Gummibear

Re: CP Wagering

Does anyone allow this? It was originally in Champs III I think. Basically the idea was you earned some Character Points and then wagered them in the danger room. If you survived the exercise without having to hit the Emergency Stop! button or getting KO's/KIA'd then you gained an extra CP.

 

I can't remember if its in the new Champions books or not. Another thread here on Goodman got me to pull out the old books and I came across Champs III's handling of danger rooms and the bit on CP Wagering. Fun stuff!

Sounds like a kick. Now how to simulate the danger room hiding the river cards.

Re: Independent on a Power Framework

• Thanks Hugh
  
• Good Point OddHat - "I'd say that damage to the hat may result in the loss of one or more MP slots"
  
• This is an NPC Gummi.
  

 

Funny thing is, with all your excellent input I have decided not to use Independent. However, now that the ball is rolling I just have to give it another shove. Therefore, would having Independent on each power within the List/MP/EC mean that they could be targeted individually?

 

 

ps. look behind you...

If the slots had Indep. and they were in some way unrelated to the Indep on the framework then I would allow the targetting of that individual slot. Example of Shaman-person hero applies. If super-laser-pistol-shooting opponent has the ability to deal with the negative 10 to 13 ( i figure a small fetish on a hat will be roughly eye-sized or slightly larger) then have at. In which case if the flight fetish was targetted and successfully hit and destroyed, then bye-bye flight.

Lets just hope Shaman-person wasn't too high at the time.

Re: Independent on a Power Framework

Personally, I think that many posters here are a bit too harsh on the Independent Foci.

 

Though I agree that a character is asking for it when he uses that disadvantage, I believe it should be viewed as more of a plea for diversity than with the extremely negative views expressed above.

 

When a GM sees Independent on a power (or power set) his initial reaction should be one of devious delight. Instead of ruining the character by instantly destroying his foci (or power), the GM should be clever enough to tease that focus into a major campaign tool...

 

Keep the player worried that it could all go away. Steal it and begin a saga revolved around its return the likes of which your players have never before seen. Have a villain duplicate it and see what happens when the shoe is on the other foot...

 

This is the time to build a legendary moment; the kind of games you look back on years from now and wish things could be that cool again. The GM who is afraid of Independent is grossly displaying a bad attitude and a lack of imagination.

 

Now, I’m not trying to imply that the Independent advantage should be seen regularly. But if the concept is sound and the player is excited about the character, if he fully understands all of the drawbacks of the limitation (including the fact that if he looses the focus, he will NOT be allowed to create a new character and must either retrieve the focus (power) or continue at a loss) then I say GAME ON! Diversity makes heroes! He's just asking for the opportunity to become one.

Huzzah Golden. I concur.

Re: Independent on a Power Framework

ps. look behind you...

Good one.

So that's been you that's been causing all my paranoia. Whew I thought I was imagining it...

Re: Weapon Designs -- opinions wanted

I'm currently embroiled in Turok:Evolution on my PS2, so I have some immediate game-to-boards thoughts on the matter...

 

I'm thinking that noting what a weapons standard effect roll (at 3 per die), then using a "mook" rule of sorts : if SE of a weapon is equal or greater to "Disable rating" of the target, then don't bother rolling damage, just assume the target is disabled or dead. The disable rating would be Body+Def of the target, or hit location, modified by advantages.

A disabling hit would be assumed to destroy the location, leading to decaps, blowing off limbs and the occasional spray of bodyparts as a torso dissassembles.

 

Yeah, I play in full gore mode.

Actually that's a good idea. When I can get the players to go along with it (no you really DON'T have to roll the dice) the game is usually accelerated nicely.

"What kind of artifact is it?"

"Its a clay tablet? What's your archaeology skill?"

"I have it on a 16 or less."

"Never mind-you can put the dice away-let me tell you the intimate history of the tablet."

Same works for that 6d6RKA vs a normal or low level thug.

Re: Weapon Designs -- opinions wanted

The AWP is just a heavy caliber sniper rifle. In counter-strike its frustrating because typically you can kill someone by hitting them ANYWHERE, including a hand, tip of a foot, etc... and you die. A lot of servers ban it because its ridiculous, it bypasses armor, etc.

 

Double barrel supershotgun rocked... if I remember right, there was a regular and a super that did more damage. =) LOVED that gun.

 

I wasn't arguing for realistic play, Susano, just trying to point out that you weren't going for realism. FPS Hero is certainly something some people might really enjoy. =)

I've actually used the AWP on several (maybe a dozen) occasions to hit two targets at once. They lined up just right and click-they both died in a multikill.

