist' types take more and then start spending points).

I even give out ranks depending on skill and affect in general play.

Ie: Does having been a baker or cobbler in the 1400's affect the game in any meaningful way on a regular basis? No? Free.  Want it at 18-? Still free.  Congratulations, immortal superhero, on being one the best shoemakers in history and making truly legendary cookies

If I used Resistant Defense could it be used to protect multiple targets? would you just add usable by other multiple times?

There's a modifier on usable on others that determines your maximum number of targets,  Usable on one target is +1/4.  Every doubling after that is another +1/4 (so 2 targets for 1/2, 4 targets for +3/4).  If you want to protect more than 8 targets at a time you're better off using 'everyone in 10 meters' instead, which is a separate modifier for +1.

Pound for pound this is more expensive than a simple Aid to Resistant Protection (which I'd probably use instead) but it does allow you to actually give resistant defences to people who might not otherwise have them (hostages in a bank, etc) so it depends on what you want to use this power for.

YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.

"So we can believe the big ones?"

YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

"They're not the same at all!"

YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.

"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"

MY POINT EXACTLY.”

One of my favorites

and a perfect memory.  

You are likely correct, but I am so sick of "eternal" copy rights, that I wish them well...

I watched less than a minute of that 'trailer' for the first time and counted a dozen things CBS/Paramount are WELL within their rights to challenge the instant any kind of money changes hands.  How is this a matter of 'eternal' copy rights? The symbols, races, even set designs are direct infringements on an active IP (shows in the works, movies in the works, even Star Trek Online is a gold mine for keeping IP claims alive - in fact, several of us were pretty sure that the decision to include races and enemies that only appeared a handful of times in the series as major story and plot points was to renew their property leases on said races/characters - pretty much forever as long as the servers stay up. It's genius.)

My solution to that is to buy Running down as SPD is bought up.

 

So if you want a character who has SPD 6 but only runs as fast as a normal, buy Running down to 4 meters. Your net ground speed is now the same as a "normal" person.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary observes a sign of the times: SPEED LIMIT: 12

Interesting approach but doesn't that actually make the character slower outside of 'combat'?  I can't recall the page but Champions Complete specifically states that a character can be assumed to be speed 2 unless otherwise noted.  Sure there's nothing wrong with saying "I'm speed 6 all the time" but technically doesn't that increase the end cost of constant powers, which cost per phase they're active (not that I've ever understood why invisibility is more endurance intensive to use in a fight than on a scouting mission  - or have I been misunderstanding how to charge END for constant powers? Everyone and their grandma buys 'only costs end to activate' in my games so it doesn't come up - partly for that reason.)

Ah, the reminder. I hate the reminder. I'm waiting for it to force an upgrade to 10 on one of my home systems, as various sources keep threatening.

As for 10 itself I'm not upgrading my main computer any time soon but it's working fine on several of the newer laptops I've purchased for the office.  It's a lot better than 8 - so much so that right now if anyone has issues with their 8 install in the office I've just been upgrading to 10 (you'd be surprised how often that has resolved their issue).

That said if you want to keep automatic updates on and still want to take advantage of the 'free' upgrade at some point in the future you should consider disabling GWX in the registry.  

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

Software

Policies

Microsoft

Windows

Add a key called GWX and then create a dword in the key that says DisableGWX set to 1.  It shuts it up and the windows update still sees that it's installed and doesn't keep trying to install it (that happened on my wife's system even though I uninstalled and hid the update).

I did this pretty much the first time I saw what GWX was trying to do on every office system (and I'm not alone - I found better instructions online to forward to our western office IT staff afterwards - they're of the opinion if you can't google it it's not a solution (and then call me whenever they can't find a solution on google).

I've read articles saying that the last series of windows updates was supposed to undo that registry change specifically but GWX has remained dormant on the guinea pig system that gets updated at least a month before I update the user systems (microsoft patches love to break the retail software we use).  

The most annoying thing I've come across when reverting from 10 to 7 is that your windows 7 installation is no longer valid after reversion (at least OEM keys)  - you have to re-enter the key (which is exactly why I leave the OEM sticker slapped to the side of the tower whenever I replace a system.) 

Dear all,

yesterday, in Agreement with my players, we applied the following house rules to semplify and speed-up the game during the combat:

1) We have assumed an identical SPD for everyone (Players/Villains/etc). Anyway, as the SPD is the more expensive characteristic in terms of CP, we have assumed that the total amount of CP to build the character was 370 and not 400. Basically we decided that everybody has SPD 5 and has to put 30 CP by default in this characteristic... This should balance a bit the characters building.

2) All (player, enemies,) take their actions at every round following the DEX value order.

3) As everyone takes is actions every round, we fixed 1 free recovery after 6 rounds

We played 2 different combat situations and... basically it works... maybe we still haven't explored every combat details/situations but for the moment we didn't have any major issues... and most importat we had a lot fun!!!!

For the moment the only house rule still under monitoring and approval is the one related to the free recovery every six rounds... I still have to understand if it's too much or is ok.... I think we need a very long combat to verify this point.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions.

