Pattern Ghost

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster The last slot used to be 46.

Re: Storn's Art & Characters thread. Gives a new meaning to "a little off the top."

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster Ok, here's an update: Barnstormer Val Char Cost 25 STR 15 26 DEX 48 23 CON 26 15 BODY 10 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 15 PRE 5 10 COM 0 15/21 PD 10 15/21 ED 10 6 SPD 24 10 REC 0 46 END 0 40 STUN 0 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 5" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 153 Cost Power 62 Born to Fly: Multipower, 62-point reserve 6u 1) Combat Flight: Flight 25", No Turn Mode (+1/4) (62 Active Points) 6u 2) I Never Run Out of Gas: Flight 20", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points) 6u 3) Non-Combat Flight: Flight 5", x128 Noncombat, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points) 46 Air Superiority: Multipower, 46-point reserve 3u 1) Ouch!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +9d6, Only When Moving ((Must make a Half Move up to or Past target to attack); +0) (45 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Cannot Be Used With Move By or Move Through (-1/4) 3u 2) Cleaning House: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Area of Effect: Trailing, Selective (+1 1/4) (45 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Cannot Be Used With Move By or Move Through (-1/4) 2u 3) Backdraft: Telekinesis (30 STR) (45 Active Points); Only to Drag Target (-1), Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Only When Moving (-1/4) 3u 4) Clear the Air: Dispel Gas/Mist/Smoke Powers 12d6, any Gas/Mist/Smoke power one at a time (+1/4) (45 Active Points); No Range (-1/2) 2u 5) Downdraft: Telekinesis (30 STR) (45 Active Points); Only to Pull Flying Characters Down (-1 1/4), Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) 2u 6) Eat My Dust: Change Environment 32" radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls, Hole In The Middle (+1/4) (45 Active Points); OIF (Appropriate Dust or Powder of Opportunity; -1/2), Easy to Dispel (-1/4), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) Eagle Eyes 2 1) +2 PER with Normal Sight 3 2) Rapid ( x10) with Normal Sight 3 3) +6 versus Range Modifier for Normal Sight 12 Crash Suit: Armor (6 PD/6 ED) (18 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 2 Brave Lad: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Defensive Only (-1) Powers Cost: 163 Cost Skill 7 +2 with DCV (10 Active Points); Only When Flying (-1/2) 3 Aerobatics 14- 5 Combat Piloting 15- 3 PS: Stunt Pilot 12- 3 Teamwork 14- 9 Power 17- 2 KS: Aviation History 11- 2 TF: Helicopters, Parachuting, Basic, Small Planes Skills Cost: 34 Total Character Cost: 350 Pts. Disadvantage 15 Social Limitation: Public ID (Frequently, Major) 15 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Loves Aircraft and Flying (Common, Strong) [Notes: James is easily distracted by all things aeronautical.] 20 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident with flying and piloting abilities (Very Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Claustrophobic (Uncommon, Total) 20 Dependent NPC: Mama O'Mally and Her Flying Circus 8- (Normal; Group DNPC: x4 DNPCs) 20 Hunted: International Law Enforcement Agency 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) 25 Hunted: Unknown Organization 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Capture) 5 Money: Poor Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster The campaign is a bit lower DEX/SPD, and looking over the other characters, I'm not seeing high combat movement. So, he should be able to fill the niche of being fast. Even if not, his powers being based off of his flight is enough of a differentiator for me. He flies! Highly-focused TK or the like. More of the Cannonball end of things. More of a movement specialist than a relativistic speed type. Being maneuverable and able to do flying tricks (speed stunts, but not the more outrageous ones) are more his thing, like his namesake. I just realized I don't really need the combat acceleration/deceleration on him (at least initially), so dropping the MP I posted a couple posts back down to 62 pts nets him a lot more pts to apply to CON and his defenses. Should take care of the END issues, plus with the MP can go into 0 END mode at the cost of lower speed. The book write up from US may not be techically wrong. The 5th Edition (non-Revised) write up for HA says it can be used with martial maneuvers... but doesn't mention non-martial maneuvers. That may be hair splitting, but could be the reason for the write up in US. That, or the write up is inconsistent with the description given. Either way, a -1/4 limit not to work with the two maneuvers doesn't change the cost much, so tossing it in there for clarity. Force Field wouldn't work with the SFX too well. (Technically, "flight" is his only power.) I'm liking just buying up base PD/ED. Was thinking about these, but not being capable of withstanding high altitude flight for too long would fit the barnstorming concept. All good points. I'll probably add it back in, it was on the pre-trimmed skill list to start with. I was actually going to buy him a few TFs anyway. Der, I edited it so many times that when I decided to leave it to the variable advantage I forgot to re-write it. No matter now, that iteration's dead.

