iamlibertarian

How would you build a field blocking transmissions one way? Say you have a Base. You don't want outsiders to be able to read outgoing transmissions (or at least want to hinder them), say, Radio, but you want to be able to receive transmissions from the outside (like Internet). Or you want something effectively working like a Darkness, say to Sight and Hearing, but you want to be able to see and hear out of that field (talking about the entire area and those within it, so Personal Immunity wouldn't work)? Or a field where Mystic Senses cannot penetrate, but you could use Clairsentience out of that field? Is any of this possible? Thanks! DC

It doesn't have to be, but I was trying to make it like D&D's "Unlock" except that it includes modern locking systems). But I will have to seriously have to look at your suggestion. I don't think I have ever built a power with Damage Over Time before so don't know it well. I only included Reduced END because it is already built into the VPP across all powers (for simplicity). Otherwise I wouldn't have included it in this power anyway.

Hi, I am trying to come up with a 'spell' that will unlock anything, ala D&D (but built for Champions), from a padlock to a sophisticated bio lock with retina scanners, thumb print locks that determine if the digit with the print is actually alive, etc., all using Magic. This is the most simple I could come up with, but I was wondering if there was a more 'realistic' way... It is a combination of two spells. One to open any locks, one to confuse sensors. Here is what I have: Unlock Anything: (Total: 169 Active Cost, 52 Real Cost) Major Transform 5d6-1 (Anything Locked into Unlocked, Re-locking), Improved Results Group (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 6E1 409; +1/2*) (90 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Skill roll; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4), IIF (Symbol of Hecate; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Limited Power Only Magic (6E1 410) (-1/4) (Real Cost: 30) (I only have Red END and Limited Power Only Magic on it because they are on the VPP.) PLUS Major Transform 5d6-1 (Lock sensors into sensors believing they are still locked, Repair), Various sensors (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 6E1 409; +1/2*) (79 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Skill roll; -1/2), Linked (Unlock Anything; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4), IIF (Symbol of Hecate; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Limited Power Only Magic (6E1 410) (-1/4) (Real Cost: 22) Thoughts?

I like the way you think...plot devices...yeah, not only could players have to play CP to keep those favors, but if they don't want to, a major plot device or twist could come out of such interactions.

But, then, I think up other things too, like potions of immortality (Life Support) to trade to NPCs for favors, lol.

That is an interesting thought. It at least gives me perspective. But the GM would have to do the same. Which would force the GM to do a lot of character creation instead of using stock characters to fight against. I played Hero from 1st to 4th ED. At least during those times, GM burnout was a real thing. I never got to play in a game that lasted a full year and that is with them using a lot of stock characters). Which is very sad.

What is the best way to avoid that?

I didn't know that such is too powerful. I just assumed that NPCs had the same, and all is fair. For example, take a look at Gravity Alteration in C.Powers pg 154. 40 STR TK in a 16m radius either pinning everyone down or lifting them in the air where they can't so much as pull a trigger for 52 points (less if one added a few more combat realistic modifiers). Or at Gravity Cancellation on the same page. For just 37 points, or even less with easy Lims, you in one Turn could lift someone 10 stories and drop them, or just continue to hold them out of combat. Shoot, a simple 3D6 INT drain, Constant, END 0, (AP 60, RP 30 with a simple OAF) could wipe out half a team in a Turn. IF one does not get smooshed first. Which is why we work in teams. Again, I just thought this was the norm for the game.

As another example of how I like 'depth' vs copying existing characters, I had a Dark Champions character who sold potions of Healing, or Immortality or Immunity to the rich and influential (his source of Wealthy) and for favors. Almost too dark. Another thinks he is a former major God who was reduced to Demigod status over time as science took over and worship from believers has significantly fallen off. So he trades favors (like the Immortality, or Transform barren person into a fertile one), or permanent regeneration. They (NPCs) had their CP value increased and I had reason to -buy- Favors and Contacts.

Well, I like to play (or at least create) characters with depth. Forget combat, I created a character with a permanent light source this way. And an "Eco Warrior" who created a 'clean air bubble' around the entire city (a 'toxic -damage' power could be created in the city, but effects wouldn't last long. Lit an entire city's large buildings with Images (0 END, Uncontrolled, Trigger is a central light switch, Penetrative and so on. Another created a permanent clean water source for a village. Weird things like that, lol. Admittedly there are combat benefits too, like a base got Uncontrolled Resistant PD/ED too, which can still be sensed and dispelled. And then there is the permanently inscribed AID 3d6 magic or summoning circle in the Sanctum Sanctorium. I like variety. I like Much less characters that are carbon copies of other characters.

Depends on what you mean by 'with the power.' In any games I have played (admittedly it has been 4th ED since I found a group, lol) most GMs made the one who Benefits from the power be the one to pay CP for it. My character (grantor) pays for the ability to cast it, and if the receiver benefits from it long term, they pay CP to keep it.

