Christopher R Taylor

Oh, there are thousands of other ways the ending of GOT could have sucked.  In truth the ways to write something well are the tiny minority of options.

I tend to build my superheroes on a sort of scale.
Bricks are 13-18 DEX, they can be agile and athletic but not as much as others.
Egoists are 11-15, they rely on EGO more than DEX and rarely need the other
Energy Projectors are usually 18-23, they're fast and agile and have to move to stay safe
Martial Artists are even higher, 21-25 because they need it even more and have good reason to be exceptionally agile and dexterous.
Speedsters range the highest, 23-27.  Anything more is kind of a waste.

You're better off doing it that way, since you're getting ripped off if you buy it as a skill level.

FWIW, my real objection to "lower DEX for supers" is to the idea that it should become the default/standard. It's perfectly fine as an option.

Or.....perhaps stop taking a subjective conversations about opinions and personal preferences as fact?  Hmmmmmmm? 😇
 
 

While Namor does predate Aquaman by quite a few years, any plagiarism would be in the other direction. Namor's background was not developed in those WW2 comics while the roots of Aquaman's origin were established in the early 60's before Namor was revamped in the early FF comics. Modern Namor has been a villain as often as not. The movie plot follows pretty closely to the "Throne of Atlantis" story in New 52 DC.

Hello everyone,
 
The second Champions campaign I played in was called "Russian Winter" from 2012-2014.  Unfortunately, I had a falling out with the GM over storyline and with another player due to personality conflicts (who also happened to be the game host).  I loved the essence of the campaign, which had a group of Soviet superheroes come back together 20 years after the fall of the USSR and the disbanding of their super-team.  The GM used characters from a variety of sources (4e, 5e, and 6e) but the campaign had an anti-climactic end that I disliked.  
 
Anyways, the storyline has enough potential to become an actual campaign booklet but I'm going to modify things substantially at the request of the GM from my old game.  I've started off by crafting the 11 members of the old Soviet Super-Team The People's Legion (Champions Universe 6e) and the new Russian Defenders (also Champions Universe 6e and Champions Worldwide 5e).
 
These are the heroes that I will use at my convention playtest:
Captain Ukraine- Weaponmaster (used a modified build for Captain America and turned him into a Ukrainian, he's name-dropped in 6e)
Erg- Radioactive Blaster (I got rid of his containment suit for the convention game I plan on running, might list it as optional, he's from Champions Organizations in 4e)
Kometa- Speedster/Martial Artist (created at suggestion of one of the board members, but an amalgamation of two characters from the old Russian Winter campaign)
Kuznya- Mystic Blacksmith (created from the old Russian Winter campaign, based off of a class in RIFTS, she serves as a more balanced Gevory Vedun from 5e)
Mamont- Titan/Brick (used my build for Ivan from Champions Organizations in 4e that I played in Russian Winter, he's name-dropped in 6e)
Quake- Earth Elemental (converted and upgraded from the 5e version)
Steel Wolf- Power Armor (converted and upgraded from the 5e version)
Syeryebro- Telekinetic (name-dropped in 6e, combined and modified characters from Champions Organizations in 4e to create her)
Taiga- Metamorph (name-dropped in 6e, build him with suggestions from Darren Watts)
The Whip- Weaponmaster (created from a build for a fellow PC in the Russian Winter campaign, was based off of Eurostar member in 4e)
Vulnapedzka- Water Elemental (converted and upgraded from the 5e version)
 
I've attached the .hdc files.  Let me know if you need me to put them in PDFs.
Erg.hdc Kapitan Ukrayina.hdc Kometa.hdc Kuznya.hdc Mamont.hdc Quake.hdc Steel Wolf.hdc Syeryebro.hdc Taiga.hdc The Whip.hdc Vulnapyezdka.hdc

Elastigirl!
 

 
No telling if she has the gargantuan booty or not

Elastigirl!
 

 
No telling if she has the gargantuan booty or not

Currently I'm at work on another novel, so my gaming books are on the back burner but I've started work on this new module and have been working over the years on it based on an old game I ran in this setting.  The core concept is that this is a huge forest on a key trade route between two major cities.  Long ago there was a kingdom there, which fell under mysterious and awful circumstances.  From then on the forest has been suspect and over time its gotten worse and worse.

