Mr_Yuck

Re: Stealing Powers

Hahahaha!

Somehow I just KNEW EDM or Transform were gonna get thrown out.

Sean just beat me to it!

Re: Value of a Disadvantage?

I dunno bro...

I think if you are going to have it where the character is *always* the first targeted... I think perhpas an Extreme reaction wouldn't be out of line.

We had a player with a character concept like this.

He became disenchanted with the character after a few battles because he was tired of always getting stunned or taken out first in the fight. The super villains would percieve him and recognize the threat he was and salvo him silly.

It depends on what the bricks defenses are vs the attacks he is facing.

If he has uber defenses and can stand there and shrug off most attacks, then I'd say it wouldn't be worth as much and no Extreme reaction.

If there is really danger that he may became the sacraficial lamb at every fight, then heck ya... compensate that dude for the beatdowns that are gonna follow!

(Make sure the player *realizes* the rammifications of this disad!)

Re: How To Build: Jedi Force Slam

It just seems that the Star Wars movies are in some ways more realistic than the core Hero system as far as how much power it takes to fling someone versus knock the wind out of them; the damage we see is far disproportionate to the lifting STR we see' date=' in Hero terms. I mean, if he had 35 STR to work with, why wouldn't Darth Maul just pitch Kenobi into the shaft? He might survive a slam and a fall, but he's not going to survive being flung around like a rag doll.[/quote']

 

 

Ok, so I read the book after seeing the movie. Yeah, I know... Super-Dork.

 

Anyway... I'm sure we all remember in the movie Maul stands over the top of the pit and showers Kenobi with sparks from his lightsaber.

 

I thought to myself, "Dude! Just force-push his arse into oblivion! WTF?"

It made little sense to me at that point.

 

But in the book, it oh so briefly talked about how Maul was gloating over his far superior saber prowess and how before he killed the jedi whelp he wanted to make sure he understood how completley and utterly he was defeated.

 

Maul understimated Kenobi.

And got ganked by a far less skilled oponent.

 

And like was already stated... If Maul HAD force-pushed Obi, that would've made for a much shorter movie! (Heck short series not to mention continuity issues!)

Re: Duplication... but different

To me this is just sfx. Mind you, I'd enforce it: every duplicate HAS to be different - you can't produce a duplicate who looks liek the base character.

 

Why?

 

Well, I can see advantages to having different duplicates (it is good for vote rigging) but I can also see advantages for identical duplicates (it is good for providing yourself with an alibi). To me the advantages and disadvantages balance. If you wanted to be able to look the same OR different, then, I'd either require you to define each slot of your duplication (so if your identical twin is kille dyou can't get them back) OR buy shapeshift, with some pretty heavy limitations (single unique form linked to duplication).

 

That's how I'd do it anyway.

Yeah... I think this is how I would do it too.

Re: How To Build: Jedi Force Slam

Man, these boards move fast!

Don't you people work!?!?!?!?! (j/k)

I agree with the rest... TK is the best way to do this.

Re: Repackaging Character Disadvantages

I would say yes' date=' then I would ask how "rare" he feels that should be. And then he would find out that whatever hunted he took developed a new AVLD EB vs Flash: Taste gun...might be stupid, but it is EXACTLY what the player asked for[/quote']

 

 

Great suggestion!

However, the player in question would then be irked that someone *actually* has his vulnerability.

Additionally, those players that took reasonable Vulns would be miffed that he has something that ridiculous where they took something more reasonable (henceforth common).

 

The same player will often get angry at other players for taking a Hunted from VIPER and so on because he feels (and somewhat rightly so) that over time they become HIS hunted too. (Guilt by association, etc).

Re: Repackaging Character Disadvantages

Hmmm. Methinks that anyone with an avatar name of Mr Yuck would leap at the opportunity to have a player with vulnerability to flash vs taste!

 

 

Doc

Hahahaha!!! That is the most astute observation yet!

Re: Repackaging Character Disadvantages

Yeah... I've seen players go out of their way to try to take disads that would affect them as little as possible.

In a recent campaign, I required all the characters have a vulnerability.

One of these players tried to convince me his character should be allowed to take a vulnerability to Flashes vs Taste!!

Re: Power Thresholds

My experience with Mentalists is that you have to be very careful with them.

They are one of the few archetypes that can really run willy-nilly on a campaign with several of their powers. (Imagine a villain trying to conceal a plot affecting fact from a mentallist with Telepathy!)

I've seen both sides of this though...

The mentallist is very effective and has a wide range of powers to use.

The GM becomes disillusioned with the character due to his extreme effectiveness and suddenly most everyone has at least some mental defense or high Ego.

This made the player of said mentalist feel like the whole campaign was 'rigged against his character'.

I personally don't like the idea of everyone having the base Ego/5 Mental Defense. I've always felt the average normal was an open book to a mentalist...

But I think the mentallist is one that you have to plan very carefully for if you are going to have one in the campaign.

Just my $0.02 on this!

Re: Dark Elves: Compelling?

