Silbeg

To being things back to another level, I will say that the team used to use cheaper (2 pt under 4th) radios, but they decided that they wanted to use a mind-linked based product to simulate the encrypted radios. I am going to add "Incantations, -1/4" to the power, as speaking is required... Kind of fudging the numbers, as it is not required throughout (you need to be able to listen!), but only to be heard (i.e., speaking). This does end up saving the team a point on their radios. I am going to discuss with them dropping the number of open channels (Number of Minds)... four would probably be enough out of combat, but they would need the 8 to handle "in combat" situtations. Silbeg....

The players in my Champions game have devised "closed circuit radios" as such: 13 Closed Link Radio: Mind Link , Human and Machine Class classes of minds, Any Willing Target, No LOS Needed, Number of Minds (x8) (50 Active Points); Only With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1), OAF (-1), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Sense Affected As Hearing (-1/4), Sense Affected As More Than One Sense [Radio] (-1/4) There has been some question as to the utility in spending 13 cps on such a device (all characters have them, plus some of their contacts, and their AI, as well as the autopilots on their vehicles). It has been mentioned that in previous games (and editions) that radios that would cost 5 points (or less). My question is, what do you all do for your characters communication devices? Thanks! Silbeg...

Obviously you haven't tried HeroDesigner v2... the thing is wicked fast! Seems to be so even on older machines (such as 333MHz P2/P3?, based on some posts I have read). Silbeg

A few things of note... as I just read the 20-30 posts, I am not going to try to answer directly, but I am sure you will all know what I am referring to... - As to multiple power attacks in 4ed, there were a few, but it seemed that they all were linked powers (such as Starburst's flash linked to his EB, and such). Actually, thinking about it, there was Power Crusher (a brick who stole/drained powers)... he had to have been written to use an MPA (though we never ran him as such... the mind is churning now!) However it would have been ruled then, in 5ed you expressly cannot use different slots in an EC for a MPA, but MP slots are ok (as would I assume are slots in an VPP). Another wonderful reason to convert to 5ed is that you can use the HeroDesigner application! While it would be an additional expenditure of funds, the ability to create characters quickly and accurately (I can't tell you how many math errors I have had to fix in the past!) is an ability without compare. However, for the most part, you have to live within the "official" 5ed rules for character creation. That said, the ability to customize powers with modifiers (advs and lims), as well as "adders" is what makes the HERO system the best toolkit for creating characters. Oh, and I also disagree that D&D 3ed was not a significant upgrade. The system was vastly improved, and even 3.5 was well worth spending the money on! Silbeg...

LIne of Site doesn't work... 5ed, p172. I would rule that the entangle itself was an intervening object. Indirect is still the way. Silbeg...

Quantum Mechanics powers... Actually, I can think of a few interesting ideas... Oh, and quantum mechanics is not about "molecules", but is the study of matter and energy (roughly speaking, of how atoms are held together)... I actually like the idea... have to play with it... On to the power ideas. I am just listing concept ideas, and not how they are linked together. I can see a combination of a MP and EC, but how the character would be built would be up to the designer... 1) Teleportation would seem to be likely... as the character would be able to turn himself into energy, transmit himself accross a space, and then reintegrate himself. 2) Along the same lines, Desolid (Energy Form) would make a lot of sense. 3) An energy blast that could have several advantages, such as: Affects Desolid, AP or Penetrating, Indirect... Or, even better, would be an EB +1/2 Variable Advantage (Quantum Blast). The special effect would be manipulating the various primary forces (Strong, Electro-weak, Gravity). 4) Tunnelling seems obvious, with the "Fill In" adder. Max inches tied to the max of his running (or other "standard" movement), simulating walking through matter (ok, this would be possible with the desolid as well). I would see a high DEF being penetrated, but lower inches of movement. 5) Invisibility (character bends light around himself) 6) Find Weakness - by perceiving a target on a sub-atomic level, the character can detect weaknesses in defenses. 7) Any number of enhanced senses, possibly including a spatial awareness (mass detection, electromagnetic detection, etc), and N-ray Perception (good ol' X-ray vision!) 8) Hardened Armor, Power DEF, and Lack of Weakness (on both) make sense, as he can manipulate the matter on his surface to be more resiliant, and more perfect... Well, these are just a few minutes musings... I am sure you can come up with far more. Silbeg...

