palaskar

Re: How to Build: A Timelord Ok I think I know how to build everything except the Timelords mental powers and the absorb/expel radiation bit. Suggestions? Maybe Mental Transform, Trigger for post-hypnotic suggestions and mindwipes...don't know how to do "receive memories from a dying Gallifreyan" though. How about the absorb/expel radiation?

Re: How to Build: A Timelord Hmm...okay, Separate respiratory system: END Reserve, Only Recharges Normally (-2) Octagon receptors in retina: Nightvision Variable EM spectrum sight: UV vision Different pupil response: 20 Points Flash Defense, Sight Detect Gallifreyans: Detect, Used as a Sense Speed Reading: x10 Lighting reflexes: +3 Heart Stopping: Simulate Death Vulnerability: Lose most Gallirefreyan abilities when one heart is removed Detect Telepaths: Detect Implant Post-Hynotic Suggestion, Recieve Memories from dying Gallifreyan ?? Double the amount of human organs: +10 Body Tolerate tempurate extremes: Life Support: Extreme Heat/Extreme Cold Go without water or food for extended periods: Life Support: No need to eat or drink, only for two weeks for water and one week for food (-1/2) Vulnerabilty: aspirin: 3d6 Limitation: Cannot Regenerate while Aspirin is in system Diistinctive Feature: Smell like honey Extra Skin Layers: Life Support: Radiation Extra Skin Layers: 1/1 Armor Absorb and Expel Radiation Great STR for Size: +15 STR Life Support: No need to Sleep, Reduced to 1-6 hrs./week Distinctive Feature: Sterile Distinctive Feature: No sex drive Life Support: Longevity: Immortal

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me Well, then it's probably then just Invisibilty, with some sort of limitation to reflect that the target has to attack while looking over his shoulder, and that it only applies to one character (the one hit with the disc.) That's what, -1/2 or so? There are several ways to counter this, most of which have been pointed out: Attack anyway, use an Indirect attack, attack with a SFX defined as shooting from the character's back , get people to expend Doc's discs...those are the ones that come to mind. As I may have pointed out, the 32 charges of Doc's discs do not recharge by themselves. Once they're used up, he has to go home and make more -- just like Hawkeye has to make more arrows. A pretty standard tactic for beating Doc would be to force him to use up all his discs, then clobber him (preferably from range, so he can't use his martial arts.) It's similar to the tactic used for Hourman style Aid-users. Sure, he's unbeatable for one hour, but get him to expend that Aid on something, and then attack him -- he's toast. And yes, I know that 32 Charges is an advantage. I just wanted to point out that Doc's not unbeatable.

This seemed easy at first, but apparently Dr. Who's Timelords have a whole mess of abilities I didn't know about: extremely powerful mentalism, ability to slow the perception of time down, seemingly infinite knowledge of time and space (at first I thought the Doctor was just well-traveled, but the fact that his mind is too much for a human to hold suggests not)... As a loose outline, I have: Regeneration: (includes Ressurection, 12 Charges with never recharge, trigger: when "killed," extra time) Different personalities and abilities for each incarnation: VPP, Only after fully regenerating, no ability to choose which powers the Timelord gets) Life Support: Longevity: 600 years for each incarnation INT 35 What else is there?

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me Really? I always thought of him like Hawkeye. An arrow for this, an arrow for that.... I mean, it isn't any more radical than Batman's/Professor's X "protocols" IMHO. How do you take down a regenerating Wolverine? Cut his head off and run away with it! IIRC, someone else on these board did the same thing with a gadgeteer. I'm perfectly OK with tricky sfx and Invisible Power fx. I mean, if Doc has a counter for "X" sfx, there's got to be one for his sfx. And, of course, Doc only has 32 discs. Get him in a situation where he can't replace them, and he's less dangerous. (Of course, there are still his martial arts skills...) This is exactly what happened to Hawkeye in the first Secret Wars.

Re: WWYCD: The Jack-In-The-Box Scenario Doc Vision: Hold action and wait for the box to open. There's no reason why the box can't be good, bad, or inbetween.