OK pretty pedestrian so far, but what I'm trying to do here is make a large sandbox adventure area for a campaign to run about in quite a while, whether trying to find out what went wrong or just to have a place to adventure.  And there's a problem with the forest: its corrupted by fell forces.  And the first interesting bit I'm working into it is based on an idea from the old Avalon Hill game called "Magic Realm."  In that, the game board was built of hexagonal tiles to make a different layout every time.  And the tiles could be enchanted by casting a spell on one of them, which flipped it to the other side, revealing a slightly different layout and some other effects.
 
So I'm working that into this adventure where you can "flip" map sections you're in to cleanse it from fell influence -- temporarily at least -- which changes things about it, such as encounters, types of creatures and herbs in it, and more.  There's a lot more to it but that's a teaser to what makes this more than just another evil haunted wood scenario.
 
Over time I'll touch into this post and add bits, and when the novel is done and at the editors I can start to write again on it, building the scenario.
 
Stay tuned.

Currently I'm at work on another novel, so my gaming books are on the back burner but I've started work on this new module and have been working over the years on it based on an old game I ran in this setting.  The core concept is that this is a huge forest on a key trade route between two major cities.  Long ago there was a kingdom there, which fell under mysterious and awful circumstances.  From then on the forest has been suspect and over time its gotten worse and worse.

OK pretty pedestrian so far, but what I'm trying to do here is make a large sandbox adventure area for a campaign to run about in quite a while, whether trying to find out what went wrong or just to have a place to adventure.  And there's a problem with the forest: its corrupted by fell forces.  And the first interesting bit I'm working into it is based on an idea from the old Avalon Hill game called "Magic Realm."  In that, the game board was built of hexagonal tiles to make a different layout every time.  And the tiles could be enchanted by casting a spell on one of them, which flipped it to the other side, revealing a slightly different layout and some other effects.
 
So I'm working that into this adventure where you can "flip" map sections you're in to cleanse it from fell influence -- temporarily at least -- which changes things about it, such as encounters, types of creatures and herbs in it, and more.  There's a lot more to it but that's a teaser to what makes this more than just another evil haunted wood scenario.
 
Over time I'll touch into this post and add bits, and when the novel is done and at the editors I can start to write again on it, building the scenario.
 
Stay tuned.

Yeah putting out a Hero version of these modules is okay if you just make them and share them with buddies.  If you try to sell them, then its copyright violation, and Hero would be liable if they put that on their site or officially licensed such a thing.

I'm not a lawyer but I did take a bunch of college classes on art and the law.

Episodic vs serial.
 
 
You didn't ask for advice, but that's never stopped me from giving it. So here:
 
Lets say you were going to run a X point game, with up to Y points of complications. For starters, characters don't have to take any complications. For seconders, just tell players to spend the X points and they get 0 points from complications. 
 
If one or more players protest,  appear to relent a little and say that if they can make a really strong case for why their character should have a particular complication due to their background or concept, you might grudgingly allow it. 
 
Don't allow any "soft" complications such as distinctive features or psychological lims, only "hard" complications such as vulnerability / susceptibility, physical lim.
 
After game play starts, while you are running the campaign, pay attention to how the players portray their characters. If a player displays something or extemporaneously starts to develop some backstory, etc...things that would translate into a complication then at the end of the session along with any xp award tell them to write down the complication you've extruded from their gameplay, and they gain a commensurate # of cp to grow their character with. This will also incentivize the other players to start trying to play their characters in a similar way, if for nothing else to keep up.
 
Don't let up-front lack of engagement interfere with getting the players playing the game. If the big design up front mode of character creation isn't working, flip it around into an incremental.
 
 
I like that. Good spin.
 
 
If your player is determined to play that character and you've already allowed them to enter play, just make that their special thing...they have ridiculous DCV for the campaign. Close that door (don't let it into the game again) but don't sweat it. Tell each other player that they can pick one thing for their character that can be a couple of steps above campaign norms, and that's their protected space. Make it a feature of the campaign. Next campaign, be a little more careful up front.
 
