TheEmerged

Re: [Newbie] Is desolidification truly unbalancing ? I allowed the PC in the first HERO campaign I tried to run to take Desolid. I haven't allowed it in unlimited form since. I won't repeat what the others said above, since they stated it well. To me the biggest problem was that it turned the game into the d2 system (not a typo) -- they could either completely ignore the opposition, or were close to hosed. That does not a long & interesting campaign make.

Got the Wonder Woman Season 2 DVD? Good. Check out Disk 1, Side 1, episode 3 -- The Man Who Could Move the World. One of the betters eps in the series... well it's my favorite, anyway. In particular I'm talking about the Mine Field scene. /short description for those without the DVD Wonder Woman is facing a telekinetic. She's trying to talk him out of the fight and failing miserably (I mean, he doesn't even bite at "Whatever you want, I'll do..." ). He yells "Stop!" and suddenly she stops, fidgetting against some unseen force -- we've seen him do something similar a couple of times in the episode. Here's where things get a little different different. He then says "You will move, now, only when I command" -- then procedes to command her to turn around and watch. He throws a stone, revealing a mine field. He then commands her to walk -- repeatedly. Sometimes she takes a step without being told, sometimes she has to be told a couple of times to take a step. At least once toward the end of the sequence, she manages to "half obey" him by taking less than a full step. Of course, they wait until her foot is just over a mine when he Focus blows up (probably because it's actually an END pool that just ran out...)... /end short description Now, here's the question. Is this a Mind Control of some kind, or simply him using his TK to move her like a puppet and the talking represents some kind of focusing crutch on his side? If it's Mind Control, is he maintaining the "don't move" command with END while trying to force new "walk" commands? Do the varying number of attempts per success indicate completely seperate attempts, or a Cumulative advantage that got one lucky roll? If it's TK, is this a good example of someone exceeding the "two flat boards" principle, perhaps to such an extent he had to pay for Extra TK limbs? I have my own opinion (#2), but I'm curious how others view it or if there's another interpretation.

Re: Can I get a list please?

Re: What was you most powerful Attack vs. Supervillian??? In the current campaign? A 24d6 Move Thru performed on Holocaust (CKC) by Sting, our "Bouncing Boy", with both his Flight and STR at full power (he's an absorber; PD attacks go to STR and ED attacks go to Flight), and his STR pushed. Ever, in an actual campaign? 15d6 RKA, AE: Cone. Don't ask, this was during the days when we were first figuring the system out...

Re: Can I get a list please? In terms of the system? "Kryptonite Man". I brought this one up once before because I thought it was an interesting theoretical question: should the Kryptonite Man have to pay points for the fact that he emits Green-K radiation, if the only thing this does is trigger Superman's limitations/disadvantages? If so, does Banana Man have to pay points to be immune to Green Lantern? I was amazed at how flammable the post turned, and how quickly. "Linked Debate". Not a debate anymore -- 5th Edition finally answered it, although there are of course holdouts (I started out as one until I saw the restrictions in play). But this is the Grandaddy of hot topics, dead or otherwise. "Damage Shield". I'm going to try and say this without being editorial. Probably the least popular change in 5th Edition (although not the worst, in my opinion -- making Suppress cumulative wins that one), at least for some people (myself included) this has a way of coming up anytime Mr. Long makes a ruling the individual disagrees with -- and I've been guilty of being that person more than once. "Batman's DEX score". Some people say it's a 20 or 23 because of where 'Normal Characteristic Maxima' kicks in. Others say he is clearly depicted as someone with a borderline if-not-actually superhuman DEX and SPD and that's how he should be written up, and that "maximum unaltered human" thing is should be treated as just a line on his press release. My own writeup, for example, clocks him in at 30 DEX and 8 SPD and he doesn't have NCM. "Equipment". I've seen a couple of discussions about paying points for equipment turn nasty. YMMV, naturally, as I've seen a few that didn't. "Absolutes". HERO is a scaling system, and as such 'absolutes' like an attack that always hits or being totally immune to something simply don't function the way one demographic wants it to. That's a feature as far as I'm concerned, but mine is not the only opinion and some people feel very strongly about it.

