Edsel

Re: How To: Doppleganger I have found all of this very enlightening. A lot of new ways of thinking about this problem. I'll have to experiment with a couple of different builds now to see how they turn out. Of course now that I want to work on this my week has become busy.

Re: Western Hero Resources This is pretty cool. An auction site featuring a Colt 1860 revolving Shotgun. Scroll down for lots of pictures, scroll up for data. It's a 10-guage what a monster. I can only imagine what the dangers of a chain-fire or explosion might have been. Colt Revolving Shotgun. Don't know how long the pictures will last since its an auction.

Re: Medieval Doctor Package The Ultimate Skill suggests that the skill Paramedic be used under the name Healer. "Healing includes some knowledge of folk remedies and herbalism as well as medical procedures for repairing wounds and so forth." Obviously the effectiveness of the skill should be tempered by your campaign world's level of medical knowledge.

Re: [Creature] Axe Beak I could add the skill PS: Hitchhiking to simulate the presence of a thumb.

Re: Goings on in Washington, D.C. Sounds believable so far.

Re: ATV and Transport Familiarity That makes sense. I have never driven a motorcycle but I can see the logic. So although it sounds strange a 4-wheel ATV actually falls under TF: Two-Wheeled Ground Vehicle. I'd rep you again but I already do so yesterday (I'll make a note to self).

The latest IDET training packages Here is what I have come up with, thus far, for IDET training. These are the packages that will be used after IDET has gotten a better handle on just what they need to teach their people and they have had time to develop the training programs. It includes a Basic Training package deal (4 months training) and three advanced individual training packages: Paramedic, Scout and Military Ops. Each of these packages requires two more months of training. What other forms of advanced individual training are needed? I am thinking about an Archaeological Specialist, a Mechanic / Technical Specialist and a First Contact Specialist.

Opinions Please: Under which Transport Familiarity Should a four-wheeled ATV fall. You know, these sorts of vehicles. Small Motorized Ground Vehicles are cars. Two-wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles are motorcycles. So where should a four-wheeled vehicle with handlebars fit in?

Re: Military SF Naming Help Here are a few suggestions, I don't have any more insight that you, I am just a gamer: Terran Coalition Joint Military Forces (T.C.J.M.S.) ...Planetary Control Forces (T.C.P.C.F) ...Terrestrial Combat Forces (T.C.T.C.F.) ...Surface and Atmospheric Services (T.C.S.A.S.)

Fyi FYI: The Master Lists are changing hands. Mr. Butler who for many years maintained them on his Global Guardians website is passing control over to our own Ghost-Angel who, I assume, will host them on the Hero Games section of his website Cellular Smoke Signals. They are not up yet but I understand he is working on it (there is a lot of data). The prefabs posted in this thread are complete and up-to-date. They can be found starting on page 3, post #37.

Re: How To: Doppleganger I agree that does sound good. I had thought about a VPP mimic pool as explained in the Ultimate Metamorph, but for some reason I was having a mental block about just making two of them. I kept trying to figure out how to make two skill rolls apply to a single VPP. Doh! Of course why not just make two. Sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. Rep to casualplayer.

Re: How To: Doppleganger When / If the Mellor decides to attack they usually revert back to their natural form. The most powerful ones (a Master Mellor) are able to store up to 100 forms in their memory and change to those forms when they wish to do so. These creatures often try to sneak on to a planet, replace powerful world leaders and then instigate global catastrophes (global wars, etc.). Fortunately Master Mellor are very rare. They do not become the person, they become a duplicate of their victim complete with the victim's memory and skills. However they are still an evil and malevolent being who retains his own memory and goals. He is still a Mellor he is just almost perfectly disguised, DNA or a blood test will reveal the true nature, as will killing it. I guess I could simply build the natural form and hand wave the rest but that somehow almost feels like cheating. Of course as the GM I guess that is okay as long as it makes the story and game good.

