altamaros

Recently : "Legends of Five Rings" : The PCs, in the Shadowlands. The Kuni shungenja just meets a horrible death from an Oni : PC-Kuni - I think i'm dead now ... PC-2 to the GM : OH, MY GOD, YOU KILLED KUNI !!!!! all the other PCs : BASTARDS !!!

hi, sorry if it has already been mentioned but one of my worst player habits is : the "other GM" : this guy is also a GM to your game. He gives GM-only information to the other PCs, tells to the other players that [major official NPC] should not be roleplayed like this, corrects the informations you give to the party at any occasion, etc ....

The player has a VPP, some nasty ideas, Hero Designer and the USPDB. he sent me his first work today. this character will be pretty funny to come with (built on 230 points in a 300 point game but completly unpredictable, highest primary char at 13). Yep, I first come to him with the idea X dices of luck and X dices of unluck. The problem is precisely that he wants to keep a limited control over his abilities and not get caught off-hand in a bad moment. I think Derek's idea is the simplest : some regular dices of luck and extra dices with a lim.

Re: Uncontrolled Powers A susceptibility maybe but the effect is not damage per se but a cosmic VPP : lets say Cosmic VPP (40 active points) Control (20 BP) + No skill roll required : +1 + change powers as a 0-phase action +1 - effect must be related to the target's : -1/2 for a total of 80 points thus : Susceptibility : - each time the target wants to use a power (very common circ.) : +10 - Effect : Cosmic VPP effects (80 active points) : +40 Your opinion, Hero Dom ?

Hello Hero-dom One of my players wants to play a probability manipulator (complicated for a relative newscomer - 4 scenarios played by now with a X-Men's Bishop clone - but why not) The specificity of his character is this : He can/must trade his luck with the destiny : i.e. he can/must take risk or accept unluck to get his right to luck. As an example; he must gamble and lose money to "evacuate" unluck and thus gain luck or take risks by driving drunk just to get an accident (unluck) and then gain luck this way (he didn't joke; apparently the player took his inspiration from some comic i don't know and the hero does this.) He insists on the fact that it should not be a side effect since the hero can simply use his luck without boosting it this way. He just boosts it this way. I was thinking about an aid vs luck with side effects but i wonder about the validity of such a concept. Your opinion, Herodom ?

Sorry if i missed something in the Rulesbook or the FAQ but a player of mine insists to have a clear explanation on that : How are considered the points gained through absorption or transfer ? is it an effect similar to aid (points gained fade at the rythm of 5 pts/turn) or is it similar to healing (no fade but you cannot absorb more than your starting value) ? is it similar to 4ed Aid ? Is it possible to set the effect at the creation of the power (Aid OR Healing effect) ?

it's available on the net : KotDT online comics i read it almost daily.

Note : CrosshairCollie; the ability is clearly a bonus so the limitation trick cannot work, sorry but thanks for the help. Zornwill : i don't exactly catch your solution. I like this write up but it doesn't really solve the problem. i would like the character to have control over his own memory so the transform would have to apply to himself which is something forbidden by Fred. A shapeshift vs mental sense group doesn't really do the trick either (i have trouble to see how Shapeshift vs Mental Sense Group would interact with Telepathy) Glad you caught the reference;) ; i had the idea watching a reportage on the brand new californian governor. what it's like to see mixed extracts from "Total Recall", "Eraserhead" and "Terminator" at the same time...

Hi Great HeroDom Iv'e got a NPC with the following abilities : The NPC is a assassin cyborg (how original !) with a partially electronic memory. He's part of a murder organisation (a bit like I.C.E. in 4ed Dark Champions). Each time the NPC is assigned to a mission, he follows this path : 1 - execute the mission (which is more or less easy to do) 2 - upload his memories of the mission to a central server for verification (and give a proof to the customer). 3 - Erase his memories (electronic and organic) of the event through nanotech so it will be impossible for anyone to probe his mind/memories or confront him with a lie detector. 4 - The NPC will eventually be able to get back his memory later by downloading it from the server. How to build this in Hero terms ? any ideas ? D.