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster Sougen, nice build. Gets one more point, but doesn't let me use No Turn Mode (the ability I want most on this guy) with Combat Acceleration/Deceleration.

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster Thinking about replacing the Flight power with this multi: 75 Born to Fly: Multipower, 75-point reserve 7u 1) Combat Flight: Flight 25", combat acceleration/deceleration (+1/4), No Turn Mode (+1/4) (75 Active Points) 7 END 7u 2) I Never Run Out of Gas: Flight 20", No Turn Mode (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (70 Active Points) 0 END 7u 3) Non-Combat Flight: Flight 5", x128 Noncombat, rapid Noncombat movement (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (70 Active Points) 0 END I can keep the combat acceleration/deceleration and no turn mode if I give up 5" of combat flight. That's a half move of 13" vs 15", so not too big of a loss. The second slot can be used to conserve END at the expense of acceleration. Depending on the battlefield, it could be useful to accelerate then switch to slot 2 to conserve energy. Would depend on how spread the targets are. The third slot gives about Mach 2 or a little more speed for traveling longer distances, which isn't too bad. Not looking to be Flash level here anyway. This build only nets me 9 points, though.

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster It's on the high end of the campaign guidelines for the game I'm looking at. I addressed this in my response to Bloodstone. The HA is not intended to add to maneuvers, just wasn't written up that way. That's what I get for using pre-written powers without examining them closely. I'll be putting a limitation on it. He'll be capping at 13d6 for the hand attack OR 14d6 for a move through, but not adding the 9d6 HA to a move through (or move by). Yep. Sometimes digging up 150 points in disads for a character doesn't really fit the character's concept. It's too high a number, though it's the default, and IMO twists too many character concepts to fit digging for disad points rather than helping define the character. So, if I have to go high in a category to not break the original character concept, I will.

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster I think 30" per phase is plenty for this guy. His SPD score is keeping his combat speed down compared to some speedsters in MPH terms, but I'm OK with that. This is the speed where he has the most control for now. The idea is that he loses control as he goes faster. For his speed stunt multi, he'd be pouring on a short burst of speed to create the effect. OTOH, the concept doesn't really require the Megascale. The main thing I wanted is high maneuverability, and Megascale is kind of counter to that conceptually anyway. Yeah, the END is an issue. I may try doing it as a pre-Megascale stlye multipower with one slot for combat speed and one slot for a higher NCM speed, and see if that will save enough pts to put some in END. He does have half END as an option on the variable advantage, but that's still 30 END per Turn just for movement. Multipower may be the way to go to get the total AP down to lower the END cost. Thanks for catching that. I haven't used the Megascale rules for movement much. Wasn't aware of that, either. Hmm. The intent isn't to allow the HA damage to apply to his move-by and move-through maneuvers (or any standard maneuvers). I was using the build for it from Ultimate Speedster: That's definitely a problem with the write up, though. The idea in the text is that it replaces the standard maneuvers, not augments them, but nothing in the build really prevents the powers from adding to the maneuver damage. I think that CVs aren't too high in the game in general. Conceptually, he's a guy who likes to fly who's pushed to heroics by circumstance, so initially using just his raw agility. I figure I can buy up his OCV over time if needed. Yeah, that's his Mook clean up power. He'd probably mostly use it and his non-damaging powers, and let the heavy hitters deal with more dangerous targets, and use his bigger single target attack when needed. Yeah, his defenses are like tissue paper. I have two problems there: Finding the points for them, and finding an SFX that's in concept. I'm thinking of light armor (crash suit) plus "body adapted to flying" to just buy up base PD/ED and stats. Well, let's say 13d6-14d6 after limiting the HA appropriately. Anyone hitting him that hard would crush him anyway, though. One average 13d6 hit and he's out of the fight. It'd be good if he at least took two hits to fold. I was thinking of buying a little Flash Defense with OIF Goggles, but ran out of points with my poor build. =) I don't see him needing (or conceptually qualifying for) personal immunity on the dust cloud. It's just there to create a zone of control. Thinking of using the Trailing AE with it as well, actually. That's if the GM allows Trailing, since it's optional. The export template for plain text doesn't include the description and background stuff, but he does have goggles. Whether they provide some Flash Defense is the main question. Well, if you fall out of an airplane, you aren't going to break the fall, it's going to break you. =) As for the parachute use, I'm assuming he does know how to use one. It's not a core skill, though. I'm assuming basic parachute use subsumed under the Professional Skill. The parachuting skill from Dark Champions provides for more ability than he'd be expected to have. (Packing a chute, etc.) I was going to buy a few movement skill levels for background fluff, but ran out of points. Not really needed for his core abilities, though, as no turn mode and combat acceleration/deceleration pretty much cover him there. Me too! That's why I posted it here. Not really happy with it. Definitely going to look at that option. If the Well Off perk is appropriate, its opposite is too, IMO. It also fits his background and helps define his character. I think the impact it would have on RPing him (for example, can't afford to participate in some social activities) is about right for the 5 pts level of a Disad.