I am working on a write-up of a creature called a Mellor. This insidious creature can assume the shape of any character that it has slain. In order to to this it must either kill the character by way of its BODY Drain power, or it must devour the brain and spinal cord of the victim. The junk science explanation is that the Mellor has a collapsing DNA structure that allows it to reshape itself. The creature is pretty good at assuming the victim's form but not as good at absorbing the victim's skills and knowledge. So the Mellor will have one of three possible results if it tries to assume the form and identity of a victim. Complete success: The Mellor assumes the victim's form complete with his skills, powers and memories. It can even become more Intelligent and drastically alter its size. Partial success: The Mellor assumes the outward form with all physical abilities but none of the knowledge or skills. It can still alter it size to mimic its victim in this case. Failure: Which usually means a horriffic half formed monster. My brain is fried from thinking about this for too long. How would you do it?

Re: [Creature] Axe Beak I had read about the "meat hook" wings but decided that they pretty much paled in comparison to the dreaded beak. I have also read that they may, like the ostrich, had a pretty dangerous kick. One error that I note now is that the 60 kph species was actually a slightly smaller variety that what I wrote-up. The largest variety, like this one, could probably only manage 50 kph. (Drop the running to 15" to fix that). I completely fabricated the screech-based PRE attack, based on the looks I figured that its call would be pretty frightening. I wonder if I made the HKA with the beak a little too nasty, perhaps I should drop it by one damage class? EDIT: I have posted an updated version that takes into account the comments and suggestions from this thread.

Low Mellor Here is the 2nd of 8 forms of Hostile Mellor. EDIT: Revised 11/11/2007 [b]Low Mellor - [/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 5 STR -5 5 10- HTH Damage 1d6 END [1] 12 DEX 6 12 11- OCV 4 DCV 4 10 CON 0 10 11- 4 BODY -12 4 10- 4 INT -6 4 10- PER Roll 11-/13- 5 EGO -10 5 10- ECV: 2 13 PRE 3 13 12- PRE Attack: 2 1/2d6 2 COM -4 2 9- 4 PD 3 4 4 PD (3 rPD) 4 ED 2 4 4 ED (3 rED) 3 SPD 8 3 Phases: 4, 8, 12 4 REC 2 4 20 END 0 20 18 STUN 6 18 6 RUN 0 6" END [1] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 2 LEAP 0 2" 2" forward, 1" upward [b]CHA Cost: -7[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 3 [b][i]Tough Hide[/i][/b]: Damage Resistance (3 PD/3 ED) - END=0 3 +1 PER with all Sense Groups - END=0 4 +2 PER with Smell/Taste Group - END=0 12 [b][i]Regeneration[/i][/b]: Healing BODY 1d6 (standard effect: 3 points), Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, -1 1/2) - END=0 5 IR Perception (Sight Group) - END=0 12 [b][i]Claws[/i][/b]: HKA 1/2d6 (1d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Reduced Penetration (-1/4) - END=0 15 [b][i]Teeth[/i][/b]: HKA 1d6-1 (1d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points) - END=0 1 [b][i]Lunge[/i][/b]: Leaping +1" (2" forward, 1" upward), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) - END= 5 LS (Longevity: 14,000 Years +) - END=0 53 [b][i]Assume Victim's Form[/i][/b]: Variable Power Pool, 50 base + 3 control cost, (75 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Must Devour Victim's Brain & Spinal Cord; -1 1/2), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (0 DCV; Character is totally unaware of nearby events; -1 1/2), Extra Time (5 Minutes, Only to Activate, -1), No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; VPP Copies Largest Active Point Characteristic First; -1), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (VPP