Ndreare

How mach of a limitation would it be on a V.P.P. to only be able to use one power of a single FX. Basicly I am trying to do the old style variable advantage and thought V.P.P. to be my best bet. So I am Creating a character with a V.P.P. of Force Manipulation Only Red Flame TK -?. (Red Flames are only the way the powers look there is no heat or non kenetic energy available.) I initialy thought -1 to -2 but then I thought that could be to cheap. but then -3/4 would be to expensive, so i thought to get other peoples oppinions.

TK in my mind has alway been incredably under priced. After all the damage a character can do even with a 15 STR TK and advantages is rediculous to say the least. Keneton touches on the basics add 0-end and we have a nasty little power indead. Can you imagine a player whos character holds four of the villians in the air doing pathetic damage to all of them waiting fopr the other other players to get around to finishing them off or even doing it him self with his other powers.

I like the idea of having a set amount of time to learn skills as you suggest. I understand the idea behind skill levels in individual skills equating to proficiency. One of the things I was wondering is how many skills would a doctor have? I have a friend who just received a bachelors of computer science in addition to his normal computer skills he also had to learn very advanced math and some sciences along with a second language. Making for him having about six or seven skills above and beyond his mastery. I would like to see examples of this. I have been using the Heroes Unlimited’s skill packages as guidelines in my mind but I would like to think that a game should be self sufficient. I would also like to see skill challenge examples like the following for more skills. (Perhaps thrown into sidebars.) Persuasion Roll + 3; Convince some one of something they were inclined to believe any way. Roll +0; Convince someone of something of which they have no other knowledge. (Yeh can you believe she slept with Tim man that makes me think she has no morals.) Roll -2; Convince some one of something they have heard is wrong. (I know bill told you that computer memory works like a Static Energy storage but he was wrong I read a book about this and can tell you from that book that the memory works based off of a stored magnetic charge it receives the “Gauss Pass†in the mother board.) Roll -4; Convince someone of something they know from minor experience is wrong. (Yeh I know while you were driving in your mind it seemed like it was a couple of hours but I have timed that trip twice and it takes exactly 63 min. I mean after all what is better your perception or a timer?) Roll -6; Convince someone of something they fully know is just plain wrong. (I’m telling you the sky is green dude look at it.)

Well I have not spent the time to flush out or trouble shoot the system yet. I see the points that some of you are making. As for intermediate skills I am talking about If I have a character who is very intelligent 20 he will be either basic understanding (-8) for 1 point or professionally skilled (-13) 3 points. The jump is to big for my mind. I understand the point of view that this system will make the “Skilled Normal†less useful and I agree that that would be a draw back. My problem is I don’t like the way the skills are now but do not have a way to fix them. So I posted a quick think item I have been pondering off and on for a couple of days hopping that one of you has had time to make some other systems. I do not like to post “I hate this†lines with out posting alternative ideas. So I will post what I am thinking. HERO SKILL SYSTEM PROS & CONS PROS 1: Easy to Figure out. 2: Players Are Already Familiar With It. 3: No Conversion Needed CONS 1: No default skills (Bill with 20 Dex has the same untrained skill at being sneaky as Ted with 5 Dex.) 2: No Defined Guidelines For Levels of Education. (How many points should a character with a Doctorate, Bachelors or even a high school education have in skills? I know people who seem to have thirty or forty points in skills and people who seem to have 10 points in skills.) 3: Generally Sloppy. (The skill system seems to be a little sloppy I wish it was closer to the combat system. Example includes Pre Based Skills. How much do I need to make it buy to accomplish common tasks for each skill.) For the last few years I have been just making it upo as I go but It would have been nice to get some better guidelines than the chart listed in the skills section.

I have been playing with a simple alternative way of doing skills. Instead of paying three points for a skill a characters skills would all be based on his Stat rolls plus or minus a penalty based on complexity/situation. In this version a character would buy skill levels but no actual skills. So to people sneaking in the same building would both make DEX rolls but if player two had +3 with all stealth rolls he would obviously have an edge. This would fix what I have always considered a weak spot of HERO which was the no intermediate skills thing. While not completely changing the rules. Then I would have ties go to the character with the higher excess base stat over the break . Using this system character would buy Skill levels as normal for the HERO system they simply would not buy any “Skills†Converting characters from the books would be as simple as for every two points spent in a skill the character is +1 to that roll. So there would really be no hard conversion or effort needed. Example: “The Juror†is trying to out think a bomb made by “Madcapâ€. Madcap has Int 17 and +3 with demolitions skills (6 points), The Juror has Int 13 and +2 with demolitions. Madcap Rolls a 11 making his roll by 4, The Juror rolls a 12 making his roll by 4 equals a tie however since Madcap has a higher redundant level he wins the tie. What do you think has any one tried anything simmular?

I would follow the Blue Joggers advice. Just slide in what you need and what feels rite.

You should never turn off the fan boy. Then you will become one of those forty year old men making fun of 18 year olds who read comics.

I am sensing some hostility here. I personally don’t like the idea and think of it as counter productive. However I think there is a better way to tell someone than extreme reactions like this. I personally have always thought of the hero system and the gurps system as inherently better because of their simplicity. The D6 thing is part of that simplicity so I would never change it.

I have also wondered aboute speed only to REC would this be allowed? and if so how limated would it be?

