Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 377
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 1999 6:36 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #377
champ-l-digest Sunday, June 6 1999 Volume 01 : Number 377
In this issue:
Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
Re: Flash
Re: Instant Change
Re: Instant Change
CHAR: Jaremar Cardomos
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: A really bizarre request
Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
Re: Effects of Radiation and Pressure.....
Re: Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
Re: Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Fwd: Power Gauge
Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
Re: Swapping stats
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 20:27:04 -0700
From: david_mckee@filemaker.com (David McKee)
Subject: Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
>>argument?) A man with a bow without range mods can snipe all day at a man
>>with a sword, though their weapons might do the same damage. I just don't
>>know that I would ignore the tactical advantages in favor of advantages
>>that cause damage.
The other problem with "gauging" characters is that not only does the
environment factor in (distance, things over the victims head, etc..)
but so does strategy, approach and style.
A powerful character that is reckless and haphazard could be defeated
by a "lessor powered" character who is cautious, precise and
crafty.
What rating would you give each, and what would that rating really
measure?
Anything other than (ActivePoints + {all}Advantages) will be biased
towards some sort of strategy or condition, IMHO.
I usually "assign by hand" a ranking with the assumption that it
neglects creativity and strategy.
One thing I have thought of, but haven't yet done is tried, is a
"standard victim" approach.
Whereby you have a NPC of general proportions, typical defenses
and offenses and then pit the character in question vs him/her/it
in a virtual battle.
The "generic" NPC being played straightforwardly and only reacting,
not being creative or necessarily on the offensive.
The character's "ranking" would be based on if they won, how well,
and how quickly they won/lost.
This might provide a good enough balance of "raw power" vs "situational"
factors so that the rankings would mean something when compared.
Then again, maybe not....
- -Dave
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Guy Hoyle <ghoyle1@airmail.net>
>To: champ-l@sysabend.org <champ-l@sysabend.org>
>Date: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 11:27 PM
>Subject: Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
>
>
>>On 6/2/99 at 9:38 PM Michael Sprague wrote:
>>>Active Points for the Power Level Maxima ONLY (not actual cost) should be
>>>calculated as follows. Note that if an attack is something like a Hand
>>>Killing Attack, where Strength can add in, you should do the calculations
>>>based on the full number of dice for the attack, not just the Power.
>>>
>>>1. Use the full value of advantages that can directly effect the damage
>>>caused (e.g., Armor Piercing or Autofire).
>>>
>>>2. Use half the value of advantages that increase effectiveness but not
>>>damage (e.g., No Range Mod or Area Effect).
>>>
>>>3. Ignore the value of advantages that simply make the power easier to use
>>>(e.g., Reduced END or lots of charges).
>>>
>>>- - - - -
>>>
>>>This has worked pretty well, and does not trash powers that use Area
>>Effect
>>>like Absolute Active Point limits would normally do. Also note that the
>>>Limits are for starting characters only. Once play starts, I remove the
>>>Limits. Characters can then use Experience to increase the effect of
>>their
>>>Powers.
>>
>>I'm not sure I follow the reasoning here, Michael. True, the advantages in
>>2 and 3 don't affect the amount of damage done in combat, but they most
>>certainly DO have a significant effect on combat. Imagine two characters,
>>identical except for their attacks. The attacks do the same amount of
>>damage (say, 12d6); one has the 0 END Advantage, the other has the
>>equivalent points put into his END. I'd lay odds that the one with the 0
>>END would be fighting long after his clone. (Is this a straw man
>>argument?) A man with a bow without range mods can snipe all day at a man
>>with a sword, though their weapons might do the same damage. I just don't
>>know that I would ignore the tactical advantages in favor of advantages
>>that cause damage.
>
>
>Keep in mind that this is only used for Active Point Maxima. The guy with 0
>END Advantage is still has to pay more for his power, though he might get a
>break by selling back some END. In your example above, remember that the
>guy who paid extra for END gets to use that END with all his powers, while
>the guy with 0 END also has to buy it for his other Powers, or else he still
>needs to buy extra END.