only Mimics Victim's Physical Characteristics; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Characteristics Can Only Equal, Never Exceed, the Victim's; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Cannot Retain Copied Characteristics; -1/4) - END= 10 Tracking with Smell/Taste Group - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 123[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 5 Climbing 12- 5 Shadowing 11- 10 +2 with DCV 5 Concealment 12-; Self Only (-1/2) 7 Stealth 13- 3 +1 with any Strike 5 Power: VPP Control 12- [b]SKILLS Cost: 40[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 5 Physical Limitation: Small Size (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Animal Intelligence (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 10 Physical Limitation: Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 30[/b] Base Pts: 75 Exp Required: 51 Total Exp Available: 51 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 156 Personality/Motivation: Very similar to the Least Mellor. Low Mellor will often mindlessly attack anything that it thinks can be eaten. However, their intelligence is slightly better and so they will sometimes stalk their prey first. Quote: Gurgles and grunts of delight upon finding prey. Powers/Tactics: The Low Mellor, like the Least Mellor, is a carnivore. In addition it may take the shape of its last victim for camouflage. It can only assume forms of lower animals or at best, a mindless copy of an intelligent creature. In order to assume another form the Low Mellor must devour the brain and spinal cord of the victim, a messy procedure that takes at least 30 minutes to accomplish. Once the meal is completed the transformation can take up to 10 minutes to complete. A failed attempt to assume the desired form results in a half formed monster. The Low Mellor's VPP can only be used to mimic the victim's Physical Characteristics (which excludes, INT, EGO). Purely physical powers (like extra running or leaping). Remember that the Mellor will be -1 to its Mimic roll per 10 active points it must spend, therefore it will have a hard time assuming a very powerful form. A failed mimic roll usually results in a horrific-looking half formed monster. Low Mellor are often found in groups of up to a hundred. They reproduce by injecting a genetic capsule into a half-eaten corpse, which provides material sufficient to hatch a Low Mellor in about a week. This newborn Mellor cannot take the shape of the victim it hatches from. If no victim is available, the Low Mellor can split into two Least Mellor after falling comatose for a few days. Low Mellor can hibernate like the Least Mellor. A typical encounter with Low Mellor will include 7d6 of the beasts. But this number can vary wildly from one or two to as many as 50. Campaign Use: IDET may stumble upon hibernating Low Mellor without knowing it. The critters can hide in small spaces and the presence of something edible (the players) will cause them to revive. Several may be in the same area and if they surprise someone they may be able to start reproducing. Alternatively an IDET team could stumble upon a mindless copy of another person or creature; this can lead to a nasty surprise. Appearance: In their normal state they are hairless and have very pale pinkish almost white skin. They are quadrupeds, have black glossy eyes and amazingly large teeth and claws for their size. If they have assumed the shape of another person or creature they will appear as it but will lack the INT or knowledge of the imitated creature. A disguised Mellor will almost always (14-) revert to their natural form when they attack. EDIT: The HD file for this creature is in the Hero Designer Vault. The write-up has changed somewhat.

