Argus

Re: Bricks and Weightlessness

Originally posted by Ghost Archer

I rarely ask questions about rules or their interpretations as I’ll do things the way I want anyway but this is an interesting tactic I recently conceived. It may not be original but I’ve never seen it before. In a new off-shoot of my long running campaign, I’ve decided to play something totally out of character for me, a brick. Meanwhile, there is another player that has a character that controls gravity including that most interesting power found in the USPDB, Gravity Cancellation. From what I can see this power effectively makes the target weightless, right? My brick has come up with an idea. I know, I know, a stretch for a brick . . .but . . . what if Nat, my brick, grabbed a thug type and then had Wren, the Gravity Mistress, hit ‘em with said Gravity Cancellation?

 

1: How far can a brick with say, 100 STR, throw the now weightless thug?

 

2: What is the “Extra Strength†for throwing a weightless object?

 

3: How much velocity would the thug have at the point of release?

 

4: How much damage would the thug take upon meeting the ground at the far end?

 

5: What if Nat threw the thug into something solid and very close, like the face of El Capitan, what would be the damage? 20d6 from normal STR or Whatever d6 from “Extra Strength�

 

Thanks in advance for input.

 

PS: I still have problems with a 100 STR brick only being able to throw a football (-25 STR to lift) a mere 50†(100 meters, a measly 108 yards or so) in a standing throw. He can lift a BATTLESHIP but only throw 100 yards? *grumble, grumble*

Why this will not work.

Take a feather, which is almost weightless.

Now throw it.

Did it really go anywhere?

To throw something it needs some mass.

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Re: Lest people forget the point of this thread...

Originally posted by Pteryx

Of course, if that's too difficult (I certainly wouldn't know where to start, but then, I'm still learning), here's a considerably simpler challenge:

 

A robot meant to be evil who, through some programming oversight, shortsightedness, or accidental loophole, eventually wound up good. Since I'd like to see how you people would deal with individual parts of my pet character. -- Pteryx

What I ment by Enhanced senses as other powers.

Example

X-Ray Vision as a RKA.

Radar Sense as a Flash vs Radar.

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Originally posted by Enforcer84

Aside from Durango. I've done it. They were sponsored by General Motors. I had Shadow & Prowler rather than Durango.

You should post them.

That way I don't have to build them.

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Originally posted by Fireg0lem

I don't think MT should have a 0 Range TK. FREd says that should be bought as Strength, NFC. In any case its redundant, since he can go to a 63 STR normally.

Well I guess if I used the TK to make his STR 60 you would be right.

But what he does is Increase the Weight of an object that it would require a 60 Str to move it.

That's how I see it anyway.

Am I worng?

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Mass Transit Back ground

I re posted MT after I read I coudn't use DI with out the STR Increase.

Randall Clifton always wanted to be someone special.

He spent his childhood dreaming that he was the Boy Wonder fighting crime with Adventure Boy and Danger Girl.

It was little wonder that Randal became a fireman.

Randall’s crew answered the call on Feb 18th 2001 when Seattle was struck with a 7.0 earthquake.

Reports came in that Lockerbe International, a military research plant, was on fire. Hearing that there were people inside Randall moved into the building.

While doing a room by room search Randall found himself in on of the many labs inside LOC INT when the roof collapsed on him. The last thing he remembered was a sharp pain down his left side.

He awoke inside the King County Hospital to find that he had lost his left arm. He was in a secluded room because of the radiation that contaminated him when he was in the lab.

But the lose of his arm didn’t hurt as much as finding out that one of the rooms he missed while searching had a pregnant woman in it.

Star Fire, a local superhero, arrived moments after the collapse and was able to save the child and Randall but the mother didn’t make it.

The fire department medically retired Randall but the insurance didn’t cover half of his medical bills. A few months later Randall was working on his car when the jack slipped and the car came plunging down on him. He instinctively raised his arm to catch it and found was surprised to find that the car weighted next to nothing.

Randall spent some time and learned what he could do with his powers and tried to become a superhero. It didn’t turn out well. The limitation on his powers was he had to touch to affect some one. So during a bank robbery he tried to get close to the robber when the robber saw him and opened fire. Randall decreased his mass so the bullets passed right through him. Unfortunately the elderly man behind him took the shot in the chest and died. He captured the bank robber but it wasn’t easy with one arm.

Randall gave up his dream of becoming a Superhero and is currently driving a cab around Seattle.

He is thinking about using his powers to help move large loads over distances but he doesn’t want to tangle with the Teamsters.

A hero with Enhanced Senses bought as other powers.

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Mass Transit

Mass Transit

Player:

Total Character Cost: 379

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 29

Total Experience Available: 29

Experience Unspent: 0

I actually have rolling around in the back of my head a group based on Dodge Car Names.

Talon

Avenger

Ram

Neon

Viper

Durango

What do think?

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Re: difficulty of system?

