Flaming Swords

[Alibear]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

That approach can work fine. But it's not the Hero approach.

 

Well, yes and no. Hero tells you to use whatever rules you like and ignore what you don't. There is no right way in Hero.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

OK' date=' we don't know how the character could buy signature equipment, so we just prohibit them from doing so.[/quote']

 

Thats actually incorrect. As I said earlier, I would allow a character to design "signature equipment' as long as it fit within the scope of the campaign and wasn't game-busting. The only difference is that I wouldn't make the characters pay points for it. In my (Heroic) games, all equipment costs money, not character points. Even special/magical equipment.

 

We don't know how to apply naked advantages, so we just handwave it.

 

Oh, I know how. I'm just not strict. Also, in general, players in my games don't need Naked Advantages, because I'm a supporter of powers written up as Superskills, and I'm perfectly fine with Power Frameworks in my Heroic games, most especialy Multipowers. Of course, I do support Naked Advantages, but my players rarely purchase them.

 

We can't figure out how to Suppress, Dispel, Drain, Aid or Succor the equipment, so I guess that either gets disallowed or handwaved as well.

 

well, considering that I know that Player A's Magical Sword of Flame is +2OCV (10pts) 1.5D6K (25pts) and +1 Stun multiplier (+1/4) off the top of my head, and the math is so simple, it would only take me about 2 seconds to figure out that the active cost on that is 42pts. Dispel away!

 

Sounds like this could be a decent game system. Obviously it's working for you. But in my little universe, it's moving further and further away from Hero and closer to other games where you get the effects described by the power, but can't look under the hood to figure out how it works.

 

Well, considering the characters have STR, DEX, CON and BOD and attack using OCV vs DCV and roll 3D6 for skills and use the Speed Chart, it certainly feels like HERO to me. Why is it that so many people around these parts think that Powers Building is the core of HERO?

 

To me, Hero is designed to allow for objective resolution of issues like "can I use my naked Autofire advantage with the FlameSword", "did I successfully Dispel his FlameSword", or "How much did my Aid/Drain reduce the power of his FlameSword". Your approach removes that objectivity in favour of a "Trust the GM" approach. That approach can work fine. But it's not the Hero approach.

 

Well, ultimately the players have to trust the GM anyway, so I don't think it really adds anything to that equation.

Also, I handwave a lot of that stuff because I think its ludicrous that a character could add an Autofire Naked Advantage or Armor Piercing Naked Advantage to a mundane longsword (25pts) but could not add their advantage to the magical flaming longsword (42 active). I know by the math it shouldn't be done but there is no logical in-game reason why this couldn't happen.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

I apologies for my overreaction and rudeness. I found the drudging up of a five year old post somewhat ridiculous. I was also frustrated by the fact that you seemed to completely ignore the fact that KS elaborated on what he meant, and every time any one points that fact out, you reply to everything they say, except that.

 

Anyway, none of that excuses my attitude. I’m done with this thread and you have my apologies, for what that is worth.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Bumbling back to the OP, tell me, is this a game where you point pay for the sword or not?

 

Either way, I suppose, you need to decide what flaming swords do. Start with that. Does a flaming sword just do some more damage? Convert PD damage to ED damage or do both? Does it have continuing burning effects?

 

Probably the most 'efficient' way to do it would be something like:

 

2d6 HKA 0 END (45 points with a limtiation that half the damage applies against PD and half against ED -/12) 30 points.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Thats actually incorrect. As I said earlier' date=' I would allow a character to design "signature equipment' as long as it fit within the scope of the campaign and wasn't game-busting. The only difference is that I wouldn't make the characters pay points for it. In my (Heroic) games, [i']all[/i] equipment costs money, not character points. Even special/magical equipment.

 

I was referring to the actual rules for signature equipment, under which the character does pay for the equipment, typically does not take the Independent limitation and as such tends to have little difficulty replacing the equipment should it be damaged or lost.

 

Of course, a GM could certainly run a game where such purchases are not possible, just as he can disallow anything a player could otherwise spend points on. To me, purchasing signature items allows two things, customization of equipment (most commonly in a manner that other characters cannot simply acquire the same equipment themselves) and purchasing back a measure of control that the character will typically have access to the equipment in question and/or it will easily be replaced.

 

Source material examples?

