SCUBA Hero

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood" The Weapon and Markdoc, Thanks for the ideas! I want three levels more for convenience and time than from any genetic reason (although I'll certainly use the genetic idea that fits what I already want! ). I see the genetics as more of a Mellor (from Fringeworthy) - you can't go 'above' the highest level. Thus, two Mixed Blood will produce a Mixed Blood, but a Full Blood and Mixed Blood might produce either (but not a Common) - hmmmm, must consider the percentages. Manic Typist, Excellent idea! There should be formal, informal, and slang/derogatory usages.

Re: Order of the Stick

Re: combat skill levels and bonuses to DCV 6e1 70: Okay, it's an optional rule, but if used, you need 10 point CSLs to provide a bonus vs. Ranged Attacks. So 10 points with -2 Limitations is 3.33 = 3 points per level. Now, I can see alternate interpretations, but it seems reasonable to me.

Re: Stacking Dodge

Re: Stacking Dodge

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood" Working idea at this point is: Exalted (even though it's already used by another game system) Elevated Base

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood" Excellent ideas, LL! In this campaign, the 'original source' of Blood is unknown... perhaps a story arc will delve into what it is, and the implications thereof... So the (whatever)born would have to be something ambiguous... hmmm.... Bloodline plots will play a major role I'm envisioning a campaign without Gods and Divine Magic. There will be Magic, but it's a force to be understood and tamed, not granted by superior beings... the idea is that the rulers of the most powerful kingdoms are the most powerful individual forces known. I'm also increasing the Multipower to 30 Reserve with 2d6 RKA and 6d6 Blast slots. Your typical, 'average man' Mixed Blood is a threat to anything less than a fully-armored Normal knight, and conversely is immune to an average warrior (look at 6e weapon stats and STR Min to see how hard it is to do more than 2d6 Killing - yes, important NPCs will be able to do more damage, but the *average* soldier absolutely won't be able to harm a Mixed Blood in combat, short of a Haymaker).

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood"

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood" NuSoardGraphite, Thanks for the book, Title, and power level suggestions! If "Exalted" wasn't already in use, I'd use that. I want something that suggests being special/above the norm/superiority. Normal/Common/Mundane is the gist of those without Blood, but none of those terms resonates with me... Looking for something that says "ordinary"... The Mixed Blood term will probably fall out of whatever Blood and Normal terms are used... I want a clear differentiation between the Blood/Mixed/Blood/Normal "status" and temporal power "title". So you could be a Normal Knight (even, extremely rarely, a Normal Baron) or a Mixed Blood Knight, and the difference would be obvious when talking. Hmmm... maybe I need a prefix for Blood and Mixed Blood... for example, "Von Sir Hendrik" - Von meaning Mixed Blood (and coming first in the sequence), Sir indicating a Knight, and Hendrik being the last name. As far as power levels, I want to explore the differentiation idea in the OP; in essence, each level can shrug off 6 DCs of effect from the next lower level and adds 6 DCs of effect to all attacks against the next lower level.

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood"

Re: New Campaign Idea: "Blood" I want both titles and descriptions of the difference; for example a Normal could be a Knight (but rarely, sort of like a wealthy simple man buying a manor near a city). There is definite social stratification and tension. I'm not worried about real-world genetics, just want enough versimilitude for the three-tier system of Blood / Mixed Blood / Normal. Thanks for the suggestion!