As you note, there are lots of ways to still challenge a high DCV character. 
 
 
This is my desktop wallpaper:
 

 
In this case, don't fight human nature. If you are worried your players are going to creep your campaign above a level you want it to be, just step everything down 2 steps up front. There will still be power creep, but the first half of it will just bring them up to where you wanted them to be in the first place.

Pretty much this. 
 
HERO can be pretty daunting, but from what I can gather, it's much more internally consistent than say, D20, which makes no sense. You learn it, because it's there, but D&D is actually a pretty terrible first roleplaying game from a mechanics standpoint. HERO's actually not that complicated, but its content isn't always elegantly communicated. 
 
That's not a criticism of DOJ, which is 3 people as I recall, but an observation. Companies like Fantasy Flight and WoTC have departments dedicated to visual communication; of course they're good at this.

Indeed. So how did the game go from being one in which creating characters could become an addicting activity after just one read-through of the rulebook to one in which "newbies" can't even begin to wrap their heads around it? As you say, basic process hasn't changed. But what has changed is the way the rules are written/presented. And therein lies the problem, I believe.
 
Maybe the more streamlined Complete edition(s) of the rules will help bring the presentation of the rules to something more manageable for newbies.

Pegasus40218- a board member came up with tactical notes mostly like this-
 
A character can stand up as part of an Abort ("Get to one's feet" being a 1/2 Phase Maneuver that has the defensive benefit of improving the character's DCV from 1/2 DCV for being Prone).    Ask the GM to fully describe the SFX, any "wind up" for various maneuvers, various "tells" required by activation Limitations on their abilities, and similar in-game details pertaining to the opponents' actions not only informs tactical decisions, it also results in a much better described and higher quality mental picture of an encounter. And that's just beneficial to good roleplaying, plain and simple.   Similarly that amount of detail makes opponents far more memorable and is particularly advantageous and enriching to the game in the case of reoccurring NPC's.   KNOW THE TERRAIN   The terrain is either your greatest ally or your greatest enemy. More battles have been affected by terrain and environment than any other consideration. Pay attention to the details of the battleground du jour, taking full advantage of sight lines, cover, concealment, avenues of approach, useful objects, and high ground. Use it to your own advantage, deprive advantages to the opposition, and be mindful of hazards. Ask the GM to describe the scene in detail and if not playing on a battlemap, draw a quick abstract sketch and ask the GM if it's accurate. Understanding where things are at in relation to each other is very important, particularly for highly mobile characters.   MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS   Pay attention to events in play. Be aware of where characters are in relation to each other, who has yet to act in a Phase, who has acted in a Phase, and be particularly alert to unexpected opportunities that transpire.   TIMING   Combat is all about timing. Doing the exact same move with the exact same rolls can be brilliant or stupid, all based upon timing. Assuming you Know the System, Your Character, Your Enemy, and the Terrain, you have a plethora of tools in your character's toolbox at your disposal, but without understanding when it is a good idea to use which one it amounts to naught. Some players have a tendency to find one or two actions that work for them and then just blindly apply them to every situation regardless of whether it is appropriate or not. Don't get hung up on a particular stunt or trick. It's not a question of Holding, or Aborting, or Maneuvering, or Alpha-striking, or what have you. All are good options for characters of various designs, but only when timing favors them. Similarly some players have abilities that are only useful in certain circumstances, but they try to use them in situations where they are not appropriate, or success with them is not auspicious. Growing frustrated by failure, the player then disregards the ability and never uses it again. It's like getting frustrated when a wrench fails to drive a screw, and subsequently never using the wrench even when presented with a bolt that needs to be tightened. A good chunk of solid tactics is simply using the right tool at the right time.   RISK MANAGEMENT   An important corollary to tactics is managing your character's risk. Blindly charging about doing dangerous things without a commensurate potential for payoff only works for so long. It's all well and good to take risks, but remember to Cover Your Ass (CYA). Understand when the situation is conducive to employing an all out attack, when it is conducive to holding back, when an all out defense is necessary, and when you should gain space to recover. In a larger sense you should also consider risk to your character's teammates and allies, if any. Sometimes the best thing to do in the bigger picture is to "take one for the team" to protect a crucial teammate, or to set another teammate up. OPPORTUNISM Sometimes events occur that are irregular, unplanned for, unpredictable. It is often worth extra risk to capitalize on these unexpected opportunities. In militaristic jargon this is known as "targets of opportunity". When opponents unexpectedly lower their DCV, turn their back to the character, suffer a fumble, take an action early in a Phase (and thus briefly lose their ability to Abort), have to change clips, or otherwise suffer a momentary impediment it is tactically sound to exploit the opportunity. Characters with "Code of the HERO",  "Honorable", and similar Disadvantages may not be able to capitalize on such boons, but other characters certainly can.   TACTICAL TENETS   Tactics are essentially fluid and situational so it is basically impossible to codify them into  inviolate strictures without rendering them counterproductive. For tactics to remain viable they must remain flexible and agile. However, there are some general rules of thumb that will serve you well in a HERO System combat.   DON'T BE A ROCK EM SOCK EM ROBOT   Do not have your characters just stand around hitting and getting hit. Not only is this boring, it uses like 1% of the Combat System. You might as well just roll dice randomly to kill time, if that's all you want to do. Move around, use Manuevers, Abort to defensive actions intelligently, use things in play to springboard off of, get creative. Combat doesn't have to be a race to the last hit point.   HOLD YOUR PHASE 12 All HERO System combats start on Phase 12. This gives everyone a chance to go in the same Phase and prevents slower characters from getting bent over a barrel before they get a chance to do anything. It is all too tempting to start off the combat with a bang and rip loose with an all out attack, but unless you can totally devastate the opposition or have defenses that are so good you can weather the return fire it is a mistake. Hold your action and be prepared to take evasive / defensive action if necessary. Let your opponent show their hand first, and if possible counter punch after they have committed themselves to something.- EXCEPTION: PREEMPTIVE STRIKE
 