Would Entangle Personal Immunity be a legal power construct or a gross violation? I am asking because it has come up on another board about star ship force fields. (Either way I will "Hand Wave" it into my games as it seems a little on the expensive side anyways. But for the purposes of talking to others I would like to know.) It also occurs to me this would allow for Spiderman styled armor.

I like this way and think It will actualy be able to simulate the "Star Treck" slieled Fore Fields I like. It is so simple yet complete in all the rules.

The rules say you may not have special powers (wich skills ould be) in a V.P.P. however I imagine if you talked to your GM he may be willing to let you have a universal skill with your TF for ten or twenty points. I as a GM would allow a skill of Transport Mastery for about 10 points.

I would certianly allow the abort to dispel action. as long as you followed all the other rules for aborting an action.

I have often encouraged players to take V.P.P.’s to represent minor magical feats. This is in my opinion consistent with plenty of source material. The way I tend to do to encourage the feel I like is to allow players to have a V.P.P. of up to ego in strength then base all other magic stuff on INT I find it encourages players to spend more points on the mental attributes than the physical. But I also am thinking of creating one rule to limit all mages saying that a character cannot have magic unless they buy the power of “Sense Magic†which can only be bought during character creation. That way magic is a gift instead of a skill. I never liked the D&D idea that magic was a skill. I don’t see why people always believe that wizards have to be limited in their magic effects. After all I have read plenty of books where the primary limit on magic was simply the strength of the caster. I feel the desire to limit a players use of magic rather than just balance the magic system seems to be a roll over of DAD. In my opinion this is a less enjoyable play feel. Of course at the same time I have always been a fan of the GURPS and Palladium magic systems where mages have pools of energy they draw on.

I think it would be very easy to justify a character who is Christian in being a "Superhero" A fundamental part of being Christian (even if sometimes we forget) is we are all sinners and love your neighbors. As a Christian I know I will fall and make plenty of mistakes. However that does not stop me from trying to help people or donating to charities. If I had power to do more I would like to think I would? This is an easy motivation for a Hero. So run with it and don’t let others shoot you down. TANGENT WARNING: Allot of people get stuck on the whole "Christians Are The Biggest Hypocrites" thing with out ever trying to figure out were they are coming from or identifying it is actually that all humans are Hypocrites not just one religion or another. There are a lot of Christians out there that are hypocrites yes. However there are a lot of pagans and atheist that are hypocrites also. How easy it would be to sit here and judge every one else’s actions as individuals and apply them to a whole group. (That is called prejudice. Meaning to Pre-Judge). The most common complaint I here from non-Christians about my religion is that I/we are arrogant and judgmental. Well I got a surprise for you if you are saying I am judgmental before knowing me then you are being judgmental something you apparently have a problem with. Non of us are perfect so why start getting into name calling and running of on things like that. As for atrocities committed in the name of god (your oil comments). Those are atrocities. Because someone says god backs me dose mean he does. It only means that person hopes to gain the acceptance of his actions by his pears. Also you should remember plenty of atrocities were committed outside of Christianity also I would not take this to mean all Atheist are like Hitler or Stalin.

I own both the Book and the character pack for USPD. So I must say I would like to see this come about for a fantasy "Grimore" also. The conveniance of just pointing and clicking is worth plenty to me.

Acording to the rules as they are laed out on page 149/150 they can "Target" through the gate as if through normal space meaning that not only would light but also sound and all other power go through. So in short YES.

It is still not unheard of for the police to use horses however in any large city. I have seen mounted officers in Seatle WA., and have heard from my brother that he has seen them in New York. Champions of the north page 34/35 would help you. I would post what is there but I would not want to upset the big guy. However I can tell you that there is no package in the book only examples and some story aboute the North West Mounted Police (Old name for the RCMP) being Formed To Protect Indians From Evil Americans.

I would think the Force Screens from "Lensmen" would best be done by making a powerful FORCE WALL with the Alblative limitation so that once an attack penetrates it will fail. Then use the gagit rule saying extra forcewalls can be bought for 5 points and you are good to go.

Thanks Keneton I recently started using tyour the ER and want to have a good grasp on how it works as I strongly like both mine and my players characters to have V.P.P.'s.

If I shoot a character with missile deflection using my autofire assault does he roll once verses the entire attack or would he have to roll verses each attack separately? This has not yet come up in a game of mine however I am making a Villain with missile deflection and one of the Heroes has autofire.

Low active point powers and preparation can easily be abused by players. I would say this is something a GM should disallow as a general rule. Something to consider however is that their will be an effective max to what he can aid so you may decide to allow this power but prepare all the encounters for characters running at that power level. Here is an example of the kind of abusive power a player could create that would potentially disrupt an entire game. Cost Power 60 Watch out for this: Aid: Any Physical Characteristic 1d6, Can Add Maximum Of 30 Points, Variable Effect One Power At A Time (+1/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Day) (+1 1/2) (60 Active Points) Powers Cost: 60 No system is beyond abuse so do not be afraid to stop a power from entering your world.

this is a character balancing tool presented to us in Digital Hero #3 Resource Road The Effectiveness Rating - Just because a character falls under the Active Point cap doesn't mean he's balanced. This worksheet helps prevent abuse. PAGE 47 This can be downloaded with DH credits bought on this web site.

Using the ER system does anyone here no how to add for V.P.P.'s I am trying to impliment the system but cannot find mention of V.P.P.s value.

This is easily the best resorce I have found. Thank you for creating it. I like the character balance system (ER) how I can just go there and get it doen and every thing were do you find the time to do all this work?