Thia Halmades

Re: So if I have 30 rPD/30 rED armor... I don't think they'd suffocate from having a Mage Armor up, but I'll certainly keep the idea in mind. I also read Slaughterhouse Five and I still have that scene in my head...

Re: Character Name Help Dragon is Kirin if I recall correctly.

Re: So if I have 30 rPD/30 rED armor... Sort of the line I was thinking along. I also considered giving any PC with that level of defense (a 5th level spell) the eye when they came in, I'm also wondering if Ghost Touch or some other effect on a blade could "ignore" armor. For example. In d20 there's a series of attacks that bypass armor and go straight to body (only defended by your PD, basically). A Mage Armor of this magnitude will likely ignore that. I also know it gets more expensive as it becomes usable on others and even more expensive as you tack Continuing Charge on it. So the answers are: Gasses/Poisons - what about AP attacks? If the armor isn't hardened, can I slash it with a standard AP?

How do you hurt me? I'm probably still susceptible to flash, and I could certainly be tagged with a heavy enough attack, but that's a lot of dice to chuck. I'm just trying to break the game, and buying a spell as armor is fairly cheap. Ground rules: You're in a Fantasy campaign, so you shouldn't use a "spell" over 150 active, although "powers" for demons could apply. Any spell structure you can think of is valid, as are basic ideas of how different things may or may not work. For example, would AVLD work to defeat this? Thoughts?

Re: Finally, I bought the game! Only one problem... Never thought about it. Personally, I like having a giant core rulebook; I prefer to do my own writing, so I don't need no steeking setting books. The only reason I purchase Forgotten Realms material is because it always has new spells and Prestige Classes. I'd rather read the information and research in a HERO book, as they're better written. But I'm off topic. Core Rulebook, genre book that promotes a setting, and then start doing tie-ins to promote the additional material.

Re: Nigh invulnerability and Overconfidence So long as it has a detriment, it's a disad. No detriment = no disad. I would submit that "Fearless" as a talent and "overconfident" are two separate creatures, although inherently linked. And, great question asked prior "How 'bout the result of said explosions?" Collateral damage, innocent passerby, and other party members who aren't nigh invulnerable? So I'd do both.

Re: Campaign writeup advice needed No apology or explanation needed. I draft overplots; that's where I mine and draw all my ideas from, it's a basic writing technique. You get further starting with a simple premise and exploding it than you do trying to get a massive idea and draw everything into it, only to be left with tons of blank canvas. The same theory would apply to a one shot, or to an 'open ended' game, such as my Ravenloft campaign. F'rinstance. "Your Uncle was murdered and has left behind his mansion estate for you to do with as you please. Draft all character histories to include knowing each other, being close to Hammet, and having spent a great deal of time in this house. Go." I have no idea what they'll do next half the time, but I can create threads, change styles, and introduce things as necessary based around them "solving the murder" as the overplot. There's no clock on it, but everything is drawn from and around it. The other thing to bear in mind is the difference between a well run overplot - one the PC's can influence, and a poorly run overplot, which is more like playing a videogame with a great deal of railroading (see: FF VII, which uses trains as a running joke). This is also part & parcel of my signature, because people get confused when I say "overplot" - they think it's a binding device used to squeeze players into shapes they don't want to be in. I simply use it as a guiding mechanic for how the world moves and the conflicts within it. Without conflict there is no story, and the overplot (so-and-so taking over the world) is the key beginning of any conflict. Don't think for an instant that I'm suggesting drafting it and holding to it. I'm suggesting drafting it and realizing, openly and happily, that the players are going to make it change. Otherwise you don't need players (see also "system doesn't matter" - this is basically what I'm talking about, the system drives mechanics, the GM drafts the story, and the players make the story go.) More thoughts.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Like A Stone, Audioslave, Audioslave

Re: Higher Point Characters in FH/Heroic setting Hrm, more accurately, Oddhat, I was trying to figure out what happens when a Fantasy character who's Heroic, and isn't buying all their gear, gets 500 XP. ~DEM

Re: Complicate the Person Above Enforcer84 is jealous because Lenneth is hotter than Freya, but he secretly years to see the two of them in a deep down'n'dirty jello fight to the finish. It shall be engraved upon your soul! Divine assault... NIBELUNG VALESTI!

Re: Complicate the Person Above Enforcer84 is secretly dating Freya, and according to her, his current status is EXCELLENT. I understand from him that she's a bit on the cold side, though. Takes some warming up. He's considering being promoted to a god of fire to get the appropriate balance.