If your character happens to know that the opposition has an attack that is so powerful allowing them to use it results in something between an unfavorable trade and total catastrophe, then by all means take them out first even if it means going in Phase 12.
 
EXCEPTION: HIGH ENDURANCE COST ABILITY If your character has an attack that has a non-negligible Endurance cost, then use it before the end of Segment 12 if possible so that the free Post Segment 12 REC will help defray it's cost.
 
ONE IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH aka "Kick em when they are down"
 
A lot of players are used to games without a clean "STUN" concept, and once opponents go down they stay down. Not so in the HERO System. While "agents" or "mooks" might stay down at the GM's option, notable characters get Recoveries and will stand back up again if allowed to regain their composure. It's amazing how even players that have been playing HERO's for a while seem to forget this. When a tough opponent gets staggered or goes below 0 STUN hit 'em again to make sure they stay down (unless it runs against your character's roleplaying of course). LOW DCV = SWEEP, HIGH DCV = OTHER OPTIONS Once they are exposed to the idea and see how it works, many a player becomes enamored of Sweep and Rapid Fire (same mechanic), and proceed to use the Maneuver every chance they get without recourse to the consequences. This is a mistake that they are easily made to pay for as their DCV drops to half and they subsequently get drubbed by return fire. Which isn't to say that Sweep and Rapid Fire aren't good options. They are fantastic options in general, but they favor characters that have lower DCV and higher OCV via combat levels. The lower the character's DCV to begin with, the less impact dropping to 1/2 DCV is. Characters with high DCV should pursue other options to increase their volume of attacks such as Multiple Power Attacks, Autofire, or taking advantage of Two Weapon Fighting to reduce the DCV penalty of Sweep / Rapid Fire. For some characters Spreading is another useful option for affecting more than one opponent, but this has bigger ramifications and is discussed independently below. SEGMENTS (1, 5 ,7, 11) According to the Speed Chart that drives combat's flow, fewer SPD values get actions on Segments 1, 5, 7, and 11 making these Phases ideal for taking Held Actions, particularly if your character has a follow-up action in the Segment immediately following. Its also useful to set up Haymakers to end in 5, 7, and 11 (not so much 1 due to crossing Post-Segment 12). Hold to the end of 4, 6, or 10 and start a Haymaker, and let it land in 5,7, or 11.  
 
