Monolith

Originally posted by Captain Photon

I have a question guys..........where do I get myself an Avatar as cool as those I've seen on the board?

I think many of us made them out of pics we had on our computer, but Mike B. posted a nice link which you might find handy.

http://forums.legacynexus.com/avatars/comavatars.html

Originally posted by Keneton

How is combat more descriptive with less information? Why doMonolith, I am not implying you mean this but it seems in the tired spirit of "rules light = good roleplaying." I thinks that knowing wher things and people are make things better for the players and the GM in every instance. What do you gain playing without hexes?

What I mean is that there is a very big difference in the game between a player having a lead figure on a map which shows a small stream and three boulders and six goblins standing on the otherside of the stream 8" away, and the GM describing the situation.

If the GM has to "describe" it, rather than just letting the players look at the tactical situation on the map, this leads to more descriptive role-playing on the player's part because they are not just moving their lead figures, they are decribing what they are doing to the GM.

"You come into the clearing and you see 6 goblins on the otherside of a small ditched stream. The goblins are about 50 feet away from you but apparently have not seen you yet. There are three fairly large boulders, two on the goblin's side of the stream and one on your side of the stream. The boulder on your side of the stream is about 20 feet away from you. The boulders apprear to be large enough to hide 3 people behind, but it will be cramped. Two would be better."

That adds much more flavor than the ranger moving his lead figure on the board up to the boulder and say: "I'll use the rest of my move to draw my bow."

It does to me anyway. YMMV.

Originally posted by SpydirShellX

A doesn't move as far in one turn as B does, but because his movement is less, he has less velocity.

You gain velocity a 5" of velocity for 1" moved. So if you have 20" of Flight you are at full velocity after only moving 4". You cannot gain anymore velocity than your maximum. The distance moved has nothing to do with your maximum velocity.

Originally posted by Keneton

Youve got toconsider what you give up and that you gain nothing simplifying the game.

There is a lot to be said for just using descriptive role-playing. While the HERO System's roots are firmly imbedded in tactical games, it can be run quite well and quite beautifully without ever needed a battlemat or even a table to play on. It is just more work on the GM's part.

It really depends on what you are looking to do. No hexes leads to more descriptive combats Having hexes leads to more tactical combats. There really is no perfect one way to do this. I have played the game both ways, and have found both to be enjoyable. But be prepared if you decide to go the no-hex route. The GM will be required to be FAR more descriptive in his game play and how he sets up the field and gets the players involved.

Originally posted by Supreme

A Universal Skill group is 20 points. A VPP skill pool is anywhere from 4 to 6 points (depending on whether or not buying "cosmic" is considered necessary). The Skill VPP allows virutally any skill whereas the Universal Skill Group only allows skills within that group: sciences, languages, knowledge skills, etc.

That is why I suggested buying each "class" of skills as a separate VPP. You would have a Science VPP, A Knowledge Skill VPP, a DEX-skills VPP, etc. I also suggested you use the Power Skill to make the changes, thus costing the character more points.

And skills aren't allowed in frameworks are they? 5th Ed. didn't change that right?

It is a gray area that is a GM's call. For a dedicated VPP I would have no problems, but I would not allow a player to buy a skill in his Magnetic Pool or something like that.

I would just buy the character a VPP, Sciences Only: -1, with the Skill Roll being Power: Expert. The same goes for Knowledge Skills and even languages.

I personally run my games with a strong emphasis on SFX. In my game a character would be allowed to stab with an arrow, but at a decreased damage level. Many times the SFX of the power need to make more common sense than the way the power is designed. Also keep in mind that there is no rule which says a Ranged Attack MUST be used at range, only that it CAN be used at range. You can "touch" someone with your Energy Blast. You do not just have to shoot it across the room.

Originally posted by mattingly

Instead of buying the flight as an Independent focus, you might want to buy it as a Vehicle, for roughly the same amount of points. I'd normally recommend this for a flying carpet, rather than a cloak, but depending on your special effects, it might be valid.

