Jump to content

Strangest Perk you've seen?


Ragitsu

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone. To kick off the activation of this new account, I thought i'd make a HERO relevant thread in order to get a better feel for the folks here, as well as learn boundaries of the system.

 

So, no matter what version of the system(s) you played or do play, what is the strangest Perk you've seen created (either by someone else, or yourself)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

I'm not sure what you consider "strange" but in my opinion some of the perks in the rulebook are already strange enough.

 

License to practice a profession? Rank? Clerican investment, and then maybe "right to marry" etc. on top of that?

 

These aren't things you should have to spend points for - they're part of character conception or background or logical necessities based on having the appropriate skills.

 

They weren't in earlier versions of the rules, and we always played doctors and lawyers and indian chiefs just fine without them.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Notwhithstanding the objections of Lucius Alexander, the palindromedary runs out and gets a hunting license and a fishing license and a marriage license and a driving license and a poetic license....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

I cannot fully agree with you there, Lucius. Other systems (even the more heroic ones) sometimes have the mechanics of social powers (a right to marry, a right to serve as a police officer, etc) as things you can purchase for your character, so I can see the merit of both ways (either needing to pay for them, or assuming they come with other skills/benefits).

 

Edit: In any case, a Strange Perk to me, for example, would be "Lifetime supply of Hershey Bars". But seeing as how everyone's definitions of "strange" is likely different in some small way, I welcome all replies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

I'm not sure what you consider "strange" but in my opinion some of the perks in the rulebook are already strange enough.

 

License to practice a profession? Rank? Clerican investment, and then maybe "right to marry" etc. on top of that?

 

These aren't things you should have to spend points for - they're part of character conception or background or logical necessities based on having the appropriate skills.

 

They weren't in earlier versions of the rules, and we always played doctors and lawyers and indian chiefs just fine without them.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Notwhithstanding the objections of Lucius Alexander, the palindromedary runs out and gets a hunting license and a fishing license and a marriage license and a driving license and a poetic license....

 

Depending on time frame, not all of those are assumed to be part of anything - or they can be bought separately.

 

Ship Captains have been portrayed as having the Right To Marry, I wouldn't really consider that part of PS: Sailor, but a Perk that might set them above as a Captain itself. In the right setting.

In a Military Hero Campaign the Rank could be integral enough to the Character and Game as to warrant a separate purchase not represented by skills.

 

Given that, I find it hard to think of any "strange" Perks as any Perk taken has always fit the game it was in. . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

Welcome to the boards :) We're a pretty friendly bunch.

 

Personally I have not fully exploited the comedy potential of 'Perks', which is a shame, but I have some players who would have appreciated a perk that allowed them entry to Republican conventions. We were playing Dark Champions (OK, not that dark) and these two characters were exploring the sewers when a methane explosion propelled them out of a sewer pipe as if from a cannon, straight through a tanker transporting high pressure Bovril* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovril, then they hit a truck transporting feather mattresses going the other way before smashing through a hotel window into the conference hall where there was a Republican convention.

 

We laughed.

 

 

 

 

*Yes, it HAS to be transported at high pressure. What?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

I once had a character with Perk: Artistic License' date=' which allowed me to change minor cosmetic details about the setting and the game over the GM's objections. :eg:[/quote']

WOW! Any power that can be applied "over the GM's objections" is God-like!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

Perk: Perceive beyond the 4th wall: He would talk to the PLAYERS... (Cost me three points' date=' and others thought he was a bit crazy, but it did allow him to use "Table Knowlege"[/quote']

 

I have seen "Break the Fourth Wall" in other systems before, and it was similarly priced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

While not exactly Perks...

Skills

 

Overall Levels: A hero with an overall skill level gets a +1 on everything he does, as long as he is wearing a pair of overalls when doing it. This is very popular in rural communities.

 

 

Powers

 

Bus Transfer: The hero can ride the local mass transit system all day on a single bus transfer when using this power. This power costs no END to use, but it does not include the price of the transfer.

 

Discriminating Taste: A the time of his creation, the hero defines a food which he/she absolutely will not eat. If this food should surface during play, the hero will become "finicky" and refuse to cooperate.

 

Missile Detection: The hero can spot incoming ranged attacks. Since he can't do anything about them, this is not considered to be a very useful power.

 

Sting-Ray Vision: This enhanced sense allows a hero to see a certain model of automobile. The hero must define a color of Corvette that this power won't allow him to see.

 

 

Character Disadvantages

 

No Identity: The hero does not know who he is. in fact, nobody has this information, not even the GM. A fun way to play this disadvantage during a run is to ignore the player, and if he speaks, everyone says "Did you hear something?" Characters with this Disadvantage cannot make Presence Attacks.

 

 

Combat Maneuvers

 

Coordinating Colors: Usually performed by a group, each hero must make a Color Coordination roll of 8- to make sure their costumes don't clash. If everyone makes his roll, then the members all look good together. Whoever does not make the roll looks like a slob, but the rest of the group does not suffer. This is good for super-groups who are constantly in the public eye.

 

Marshall Dodge: This maneuver allows the hero to summon help from a powerful NPC. When threatened, the hero states "Marshall Dodge," then runs down Main Street yelling "Marshall Dodge! Marshall Dodge! The bandits are a-comin'!" If he makes his roll, the hero has successfully summoned the Marshall, who will ride in just in time to save the day. Heroes should get a +1 to +3 on this maneuver if they are accompanied by Miss Kitty.

 

Move Away: During his combat phase, a hero can perform a Move Away by changing his place of residence. This may make it impossible for a Hunted (or Haunted) to find the hero. This maneuver may be performed with the "Forwarding Address" option, where the hero may eventually be found, but it takes some time.

 

 

Power Advantages/Limitations

 

Aggravation Roll: Using a power with this limitation bothers people.

 

Never On: This power can never be used, and is worth a +10 limitation.

 

Seriously Affects Desolidified: This power will profoundly and deeply affect intangible people, to the extent that they will sit down and really think about it after the combat is over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Strangest Perk you've seen?

 

10 Access: Knowledge of the Future

 

20 Access: That Which Man Cannot Know

 

10 Access: Extraterrestrial Technology

 

10 Access: The Memories of a Thousand Lifetimes

 

1 Membership: Best Dressed List

 

5 Divine Aura

 

20 God of the Sun

 

25 Money: Wealth Beyond the Dreams of Avarice

 

5 Plausible Deniability

 

1 Trusted by

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...