>
>BTW: I can't claim that I invented the above system. It came from either a
>Hero Almanac or one of the Adventure Club Magazines. The article was not
>really dealing with Active Point Cost Limits, but with how powerful a
>character really was.
>
>I wanted all my player characters to be similar in Power levels, which is
>difficult in out diverse group. Using flat Active Point limits just do not
>work!! They turn something like an Area Affect attack into something that
>only works against against agents and normals. I didn't want to make
>certain Advantages such that players would not bother with them.
>
>I suppose I could have limited the Damage Class, but that can get weird for
>a number of Powers. Using the above method worked very well for me, and I
>simply wanted to share it with others.
>
>~ Mike
>
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 21:59:57 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Flash
At 10:13 PM 6/3/99 -0700, you wrote:
>>
>>Just an idea... I read something about how illogical it was for a more
>>dextrous character snap out of a flash faster, and I agree. The new
>>flash seems to correct this, but now, though how dextrous (fast,
>>whatever) you are doesn't affect how long it takes you to snap out of
>>it, it does make it worse for you (in proportion) if you are more
>>dextrous. True, regardless of SPD you're still affected for the same
>>time, but you lose more actions if you have a higher SPD. So I don't
>>believe it's correct to say a higher SPD character is affected the same
>>as a low SPD one.
>
>I don't say he does; I just say I don't see any reason he shouldn't be
>effected more. After all, who is effected more by taking enough stun to go
>to the recovery per round level? But no one wants to fix that.
>
>
I just want to clarify my position: The new Flash in many way makes more
sense. I have no problem with Flash working as it does in 5th ed. Except
that this is very different from how Flash used to work. I know that this
kind of thing can't be avoided when making changes to the system, but it
used to be that a decent Flash would disable a normal for TURNS, and in
many cases it was bought for just that purpose.
Ug. Throg think change bad.
============================
Geoff Heald
============================
Attention all enemies of the Rival Ninja Corporation: You will lay down
your weapons and surrender to your nearest R.N.C. representative. Failure
to do so will result in your total destruction. Thank you.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 22:21:28 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Instant Change
At 08:10 AM 6/4/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Bob Greenwade wrote:
>>
>
>>
>> The way I understand it, the latter two will be handled with Transform,
>> while the first will have some modifier (an Adder, perhaps?) to Multiform.
>
>Transform? TRANSFORM? <involuntary shudder>
>
>I hope you meant Shapeshift.
>
Nope, Transform. The idea is that Wally West is Transforming his clothes
into his costume, and Merlin is Transforming thin air into some clothes.
============================
Geoff Heald
============================
Attention all enemies of the Rival Ninja Corporation: You will lay down
your weapons and surrender to your nearest R.N.C. representative. Failure
to do so will result in your total destruction. Thank you.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 22:24:28 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Instant Change
At 08:56 AM 6/4/99 -0500, you wrote:
>> From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
>> During one of those planet sweeping mutant massacrees, Colossus got changed
>> so that he has to concentrate to remain flesh and would automaticly become
>> metal if startled.
>>
>> How to reflect THAT?
>>
>
>He bought off the Only in Hero Form Limitation. Rest is special effects.
>
>
But, his powers still only work in his Hero (metal) form. I mean, he's a
big strong guy normally, but his super strength and armor and stuff is
still part and parcel of being metal, it's just that which form is his
"natural state" has changed. IIRC, he used to turn back to flesh when
knocked out, fer instance, but now would turn metal if knocked out while
flesh.