Indirect should be needed? I am not 100% sure, but I believe that the powers would still not work, at least without the "Indirect" modifier added. I don't have my copy of 5ed handy, but I would still believe that any attack generated from inside the entrangle (as it is not defined as "Takes No Damage From Attacks", which would nullify its usefulness in this application". In any case, I would rule (as a GM), that the entangle completely encases him. I would agree that he could fly, but that without "Indirect", he would not be able to bypass the entangle. As for the attack being STUN only as an excuse that it would bypass the entangle, it also could not break the entangle. Unless expressly allowed for by the rules (and perhaps even then, due to the special effects!), II would rule that the attack hits the entangle, first, and fails to penetrate (as it does 0 BODY). This would also be the case for the tranform. I would also disallow the flight to be usable on someone outside of the entangle, unless indirect. ---- Of course, the above are IMHO. SIlbeg....

In 5ed, p230, the smell modifiers chart mentions a -5 check for smell. Each time I read it, I get a little confused... was that -5 supposed be used only in combat (such as a non-targetting PER roll to find a invisible character), or was that to be for all smell checks. At first, I had thought it was the latter, but now I am thinking that it only makes sense in combat. I have a player with a Nordic Wearbear Berskerker hero that is waiting anxiously for your answer. Silbeg

Check the USPD under speedster powers... I am pretty sure there is something like that there. http://www.herogames.com/USPD/thedatabase.htm It may be that the power I am thinking of is in the book as well... Silbeg...

My game (which has been ongoing for about 4 years, off and on) is currently a 200 + 150 disads game. It was originally (under 4d) a 250 pt game (actually, there were several levels at that time... based on how "super" the character was, they were given an equipment pool). When I converted for FREd, we decided to rebuild the characters at 350 points (the two characters which had ~70 xp were given +25 xp to spend to show this experience). However, the group also decided that all North Force members (their group) were required to reserve 50 points for the following: 13 North Force Communicator (done with Mind Link) 12 North Force "Useful Stuff" gadget VPP (10 pt base) 20 - Base/Vehicles/Computers 2 - Local Police Powers 3 - reserved for contacts or other perks. This has worked out well for us. Silbeg...

Multiple Focus possibility! Try something like this... 14 Billy Clubs: Multipower, 25-point reserve, (25 Active Points); all slots: OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4) 1u 1) Billy Clubs: HA +4d6, Autofire (2 shots; +1/4) (25 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), HA (-1/2) 2 1u 2) Bo Staff: (Total: 25 Active Cost, 11 Real Cost) HA +4d6 (20 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), HA (-1/2) (Real Cost: 9) plus Stretching 1" (5 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), no noncombat Stretching (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2) 3 1u 3) HA +4d6, Range Based On STR (+1/4) (25 Active Points); 2 Recoverable Charges (Using charges "loses" focus; -1), OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), HA (-1/2) 1u 4) Leaping +10" (6"/16" forward, 3"/8" upward) (Accurate, Position Shift), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (25 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4) When one of the billy clubs is missing, slots 3 & 4 are unavailable, and the autofire from slot 1 is also unavailable (though 1 shot is still possible). Just an idea! Silbeg...

Confirmed. In case you are interested, the URL for that is http://www.herogames.com/USPD/sleepanddream.htm Appears to just be a cut an paste error on the link. Oops! Silbeg...

Ok, I know this has been visited many a time, but I am still a bit confused by the interaction of martial arts, HAs with advantages, and Strength damage added to that. Ok, I know that if you have an advantage on your HA, if your STR is less than or equal to the DC of the HA, you can add that STR to the HA without paying for the advantage (the HA exception clause, as our group defines it). I also know that Martial Arts DCs are added with the advantages intact, as well. The question is, do the MA DCs add to the base attack (the HA), or to the STR. In other words, do using the HAs consitute an "unarmed attack", or a weapon. See the following example: Reptile has 20 STR, and 4D6 HAs w/ Armor Piercing advantage (claws). He also has Thai Kickboxing, which includes the Fast Strike manuever (+2 OCV, +0 DCV, STR+2d6). Does he get: 1) 10d6 AP (8d6 w/ STR, plus 2d6 from the manuever) or 2) 8d6 AP (8d6 w/ STR, the additional +2d6 is lost as this more than doubles the base attack). Or is there a case 3? Also, does he need to purchase a weapons kata (claws/natural weapons) in order to use the style with the natural weapons? Thanks for the help!!! Silbeg...

