Durzan Malakim

To me this is an example of designing to the special effect rather than the game effect. I feel that using the game rules for environmental effects such as falling damage, line of sight penalties, and movement restrictions circumvents the core design philosophy of creating powers based on their game effects. It also makes it harder to balance with other powers since you haven't specified how much damage, sight restriction, and movement restriction the pit causes. Suppose the pit trap included an enclosed vacuum bubble inside it. Would you allow a Change Environment power to create the vacuum and then use the game rules for suffocation to cause damage and the physics of there being no air to also cause darkness to sound? To me those are a NND attack and darkness. In my opinion the game effects to model are: Hit the target either with an attack roll versus the target hex or failed DEX roll. Add limitations about size and alternate movement modes. SFX: Target tries to avoid falling into the pit. Triggered normal damage. SFX: Falling into the pit. Triggered restriction to run movement either by entangle or suppress. SFX: Being at the bottom of a pit. Triggered darkness to normal sight or entangle blocks normal sight. SFX: Being at the bottom of a pit.

I still believe modeling based on game effects is the best approach. If you want to ensure zero run movement, use entangle. If you want to cause falling damage, add a HTH or NND attack. If you want to restrict visibility, add darkness or use the entangle advantage. I realize this could be an expensive power, but you should get what you pay for. I don't think you should pay for tunneling movement and then also get restraint, darkness, and damage for free. At least with my models it clear what you're getting, and you can add or remove effects to taste. I like the flavor opportunities the suppress build offers because I think high-running characters should be able to run out of pits with speedster tricks. Call it a free level of Clinging because it would look cool. I call that a feature not a bug. There's always Entangle for the "I haz to stop all movement always."

What if you doubled the current weight of all gear while in the water to represent the gear absorbing extra water weight? I know not all gear absorbs water but a simple multiplier of some type like x1.5 or x2 is easier to work out than determining what happens for each piece of gear.

We obviously see game effects very differently. I don't think one movement power can accurately model these unrelated game effects: Restricting movement Restricting sight lines Potentially causing falling damage To me those are all different game effects represented by different powers, and that is how I would suggest modeling them.

I think the game effect is either suppress run movement or entanglement. Everything else is just SFX and perhaps one or more Limited Power limitations. Should larger targets be immune to the pit trap because they are literally too big to fall in? Should targets with stretching (reach) be able to climb out easier? Should targets with alternate movement powers like tunneling, leaping, and flight be able to move out? Compare: 7 Pit Trap (Suppress + Darkness): (Total: 70 Active Cost, 35 Real Cost) Suppress Run 4d6 (standard effect: 12 points), Area Of Effect Accurate (2m Radius; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Costs Endurance (to maintain; -1/2), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Does not affect targets larger than standard size; -1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Targets with reach can climb out as movement; -1/4) (Real Cost: 30) PLUS Darkness to Sight Group 2m radius (10 Active Points); Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Does not affect targets larger than normal size; -1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Targets with reach can climb out as movement; -1/4) (Real Cost: 5) 35 8 Pit Trap (Entangle): Entangle 5d6, 5 PD/5 ED (standard effect: 5 BODY, 5 PD/5 ED) (Stops A Given Sense Normal Sight), Area Of Effect Accurate (2m Radius; +1/2) (82 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only affects run movement; -1 1/2), Does Not Prevent The Use Of Accessible Foci (-1), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Does not affect targtes larger than normal size; -1/4), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Targets with reach can climb out as movement; -1/4) 20

My Champions group has run into two different villains with exotic AVAD powers. Since they both appeared at the same time, I'm pretty sure they were a "clue by four" meant to convey, "You are not ready for this fight. Time to run away now." After getting our noses quite bloodied we eventually implemented plan "Brave Sir Robin" and got out of there. I can see why a GM might use exotic AVAD powers to herd players down the plot railroad tracks. I haven't seen much or any player use of exotic AVAD powers, but our group doesn't contain any ultra-competitive sorts who feel compelled to win every fight. As the math shows, AVAD powers are not the "I win" button most people might think they are.