============================
Geoff Heald
============================
Attention all enemies of the Rival Ninja Corporation: You will lay down
your weapons and surrender to your nearest R.N.C. representative. Failure
to do so will result in your total destruction. Thank you.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 01:20:04 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: CHAR: Jaremar Cardomos
JAREMAR CARDOMOS, aka "The Lucky Bastard"
Val=09CHA=09Cost=09Roll=09Notes
12=09STR=09 2=0911-=09125kg; 2d6+1
15=09DEX=0915=0912-=09OCV: 5 / DCV: 5
12=09CON=09 4=0911-
12=09BODY=09 4=0911-
12=09INT=09 2=0911-=09PER Roll 11-
10=09EGO=09 0=0911-=09ECV: 3
12=09PRE=09 0=0911-=09PRE Attack: 2d6+1
21=09COM=09 6=0913-=09
3=09PD=09 1=09=09
3=09ED=09 1=09=09
4=09SPD=0915=09=09Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
7=09REC=09 6
24=09END=09 0
35=09STUN=0911
Total Characteristics Cost: 72
Movement:
Running: 6" / 12"
Swimming: 2" / 4"
Cost=09Skills
3=09Conversation 11-
3=09Gambling 11-
3=09Persuasion 11-
3=09Riding 11-
3=09Seduction 11-
2=09KS: Carousing 11-
2=09AK: Bridgeport Bars & Other Assorted Surly Locales 11-
5=09FAM: Bribery, High Society, Horse Care/Grooming, Sleight of Hand,
=09=09Streetwise
2=09WF: Crossbow, Knife
Cost=09Other Abilities
=09"Lucky Shot" (All have the Limitation "Activation Roll")
6=09+1 CSL Level with all combat (8), 9- (-1 1/2)
=09+1 CSL Level with all ranged combat (5), 9- (-1 1/2)
=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 9- (-1 1/2)
7=09+1 CSL Level with all combat (8), 10- (-1 1/4)
=09+1 CSL Level with all ranged combat (5), 10- (-1 1/4)
=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 10- (-1 1/4)
4=09+1 CSL Level with all ranged combat (5), 11- (-1)
=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 11- (-1)
5=09+1 CSL Level with all ranged combat (5), 12- (-3/4)
=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 12- (-3/4)
2=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 14- (-1/2)
2=09+1 RSR to offset range penalties (3), 15- (-1/4)
=09
15=093d6 Luck
5=09"Lightning Reflexes with Knife", DEX +5 (Only to resolve ties with
simultaneous initiative)
5=09"Lightning Reflexes with Crossbow", DEX +5 (Only to resolve ties
with simultaneous initiative)
1=09Money: 16 Gold, 6 Silver, 6 Copper
=09Total Powers & Skills Cost: 78
=09Total Character Cost 150
100+=09Disadvantages
5=09DNPC: "Attractive Female of Opportunity" (Mystery)
5=09Distinctive Features: Extremely attractive man who wears fine
clothes and has flashy mannerisms and speech.
0=09Normal Characteristic Maxima
5=09Physical Limitation: Cursed to live an 'interesting life.'
=09Constantly having things happen to him. Fated so by divinity.
20=09Psychological Limitation: Vain Glorious
20=09Psychological Limitation: Lecherous
5=09Psychological Limitation: Compulsive Carouser
5=09Psychological Limitation: Likes to Show Off, Reckless in this
=09regard
10=09Watched: Mystery Watched (Mystery)
=09Total Disadvantage Points: 75
Designers Notes:
=09This character can (and often does) use his Comliness against
mebers of the opposite sex. The GM may allow a complimentary skill roll
for Seduction or certain PRE attacks against memebers of the opposite sex
with his COM.
=09KS: Carousing and AK: Bars and Other Surly Places is used by the
character to drink and whore all night. He picked up his other skills
during various micro-adventures that have heppened over the course of his
life.
=09The money the character receives regularly is from his parents,
who are wealthy merchants.
Equipment Notes:
=09The character starts off with a Light Crossbow with eight bolts
and eight Knives suitable for hand to hand combat or throwing. The
character also has a suit of "armor" comprised of soft leather, padding,
and thick clothes that, for all intents and purposes, appear to be
exquisite finery (and consequently do not impair movement or mobility).