You know, I never thought about buying a flying carpet that way before, but you are correct. It fixes all the problems with how many people can be sitting on it at once and comes out even cheaper. Thanks for the good idea!

Originally posted by Gary

However, I would get rid of the EC. Sticking an independent focus in a EC sounds bogus to me. It seems like a cheap excuse to save points. I'm not even sure how the 2 powers in the EC are related enough to qualify for the points savings. The golden rule of EC's are that if you drain 1 power, you drain them all simutaneously. It doesn't sound like the case here.

Actually the EC is valid depending on the SFX of all the powers in it. Witchcraft is designed the same way in Champions, but the intent was that they are a specific series of spells sort of like the Cyytorak spells are in Marvel's magic system.

I do agree on the Independent though. I would think that the new ECs would require that every slot have similar limitations on it. I also just do not care for Independent that much.

It was in the rules FAQ, only it was under Multipower instead of the Combat Section where Zero-Phase Actions are discussed.

Q: Since allocating reserve points in a Multipower is a Zero-Phase Action, could you allocate points more than once in the same Phase? For example, could a character shift points to his Teleportation slot at the beginning of his Phase, make a Half Move with Teleportation, re-allocate points to his Energy Blast slot, and attack with the EB?

 

A: Generally speaking, no. In most cases a character should only allocate Multipower reserve points once in a Phase. The example above shows just how potentially abusive allowing multiple allocations in the same Phase can be.

 

However, it should be noted that, under a strict technical interpretation of the rules, what you’re describing is possible. To say characters should never be allowed to make multiple reserve point allocations during a Segment could potentially impede a lot of perfectly valid and dramatic actions. Multiple allocations might be appropriate in many situations, campaigns, and genres. The GM might allow it as a campaign ground rule, as a one-time thing in appropriate circumstances, or as a trick occasionally pulled with the assistance of an appropriate Power Skill roll.

I would rule that it can be done, but only with a Power Skill roll.

I did not even realize the point-swaping rule for Multipowers had changed. I have asked Steve about it in the Rules forum to confirm this. It might just have been an oversight.

Dark Green came up with something in another Forum and I cannot find the rule to state he is incorrect. If you have a Multipower set on Flight and you make a half move, can you then switch your Multipower points to another power (switching being a Zero-Phase Action at the half move point) and use that power at full power? For example:

60 point Mulitpower

1-30" Flight

2-30 PD 30 ED Force Field

3-12d6 EB

Can the character fly 15" and land (a half move), then switch his Multipower to the full 12d6 Energy Blast or to the full Force Field?

I think someone on the SAS/HERO Showdown boards stated that they were very close to having a version finished. You might want to check there to get his name and email address.

And Yamo, curse you for making me go over there and read all those flames. You know I have a low threshold for negativity.

Originally posted by Mutant for Hire

And then there is the question of why so many attributes only manifest in CHAR/5 levels, making one wonder why one should not just divide the attributes by five in the first place.

Because if you did that, then you would be playing Fuzion; his favorite game.

Well that was unusual. I never had a pdf open up in the middle of a message board before. I don't know if I liked that too much.

Re: Incompetent Normals

Originally posted by Hermit

"Oh dear, I do hope Peter stays warm."

Now THAT was funny.

Originally posted by Storn

I don't have time right now (Millennium City interiors, Warlord cards all due this week).

Well darn those MC interiors!

That's ok Storn. We can wait for your wonderful pics. I am learning patience. Dan said we had to practice that.

We are currently making characters for TE. We are putting our GURPS Traveller campaign on hold and will be doing all our SciFi gaming with Star Hero shortly. Now if DOJ would just get that book out I wouldn't feel like a louse for letting the other gamers read my printed copy of the playtest manuscript.

It feels like home, only different. I will have to sleep here a few nights and use the shower before it feels right though.

Excellent! I'll have MisterVimes' daughter name his grandchildren after you!

You missed about 6,200 posts in total. I think you did miss some good stuff there.

But look on the brightside... there's a whole bunch of new good stuff coming up here soon.