How about using suppress on run? Pit Trap: Suppress Run 3d6, Area Of Effect Accurate (2m Radius; +1/2) (45 Active Points); Costs Endurance (to maintain; -1/2)

I suspect telling your players the spirit of the rule will help drive the desired behavior. "This rule encourages people to take advantages they may not otherwise take. Since I know you're going to min-max anyway, min-max by adding more advantages." I would anticipate all Multipower and Variable Power Pools frameworks to be built around the -2 total limitation such as: Blast one Area of effect (16m radius, Selective, Accurate) (+1 1/4) Armor piercing (+1/4) Penetrating (+1/2) Blast two Affects Desolidified (+1/2) Damage Over Time (2 damage increments, damage occurs every 6 Segments +1 1/2)

Continuing Deadman's thought, the min-max goal changes from getting the most active-points for the least real-points to purchasing advantages equal to your chosen limitation total. So if you know that you're going to take an Obvious Accessible Focus with 4 charges for (-2), I suspect players will shop for +2 worth of advantages to avoid wasting the points. Can't you accomplish the same or better results with active point limits and GM review of limitations? Or if that feels too much like a tax audit, you could just put a hard cap on the number of limitations on any one power; say a maximum of 3.

As a known user/admirer of the HERO System, I wish Patrick Rothfuss would release his Kingkiller series as a HERO System setting or supplement. I know the chances of it actually happening are small, but that might bring in some new blood.

Which complication best describes you? I prefer the HERO System [Psychological Complication]: Situation Is (Common Intensity Is Moderate) 10 If it ain't HERO System, it's crap! [Psychological Complication]: Situation Is (Common Intensity Is Strong) 15 I am one with the HERO System, the HERO System is with me... [Psychological Complication]: Situation Is (Common Intensity Is Total) 20 I only have a 10-point complication myself but that might be because of skills: 11- KS: D&D Editions 2 11- KS: GURPS editions 2 11- KS: HERO System 6th ed 2 8- KS: HERO System editions 1 8- KS: ICONS 1 11- Conversation 3 11- Deduction 3 11- Persuasion 3

I keep reading your handle as 1-up-us as in "one-up-us", which may be putting unreasonable pressure on you to perform but sounds way cooler in my head than lupus. In any case, welcome to the HERO-hood.

I bought resistant mental defense after running into a Big Bad Mentalist with that flavor of AVAD. I didn't realize how rare it was in other games. I probably wasted some points on a rare Bogey Man, but I also might be the only one left standing should he show up again.

Supervillains need assistants that simultaneously meet and defy expectations such as Young Frankenstein's EYE-GORE.

I suggest building your demo characters around their team role and a perhaps a shared team theme. As someone who played a lot of City of Heroes, I tend to think of team roles in these terms: Tank: A meat shield who draws enemy attention. The primary power focus is on individual survivability/defenses Scrapper: A close-combat damage dealer. The primary power focus is on hand-to-hand combat. Blaster: A ranged-combat damage dealer. The primary power focus is on ranged combat. Controller: A debuffing disabler of enemies or a summoner of allies. The primary power focus is on lowering enemy abilities or outnumbering them. Defender: A buffer or healer who supports allies. The primary power focus is on team survivability/defenses. Limiting your demo characters to these archetypes will highlight just how flexible the HERO system is when you allow players free reign to create their own characters. As for a team theme, I have two suggestions: An element-based team where each member controls a different element such as earth, fire, water, air, light, and dark (or mind and spirit). A pantheon-based team where each member represents a different god/demigod such as Zeus, Athena, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Hades. Combine a team role with a theme and voila! you have a hero for example: Earth tanker Ice scrapper Fire blaster Air controller Light defender Dark scrapper

Doesn't this organization exist in real life as Amazon? Jeff Bezos is just a figurehead, right?

