Utech

Re: Encyclopedic General Knowledge That would work. Honestly, I hadn't thought it through.

Re: Drivers, start your engines! You might consider Tactics, various flavors of Analyze, some sort of Gadeteering or the like for improvising some sort of equipment change in the pit stop..? Before the race, you could use Acting, Seduction, various flavors of Analyze, Gambling, Streetwise, Contacts, or (of course!) roll playing some encounters among the various drivers and crew members. All this could add to or subtract from the starting rolls. Teamwork might allow something like dirty tricks if you've got more than one car on the course for each team...

Re: Encyclopedic General Knowledge I'd probably allow the Computer Access Perk to cover most of this. I'd allow any character with access to the Internet to have . . . access to the Internet. If you want that access to be perfect, instant, and/or impossible to be taken away, that's gonna cost some extra points.

Re: Single Most Powerful Super Hero EVER!!! It really depends on the book, doesn't it? Having said that, I like all the choices so far. Two I haven't seen mentioned that I always had a soft spot for: Lobo Martial Law Is either the most powerful out of all mentioned so far? No. But in their own stories, they were kick-butt.

Re: GM conundrum - CSLs To return to the first post, I'll just toss in a couple of yen: I don't think your player will get exceptional mileage out of all those CSLs. I'd recommend that you try it out and see what happens. If he does happen to hit everything he aims at . . . so what? Sounds very cinematic and exciting to me. He won't be great at everything so why not let him be a heck of a great shot?

Re: Create Light and the 17 Point Light Spell that isn't Just so. If a new Light Power ought to cost 1 point and that's it, that's what it will cost. As I explained in the post sketching in a Light Power, I just tossed some numbers in there. Frankly, I think the new Power is a lot simpler than all the backflips I've seen so far to do something quite simple.

Re: Create Light and the 17 Point Light Spell that isn't CE certainly makes more sense to me. Another option is to make a new Power: Light. (written up quickly and with absolutely no playtesting) Light Type: Standard Power/Sense-Affecting Power Duration: Constant Target: Hex Range: Self Costs END: Yes Cost: See Light Summary Table A character with Light can create a field that floods an area with the carrier of information (usually light) that allows one Sense Group (usually the Sight Group) to function normally. Some examples of Light include candles, flashlights, a match, and a neon sign for your favorite hops-based beverage. Light makes the covered area accessible to Senses that would otherwise be blind. Light does not counteract Darkness by default, but a GM may rule that the Power with more Active Points is dominant. Light Summary Table: Cost To Fill One Hex: 5 for one Targeting Sense Group; 3 for one Nontargeting Sense Group Cost Per +2 Meter Radius: +5 for one Targeting Sense Group; +3 for one Nontargeting Sense Group Extra Senses: +5 for one Targeting Sense Group; +3 for one Targeting Sense; +3 for one Nontargeting Sense Group; +1 for one Nontargeting Sense

Re: How to understand the SuperHero Genre I think any genre requires a certain amount of buy-in. If you're not willing to pay that price, no worries. The superhero genre asks us to believe that we can have people capable of breaking the laws of physics all the time. They might be utterly invulnerable or strong enough to shift a tectonic plate, or able to outfit a legion of thugs with laser guns. But, basically, the world is as you and I know it. (exception, exception, yeah yeah yeah) The fantasy genre asks us to believe that in a world with fireball spells and a zillion different ways to fly, people would still build castles that look pretty much like a standard European castle we could visit in our world. A lot of the genre revolves around things being more or less the way they were in Medieval Times (both the era and the establishment). Why are there farmers when the same people could become clerics and make food and drink for the city every day? Why are there inky shadows for the thieves to hide in when permanent light spells should have the city blazing like Las Vegas? The space opera genre asks us to believe that combat in space is pretty much like combat on the high seas. They even talk about "ships" and "torpedoes" and "marines" and all that nonsense... You can see where I'm going with this, so I'll leave it. Almost. I think I really ought to point out one more thing: if you don't like the tropes of a given genre, you can change them. Everything you like about fantasy roleplaying can be done with superheroes. It'll take a little fiddling. But it's doable.

Re: Riddles The question you need to ask yourself is this: Are the answers to the riddles essential for completing the adventure? No: Make up any riddle you like! Pick some from the Internet. Be funny or risque or cruel depending on the riddler and the sort of game you're playing. Yes: Be prepared to give them the answer. It doesn't matter what riddles you use, but it does matter that they solve them. Make sure that they've got the Skills, Contacts, or other background necessary to answer your riddles.