FPS hero? Sounds interesting. I'll be interested in how anybody tries to make the combat much, much, much, much faster. I already do the majority of speed chart quickening ideas, however the combat is still slower than many games-of course taking the same skill level of players in both games-have to compare apples to apples y'know.

In the dungeon crawl type games I've run that's always been the sticking point-a game that revolves around combat must have fast, fast, fast (faster than that) combat.

I'll be looking for it when it hits the board.

Re: Independent on a Power Framework

Good stuff, good stuff!

 

Ok, I am still confused about one issue. Below is said hypothetical hat:

 

Bowler of Bountiful Benefit, all slots Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat; -1)

5 +20 STR (20 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat;

7 +10 DEX (30 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat;

5 +10 CON (20 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat;

4 +2 with All Combat (16 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat; -1)

5 +2 Overall (20 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat; -1)

5 +10 BODY (20 Active Points); Independent (-2), OAF (Focus: Bowler Hat; -1)

Total Powers Cost: 31

 

Now, it doesn't make sense that someone could remove any given one of the powers since they are all inherent in the hat. My confusion lies in whether it is legal to use Independent as a common modifier or should it, in this instance, only be placed on the actual framework(if'n this was a multipower or Elemental Pool, etc..) to lower the pool cost?

Point of Clarification:

1. I wouldn't and I don't know too many sane GMs that would allow that many powers in an EC. Disregarding the fact that they don't cost end its just super munchkinny. So I would pretty much not even consider it as an EC.

as a corollary to the EC. It is marginally in the qualifying range for an EC. Though they may have similar sfx, they are only really vaguely arguably part of an EC.

2. Multipower. This is more appopriate I think although to use them all at max power the multi would have to be large enough to support all powers, and then pretty much you may as well put them in a list with those disads.

Yes it is legal (IMO) to put the modifiers on the framework. This is very convenient for accounting. In the case of your Bowler in order to run them all in a Multi that was set to Ultra slots and all powers able to work at full burn it would be a 126 active total then divided by 4 (-2 and -1) which would give you a framework cost of 31 points. Then each slot would be about one point each with the power levels you mentioned.

If you want to munchkin (oh I hear you all screaming out there in hero-land) you could make all slots at full 126 as an option. Then the slots would have to be multi however the total cost per slot would be 126/5=25/4=6 points per slot. With this one of the slots could run at full burn or any combination of 126 points.

Ok so I think you can see that the answer on the board seems to be yep its legal in a Multi, questionable in an EC and best in a list. Now for the real question...

Is this a PC or an NPC?

Also you seem to be really accomodating to a lot of not quite so positive (on some boards it would be called abuse ) responses that you have gotten. So the hero in me goes hmmmmm seems like a setup? Is this some big plot to take over the hero universe or are you just that nice of a person.?

Maybe I've just been playing in a dark future corporate conspiracy genre too long...

Re: Independent on a Power Framework

This may require a ruling by your GM based on the Special Effect of the Framework. Here are my thoughts as a frequent GM...

- If the Framework were bought with as a single Independent Focus; i.e. "a single Hat", then yes, all powers in the framework would be lost if you lost the Hat.

- If the Framework were bought as multiple Independent Foci; i.e. "multiple things I can pull out of this Hat (one item for each power, for example)", then I believe I would allow them to be lost seperately.

 

[edit] Please note that having a sperate item for each power still may not prevent someone from stealing them all at the same time, especially if you kept them all in a single hat.

One possible example of the "loses them all one at a time" might be a hat with a bunch of fetishes. Lets say Shaman-person the hero has a hat that has a few powers (flight/ff/eb) but he also has multiple fetishes on them that let him throw giant boulders, or summon creatures or what not. So each fetish could be stolen individually as well as the hat. However as a GM unless the sfx of an attack called for the fetishes being knocked off or some such thing then I would say that if the hat was stolen/lost/destroyed, then all fetishes would be as well.

IMO you could technically purchase the hat as independent and the fetishes as independent as well. However I might make it a list rather than a framework if they were allowed to work independently. If they are in a framework if you lose the framework (the hat) then you lose all the powers within it.

Opinion on the Independent in a game. I would agree with some that the Independent should be stolen or at the least threatened within the first five minutes. Destroyed is just a bit too harsh. Stealing it would make the munchkin ( because I've really only seen Indep. used by PCs for long term by munchkins or when I myself was self-admittedly munchkinning) paranoid enough to change most actions to revolve around protecting the Indep item, thus making the point and causing the PC to question their choices. If the PC doesn't question their choices, then you need to steal/destroy/utterly eliminate the Indep. item within the next few sessions. After all you don't want it to seem obvious do you?