Re: Barnstormer, flying speedster Hmm, trailing with selective might work. Too bad Hero Designer doesn't have Trailing. It has stuff from some of the other supplements, but not that one.

Re: Second Best Game System ? Seems like you spend a lot of energy thinking about your dice pool and translating that into narrative. Probably a much faster process once you get used to it, though.

Ok, I usually don't do speedsters, so I'm posting this guy for feedback. He's 5th Edition. I'm a little concerned about having low defenses and END usage with this build, but squeezing out an impressive amount of flight plus some speedster tricks ate up a lot of points fast. The speed tricks are from, or adapted from, Ultimate Speedster. Barnstormer Val Char Cost 20 STR 10 26 DEX 48 20 CON 20 15 BODY 10 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 15 PRE 5 10 COM 0 10 PD 6 10 ED 6 6 SPD 24 8 REC 0 40 END 0 35 STUN 0 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 4" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 134 Cost Power 105 Born to Fly: Flight 30", Position Shift, x4 Noncombat, Variable Advantage (+1/4 Advantages; Limited Group of Advantages; Only for: Megascale 1"=1km, Half END, Combat Acceleration/Deceleration, Rapid Non-Combat Movement; +1/2) (105 Active Points) 46 Air Superiority: Multipower, 46-point reserve 3u 1) Ouch!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +9d6, Only When Moving ((Must make a Half Move up to or Past target to attack); +0) (45 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) 3u 2) Cleaning House: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Area Of Effect (Trailing; +1), Selective (+1/4) (45 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) 2u 3) Backdraft: Telekinesis (30 STR) (45 Active Points); Only to Drag Target (-1), Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Only When Moving (-1/4) 3u 4) Clear the Air: Dispel Gas/Mist/Smoke Powers 12d6, any Gas/Mist/Smoke power one at a time (+1/4) (45 Active Points); No Range (-1/2) 2u 5) Downdraft: Telekinesis (30 STR) (45 Active Points); Only to Pull Flying Characters Down (-1 1/4), Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) 2u 6) Eat My Dust: Change Environment 128" radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls (46 Active Points); OIF (Appropriate Dust or Powder of Opportunity; -1/2), Easy to Dispel (-1/4), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) Eagle Eyes 2 1) +2 PER with Normal Sight 3 2) Rapid ( x10) with Normal Sight 3 3) +6 versus Range Modifier for Normal Sight 12 Crash Suit: Armor (6 PD/6 ED) (18 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 2 Brave Lad: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Defensive Only (-1) Powers Cost: 188 Cost Skill 7 +2 with DCV (10 Active Points); Only When Flying (-1/2) 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Combat Piloting 14- 3 PS: Stunt Pilot 12- 3 Teamwork 14- 7 Power 16- 2 KS: Aviation History 11- Skills Cost: 28 Total Character Cost: 350 Pts. Disadvantage 15 Social Limitation: Public ID (Frequently, Major) 15 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Loves Aircraft and Flying (Common, Strong) [Notes: James is easily distracted by all things aeronautical.] 20 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident with flying and piloting abilities (Very Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Claustrophobic (Uncommon, Total) 20 Dependent NPC: Mama O'Mally and Her Flying Circus 8- (Normal; Group DNPC: x4 DNPCs) 20 Hunted: International Law Enforcement Agency 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) 25 Hunted: Unknown Organization 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Capture) 5 Money: Poor Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200 Background: James O'Mally grew up in O'Mally's Flying Circus, the youngest of three brothers. He always dreamed of flying, and one day, discovered he could! (Work in progress.)