Re: Bearing Witness Doc Vision: --What has it been like for you to have superpowers? I don't really have superpowers. I'm just smart and well-trained. --Why did you choose to use your powers the way you have? To realize my full potential. Everyone is obligated to use their abilities to the limits of their potential and their wisdom. --What do you think you would be doing if you didn't have superpowers? Well, as I've said before, I don't really have them. If you count my natural talents, then I'd probably be an ordinary guy. I wouldn't change the world or anything. --Do you ever wish you didn't have superpowers? No. It feels good to change the world, to help it, to save it. --What would you decide if you were in my place? Is humanity ready for superpowers, or not? I really don't have the wisdom to fully answer this question. And neither do you. Therefore, we should not interfere with the course of nature. People should keep their powers. --Is there anything else you wish to say? Who are you? How did you bring me here? What is the source of your powers? What do you plan to do with your powers, besides this? What gives you the right to interfere in such a massive-scale way with humanity? You may not have sufficient wisdom to do this correctly; it certainly seems like you don't, or you wouldn't have brought me here. Why choose me, anyway? Do you plan on interfering with other civilizations/races/species? That's all I can think of for now. When you are finished answering, you are thanked for your testimony and returned as promised.

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me Ah, but that's why it's only one of Doc's many discs. Others include AoE Flash (good for MAs), Sonic AoE (against force field users), EMP AoE Penetrating EB (for many gadgeteers [sp?] and power armor types), and "Chi Flypaper" One Hex Entangles (for those with gesture based powers.)

Re: WWYCD: Foxbat The Mighty! After Foxbat shrugging off Doc Vision's usual combos of Flash, Penetrating AoE sound, etc. Doc would quickly come to the conclusion that Foxbat is best defeated by persuasion. Unfortunately, Doc doesn't have the Pesuasion skill, so he'd leave it to whoever in the group had the highest. Then he'd consider the best ways to take care of Foxbat via Persuasion: 1) Convince him he really has no powers. Foxbat is in a Mental Illusion, etc. Given this is Foxbat, it might just work. 2) Convince Foxbat to leave everybody alone. Not sure how to do that; perhaps everyone is now "not a challenge" for him? 3) Send Foxbat after a villian. Preferably a single-minded/stupid but powerful villain who is currently threatening the PCs. Doctor Destroyer is right out; he'd simply outwit Foxbat. Takofanes would probably just mind control him. Istha Vahn might be defeated, but it would also put the PCs on her "hit list." Not a good idea. Probably Mechanon, then, since he wants to eliminate all organic life anyway. Failing (or afterward) that, the villain group currently threatening the PCs, and/or who are most vulnerable to Foxbat. CLOWN tops the list just because they're so damn annoying. (BTW, does FRed still have CLOWN? I heard they got removed.) 4) Convince Foxbat he must defeat himself. "You're your own evil twin! You must defeat yourself before you defeat yourself!" 5) Convince Foxbat to become a superhero. "With great power comes great responsibility." He would probably be even worse as a hero than a villain...not a good idea. 6) Get Foxbat to leave the planet. Not a good idea. He might run into some aliens and trigger an invasion. So, start with 3), and if that fails, go to 4). 4) would just be fun anyway. "Take that Foxbat! No, take that! Forxbat the Might cannot defeat Foxbat the Mighty!"

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me Yeah, you're probably right about about the -1 max on the Limitation -- it is a pretty effective power. I tend to shy away from Flight UAA...there's always the problem that it can move anybody, regardless of weight. It's more reasonable to put a weight limit on Flight UAA. Probably only how much you could lift with the same amount of TK with the same amount of Active Points. Hmm, there's no limitation on attacks? I thought that was why you bought Indirect, Any Origin Point, Always Faces Away...you're probably right, though. Let me explain the power further. It's one of Doc Vision's discs. The disc sticks to the target, and is "smart" (is semi-intellegent) to keep the target facing away from Doc. That is, it's pre-programmed to keep the opponent facing away. It' like the "weapons platform/drone" under Indirect; only instead of firing, it controls the facing of the target. This at least, Charges (32 on the Multipower, not on the slot: +1/4), Continuing (say, 1 minute, +3/4), Range based on STR:: thrown disc(-1/4). Does that help?