Least Mellor Here is the least form of Mellor. [b]Least Mellor - [/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 3 STR -7 3 10- HTH Damage 1/2d6 END [1] 14 DEX 12 14 12- OCV 5 DCV 5 10 CON 0 10 11- 3 BODY -14 3 10- 3 INT -7 3 10- PER Roll 11-/13- 3 EGO -14 3 10- ECV: 1 10 PRE 0 10 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 2 COM -4 2 9- 2 PD 1 2 2 PD (2 rPD) 3 ED 1 3 3 ED (2 rED) 3 SPD 6 3 Phases: 4, 8, 12 4 REC 2 4 20 END 0 20 12 STUN 2 12 5 RUN -2 5" END [1] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 1 LEAP 0 0 1/2" 0 1/2" forward, 0" upward [b]CHA Cost: -24[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 12 [b][i]Claws[/i][/b]: HKA 1/2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Reduced Penetration (-1/4) - END=0 15 [b][i]Teeth[/i][/b]: HKA 1/2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points) - END=0 12 [b][i]Regeneration[/i][/b]: Healing BODY 1d6 (standard effect: 3 points), Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute, -1 1/2) - END=0 2 [b][i]Tough Hide[/i][/b]: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) - END=0 5 IR Perception (Sight Group) - END=0 10 Tracking with Smell/Taste Group - END=0 3 +1 PER with all Sense Groups - END=0 4 +2 PER with Smell/Taste Group - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 63[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 3 Climbing 12- 3 Breakfall 12- 20 +4 with DCV 7 Concealment 14-; Self Only (-1/2) 3 Stealth 12- 3 +1 with any Strike [b]SKILLS Cost: 39[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 10 Physical Limitation: Diminutive Size (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) 10 Physical Limitation: Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Animal Intelligence (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 35[/b] Base Pts: 75 Exp Required: 0 Total Exp Available: 0 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 78 Personality/Motivation: The Least Mellor is a mindless eater that will devour any life in its path save vegetation. They often congregate in swarms of up to a thousand if food supplies are plentiful. If a Least Mellor consumes an amount of food equal to its body weight it will fall into a comatose state for about 6 hours (4 to 8 is the range), after which it will divide into two identical Least Mellor. Because of its fantastic metabolism, a Least Mellor will quickly begin to starve if food sources are not available. Large numbers of starving Least Mellor will go into a cannibalistic feeding frenzy. When food supplies are non-existent they will go into a state of hibernation that can last up to 14,000 years and will revive when a food supply becomes available. Quote: Squeals of delight upon seeing anyone! Powers/Tactics: See food, charge and eat it. They are absolutely fearless and mindless. A typical encounter with Least Mellor will include 3d6x6 of the beasts. But this number can vary wildly from one or two to as many as a thousand in a swarm. Campaign Use: IDET may stumble upon hibernating Least Mellor without knowing it. The critters can hide in small spaces and the presence of something edible (the players) will cause them to revive. Several may be in the same area and if they surprise someone they may be able to start reproducing. You get the picture, it isn’t pretty. Alternatively an IDET team could stumble upon an active horde on a world that still has food. This is the least of the 8 hostile forms of Mellor. Appearance: They are hairless and have very pale pinkish almost white skin. They are quadrupeds. They have black glossy eyes and amazing large teeth and claws for their size. EDIT: The HD file for this creature is in the Hero Designer Vault

