Dust Raven

Re: Power Build "Bamf"

Dust Raven:

 

I've thought of using DCV levels, but then he'd stay in the same place.

More accurately, he'd stay in the same hex. There's a LOT of room to move in a single hex. Also, this still allows for half moves so he can bamf around all he wants while attacking. I've used this type of build on a character in a campaign I ran for a few years and it worked brilliantly. The character wasn't a Nightcrawler clone of course, but this aspect of her powers always reminded me of that opening scene in X2.

Re: build help: regen man

Mr. Whackamole?

That would be Doctor Whackamole actually.

Re: Anthropoids, prehensile feet, tail, & combat

What Talon said.

Also, if you have purchased each gun/sword/weapon as a separate Power (or you are in a heroic level game where you don't spend points on equipment and the GM allows), you might want to look up the rules for Multiple Power Attacks (if all attacks are against the same target). Otherwise Sweep/Rapid Fire is they way to go.

Re: A problem for missileers

BoneDaddy,

I would recommend simply buying the Bow as you would, likely as a Multipower OIF and an OIF "normal arrow" slot, and a number of OAF gadget arrow slots as necessary.

For the trick shots, you can either add in an additional slot with Variable Advantage, and/or use the Power Skill to create an Archery skill you can use for the occasional trick shot using any of your arrows.

Re: build help: regen man

For most campaigns, I would never play such a character, nor as a GM allow such a character to be played, as he will be typically useless. A character who's power essentially is to fall unconscious all the time may be entertaining for a while, I've found from my own experience it gets old really fast, and gets boring, and then everybody hates it. Of course, this is in a typical Hero game which involves a lot of combat (where "a lot") means at least one fight per session).

That being said, I recommend the following:

Regen with BODY/Turn equal to at least 1/2 the character's starting BODY.

REC equal to at least the character's total starting STUN.

+10 STUN, Only when at -20 or less STUN (-1)

+10 STUN, Only when at -30 or less STUN (-1 1/2)

+10 STUN, Only when at -40 or less STUN (-2)

So, if the character is at -40 or more, he's only counts as being at -10 and recovers per Phase, and will be up an conscious in a single Phase. If the GM allows, also take the Cannot Be Stunned Automaton Power for 15 points. Otherwise it won't matter if you regain consciousness. Also, you might consider taking +X SPD (with X = to your normal SPD), Only While Unconscious, Only To Recover STUN, allowing you to regain consciousness in between your normal Phases.

Re: Power Build "Bamf"

I've built Nightcrawler's display of fighting in the White House as a pair of Powers, plus Martial Arts.

The first is simply CSLs for +DCV Cost END. I usually call it "Combat Teleport" or something similar, which simulates the character's ability to automatically or instinctively teleport wholly or partially during combat to avoid being hit, while still allowing him to attack and counterattack normally. I usually limit this to +3 to +4 DCV, but at least once I went to +6.

The second is an all out defense: Desolidification (affected by AoE/Explosion attacks). This is a completely defensive action which allows him to avoid all attacks aimed at him.

Against normals or typical agents, this is usually more than enough for any character to walk all over them.

Re: Last shot!

I love doing these kinds of flavor powers but I rarely do. When I have I've either created a beefed up version of the attack with 1 Charge and an additional -1/2 for "must use last charge of X Power". I've also done a generic Aid that triggers when a character is using their last Charge in a dramatic scene.

This does remind me of a different flavor power I enjoy putting on some characters. "Last Man Standing." Basically, if all the character's team is knocked out, killed, incapacitated, etc. his combat ability suddenly increases. I usually place this on bricks or martial artists using increased STR & DEX and a sudden END boost.

Re: Analysis Thread: DCV Oddities

Although the attacker may get an OCV bonus for the target's size; 5ER p375.

Officially, those only apply to inanimate objects and not characters. Optionally, feel free to do whatever you feel like.