Re: Regarding Snipers and Spotters If you're looking for something simple, you might assign extra CSLs or PSLs for use only when you have a spotter -- or have a Naked Advantage to buy off Limitations only when you have a spotter.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team! He's cold. He's arrogant. He's an egotistical megalomaniac with a penchant for crime, rhymes, and some very distinctive pants. Able to become frictionless at will and possessed of a flow that lets him spit lyrics like no one else on the planet . . . let's face it: He's untouchable. Yes, Unus Burrell goes by Unus the Untouchable. He is widely believed to have been the masked man who walked into offices belonging to Marvel Comics and stolen original drawings of his namesake in X-Men vol.1 #8. His cover of Hammer's U Can't Touch This included music that appears to be have been copied from the original. But his well-paid legion of lawyers have made it clear that Unus is innocent of all wrong doing. And he's frankly Too Legit To Quit. That's only half-right. Unus has no intention of quitting, but he sure as heck ain't legit. He just loves to commit crimes.

Re: How to Build: True Duplication It is also possible to have "duplication" simply be the sfx of a variety of powers, skills, contacts, etc. You still have to worry about the original character, so that's probably not the answer to your problem here. It does, however, let you have an infinite number of "duplicates".

Re: Visualising Block

Re: Visualising Block

Re: More Blockages I'd call that a failed block with a low damage roll, myself. A successful block shouldn't hurt.

Re: Visualising Block And in my opinion it's an insignificant price to pay. I can say, "A Dodge" by way of explanation in about a second and there are plenty of other builds that benefit from just that sort of quick hood-raising: AOE attacks that look an awful lot like they're not (might be Rapid Fire, might be Spread, might be Selective AOE, might be Accurate AOE...) attacks that look an awful lot like they should use one mechanic but they use another (Drain, Dispel, Transfer, Mental Illusion, Blast, RKA, TK...) defenses that look an awful lot like they should use one mechanic but they use another (Force Field, Armor, an invisible mobile personal Barrier, Summoned mime bodyguard...)

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team! Shinji liked to be alone for a few minutes before entering the beast. The beast. Shinji never used that word in front of others; never said it aloud. Kept it inside. But the beast knew how Shinji felt. Shinji was sure of that. And the beast didn't care. Or hadn't yet. It would some day. Of course it would. One day, Shinji would slide inside and feel the beast's embrace and something would be different. Shinji would go out to do his duty and the beast would seem to respond as it always had. It would take him into the heart of battle. It would allow Shinji to scatter crowds and explode buildings. And then it would silently snarl and inwardly sneer and it would fail to protect Shinji. That fragile little bundle of bones and gristle and blood everyone assumed to be in charge. And Shinji would die. And the beast would be repaired and handed off to the next guy. Shinji knew. He had been "the next guy" once. And what could he do? He could stick to his diet and his workout and his prayers. He could continue to do secret good deeds. Working hard to make sure no one even suspected Shinji of having done them a favor. He could stroke the beast and maintain it and seem -- oh seem! -- to have tamed it. This he could do. Breathe in for four counts. Hold for six. Let it out for eight. Do it again. Again. Find that center. The stillness. Open the seal. Step inside. Allow the embrace. Wait for everything to blink green. Check the legs. Each of the four arms. Disconnect the umbilical. Pick up today's weapons: INF17, an infrasound emitter keyed to 17 Hz capable of instilling awe, fear, anxiety, uneasiness, sorrow, and/or revulsion -- though one could never tell what any given target's reaction might be; PEP, a pulsed energy projectile which isn't a projectile but rather an invisible laser that generates plasma where it hits and hurts like hell (or, with the power turned way up, kills); and the SMAW-NE, the little missile with the big thermobaric warhead -- for when a wall really pisses you off and you figure an extended, powerful overpressure wave needs to be introduced to the equation. Pretty standard. Shinji turned to look at the mirror and saw the beast. Just what he had expected. Just . . . what he deserved. The techs came in -- relieved that Shinji had gotten into his battle armor so quickly -- and did their final checks. "You're all set. Go get 'em Thanator!" Shinji grunted something non-committal. And went. And got 'em.