I have posted a write-up of the Phorusrhacids, aka Terror Bird in my Fringeworthy Hero thread. This was a huge, flightless, predatory bird of the Cenozoic era. The same creature that the Axe Beak from D&D was based on. If you are interested in adding this to your bestiary here is the link. A picture and Hero Designer prefab are provided.

Re: Fringeworthy Hero As I have time and complete the work I thing I will start posting a Fringeworthy Bestiary. Hopefully I will start to add Mellor before long. Below is the first example. This is a critter that the team encountered during our first game. We found that even something like this is not bullet-proof. [b]Phorusrhacids - Terror Bird[/b] [b][u]VAL[/u] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Total[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b] 25 STR 15 25 14- HTH Damage 5d6 END [5] 15 DEX 15 15 12- OCV 5 DCV 5 20 CON 20 20 13- 13 BODY 6 13 12- 5 INT -5 5 10- PER Roll 12- 10 EGO 0 10 11- ECV: 3 15 PRE 5 15/25 12- / 14- PRE Attack: 3d6 / 5d6 10 COM 0 10 11- 7 PD 2 7 7 PD (3 rPD) 7 ED 3 7 7 ED (3 rED) 3 SPD 5 3 Phases: 4, 8, 12 9 REC 0 9 40 END 0 40 40 STUN 4 40 15 RUN 0 15" END [3] 2 SWIM 0 2" END [1] 5 LEAP 0 5" 5" forward, 2 1/2" upward [b]CHA Cost: 70[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]POWERS[/u][/b] 30 [b][i]Axe-like Beak[/i][/b]: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1 (2 1/2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points) - END=0 18 [b][i]Wing Spurs[/i][/b]: HKA 1d6 (2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Reduced Penetration (-1/4) - END=0 15 [b][i]Kick[/i][/b]: HA +3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) - END=0 5 [b][i]Horrid Screech[/i][/b]: +10 PRE (10 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only to Make PRE Attacks, No effect vs. the Deaf; -1) - END= 3 [b][i]Tough Feathers[/i][/b]: Damage Resistance (3 PD/3 ED) - END=0 18 [b][i]Powerful Legs[/i][/b]: Running +9" (15" total) - END=2 5 [b][i]Large Eyes[/i][/b]: Nightvision - END=0 6 [b][i]Predator's Senses[/i][/b]: +2 PER with all Sense Groups - END=0 [b]POWERS Cost: 100[/b] [b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b] 3 Concealment 11-; Self Only (-1/2) 3 Stealth 12- 3 [b][i]Fierce Predator:[/i][/b] +1 with any strike [b]SKILLS Cost: 9[/b] [b][u]Value[/u] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/b] 5 Physical Limitation: Large (-2 DCV) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Animal Intelligence (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) [b]DISADVANTAGES Points: 35[/b] Base Pts: 75 Exp Required: 69 Total Exp Available: 69 Exp Unspent: 0 Total Character Cost: 179 Background/History:[/b] Native to Central and South America during the Cenozoic era from 62 to 2 million years ago. They are large, flightless predatory birds. It is possible that they crossed into North America using the Panama isthmus land-bridge but if this is the case significant amounts of remains had not yet been found. Personality/Motivation: The apex predator of its time, the primary motivation of the bird is to catch, kill and eat anything smaller and slower than itself. Since modern humans are unknown to this creature characters will likely be mistaken for a tasty meat snack. If the bird is hungry it will likely attack humans on sight. Quote: A horrid, blood-curdling screech. Powers/Tactics: There is dispute among the scientific community about how these animals hunted. The majority believe that they are swift solitary hunters which ran down their prey. Some slightly smaller species could manage 60 km/h (37 mph). The larger species in this write-up can still manage 50 km/h (31 mph). Another school believes that they were too heavy and clumsy to outrun prey and that they were ambush and/or pack hunters. Yet another faction believes that they were mere scavengers. This write-up assumes that they were fast and ran down their prey. However you can decide to use them as pack hunters to further challenge you players. The Bird can strike with its beak, it can kick or it can slash or grab victims with its wing spurs. If it grabs a victim it can automatically inflict its wing spur damage on subsequent attacks or make normal strikes with its beak. If they fail to ambush foes they will often start things off with an enthusiastic screech (PRE Attack) as they spot prey. Campaign Use: These are basically random encounter creatures. They lack the intelligence to make long-range plans and it is doubtful that they could be easily domesticated or used as guard creatures. These are just a nasty thing for you players to encounter on the trail or to have blunder into a camp. There are several old D&D write-up of these or similar creatures that usually go by the name of Axe Beak. Appearance: They range is size depending on age and specific species from 3-feet to 13-feet tall. The estimated weight of the largest specimens range from 300 kg to 500 kg. This write-up is for the largest and most powerful version of a Terror Bird. Smaller varieties can be made by simply reducing the size, weight and combat potential. EDIT: See the Hero Designer Vault for HD file of this creature.

Re: Shades of Black I belong to that sad group who has the module but has yet to have a chance to run it. At least I can agree with you that it is a fantastic read.

Re: Master Lists in Danger Good! Glad to hear things are progressing. I still have all of the Hero Designer Prefabs.

Re: Another New Guy? I think of much more to add other than to jump on to the thread to say welcome.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings And so DST ends. Now it will just be getting light when I leave for work and it will start getting dark by the time I get home. I won't be able to get any outdoor work done during the week. I guess I'll be forced to indulge in my hobbies instead.

Re: desolidifation is too cheep ??? Yep, you are pretty hard to hit or hurt unless someone takes Affects Desolid with their attack (+1/4 to +1/2) advantage. Plus, remember that the desoild character must specify at least one reasonably common special effect that ignores their desolid power. If the desoild character wants to affect the solid world while staying desolid they must buy a +2 Advantage Affects Physical World for each power or ability that can affect the physical world. That gets real costly real quick.

Re: How to build Buy it the Eidetic Memory Talent so it can remember anything it sees or hears and then buy it Images with with Sight and Hearing groups to allow it to replay those memories.

Re: How much XP per 'level' "Hangin's too good for him! Burnin's too good for him! He should be torn into little bitsy pieces and buried alive!"