Christopher R Taylor

I guess I figure that most fights aren't going to be ones the party carefully sets up for and eats lunch while the mage casts spells over and over again so he can dominate everything. In any case, Mental powers need some further examination, I agree.

I'd call it minor transform, you aren't actually doing anything to them other than preventing them from shutting off their power.

Not bothering with active point limits is exactly what leads to the "wow this effect is super powerful!" in games. Yeah, it is super powerful, because its dealing out more raw power than everyone else in the game has access to. You can go too far with active point limits, but ignoring them is even worse. In any case, since the system is based in +10 intervals, not multiples, a lower initial Ego total is unlikely to make much difference in mental powers; 7+30 is still 37. I suppose if the GM has the monsters just ignore the mage casting spells on them over and over to set up a later mind control, its possible you could end up with a mangled and wounded pet after a turn or so.

Today's spell is inspired by a spell someone came up for as a Skyrim addon. ELEMENTAL ECHO EFFECT: The caster gains a damage shield of the type of attack spell last used. Active Cost: 26 Range: self Real Cost: 5 Gesture: both hands Spell Roll: -3 Incantation: yes END Cost: (6) Side Effect: no Casting Time: Full Turn Concentrate: ½ DCV Focus: no Elemental Echo creates an automatic damage shield around the caster that harms anyone who attacks him with the same kind of power that the last spell cast had. However, the shield will only last a short time, and takes a bit of mana to create, but not maintain. The caster can always shut off the Elemental Echo at any time. The trigger for Elemental Echo is an automatically resetting trigger that takes no time to cast and no time to reset. The trigger will always go off (and renew its time, costing mana each time) whenever an attack spell is cast. The variable special effect is always set to whatever the special effect of the spell that triggered it used; fire, lightning, cold (water), spiked stones (earth), or aetheric energy (aether). POWERS: Blast 1d6 (NND) MODIFIERS: NND LS vs temperatures or hardened PD (+1), Does Body Damage (+1), Variable Special Effect (+1/4), Constant (+1/2), Costs END Only to Start (+1/4), Trigger (see text; +1), Area Effect Surface Damage Shield (+1/4); Bonus (-1), Gesture both hands (-1/2), Incantation (-1/4), Concentrate ½ DCV (-1/4), Extra Time full turn focus (-3/4), No Range (-1/2), Lasts 1 turn (-1/4), Side Effect 2d6 blast and 2d6 flash sight (-1/2) [+4 1/4; -4] ACTIVE / REAL COST FOR OTHER MASTERY: Apprentice: ½d6=10/2 Journeyman: 1½d6=37/7 Master: 2d6=52/10; 2½d6=63/13 Grandmaster: 3d6=79/16

I use a modified Long Term END system, in which spells cost mana, but also cost 1 long term END per cast. So eventually, the mage becomes so worn out that they have to rest. Technically they can in desperation, cast more spells, but then they suffer stun damage. Its ended up nicely in games, such as the ship to ship combat where the mage dominated the other ships then had to go below decks and sleep while the rest of the party mopped up.

Limited coverage makes sense logically for a shield, but in all media, it does not have that limitation, and ought not in a build that simulates Captain America. Further, if I had a concept of a character who could use a shield to block stuff, I'd be kind if miffed if a GM insisted it take limited coverage. Special effects and all; it does what you intend it to and looks how you want it to.

The hulk is perfect for a recursive aid loop in 5th edition; some of the points go to increasing Aid maximum; then give him a Strength Aid for 'the madder he gets.' Hulk should have regenerate too, and Bruce seems a bit buff for a skinny physicist?

So many options for the hero system, different games and settings. The only one I've tried that didn't work for me was Horror Hero; Call of Cthulhu seems to work best for that kind of setting for me at least.

Chris Nolan didn't seem to quite understand that concept though.

I agree, some people just hate time travel, others are fascinated by it. Champions in 3D was a favorite product of some and most hated by others, it seems like some scenario ideas have no middle ground.

Yeah I prefer my own world but... in terms of sales, having pre-made stuff is a big advantage, and giving people a campaign they can just drop people into and play quick. That was the huge advantage of AD&D, all you needed was a few minutes to throw together a character, then there was like 500 modules to choose from.

I agree usable by others wouldn't work but usable as an attack with the control not in the hands of the target would. Its just technically illegal But like I said in this case, I'd probably allow it in this case.

I forgot he's used the shield to absorb falling damage before, since it absorbs energy.

I can't see it, since suppress shuts a power off, and that would force them to their non-shapeshifted form. Its like using a killing attack to reduce presence by cutting their face off, to me at least.

Hey, its painted like a huge target for a reason!

Honestly, while I normally would ban the use of Shapeshift Usable as an Attack (because its transform, basically), this would be a time I would probably allow it. Any other build would cost so much as to be well beyond its utility, and since its so limited and specific it wouldn't violate my sense of how to use the rules.

Yes, the real Black Widow. She's so much more interesting a character in the comics, although I admit I liked the interrogation scenes in the movie. Incidentally: she's very long lived, not sure if immortal. She was a little kid in WW2 but appears to be in her 20's now. I'm not sure if they ever explained how that worked. Since she interacted with the Winter Soldier, its probable that she was just part of their ice cube program

It might be worth putting a dependence on his armor or at least the chest piece, depending on what era. He used to need it to survive. Certainly it came into play in all three movies so far, although you're using the comics version Also Mandarin might be considered more powerful, maybe? He's really expensive to build in my experience.

I think mind controlling monsters to attack someone other than the PC, such as their friends, would require a pretty significant level of control, beyond the points you could afford with a 150 point character. Certainly far beyond what I'd be comfortable with in terms of active points compared to the rest of the party's abilities. Joe the barbarian can get up to 3d6 KA with his sword; 45 active points. 9d6 mind control ain't gonna turn a monster against his friends.

I'd build it as a Transformation attack (minor) because that will probably be cheaper than the mind control and does what you want: it changes the target into a target that has to be in that shape.

Sure, the alternative is to have spells cost "mana" or Endurance, tapping into a pool of power. Since spells generally cost more than joe sword swinger's END Cost, its going to be more limited but very flexible for the mages. What this does is make the spell caster less about managing numbers of spells and more about deciding what spells to use with their limited pool of energy.

Well other than people in Nightmare on Elm Street I could stretch it to Ego +20 if the guard is really, really zealous or afraid for his life from invaders and/or his sergeant. But equal to Ego or +10 ought to do. Heck I require characters trying to stay up all night to make CON or Ego roll (whichever is higher) to do so.

Yeah Shrike worked up a D&D to Hero conversion that seems solid and useful. I can't stand Vancian magic, but if that's your bag, then have at it, man!

I have built a few constructs using mind control based on body instead of Ego. It doesn't control their mind, it controls their physical frame. This works well for inanimate objects as well; if you control the material of the object would could you make it do? It seems a more elegant design for a power than telekinesis, but I'm not sure its legal.

What the transform would do is not force someone into a form, but force their shape shift to not be able to change. That would be a minor effect (5 points per die) to me. Now, here's where I go a bit off topic, but it is related. There is a construct that someone suggested a while back using Drain as a construct for a "curse" type effect. What it would do is work somewhat like transform, but be for specific types of effects. Using the same power design as drain (fading on its own etc), this would allow characters to impose a negative effect on the target such as complications (unluck, susceptibility) or even impose limitations on a power. For example, a Curse which causes all the target's powers to have an Extra Time limitation, or to give the character uncontrolled on their power so they can't shut it off (such as this thread). Its possible to do such a thing with Transformation, so that could be the alternate, but I always liked the concept.