Silbeg

Re: Stretching + Autofire STR: how would you handle it? I can't say for sure, since my copy of 5E is on loan. However, on 5ER p73, it differentiates between campaigns that allow Sweep to be available for all characters, and those that don't.

Re: Stretching + Autofire STR: how would you handle it? Ok, maybe I will put my 2 cents in here. First, I would go with a simpler build than the AF. I would use the Sweep manuever for all this (really, this better defines what you want to do!). Whether there is an implied limitation preventing him from exceeding his non-sweeping OCV is up to you and your GM. Then, to simulate the extra hands/arms, buy one or two levels with Sweep for every extra arm. So, for 6 arms, add 4-8 levels. With this, he can now sweep with many different manuevers (using the base Sweep rules). So, he can disarm target 1, strike target 2, and grab target 3!!! You can't do that with an autofire. As for the DCV problem, give him Two Weapon Fighting (HtH). Since your campaign already allows the Sweep manuever, this Skill will replace the 1/2DCV with a flat -2DCV (5ER-73). This will cost 10 points, and will also handle the "off hand" issue that would come with attacks from extra limbs. All of this comes by much cheaper, since you won't have to pay the doubling on the Reduced Endurance, since this is not an Autofire advantage. Then, of course, I would add in an AE power... basically a Naked Advantage on STR to give AE Radius, Selective, to his STR. You'd probably want to have the radius be the same size as his stretching, but as GM, I would require this power to cost END (he is exerting himself greatly in this power, to attack all targets in range). This could be why he doesn't do it very often?! Hope all of this helps, and wasn't to babbly. Yet another dissertation by Silbeg!!!

Re: Peter Petrelli - How can it be done?

Re: Peter Petrelli - How can it be done?

Re: Is STUN more important than BODY? All of that really depends a lot on the genre, and what you want to do with it. You are correct that even reasonably light body armor can mitigate most of the effects of killing damage from small arms (at least the BODY of the attacks). Is this a problem? Probably not. There is a reason that police and soldiers wear body armor. If it didn't give them any benefit, they wouldn't. Now, you say that killing attacks aren't lethal enough? There are a couple of ways to handle this. You could increase the DCs on the killing attacks. Many people believe that they are too low in any case, so, you could go to town there Restrict access to armor (or more importantly, to any non-equipment-based powers in a heroic game). Use the encumbrance rules (and watch out for STR inflation). Armor does have a cost... typically it will make you easier to hit, but you'll take less damage per shot. Use hit locations. Not only will this mean that it may be easier to avoid the armor (such as with an arm hit, or whatever), if you get the lucky shots (such as a head shot), you'll do more BODY. I am sure you can come up with more things. To specifically answer your question... neither is more important. Also, I would not allow defenses to rise like that. For a heroic game, defenses should be pretty low. So, if they are wearing kevlar vests, they may have 7-10DEF on their torsos, but more like 3-6 (non-resistent) elsewhere. Heroic characters should be quite a bit more vulnerable.

Re: Qusetions on ultras You are perfectly welcome, Pirate. Arrrrrrrrr!

Re: Qusetions on ultras Let's take it back a bit. When allocating slots on an MP, you can allocate the Reserve in Active Points to the various powers. Whether they are fixed(ultra) or flexible(multi) slots doesn't matter... all that matters is that the combined Active Points among all slots cannot exceed the Reserve. Let's take, for example, the following MP: 60: Solar Energy Powers (Reserve 60) 4u: Solar Shield: Force Field 20PD 20ED (40 Active) 4u: Solar Flight: Flight 20" (40 Active) 6u: Solar Blast: Energy Blast 12d6 (60Active) 4u: Light Form: Desolidification (Affected by Light Powers) (40 Active) Now, with this build, Solar (the character who has these powers) can only use one slot at a time, since you cannot combine any two to have less than 60 points. So, he can fly, blast, or defend. Now, let's change it a bit: 60: Solar Energy Powers (Reserve 60) 8m: Solar Shield: Force Field 20PD 20ED (40 Active) 8m: Solar Flight: Flight 20" (40 Active) 12m: Solar Blast: Energy Blast 12d6 (60Active) 4u: Light Form: Desolidification (Affected by Light Powers) (40 Active) In this build, he can mix things up a bit. For example, Solar could fire a 8d6 EB (40pts), Fly 5" (10pts), and also have a 5/5 Force Field (10pts) running. Each of these slots are flexible slots, so he can allocate as many (or as little) points as he wants to them, On the other hand, if he activates his Light Form, he can only allocate it for 20 points, because it is a fixes (ultra) slot. He can still allocate the other 20 points (such as to 10" Flight), but he can allocate no less (and no more) than 40 points to the Desolidification. All of this is detailed on 5ER 321-322. But, simply... 60 pts.