As far as letting an Indep stay in the game I might (and have) allow it however most XP gained in the future would go toward buying off the Indep limitation-first on the framework transferring the Indep to the various slots individiually and gradually buying it off from there. This is like a high interest loan to the character. However during this time you can bet that I would (and have) take the Indep object from time to time.

Remember that there is a happy balance between game balance/mechanics/sfx that must be struck. It is a limitation in the book and we as GMs need to be careful saying NO automatically. Much like how you deal with a small child.

Its pretty obvious when a character uses Indep to gain back points only with a few choice questions.

"Why is your framework ALL Indep?"

"Because, um, well, it uh, came from...my...FATHER *yeah* and he uh, used it to fight crime in uh...World War I, oh wait no, I mean World War 2, oh uh no that won't work either, uh Vietnam, yeah, he was in Vietnam fighting the uh Vietnam people."

"Ok so your Father fought the VietnaMESE with this item. Did he win the war using his great power?"

"Yeah, he totally kicked butt and saved the world from the Vietnam."

"Ok so your Father is a time/space manipulator as well because we actually lost Vietnam. So you'll need those powers as well."

"........yeah.....um...."

"Power denied. Let me point you in the direction of a good brick. He's really tough and he hits things..."

\inside joke

Bluefire can tell you about the "LIGHT AT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE" and the player that ran the Independent powers for the character.

\end inside joke

Re: Supervillain Monologues

They are ALL GUILTY!!!! (except' date=' I am told, for this ‘Michael Moore’ – you may go) GUILTY OF TREASON AGAINST THE PEOPLE!! GUILTY OF PERPETRATING THE LIES OF OPPRESSION!!! GUILTY!!! AND YOU SHALL ALL PAY WITH YOUR LIVES!!!â€[/font'][/size]

Well of course they need Michael Moore-someone has to run the propoganda machine.

Re: Supervillain Monologues

Come on Ghost. Pull that notebook of Koh's out and let fly. I think that I might possibly have had some good ones. Maybe one or two that made the entire group emotional.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

At the big meeting with the leader of the demon hordes...

 

Demon Lord: "You brought a gift basket. You are insane."

 

 

Preacher (imagine a really heavy Irish brogue) - "You! Cake or death? We only have two pieces!!"

Sorry to dredge this one up but I just read it again and it reminded me of the game. Love it.

Re: Economics 101: Character Building in a Point-Based System

I have no AP limits in my games, and I have never seen a 45 DEX. A 200 INT, yes, but not 45 DEX. Even in a world where the highest-end DEX is 60.

 

 

SPDs have skyrocketed after 5 years of play, but in my mind SPD has always been where supers differentiate from the rest of the population.

 

I try to have no AP in one current game, but it becomes a bit difficult. However I have a 48 Dex character with a speed that goes to 12. I have a 40+ int character that has skill rolls on less than 40 or 45. It works at that level but it can be a challenge sometimes. Although I find the int more of a challenge than the speed as I've used above 12 speeds for years before the "speed zone."

As far as your statement "SPDs have skyrocketed..." I'm curious what you consider skyrocketed?

Re: Pros and Cons of Dex/5 for combat

As others have said and I'll agree

Cons

1. Flattens the DCV curve. The dex 10 character has a -7 to hit the dex 30 character, instead of a 3.

2. Speedsters and Dex types become less important. They spend buckets on a stat that really doesn't return that much of a difference.

3. Speeds begin to level and flatten. You will see average speed of 3 and 4 and top speeds of 5 and 6. They could pay for speed directly but it would tend to flatten the curve.

Pros

1. Running combat is easy since you don't have speeds above 6 pretty much ever and more than likely the speed 2 to 4 becomes the norm.

2. It eliminates the dex monkeys that buy a high dex and rely on that as their defense and movement power collectively.

Re: Need Help with new power idea.

Sounds to me like your player wants to be in a video game campaign with level bosses and such. If so then it should be for everyone.

I have to echo the 25 years of Heroing and say this is probably not a good "power." I would instead concur with Zorn and just give the PC more xp as a GM. To do anything else I think is setting you up for a bit of lawyering.

I would also strongly recommend that you dig deep for the true motivation. I don't think you've heard it yet.