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me It's basically turning one opponent at range by manipulating the local gravity to float them into facing backward. It doesn't affect moving targets, as I see it. If there's a car moving, it keeps moving, only back first. Does that make more sense? BTW, wouldn't there be a penalty to-hit if the blaster has to look over his shoulder and point? (And yes, the "out of the butt" FSX obviously neutralizes it. )

Re: How do I build this power: Always face away from me Er, no. I just want to make the target face away. Mind control wouldn't work on say, machines, unless I bought the additional class of minds (machine.) It's not a mental power, as I see it; the target is merely forced to turn away. This nullifies most energy projectors and bricks, frex. So, I guess my build is good, then?

An idea I had for my "protocols" thread: This power makes the target always face away from the user. That is, the target's "front" faces away, while his "back" faces the user. Targets with no obvious front or back are not affected. The only way I thought to build this is thusly: Telekinesis, (only to make the target face away from the user, -2) I'm basing it off the "slippery floor" power (in the old UMA, IIRC.) What do you think?

Re: We Loves Us Some Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs I have no problem with "standard" races if they're interesting. See Dwarf Fortress's stupid, prone to possession, can-be-killed by carps dwarves, frex. That said, I prefer races that fit the setting. Sword and sorcery? All humans, or nearly so. Trying to reinvent Tolkein? Don't do it. Break Tolkein into small pieces (preferably with a large hammer and extreme prejudice) and see what comes up with your take on a detailed, "metaphorical" (i.e., expressing some philosophical/religious views). I did this for my Fifth Hour setting at Paizo.com. (If everyone will permit the brief promotion.) "Gonzo" races (though not as crazy as Tekumel's), small languages with their own orthographies, sub-cultures for races, consistent magic system...the whole nine yards.

Re: Generic 'Protocols' ideas? Ah yeah. I wanted 32 charges (+1/4), but some of those charges had to be Continuing. Awhile back I realized I could do this by buying 32 charges on the Multipower, and then +1 Continuing separately on the stuff that needed it (Change Environment, Darkness, et.c)

Re: Mundane Superhheroes (and Villains!) Reminds me of the 'worst random character' thread on rpg.net. The first guy only armor -- but only to the low bulletproof level. Still, a criminal who's effectively wearing Kevlar all the time can be very effective.... The second (and worst case I've ever heard of) was a guy who could detect magic at range. Said range was touch. So I imagine the guy running a pawn or other shop, sifting through the dross to find that occasional magic item.

Re: Generic 'Protocols' ideas? Well, I thought it was bogus since normally you'd have to pay for Continuing Charges (is that the right term?), Fuel Charges, etc. to extend the time. I don't suppose it's any worse than Telekinesis, No Range (-1/2), which is a perfectly fine build for DC's Superboy (right after the Death of Superman.) EDIT: What I meant by Costs END (-1/2), 0 END (+1/2) is to have a Charge that never runs out for practical purposes. I've done (rough) a bit of number crunching, and figured that a -very- crude ZPM the size of a cubic centimeter would boil a 100-meter cube of water when 'detonated.' So I said, what the heck, the ZPM powering a coin sized disk is likely much smaller than a centimeter anyway, let's say that it boils 1000 liters. Or 50 + 5 or 10 points. So i'll go with 60 active points for one-shot things like the Sniper Disk. But things like the Sunlight Disc, which could last, well, damn near forever (it's only generating magical sunlight)...I suppose I could just build them with a Loooong Continuing charge -- but then how do I stat up the limited number of disks?

Re: Generic 'Protocols' ideas? Nice. But let me explain the limitations of yocto-tech: Basically, it's just energy projection. The only thing is that the energy can be virtually anything (EM, strong force, weak force, gravity, psi, magic, chi, etc.) and that the energy can be controlled by consciousness, allowing for it to assume various shapes, pre-programming, or a sort of 'automatic' mode when it's given a limited awareness of its own. (Doc fears when psis figure out his tech....) Finally, because it draws energy from zero-point fluctuations, it's all 0 END by default. So, frex, Doc can't make poison darts, or sticky bombs; but he can make "stupid rays" (Drain Int, by psionic suppression) and the suggested *^&* puncher (semi-intelligent gravity projection.) Two things also come up: Doc can only carry so many discs. How do I write up 0 END charges? I mean, sure I could do this: Costs END (-1/2), 0 END (+1/2) but that's obviously bogus. Second, how the heck did I get 1000+ rep? I'm not complaining, its just where did it come from? I've only made 100 posts or so.