 

Sci Fi? In Star Wars, there's Luke's lightsaber - when he loses one, he makes another. Just putting "Dad was a Jedi" in your background could allow you to have a Lightsaber, I suppose, but if the weapon is a significant improvement on typical purchased (wiith money) weapons, how fair is that? The Millenium Falcon probably should have been lost or destroyed a few times, but always got repaired and recovered. Even Chewie's crossbow kept turning up. Why keep it intact - no one but a Wookie used the things.

 

Fantasy? Elric's Stormbringer is a classic example. He can't even ditch it voluntarily by tossing it in the ocean. It's a seminal part of the character, as compared to many other fantasy characters, like Conan, who just take whatever equipment they can find.

 

Pulp? The Avenger had Mike and Ike, customized gun and knife, which didn't work like normal weapons, and he always seemed to have available to him.

 

well' date=' considering that I know that Player A's Magical Sword of Flame is +2OCV (10pts) 1.5D6K (25pts) and +1 Stun multiplier (+1/4) off the top of my head, and the math is so simple, it would only take me about 2 seconds to figure out that the active cost on that is 42pts. Dispel away![/quote']

 

That seems to contradict "I don't stat out the sword", though.

 

Well' date=' considering the characters have STR, DEX, CON and BOD and attack using OCV vs DCV and roll 3D6 for skills and use the Speed Chart, it certainly feels like HERO to me. Why is it that so many people around these parts think that Powers Building is the core of HERO?[/quote']

 

To many of us, it is a key component of the rules.

 

Well' date=' ultimately the players have to trust the GM anyway, so I don't think it really adds anything to that equation.[/quote']

 

I trust the GM to enforce the restrictions of independent equipment purchased with something other than character points equally. if Luke wants to always have that Lightsaber, either he should pay for the privilege, or Han's customized heavy blaster that he didn't pay points for either should be found just as conveniently, rather than requiring him to grab a generic blaster from a fallen stormtrooper. Similarly, I trust the GM to give me the benefit of points spent for signature equipment that is not as restricted as an object paid for in cash.

 

I also trust the GM, when I play a game with objective point costs for abilities and objective resolution mechanics, to use those objective mechanics and not handwave them away arbitrarily.

 

Also' date=' I handwave a lot of that stuff because I think its ludicrous that a character could add an Autofire Naked Advantage or Armor Piercing Naked Advantage to a mundane longsword (25pts) but could not add their advantage to the magical flaming longsword (42 active). I know by the math it shouldn't be done but there is no logical in-game reason why this couldn't happen.[/quote']

 

This is simply the conflict of game balance vs game logic. Why don't certain D&D effects stack? There's no logic why the Paladin Holy Weapon spell doesn't enhance the properties of a weapon that already has advantages related to critical hits, but game balance makes it so.

 

To your specific example, I find it ludicrous that people assume there are only two options "handwave the points away" or "rigidly prohibit this from ever working". My answer to the issue would be:

 

- first, if the player's intent is that his AP NA will work on pretty much any weapon he finds, he should buy it large enough to apply to pretty much any typical weapon. If magic weapons are common, that means buying it to affect more than 25 points. But let's assume no one knew that magic weapons would be an issue, and we now have this 42 point flaming sword, and only 12 points spent on the AP NA, so we have a 9 point shortfall (at most - the naked advantage may be more limited).

 

We can handwave it and say AP works with any weapon for 9 points. Nice freebie for the character. We'll have to get game balance through some other mechanism. We can absolutely prohibit its use and throw game logic out the window. But we can also make numerous other choices like:

 

- this is only a once in a campaign type thing - he won't be keeping the flaming sword. Let it work as a "power stunt" due to SFX.

 

- the character plans on keeping the sword - he can use his AP NA with it, but he has to commit to spending his next 9 xp buying up that ability so he pays for its ongoing use.

 

- similar to the above, maybe he has to get used to this new weapon, so we impose some limitations on the extra 9 points for his AP NA, like he must make a Skill or Activation Roll to make the flaming sword AP, or Concentrate, or otherwise be limited in this regard. Maybe it's like a Hand Attack - he has to restrict himself to 25 AP worth of damaging effect (bonus OCV is irrelevant to the AP advantage, so it shouldn't count regardless) to use AP, or he can use the superior damage of the item to full effect, but he loses the finesse of AP in the process. Do magic flaming swords interact with armor the same way a length of steel does? That justifies some restrictions as well, from a game logic perspective.