One final suggestion-if the character wants more power based off of the ROLEPLAYING and not the raw xp (really the only way this should be allowed in anything other than a hack and slash XP grind) then you as the GM can have a bit of fun. Make them buy the Power skill if they haven't already. Watch what they do, watch what powers they explore and use the most. Then at a fun moment in the story, usually the part where they say "can my character do {x}", x being something that is within the power realm but not specifically purchased, then say, well lets see that Power roll. IF they have been roleplaying it and if they make the roll then the character has gained a new power. Yep this requires you to keep a rough estimate of what the current xp gained by said character is, but I can promise you that it can be quite a fun moment in the game and is well worth the effort.

Ghost may or may not agree, but has said that there was enjoyment in this method to my face. Now what Ghost is saying behind my back... well that's anybody's guess.

Re: What are your average Skill Rolls and what modifiers do you use?

Wow! I didn't realise I was such an amazing surgeon! I've done scores of surgeries (including organ transplants) and hardly any of the animals I worked on died. (2, I think, out of a bit less than a hundred). Who knew you could get a 29- roll in surgery with only a couple of weeks training?

 

Seriously, I think this is way, way over the top. I've managed just fine for years with 16- being considered an awesome level of skill.

 

cheers, Mark

However, lets look at the modifiers you have.

1. +5 (at least) ideal setting

2. +5 assistant

3. +5 preparation

4. +5 relaxed situation

So you may have a -15 for heart surgery (or Heary surgury as Ghost put it ) but you have a +5 cumulative. Even without that +5 you can't tell me that you have a 100% chance to perform the surgery successfully can you? There is always the random factor though it is highly minimized in the "real world."

In response to the "scary world" concept. In the Hero universe everyone has a 1 in 18 chance of having the surgeon "fumble" or catestrophically (sp?) fail. So thats a pretty scary world in many cases. But its not completely outrageous considering the reported events of surgery disaster. Keeping in mind there are probably several times that "unreported" that the doctors fix and either don't explain or explain to the patient. Doctors are not gods, they are humans and subject to human ego and frailties.

Don't we all just love to pick on doctors and lawyers?

Re: The Things I've Learned Playing a Var.Power-Pool User

To all those worried about the GM when using a VPP:

Remember the maxim-we're all here for fun. Also remember the maxim-the GM has unlimited points.

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers

Of course, the fun thing is when a PC (SPD 4) is 6 stories up and says "I'm going to hit him with my MP EB!"

"how much?"

"All of it! Blast him with everything I got."

"Roll INT."

"Failed, why?"

"Isn't Flight in your MP?"

"Aw CRAP!"

Which is why I suggest putting only Instant powers, and things like teleport or XD in there....

 

Besides, How would you limit it based on real cost? the 'real cost' would be lowered by the MP itself....

LOL. That reminds me of a player that I had who was a Silver Surfer type guy named Kazama Mammoth, only it was San Diego and they guy liked snow, so he had a snowboard and a 2' mohawk. All his powers were in the board, and I warned him at creation that this could bite him someday.

Well that day came when he was up against two powerful foes as he went wizzing at them on his flying snowboard. His attack of preference was a movethrough while holding his board in front of him for added protection. He asks,

Kaz: "So there are two of them?"

GM(me): Yep

K: Can I line it up so that I can hit them both if I jump off my board and send my board at the one guy while I hit the other?

GM: Yeah, you should be able to use your momentum and do that.

K: Cool ok so I'm lining it up for my big move through,

GM: Cool, yeah it looks like it will work. Give me an int roll.

K: Made it by two.

GM: Ok, you think you have the angle right. So let me confirm, you want to send your board at the one telepathically while you jump off of the board and hit the other guy.

K: Yeah. That way I can get em both.

GM: Ok, cool. Ok so you're going to jump off the board and hit them both.

K: Yeah.

By this time I had a couple other players looking at him but to their credit they didn't say anything as they weren't near him.

GM; Ok you go jumping off your board and as you fly through the air you begin to get a little small and feel less tough. Your powers have just turned off. The good news is that the board hit the other guy and it looks like it took him out.

K: ........uh oh......

GM: The bad news is that you're a normal hurtling at a guy in the middle of the air and you're several stories up.

Needless to say he was out for a while and it took some quick action by the rest of the group to save his splorted butt.

A bit off topic, but your post made me think of it.

Re: Shapechanging Imitation

I wold say for anything he actually wants to Imitate he has to have some knowledge of what he's duplicating.