A word of caution: the reason they don't apply to characters is because there is no method of buying a permanent increase in DCV (as in an increase that applied in situations where the character is forced to be 0 DCV due to combat modifiers such as unconscious). In all fairness, a character which is more difficult to hit could have to spend points on that... only there just is no way to do so (officially).

Re: Character Creation Handbook

I'm a bit curious about this too. I assume this is just the bare bones character creation rules rather than a full rules set. I imagine the purpose of this book is to provide a handy convenience rather than a source of rules and options one might research to make a specific character, so I don't expect any optional rules, or rules from any of the Ultimate series to be included.

Re: Analysis Thread: DCV Oddities

While technically a character with active Shrinking is considered 0 DCV when unconscious' date=' they are not considered 0 DCV for a Normal Sized human due to the size Penalty one receives for smaller targets. It's listed in the Combat Section. I forget the exact wording but if th e target is considered half normal Human Size then they get a -2 Penalty for hitting the target and so forth.[/quote']

 

Actually no, according to Steve Long, an unconscious character is 0 DCV. Period. No size modifiers are taken into account. Ever. Due this this there have been several attempts at adding a SIZE Characteristic or some other method of making different sized character actually different sized in respect to the difficulty in hitting them.

Re: Overthinkers Anonymous: the Point

So' date=' I’ve been overthinking character points...[/quote']

So, what does indirect do?

 

Three things, to my mind;

• [1]circumvents intervening barriers between you and your target
  [2]allows a strike to hit from any angle, thus allowing KB in a non-standard direction
  [3]allows an attack to circumvent certain defensive actions, for instance, block or missile deflection

Well, point three above is more or less identical to point 1 in my opinion. Barrier = defense. In some cases, you are actually bypassing some kind of defense, such as cover (which my be a Force Wall or some other barrier). In others, you are really doing nothing more than attacking from an angle the target can't perceive, or can't perceive easily, thus denying him the possibility of an active defense (Block, Dodge, Missile Defense, etc.); all he can do is rely on his natural agility and and reflexes (DCV plus CSL in DCV).

Re: Analysis Thread: DCV Oddities

Can a character consciously drop their DEX value to Zero?

If so, then that means their base DCV is Zero, correct?

 

Okay, so now we compare the DCV of the stationary character to the Hex area they are standing in.

 

Why is the character's DCV less than the Hex's DCV at Range?

Well, the correct, official, legal answer is "because it is." Why it is is and what it should be is a matter of heated and prolonged debate.

Additional questions you may ask is that is a normal human, laying unconscious or Entangled, has a DCV of 0, why does a character currently using 4 levels of Shrinking/Growth (perhaps Persistent) in the same circumstances alo 0? Shouldn't a stationary 60ft tall giant be easier to hit than a stationary 6ft tall human, and he be easier than a 6" tall faerie? Guess not...

Re: Model AVLD w/ an NND like defense

It's an SFX argument; I can't flash a blind man. He's already blind. So personally it isn't worth the -1/4 to me.

While I agree that this is not a Limitation for the Flash, "Not Vs Blind" is still a valid Limitation for the AVLD, especially since your average blind dude doesn't have the Flash Defense which would otherwise be the only protection.

Re: building a mental "voice"

My first impulse for this ability was to combine Mind Link, Transmit Only with Detect Minds (Mental Group). No need to make the Detect Targeting as you'd be attacking a 0 ECV, at least as far as I'm concerned.

As pointed out earlier, the GM should approve what information is sent along the Mind Link. I would have to problem with Mind Link sending the equivalent of facial expressions and body language. I say equivalent because you can't really send visual information, but you can send the conceptual information things like facial expression and body language would convey.

Re: Alien Stereotypes

Here's a thought. Although it may not be very helpful for a serious campaign.

What happens when the mighty human galactic empire encounters the greys in space i.e. those strange aliens who used to abduct humans, impregnate them, flit around their skies, mutilate their cattle and perform unspeakable acts of probing?