 

There's lots of middle ground between "you can have this extra ability at no cost" and "no matter how game logical it is, the points will override".

[Alibear]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Luke's lightsabre is just a lightsabre, he isnae paying for it with points anymore than Stormtroopers are paying for their armour or Han is buying his blaster with points.

 

Someone here is misunderstanding Hero or Star Wars or both at a fundamental level. Maybe it's me?

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Luke's lightsabre is just a lightsabre, he isnae paying for it with points anymore than Stormtroopers are paying for their armour or Han is buying his blaster with points.

 

Someone here is misunderstanding Hero or Star Wars or both at a fundamental level. Maybe it's me?

 

This depends on how the game is functioning. In a fantasy game, I can typically buy my sword with cash. Or I can actually pay the points for a sword, which allows me to customize it. It might be masterfully worked, or magic, making it superior to the sword YOU bought with cash. Perhaps it is a family heirloom. It could be eternally sharp and suffer from none of the drawbacks associated with poor maintenance or using it to hack down doors (it doesn't have Real Weapon as a limitation). Perhaps it is light as a feather and can be wielded with no effort (it lacks a STR Min limitation), or maybe it is difficult to swing (no 0 END advantage). It might be difficult to disarm (OIF, rather than OAF), and it could be something I can readily replace (not Independent).

 

In Star Wars, many other objects were routinely lost and not easily replaced. Luke was rarely parted from his lightsaber, and even when it was clearly lost (down the Cloud City drain), and irretrievable, he was able to obtain a replacement despite the fact that no one actually makes or sells them. To me, his focus is not Independent, and that means he paid points for it. YMMV.

 

I could easily envision an SW based game where lightsabers must be purchased with points, or where every WalMart stocks them beside the Heavy Blasters, one aisle down from Protocol Driods.

[cutsleeve]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Conan should probably be build with a purchased HKA that's defined with a "sharp nasty pointy thing of opportunity" SFX instead of a focus limitation.

 

It would fit with the sword and sorcery schtick. Conan always loses his weapon but you know when he needs a weapon one will just happen to be handy. Him beating up a hapless guard is just part of the SFX for procuring a new one.

[Alibear]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

To me, his focus is not Independent, and that means he paid points for it. YMMV.

 

I could easily envision an SW based game where lightsabers must be purchased with points, or where every WalMart stocks them beside the Heavy Blasters, one aisle down from Protocol Driods.

 

 

My Mileage does indeed vary. It's a focus and that means he paid cash for the parts and OB1 showed him how to build one.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

re: Star Wars & Lightsabers

 

page 148 of Star Hero lists an Energy Sword with a cost of 117 real points. The Active cost is much higher. It's a fair approximation of a Lightsaber without the Missile Deflection part.

 

If I were going to run a Hero Star Wars game I wouldn't require a Jedi to pay points for the Lightsaber. However, I would require them to pay points for knowing how to use it, build/replace it and Missile Deflect with it (With Limitations possibly Linked to having a Lightsaber available).

 

I can't see how making the Jedi character pay that extra 117 real points, when they already need to pay for other Force Powers above and beyond what all other non-Jedi need to pay for, would make a game more balanced. I would be sure to note the build on the character sheet under equipment.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

I'm not sure if it matters whether characters pay for equipment with points or money, so long as the same creation rules apply throughout a given game to all PCs and NPCs. That could be overly simplistic, but it works for me

 

As Hugh points out though, some equipment is 'better' than other equipment, and if characters are not point balancing equipment thent he GM has to amke sure things do not get unbalanced. Everyone will want a light sabre/battlesuit/spaceship if there is no downside other than having to write a little more int he character background.

 

You might get around that in some other way - perhaps a perk that allows you to use a lightsabre without maiming yourself. That way you are not paying for the equipment directly, but there is a point cost associated with taking it. Similarly the GM might require you to spend points on a skill or perk allowing you to use a battlesuit. By and large some sort of threshold skill or ability is often the way other games balance such things, and Hero is nothing if not adaptable.

[Alibear]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Fair for PC's, sure but NPC's? Who gives a damn about fair for NPC's?

