Silbeg

Re: TK Throw Things

I stand corrected!

 

from 5er pages 386-387,

W00t!

Now, if I weren't lazy, I might have given that page reference. Had I found it first.

But, to the point... I would say that all of that would apply for telekinesis as well.

Re: TK Throw Things

On this, the simplest way would be best.

I don't think you are far wrong on how you did it. The only thing I would ask, would you require the same extra 1/2 phase if the character was using his innate STR, rather than Tk?

If not, I wouldn't require the extra time for Tk, either. In fact, in my game, I would just treat this as a "grab and throw", using the Tk strength to determine the throwing distance and velocity... treat this as a standing throw, I would think.

Re: Knowledge-/ Skill-Absorber

Yeah. But I have trouble to fit other Powers in.

There is a smaller/Similar version of this Power described in the UNTIL Superpower Book.

It would probably help us to help you if you were to post your character here... that way, we can see what you are talking about, and make more informed suggestions.

Is the problem that you are running out of points after buying all of the skills he needed?

Re: Sonic Mesmerization power - a sonic mind control

Wow... would have thought I'd get lots of opinions on this.

Has everyone moved on to 6E?

Re: Sonic Mesmerization power - a sonic mind control

Have you thought about going with a different power to get to the effect that you want. My thought is that it sounds like what you want is +X Pre (only to distract). If you add that with images (Sound) only to enhance volume' date=' it effectively creates the AOE that you are looking at and gets you to where you want to go. [/quote']

 

I get where you are going with this, except that the PRE-attack would not have a continuous effect. The idea here is that the targets will tend to stop and listen to what he is playing for as long as he is playing it... PRE attacks would tend to only stop them for a single phase.

 

However, there is merit in what you mention... as a second ability... He already has the images power to amplify (or playback), but if I were to add a slot with additional PRE for attack purposes only... or whatever, that may be a very potent ability.

 

My concern with PRE-based power is that this character is being played by a novice player.

In my game, we have a new character, Treble, who has a power suit with sonic (music themed) powers. His "signature" power is the ability to distract a group of people with music.

This has been bought as:

Requiem: Mind Control 12d6 (Human class of minds), Telepathic ; Set Effect ("Stop What You Are Doing And Listen To Me"), Full END To Maintain, Hearing Flash DEF Adds To Mental DEF, Does Not Provide Mental Awareness, Gestures ("Conducting"), Visible, Normal Range, Subject To Range Modifier

plus a naked advantage:

Mass Requiem: Area Of Effect (6" Radius) for Requiem; OAF (Conductor's Baton), Gestures

I am already modifying the Mass Requiem so that it is nonselective (note: this is a 5ER build, please comment appropriately).

However, I am still not happy with the build. Since this is a sonic-based effect, not mental, I would prefer that this be targeted with OCV rather than OECV, and against DCV rather than DECV.

Now, looking at Ultimate Mentalist, the suggestion is that using OCV instead of OECV would typically be a +1/4 Advantage, and going against DCV instead of DECV would be a -1/4 Limitation.

Do you all think that it would be unbalancing to just "hand wave" that all, can call it a wash?

Do you think that the "telepathic" is needed for this case

Any other suggestions?

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Specifically, when I said sinister, I was making a play on left hand (the original meaning of sinister), see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinister

Just saying.

Not 100% sure where all of this is going, but I am getting great help here. I am definitely going to be bringing ins some of this.

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ?

6e2 78 "A character can make a Multiple Attack with two or more slots in a single Power Framework, provided he has enough reserve/Pool Points to allocate to the two or more Slots used in the attack Simultaneously"

 

I would actually be quite surprised if this is a change from 5e. Seeing as multi slots in a Multipower were designed to allow 2 or more powers to be used at the same time as long as you had enough pool points to accommodate both powers. Perhaps someone who has their 5er close at hand can find the rule that says differently.

This is definitely a change from 5E.

However, a character may not combine two or more slots from a single Power Framework as part of a multiple-power attack, even if he has sufficient reserve or base points to use both slots at once.

The way to get around that is to have a "compound power" slot, typically where the powers are linked. However, that being said, I believe that most GMs house ruled it the way 6E evidently does it for MPs and VPPs (but typically not for ECs).

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Well to expand on my last post' date=' you could call then the Order of Ehud. Now Ehud was a judge who used his left hand to kill a king, Og if I remember rightly. Now I heard that in the Jewish tradition, the Right of God is where all the blessings, mercy, kindness, come from. So by that logic, the Left hand is where the the rebuking, smiting, punishments, etc. come from. So the Order of Ehud is the Left hand of the Pope.[/quote']

 

 

I like that!!!

 

Of course, it would be a secret order, one that The Church does not openly admit to existing.