Abusive DEX? In my campaign, there is a character, Impulse, who is a 53 DEX (though only 4 SPD, still haven't figured that one out). He is, far and beyond, the most dextrous character I have seen, and has pushed a few other characters to increase their own (to the 28-33 zone). Now, his concept is that he has trancendental reaction speeds, which explains the high DEX (and other powers as well), but he has been a most frustrating character to deal with in game. Granted, he has been intentionally gimped by his player so that he wouldn't be overly broken. He is the consumate agent-buster, with his multiple move-by attacks, but has had only mixed results otherwise. He is also a character that tends to do more damage to himself than his opponents do to him. Silbeg.

In my campaign, I have a couple of characters now that have HAs with a variable advantage, and the time has come to make sure I am ruling how their STR damage adds. Per FREd, p272, if the character has not paid for the advantage on his STR, the STR DCs get added at a rate equivelent to the cost of the HAs. I see two possibilities on how this works . In my example, we will assume a character with a STR 25, and 5d6 HA w/ +1/2 Variable Advantage, and the character is assigning "Armor Piercing" to the Variable Advantage. Option 1: As AP is a +1/2, he gets 5+(25/7.5) = 8d6 AP. Option 2: As the total advantage on the HA is +1.5, he gets 5+(25/12.5) = 7d6 AP My gut feeling, as there are no rules to the contrary. The Rules FAQ states that "Variable Advantage is no different from any other Advantage when it comes to calculating the END cost", which I would extend to assume means that it is no different in adding STR damage. Thank you for your time. Silbeg...

My take I guess the simple answer would be that the minimum inches of flight would be whatever the minimum number required inches of flight. As I recall, 1" is the minimum based on HERO 5ed, that would be the default min. If you have adopted house rules that give a higher minimum amount of flight, that increased min. would be take precedence. However, if the hero was already flying at velocity, it would be most fair to calculate his deceleration (so that he would end up at 0" of forward velocity) at the 5" decel/ 1" travelled rate (that is still the formula for decel, is it not?). Example: Kid Komet flew at a rate of 25" on his last phase. He would like to hover this phase (freeing up points in his MP for a more powerful EB). He would need to decel at the above rate, requiring 5" to stop. Unless he wants to take a full move to do this, he would have to double the rate (10" of flight). In his 75 point MP, Kid Komet then has 55 points to use on his 11d6 EB. Sounds fair to me! Silbeg....

Phys Lim I had thought of the physical limitation. That would definately make things interesting. Another idea I had, taking from the "real world" would be to have reduce the psych lim... Psych Lim: Must Obey Orders from Authorized Users (Common, Strong) 15 points. and/or Phys Lim: Must Obey Orders from Authorized Users (Freq, maj) 15 points Social limitation could still exist, and I am starting to think it would still give some value. Thoughts?

In my FPCA Champions Campaign , the group is working on getting several team level items, one of which includes an AI (called SAL-9000, all credit on the name to Arthur C. Clark). The question has arose, can/should an artificial intellegence have social limitations? They would like SAL to have the social lim "Subject to Orders" ("he" will already have a psych lim "Must Obey Orders from Humans (Very Common; Strong)"). Not sure that his is necessary, or even a disadvantage. Any and all feedback will be appreciated! Thanks! Silbeg...

There has been an ongoing debate in our group about breakfall. If a character is knocked back, and fails his breakfall roll, can he, on his next phase, use breakfall to get to his feet as a 0-phase action? It has been made very clear that you can do this in situations other than knockback, but it seems to be only implied re: knockback. Thank you! Silbeg...

Character rewrites/new characters I have generally been pretty leniant on rewrites, though I do try and require that they get approval before game day (too much time has been spent in the past on character approval, and if I don't review, fatal flaws and bad, bad math gets through). As for character switching, I have encorporated a process of character and player experience. Most experience earned in game is assigned to the player (so that when they bring in a new character, they have a certain amount of experience already). There is experience that can also be given to the characters, specifically. If a player misses a session, his character still gains 1ep, but the player does not. After missing 2 sessions in a row, the character stops gaining experience as well. This is still in the trial phase, and has worked well, so far. Then, again, there hasn't been a lot of character switching yet, either. Silbeg...

Effectiveness Rating worksheet docs? I was hoping that there might be some documentation for this spreadsheet, as some of the fields are not exactly self-explanatory. Questions like "Do I calculate the move-though of this brick as his most effective attack", etc? Generally, it looks good, but documentation would be nice. Thanks! Silbeg...