 

Anyway, in a Star Wars game I would imagine the players would be happy with the premise that only Jedi carried a lightsabre but would be burdened with powers and skills other 'classes' would not.

 

Failing that all players could play jedi for fairness' sake.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

page 148 of Star Hero lists an Energy Sword with a cost of 117 real points. The Active cost is much higher. It's a fair approximation of a Lightsaber without the Missile Deflection part.

 

If I were going to run a Hero Star Wars game I wouldn't require a Jedi to pay points for the Lightsaber. However, I would require them to pay points for knowing how to use it, build/replace it and Missile Deflect with it (With Limitations possibly Linked to having a Lightsaber available).

 

I can't see how making the Jedi character pay that extra 117 real points, when they already need to pay for other Force Powers above and beyond what all other non-Jedi need to pay for, would make a game more balanced. I would be sure to note the build on the character sheet under equipment.

 

It depends on the value of point-free equipment acquired by other players, IMO. If the Lightsaber has a 117 point value, and the highest power weapon someone can choose if they didn't spend 1 point on WF: Lightsaber is, say 17 points, with considerably less accuracy and damage capacity, why should anyone not spend that 1 point for the WF and access an extra 100 points of value?

 

Adding in special costs to be allowed to use a Lightsaber, so it will cost more than being able to use a Heavy Blaster, is just another way of charging the guy with the lightsaber more points. That could be a more expensive WF for knowing how to use it, expensive skills for knowing how to build/replace it or a requirement to purchase an array of Jedi powers and abilities that you have decided in advance won't be nearly as useful in game as other uses of those points would be. Now a Jedi with a lightsaber may be balanced against a Pilot with a heavy blaster pistol, a Princess with a blaster and a Wookie with a Crossbow, but a Jedi without a Lightsaber is so much dead weight.

 

I'm not sure if it matters whether characters pay for equipment with points or money, so long as the same creation rules apply throughout a given game to all PCs and NPCs. That could be overly simplistic, but it works for me

 

As Hugh points out though, some equipment is 'better' than other equipment, and if characters are not point balancing equipment thent he GM has to make sure things do not get unbalanced. Everyone will want a light sabre/battlesuit/spaceship if there is no downside other than having to write a little more int he character background.

 

You might get around that in some other way - perhaps a perk that allows you to use a lightsabre without maiming yourself. That way you are not paying for the equipment directly, but there is a point cost associated with taking it. Similarly the GM might require you to spend points on a skill or perk allowing you to use a battlesuit. By and large some sort of threshold skill or ability is often the way other games balance such things, and Hero is nothing if not adaptable.

 

I think this nails it, Sean. Take a look at the D&D weapon list and ask yourself how many of these weapons never see the light of day because there is an alternative which is clearly superior. The weapons that do get used tend to have near-identical stats. For example, a longsword or a battle axe, both martial weapons usable one-handed doing 1d8; the only difference is that the sword gets a critical chance on 19-20 to double damage and the axe gets the chance on a 20 only, but will triple damage. 10% chance to add Damage = .1 average Damage Add. 5% chance to add 2x Damage = 0.1 average Damage Add.

 

And, as you say, requiring payment of points in another fashion (skills, perks, X points of less useful Jedi powers) is just a different way of making the weapon cost (more) character points. Just like a requirement to take two fairly useless feats as prerequisites for a much more powerful feat is considered to balance out in d20.

 

Fair for PC's, sure but NPC's? Who gives a damn about fair for NPC's?

 

Anyway, in a Star Wars game I would imagine the players would be happy with the premise that only Jedi carried a lightsabre but would be burdened with powers and skills other 'classes' would not.

 

So forced to pay for his lightsaber access with a different form of points, but still paying for his lightsaber.

 

Forgetting the Star Wars trapping for the moment, suppose we add a melee weapon to the Hero System fantasy charts. It does 2d6 KA base damage, just like a Greatsword. However, it is a one handed weapon with a STR Min of 3 (it's very well balanced and easy to wield). It's so finely balanced it grants a +2 OCV bonus, and it's also defensive, so it grants a +1 DCV bonus. Finally, it can be thrown and returns to its holder, whether it hits or misses, much like a boomerang. Anyone with WF: Common Melee Weapons can use it.

 

Now, assume the players are in a city about to be besieged, and the rulers have opened up the armory (ie cost in cash is not an issue). How many of the PC's do you think will select a different weapon than the one I have created above?