That would be quite a fun meeting as the horde of terran battleships turns up at the grey's home planet and demands to know what all that stuff was about.

If you wanted to actually use this race seriously then they could be described as long term economic and military spies/investigators. They study young species to discover how powerful and dangerous they are likely to be and what their weaknesses are and then sell the information to potential neighbours and conquerors. The stuff with cows and crop circles could just be some off the clock recreation to worry the locals.

Oddly enough...

My campaign is intended to be serious, as least as far as the environment, science, etc is concerned. However, I was planing on using the "gray men" in a way. In this campaign, Earth was been conquered and occupied by an alien race extremely similar to the gray man physical archetype (except they are taller than humans rather than shorter). This occupation has recently ended and while the Earthers are now free, most have a deep hatred for this race despite being treated extremely well by them during the occupation.

Re: PROJECT: The Ultimate GM Screen

I had no idea a GM screen like this existed! I'll be picking one up as soon as I can. As it is, I've been using a 1" 3 ring binder with clear pouches on the outside. In the pouches I typically have a 1 page player cheat sheet with a SPD chart, maneuvers, common equations made in combat (such as how to determine what DCV you hit after making a roll, instead of the standard method of determining what the target number is), and a map of the PC's base (it's for a Champions campaign). In the upcoming Star Hero game, I had planned on replacing the base map with the deck plans of the the character's starship.

As for the inside, well it's a 3-ring binder. I have a quick cheat sheet so I know who goes when during combat and everyone's full character sheet. Makes a damn nice GM screen.

I still think this "OMFG! I can actually see my players without looking like some Kilroy knockoff!" GM screen is too cool to pass up though.

Re: Cell Phone Ly

I wonder if No Range; Self Only Mental Illusions would fool Telepathy and Mind Scan at the surface thoughts level.

I've always used Shape Shift vs Mental Group for that. At least, unless the character wanted to have real delusions.

Re: Cell Phone Ly

It can be. The 5ER even specifically mentions it in the description of the Limitations for Change Environment on p138' date=' and for Force Wall on p182.[/quote']

Ah yes. I knew there must be. I just couldn't think of them.

Re: Multiple constants

A character protected by multiple Force Walls gets the benefit of all of them.

Even if they are his own FW Power? And... exactly how would a character even get protection from multiple uses of his own FW power (without Indirect)?

Re: Is "Hollywood-style" decompression accurate?

Of course' date=' accurate tends to be cinematically boring.[/quote']

Well, truth is stranger than fiction... but not nearly as entertaining.

Re: Is "Hollywood-style" decompression accurate?

Also, to save future time and effort, if anyone is thinking of asking "Is 'Hollywood-style' (fill in the blank) accurate?" here's the answer...

 

NO.

Agreed.

Re: Alien Stereotypes

Go with Tancred's suggestion - Terran Empire.

I'm definitely considering picking up Terran Empire.

Try this - a hive mind that forms a larger body (resembling the small little aliens that make it up) creating a shapeshifter. Individually they have little chance against their surroundings, but collectively as they use a "large" version of themselves they can.

 

Like those ant-balls that form when they get swept into a river, only more sentient.

Mmm... alien ant balls... There is likely potential there, but unfortunately I have a very sick mind.

Re: Alien Stereotypes

Bear-like empathic matriarchs.

I like this idea...

Re: Multiple constants

What do you mean by 'Persistent'?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What?

Unfortunately you cannot give anyone negative rep no mater how much you have spread it around...

Re: Cell Phone Ly

Been thinking about the 'self only' limitation. According to the book, it is a limtiation on both TARGET and RANGE, although the two generally go hand in hand (unless you have multiform and a generous GM).

 

Self only has the same limitation value as 'No Range'.

 

Question: for a RANGED POWER, is it appropriate (in your view) to allow BOTH Self Only and No Range limitations on a single power?

If the Power is normally Ranged, yes. Personally, I can't think of any Ranged Powers I'd put Self Only on though.