Obviousness of Telekinesis

[Christopher]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

Too often' date=' "maximums" become "the standard everyone has" and all the characters are mechanically identical, differing only in special effects and flavour text.[/quote']

This is a quirk of your gaming style, not the rules or the limits. I also asume there are no Skill-Focused Supers in the campaign, since that wouldn't be feasablse with those target. When everybody want's to play superman and nobody wants to play batman (non-powered detective/skilluser) it's kind of sad.

[Tasha]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

Of course I am Assuming that the character has more than one Attack power. Yes if your character is a one trick pony with an AOE power having a low OCV and No Range Mods is more efficient. Most Characters I see in Game have more than one Attack Power and are Usually built with a Base OCV of 8. So the character already had the OCV to be useful with other powers.

 

Also without AP limits. You tend to get issues like the one above. Where you have a guy that made a 6d6 AOE, 0End, No Range Mod Power for 90pts. How is it fair that that guy gets to spend 90 pts on a power and the brick with the 70 strength didn't? I guess the Brick should then buy 0end on his Str too. I guess I am stuck on making Character Gen more or less "Fair" for everyone. One way that I do that is to make sure that everyone is building powers with the same amount of active points maximum. IMHO part of the challenge of Character gen is building the character that you envision. It's a challenge that I try to make easier by giving more total character points that one normally would for a type of campaign (ie my Champions games have characters built on 500pts instead of 400pts suggested for "Standard" superheroic games). With the extra points, my Players are required to have a character that can function without powers (ie have non combat skills). It also allows for more non focus using characters and less cheesy limitations on powers.

 

In 5e and earlier noone used AOE because the powers were ineffective compaired to Explosions. Later Non Selective AOEs helped to change that. In 6e Smaller AOE radii and Non Selective allow for AOE's that can actually damage a super.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

This is a quirk of your gaming style' date=' not the rules or the limits. I also asume there are no Skill-Focused Supers in the campaign, since that wouldn't be feasablse with those target. When everybody want's to play superman and nobody wants to play batman (non-powered detective/skilluser) it's kind of sad.[/quote']

 

First, I've heard a lot of people make the same complaint on the boards over the years, so it is a common problem, not a "quirk" of one individual's gaming style. Second, the fact that he says that it happens "too often" implies that he does not condone it. Thirdly, your assumption about skill based heros in his game is a faulty assumption with no backing based on your strange interpretation of the rest of his post.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

This is a quirk of your gaming style' date=' not the rules or the limits. I also asume there are no Skill-Focused Supers in the campaign, since that wouldn't be feasablse with those target. When everybody want's to play superman and nobody wants to play batman (non-powered detective/skilluser) it's kind of sad.[/quote']

 

What I commonly find sad is gamers who penalize certain concepts. "Oh, your Batman character is capped at DEX 20 and SPD 4 as he's a normal human. If you want better CV's buy skill levels." Meanwhile, Ponderous Rock Monster can buy a 26 DEX and a 6 SPD because he's "good in combat". Never mind that, in the source material, the "normal humans" seem to be quicker and more agile than their Super counterparts, or that skill levels are (or at least were) hideously overpriced - we have to make that "normal human" meet MY conception of normal human. That's far more important than YOUR character meeting YOUR vision.

 

Of course I am Assuming that the character has more than one Attack power. Yes if your character is a one trick pony with an AOE power having a low OCV and No Range Mods is more efficient. Most Characters I see in Game have more than one Attack Power and are Usually built with a Base OCV of 8. So the character already had the OCV to be useful with other powers.

 

As I said, a suite of AoE powers (right down to AoE 1 hex, or AoE Accurate) would be a fine replacement for a traditional Swiss Army Multipower and a higher OCV. And, in many Supers games, probably more cost-effective. If you have an average DCV of 8, you will hit with an 8 on an 11-. If you make all your attacks AoE (+1/4), you can drop your OCV to 3 with the same chance of hitting the typical target (more likely to miss slow targets; more likely to hit fast ones) by adding 15 to the cost of your Multipower pool and 1 to each slot. Break even hits at 10 slots, none of which were already AoE, which is quite a few slots, IMO. And that assumes there are no limitations on the Multipower.