Re: Power build help... player wants a player that can make "wormholes"...

Re: That's Easy?? Show me how _you_ did it.

Re: Power build help... player wants a player that can make "wormholes"... I think that in this case, yes, it would be an attack (a 1-hex AE attack, at that). Now, as GM, you could require the creator of the gate to "target" the hex, and then scatter if he misses. However, since this is an attack with no range, he'll be attacking DCV 0, so I would say a healthy dose of handwavium will allow him to successfully hit. I have seen a couple of examples using UAA, and I prefer it that way, personally.

Re: Power build help... player wants a player that can make "wormholes"... Interesting idea... of course, one that doesn't necessarily fit well into the game mechanics. I mean the teleportation gate and all does, but the sliding scale isn's as clean. FYI - Usable By Others is a +1/4, but I prefer Usable As Attack, which allows anyone to go through (no increased max mass needed, as far as I know). I assume that is the Advantage you were using, just making sure. I would then do a "sliding scale" sort of lim set. 30 Teleportation 9", Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Invisible Power Effects, SFX Only (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Usable As Attack (+1), Continuous (+1), MegaScale (1" = 10,000 km; +1 1/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 1km (+1/4) (99 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, Only to Activate, -1), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; Only In Certain Circumstances Common; see notes; -3/4), Gate (-1/2) 10 Notes: Increasing Costs based on megascale level: Scale: Times END Extra Time 1km: X1 END Full Phase (base) 10km X2 END 1 Turn 100km X3 END 1 Minute 1000km X4 END 5 Minutes 10000km X5 END 20 Minutes Additional Notes: The Lim costs are somewhat arbitrary... basically averages of the Extra Time and Increased END... The Invisible Power Effects are to hide the other end of the gate from observers... it is still there, since it is a gate. Scaling was chose to neatly overlap (1-9km, 10-90km, etc). I am not even looking at the clairsentience involved at this point.

Re: My first Champions character in fourteen years.

Re: My first Champions character in fourteen years. I don't disagree here, but I would also be looking to use RANGE as defense as well... 4-6 range PSLs should allow him to use his range as an increase to his DCV... Well said, I hadn't noticed that. Fuel charges are great for things like this. Jet packs/boots/etc also should typically be Fuel charges as well. Make that a Sacrifice Strike (+1OCV/-2DCV/+4d6) and I would agree with you. Just doesn't jibe well that something called "Offensive Strike" still gives you DCV, but makes it harder to hit. How offensive is that? Or, depending on the points you have available (due to savings eslewhere, for example), you could do both? Combat Luck has its uses... Shouldn't it be that they are "activated" 50% of the time... doesn't mean they will be involved in the foreground, but they could be doing stuff in the background.

Re: Drain with Limitation

Re: The PRE Brick? Seems like a pretty straight-forward template to me. Maybe not to the 50+ PRE, but I have always argued to my players that their characters should have more PRE... especially the Big Strong Bricks. Cracks me up when the monstrous nasty looking brick (who frightens animals and small children) with a 15 PRE... I mean, really!!!