 

You could build a character with many skill levels in another weapon, perhaps one who lacks broad familiarities, so is unable to use this new item. But he'd be much less powerful than a guy who spent 1 point on WF: Hugh's UltraWeapon and combines his skills with the innate advantages I have given that weapon. That one piece of gear enjoys clear superiority, so everyone will logically gravitate towards it, unless some other mitigating factor is put in place to reduce or prevent its use. That could be:

 

- this is a customized weapon; you must pay CP for it

- this is a difficult weapon to learn; the WF costs more points than the usual

- this is a rare weapon and the ability to locate or build one costs points

- this is a very expensive weapon, and I will control wealth levels so you can't afford to buy it without sacrificing other fear (say, armor)

- no restrictions - pretty much everyone will use it, so the power levels go up across the board

- no restrictions, but I'm adding additional uberweapons that have attributes just as powerful, though different, so we can again have a tradeoff between damage, OCV, and possibly DCV.

 

But if I just add that new weapon to the list, you can bet every character (or at least every character who uses weapons) will want one.

 

Failing that all players could play jedi for fairness' sake.

 

If Jedi enjoy significant free benefits, I guess we either all play Jedi (a significant departure from Star Wars IV to VI, but pretty close to Star Wars I to III), or we get to play an exciting game of Mighty Jedi and his Amazing Friends, or alternatively Mighty Jedi and his Hapless Comic Relief Companions. Who wants to play the Protocol Droid?

[prestidigitator]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

So, balance the lightsaber then. Make it about as effective as a normal weapon if you don't use martial arts and Missile Deflection and things like that with it. Or give it some kind of Side Effect. Or give it a social connotation that the players understand ("If people see you with this weapon, they'll assume you are a Jedi, and there are lots of folks in this galaxy who have it in for Jedi...," and sure, let/make the players buy a Social Disadvantage or Hunted IF they buy the lightsaber with their OWN points; otherwise just make it a part of that "free" weapon).

 

The weapon is described for us anyway as a weapon that takes a lot of skill to use effectively. So build the weapon in the system in a way that reflects that.

 

Perhaps make the weapon with RSR: The Force (with a pretty easy roll) and Side Effects. Then if they buy the skill, they're at least a potential Jedi anyway.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

So, balance the lightsaber then. Make it about as effective as a normal weapon if you don't use martial arts and Missile Deflection and things like that with it. Or give it some kind of Side Effect. Or give it a social connotation that the players understand ("If people see you with this weapon, they'll assume you are a Jedi, and there are lots of folks in this galaxy who have it in for Jedi...," and sure, let/make the players buy a Social Disadvantage or Hunted IF they buy the lightsaber with their OWN points; otherwise just make it a part of that "free" weapon).

 

The weapon is described for us anyway as a weapon that takes a lot of skill to use effectively. So build the weapon in the system in a way that reflects that.

 

Perhaps make the weapon with RSR: The Force (with a pretty easy roll) and Side Effects. Then if they buy the skill, they're at least a potential Jedi anyway.

 

All of which are just added means of bringing the weapon back in line. However, for the player who wants his character to have custom/signature gear, and does not want that gear balanced against the gear one can obtain with money, rather than character points, the answer "buy the gear with normal points, then" seems to be coming to the forefront.

 

To me, the lightsaber as presented in SW was a much more powerful weapon than blasters off the rack, and also much rarer. That connotes both a game balance reason and a game logic reason to require they be purchased with points. Balance due to power and game logic to ensure that rarity.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

I didn't think that the light sabre was better off the shelf, instead it was an integral focus for martial use of the force by jedi.

 

In my mind, anyone could pick up a light sabre and use it, however, a jedi couls add to the damage reflect blasts from a blaster and other tricks...

 

So. A preferred weapon for jedi that is a necessary focus.

[tesuji]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

However, one thing to keep in mind is that points do not lead to balance - actual utility does.

 

looking back to Star Wars, that the light saber was clearly superior to the blaster is obvious, in the hands of a well trained jedi of course. But not having a light saber did not make OPrincess Aradalla or whatever her name was less significant a character.

 

Its the challenges and the story situations that tell you "how good is a light saber" not its base specs. A plain old crossbow might be far more pivotal to the story if a ranged attack was really important, something beyond hurled lightsabe r range.