 

It's one thing to say he's changing his cellular makeup and mental signature to something else .. it's another to say he's changeing it to match Person X.

 

I would allow the change itself, but the Imitation Adder would require extra skills and sense (like being able to percieve Mental Signatures to know what to change into).

Not sure I quite agree on that one. For a game that I was running I would definitely like to see that the character has the attendant skills, however it would depend on the concept of the character. I think I agree with the poster that remarks on DNA and still able to duplicate.

Think about this-Mystique does not have intimate knowledge of DNA and faces and all the science in the comic books, yet she is able to accurately duplicate the cellular structure and the voice.

In order for a character to fly they just buy "flight" even though they don't have intimate knowledge of aerodynamics and thermodynamics. They just DO. And they can fly as fast as an F15 without knowledge of the jet and the thrust/weight ratio.

Now for a character that did it by science I might suggest that they had the attendant skills, but thats just me.

Re: Not Quite another Killing Attack Thread

A Quick Corvid List

 

Murder of Crows

Unkindness; Constable; Conspiracy of Ravens

Parliment; Building of Rooks

Tiding of Magpies

Party; Scold; Band of Jays

Chattering of Coughs

Jackdaws and Nutcrackers are simply Flocks

 

Rookery can be used, if rarely, for Rooks, Crows, Ravens, and Magpies.

 

any questions?

A Constable? Oh yeah, Jess is a law enforcement officer...heh

Re: Not Quite another Killing Attack Thread

I keep trying to figure out what a Fine Read Mist of X is? Any suggestions?

A FRM of Targets? Doesn't have any poetry to it...

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers

Also remember you can limit the reserve if all slots share the same limitations.

Definitely limit the reserve, but it still doesn't affect the active cost, or the "blastos" of power required and available.

Re: Something I just noticed and dislike about multipowers

I'll also chime in since this is a question/complaint from one of my new gamers.

The Multipower is a set limit of power. You can run at that power either on just one or on any number of multiple powers so long as your preset limit is not exceeded.

Think of the Multipower in Special FX not in mechanics. I have a suit of armor and I have 5 blastos of power. I can run my flight at 5, my eb at 5, or my FF at 5, or I can run my Flt at 1, my eb at 3, my ff at 2. It doesn't matter that the real cost of the suit is at -1/2 because it is an OIF and you might think you could have more blastos running. But thats just the limitations which do nothing for the total output of energy.

Limitations only affect the player and the player's ability to purchase, truthfully. They do nothing for the actual output of energy. A 20/20 FF from the Invis Girl requires 4 end to run. A 20/20 FF from Iron Man's suit requires 4 end to run, even though it has the limitation OIF. Same power output, same power required. Advantages increase the actual energy required to produce the ability/power/attack/defense.

The savings:

10" flt=20 pts, 6d6 EB with AP = 45 pts, 20 PD/ED FF=40 points.

Total individually: 105 points.

Multipower 45 points = 45 points, 3 slots at Ultra = 3 points x3 = 9 points.

Total : 54 points.

Total savings=51 points.

Either increase your Multi or buy it outside the multi with the same limitations as the multi.

Besides, like Ghost said, you're already getting everything at a 10/1 ratio if Ultra or a 5/1 ratio if multi. Think of it this way, if you want something at 75 points active, take all the points you save from buying in a multipower instead of individually and increase your Multi. If your GM doesn't want to give it to you because it exceeds power levels then you can't have it anyway.

Re: combat luck

Gosh' date=' I should SO do this. Haha.[/quote']

 

Now all you have to do is hire some thug to break in on you when you're in the tub. I hear Kato is available...

Re: Not Quite another Killing Attack Thread

nature and evolution are advocates of:

 

Form Follows Function

 

or

 

Reason From Special Effects.

Yeah, but does the parakeet get extra speed for free simply because there are always a bunch of em? I think not-they actually have to have their friends with them. Besides, we all know how deadly a murder of ravens can be. I wonder if they looked through time to Jessica to get the name for a bunch of ravens. Hrrrmmmm.....

Now I'm way off topic.

Re: Not Quite another Killing Attack Thread

You do realize that natural selection would have gotten you years ago ... probably around the time you had to be air lifted after a certain skiing accident.

 

And we've only gotten good at saving ourselves in the last couple hundred years - not thousand.

Oh sure bring that up...

Good at saving ourselves yes, but think about the changes:

Lost body hair, softer skin, no claws, smaller teeth. All so we can trade it for our oversized brain.

Wait that lets us play Hero. Maybe its a good trade after all.