Wyrm Ouroboros

Given: 6e1 p.212: Sense Modifiers do not belong to any Sense Group — they improve Senses, either individually or by Sense Group. ... Sense Modifiers are not Adders. This series of questions functionally ignores the extras granted by Sense Groups; please do not bring them into the discussion. Part 1: Advantages and Disadvantages. When purchasing advantages -- Megascale comes to mind -- would the baseline detect/sense ('Detect Object', 10 pts) act as the base point value of the power, immaterial of Sense Modifiers that might be capable of enhancing the detect/sense? Or, perhaps, would the character only be able to use the Sense Modifier(s) added into the base point value, to which the Advantage is then applied, with that Advantage? With Disadvantages, one would likely apply a disadvantage to everything involved, but that sometimes might not be necessary. For example: Example 1: 'Detect Object', 10 pts: Megascale (1m = 1 km, +1): 20 active pts, 20 real pts. Sense with Detect Object (2 pts) Range with Detect Object (5 pts) Microscopic with Detect Object (3 pts) Total: 30 pts. Example 2: 'Detect Object', 10 pts, Sense (2 pts), Range (5 pts): 17 pts, Megascale (1m = 1 km, +1): 34 pts. Microscopic with Detect Object (3 pts) Total: 37 pts. I can see arguments for either case being appropriate, but I'd like to get a more official verdict, especially because there can easily be reasons to seperate the base detect/sense from Dis/Advantaged Sense Modifiers. Part 2: Adjustment Powers and Sense Modifiers with Levels A limited number of Sense Modifiers (Concealed, Microscopic, Rapid, and Telescopic) have open-ended levels like any other Power. Presuming at least one level is purchased for a detect/sense, would it then be able to be amplified (or suppressed) by an Adjustment power? With 1 level of Microscopic on his super-vision, can CapeMan's ability to see tiny objects be amplified by The Helper so that he can truly see at levels out of the reach of human sight, or is the only chance to see the Amazingly Shrunken Kids a lot of XP -- or a scanning electron microscope?

As I understand the Harbinger of Justice, while he might do bad things to looters, he'd be as likely (if not moreso) to go after bad cops.

Mmmm. 'Locking on' usually takes time; that time could, I think, be represented by the 'Cover' maneuver. Purchase the OCV with the Cover maneuver (which basically means 'I know I hit because I already rolled the dice') and then the shooter can decide at the end of the phase whether or not the shot actually gets taken. Otherwise the lock-on doesn't happen (i.e. the Cover maneuver doesn't succeed) and no shot is taken, no END or Charge expended.

... most of my characters eliminate him, with prejudice. Whether that's Freedom (he's clearly too stupid/irresponsible to use such power wisely, i.e. what Megaplayboy said), or Kiershia (because he's inversely a threat to K's own activities), the guy is toast.

I think I'd personally go with either the UAA EDM or the Force Wall, with the side effect that the power user is always transported as well. Toss in that it only ends (moves both back, wall comes down) when one of the two is unconscious, and ...

Actually, you just solved the issue that was being talked about after I originally posted that: 'what about too-weak shots that don't take the shields down at all?' Those would (presumably) be taken care of by the ship's basic DEF. Thing is, though, that ships in Star Trek don't have armor. Basic DEF from being a tritanium-whatever hull, sure, but they don't have armor, ablative or otherwise; get through the shield, and so long as you can damage the hull, hey, you're blowing holes in the ship. (In Star Wars, they have deflector shields, sure, but they also have armoring; this is one of the reasons why flying a craptastic TIE fighter is basically signing up for the Suicide Squad - barely any deflectors, no fraggin' armor at all.) However, what you're discussing, really, is a matter of 'appearance' and not 'function'. HERO's #3 rule is 'build what it does, not what it looks like'. Q.E.D.

.... reformed? Eliot???

Because the mechanical limit is there to put a thematic limit into numbers. Characters have always been able to go above the Normal Characteristic Maxima - but at a cost, which is generally x2 cost for each point up to the hard limit. Setting your characteristic maxima is a statement that 'this is where you go from being a normal (if athletic) guy to a truly Heroic individual.' This is the sort of stuff that you set so that someone can go over it, and people are sure to go 'wow, that guy is strong/fast/smart/can take a hit!!!' When it comes to package deals for other races, the package buys off the 'x2 cost' for part of that characteristic increase; while it costs a little bit (per se) to be of that race, you can go above normal human without otherwise taking that x2 hit. On the flip side, if you have a characteristic that is lower, you're getting a discount because that x2 hit is going to come sooner - you're getting the points back to start with, because that Dex score for the Stone Men of Dargath just ain't as important, while they're all very buff sorts of fellows. It's thus easier to get a 25 STR Stone Man, but you're going to pay more to get a 20 DEX Stone Man. Yes, it might cost a bit, and make less sense if you're not going to go to the new max for your 'theme attribute' (such as STR for a Stone Man of Dargath), but that's what you get for the money, as it were.

Having been a Shadowrun player, they often get played as 'all four' - the target (usually) isn't a player character, but often their boss or an NPC negotiator who is the target. What I've had some success with is rolling the dice - sure, in secret - for both sides, because at a meet, characters are ALWAYS tense, and often wind up with the target not dead, because why lose eight points looking for a head-shot if you don't have to? it provides a heads-up, makes the players go after him, and sometimes is a link to who might want the original target gone.

So do I: almost.

... and when you claim that something is physically impossible when it clearly isn't - because, y'know, a tire (or tyre) is actually a flexible object - you yourself completely lose credibility. The last bit especially gets me - how the hell can you say that someone never saw a guy wearing heavy leather gloves inflict a pressure cut on himself through extreme use of a weapon? Do you somehow mysteriously know that sharp metal can't cut through thick leather? If so, well, the cows of the world will undoubtedly be very happy... Geez.

A double cost for 'slightly defy' seems to me to be extraordinarily steep, is all I'm sayin'. x2 for those last 5 points of STR? Sure. x2 for all your martial arts, though?

Very convenient indeed!!

Remember that Reduced END for an autofire Power is doubled.

True. Could even take a disadvantage, -1/4 perhaps, that says that after X shots you have to take half a phase (or make a quickdraw roll) to 'change clips' ...