Re: Complicate the Person Above Oddhat: having recently been thawed out, his first words were "Og, og og og" and he had to shave, lose the club, and eventually went on to marry. Truth be told, he was better with the club.

Re: My first post... I shot Enforcer84 and hid the body. But it was really his secret cross-dressing double who's now trapped in a desperate love triangle with his ex-mistress from Theta 88, which is a mining colony that Cancer is working to free. And that dude, from Burger King? The really creepy guy that makes you feel uncomfortable? He's stalking Aylwin. Oh, and hi.

Re: Finally, I bought the game! Only one problem... I always feel like a rebel in these discussions. My understanding is that Sidekick will get you started with basics, and that's what it's for, it's an introduction to HERO. FRED (HERO Fifth Revised Edition) is where all the rules all, and it does have a brief splat section covering genres (including how to build mecha, giant robots, etc.) The book is brilliant (for me) because it gets out of my way and lets my creativity do its own thing. "Hey, that'd be cool! Wonder how I build it..." is a common thought in my mind. I used to think: "Hey, that'd be cool... but no rules exist for it. Crap." That was d20, this is HERO. You will need FRED. You may then opt for genre books. For me, Fantasy HERO is a great supplement that I don't always agree with, but certainly gives me a wealth of information and has already done some of the key reserach into the genre that I didn't do. It's very helpful. And crunchy in its thickness, and easy to digest. So, start with Sidekick, reference against Champions, and get to posting on the boards with questions. You'll put it together soon enough.

Re: 3 Names required - Help! Goddess of Love: Innana. Boomerang Dude: Double-Back, Double-Strike, Curve, Double-Whammy, Outback Attack, Australian Jack, Twist-Shot. Archer: Air Cutter, Recurve, if Southern, "Twang," the sound of his string and his voice (a little campy, but catchy). Snapshot, Cross Shot, Capt. Precision, The Perfect Hunter, I believe "The Marksman" is already taken, but I'm unsure (don't read a lot of comics). If it were me, I'd name him Recurve. I planned on using that name, but if you like it, you're free to borrow it.

Re: IYC: Magic and Technology mixing? Not sure entirely what you're asking, as far as mechanics as usual you'll have to refer to one of the experts (I'm not there yet). But, first things first. Absolutely, there is nothing wrong, especially in HERO where you can build dang near anything, with the PC using a (sorry) PC as a combination Spellbook/Familiar. No different than a Decker having a semi-aware deck that both holds his programs and gives him access to the net itself. The laptop would likely (this makes sense to me) be built as a follower who aids the PC in his research, runs logistical possibilities and grasps the N-Physics of magick. No 'unawakened' computer could do this, which means it's not really a computer anymore; it's a magical construct that's adapted itself to life in a modern age, and hence appears as a computer. Other thoughts: Further research would (possibly) reveal that it rejects Microsoft programming, because it no longer runs on a normal operating system; it's simply communicating with its owner through the mechanics it knows best, like a language. It may write its own interface (similar to a cat - no two cats purr alike, although they're almost all furry, have whiskers, purr and walk on four legs - you look at it, it's a cat. No problem. You look at it, it's a computer with self-picking wallpaper. Odd, but fine.) and only communicate with its master. Taking the computer away should nerf his VPP; IF the computer is the spell book, and the nature of his ability to research, that's a limitation. No laptop, no rememorization/changing of powers in the VPP, because he doesn't have his spells. My Shadowrun and Werewolf games ran on similar principles. The laptop is inhabited by a spirit which is now the PC's familiar. Voila.

Re: Campaign writeup advice needed So first, yes, this is a good overview of an organization structure. I could go on for pages (and pages, and pages) of various bits of advice on how to do this, but I don't want to appear condescending nor do I know what you have or haven't done. With that in mind. Someone already mentioned "draft your overplot" and if there were one thing I would reinforce, it would be that. Boil your overplot down to a single thesis statement. F'rinstance (stop using my word, Bill! - DEM) "An ancient artifact recently unearthed in the Amazon holds the secret to the ancient technology used to colonize Earth, and will rewrite history as we know it; mankind is now in an arms race, involving supers and the military, to claim this artifact." A statement like the one above gives you tons of starting ground. You've already succinctly established that there are multiple key players, and those key players have & employ Supers. Those Supers are aware of their duty and will likely be involved in claiming the 'artifact' which could be anything. Or nothing. Could be a hoax! Tons of options. You build your version of a Rainforest first, because that's your point of central conflict and where you'll likely open your campaign. Work outwards from there. "Well, the US, the Russians, this non-affiliated Peace Keeping Supers Corps and this villain group are all operating within 100 miles of this area. I know the Rainforest is the size of X, giving me plenty of room to establish bases, ambushes, hidden ancient caves, and so on." It also gives you an excuse to create all new types of super villains, strange alien creatures who are waking up "on time" according to the ancient Mayan prophecies (roughly 2010, see Shadow Run for reference on the same event I'm referencing here) and then explode it into an Interstellar war as the rather irked Mayans show up to claim the planet they thought they'd colonized. Oops. My point here is that by setting a thesis statement first, everything else flows out of need. Instead of banging your head against the wall wondering "Who's in charge of which for what?" you've always got a clear path. All things in the campaign either involve, or actively do not involve, this overplot. It allows you to swiftly guage the importance of it, include simple plot hooks to keep people on track, and as necessary, create "auto events" that are going to occur regardless of PC action. The aliens will always invade because otherwise you're missing a massive part of your story. So-and-so's sister must die (See: Silver Surfer by Moebius) because it's required to show that Galactus is evil. Hope some/any/all of that helps.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic.