So i'm looking for ideas that a PC could use to foil different villain types (brick, blaster, mentalist, etc.) Oh, I'm using the ideas for Doc Vision, who's sort of a mix between Iron Man, Iron Fist, and Peter Parker. His concept is this: The Intelligence of Iron Man! The Fighting Skills of Iron Fist! The Budget of... Peter Parker. So, basically, he's a heroic-level martial artist, with some Green Lantern level tech (do damn-near anything tech), cobbled together from what he could find or shoplift. He's self-trained and brilliant (inventor: 18-); but this of course means that he has only the skills you could get from your local library or the like. The ideas I have are these: 1) Disrupt concentration via pain: Sonic EB, STUN only, AoE Circle (+1) 2) Zero-G field: Telekinesis, only to create Zero-G (-1/2) 3) EMP pulse: EB, Penetrating (+1/2), Only versus transistor-based tech (-1/2) 4) Darkness, AoE 5) Change Environment, Sunlight 6) Change Environment, Heat 7) Sniper Disc: RKA, no range modifier (+1/2) from the threads. I'm thinking they're (a limited amount of) little discs made of a couple of quarters, stuck together and drawing on zero-point energy to power yocto-tech (basically a combination of magic, psionics, and high-energy physics.) Most of them, anyway. A blaster, frex, could be cobbled together from a water pistol, a disc, an empty toilet paper tube, and some duct tape. Did I mention that yocto-tech doesn't look like it should work by know science? This of course means I'll hvae to buy them all 0 END to fit the concept -- ZPMs don't run out of juice for campaign purposes (unless you detonate them...) And I'm thinking of making them by the 250+150 superhero maximum of 60 Active Points. Any ideas come to mind?

Re: Kandor Just how high is Krypton's gravity, anyway?

Re: Saint in Blue /Brute with the Badge Doc Vision has been wrongly imprisoned (for a month) for SHOPLIFTING. (It's kind of a complicated backstory...trying to convince people you're a super-genius but have no budget, so you needed to get X item to make my gadget Y doesn't fly with most people. Especially when your gadgets are made of duct tape, coins, and various other stuff that should not work...) He'd break the cop's fingers, elbows, and knees, and then stick him in a null-grav field. And then he'd say, "How'd ya like THEM apples?"

Re: Most interesting character ideas you've seen from others? Two come to mind: The first is Tinfoil man, a pretty regular super who could produce a massive Entangle. BUT, it came with Activation roll and Side Effect (IIRC), so he could get accidently Entangled by himself. And if that happened, he could never, EVER get out. He also had a nemesis with a similar theme, based on plastic wrap. The other one was cooler. I can't remember their names, but I think it was something like "Sidekick" and "Invincible Man." The trick was that Invincible Man was really a combination TK and Force Wall projected by Sidekick. The PCs never took him down, because the Force Wall was massive (in terms of protection), and of course never took any STUN.

Re: How to Build:Null reality zone I meant nigh-omnipotent, of course. I can't spell anymore, it seems. Which one, if either, would you allow as a GM?

Re: How to Build:Null reality zone Doh! Of course, I meant omnipotent. Egads, I can't spell anymore.

For those pesky nigh-impotent reality warpers that you may have to deal with. IIRC, there was a immensely powerful mutant called Jasper Jones in the Excalibur comics. In the same comic, there was also an uber-killer cyborg called the Fury. Faced with Jasper, the Fury devised a solution to beat him: Extradimensional travel the both of them to a destroyed universe... where there was no reality to warp. So, how would you build a "null-reality zone" in Hero terms? (For a "Champions Protocol" against those reality warpers...Batman sure could have used this against Mr. Mykyspxlty. SP!) Change Environment? Massive Suppress? Transform?