Re: Visualising Block So long as the mechanics advantages and restrictions of the Block maneuver are what you're after, I don't think any sfx should be immediately disqualified. Every GM and every group of players can restrict the game as they see fit, of course, but I think it's just plain silly to insist that Block must include some sort of physical contact. By extension I think it's just as silly to insist that Dodge must not include physical contact of any sort. Examples of perfectly reasonable sfx (so far as I'm concerned) would include: Sidestep. This is a Block in which the defender moves aggressively toward and then to one side of the attacker. While ensuring that no actual contact occurs by following the line of attack as nearly as possible, this maneuver puts the defender in an excellent position from which to quickly counter-attack. Unfortunately, the closeness of this maneuver is sufficient to trigger most Damage Shields. Note: A GM might want to clarify to all present that the Sidestep is a Block and not a Dodge, but that ought to be obvious when the defender makes an Attack roll against his attacker. Hardly even felt that! This is a Dodge in which the defender seems to put all of his focus and attention into "taking" incoming blows. His focus is so intense that it is clear to any who might look that he's simply incapable of attacking while in this state. Any attacks on the character that fail to make a "hit" result against his increased DCV appear to have been absorbed or ignored. Any attacks on the character that successfully make a "hit" result against his increased DCV appear to have been too intense or unexpected for him to resist and do their full damage. The defender's seeming ability to shrug off most attacks is so profound that Damage Shields fail to activate even though the attacker seems to have struck the defender. Note: A GM would have to clarify to all present that the defender is Dodging and that the mechanics of this particular set of sfx are the same as a failed "hit" result.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team! Flipping through her pocketbook you'd come up with the name Diana Sorr. You'd have to be a telepath to know the name she calls herself: Supremum. "Modeler? Are you in?" Diana called from the front door -- shifting bags of groceries and dropping her keys in the little ceramic piggy. A silly question. The TV volume was high enough that Diana identified the 'House of Blue Leaves' segment from Kill Bill volume 1 while still in the hall. She shook her head and padded into the kitchen. Looking over the counter she saw Modeler doing her thing. Taking in every move on the screen. Studying. Analyzing. Trying to up the number of variables she can effectively juggle. Probably going out on another 'job' tonight. Bank? Armored car? Superhero statue dedication ceremony? Diana started putting things away. No use talking to her roommate until the supervillain was through with the scene. Ah, supervillainy. Just the thought of it made Diana all sparkly inside. Modeler was a heck of a supervillain. The way she took people apart -- or directed her teammates to take them apart -- it was poetry. Just poetry. And Diana was Modeler's muse. The scene ended. "Diana? Hey! When did you..?" Modeler shook her head. "I'm telling you I'll never get used to it. Never." She leaned over the counter for a quick kiss. Snagged a box of cookies. "Need my energy." "I thought we might go dancing tonight," Diana pretended to pout. "I'm sorry, Di, but I gotta fly." Their private little twee little rhyme. Somehow Diana didn't lose her lunch. She snorted instead. "Gonna bring me something pretty?" "I'll come back. I'm something pretty." "You sure are. But are you going to bring me something else pretty?" "What did you have in mind?" "You tell me." Modeler threw a cookie at Diana. Diana caught it in her mouth. "Good catch. You know I can't read you. Too many variables. You could be anything over... A lot." "You must be this tall to ride the Modeler..?" Another cookie. Missed this time. "Ouch." "Serves you right. No. Nothing pretty unless you count bearer bonds as pretty." "Yuck. Pick me up something, OK?" "Like what?" "You know that jewelry shop on 5th?" "The necklace?" "See! You do know me!" Modeler beamed. Not 100% beamed. But beamed. "Yeah. Maybe. Maybe I am starting to..." But of course she wasn't, Diana was thrilled to note. Nope. Modeler still didn't get it. Couldn't take the true measure of Diana. No one could. It's what made Supremum so effective. No man, woman, child, animal, or device was ever able to fully 'get' Diana. She was an unidentifiable variable. That (and a nice pair of legs) made Diana irresistible to Modeler. To Modeler and a dozen others. Supervillains. Superheroes. Politicians. Captains of industry... Moving through all their lives without anyone really able to get a handle on her. Just the way she wanted to be.

Re: Advantage i almost never use: IPE I think whether or not IPE is right for you will depend greatly on the sort of game you're running. Many swords and sorcery campaigns will have most magic be quite obvious to all observers and only advanced sorcerers able to cast magic with IPE. Purple tendrils for TK might be just what the doctor ordered.

Re: Teamwork, Multiple Attackers, and Coordinating (Which is why I wrote "there are many exceptions".)

Re: Teleportation Power Ideas? You might consider odd things that might be done if your character could teleport some distance and back again essentially instantly with something in the environment. He might, for example, be able to teleport down into solid earth/rock (danger!) and teleport right on back with some quantity of that earth/rock to set up a Barrier (perhaps with Side Effect). Or he might be able to teleport high into the atmosphere and teleport right on back with some quantity of cold (and poorly oxygenated) air as an odd Change Environment.

Re: Teamwork, Multiple Attackers, and Coordinating Absolutely. The fewer obstacles there are to player cooperation the better. In general (there are many exceptions) this is one of those points that separates the heroes from the villains IMO. Heroes should be working together and receiving some sort of benefit from it. Villains fail to work together and lose out on that benefit.* *Of course there are other benefits to being a villain.

Re: How would you do a wish? I imagine something along the lines of Transform, Mind Control, Luck, or a VPP but since it's a bit of an odd duck I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult to write up a power called Wish. Set up some break points to distinguish among basically insignificant wishes, minor wishes, major wishes, and epic wishes. Decide if you should pay a flat rate to automatically be able to wish for things at each break point or if you want to have to roll dice to get a target number in order to have a wish succeed. Allow players to take Limitations (Charges, Focus, Gestures, etc.) and Advantages (Reduced END, Usable as Attack, etc.)

Re: Vampire: the masquerade style blood pool