I think that dark elves should have pale, greasy, pimply skin, long greasy hair, ugly patches of facial hair, anemic limbs, and sagging potbellies. That way it'll be easier for their players to get in character.

 

Hahahahah!!!

You forgot the smell of sweat akin to unwashed and oft used gymn socks.

Seriously! I walked into a local gaming store where they have open games you can host or join. I walked back to see if there was any HERO action going on and was nearly bowled over by the stink of BO and BBQ. (Someone was devouring some hot wings).

Peeeeeuuuuuwwwwwwwwww! (I vacated the establisment immediately)

Some RPGers just have no concept of hygiene... but they can easily discuss the mechanics of their preferred game down to the minutia!

Re: Is the Hero the Ultimate System?

It is for me and those I game with.

I have retired all my other gaming material and now play only HERO.

Re: Martial Art: Tricking

What I saw was a lot of Capoiera esque manuevers' date=' requiring similar speed and agility, including Break Fall, Acrobatics and so on. I'd just mod Capoiera and call it good.[/quote']

 

 

Yup... I was gonna say take a look at the Ultimate Martial Artist for Capoiera and modify it a bit to taste.

Re: What are "vitals"

I've always felt the majority of the evidence points to the kiwis and surrounding area.

Otherwise it is too arbitrary to determine *where* exactly that shot hit and *if* there was or was not armor present.

Re: Invisibility Questions

Hmmmmm... Sounds like someone has been playing Assassin's Creed from the sounds of this character concept!

Am I right?

(I love the game... even if it is repititious)

Re: 2008 Projects

Atlantean Age: 5

PS 238: 5

Ultimate Base: 5

Scourges of the Galaxy: 5

Lucha Hero: 5

Urban Fantasy Hero: 5

Book of the Destroyer: 5

Ultimate Gadgeteer: 5

Champions Beyond: 5

Ok, so I'm a completist!!!

I'm most excited about the Atlantean Age, Ultimate Base and new Destroyer book. (in no particular order)

Re: Does anyone use this rule?

I didn't realize this rule existed...

However I agree with ghost-angel,

"No, I ignore it entirely. I use the build that makes more sense regardless of price."

But it makes for an interesting discussion.

Re: Comic Book powers that don't work as well in gaming

This reminds me of a hilarious anecdote from GenCon WAAAY back in time when the Marvel Superheroes RPG was at its peak. They'd statted out all the different heroes from that universe, and they CONSTANTLY ran into conflicts with source material as it was created by the Marvel writers (not exactly masters of the craft in the first place). Often, comic book writers just pull stuff out of their butts at the last minute to wrap up a story.

 

When I went to a seminar with the Marvel RPG game designers there had just recently (this was the 1980s) been a comic in which Spider Man had kicked the crap out of Firelord, one of Galactus' Heralds over the cost of pizza (I'm not kidding).

 

The poor game designer started the seminar by right away saying, "Spiderman beat Firelord by spending LOTS of Karma, and I will take no questions on that topic!"

 

The point being that you CAN'T cleanly replicate what's done in comics into a game because a game INSISTS on structure and rules so everything stays fair for all players while also giving the players a challenge. Whereas a lazy comics writer can just whip a "I had a bat Darkseid nuetralizer in my utility belt all along" to wrap up a story.

I thought the SpideySense problems were vastly prevelant in the last movie. (Spiderman 3). I found myself thinking over and over... "Where the heck is his SpideySense????"

As I have told some of my players who expect to be able to fight hordes and hordes and hordes of villains with nary a scratch and be standing triumphantly over their fallen bodies lying in a crater.... Come on! This is a RPG where you have very specific stats for all your attributes and powers. The comic authors decide on a whim whether or not The Hero hits the villain with that Blast-O-Ray cannon from the depths of Hell. Once the hit is determined, they again (on a whim and according to what *they* want to happen) decide if the hit was a solid, full on hit or just a glancing blow. As players, you have to let Fate decide by rolling dice and hoping for the best. You don't have the Hand of the Author deciding for you what happens.

I think this also holds true for these problematic powers. I have seen where some of these powers severely derailed a carefully planned adventure. But also, can be great fun to have in a campaign designed for them.

Here is an example... Your game is mostly Mental Powers free. You have a new player who joins and decides to play a mentallist (you conceed and allow it). The new character has a nice suite of Mental powers in a MP (Mind Control, Mental Illusions, Ego Attack, etc). Very quickly you realize that the large majority of your villains have NO mental defense... None whatsoever!! So the new player goes nuts and makes the rest of the players think this guy is uber... godlike even because he is so effective! So in an attempt to regain a little control over this, you begin adding mental defense to villains... But be warned. If you aren't careful, the new guy will go from feeling like he is the Shizznit to feeling like he can do nothing.

I've seen this happen to powers like Drains and such too.

Just my $0.02 on this.

Re: Turakian Age Q: Gunpowder?

We use gunpowder weapons in our game.