Re: Grond vs. A Cow Now, that is something I have to bring into my game. I've already had giant rats with frickin' lasers on their heads... now reverse flying blaster squirrels!!! w00t!!!!

Re: My first Champions character in fourteen years. Character looks good, as is... Just a couple of minor comments: First, I noticed that a couple of your slots are bought as multis. All three happen to be AF3, which I assume you meant for him to be able to shoot the arrows in any combination. Unfortunately, MPs don't really work that way (makes perfect sense that they could, but...). A second thing I would look at is maybe replacing at least two of his "Ranged Combat" levels with PSL vs. Range (either with his bow, or all attacks). This will help him a lot, since it will let him fire at a greater range (without actually making his OCV ridiculous). Perhaps go with +2 Ranged Combat, +4 PSL vs Range Penalties (w/ Bow & Arrows). This would allow him to fire from up to range 16" without penalty... also allowing him to use range as defence. I'd also consider Rapid Attack, and levels with Rapid Attack, and drop the AF from the three slots. This will enable him to fire multiple arrows in a phase (though still from only one slot). To enable him to fire from multiple slots, you'll need to increase his reserve, unfortunately.

Re: Drain with Limitation

Re: Which books do I need? I might add Champions Universe and Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks to give you a campaign world and some villains to work with (as well as examples of character builds). If you are looking for help in power builds, the UNTIL Superpower Database(s) are good helps, though really not quite required. Finally, if you are really getting into the system, the Hero Designer software is a great help in building characters, etc.

Re: Idea for an unusual mage What sort of magic does she cast/use? I am assuming you are going to go with some sort of Shinto or Buddhist source? Is her power tied to Japan? As for the costume of a geisha, that sounds a little odd to me, since I assume she will be a combatant. Doable, I guess, but I would hope her magic was more of the subtle type, which would preclude a lot of the "showy" super-magic. I would think it might be preferable that she keep being a geisha her "day" job, but take on another persona altogether as her "mage". I could even see her masquerading as a male to hide her identity (using a shape-change spell, perhaps). Otherwise, if she kept to her "Geisha roots" her magic would need to be subtle and ritualistic. As such, she could make for a great support character, but not so good as a front-line fighter.

Re: Grond vs. A Cow I was thinking, maybe these cows are from the "Secret Mad Cow Level" on Diablo 2? Now, those cows were uber!!!

Re: Ogre NND Question

Re: How to build a power to stop someone from talking Another, albeit more expensive, way to do it would be a transform to mute. This would probably be a minor transform, would be 10 pts per die. Recovery would likely be through time (otherwise I would make it a major).

Re: Ogre NND Question That's what I was thinking, too. Unfortunately, the SFX don't really work for someone with LS:SCB through a focus (unless SCUBA gear can keep air IN you lungs? ).

Re: Grond vs. A Cow The way I deal with the scaling issues like this are to treat vehicles and buildings in a similar manner. Take a Bradley APC for example. It is 10DEF and 18 BODY. Taken on its own, that would make it weaker than most supers. However, if you factor in its size (using the building rules), then 18 BODY is where it starts to have a chance to malfunction. It may be that these rules were introduced in Champions Battlegrounds, I cannot remember. As GM, perhaps you rule that the Bradley can actually take 3X its body... So, when Grond hits the Bradley for 18 BODY (easy enough for him to do), it may not be instantly "killed". At that point, it is in trouble, and everything it does will get a 14- Jammed roll (or whatever). With each multiplier, the damage gets worse (the penalties get worse). There is more you can do, introducing additional complications, but realism. Then, you can rule that anti-vehicular weapons do damage more effectively than "normal" weapons. This is probably becaus they have AE... or whatever. On the other hand, a 7d6+1 RKA (128mm Antitank round from WW2) is probably lethal enough? It is the smaller scale weapons that likely need adjusting. A 3-pounder probably needs to be more DCs... maybe 4d6 RKA? Take the .50 cal as a base (with is 3d6+1, I believe).