Re: More powerful Champions team I boosted my modified Champions roster into the 650-750 range -- but due to HERO board policies, I can't post them. DEFENDER Major retrofit was that I duplicated his now 75-active Multipower (at full cost), and gave it some new slots with his new "every attack is a MPA" mechanic. New slots includes the "entangle and character both take damage" entangle he should have had in the first place. Gave him a second targetting sense. Tweaked his skill list to be more appropriate for the 'playboy' secret identity. SAPPHIRE A realistic contact, perk, and skill list to her status as a celebrity. I dropped the "feedback" limitation and gave her Missile Reflection. I also chose to give her foci limitations (OIF, IAF, and IIF depending on the power) on many of her powers; as a result moved her MP into 80-active range and added several EC slots with more of a "gem" theme than an energy theme. IRONCLAD Brought his defenses up to appropriate levels for a brick in a campaign with 15DC attacks as a base. Added several permanent brick tricks (for example: "Block This: +4 OCV, only vs the Block manuever basis") and a small brick trick pool (30 active). Generally kept with the idea that he's a martial artist who happens to be made of metal (instead of the other way around). SOLITAIRE (think Witchcraft) Gave her an actual impact slot in her MP. Changed her skill levels into All Combat levels so they can be used by both the MP and VPP. Added Invisibility to her EC. Gave her an END reserve, which she should have had in the first place. Moved the VPP to more "consideration-worthy" 50-active level. KNIGHTSEEKER (think Nighthawk) Gave him numerous appropriate skills, such as Weapons Familiarity. Went with less of a gadgeteer theme and more of a martial artist/detective theme. Ditched the suspiciously-villanous backstory. Gave him "effect" martial manuevers, bouyed by numerous skill levels and a slot in his MP that gives him extra STR "for martial manuevers" at -1/4. Used "Disgustingly Powerful Ninja" as a guidebook.

Re: Using real world controversy in Champions games "NeoChampions", the campaign I'm running right now, is about a year behind the "real" calendar date. As such the election is starting to become a gameworld issue, especially because the IHA is openly supporting candidates from both major parties this time, including a surprising number of incumbents. Also a factor is the Constitutional Reform Party, which realizes it desperately needs a new name (the acronym is... inconvenient) but is experiencing new life and starting to enjoy a taste of legitimacy now that they've dropped some of their more radical elements -- they're being viewed by the public as a 'real' balance on the IHA and the "status quo crowd" (AKA Democrats and Republicans). In the current session the PC's are on the verge of uncovering a major scandal with the potential to cause LOTS of problems for Primus & Project Utopia, and the US and UN by extention. It will depend on what the PC's find and what they do with it

Re: Working on a combined DC/Marvel universe I'd vote for the "Aquman is Namor's heir" option myself, as it gives more respect to Namor's WW2 history. ================== I've worked on a version of this myself, sporadically. In my case I had the "Amalgam" crossover go badly, resulting in the two worlds fighting in an lengthy conflict against each other. In my case I decided to have many of the big guns die off -- and that's where part of the problem lies. The group got into the inevitable argument about who kills who and how they do it.

Re: This week on "Champions"... The Ravagers Saturday 2am Oamen and the team return with the spoils of their extra-dimensional adventure. But before they can enjoy this victory, they find themselves once again facing the UN's "Team Tomorrow" as they try to unravel the mysterious "Project Beagle". Where has Stickeen disappeared to? Why is PRIMUS working with the IHA? What secret is the Mastodon offering as barter for their services? And what does the horrible secret waiting for them in Baharian have to do with all the above? If you're expecting all these answers in one episode, it must be sweeps season!