 

If I were to go further... it is even possible that the leaders of The Inquisition came out of this organisation, or something similar. The mind is spinning... hee hee

 

As for the character out of the old 4e European Enemies... not so much. Looked him up last night, and didn't really like him, especially as the leader of this organization. Not sure where I am going with this all, but I am trying to keep it interesting for the players.

 

FYI - I am currently planning the events for the next session, so the Order of Ehud is definitely come at the right time! They would be the sinister hand of the Pope (since that would be the left hand, eh?)

Re: Superhero Campaign Advice?

Especially for a novice GM, the book Villainy Amok would be a great buy. It has several fully fleshed out encounters, and ideas for many more. It hits many of the typical genre-shticks.

I enjoyed running Champions Battleground, which, is a larger adventure, with a decent story line. This will give you many sessions worth of play.

I agree with the idea of reading comics for motivation. The one thing to remember is that many comic conventions won't work exactly right when trying to convert them to a game. For one, it is often very hard to get villains the ability to escape a fight, without resorting to special powers or incredible movement. Fights far more often end in one side completely defeated than one side being chased off.

But, more importantly than any of this... get a group together, build some characters, you build some villains and/or agents (Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks is a great resource!), and stage the old bank robbery scenario. Or the "Marvel Mix-up", which is a stereotypical way of starting the game!

Re: Villains Campaign

While I have never actually run a villain-based campaign, I have run several convention games where the PCs were villains. There, it works, because they tend to have objectives, etc. They are allowed to use whatever tactics they wish, but even then, it is suggested to follow genre-trope and not go kill-happy.

The problem I see is that a villain based game would almost have to be either more open-ended than the typical superhero game, or much more rigid. Typically in a heroic game, the PCs are trying to foil the crimes perpetrated by the NPCs. While there may be a good number of options to their pursuits, it it all comes down to protecting the public in the end.

Villains will need motivation to stay together. It may be a mysterious benefactor (such as with GRAB), or there might be some creation-binding (like the Crowns of Krim), or a powerful leader (War Machine). Players will probably grow tired of being led around by an NPC leader, but this can be part of the solution.

If not being led by a powerful (or more knowledgeable) leader, the villain PCs will need to come up with crimes to perform on their own. If they have concrete goals, this might be the easiest, however, this isn't usually going to be the case. So, one night, they might decide to rob The First National Bank of XXX, through the use of stealth, and skills, and on the next, they may just decide to blast their way through Midtown Mall. This requires a much higher level of preparation on the GM's part, because the team has to be able to do whatever they need.

Perhaps the most important question comes about when the local heroes actually start getting involved. How often do they respond to the criminal's behavior? What do you do when villains (or heroes) are captured? What level of arms do the typical security guards and police carry, not to mention the possible MARS squads (or their equivalent).

Then, finally, in order to be a really convincing villains game, there has to be tension between the PCs. Who is going to help whom? Who pays for the weaponsmaster to reload his gun? Who is a mole for the superheroes? Or who is working double-time for the mafia/russians/terrorists?

I would definitely still try to keep with genre trope, such as no rampant killing, etc. Otherwise, you will definitely need to respond with equal force.

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

I can't be the only one who thought of the "European Enemies" villain' date=' can I?[/quote']

 

Hmm... well... probably been several years since I have cracked that book open... so...

 

Well, at least now I have some reading material to peruse

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

With that then' date=' the PCs might need to try to get info from the Catholic Church. Having the Pope himself say this Inquisition is "excommunicated" as opposed to disavowing them as having anything to do with the Church/claiming they've misappropriated the term for this twisted agenda might lead them to think that Catholic higher-ups know more than they're letting on about this group...[/quote']

 

Interesting... I hadn't thought of it that way. Very fitting though.

I do think that this thread is going to be interesting... though I am having some difficulty describing the rather graphic events that are caused by The Inquisition. Been rereading sections of Dark Champions and Ultimate Skill to give clues.

 

One hard issue is keeping the mystery alive with characters that have very acute senses, as well as a super-mage that could create spells such as retro-cognition. To some extent, it requires a different level of preparation... or better "winging it" skills.

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

I just thought up a twist or two that you could add. Well you could have a group called the Templars who are hot on their trail because this group are heretics. This could be played two ways. First' date=' its just a third party who th e heroes are competing against. If the templars get them then the inquistiton goes back to where their from. Or a npc could hook up to feed you pc information on the group. Another option would for mercenaies to go after the group. Again you could have a neutral party similar to Bullets Raiders, or for more agnst, actual evil villians, who of course are hired by a master villian who doesn't want to be killed by [i']these [/i]nimrods.

Definitely an idea.

That reminds me... one of the events in the world that happened during the last game. A hero known as Chevalier du Nord, a Church sponsored superhero in Montreal was killed by The Inquisition, which caused the Pope to declare The Inquisition excommunicated.