Re: Music For A Pulp Noir Detective Story Cowboy Bebop soundtrack might have some inspirational tracks.

Re: Support HERO Indirectly... Yep. Don't remember that . in there though. http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/

Re: Support HERO Indirectly... OK, I see what you guys are saying. Rather than getting new players, it's more aimed at supporting players who already have the books and could use some material to go with them. With the core books, the genre book, and a bestiary and/or rogue's gallery and/or setting book required, there's not much getting around the up front costs when talking about making a short adventure. Given that, then referencing page numbers for write ups makes sense.

Re: Support HERO Indirectly... How did rules get into this? I think you're confusing this with another thread, maybe.

Re: Fear Itself: How do you handle it in your campaigns? Fearless without anything in the plus column is basically reckless or stupid IMO. I'd gamed with the player for a few years, didn't think he'd be that munchkiny.

Re: Support HERO Indirectly... If the idea is to get new players into Hero, then asking them to go buy some product to use your freebie with seems self defeating.

Re: Fear Itself: How do you handle it in your campaigns? In one PBEM game I ran, I had a player buy "Fearless" as a Psych Limit. Not a particularly high PRE, no limited only vs. fear PRE, no Mental Defenses. Just a Disadvantage. I didn't particularly have any fear users on the roster, and don't generally use PRE attacks against PCs anyway, so no worries, right? The main NPC team mentor was a very powerful gravity manipulator who had self/power control issues. (Was actually responsible for the death of his team, which was the legacy team for this group, but this never came out in game.) Well, the PC in question spent a few turns antagonizing him, playing up the rebellious angle. I described his reaction, grabbing a steel doorframe, putting indentations in it with his fingers, and describe his gravity powers activating as a feeling of the PC's stomach doing flip flops. The player writes me back, essentially yelling at me not to tell them how to play their character, because it says right there in their disads that they're FEARLESS!!!! Given that I never told them they were in fear of anything, and only described a physical sensation of being affected by a power they couldn't quite identify, I figured that if I ever did actually use a fear power on the character, which never bought fear defenses, I'd really be in for it. I had to explain that a) I never mentioned the word fear, and he didn't have any defense against fear anyway. Maybe a small modifier to PRE attacks from the psych limit, but that was about it. Game went south pretty fast. Argumentative group more concerned with one-upmanship than real gaming with only a couple exceptions.

I'm still on 5th (or 4th), so I don't know if any of the 6th edition material addresses the subject, but how do you define fear in your games? It's one of those effects that you really have to have an idea what mechanic you're going to be using for it so characters who want to be resistant to it, or to inflict it, know how to build. In the real world, weapons evolve to defeat defenses, and defense to resist the weapons, and so on. So, if it may come into play, it seems prudent to choose a mechanic to use for it. So, what is it? Mind Control with a single command? PRE attack / Defensive PRE? Marbles in a skull-shaped jar? (Ok, that's sanity, but I couldn't think of anything else.)

Re: How to found a new Catholic Order I think said priest is setting himself up to live in interesting times.

Re: Support HERO Indirectly... D&D compact stat blocks are a lot smaller than Hero compact stat blocks, though. I think a big consideration for space would be whether you're going to provide full stats vs. asking the person to reference a rogue's gallery book or the bestiary for the stats. I think you could go with reduced stats (just combat stats and powers/abilities) for minor threats. Dedicating some pages to pre-gen PC write ups and a major villain or two seems to be inevitable.

Re: How to found a new Catholic Order

Re: How to found a new Catholic Order Perhaps someone should learn to admit when they didn't get the joke, and move on?

Re: EPIC Champions--unofficial material, what should I write about? Give the brick a HKA with equal active pts to his STR and the limitation "only vs inanimate objects" and he'll have less problems with tanks and stuff. Because, really, breaking things is a brick trick type of thing more than a combat type of thing.