Just looking for a general consensus here. Say I am creating a 'support character' who uses AID 'X' (let's say OCV), and I want to give it Delayed Return. At what point would you, if you were running a game, make a target (self or other) pay CP to keep the power, if at all? What if a character gave AID 1d6 to OCV and gave it a Delayed Return Rate of 5/day. I am assuming no CP payment by the target. But what if the AID returned at 5/year, or 5/century (barring Dispelling, or being stolen if it is on a focus that has to be given to another,etc.). Is it safe to assume that at some point a GM would charge the target CP for this? Thanks! DC

So would this work for most of you if you were running a game? At the start of an adventure where the Superheroes were about to knowingly go off to fight (a) demon(s), cast a spell on each of their existing hand weapons: Through a VPP: +1 OCV, UAA (already constant and already 0 End), Armor Piercing, Uncontrolled, Only works against Demons? And then if they want to keep the weapon that way after the adventure, they have to pay CP for it?

Oh, shit. I am such a dork. Thank you!

But then wouldn't I also have to buy the Barrier with a physical presence as well (PD and ED and Body) to keep someone from taking it down with the flick of a finger? It makes sense for it to be dispellable, suppressable, etc., or to be walked through. But by using Barrier, would it not be brought down just by someone merely walking through it?

I have thought about Barrier for this purpose, especially because it has "One Way Transparent" which I would like, but the mere flick of a finger would break down the whole barrier.

But doesn't Darkness cover the whole area (like in this case the Base I want to protect)? Sure, Personal Immunity works for the 'caster,' but what if there is a 'coven' of people in the base, and they should all be able to use their mystical senses Within the base.

I am trying to find the best way to block mystical senses from penetrating an area (such as a small base) using Hero Designer. Not trying to build a power that would block all mystical senses within that area, like with Darkness, but rather to prevent those senses from crossing the barrier. (One way blocking would be best, but if I can't, I can't. Designer doesn't really seem to deal Directly with a mystical sense group. But aside from that, which I could probably work around: Can Barrier be opaque just to mystical senses (Clairsentience from a mystical f/x for example) while allowing non-mystical senses to get through (Clairsentience through the lens of a drone for example? Or how about Invisibility AE to mystical senses? (There is that problem with Designer and mystical senses I mentioned.) Darkness to mystical senses would work if the 'caster' was the only one I wanted to be able to still 'see' mystically in that area (Personal Immunity), but what if all occupants needed to be able to use mystical senses within, while still having those senses blocked from entering that area? As always, thanks for the help? DC

I am just beginning to discover, through additional reading, comments in these forums, and some of the powers Hero Games have directly created, that UAA is the cure-all for many powers which seem difficult to create (as long as it fits in each GMs paradigm of course). Pay a little more (reasonable most of the time) to create something out of the ordinary but still within Comic standards.

As an ER nurse, I can't tell you how many times we have had to use a Ring Cutter to get rings off of patients. That's why I think it should be left up to how the power was bought (Accessible vs Inaccessible). As for Obvious or not, that too should be up to how the power was bought. As for UBO, Regeneration itself says UBO cannot be purchased for Regen, which is why I was looking for other legitimate ways to create this power, since it is a staple of magical literature/games.

I believe then the answer is a Yes, the Aid could be used on Either Control or the Pool (still putting half the Aid points into the other factor without gaining an increase). If this is the case, then to improve Both Control and Pool, two separate Aid powers would have to be used? Thanks, DC

The examples given (6E1 140ish) of Winter Dragon positively Adjusting his VPP only speak of what happens when he Aids his VPPs Pool. It of course mentions that to Aid the pool, a proportionate amount of the Aid points must also be spent on Control Cost, even though those points going to Control Cost do not increase Control (# of active points any slots can have), But the way the book phrases it is, "IF the Medic uses an Aid to boost just Winter Dragon’s Pool..." It doesn't really address whether or not Medic can apply the Aid directly to the Control. Does that mean that in another scenario Medic can Aid the Control Cost directly, instead of the Pool (assuming that Medic would have to still spend some proportionately on the Aid on the Pool as well without increasing the Pool)? Ie. can Adjustment Powers be applied directly to the Control portion of the VPP to increase the number of Active Points a slot in the pool may have? Thanks! DC

Genre is an issue. That is why I posted it in the Champions forum. The character I am building is Super Heroic, but being built in a Fantasy manner. But like above, I believe I built my 'spell' with intended results using Healing instead of Regeneration.

Unfortunately Regen states it cannot be UBO. Is Universal Focus enough by itself? And if so, does it violate the 'hand stuff out to others routinely' issue? I may have solved my own problem though of 'regenerating' others, through use of Healing (instead of using Regen) along with 'Decreased Re-use duration' to 1 Turn and only +1 Pip without any D6 to simulate Regen of 1 point per turn. Thanks! DC

How does one create a Ring of Regeneration which can be used by anyone who wears it, like in many Fantasy settings, when Regeneration cannot be UBO (6E1 232)? Does "Universal Focus" solve this (normally I would think not, as that appears to violate the 'hand stuff out routinely to others concept) Thanks! DC