As event proceed, it is my plan to have the Church put together a squad to go after The Inquisition... but not sure yet what that would look like. I am kind of thinking that the Templars would not be a good choice for the name of this... as the Templars are still seen as heretics. However, a group called The Crusade might work... assuming the Pope calls a crusade against The Inquisition...

hmmm

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

"Those who fight monsters become monsters. We have accepted this burden for the rest of humanity's sake."

I'll definitely be using this, once issues from this week come out.

As for that...

I created three different "field agents"... names based on roles/positions from within the "real" Catholic Inquisition... and other sources...

Qualifier (the base agent) - they are highly trained agents, using AA Beowulf .50 cal carbines (modified M4 Carbines)

Perfect (heavy weapons agent) - these individuals use the electrical-web suppression canister guns, as well as Kovrov RPG-7V2 RPGs, with HEAT ammunition.

The field leaders are the:

Consultore: These individuals have been "blessed" with the ability to compel confessions, and wield a "blessed" sword.

The ability to compel is an EC with Telepathy, Mind Control, and an EGO drain, all requiring eye contact. Typically, the team will subdue the subject with their electrical-webs, and then the Consultore will compel a confession. After a blessing, including last rights, they then execute the victims with the holy sword (supposedly so that the confessed doesn't have the chance to tarnish their now cleaned soul).

In this week's events, The Inquisition captured, confessed, and killed a pair of teens (brother and sister), who were attending the River City Academy (a well known "super school"). Copies of their confessions were pinned to shirts, and they were left, dead in the streets. Witnesses described 7 men coming out of a white Dodge Sprint, which had large red crosses. Six of the men were dressed in white (the Qualifiers and Perfects), and one in red (the Consultore). The North Force investigate the scene, and learned much from witnesses and forensic evidence (such as the sign of the cross painted on their foreheads in olive oil).

Later that week, the police were able to track a van matching the description provided, and the North Force intercepted the Inquisition team. This team was starting "confession" of a woman members of the North Force had encountered the night before, a woman with the mutant ability to control light (and take on a light form). She had been captured by the electric-web, and the Consultore was ready to start taking her "confession".

The North Force engaged the team, freeing the paranormal. During that fight they learned of the strength of the chosen armaments, as well as the "paranormal abilities" of the Consultore.

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Ah so your looking for ideas to use on the players.

Exactly!!!

Pamplets detailing how the charecters are setting themselves apart from humanity/ and details of their questionable past, and calling upon decent people to ostrisize them.

 

A video of some minor charecter confessing to crimes against humanity, the video is framed so you can't see if their being forced to say this.

 

After ever resuce people in simalar looking clothes start shouting insults and trying to thurn the crowd against the heroes.

 

For a week the editorial page is replaced by a long diatribe. Each day againsdt a different elected offical demanding to know why they have surrendered the authority given to them by the people to a group of inhuman thugs.

I'll be using a lot of this! Thanks!

The biggest issue I may have with this plot train is figuring out a way to keep The Inquisition effective against paranormals while they are all normals... using mundane tech, and the like.

Trying to decide how hypocritical they are going to be ("one of us, one of them" kind of thing). Will The Inquisition use super-tech, etc?

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Well the hand writing is on the wall. And it is obviously Terror Inc. behind this nefereous scheme.

Not so sure about that one myself... nor is it Genocide (or its 5E replacement).

Definitely a new player... one that has been building power for some time, and has now decided to come to the forefront. While I am not saying who this organization is, it is definitely not backed by any mainstream government or religious organization.

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Great ideas, G-A!

Currently, The Inquisition is keeping its identity secret... but reasonably soon this will change.

I am thinking that in the early phases, they will be going after easy targets... those with public identities and/or obvious vulnerabilities.

Bubba, G-A was right... the autolink was inadvertent...

The North Force currently believes that "Tartan" was targeted due to her less than holy history. The team was able to determine that the rare scotch that she has the local bar keep for her was spiked with Loco, a super-drug that had hit the street of River City a while ago. This drug was being distributed by "Jose Cuervo", who turned out to have been a VIPER agent. This is the first time that the nefarious drug has been seen in River City since they broke up the nest.

Loco is sort of a "super steroid", which has the side effect of "roid rages" as strong as its enhancement effects (in fact, while in a rage, its effects are enhanced).

The current plan will be to continue to target vulnerable paranormals, including those who do not actively commit crimes. While mutants are going to be prime among their targets, they will not be limiting themselves to those paranormals only. The use of magic, mystical training, or high tech enhancements are equally seen as heretical by The Inquisition.

One thing that may be questioned is wo is backing The Inquisition. While one might guess that it is the Roman Catholic Church, certain events will be coming that will discredit that theory.