TWO-FOR-ONE SPECIAL
 
Using one action to take out two opponents, particularly in a case where one is adjacent (in HtH range) and the other isn't, is a very effective tactic. There are several ways to do this.
 
KNOCKBACK RICOCHET Not in the main rulebook, but clarified in the Rules FAQ and later publications (such as the aforementioned Combat Handbook), a character can Knockback an opponent in such a way as to hit a third character. This requires a to-hit roll using only the attackers base OCV vs. the third character's DCV.
 
PITCHING ENEMIES
 
Similarly, though not as efficiently, it is possible to throw an opponent that has already been grabbed in a previous Phase at another character.
 
SHOVE
 
The Martial Maneuver Shove is quite useful in this regard -- you can Shove one character some distance and into another, also gaining some movement yourself. It is also one of the easier ways to move opponents around against their will, and all in all a very under utilized Maneuver.  
 
MARTIAL MANEUVERS AND MULTIPLE POWER ATTACKS
 
Martial Maneuvers built on different bases can be used together as a Multiple Power Attack to pull off very efficient actions like Nerve Strike + Take Away + Leg Sweep and other such devastating combos. If one is prone to watching Kung Fu movies, a lot of the crazier stunts seen therein are most closely modeled in the HERO System via creative combinations of MPA'd Martial Maneuvers.
 
SPREADING
 
A frequently overlooked gem of a rule, Spreading allows a character to either trade damage classes for extra OCV, or more commonly to trade damage classes to make a non-AoE attack into a small AoE. I've seen innumerable players with characters that could spread their attacks never use the option. There is even an option to allow characters to Spread their Strength, which is a very useful trick. Beg your GM to allow it, but beware the opposition using it on you.
 
KEEP YOUR ENEMIES WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM aka "don't turn your back on a loaded gun"
 
If possible, try to position your character so that no enemies are behind them, particularly if the character has a high DCV and lower defenses.
 
DEFENSE MANEUVER
 
Failing that, if it is at all justifiable for your character's concept, get Defense Maneuver IV. It's just about the best spent 10 points you'll likely have on your sheet.
 
TARGETABLE FOCI aka "How many points did you save with that Focus again?"
 
Don't forget you can target Foci. Even if a Focus is indestructible (most aren't), you can knock it loose if it's Accessible and thus deprive an opponent of whatever abilities were purchased via the Focus.
 
CONCEALMENT
 
When using the Terrain to ones own advantage, Concealment is often available. Use it.
 
SHIELD OF OPPORTUNITY
 
If the situation presents itself and your character is taking ranged fire, feel free to rip up or grab some appropriately useful object and use it as a Tower Shield to provide concealment and if the GM is kind some extra DEF. INTERPOSING In a situation where some opponents are close in to fight in HtH, and other opponents are standing off to use Ranged attacks try to maneuver in such a way to keep the closer HtH opponents between your character and the ranged opponents.
 
DROPPING PRONE
 
When receiving ranged fire, and assuming no opponents are inconveniently close to melee range, don't forget that you can Drop Prone as a 0 Phase Action, which is combinable with an Abort to Dodge or similar. This is not exactly the same as Dive For Cover, though you do go to 1/2 DCV for being prone. The advantages of doing so are three fold; first off unlike D4C there is no DEX Roll involved, secondly if you don't abort to it but do it on your own Phase it can be combined with other Actions (such as Full Move, Drop Prone), and finally you benefit from any Concealment which can either impose an OCV penalty on a shooter or even prevent them from firing at your character at all if they can no longer see you.
 
AERIAL SUPERIORITY
 
Ideally you want to keep enemies on the ground and your character or allies that have the capability off the ground. It is almost always a smart tactical move to ground an opponent or to get oneself or an ally off the ground.
 
ALTITUDE
 
An efficient tactic for characters able to gain altitude via some fashion is to get above an opponent and shoot from above them, seeking to do downward Knockback. This gains three things if successful; firstly the opponent takes damage from the initial attack, secondly they lose altitude at a disfavorable rate (it takes 2" to go up 1" for most forms of movement, but Knockback is 1 for 1), and thirdly enough Knockback will put them into the ground for more damage (and if they are Flying, Gliding, or Swinging they take an extra d6 of Knockback).
 
