Dust Raven

I would suggest dropping Figured Characteristics in Heroic games such as Fantasy Hero, rather than increasng the cost of STR. Increasing the cost unbalances STR versus Powers that only deal damage, such as EB and RKA. It's easier just to take away those things you'd get for free.

If you've never heard of Galactus, then you would't know him when you say him regardless of what he looked like. On the other hand, if people tend to keep to their own planets, then it only matters if he appears to several diferent races at the same time, with none of them knowing who or what he is. Ultimately, for something like Galactus, who already would cost far more points than I'm willing to add up, I'd just say it happens. If this is for some other character, say a standard superhero, I might work it as Images or Shape Shift, Persistant and No Conscious Control, and possibly a DF on top of that if there is indeed something cosmic about the character.

These are the precise reasons I use a Major Transform for mental paralysis (effectively a limited petrification). Some of the reversal methods I use include breaking out like with an Engantle (with the Transform dice rolled like an Engangle once the Transform takes effect), breaking out using a Mental Power (like countering another Mental Power, target number is the total rolled on a single roll of the Transform) or just letting it fade normally.

Actually, if you change the END to 1/2, you should spend the saved points on putting the Advantages on you Running slot on your base Run if you haven't already. Other than that, consider the following additional slots: Flying Leap: Flight 8" Reduced END (1/2 END; +1/4) 20 Active. Can Only Move In A Straight Line (or gentle arc) (-1/2) [this simulates those leaps that take you across the battlefield without touching the ground, possibly striking at several targets along the way] Running on Walls: Clinging. Cost END (-1/2) Also, the way you've bought your Water Walking, you can also use it to run up walls, run across a crowded room by running along the people's heads, stand, walk or run perfectly balanced along any fragile or percarious surface (such as a tiny beam or ledge, branch of a tree or even a path filled with tea cups) and several other wire-fu tricks.

Rapid is good for any form of speedy info gathering. A character could watch/listen to speeded up recordings or transmissions without missing any data for instance. There's also that quick scanning of a room. I forget the movie's title, but I saw a preview of some guy training so walks into a convience store and is told to close his eyes and state what he saw after only a second of walking in (and did a good job too). I'd say something like that would require a PER roll for most characters, but a character with Rapid could do it without one, or simply get for information in the same amount of time.

Just to clarify, is the "in the air" a condition only for the attack the character attempted to Dive away from, or until the character's next action (and so applies to subsiquent attacks)? If the character isn't hit at all, is he considered standing in his starting hex on his next action (meaning he doesn't need to spend that half phase standing up)?

My vote is for the Block, then go first next Phase. Of course, that only works if the other guy doesn't have a Phase before your next one. You can always buy an extra point of SPD with "Only For Holding And Action".

If you must use them, use the archtypes in the Champions book. Even then you might want to leave out Patriot and Mystic, as those are background/sfx related, rather than an idea of the types of Powers the character has. Consider the following: Brick[/i]: Durable HTH Fighter Energy Projector: Attacks with Ranged Powers Martial Artist: Agile HTH Fighter Mentalist: Uses Mental Powers Metamorph: Alters Shape Speedster: Mobile with Emphasis on Speed You might also consider using some of the other archtypes as simply descriptors, such as Gadgeteer, Mysitc, Patriot, Weaponmaster and so on. "Archer" types could be listed as Energy Projector Weaponmasters.

I've read FREd and the FAQ and can't find the answer to this one: What happens when you fail your DEX roll on a Dive for Cover? All the book/FAQ says is a character is considered in the air in his starting hex. How does this affect DCV and when he can act next? Is in "in the air" until his next phase, meaning you roll -1d6 for KB on any attack that hits before then?

That gets me thinking of the Novels of the Serrated Edge series a bit. There's definately a genre there, but probably too small of a nich to publish a book for.

I think Hugh's pretty much said it. I don't know what SFX your power has, but it sounds like it would be something like: 180 Power: Multipower 180 point reserve u18 Leathal Attack: RKA 4d6, Variable Advantage +1 (+2) u18 Non-Leathal Attack: EB 12d6, Variable Advantage +1 (+2) 216 Total Cost Of course, if you don't like Frameworks and would really like an Advantage to allow you to choose, I'd set the value at +1/4. Then again, you can always buy it as an RKA and use the Club Weapon maneuver described on FREd page 260. Again, I don't know the SFX so it's up to you to figure out what can and can't work for this power.

DEMON has been my all time favorite organization. I can't wait for the 5th Ed book! I've always run Demon a bit differently than what's presented in the books. For one, I'd like DEMON to be decentralized. To maintain secrecy and security, each faction is cut off from the rest of the organization and left on it's own. Other factions may aid, but only direction of those higher up in the organization. There may even by rivalries between two or more factions, if they know about each other. One other thing I'd like to so see is some variation on magical styles. In my campaign world, the Morbanes are the faction leaders, and are permitted to recruit and train as they see fit. Since the Morbanes often come from different parts the world, and some aren't even human, this would make for quite some varity. A sorcerer morbane would have a cult-like following of fanatical worshipers and practice the dark arts, while an immortal and corrupt kung fu master would have a school of students bonded to him through life stealing Chinese magic. A werewolf morbane might just bit potential followers to create minor lycanthropes for his minions. This kind of variety might not be possible in a single publication, but it's great and always keeps the players on their toes when they come up against what seems like a new organization that turns out to be in league with the one they though they finally stamped out. Finally, and more likely to fit into the book, I'd like it stressed not just how evil DEMON is, but how they are evil. DEMON doesn't hunt down superheroes and kill them (well, unless it's the only way). If they know a hero's out there, they'll sent a group to strike two location at once, one their primary target, the other a bus load of nuns. If you find out your secret identidy, they'll never tell anyone. They'll just turn your sister into a vampire and give you the choice of killing her or letting her become a killer herself. They're sneaky too. Imagine the shock the heroes get when the virgin sacrifice they rescued is actually an agent sent to infiltrate their HQ. Or they find out their local morbane is only 12 (or only looks 12). Demon also loves to make other people do their work. They've infiltrated nearly every other organizaiton in the world and can often pull strings enough to cover their tracks. I've run adventures where the main antoganist has been Demon and the players have never known it.

