Mr. Gridlock

This is my Super Shield character (Captain America clone). He's a work in progress. Constructive comments appreciated. Valiant Val Char Points Total Roll Notes 20 STR 10 20 13- HTH Damage 4d6 END [2] 27 DEX 51 27 14- OCV 9 DCV 9 20 CON 20 20 13- 14 BODY 8 14 12- 15 INT 5 15 12- PER Roll 13- 15 EGO 10 15 12- ECV: 5 20 PRE 10 20 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 16 COM 3 16 12- 10 PD 6 10/26 10/26 PD (0/16 rPD) 10 ED 6 10/26 10/26 ED (0/16 rED) 6 SPD 23 6 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 10 REC 4 10 40 END 0 40 34 STUN 0 34 6" Running 0 9" 2" Swimming 0 2" 4" Leaping 0 6" Total Characteristics Cost: 156 Cost Powers END 27 The Shield: Multipower, 40-point reserve, (40 Active Points); all slots OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 2u 1) Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack), Adjacent Hex (+1/2) (30 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 0 1u 2) Shield Bash: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 0 1u 3) Thrown Shield: Energy Blast 8d6 (40 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) [1 rc] 2u 4) Armor (13 PD/13 ED) (39 Active Points); Requires A DEX Roll (-1/2), OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 0 6 Running +3" (9" total) 1 1 Leaping +2" (6" forward, 3" upward) (2 Active Points); Requires An Acrobatics Roll (-1/2) 1 3 +1 PER with all Sense Groups 0 Freeform Fighting 4 1) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 2) Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 40 STR to Disarm 4 3) Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 45 STR vs. Grabs 4 4) Evade: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 3 5) Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, 7d6 Strike, Target Falls 4 6) Nerve Strike: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 3d6 NND 4 7) Punch / Elbow Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 8d6 Strike 5 8) Side / Roundhouse Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 10d6 Strike 2 Weapon Element: Default Element (Empty Hand), Off Hand, Shield 8 +2 HTH Damage Class(es) Perks 1 Money: Well Off 1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice law 2 Reputation: Upstanding Hero (A medium-sized group) 11-, +2/+2d6 Talents 17 Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, Function as a Sense, Intuitional) 13-/12- 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) Skills 4 +2 with Block 6 +2 with Martial Maneuvers 4 +2 with Thrown Shield 8 +4 with Missile Deflection 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Breakfall 14- 3 Bureaucratics 13- 3 Climbing 14- 3 Concealment 12- 3 Conversation 13- 3 Criminology 12- 3 Deduction 12- 3 Interrogation 13- 3 KS: Criminal Law and Procedure 12- 3 KS: Police Procedure 12- 5 PS: Prosecuting Attorney 14- 4 Penalty Skill Levels: +2 vs. Sweep with Martial Arts 3 Persuasion 13- 5 Rapid Attack (HTH) 3 Shadowing 12- 3 Stealth 14- 3 Streetwise 13- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 193 Total Cost: 349

Re: Super Shield I have never seen any thing saying that you shouldn't or can't put CSL's inside a Multipower. I haven't asked Steve for a definitive ruling (aside the usual response of: it's okay if your GM allows it). But since a number of you feel that's it's not okay, I'm going to try to rework him without the CSL's for Blocking to have an alternate version.

Re: Super Shield The sole reason I chose this Limitation is to avoid the END cost of the EB. I also bought skill levels for Bouncing as well as Rapid Fire (to hit multiple targets as opposed to buying an AoE).

Re: Super Shield What's the advantage to having multi slots? Except for the HA, they're all at full reserve value.

Re: Super Shield Yeah, you could add two slots of FW; one for PD and one for ED to maximize defense (16 in this case), and then hope you guess right when the attack comes your way! Or 14/12 Armor and just take some of the Stun (should stop most Body). But then again, I always thought it was a little silly for such a big guy like Cap to duck behind such a tiny shield. I've been scouring the books and the FAQ, but I can't find anything definitive on allowing naked skill levels in a multipower (for that first slot).

Re: Super Shield I don't follow this construction. Are you talking about replacing the first slot with X levels of DCV? Or are you talking about buying levels with DCV outside of the multipower (OIF: Shield)? If the former, I don't see much difference, as it's not "passive" since you have to activate that slot. You may as well block. If you mean something else, I'm not following you.

Re: Buying the Aid Power The tone of my post was a question, not a statement. I've seen multiple ways of writing up different powers (some with Aid, some with direct characteristic buys) and was wondering if there was something I wasn't understanding.

I was looking at the build for the Questionite Shield in Gadgets and Gear and wondered if there was another way to build a super shield. Instead of meeting an attack with a defense, why not just avoid the attack altogether? 27 Super Shield: Multipower, 40-point reserve, (40 Active Points); all slots OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 4u Enhanced Block: (Total: 40 Active Cost, 26 Real Cost) +4 with Block DCV (20 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) (Real Cost: 13) plus +4 with Block OCV (20 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) (Real Cost: 13) 3u Missile Deflection: (Total: 40 Active Cost, 27 Real Cost) Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack), Adjacent Hex (+1/2) (30 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) (Real Cost: 20) plus +2 with Missile Deflection (10 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) (Real Cost: 7) 1u Shield Bash: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) 1u Thrown Shield: Energy Blast 8d6 (40 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OIF Unbreakable (-1/2) Use Rapid Fire and skill levels to attack multiple targets and have it bounce back. So for 28 points it seems like you have a pretty effective super shield. Anything I'm missing? Or anything built incorrectly?