Re: Props / Aging Paper I use coffee, but the effect is the same. If you're feeling particularly hard core (and don't mind wasting good coffee) you can compare the separate effects and see how that works for you. Dale's suggestion of crumpling first is a good one, especially if you roll it around a bit and soften it up. Dredging it through the dirt, scorching edges, these are all the gold standards of instant relic. Foom. Other simple props include: Clothes you wear, a small trinket worn by an NPC (preferably a dead one, but make sure the trinket is important to the plot, and that you don't mind losing it - anything you'd get at Claire's should suffice, or any mall stand that sells that sort of thing. Nothing flashy, mind, but something relevant to the now dead NPC that provides a clue. Always pictures. Always music. Your voice. For me, that's the money shot, that's what I do. Write more, think more, and let your imagination and preparation tell the story. I use props for emphasis, not to overshadow or hide any DMing skills I have. Just a thought. Generally speaking, everything those guys said is dead on.

Re: Symbiotes in a Fantasy Setting - Multipower? *snaps fingers* Follower. A dependent follower which requires blood from its host in order to survive. Gains its own stats, and uses its powers to share said stats with the host. It can split, it can be killed, it has its own EGO and may attempt to take over a weaker host who can't control it or its need to feed. Can't leave the host under its own power (its fatal flaw, once its bound, it's bound until removed) because of its survival instincts. Not to be confused with the G'ould from SG-1 because they possess no real sentience, nor do they 'share' sentience with the host. They have parasitic animal intelligence, which enables them to make minor decisions, only when their own lives are on the line. It will attempt to preserve itself, but may be forced to make an EGO check if its in a kill or be killed situation. You could, reasonably, develop a "friendship" with it over time, although this would be more of buying down its inherent desire to kill you if it has too and convince it to sacrifice itself (like a loyal dog). Follower. Repped. Anyone who has more XP than me wanna take a stab at actually statting this thing out, based on my description? Dead serious, any help would be absurdly beneficial.

Re: Higher Point Characters in FH/Heroic setting Well, that is my concern really. So far no one has said "A 500 point character who doesn't have to buy gear can't be done." You have said "Buy Dark Champions." Rawr. Well, it at least gives me a gauge of where things may or may not go.

Re: Metamagick Feats in HERO (my current idea) Thanks. Still thinking, then, if you rejected that one. Conjunctive Magic sounds like grammar, but it's applicable. Codilix or Codicilary, Codicilirium. "Codicil" being an Appendix or codex of law; a set of rules applied apriori would be a neat thesaurus inspired term.

Re: constant spell I haven't been able to get to the HEROGlyphs, but note made. He mentioned in a thread he published a solution, I didn't know if you had the same solution (which I can't seem to get too) or a different solution (hence my curiosity). I will attempt once more to crack the great power of the HEROGlyph. Rawr.

Re: fear-ability Eh, why not both? You have BODY as a score, and you have PD/ED. So why not to SAN as a derived stat, and then use ECV to go along with it? The mechanics don't significantly change, and ECV would certainly represent SAN defense just as well as anything else. Standard Rule: Normal +DEF CSLs for ECV do not apply to SAN loss. Standard Rule: SAN Defense cannot be improved. There are things the mind was never meant to accept, and in a horror setting, buying up SAN DEF would really. REALLY. Defeat the purpose.

Re: How's *this* for a new setting. I mentioned this prior, but you've got the gist of it. They respected each other, but didn't see eye to eye in any way, shape or form whatsoever. Tolkien almost didn't publish LOTR after Lewis' review of the material. Now that's criticism.