I'm actually thinking this would be worth at least a -1. A -1/2 is often just a minor inconvience (such a taking a full phase, or spending extra END). Actually needing to take the time out of combat to use social interaction skills to perform the power is more than a minor inconvience (unless there isn't much combat in your game).

When you include Figured Characteristics, I would agree that STR could fairly cost 2/1 (you'd still be getting a good deal too, as 10 points of STR nets you 13 points of Figureds, indludiing Leap). I still think it's fine as it is though, as long as you're playing a comic-book-like or similar action oriented cinematic-ish game. The rules are specifically designed for those kind of genres and the cost of STR and CON reflect that.

I checked the FAQ and apparently that's the rule. Wow! It is 50% though. 10 DEX is a 11- DEX Roll. -1 for 1" Dive gives you a 10- roll (50% chance of success). I am so house ruling this one. As I have it now, if you Dive against a non-AE attack, it functions like a Dodge (and grants a +2 DCV and you get to move. Actually, it works exactly like Steve Long describes Flying Dodge, except that it still requires a DEX Roll and you end up prone. I'm thinking of allowing Breakfall rolls to keep your feet (or another applicable roll for other forms of movement).

Nevermind. I just found it right there in FREd. Apparently my DEX 10 bookworm has a 50/50 chance of dodging any non-area-of-effect attack, regardless of the attacker's OCV or even range!

Exactly what do you mean by "interupt?" Is it like the ol' I punch him before he gets that punch in on me kinda thing?

I've only played a few fantasy games using Hero, but that's never been the case with anyone I've played with. I've played quite a few D&D games, so I can definately understand the mentality of min-maxing the standard combat applications of a character. There's nothing wrong with that, just send the brute squade up against lots of things they can't defeat with strength and physical might, or that can take advantage of the things they couldn't buy because they spent so much on STR. Besides, anyone who wants to buy any Characteristic over maximum should have a very good reason.

Okay, let me get this straight. I'm not sure if it's covered in the FAQ or not (the FAQ is big and I don't feel like searching for it), but if you successfully Dive for Cover against a normal, non-AE attack, is the attack an automatic miss?

I haven't bought any yet (I plan to buy at least three, two as gifts to least experienced players), but I plan on using it about the same as Rick. I haven't checked the online store yet, but what's the retail at the local stores?

Here I would have to dissagree. STR is perfectly balanced, mechanically wise, with most other damage dealing Powers, regardless of genre. It just so happens it's more common in fantasy. Rightly so, as everybody has it anyway, and those with more usually have an advantage over others without. It only seems too cheep because everybody starts with 10 points of it, which puts them half-way to the normal maximum.

Actually, I count Leap as a Figured Characteristic as well, so STR would no longer add to it. And Mental Defense wouldn't get any free points. I figure that just the ability of lifting and applying STR constantly (as with a grab) is roughly equal to Ranged (which you can use to stay away from HTH attacks, attack from cover, etc.). I was thinking of reducing the cost of STUN as well, but I figured that at less than a 1:1 cost, there would be too many characters with an unappropriate amount. Instead I made CON really cheap, as all it does is provide CON rolls and sets how much STUN you need to take after defenses to be Stunned. I was actually hoping to find some players out there who'd be willing to play-test this to see how well it works (or doesnt') in actual character creation and game play. Any takers?

Re: Alternating Normal/Lethal Damage I think your first question has been answered already? I'm not sure I understand the second. What is it that you are trying to do exactly?

I was thinking about this at work today, and I'm almost willing to allow aborting to Dispel. The idea behind it seems rational, in that you can use it to block an incoming attack. I might try this at my next game to see how it goes (fortunately there's a player character with a Dispel power).

Personally, I don't think anything is wrong with the cost of STR and CON. Unbalanced, yes, but wrong no. I believe the Hero System was designed to simulate an action based fictional environment, in which characters are almost always tough, even if it's not their man thing, so getting a massive point break on those Characteristics that make you tough are just part of the system. That said, not everybody wants to run that kinda game. Both STR and CON are effectively free when you start looking at the Figured Characteristics you get with them. Some players might want some other method for buying Charactersitics them. I believe the best method suggested is doing away with the Figured Characteristics, and have PD, ED, SPD, REC, END & STUN have a standard base value and cost. With this in mind, I've been working on a new cost system that keeps the general cost of Characteristics as close to what it is now as possible. This basically means making a lot of Characteristics cheaper, so the extra you'll be spending on the "figured" Characteristics won't seem like a lot. Here's what I've come up with: CHAR Base Cost STR 10 1 DEX 10 2 CON 10 1/2 BODY 10 1 INT 10 1 EGO 10 2 PRE 10 1 COM 10 1/2 PD 2 1 ED 2 1 SPD 2 10 REC 4 1 END 20 1/2 STUN 20 1 This makes characters like Energy Projectors and Mentalists only about 5-20 points more expensive, and Bricks and Martial Artists anywhere from 10-60 or more points more expensive. What do you guys think? What else have you "NO FIGURED" "STR/CON TOO CHEAP" fanatics come up with?