Recovery every 6 will be fine.  It's like cramming the 5 actions that would normally be spread out over 12 phases into 6.  Technically it should be recovery at the end of every round 5 to match up exactly, but 6 works well if '6' is *just* a recovery/reset phase and then you start again at 1 (though a 'hidden phase' gets a little funny potentially when dealing with breakout rolls or flash durations).  Either way it's 5 actions and a recovery per 'turn'. 

I like it and may steal it for my next 'street level' game (though I'd personally set the hidden speed at 6 and not reduce creation points for the players if it can't be modified up or down at all).

Held actions, I would assume, will have to be used at the end of the round they're held in or lost since essentially everyone is acting on the next segment.

I think selective invisibility is an advantage of some sort in most situations, especially if it affects multiple senses  - your team mates know where you are, you can talk to someone without being overheard, etc.  Not an incredibly large one, though, in the grand scheme of things - my hand waving was meant to price out to about a +1/2 advantage.  I could see +1/4, though (the price of selective if I recall correctly). Not sure I'd ever price it at zero (but I do have a few players that when given an inch will take a light year - every table's mileage may vary).

To add on to what bigdamnhero said, while removing SPD doesn't break things, you do have to make a decision (i.e., pick a "SPD" that everyone has) to determine when they get Post-Segment 12 recoveries.

And the lower you set that 'speed' the more powerful recovery becomes, as the characters have both expended less endurance and (probably) been subjected to less attacks which could cause stun to them.  IE: In a 6 speed game a character using a 60 point power six times will expend 36 end - and if he's subjected to (say for simplicities sake) 6 attacks from a similar speed villain that net 6 stun to him he's taken 30 stun.  A post segment 12 recovery of 20 will recover nearly half his lost end and 2/3 of the stun done to him - he's challenged but ready to press on.

The same criteria in a speed locked 2 game, for example, will net a 0 endurance loss and 0 stun loss. He can fight forever and is functionally immortal against that opponent (in my group we call this 'beach balls with a grudge' and we've seen it happen with 12 DC / 60 AP bricks slamming into each other).  Even if swarms become common to deal with the stun aspect of things the endurance recovery will be quite handy - and a cunning player looking to save some points could slap the double or even triple END limitation on everything he does and save a ton of points.

We have a gentleperson's agreement among my gaming group that nobody exceeds speed 6.  It's predictable but it works.  Minions or super hard hitting godzilla monsters have a 3, agent types have a 4, and superhero/villains have a 6.  The rare, rare super-villain will have higher but it's for aborting to defend or taking recovery actions - both to simulate a 'super tough' enemy (the team has learned to have someone hold an action to attack a certain type of recurring enemy - a type of regenerating blob - that uses off-standard phases for recovery actions).

While pretty much everyone spends 40 points to get to that speed 6 (so handy) there are a few that have bought it with a limitation that they can only use their multipower attacks with that 4 extra speed (so the mentalist can mind blast with the best of them but doesn't magically become a super fast world class sprinter or typist - they can only take physical actions on 6 and 12).

Large spreads between people who didn't understand what speed was for can definitely lead to bored players.  

I'd look at the focus rules for Expendable, and base it on how much money or cost

Is there any focus more expendable in the whole world than money?

1 - Doesn't necessarily remove invisibility.  It just becomes invisibility with a limitation (Only Affects People With Minds).  Probably worth a -1/2 if you're in a 'modern' game where cameras and such are everywhere.  Might even be a -1 if you're in a superhero game where cameras and robotic minions are commonplace (ie if the invisibility will fail 'half the time').

2 - Same thing but without the limitation on it.

Now the tricky part how to become visible to those you want to interact with.

1 - If you decide to go for a 'mental' approach then Mental Illusions (Fixed effect limitation) will cover this.  Little heavy handed an approach, though.

What you're really looking for would be some sort of Selective.  As a GM I'd let you buy Area of Effect on your invisibility with the Selective advantage on it.  It's not Usable on Others (Nearby), strictly speaking, so I'd be fine with it not turning everything around you invisible - that it just lets you decide who you're invisible to as they enter the area of effect.  

Definitely a bit hand wavy but I think fairly balanced and costed.  Otherwise you can get crazy and take a "Detect (All Sense Groups) Me" usable on others and blast someone with it when you want to interact.  Expensive and silly but probably rules legit.

You'd better take some levels to hit.  Trump has a pretty big Ego.

Big ego, sure, but low mental defense value - everything gets to him.  He's that guy that reads the facebook of a girl who he went on a date with, one time, and when she says 'That could have gone better' without any context after the date immediately writes a massive text block disparaging her, her choices, her lifestyle, and how he doesn't care anyways but that he spent a half hour writing this novel of a post for her own good so she could find happiness someday. And also that it wasn't him in the slightest, that he is a great person (you know, should any of her friends be interested and seduced by his truthful and dominant manner).

If fully controllable - a range sense of taste.  I have a lot of stomach problems but love the food that cause them - but not enough to justify chewing up perfectly good food and spitting it out like I'm doing retakes for a food commercial.