Originally posted by Willis

hello everyone,

 

I've never used the hero system before, but it looks like it might be best suited for what I need. I was wanting to run a superhero campaign. I don't want anything TOO difficult to use since I'm not really a very experienced gm. how does this game rate on the confusion meter? I was looking at mutants and masterminds since I'm familiar with the d20 system, but it looks like that one's set up for min maxing. any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks

 

Willis

I've been playing the hero system for almost 20 years.

Anything you want to do with it you can. GM sets the points and you build your characters from there.

I've played all the big name games (D&D, WOD, GURPS) but the hero system is the best.

Just my 2 cents worth.

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Re: Pop Culture Villains

Originally posted by CrosshairCollie

The subject may be a bit inaccurate, but it's as close as I can come up with. The topic/question: Have any of you ever used any of the variety of real-life pop-culture icons against your PCs? In the old Strike Force (I think), there was a loopy villain called The Producer who created robotic versions of movie characters and sent them out to cause trouble.

 

My own take on this was 'The Cartoonist', who had magic paintbrushes that could create anything he painted, and bring it to life ... thus, he drew cartoon characters and used them to bedevil people. Sometimes classic Looney Tunes, sometimes action cartoons.

 

The crowning achievement for me, though, I think would be the time I had some kids get ahold of a magical tome of summoning. They started messing with it, and summoned Golem spirits; spirits who possessed inanimate objects and brought them to life. The spirits wound up in the kids' Pokemon action figures, which sprang to life at full size.

 

Anybody else done stuff like that?

In one game I ran the heroes worked for the UN and were considered the best of the best.

The Global Guardians, (this was before the Web site by the same name,) and there was a television superhero duo called Adventure Boy and Danger Girl.

On their television show the World Guards, were a recurring helpless superhero team that kept coming to AB and DG for help.

The players hated them more then almost any villain they faught.

It was fun.

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Originally posted by Hugh Neilson

At least make the defense "Life Support" so it's not obviously targeted at him.

 

HEY - You just gave me the power!

 

Multipower (60 point base)

 

Slot 1: 6d6 NND: DEF Force Field

Slot 2: 6d6 NND: DEF not having a force field

 

COST: 72 points (ultra slots)

 

I had a player try to bring in this construct many years ago. While I considered every villain having a small force field with an 11- activation, I decided to just deny the power instead

I like it.

35 pts

No Will to Fight:

Drain Ego - Only vs Characters powers 1d6, Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (+0), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Armor Piercing x1 (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Megascale (1" = 10 km; +1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (52 Active Points); Always On (-1/2)

Then you add a 6d6 Mind Scan, Telepathy, and Mind Control and he rules the city. A few more points and he could rule the world.

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson

Energy Blast 30d6.

 

Force Feild +100/+100 0 END

 

+200 PRE (and do lots pf PRE attacks)

 

Anything bought well above campaign max will be abusive and disallowed.

So the point of this game is to build something that is within the Campaign Max.

I would allow some one to have the +100 PD/ED FF at 0 end.

They couldn't do anything else and would and would get very upset when they were hit with a 6d6 NND Defense No Force Fields.

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Originally posted by JmOz

That's what I get for posting at 12:30 in the AM, sorry about that

Not a problem.

I don't like making mistakes.

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Re: Re: Power Game. Give it a try.

Originally posted by JmOz

Power is illegal.

 

25% of 350 is 75, you need 50% making it a +1/2 advantage, totaling 105.

 

Okay I'll think of some later...

Using my calcuator 350 * .25 = 87.5 or (88)

OK here is the deal.

Come up with a power that is perfectly legal but you would never allow someone to play.

I’ll go first using Duplication.

Example: Infinite Duplication. Cost 88 Points.

Duplication 350 points +1/4 Altered Duplication (25% points spent differently.)

Which comes out to 88 points. Build a Duplicate that is exactly the same and have him

Spend his 88 points on, you guessed it.

Duplication 350 points +1/4 Altered Duplication (25% points spent differently.)

I ran it by Steve and he said it was legal.

Now it is your turn build a legal power for Absorption that you would never let some one use.

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Re: Who's the baddest mutha in your campaign?

Originally posted by RevHooligan

I'm curious about your "guy to beat" in your campaign. Who's the guy that makes your players groan when the miniature come out of the box? is he/she a CU baddie or a homegrown?

Mademoiselle Damnation.

The team met her once. She never showed any powers. She looked like Betty Davis at 90. She smoked with a 12†holder. And she was into pain, giving and receiving.

The Team Mentalist tried to read her mind and was given

A tour into the darkest pits of human depravity, the mentalist fled.

When the team asked her what happen, she would only say.

“Catnip, oh my god, catnip that’s sick.â€

The Hero (NPC) is named Stonewall. “He’s 103 years old and has survived a Nuke.â€

The Team got to fight in a different world where he was the ruler.

The Team Brick attacked him with a 24d6 Pushed Move Through. (This was her really big attack, only used on Mechanon once).

He didn’t even move.

They ran like children.

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Price of a Gnome

Originally posted by Storn

Two things, Mad.