I would rather say a limited precognitive claisentience, a lot of DCs and combat levels , a obscene "Find Weakness"

Re: Star Boy and Light Lass i don't have the USPDB at work so i cannot remember how they did it. the effect is variable; but i would just use a limited indirect telekinesis with a big amount of STR. or eventually a transform. all the effects you're describing can be achieved with TK : - make things too heavy to move : a TK grab without STR damage. Entangle simply doesn't fit there. the "made heavy" character has to make escape (STR) rolls each time he wants to move. - can make things like walls, buildings, etc... collapse under their own weight : a plain TK grab with STR damage. - simply make things heavier : major physical transform (10 pts per D6 roughly equivalent to DI); partial transform; increased recovery time. same thing and exactly the same construct but with opposite limitations (only to make things lighter). eventually a flight UAA

Re: Would you rather game as a player or a gamemaster, and why? Like Blue : Hero System : run other systems : play. I also GM other games (7th Sea namely) but i don't feel the creative freedom like in Hero (i can really make any NPC i want). The other players tend also to prefer me as a GM rather as a teammate since i'm too prone to inattention during the play (and sleep during the gaming nights) and my deafness often obliges me to ask for repeats so it tend to irritate a bit the other GMs.

Re: How would you build psychic backlash? my two pence : "Feel my pain: touch/mental" EGO Attack nD6 + 0 END +1/2 + continuous : +1 + uncontrolled: +1/2 + inherent: +1/4 (does it need "persistent" as well?) + Damage shield (mental contact): +1/2 + damage shield (physical contact): +1/2 - Only if SFX of attack includes pain: -1/4 - limited to amount of STUN done to the character: -1/2 (and eventually 0 END) "Feel my pain: from a distance" Detect : "people who just did hurt me" * mental sense group, active * sense, targetting, 360° * a obscene amount of PER rolls bonus. EGO Attack nD6 + 0 END: +1/2 + fixed trigger : +1/4 (when pain inflicted to character) - only to attacker previously detected : -1/4 - limited to amount of STUN done to the character: -1/2

Re: Interchange power? I would suggest you a variant of Lightray' suggestion with Multiform. Let's take the concept : "Jones Ricks" (form A) can multiform into "Captain Wonderful" (form . and then give Jones Ricks 1) a interdimensional psychic bond w/"Captain Wonderful astral form" (mind link w/on spirit, transdimensional, bond; only with other w/mind link) something like 10 pts IIRC. 2) a follower : "Captain Wonderful spirit form" :designed as a computer/spirit(A.I.) based on Captain Wonderful's mental stats, skills and psy. lims (no perks, no physical stats, no powers but mental) and say the follower is only existing in the negative zone. As for form B, Captain Wonderful, give him 1) a interdimensional psychic bond w/"Jones Ricks' astral form" (mind link w/on spirit, transdimensional, bond; only with other w/mind link) again. 2) a follower : "Jones Ricks' spirit form" :designed as a computer/spirit(A.I.) based on Jones Ricks' mental stats, skills and psy. lims this way, each form is actually "swapped" to the state of extradimensional follower at each multiform. This is the simplest way i can think of to design this power even through Duplication (Altered duplicate, cannot recombine) would be better.(each duplicate w/psychic bond and a triggered limited EDM)

I remember in a old DC comics of mine a Royal Flush Gang (Spades) but they were not a family like in Batman Beyond. Ten was a former test pilot with no special ability except a powered costume and energy blasts Jack was a former con man; i dont recall his abilities. Queen was a former alcoholic actress ("Mona Taylor" i remember the name since the obvious reference to Elisabeth) with a holo-disguise scepter King was a former homeless with a hypnotic gaze. Ace was a robot, secretly working for another villain (a big-headed guy named Hammond IIRC). does that say anything to someone ?

Not a problem if, as one of my players once tried, you take your followers with Regeneration, from death (60 AP, 24 real) on each follower...

Re: hhhmmm.. Apparently i will be soon responsible of another case of cruelty against innocent players ... (sigh) sometimes, it's good to be me I think i gonna talk with this player. a mentalist would probably be more his style of play (stay hidden, use ego attacks)

I'm surprised no one mentioned yet the evacuation systems - escape pods for underwater/space stations - tunnels w/ monorails for underground bases - hidden exits into parkings and/or highway tunnels for urban bases. - Teleportation bays etc... - etc... - maintenance drones (or staff) because someone has to check the plumbery/electricity from time to time.

