phookz

Re: Superpowers and Ethics In the McMartin Preschool trial in the '80s, children were persuaded to testify and quite possibly have false memories implanted about the alleged incident (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMartin_preschool_trial#Interviewing_and_examining_the_children). I'd consider that EGO+30.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics Wait, is that what "con man" means, "confidence man"? You learn something new every day, even on an RPG board I agree with you on this. People are convinced to do things they would normally be against all the time.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Re: Superpowers and Ethics I don't believe anyone has suggested a build where you could never be affected by legislation regarding assault. What has been stated is that the game mechanic of MC does not necessitate the use of the power unethical. As Hugh has pointed out, there are many cases where a low-powered MC would be easier to resist than a high powered use of the Persuasion skill. So MC by its nature should be no less ethical than Persuasion. It's what you do with it that makes it unethical. Roy's suggestion of removing the game terms is a good one, but the part I take issue with is bound to the game terms. It has been suggested by some that any use of Mind Control is by definition unethical. I think this position misses the whole "reason from effect" nature that HERO offers. My position is that it depends on the nature of the build and how you use it. Mind Control is just a game construct that allows us to achieve an effect - depending on how it is defined, it may be no more unethical than using the Persuasion skill. Don't get me wrong - I think you can be unethical with the Persuasion skill. But not every use. If I haggle over the price of a used car and use Persuasion to get a warranty thrown in, is that unethical? What if I define my Persuasion as a super skill with a Mind Control build? Does that suddenly make it unethical, and if so, why?

Re: Superpowers and Ethics Strong willed. Extreme training in mystical arts to sharpen the focus and lock out outside influences. A psionic enhancement device that prevents manipulation of the characters thoughts. etc...

Re: Superpowers and Ethics This view is basically the same as "Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". It may or may not be true, but even if it is true (which I doubt) doesn't make every use of that power unethical.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics Exactly.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics Being an attack power is a construct of the rules and has nothing to do with ethics. It's a mechanic to achieve an in-game effect. Using Persuasion typically involves a Skill Versus Skill Contest. This is mechanically similar to an attack roll. Rolling dice vs ECV is a game mechanic. This doesn't make it unethical to do. The fact that MC is described as "take control of another character's mind, and thus of his actions" is just describing in-game effects. That implies to me that this power has the potential to be used unethically, but doesn't imply all uses are unethical because that's a game mechanic. Game mechanics are how we achieve things in the analog of the game - whether or not they are ethical depends on how they are defined with SFX and how they are used.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics There is a difference between the game mechanic and the philosophical constructs of free will (actually, it could be argued that the entire universe is pre-determined. If every action has an equal and opposite reaction then there is no free will, only the illusion of free will. Where I sit and believe I am choosing to type these words is an illusion, the course of actions that the universe has taken up to this point has assured that I would in fact type these words. But that's another thread entirely I'm sure ). The game mechanics remove much of free will from the MC construct because it's a game - we need it to be that way in order to have some set of rules to play by. The Persuasion skill removes free will if you make your roll by enough - does that mean all Persuasion use is unethical? If I buy my MC with limitations as a very effective Persuasion skill it should be no different. It's what you do with the power that makes it unethical.

Re: Superpowers and Ethics

Re: Superpowers and Ethics I think it depends on the SFX of the Mind Control. If the SFX is that the character is very persuasive then why would it be an assault? I think we're getting too caught up on the game mechanics here. Given the right SFX and limitations, MC could be used as another way to make someone very persuasive. I don't see that as being assault. The question of ethics is much more complicated. I don't agree with the statement made earlier that ethics are binary. There are shades of gray and they aren't there because of a lack of information IMO.

Re: Free no character point equipment simulating not very powerful powers I'd explain it as a game balance thing.

Re: Tenure as a perk Really? How can having a power defined make a character the equivalent of someone who snatches purses? What if he's convincing the other faculty members to vote for equal rights in the face of a neo-natzi fascist society? What if he's using his powers to keep his young friend from having his droids confiscated?

Re: Tenure as a perk So Obi-wan was on his way to the dark side when he MC'd the storm troopers with "these aren't the droids you're looking for"?

Re: Tenure as a perk

Re: iPad apps? There are a couple of apps: HeroRef - mostly documentation but handy to have. Also has a phase tracker.. There is a typo in it that has not been fixed but was reported a long time ago. Hero Roller - there is a lite version for free that goes up to 12 DC and a paid version with no (maybe some reasonable max?) limit. Also check out this thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/82621-iPad-uses-in-hero-system

Re: excuses Those are great Storn! +Rep for you if I could but I'm not spreading it around enough I guess.

Re: Using a D20

Re: Historical Late Medieval Period RPG Nice work. Very informative and well written. Repped!

Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . The OP did state that it was a horror campaign. I'd say splitting up, stupid or not, is part of the genre I think in the context of a horror game the roll and possible ill effects are completely justified. I think using the roll mechanic presents an opportunity for the GM to have something interesting happen outside of the standard encounter plan. I'm not suggesting that the campaign should be ruled by dice rolls, but I think using a critically botched roll (OP did state they used critical hits and fumbles) as a catalyst for something interesting can add spontaneity to the game.

Re: Spells in MUltipowers? Thread resurrection. Mark brings up a vital point that I think many have overlooked. Buying every slot as a fixed/ultra slot at the maximum points for the pool effectively locks out the pool to one spell at a time. On top of this, I think the primary reason that players don't always buy to maximum point values is GM oversight. With great power comes great responsibility, and that responsibility is to stay within campaign guidelines, and it falls on the shoulders of GMs and players alike. Campaign guidelines go beyond active point limitations, and I like Markdoc's approach of controlling the creation of spells. I would rep him but can't seem to figure out how to do it on the mobile version of the forums. I'm not saying that GM defined spells are right for every campaign, but it can be a very effective way to contol power inflation.

Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . If you can't get a minor, temporary sprain from a botched skill roll, when can you get it? Only in combat? I think it's a way to add dramatic tension and would be perfectly suitable for the genre. I would love for a GM to do it to my character in a horror game. I love it when I'm brought to the edge of my seat in anticipation of what is going to happen next. I would agree that fatality is overly harsh.

Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I like Manic Typist's suggestion of injury and evil bad-nasty stalking him/her from the shadows. Throw in some nice and spooky unexplained stuff ala Blair Witch or something. Depending on how much tension you had built so far, this could either be an actual fight or not. Maybe have him get hurt, start the limp/crawl back to camp with something following him from just out of sight. Meanwhile, back at camp, there are noises from just beyond the trees. The group doesn't know the forester has been hurt, and they are challenged to investigate the strange happenings while keeping an eye on the witch prisoner. Throw in a few weird phenomena, maybe a small stack of stones that wasn't there before. A bundle of twigs and branches hanging in the branches somewhere else. The key is to not actually let the players see anything for certain. Then when the forester finally shows up, and the group is already spread out, you can decide to either have an actual encounter or maybe make it something not supernatural at all. Perhaps the bad-nasty is nothing more than a curious critter. Or maybe it is a real threat, like wolves or something, but they are easily dispatched or frightened off back at camp. Whew! That problem is solved, but it doesn't explain the rocks and twigs back at camp. Cue spooky music...