 

perhaps the base mechanics make longswords more appealing than spears, but the plotlines lead you to very good spears - magical artifacts of the nine dead spear kings - for instance.

 

They key to this is - the Gm with the challenges and benefits he scripts into the games and his scenarios determines the actual in play effectiveness and importance of traits. Balance depends more on how his plots make the PCs equally useful and effective.

 

So in one campaign, being skilled with and having a light saber might well be "balanced" by giving the other pcs 117 more points (charging the light saber player the cost.) But if the other pc has a starship and starship stuff is frequent and useful (say 20 pts for ship and another 15 for starship skills), or another pc has great diplomacy (say +10 pre and several 5 pt skills) then as a Gm i can easily have the "jedi lightsaber" play off equally well against the "starship stuff" and the "diplomacy stuff" even though the "costs in points" vary greatly.

 

Consider this - for 5 pts i can get computer skill at 12- or so, depends on int, or i can get +1 OCV with HTH combat or i can get breathes water. Depending on the challenges and direction of the campaign, any one of those can become "absolutely vital" or can become "nearly worthless".

 

When i GM, its only after i see the PC traits that i decide about most of my campaign decisions. I look at each pc noting strengths and weaknesses and especially with an eye towards "which of these can be spotlighted and how" especially towards "differentiating the PCs. The costs to me are fairly unimportant as objective figures. They key is getting characters who are different enough to play up the differences and create the balance.

 

This is IMO why hero works with carefully calculated "pay for everything" or hardly calculated "equipment is free" and why so many games run just fine without the complex build everything system. the effects are balanced (or imbalanced) between PCs by the GM choices far more than they are by pre-game number crunching.

 

but thats just me.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Lightsabre, as used by Joe Bloggs, Force Null - 37 points active, 9 real

Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (x2; +1) (37 Active Points); OAF (-1), Requires A DEX Roll (-1), Side Effects (-1)

 

Lightsabre, as used by Jane Bloggs, Jedi Mistress - 37 points active, 18 real

Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (x2; +1) (37 Active Points); OAF (-1)

 

So...It costs (18-9)=9 points to be able to use a lightsabre like a Jedi - i.e. you tend not to lop your own head off with it.

 

Create a perk: Safe Lightsabre use 9 points (effectively negates the RSR and Side Effects on a lightsabre).

 

That way ANYONE can buy and use a lightsabre, but only someone who has the special perk can use it safely. Everyone has the same access to the weapon, and the same number of 'free' points for equipment, but the Jedi will have bought the perk, and so are spending some of their own character creation points to be able to use a Lightsabre, reflecting their abilities and months or years of training, effectively adding to the abilities of the weapon (or negating the limitations). The lightsabre does not missile deflect as such but anyone with one can train (i.e. spend XP) to buy missile deflection through the lightsabre as a focus.

 

That's how I'd be inclined to do it anyway.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Flaming Swords

 

Nice Sean. Good idea. I'd rep if I could.

 

Going back to the original question, I've been thinking that it bugs me you either have to apply ALL vs. PD or ALL vs. ED or apply damage twice separately, effectively subtracting defenses twice from the amount of damage done by the attack. As a house rule, I think I might allow a power to be defined as a hybrid and then interpolate the amount of the target's defenses. For example:

 

The Attack

HKA: 2d6, 75% physical / 25% energy

 

Target's Defenses

PD: 10

rPD: 5

ED: 6

rED: 2

 

Effective Defenses vs. the Attack

Normal Def = 0.75*10+0.25*6 = 9

Resistant Def = 0.75*5+0.25*2 = 4.25 ~= 4

 

Obviously this is rather math intensive, and more during play than at character creation (which we are usually able to avoid). That makes it a less appealing option than otherwise might be the case, but I think it'll give me some peace of mind for games where this kind of effect is going to be common (flaming swords, flaming arrows, many potential spells...), so I think I might try it (probably after creating a little helper application to easily do the interpolation for me). Don't recommend it for everyone.

 

EDIT: Ah. Come to think of it, if I limit the configurations (so maybe you would have to pick from: 10%/90%, 25%/75%, 50%/50%, 75%/25%, 90%/10%) then most of this probably COULD be precomputed on the character sheet. That's comforting.