Sounds like a promising game. If you're still looking for plot inspiration, here are several stories where powers come from an alien-origin. Raising Stars: The Second Ship (The Rho Agenda): The Reckoners:

This satirical idea pulled an "Occupy Wall Street" on me until I had written it up. Hopefully it's good for a chuckle. If someone else wants to make the next Infringer I suggest Irony Man, an anemic superhero who has to take iron supplements. Corporate America: The First Infringer. 400 Total Points. A.K.A. Stefan Rodjurs BACKGROUND Stefan was the first and only recipient of Ayn Rand's super-executive serum developed during the Cold War. While granting him superhuman powers, the serum also caused Stefan to lapse into a coma-like state of suspended animation whenever his personal wealth dipped below the "poverty line" of 1 billion dollars. Starting with Carter's mishandling of the oil economy, Stefan was forced to slumber through several decades of economic downturns. Thanks to his financial manager's shrewd investments in derivative financial products however, he was finally able to awaken in 2008. APPEARANCE Corporate America: The First Infringer stands 6' 7" tall and weighs 220 lbs with Blond hair and Blue eyes. He is the very model of a modern major executive. PERSONALITY Corporate America stands for what is best about this country: greed and wealth. Wherever there's a shop selling a tie, wherever a new day trader cries, where there's a fight against the board and tear gas in the air, look for Corporate America, he'll be there. Wherever there's a sale on downtown land, or an easy job for a lazy hand, wherever corporations tack on a fee, follow the money and you'll see me. QUOTES Supermen need super compensation. COMPLICATIONS Proponent of laissez faire economics. Psychological Complication (Common; Strong). Not being paid (Uncommon). Enraged (go 11-, recover 11-). Watched by Corporate Sponsors. Hunted (Infrequently; Mo Pow; NCI; PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find; Watching) Personal wealth dips below 1 billion dollars 3d6 damage per Turn. Susceptibility (Uncommon). Public ID. Social Complication (Frequently; Minor). CHARACTERISTICS STR 25 14- STR Dice 5d6, Lift 800.0kg DEX 28 15- CON 25 14- INT 10 11- EGO 18 13- PRE 25 14- PRE Attack 5d6 REC 12 PD 5 ED 5 STUN 50 BODY 15 END 60 PERCEPTION 11- MOVEMENT Running 22m (44m) Swimming 16m (32m) Leaping 16m (32m) DEFENSE DCV 5 DMCV 3 Total Physical Defense (PD) 5/25 (Resistant 0/20) Total Energy Defense (ED) 5/13 (Resistant 0/8) Briefcase Block. Resistant Protection (12 PD/8 ED; Protect Carried Items, Usually combined with Block maneuver), Impenetrable, Hardened; OAF, Must Be Aware of Attack, Lockout, Nonpersistent, Gestures. A Questionable Property of Questionite. Knockback Resistance -16m (16 Active Points); OAF Unbreakable (Questionite Briefcase; -1), Linked (Briefcase Block), Lockout. Armani Anti-Ballistic Attire. Resistant Protection (8 PD; Impermeable; 12 Active Points); OIF. TACTICS Corporate America prefers to use legal loop holes to out-compete his opponents in the market, but he's willing to bash people over the head with his Questionite Briefcase for money. OFFENSE OCV 5 OMCV 3 Initiative 28 SPD 5 on Phases 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 Attack Roll 16- Mental Attack Roll 14- +3 with Questionite Briefcase attacks Briefcase Bash. HTH +5d6 (25 Active Points); OAF, Lockout, HTH; END 2. Briefcase-a-rang. Blast 10d6, AOE (16m Line; 62 Active Points); OAF, Restrainable (Can be caught), Lockout, Range Based On Strength; END 6. SKILLS Acrobatics 15- Acting 14- Breakfall 15- Bribery 14- Bugging 11- Bureaucratics 14- Charm 14- Climbing 15- Concealment 11- Conversation 14- Criminology 11- Deduction 11- Demolitions 11- Disguise 11- Fast Draw: Questionite Briefcase 15- Forgery (Art Objects, Commercial Goods, Documents, Money (Counterfeiting)) 11- Gambling (Board Games, Card Games) 11- High Society 14- Interrogation 14- Inventor 11- Lipreading 11- Lockpicking 15- Mimicry 11- Oratory 14- Persuasion 14- PS: Executive 11- Sleight Of Hand 15- Stealth 15- Streetwise 14- Tactics 11- Teamwork 15- Trading 14- SKILL LEVELS +3 with Questionite Briefcase attacks LANGUAGES English (basic conversation), Corporate Speak (idiomatic) TALENTS Ambidexterity (-2 Off Hand penalty). +3/+3d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters). PERKS College Chums. Contact: Wall Street (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources), Organization Contact (x3; 15 Active Points) 8-; Contact has access to major institutions and significant Contacts of his own. Skull and Bones. Fringe Benefit: Membership; Membership. I am the 1%. Money: Filthy Rich. POWERS Questionite Briefcase. Multipower (62 pts), (62 Active Points); all slots OAF, Lockout. • Briefcase Block. Resistant Protection (12 PD/8 ED; Protect Carried Items, Usually combined with Block maneuver), Impenetrable, Hardened; OAF, Must Be Aware of Attack, Lockout, Nonpersistent, Gestures. • Briefcase Bash. HTH +5d6 (25 Active Points); OAF, Lockout, HTH; END 2. • Briefcase-a-rang. Blast 10d6, AOE (16m Line; 62 Active Points); OAF, Restrainable (Can be caught), Lockout, Range Based On Strength; END 6. A Questionable Property of Questionite. Knockback Resistance -16m (16 Active Points); OAF Unbreakable (Questionite Briefcase; -1), Linked (Briefcase Block), Lockout. Armani Anti-Ballistic Attire. Resistant Protection (8 PD; Impermeable; 12 Active Points); OIF.