 

1) Hero is fairly flexible. If you find another way to play a Gnome cheaper, Steve Long ain't gonna come to your house and take away your book . My suggestion is not to worry about racial packages, but just build the character stats, skills and powers that makes sense. But I haven't seen the Gnome pckge yet, so I'm a bit un-informed.

The cost of the Gnome is about 140 points.

Should have been caught before it went to the printer.

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Martinez Scale

Well I just did a search and found the last time this was brought up.

What I would like to know is if there is anyone else who created a rating system for their game.

Mine went like this.

Active Points in highest Attack power / 5

Highest Defense PD/ED + 1 for each 5 points spent in a special power / 3

OCV add Skill level or modifiers

DCV add Skill level or modifiers

SPD

Total / 5 Round

10d6 Energy Blast = 10

20 PD = 7

OCV 8 = 8

DCV 8 = 8

SPD 5 = 5

Total = 38 / 5 = 7.6

Argus Scale = 8

I found that most character could beat anyone that was a scale above them but not 2.

Anyone else?

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In the UNTIL Database sourcebook each drawing shows the Martinez Scale in the upper right corner.

Is there a published Scale and how does one figure it out.

The reason I ask: About 10 years ago I came up with a mathmatical Scale for rating my Supers and I would like to know what others used.

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Mustang

I created a 50 Str Brick with a 7 SPD and 29 Dex called Mustang once.

He carried a rope and would Lasso people and tie them up as if he was in a Rodeo. Or throw them around and stuff like that.

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font size=+1>Mustang

Player:

Total Character Cost: 363

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 13

Total Experience Available: 13

Experience Unspent: 0

Originally posted by Crimson Arrow

I suppose Tom Sawyer is not that big a stretch. My concerns were more whether Tom was the best American character they could find. I raised this on the non-gaming board and no one came up with a better choice.

Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, The Lone Ranger, Brisco County, Jim West, Paladin, Maverick, Billy the Kid, Butch or Sundance, Judge Roy Bean.

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And now for something different.

I would take a different bent on the powers of the Gilligan Island group.

The Professor is already smart but if you remember the time a witch doctor made him into a Zombie. Well that touch of the Super Natural fueled his unquenchable thirst for knowledge and the Super Mage Dr. H is born.

Bitten by a radioactive Vampire Bat transformed the tame demure Lovey Howell into the Blood Thirsty Seductive creature of the night Lovey “The Vamp†Howell.

When the headhunters captured Ginger Grant and married her to their Volcano God. They got more then they bargained for. Ginger was granted power unto a god herself, and she didn’t like being thrown into a Volcano. The headhunters soon learned that this Goddess was a vengeful one.

Mistakenly drinking radioactive goo Gilligan found himself with the ability to Glow in the dark. In a hurry to tell the professor he slips and hits his jaw on a rock and finds that he can pick-up Radio Signals. He rested by a funny bush with strange sunflower seeds, eating them he gains the ability to read minds. Now as the human lie detector he hunts the night becoming a shinning beacon for Truth, Justice and the American way.

After having his mind switched with that of a dog and back again. Jonas Grumby soon learned of an unusual side effect that this had. Now whenever he wishes “The Skipper†can send his mind into any animal near him.

Falling into radioactive quicksand Thurston Howell III thought he was as good as dead. In his panicked state the tried to struggle out only to sink faster. As he was buried the quicksand enters every pour of his body and transforms him into the living embodiment of “Quicksand.â€

Now the hardest one to come up with something for.

Mary Ann Summers, the forgotten one, the last one in the song, not even mentioned the first year. No title, no rank, not a movie star or the wife of a millionaire. Mary Ann Summers. Did you ever wonder why they were on the island? Where did that freak storm come from? Sure they say that the weatherman read the wrong weather report, but is that what really happened? Why was every attempt to escape foiled? Was it just bad luck or was it something more sinister? And who would ever believe the Little O’ Mary Ann Summers was behind the entire thing. Using her powers of Probability Manipulation to keep them stranded on an uncharted island so she could test them and herself. For one day, when she decided, she would return to the world with full control of her powers and take vengeance on those who long ago forgot that she was even alive.

Evil is as Evil Does.

From the Wild Card Books and Comics, I would like to add Puppet Master to the list.

The man was so evil he killed his own unborn child because he saw it as a threat.

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How to take out a Batman Clone.

1. Remove his ability to see.

Spotlights, Flares, Fog Machine.

2. Remove his ability to move.

Tar, Ice floors, Water, Bubble-gum.

3. Make him use up his gadgets.

Lots of Thugs, Lot’s of minor traps. Saving a group of people.

4. Hit him with Area of Affect weapons.

Bombs, Rockets, Vat of Acid.

5. Never get into Hand to Hand Combat with him.

Stinger Missiles, Time delayed bombs, Lots of explosions.

6. Team up with others that don’t like him.

He has hunters. He has enemies.

As a Last chance,

Blast off and Nuke him from Space.

It’s the only way to be sure.

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