Well, actually I'm still looking for a good term. It uses some ideas from The Blood (from The Blood And Dr. McQuark) and I want some differentiating term (such as "Exalted") but as both of those are used, I want some other term that conveys specialness/superiority. Any suggestions are appreciated... Anyway. The basic idea is that of a feudal-type world with magic. Way back when, one bloodline received/developed/somehow acquired Power... and now, the ruling class is the Blood (to stick with the thread title for the moment), with "Mixed Blood" being the general equivalent of knights, and "Normals" being normal humans. The PCs will all be Mixed Blood. I want a definite power level differentiation, and here's my current thinking - Mixed Blood have as a base package: * 6 DCs of Physical and Energy Damage Negation (60 points) * A Multipower with 1d6 RKA and 3d6 Blast (17) * Some Teleportation [still working on the details] * A "Blood Recognition Factor" similar to that in The Blood And Dr. McQuark. Cost is zero, as advantages and disadvantages tend to cancel out * Some for of Enhanced Senses [still working on the details] * A new Talent [looking for a name here, too] along the lines of Deadly Blow/Weapon Master - 12 @ 10 point Combat Skill Levels, Only To Increase Damage (-1/2) (80) So it's pretty points-intensive, with 157 Character Points accounted for above, not counting whatever Teleportation and Enhanced Sense costs will be in there - and I'm okay with that, it will be accounted for in the Campaign Rules, plus enough points to customise each character. I need to develop guidelines so that each PC is balanced enough for the players to have fun, but with enough differentiation to make them individuals. I want to create a definite 'tier' level - Mixed Blood are far superior to Normals and far inferior to Blood (in combat terms). A Mixed Blood can stand and take the 2d6 RKA Longbow of a Normal without worry until said Normal runs out of arrows, and then look down and say, "Look... you tore a hole in my shirt. This is my favorite shirt! My turn." and lob a 3d6 RKA that's pretty much a coin flip to send a typical non-armored Normal into negative BODY. Mixed Blood essentialy have a 30-point advantage. Against full Blood, they'd have a disadvantage (thinking 15 points here, rather than 30). The other folks in the group were pretty much in favor of the differentiation. The second thing I'd like to incorporate is rules from The Ultimate Base for each of the PCs fiefs. Working on this (just scraping the surface at this point). So I'm looking for feedback on ideas for names to differentiate the groups, reasons for the group to work together (i.e., they're all in service to a Blood baron who sends them on missions against other Blood barons), ideas to keep the action going, and so forth. Comment away!

Re: Where are the great shooters with lower dex? As far as modifying published characters/standards, I think it comes down to custom, ease of use, and time. Custom: When starting a new system, most folks tend to play it as written. Once familiar with the system, unless something bugs you enough to change it, inertia tends to keep you using RAW. Ease of use: If I use Standard Superhero guidelines, most published books will tend to work well without much modification. Scrutiny to ensure game-unbalancing elements stay out is reduced. Time: Even if you do enjoy tinkering with rules and characters (as many Herophiles, including myself, do) real life intrudes with other time demands. Sometimes you just can't devote enough time to do your vision justice.

Re: Where are the great shooters with lower dex? Yes, like that table, but scaled to my own vision of whatever Hero campaign I'm running at that time.

Re: Where are the great shooters with lower dex? Payback, Regarding your 9/9/10 response to me: *That's* the kind of maturity and civility the Hero Boards pride ourselves on! Welcome, and don't worry about it. We all get frustrated and take it out on the wrong target sometimes. So, let's talk about great shooters with lower DEX... ...on one hand, it's a points efficiency issue; if one way to make a combat-effective build costs significantly less than another, there's a natural tendancy to go that way. On the other hand, you want to remain true to character concept. Ideally these two balance out, but not so much in the real world. One concept I apply in my games is how do 'normal' humans compare to trained individuals (say, a policeman), and a policeman to an elite soldier (SEAL, VIPER agent, etc.) and the elite soldier to PCs (and so on). Establishing a 'typical human' scale up through the ranks helps define SPD, DEX, CV, levels, and so on.

Re: Where are the great shooters with lower dex? Payback, two things: 1. I agree with Vondy, your response to Enforcer84 (a Hero Boards veteran) is out of line with community standards. I note that you joined in 12/2006 and have 25 posts dealing with a few specific subjects. If you've followed the boards regularly since early 2007, you'd know your response was out of line; if not, you're a newbie criticizing a veteran without realizing his total contribution to the boards. Either case, not a good way to make a good impression. 2. On your question, 6e1 48 "Characteristics Comparison Table" and 6e1 49 "Characteristics Comparisons" indicates Skilled DEX as 11-13 and Competent DEX as 14-20, with Skilled representing an average soldier who has some specialized training and Competent including many Olympic athletes and elite soldiers. So a VIPER or UNTIL agent (that I consider elite soldiers) is assumed to be in the same category as Olympic athletes. With published (in Champions Universe) DEX of 15 for the basic UNTIL agent and 14 for the basic VIPER agent, I think you're going to have to make your own standards of lower DEX and higher OCV/DCV/CSLs to go that route. Personally, I like the decoupling of Primary and Figured Characteristics, and would like to see more variation in that area. In a Dark Champions game, I'm also partial to the old BRTC CORPS "4/2/1" rule - that is, for the base skill group (CSL), for example, "Ranged Combat", you could only have 1/2 the levels in a specific group, for example, "Pistols", and then 1/2 the skill levels in a specific weapon, for example, "Colt .45".