Re: Buying the Aid Power

Is there something I'm missing about Aid? It seems like a pointless power to me. 17 Lunar Strength: Aid STR 3d6 (30 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Only at Night (-1/4) vs. 14 Lunar Strength: +20 STR (20 Active Points); Only at Night (-1/4) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic) Not only do you get the Figured Characteristics from the latter power, but you get a reliable boost in STR. With Aid, you not only spend more points, but on average you'd get 11 STR, with no Figured Characteristics. And if you didn't want the Figured Characteristics, the latter power would only cost you 7 points. I have the same feeling about the Kiai power as written in UMA. Aid (PRE) vs. a straight +PRE. 16 Kiai: +20 PRE, Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (40 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Costs Endurance (-1/2) [12 END] vs. 27 Kiai: Aid PRE 4d6, Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (80 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Self Only (-1/2) [24 END] The Aid fades at a known rate. The STR in the Lunar Strength example would last until day break. So, is there something I'm not understanding about Self Only uses of Aid? Obviously Aiding someone else is a different matter.

Re: Changing the System: Action Points Those are fine points, as I don't like Hit Points or Armor Class. However, I hate END. It's pointless bookkeeping, and if you're using AC caps, then Reduced END not only is necessary (because who can pay 6-8 END every phase and last for more than a Turn or two?) but it also chops off the top end of the cap as you always have to pay to reduce the END. And simply doing away with END altogether is not very satisfying. So instead of just shooting the idea down, anyone care to offer any suggestions that are actually helpful?

I hate the END system in Champions. I find it tedious and pointless. I remember an incomplete system I stumbled across on the web back in the mid 90s based on Champions (I can't recall the name) that had one feature that I really liked: Action Points, a combination of STUN and END. Later, I found the same kind of concept in the Marvel Superhero RPG (SAGA). Where if you exerted your powers (played more cards) you had less cards to lay down when you took damage,. Action Points were a figured characteristic, replacing both END and STUN and I don't recall the calculation. It should probably be based on the same characteristics as STUN (STR, CON, BODY), but also be high enough to compensate for the loss due to exertion (END). This would also do away with the need for the Reduced END Advantage. The Limitation Costs END could still work. I wonder if A) anyone remembers this incomplete game, and what people think of this change? I really like it. The more damage you take, the less likely you'll be able to exert yourself all out since you have less Action Points. And vice versa: the more you exert yourself, the less damage you'll be able to take. I really dig that. Thoughts?

Re: Succor and Continuing Charges As written or does it need Uncontrolled?

Re: Succor and Continuing Charges Thanks for replying. You write "Suppress" but I think you mean Succor. What you write doesn't address my question, though. The power Succor's all of the character's characteristics. As written, for how long? Three (3) phases? Or 3 uses per day that last 5 minutes each? Do you understand what I'm asking? Thanks!

I've got a question about Succor and Continuing Charges. I've read what the FAQ has to say about this, but I feel like I need some clarification. Here's the power: 30 Succor Characteristics 5 1/2d6, all characteristics simultaneously (+2) (84 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), 3 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Visible (-1/4), IIF (-1/4) ------------------------------ Here's what I found on the FAQ: If a character buys a Suppress (or Succor) that’s Continuous, and has Continuing Charges, does the power consume an additional Continuing Charge every Phase it remains active, or does one Continuing Charge suffice to keep it going for the duration of the Charge? What if they’re Fuel Charges? It uses one Continuing Charge per Phase (regardless of the Charge’s duration), or 1 second’s worth of a Fuel Charge, unless the GM rules otherwise. In particular, the GM may sometimes wish to charge a character more than 1 second’s worth of a Fuel Charge to maintain game balance. ------------------- Okay, so if I understand this correctly, the length of time that the charge lasts is immaterial, because the power will only last for 3 of the character's phases? It sounds like a Fuel charge would be much better than a Continuing Charge.... How would you write up this power trying to stay close to an 80 active point cost? Cheers.

I was working with the concept of a knife fighter who is so good that his knife couldn't be taken away while he was conscious (OIF), yet when he throws it is accessible (OAF). It makes sense to me, since the knife doesn't automatically come back to him (the Recoverable Charge). Two questions: The write-up of the dagger on pg. 194 of the 5th ed. rev. shows Ranged as a Naked Advantage, then the Range Based on Strength Limitation is applied. Yet Hero Designer says: Range Based On Strength cannot be applied to Powers that have taken the Ranged Advantage. Use the options on the Ranged Advantage instead. 1) So which is correct? Do you need to build it like the book, or just take RBS as the basis for the Naked Advantage? 2) Is it allowable to have the HKA be an OIF and the Ranged component be an OAF? Here's the write-up: 15 Dagger: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (1 1/2d6 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), plus 1 Range Based On STR (+1/4) for up to 15 Active Points of 1d6 HKA (4 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OAF (-1) OR 2 Ranged (+1/2) for up to 15 Active Points of 1d6 HKA (7 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OAF (-1), Range Based on Strength (-1/4)

I want to build a character who fights with a whip. I've seen two different write-ups for a whip. As an RKA: 11 Multipower, 15-point reserve, all slots Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); all slots OAF (-1) 1u Whip Slash: Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6 (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (3"; -1/4) 1u Whip Grab: Stretching 3" (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4), Always Direct (-1/4) As an HKA: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2) (Real Cost: 9) plus Stretching 3", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Always Direct (-1/4), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4) (Real Cost: 12) (Total: 44 Active Cost, 21 Real Cost) I have two questions: 1) Which build do I have to use to buy the Whipfighting style that's in the Ultimate Martial Artist? Does the RKA (regardless of special effect) preclude the use of the HtH maneuvers? 2) With a Compound Power like in the second write-up, can the Stretching be used separately without the HKA, e.g. make a Grab with the whip without inflicting the HKA damage?