FMOVE IS YOUR FRIEND
 
Full Move (FMove) Maneuvers are great because they frequently allow your character to take three or more 1/2 Phase Actions in a single Full Phase. That's just good Action Economy no matter how you slice it. The three FMove Standard Maneuvers (Move By, Move Thru, and Grab By) are all decent, but the FMove Martial Maneuvers are all worth their weight and several are among the best Maneuvers in the game.  Whether your character has the Martial versions or must rely on the Standard ones, get familiar with them and apply that knowledge liberally.
 
CLUSTER****
 
This probably goes without saying, but if your character has a respectable AoE or Autofire and several opponents clump together in nice tight little kill radius, it might be a good idea to shift gears from what you were planning on doing that Phase and taking advantage of the opportunity to punish them for it.
 
CHANNELING
 
Similarly, it is possible to arrange a battlefield to force opponents to clump up for AoE's, and it is also possible to push them together over time via intersecting lines of fire that leave a seemingly safe pocket somewhere. The opposition naturally finds their way into this pocket and then blammo. In games with more unusual abilities this can also be accomplished by using abilities like Force Wall, Darkness, and Change Environment to render areas undesirable or off limits, forcing foes to group up. Knockback and Throws can also be used to cluster opponents; several allies could all deposit an opponent into a tight area to set a blaster or equivalent up for a big finish, for instance.
 
SWITCH UP
 
Often a GM will present a group of opponents that are individually well suited to facing off against one or more PC's. If the GM then engages the PC's individually with these mini-nemesis and the PC's get stuck in with them accordingly, it can make for a long fight. Let the GM have a little fun, but after about a TURN or so consider having your character deliberately disrupt the pairings. Cheapshot an opponent that is giving a comrade a hard time of it, freeing your ally to either finish them off or in turn helping out another ally (maybe even you). This is good tactics (it's never smart to fight your enemies battle), but on the other hand it can be frustrating to the GM, so use responsibly.
 
DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO
 
If for some reason you aren't sure what to do, or no particularly worthwhile target is presenting itself then 1/2 Move and Hold a 1/2 Phase. Consider it your filler action of choice. If you frequently find yourself with nothing to do it's possible you need to reevaluate the character and either get an ability that takes time to use like Find Weakness or Aid so that you can translate all those extra actions into something useful, or perhaps lower your SPD and recoup some points. Alternately you might just be indecisive, which you are on your own to resolve.
- 

So I was fooling around with potential wild west martial arts (distinct from, say Kwai Chang Caine) that might be included and came up with four different ones.  At first I was thinking "meh, just leave it out it doesn't fit" but then I realized that "martial arts" in Hero doesn't necessarily mean specialized dedicated training in a style so much as a set of special learning and maneuvers.  And then there's the native American wrestling and fighting techniques which were pretty advanced and impressive. 
 
Boxing is already in the book, so I won't post that, but its the first one.  It was pretty popular back in the day.
So I tried to build a sort of Jailhouse Rock informal combat based on those barroom brawl scenes: some people just seem really good at it

 
Then there's the Native American one.  I used the name of a now-formalized official Martial Art created recently based on these kind of moves

 
And finally there's a trick shooting one, because with all the guns and experts it kinda makes sense.

OK this is what I came up with based on people's ideas of talents for the Wild West.  Not 100% on the names though
 
Desert Born: Life Support vs Heat Extremes (2 Active Points) 2 pts
Fast Track (tracking takes less time):  Naked Advantage  Reduced Time By One Step (+1/4) for up to 23 Active Points (6 Active Points) 6 pts
Horse Bond (super communication with horse):  Mind Link , One Specific Mind (5 Active Points); Limited Range 4m (-1/2), Requires A Roll (Animal Handler roll to establish, -1 per 20 Active Points modifier; -1/4) 3 pts
Reloader (load weapons one step down time chart faster):  Naked Advantage: Reduced Time By One Step (+1/4) for up to 62 Active Points (15 Active Points) 15 pts
Saddle Grip (can do acrobatic tricks and are hard to throw):  Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); Only while mounted (-1), Requires A Roll (Riding roll, -1 per 20 Active Points modifier; -1/4) 5 pts
Trick Shot (do an impressive shot to gain presence for attack): +10 PRE (10 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Attack roll, -1 per 20 Active Points modifier; Must be made each Phase/use; -3/4), OIF (Firearm; -1/2), Only for offense (-1/2), Instant (-1/2), Nonpersistent (-1/4) 3 pts
Vault (jump safely to targets):  Leaping 0m (4m forward, 2m upward) (Accurate) 5 pts
 
I see "Bar Slide" as being a combat maneuver for a Barroom Brawling Martial Art more than a talent.
 