=09The character also has an average quality horse that is
unremarkable aside from the fact it's pelt is pure black.
Description:
=09Jaremar Cardomos is the only son of a wealthy merchant family in
the town of Bridgeport. A bit of a "bad seed," =81Jaremarwould often
stay out late at night, carousing with the seedier sorts in various bars,
pubs, and houses of ill repute. Jaremar decided to leave Bridgeport
under the cloak of night to seek adventure.
=09In a near by Duchy, he met a girl with whom he had relations.
Unfortunately, she was the Duke's daughter. During Jaremar's escape, one
fo the Duke's guests cursed Jaremar with "extraordinary luck." Knowing
the youth would be foolhardy enough to push this luck, he reasoned it
would be a poetic end.
=09Jaremar, however, is quite pixilated about his new found "power"=20
and does often times "push his luck" in dangerous and unexpected ways. He
has since returned to Bridgeport, but craves adventure which is now fated
to follow.=20
Powers Notes:
=09All of his Other Abilities are related to his "Curse of Luck."
These powers (by SFX) will not work against the preist who invoked it or
the Gods themselves. This power may be weakened in certain areas (such as
chruches). They may also be Dispelled by "anti-magic" SFX.
Disadvantages Notes:
=09I allowed the character to exceed the "minimum suggested maxium
points for one catagory of a disadvantage" with the "GM's special
permission because the Psychological Limitations were appropiate for
the concept.
(Jaremar Cardomos created by Jason Sullivan, Jaremar Cardomos inspired by
Mario Hernandez Jr., character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 22:11:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>>>I still don't like the fact that a power you attack with affects
>characters
>>>with a higher Speed to a greater degree then ones with a lower Speed.
>>>Agents better start stocking up on those Flash grenades now, since they
>will
>>>work better on Supers than on normals! :-)
>>
>>Not really. Not in absolute terms.
>
>
>In absolute terms, Flash will indeed work better on supers than normals,
>simply because Supers will have more disadvantaged Phases. I don't know how
>more absolute you can get.
Because both are vulnerable to opposing attacks just as long and both are
effected for the same specific length of time. The fact that supers could
act more often in that time doesn't make it effect them more per se; it just
can mean in the same absolute time they could get more done. So I don't
consider phases the whole issue by any means.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 22:20:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>I would argue that DEX is as much about faster reflexes as is SPEED. If one
>can recover from being stunned or knocked out faster by having a higher
>SPEED, why not sensory overload as well?
At that point, the proper thing to do would be to record Flash 'damage' and
allow it to be recovered like Stun or Endurance. That way if you had more
phases you could spend some of them Recovering to get it back faster,
whereas otherwise it'd only recover on Post-12's like other damage.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 22:23:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>>>I just assumed that no one's Flashing the entire electromagnetic spectrum,
>>>so if you can make your flash stop at radio waves, why not at infrared or
>>>ultraviolet light?
>>>
>>>I though it would feel sort of like putting on sunglasses (or another sort
>>>of filter): part of the spectrum disappears.
>
>>That doesn't work because most forms of eye don't have seperate receptors
>>for different frequencies. If I make a real bright flash just in the blue
>>spectrum, you still can't see the red; your optic nerve is still
>traumatized
>>no matter how narrow the frequency.
>
>If you were playing a genre based on hard science, I would agree. Champions
>(but not the Hero System) is based on comic book heroes and comic book
>science, so there is nothing wrong there with having a flash that only works
>against normal sight. It really depends on the genre and the campaign
>world.
I still stand by the idea that most characters do not seem to have seperate
reception for the different sensory ranges. If they did, then it'd be a
different story. As it is, the power construct represents something I see
no routine rationale for existing, comic book physics and biology or not.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 01:47:20 -0400
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
At 10:39 PM 6/4/99 -0400, you wrote:
>>>So normals will be almost unaffected by a flash which is actually MORE
>>>effective against supers.