Re: Classes of Minds RE: Mechanon. I'm resisting the urge to get editorial here... but that's why I adopted the "As written, no errata and the text doesn't matter" rule when I did the Champions vs Viperia combat. Game-relevant information should be on the character sheet, not as a sentence in the description that's open to interpretation.

Re: How do you track END? I just use the combat spreadsheet printout I've designed. I have also found, purely as a personal preference, it works better to list how much has been spent than what the current score is -- YMMV of course.

Re: "Ya better talk Oculon, or you'll get the spike!" (A Super law question) Heh.

Re: Classes of Minds RE: Alien class of mind. Now, this is just my opinion here, but I always took this as being Alien as in "something outside the realm of animal, computer, plant, or humanoid" not Alien as in 'brother from another plant'. Cthulu is an alien, Ironclad is not.

Re: Powers requiring prereq's... The only way I'd allow a limitaiton of this nature is if there is some way the prerequisite can be removed. For example, I wouldn't allow the "must have X points of Y spells" prerequisite from 4th Edition's Fantasy HERO. I would, however, allow something like "Must have 20 STR" in a campaign using normal characteristic maxima if STR-reducing abilities are at least uncommon (as opposed to rare).

Re: Linked or Multiple Power Attack? Well, "Linked" is a disadvantage you can take on one part of a designed Multiple Power Attack. So by definition if it's Linked it's an MPA. Now, should you take the Linked disadvantage? The answer is the opposite as the answer to this question: would you ever want to use the "linked" power without the base power?

Re: IHA Help You have to remember the mindset of the people behind the IHA -- they're not going to use something that sounds like something a drugged-up hippie would use, but they also don't see themselves as evil. So they might call themselves Society for the Prevention of Genocide, and end up being *called* Genocide by their opponents...

Re: Classes of Minds

Re: Penalty Skill Levels for noncombat skills? That's a little harsh. It's a different style of GM'ing, and not one I'll ever belong to, but "sloppy" is in the eye of the beholder. Some people would say I'm a not "really a roleplayer" because of the extent I let dice affect what happens.

Re: Which are the optional bits? Well, look at it this way: without turn mode, there's no reason not to buy Flight over Running.

Re: The Power Brigade Interview Form DISCLAIMER The following is in character -- and the character is a super villain who might answer something like this as a joke. He's substantially more cruel, more lecherous, and less polite than I am. Super Hero Name: The Disruptor (Optional)Secret Idenity/Alternate Name: You're joking, right? (Optional)Ethnic Group/Species: I refuse to answer such a racist question. Place of Birth: New Miami, Ohio Date of Birth: 9/20/1949 Question 1. How did you hear about the Power Brigade team? Saw the application online, decided to answer it just to see how you children would react. Question 2. What do you feel you can offer (Both in Super heroic powers/gifts and your knowledges) to the Power Brigade team? I am second to perhaps only Dr. Destroyer in terms of mechanical expertise. I have over 32 years experience in the nova business (Editor: in a campaign in which people with superpowers started appearing in 1972), and have been a member of several promenient super teams during that time -- including the Capital Gang and the Protectors (Editor: yes, THOSE Protectors). I'm responsible for the MAPL sidearm 95% of police officers in the country use as their primary sidearm, the HORSEE transport most of your team vehicles are based on, and the Bulletproof Spandex most of your costumes are made of. I'm the reason ARGENT became rich enough to become a private conspiracy. I'm responsible for the mechanical half of the Silver Avenger program. I'm *personally* responsible for the defeat of Mechanon versions 1, 3, and 4. Want me to keep going? Question 3. Why do you wish to join our team, and what do you hope for if you join? Truthfully? I don't, although I suppose the chance to ask (insert most attractive female on the Power Brigade) on a date might be reason enough. Did I mention the X-Ray visor I wear? Question 4. Have you ever been on a super hero team before? If so, which one(s) and why are you no longer a member? See #2 above for the first answer. As to the second question? Generally someone in charge decides I'm more trouble than I'm worth, or decides to pursue the same woman. Question 5. Are you a supervillain, govt agent, law enforcement official, media person, or anyone else who is attempting to infilitrate the Power Brigade? Yes, not right now, no, not in a million years, and whatever gave you that idea ? Question 6. How often will you be availible to fight crime and save the world? What schedule would be best for you? Well, I've got better things to do tonight than die; I've basically spent the last 32 years of my life as a full-time nova, and it's not going to change anytime soon. Question 7: Do you have some disability, ailment, or other situation (Occasional Demonic possession, intense allergy to space rocks, etc) that our scientists, doctors, and mystics should take into account? Other than being one of the most hated novas in existance and being almost as ugly as I am smart? No. Question 8. To what degree do you comply with the law? Are you registered? Not at all, and unfortunately yes. Not the smartest thing I ever did, but ... she had a way of talking me into things. Question 9. Will you be able to provide your own transporation to and from the Power Brigade HQ? You betcha. You folks got any problem with holes in the floor? Question 10. What are your feelings on death and property damage? I try to avoid my own, and I tend to enjoy the rest. Question 11. Are you willing to wear our team Logo? If you can find a way to make it stick to the armor, boyo... Question 12. How may we contact you should we be interested in having you join? (Phone, mystic mirror, large signal, etc) Karin Herlocker, an employee at "Pulps" on Sanctuary. Please include any additional notes about yourself you feel are relevant below: Hope you get almost as much of a laugh out of this as I have...