Darn you Darkness rules! (Conveniently available from 6E1 p186-187): I suppose the meta-rule, "you get what you pay for" applies here. If Character 1 pays for multiple foci, then she has a backup pair and can in theory use the backups when her primary pair is inevitably taken away from her. If character 2 pays for the backup pair, then that character gets to use them and see through the Darkness until someone inevitably takes the focus away. The benefit of paying for a separate power such as Enhanced Senses: Infrared Sight Group would be the option to see through other people's Darkness powers, not just Character 1's Darkness Power.

For the teammate, the game effect of the goggles would be enhanced senses that provide +PER in smoke and possibly allowing Infrared or Ultraviolet vision. The teammate isn't buying personal immunity, but rather buying one or more related powers to counteract the effects of the darkness. Or at least that's what I would suggest.

This may be beating a dead cat, but I got curious how cats actually kill their prey. If I can believe the Internet: In HERO System terms I'd say this is a maneuver that either increases DCs or changes their normal attack into a killing attack. The caveat being the prey has to be small enough to bite through the neck, or I suppose the cat has to be motivated enough to use its teeth on someone's neck. I still think the most likely outcome of any cat versus bigger animal fight is one or the other opponent fleeing because outside of hunting or psychopathy most animals and people don't go around killing things for no reason. Certainly this fits the anecdotal evidence.

I don't know if Steve is going to report on this event as a GM, but as a player I can say it was quite fun to try and thwart these ladies. The points I spent in Knowledge Skill: Super villains actually paid off for about half of the crew by providing us some information about their power sets and tactics. Others in the group had previously fought Black Diamond and Shrinker and they quickly became primary targets. What worked well: Having our mentalist mind control Black Diamond was effective but "bad optics". Did I mention the whole event was broadcast live? Having our own shrinking character helped (briefly) acquire the MacGuffin gem. Using leadership and force fields to buff others. What didn't work so well: Having our shrinker suffer from foot-in-mouth disease on camera. Having more villains show up to seek retribution on our shrinker. Having our shrinker not-so-heroically continue to damage downed foes... on camera... Having to confront my fellow "heroes" about their actions. Having Microverse Nazis show up to claim a defeated Shrinker. End Result: Lady Blue and crew escaped with the MacGuffin, earned money for charity, and earned themselves pardons. We get to deal with Microverse Nazis and bad publicity of our actions.