>>
>> Not quite. It only *appears* that way to you, because the only thing
>>you're taking into consideration is the respective affected characters' own
>>action phases. However, in my experience, being at reduced DCV versus
>>others' attacks is actually the more significant effect of a Flash, and by
>>quite a bit.
>
>While I now agree with most of this, it has been my experience that losing
>phases has been far more significant then the half DCV ... which is why I
>was arguing it the way I was. In general, I have usually seen Flash used
>for that specific purpose. With the new rule, the half DCV will indeed be
>the significant thing ... and maybe that's not a bad thing.
>
I would like to point out that under 4th ed rules, a spd 1 normal hit by a
5d6 Flash will be at 1/2 DCV for 5 TURNS. Spending the same points on 5th
ed Flash will bring him to 1/2 DCV for 10 Segments. (on average).
So even taking into account Flash's effect on DCV instead of lost actions,
normals now recover a lot quicker wheras speedsters will be affected about
the same.
============================
Geoff Heald
============================
Attention all enemies of the Rival Ninja Corporation: You will lay down
your weapons and surrender to your nearest R.N.C. representative. Failure
to do so will result in your total destruction. Thank you.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 05:39:27 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
At 10:39 PM 6/4/1999 -0400, Michael Sprague wrote:
>>>So normals will be almost unaffected by a flash which is actually MORE
>>>effective against supers.
>>
>> Not quite. It only *appears* that way to you, because the only thing
>>you're taking into consideration is the respective affected characters' own
>>action phases. However, in my experience, being at reduced DCV versus
>>others' attacks is actually the more significant effect of a Flash, and by
>>quite a bit.
>
>While I now agree with most of this, it has been my experience that losing
>phases has been far more significant then the half DCV ... which is why I
>was arguing it the way I was. In general, I have usually seen Flash used
>for that specific purpose. With the new rule, the half DCV will indeed be
>the significant thing ... and maybe that's not a bad thing.
This has always been my main tactic with Flash: PC #1 opens with a big
Area Effect Flash, then PCs #2-7 zero in on the toughest villain (usually
either the leader or the resident brick) and pound the crap out of him.
The only way this is changed by the villain's flashed/non-flashed Phases is
that a couple of the heroes will need to engage (preferably hand-to-hand)
any villains who weren't affected by the Flash.
I've also found AE Flash to be a good tactic against high-DCV opponents.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 05:42:30 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: A really bizarre request
At 10:30 PM 6/4/1999 -0400, Michael Sprague wrote:
>
>The main supermarket in the Rochester, NY area is Wegmans, and they sell
>"Dr. W."
I can imagine the supervillain version of this in Michael's team being
the team brick, with a Mohawk and 40 pounds of gold jewelry.... ;-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 06:04:40 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
Here's something I just thought of:
+5 to Magic Skill Roll, IAF (Amulet), Costs END: 10 Active Points, 5
real points.
The Amulet inquestion is known as a Spell Checker. ;-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 08:27:33 -0500
From: redbf@ldd.net (bobby farris)
Subject: Re: Effects of Radiation and Pressure.....
Indiana Joe wrote:
> At 1:15 PM -0400 6/4/99, Scott C. Nolan wrote:
>
> >Check out Steve Long's article on nuclear warfare in Hero System Almanac 2.
>
> As well as the article on "Change Enviroment". (Or was that in HSA 1?)
Ya...I thought about those about 5 minutes after I posted this.....Sorry...
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 08:26:02 -0500
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
At 06:04 AM 6/5/1999 -0700, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> Here's something I just thought of:
> +5 to Magic Skill Roll, IAF (Amulet), Costs END: 10 Active Points, 5
>real points.
> The Amulet inquestion is known as a Spell Checker. ;-]
Should have an Activation Role, two simulate awl those errors a spell
checker allows to get buy. ;)
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 06:34:56 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Strange Magic Item for Fantasy Hero
At 08:26 AM 6/5/1999 -0500, Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin wrote:
>At 06:04 AM 6/5/1999 -0700, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>> Here's something I just thought of:
>> +5 to Magic Skill Roll, IAF (Amulet), Costs END: 10 Active Points, 5
>>real points.