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Oh... FYI - if I am looking for things... it is ideas to use ON the players... as the Inquisition...

Re: "The Inquision Is Come"

Well, as another clue, perhaps...

The team learned quickly that the widespread headlines were not in fact the planned headlines for the paper.

In addition, they checked www. theinquisition. com on a whim, and discovered a short manifesto, so to speak, which stated that The Inquisition is going to free humanity of the curse of paranormals. They also put a list up, of several paranormals (7 as of the end of the game session), who had been "tried and found wanting". All seven of these individuals have been assassinated. Two were the heroes (including Foundry, listed above), four were villains, and one was a warehouse laborer, with slightly better than normal strength, and no criminal record.

Of note, the paranormals were listed with their "secret IDs" as well as their hero names.

Just started a new plot line in my Champions campaign, and was looking for feedback or ideas. I would ask that my players not follow this thread (but that is their choice).

Anyways, last night, the team responded to a police call where one of the local heroes, Foundry, ad been found dead at his apartment. Foundry was basically a Collosus clone (based on the Ironclad build in Champions... though he could turn his metal skin off). When he was found, it appeared that something caused his metal skin to flow off his body, leaving him vulnerable to being shot at close range by what appeared to be a Russian RPG.

This was the first killing discovered. After this, they heard that the Seattle Supersonic (a speedster) had been decapitated when he ran through a very strong and thin cable at near mach speeds.

After that, an associate of the team, Tartan (actually Cateran in with a different "hero" name, after having gone "good") went berserk in a local bar (Rosie's - guess what map I used), and attacked the patrons. One patron was killed, while several others were saved by the members of the North Force who were on scene... though one of the victims they saved died from complications that night (the team's Mage, Chaos, is 100% sure, though, that the person was fine when the EMTs arrived).

Other paranormals have been killed across the nation, both heroic and villainous. All across the nation, city newspapers had the headline, "The Inquisition Is Come".

Currently, the team does not know if this is an individual, or a group (they are assuming the latter).

Re: The Reason Behind Teleios

I've always liked the schtick that he sent the information back in time to himself. Very much genre trope.

He'll eventually figure it out... but his future self spent far too many years at it, and because of it failed in his attempts to do whatever it is he wanted to do. So, he sends the formula back in time to himself (perhaps telepathically to his unconscious self?), and voila!

His plans now have time to reach fruition...

Re: Challange rating and balanced encounters

It is a little harder to say than just compare the numbers.

On either end of the spectrum, other factors tend to take over...

When opponents are too weak, then the heroes won't be challenged at all.

Hard to say about too strong. The problem is the nature of chargen in HERO.

I need examples for this:

Let's assume that the characters are reasonably well balanced... with 10DC attacks, and defences of 25.

Case A:

Invulnerable Man.

Invulnerable Man has 45PD/45ED (hardened, of course), and all the required special defences (to protect against NNDs, etc).

With only 10d6, they will rarely, if ever, penetrate Invulnerable Man's defences. Thus, they'll never KO him... the best that they can hope for is that Invulnerable Man gets bored with them and leaves.

Case B:

Megablast Man

Megablast Man has a 20d6 EB for his main attack, with the OCV to match, and decent defences (enough that the team has to attack him many times to take him out).

He always hits, and even his average damage causes the heroes 75-25= 50 STUN. Megablast Man just fires at each hero, once or twice, until the hero goes down. Then, he gets bored and leaves.

Neither of these characters will require 1000 points to create... in fact, either could probably be done with 250-350, easily enough.

Point are not the end-all in determining encounter balance. You really need to get a feel of the character interactions. There are certain indicators (defences relative to the attack DCs, etc), but nothing is absolute.

Re: "I am so cute, you don't want to attack me" field

I would not go this route. With an average Ego of 10' date=' that's an Ego roll regularly of 11 or less - more than likely to void it meaning the power is circumvented and the beagle is now a target.[/quote']

 

I understand that... in fact, this power won't be stopping anyone from actually attacking, just using their targeting senses on her. I will probably rule that this EGO is similar to a non-targeting PER roll... that it takes a 1/2 phase to make. It also may be an EGO vs. EGO roll instead, which would also make it more effective.

 

Note that we aren't really trying to make her invisible... she is quite visible, but we want to make it hard for her to be attacked.

 

So, anyways... any other ideas?

Re: "I am so cute, you don't want to attack me" field

I'd probably go with something like this:

 

26 I'm Just Too Cute!: Mind Control 2d6 (standard effect: 6 points), Telepathic (+1/4), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Continuous (+1), Area Of Effect (6" Radius; +1), Cumulative (96 points; +1 1/4) (65 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Always On (-1/2), Set Effect (I'm Just Too Cute To Attack.; -1/2) - END=0

We thought about that... while it would be a great power, it is just too slow to work in the way she wants.