Re: Searching: Mechanon & The Zodiac Believe me, if it weren't for the rights issue I'd be picking up the slack here with project "Champions: Orphanage", another potential name "Champions: Multiverse". Basically providing writeups for the pre-5th favorites (and otherwise) like CLOWN, Deathstroke, and the like without making them canon -- including suggestions for making them canon and/or adapting them to your campaign. I made some efforts to try and find the guy behind CLOWN (can't think of his name right now) without success... they'd be the group I'd be most interested in giving the 5th treatment.

Re: Penalty Skill Levels for noncombat skills? Traps aren't a good example here, because it can be argued there's "always" a chance something could go wrong.

Re: Down with active points For one thing, I handle it by giving Daredevil a 4d6 Billy Club, because 5d6 normal damage isn't enough damage IMO. Of course I'd argue he has a 23 STR, since superhuman starts at 31 not 21... but that's a rant for another day I understand your question though, but look at it like this: without this cap, you run into the "knuckle sandwich" abuse -- the character that buys 5 small HA's and adds his STR to all of them (legal under canon, but don't even think of trying this on me).

Re: Multiple Distinctive Features RE: Dormacy. Yeah, Multiform or Shapeshift are your best options here. The difference is whether or not you want your novas able to user powers/enhanced abilities and/or how quickly you want them changing. For novas with higher levels of abberancy Multiform will usually be necessary since disadvantages will be changing; at lower levels Shapeshift (versus nova-detection senses, which I cost as "targetting" senses) might be more appropriate. RE: Multiple Distinctive Features. The general rule of thumb, as mentioned by the earlier posters, is whether or not the 'features' are detectable by other senses. Using your examples... oddly-colored/textured skin = sight is surrounded by a strong glow/aura = sight, unless the aura isn't normally visible (we're talking a mystic aura or somesuch) has inhumanly-bulging muscles or unearthly beauty = sight again is a mutant/alien = if this is detected by something other than sight, it would count to that sense. Under Aberrant novas can detect each other, so it would probably be its own sense under Unusual and has a strong energy signature or a mystical aura = as mentioned above, could well be a different sense. Keep in mind that the value of the DF is reduced if the affected sense is not normal -- likely the case in the "aura" examples, for example, and definitely the case for the ability of novas to detect each other.

Re: Down with active points RE: Hand Attack. I long ago adopted a simple house rule that nipped this mostly in the bud -- apply the same "can no more than double" rule of HKA. Of course I also take into account everything when applying DC limits (that is, if the campaign says 16 DC that's after STR, martial bonuses, HA, and so forth).