>> The Amulet inquestion is known as a Spell Checker. ;-]
>
>Should have an Activation Role, two simulate awl those errors a spell
>checker allows to get buy. ;)
This is why it's only a bonus to the Magic Skill Roll, rather than some
means of "buying off" RSR from the Spells altogether.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
Interested in sarrusophones? Join the Sarrusophone Mailing List!
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Sarrusophone
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 10:10:17 EDT
From: Leah L Watts <llwatts@juno.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>>If you were playing a genre based on hard science, I would agree.
Champions
>>(but not the Hero System) is based on comic book heroes and comic book
>>science, so there is nothing wrong there with having a flash that only
works
>>against normal sight.
>
>I still stand by the idea that most characters do not seem to have
seperate
>reception for the different sensory ranges. If they did, then it'd be a
>different story. As it is, the power construct represents something I
see
>no routine rationale for existing, comic book physics and biology or
not.
It also depends on the SFX of the Flash. If it's a supercharged strobe
light, then it really should (IMHO) hit the entire sight sense group. If
it works by scrambling part of the spectrum (you still see, but the
images are too messed up to figure out -- no weirder than some of the
science we see in comics), then maybe the scramble has to be tuned to a
narrow range to work, and anything outside that range (such as IR or UV)
is unaffected.
Leah
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 12:36:18 -0400
From: "Michael Sprague" <msprague@eznet.net>
Subject: Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
- -----Original Message-----
From: Guy Hoyle <ghoyle1@airmail.net>
To: champs-l@sysabend.org <champs-l@sysabend.org>
Date: Friday, June 04, 1999 11:26 PM
Subject: Re: Active Point Limits (was Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser)
>I probably stated my case badly. I'm glad your system works for you, and I
>have no doubts that it does. We just seem to disagree how important those
>seemingly-less-useful advantages are in comba, with regard to character
>generationt.
Probably.
Keep in mind that I was simply offering a framework for a house rule.
Obviously, if a GM were to adapt a method similar to what I did, that
specific GM would have to decide which Advantages fit into the categories.
I'm sure the way I did it was influenced by the specific groups and people I
game with. We have people who think there is nothing wrong with a 16d6
attack, and we have people (like me) who think 10 to 12d6 is more than
enough. There tends to be a power imbalance when we get together. In the
game I ran, I wanted people creating more rounded characters and not
spending most of their points in large attacks and equally large defenses.
Thus, my approach.
I do not feel something like Area Effect is less-useful in combat ... unless
you have a hard active point limit. It simply allows you to possibly hit
more people, and it makes them easier to hit. Easier to hit is quite
significant ... but what's the point if the attack usually bounces of the
targets defense, simply because the Active Point Limit kept you at half the
dice of a more normal attack?
~ Mike
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 12:42:36 -0400
From: "Michael Sprague" <msprague@eznet.net>
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
- -----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Shaw <shaw@caprica.com>
To: champ-l@sysabend.org <champ-l@sysabend.org>
Date: Saturday, June 05, 1999 1:33 AM
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>>I would argue that DEX is as much about faster reflexes as is SPEED. If
one
>>can recover from being stunned or knocked out faster by having a higher
>>SPEED, why not sensory overload as well?
>
>At that point, the proper thing to do would be to record Flash 'damage' and
>allow it to be recovered like Stun or Endurance. That way if you had more
>phases you could spend some of them Recovering to get it back faster,
>whereas otherwise it'd only recover on Post-12's like other damage.
I find this, or a variant thereof, to be a very intriguing idea!! Of
course, it would add even more that one would need to keep track of in
combat. I'm going to think about this some more! Thanks.