I've found that they cause no more problems that a powerful wand of fireballs. Heck, the wand 'shoots' faster, is usually more reliable, and is a bit easier to recharge with the prevelance of mages.

Make firearms very expensive to purchase.

Make the black powder (called 'dragon sand' in my campaign) very rare and expensive.

Players tend to be much more careful before firing their wepons!

You will find players may initially become enamored with them, but lose interest when their archer companion is making a monster a pincussion where they have fired only once. (if there was no misfire!)

I think it adds a bit of flavor if carefully controlled.

Re: FRPG Ideas from Hero that ain't necessarily so

The Haymaker was something I picked up in the Hero System 5th Edition Rules Questions.

I'll copy and paste to make it easier!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you Haymaker a Presence Attack?

Lucius Alexander

Inquiring palindromedaries want to know

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rules for Haymaker state that it applies to “any attack,” and while a Presence Attack isn’t a typical sort of attack, it’s still an attack, so unless the GM rules otherwise a Presence Attack can be Haymakered, adding +4d6 to it. However, there are several things to keep in mind. First, Haymakering a Presence Attack converts it from an Action that takes no time to one that takes the usual time for a Haymaker. Second, Haymakering a Presence Attack will affects a character’s CV, as usual for a Haymaker. Third, as always, performing a Haymaker has to actually subject a character to some potential drawback — if he’s in a situation where having a lowered DCV and taking extra time to make a Presence Attack aren’t any inconvenience, he absolutely can’t Haymaker his Presence Attack (or anything else, for that matter).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That last sentance was what prompted my post on this duscussion.

I was being a bit facetious is all.

Re: FRPG Ideas from Hero that ain't necessarily so

You can't Haymaker a door to blast it down! (unless it is somehow threatening you or you are at a disadvantage for using Haymaker)

You can't Push to blast said door down. (Unless the world will be destroyed if that door does NOT come down!)

I understand why these rules exist... but sometimes it seems kind of trite.

Re: Aborting to Shrinking

Interesting conversation here.

I've always been a little leery on allowing players to abort to actions that aren't inherently defensive. (Like the EB example to knock down the incoming missile above). I now understand why someone may allow it though, you've made a great arguement.

I just know my players....

"Wait! I want to shoot the Master Villain with my 4d6 RKA before he can activate his Doomsday device! After all, the best defense is a strong offense... And if he is stunned then he can't attack me, our team, or the world! That's defensive, isn't it?"

As such for my campaign, I've been very conservative in the past... to the point of where I would not have allowed the Shrinking use above.

But, that may be changing! As I had said, Thia has a very compelling arguement and one that will give me something to strongly consider.

Re: Shadowcats Vault of Insanity: Adult Red Dragon

Dont know about 3e and beyond but red dragons (like gold & silver) used to be able to polymorph into human form.

When I read that, I was like the travelling gnome... "No way!" lol

I checked my old AD&D books (1st and 2nd Ed) - I find no mention of the red dragon being able to shapeshift in either edition.

I recall reading somewhere (perhaps an old Dragon Magazine article) that any red dragon would loathe to lower itself to such an inferior physical form....

Dragons were always my favorite monsters!

Re: What is Your Favorite Item?

I've always loved D&Ds Wand of Force...

Essentially a lightsaber that can also do some other nice tricks.

Hmmmmm... I'll just have to make it for FH now!

Re: Daily Art Findings

Wow!

So much incredible art here... I've spent the last 2 days going through it all. (doing this at work).

The talent on many of these is stunning.

I wish I had even the smallest amount of artistic skill!

So instead, I have become a search engine guru and can find nearly anything on the web I need.

Here is a find I'd like to share with you all.

It's for the upcoming Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning MMO (due out 6/11/07).

These are all concept sketches for the upcoming game.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

http://www.warhammeronline.com/english/media/conceptArt/

Re: "Theme Music" and it's uses for setting and action?

Yeah, I've tried it, but it can be a bit distracting trying to manage a playlist.

 

Best to have a system that pulls up the appropriate music by a simple keystroke.

 

For some music to try, check out http://www.noxarcana.com, http://www.midnightsyndicate.com, and http://www.freeplaymusic.com.

 

All of those sites have free downloads of selected tracks (freeplaymusic lets you download any of them for personal use).

I've used both Nox Arcana and Midnight Syndicate music to enhance our Fantasy Hero game.

I've taken these CDs (particularly the Nox Arcana material) and based an adventure entirely around the CD. The tricky part is to develop a story that goes with the flow of the CD. (eg track 1, 2, 3, etc) Of course players have a way of thinking of things you did not... so you have to be flexible and adaptable with adventure design.

Couple of good examples from Nox Arcana are Carnival Of Lost Souls (a spooky, demonic carnival for your PCs to explore!) and The Blood Of The Dragon ( an EPIC Lord of the Rings type story and my personal favorite!)

Use it only to punctuate key events or it is distracting and/or becomes background noise.

You be the judge though! Listen to Nox Arcana on Rhapsody if you have that.

Good luck and happy adventuring!