My current Dark Chmpions campaign is based on 125 pts base + 125 pts disadv. My upcoming villain campaign will probably based on 200 pts base + 100 disadv. I tried once as a player a anime fantasy campaign (kinda Shurato/Saint Saiya campaign for those who know) : 1st scenario : the characters based on 50+50 points : the PCs are kids in training 2nd scenario : the PCs have been updated into 100+100 points characters. The PCs are teen-agers in training. 3rd scenario : real start of the campaign : PCs are now 125+125 point characters. the PCs are young adults just "graduated"

Actually the player doesn't trust any GM at all and is uneasy at letting the GM have control of a part of him. why : the player is actually a kind guy and a good thinker; unfortunately he has nothing of a quick thinker; thus he panics completly at the first action scene and put himself into troubles almost automatically. the other GMs know that and are generally gentle with him except that they can't save his butt all the time (it's the game after all). As a result, he developed a very "unsecure" style of play and the deep conviction that GMs are evil creatures whom only joy in life is to tear his characters apart (i'm barely joking) That's precisely because he dies so often ( i myself shamefully saved his butt at 7th Sea) that another player suggests him this idea. ("holoduke" style or "holo-arnold" for those who liked "Total Recall"). the base idea in the group is "anything that keeps him from the action scene"

All right, thanks everyone Actually the player agreed with the "regeneration from death " solution. and then, i understood what he had in mind : He plans to use his duplicates as scouts (which is IMHO would me more appropriate for summoned beings but he doesn't seem to trust me about having control of "his" characters ) in dangerous areas. Only a little concern from the GM (me): Resurrection => final death condition is "at least one duplicate must be still alive to allow resurrection" (i.e. if all the duplicates are dead at a moment, then they're dead for good). i think it's fair as long as the PC has 1 to 4 duplicates but when it comes to 8 duplicates ... i gonna suggest him to take "at least half of the duplicates must be alive ..."

Hello Herodom. One of my players wants a duplicating character (why not; i don't like them since they tend to slow combat but whatever). but something in my words worried him: "if your duplicate is killed then you'll lose it forever; you will have to pay XPs to get a new one" as it is written in the holy Big Black Book. So he came with that idea : Duplication (250 pts duplicate) RC/AC : 50 pts Healing 1D6 (2 act. pts) to Duplication + 0 END +1/2 + Persistent +1/2 - self only -1/2 - extra time (one turn): -1 RC : 8 AC : 20 so, he says, "even if my duplicate is killed, i can have a new one in 5 minutes" Would you allow this construct ? (i know i'm the GM but there i think the idea is interesting) Your opinion, herodom ?

i don't really think this kind of characters ("unkillable people") is abusive. why ? because there's nothing in this character that could not be solved with few tens of pounds of cement, a boat and a little trip on the sea ... (mafia style) (alternatively, you could also use a building under construction and the PC will have to start a empathy with the plumbery)

uh ?, it's one of the most abusive interpretations of the rules i've ever seen. Besides, extending your interpretation : having a IPE strength would make your blows in HTH combat impossible to dodge/block ? (same thing for EGO in mental combat ?) Besides, the character is still affected by AoE attacks or Does Boy mental attacks BTW : to come back to the point : Mike Surbrook did a write up for Yakumo Fujii a character from the manga/anime 3x3 eyes with simialr abilities (except that his life force is not in an object but in another people) this is 4ed stuff but it can give you ideas : link i did myself a modified version of this character fo a pregenerated vigilante hero (imagine Mel Gibson in the "Lethal weapon" sequels but completly immortal) i remember i used healing/regen/regrow limbs without limitations; damage reduction (body only), armor (body only) and autofire, triggered, fully indirect stretching (to move severed body parts) i will find the excel character sheet for those interested

Re: dont get me wrong I think i recall that Steve Long once said on the boards that he considered the 4ed VIPER book as "overpopulated". maybe it's something of the correction (?) I was fearing myself that my old 4ed VIPER book would become obsolete but frankly i'm quite happy with the change : the two books are actually completing each other. with minor changes, you still can add the characters from the 4ed VB to the 5ed VB. The questions i've got so far are about dr Blank and Boa Constrictor; apparently COIL doesn't exist yet. i wonder if it will be for a future "Champion Universe year X" product or something. i would like to see the champions universe in movement. and Patriot, the good thing about Viperia is that now, you(ve got something against Stellar if the player ever comes back to your table.