~ Mike
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 05 Jun 1999 12:23:09 CDT
From: Dr Suess <championmush@hotmail.com>
Subject: Fwd: Power Gauge
Forgive me if this goes astray, as I'm about 3 minutes away from bed as I
type this up. Rah, third shift. ANYway, here's something I came up with for
ChampionsMUSH as a *VERY* *LOOSE* guideline for power levels in a game. If
you want to track everyone into the same general area, use this. NOTE: This
doesn't take into account some trickier things, like someone who knows the
rules inside and out, someone prepped to go after Vulnerabilities, or
unusual Stun or Recovery levels. Nor does it handle movement. Like I said,
it's a *very* loose guide. :)
DC of normal attack + normal OCV + SPD = Offense Level
1/3rd of PD + 1/3rd of ED + DCV = Defense Level
Offense Level + Defense Level = Power Level.
So, for example, Starlet has a 45 pt Multipower, a 23 Dex, 2 Combat Levels
with her MP, 15 PD, 25 ED, and a 5 Spd.
9 (9D6 EB) + 10 (OCV with levels) + 5 (SPD) = 24
5 (1/3 of 15) + 8 (1/3 of 25) + 8 (DCV) = 21
POWER GAUGE: 45
A mid-level hero, overall, or low end, depending on your game.
Most BBB people will fall between 42 and 52, with 47 being Generic Hero more
often than not. A 5 point swing is, by and large, the most you can get away
with for an even semi-fair battle. At 10 point swings, 3-1 odds are needed
to keep it close. At 15, 5-1.
Anyway, just thought y'all might find this handy.
- -Dr Suess of ChampionsMUSH
_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 12:03:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Fwd: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>It also depends on the SFX of the Flash. If it's a supercharged strobe
>light, then it really should (IMHO) hit the entire sight sense group. If
>it works by scrambling part of the spectrum (you still see, but the
>images are too messed up to figure out -- no weirder than some of the
>science we see in comics), then maybe the scramble has to be tuned to a
>narrow range to work, and anything outside that range (such as IR or UV)
>is unaffected.
I'll agree that sort of thing depends a bit on SFX, but what you've
described sounds more like Darkness than a Flash to me. I don't have a
problem with Darkness or Invisibility againsts only a single sense. (Though
even there, some of them get _very_ odd...Discriminatory Smell but not
Tracking Smell?)
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 12:06:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: [we-be-games] 5th Ed. Teaser
>>At that point, the proper thing to do would be to record Flash 'damage' and
>>allow it to be recovered like Stun or Endurance. That way if you had more
>>phases you could spend some of them Recovering to get it back faster,
>>whereas otherwise it'd only recover on Post-12's like other damage.
>
>
>I find this, or a variant thereof, to be a very intriguing idea!! Of
>course, it would add even more that one would need to keep track of in
>combat. I'm going to think about this some more! Thanks.
It's probably not any harder to keep track of than phases or segments of
Flash would be anyway. I may try it myself sometime. The only effect it
does have is that it means the high REC types would get over it faster, but
perhaps that's as it should be, depending on how you percieve the general
type of Flash.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 06 Jun 1999 12:00:37 +0800
From: GAZZA <gazza@wantree.com.au>
Subject: Re: Swapping stats
geoff heald wrote:
>
> I've just thought of two Marvel Heros who had a power construct that
> would need special dispensation in Hero.
> The Hulk: The madder he gets, the stronger he gets. But he loses
> rational control. So he's basicly trading Int for Str. What do I do,
> put them in a Multipower?
>
> The Beast. Infected with a mutagenic virus, he got very strong and
> every time he used his strength he got stronger, but got dumber too.
> This is just like above, but permanent.
>
> Any clever ideas on how to construct this?
Pardon me if this is too obvious, but what about a simple Transfer?
(Own INT to STR).
- --
GAZZA
"To know others is wisdom.
To know one's self is enlightenment."
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #377
*****************************
Web Page created by Text2Web v1.3.6 by Dev Virdi
http://www.virdi.demon.co.uk/
Date: Friday, July 02, 1999 04:11 PM