Re: Using Unlimited Mana with HERO Okay, after reviewing the original link and stating up front that I'm not familiar with current standard GURPS Magic rules: 1. Threshold and Recovery are an END Reserve and Recovery. Spells cost END as usual (flavor to taste with Increased and/or Reduced END Limitations/Advantages). 2. Campaign Rule: You can exceed your Threshold by any amount, but there's a Side Effect (the Calamity roll). Keep track of END spent. Recovery continues to reduce this number. 3. Without knowing how GURPS Magic works, I can't completely define this, but the idea is - if the character has to know the base spell to cast it, no change in Hero System terms; if the character can "Infinitely Push" any spell he knows, then Campaign Rule: require the character to buy the "base spell" (for instance, Blast 2d6) and allow any and all additional dice and Advantages (for example, Area Effect) to be added to the base spell while also normally adding to END spent. Adjust to taste. Yes, I have become more tolerant of using Campaign Rules instead of trying to make everything fit into the 'standard Hero System' rules since 2003. Why do you ask?

1. If a character uses two or more powers to make a Combined Attack on a single target, is one Attack Roll made for all powers or does each power make a separate roll? 2. Can a character use a single Combat or Martial Maneuver and one or more powers to make a Combined Attack?

Re: Hero System Books Have Way to many Typos It's on 6e314, under Naked Advantage Basics. Again, I don't think Resistant is being added as a Naked Advantage; I think it's a normal Advantage on PD and ED. Why (under normal circumstances) would you want your PD / ED to sometimes be Resistant and other times not? I think it's a formatting thing. Edit: 5er245 has almost the same text, but 6e has the addition, "This applies even if the power the Naked Advantage affects does not cost Endurance itself (either inherently, or because it was bought with Reduced Endurance)." So my opinion is that the rule was the same in 5er and 63; it was just clarified.

Re: What are some things , in terms of storytelling/plot, that are "off limits" in yo When I run *any* game, anything the player *really* doesn't want happening to his/her character is off-limits. For example, I once ran a Harn campaign where there was an attempted rape on a player character - BUT! - I approached the player before the game with the idea, assured her it would turn out okay, and got her permission to run the plotline; if she wasn't okay with the idea, then the scenario absolutely wouldn't have happened. [This also led to a great role-playing moment later when the attemped rapist was as helpless as he imagined his intended victim was earlier.. ] I also ran a campaign where the father of an under-eighteen player and the player were both PCs... the father had absolute veto power over any proposed plotlines involving potentially "off-limits" subjects. Bottom line, the game is supposed to be fun (overall) for the GM and players; otherwise, why play? Respect your players' boundaries, and demand the same respect in return (this works for both sides of the GM screen).

Re: Hey Kids -- Comics! So that's where Nighthawk went, eh?

Re: Hero System Books Have Way to many Typos As far as the OP... After getting over my amusement at a post criticizing Hero Games for excessive typos that itself contained four typos, two words incorrectly not capitalized and three sentence fragments, I noticed that the complaint was actually math errors rather than spelling. As others have pointed out, the example given in the OP was itself in error. I agree with Steve that neither typos nor math errors are excessive, and I wonder how many of the other perceived 'math errors' are in fact mis-understanding of the rules. I do think that the Resistant Advantage listed in the HSB (and other products) is a normal Advantage rather than a Naked Advantage, as a Naked Advantage costs Endurance (unless otherwise ruled by the GM).

Re: Hero System Books Have Way to many Typos Well it might sound goofy, but it has to be that way to make the math work out the same to Harden defenses regardless of whether they're PD/ED or Resistant Protection. Character A buys 20 PD / 20 ED Resistant Protection (60 Base Points), Hardened (+1/4) (75 Active Points). In effect, he's paying for Hardened on a +1/2 Resistant Advantage on the base PD / ED. Character B buys 20 PD / 20 ED [for accounting purposes, assume he sells back the base 2 PD and ED and buys the 20/20 as Characteristics as Powers] (40 Base Points), then buys Hardened (+1/4),and Resistant (+1/2) (70 Active points). He then has to buy Hardened (+1/4) on the 20 Resistant points (+1/2 Advantage on 40 Base Points) (5 Active Points). The total cost is 75 Active Points, same as for Character A. I say the RAW are correct; you have to pay the same amount for the same effect. As far as being called out in the rules, see Hardened on 6e147. I think it would be clearer to explicitly state that if a Defense Power is Hardened and Resistant that Hardened needs to be bought again on the Resistant points in order to make the Resistant part of the Defense Power Hardened, however.

If a character is using Noncombat Teleportation and is Stunned or Knocked Out before his extra Phase occurs, does he still Teleport when the Phase occurs?

Re: Multiple Attack and DCV bonuses