I was trying to figure out how to simulate riding a bucking bronco and I came up with this system.  I'd like to test it some and see how well it works in real tests, though.
 
 
This seems like it would make for an entertaining, interesting contest in which a really skilled rider can still be thrown by a particularly clever or agile horse. Ain't no horse that can't be rode, ain't no rider that can't be throwed, as they say.
 
Edit: probably should work Animal Handler somehow into there, and maybe something that gives the rider a bonus if they have a higher speed than the horse, like a held phase can negate some of the horse's INT or DEX attempts.
 
Another thought: maybe allow a DEX roll complimentary to STR roll for the rider, and the reverse if they use DEX to hang on instead of STR.
And while most horses will only do one or the other (INT or DEX) some particularly clever or mean ones might be able to do both.

TTS was designed for boardgaming, and it shows, particularly in light of the fact that it doesn't afford a GM the ability to improvise and bring in needed assets on-the-fly. So if you haven't prepped for a particular event (RPG players rarely do exactly what you'd expect), you're screwed.
 
Why not simply use a VTT expressly made for playing RPGs, preferably one with built-in support for Hero System mechanics?

I think the simplest answer is to state that Cover can be defeated, but it takes a really supreme DEX roll to out maneuver the person covering you (like -5 to the roll), and that you can activate any power that does not require extra time, an attack roll, or conspicuous use like gestures, incantation, concentration, focus, etc without being hit.  That still makes it behave more or less like written and in the source material, but people with really weird powers like teleport can get around it.  I mean, no matter how well you have someone covered, if they just disappear... they're gone.

As defined in the rules, but... where in the source material or genre support is this ever shown?  I'm not even talking about real life here.  Where is there EVER a situation where someone covers a guy and its impossible for them to miss or fail to shoot before the other guy takes action unless a hot girl walks by?
 
And yeah, Western Hero has rules for showdowns, giving rules on dex roll/fast draw modifiers based on circumstance, equipment, etc.

If we accept that a Cover is a "super-Abort", perhaps the Cover simply becomes "I Cover" - my attack action is used up, but I can take my attack, with the -2 OCV, penalty and only on that target, at any future point, with no other actions available to the target before my attack rolls to hit.

To me this is about the most annoying thing a GM can do.  The first problem is that every Gm I have encountered lacks the narrative skill to properly describe what is happening without becoming repetitious.  I am sure that a lot of people are thinking that they have better skills than those I game with.  The fact is that one of the GM’s for my group is a published author.  His ability to describe a situation is quite good, but coming up with different ways to describe basically the same thing without using game terms is difficult and time consuming.  Which brings us to the second problem is that this slows down the game to a crawl.  Combat takes long enough without having to add the time for a round of twenty questions to figure out the effect of your attacks. 
 
Another problem with this approach is that most heroes are supposed to be skilled combatants.  Part of being a skilled fighter is being able to judge the effectiveness of your attacks.  Without this your character is kind of just swinging in the dark.  Mystery damage denies this ability to the characters. 
 
The last reason that I dislike this is that it makes it so that everything in the game is from the point of the GM.  Often people will have different perspectives of the same event.  The 1950 Japanese movie Rashomon is classic example of this phenomenon.  By  having the GM as the only viewpoint it actually diminishes the story and roleplaying. 

Victor Von Doom is one of the most complex, compelling villains in comics IMHO. He could easily support a limited series. But Marvel would have to carefully consider how they want to fit the Fantastic Four to this version of him. They're so inextricably linked, you can't do a proper Dr. Doom without at least referencing the FF.