 

Also without AP limits. You tend to get issues like the one above. Where you have a guy that made a 6d6 AOE' date=' 0End, No Range Mod Power for 90pts. How is it fair that that guy gets to spend 90 pts on a power and the brick with the 70 strength didn't? I guess the Brick should then buy 0end on his Str too. I guess I am stuck on making Character Gen more or less "Fair" for everyone.[/quote']

 

"Fair", "equal" and "identical" are not perfect synonyms. I get to "Fair" by assessing relative power and watching it in game. One balancing act that can be interesting is to run one on one combats. Does one character win them all? Maybe he's overpowered. In a good game, with an interesting team, I find Character A can clean B's clock every time, B always beats C, and C clobbers A. Why? They have different strengths and weaknesses. Note that this normally requires no vulnerabilities, susceptibilities, etc. On occasion, who gets first strike or choice of tactics will change autofail to autowin.

 

One way that I do that is to make sure that everyone is building powers with the same amount of active points maximum.

 

I find AP does not always tell the whole story. As you note above, the old AoE rules made an equal AP AoE attack pretty much useless in most scenarios (although advantage stacking could make them better). You could manipulate that (a 10d6 EB, 0 END, a 12d6 EB, 1/2 END and a 6d6 AP AoE Radius attack, for example, all have 75 AP), but not easily or cleanly.

 

IMHO part of the challenge of Character gen is building the character that you envision. It's a challenge that I try to make easier by giving more total character points that one normally would for a type of campaign (ie my Champions games have characters built on 500pts instead of 400pts suggested for "Standard" superheroic games). With the extra points' date=' my Players are required to have a character that can function without powers (ie have non combat skills). It also allows for more non focus using characters and less cheesy limitations on powers.[/quote']

 

I don't think we've ever had that problem, but you might find our use of foci excessive, our limitations cheesy or some characters lack non-combat skills (some characters aren't justified in having non-combat skills). Don't foci and limitations save points with a 500 base just like with 400?

 

And, of course, the OP is butting heads with the same issue you note for old AoE. His teamates get 60 AP attack powers, so 12d6 unadvantaged. If he takes a VPP, his GM's interpretation, and strict enforcement, of AP limits caps him at 8d6. The result is not balanced characters, so this adherence to AP limits is reducing, not enhancing, game balance. Or it would in my game - if he always has a power the enemy is vulnerable to, then he will effectively have 12d6 or 16d6, and be as or more powerful.

[casualplayer]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

I've always been bothered by TK getting Indirect (worse, "some aspects of indirect", which never seems to get defined) for free. Why not price it as a direct, visible power and let those wanting IPE, Indirect, etc. add these advantages, just like they do with any other power? All that providing the base power with certain built-in advantages does is muddy the waters when trying to compare costs.

 

AP makes the issue worse. If we accept, for illustration, that TK effectively has "Indirect +1/2" built in, then an AP cap (not just a hard AP cap imposed in the game, but the AP cap effectively imposed in VPP's and Multipowers) means I can have only 40 TK STR for 60 AP, even if it is "only direct". If we removed Indirect from the base power, suddenly I can have 60 STR TK, as long as I don't make in Indirect. I don't think the addition or removal of Indirect from the base power made Direct TK any more or less powerful, but it means I get more power for the same AP.

 

In a way, this is the reverse of the old Hand Attack issue, in 4e, when it cost 3 points per damage class so you could buy +20d6 Hand Attack for 60 AP. That was "fixed" in 5e by making it 5 AP per Damage Class, limited down to a lower real cost.

 

Not cleaning up TK was one of the great disappointments of 6th Edition. HERO works best when powers are rendered down to first principles and the player gets to advantage and limit as they see fit, seasoning to taste, IMO.

 

Guys, a sniper rifle is not Inobvious or IPE by any means. It's just a power that is designed to be used at a distance that makes the PER Roll really, really hard in most cases. If I shoot you point blank with a sniper rifle it's pretty easy to make that PER Roll and know who the triggerman was; if I shoot you from 300 meters away, good luck making the PER Roll after the range modifiers are applied. Visible doesn't mean automatic PER success, it just means you get to make a PER Roll at all.

 

IPE TK is absolutely devastating to a particular archetype, the Gadgeteer, and should be costed accordingly. Strictly speaking TK also justifies Flight Usable as Attack, Ranged which is devastating to many other archetypes as well. It's a subtle, versatile, awesome power and if its intensity is not metered accordingly can dominate your game.

[Christopher]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

What I commonly find sad is gamers who penalize certain concepts. "Oh' date=' your Batman character is capped at DEX 20 and SPD 4 as he's a normal human. If you want better CV's buy skill levels." Meanwhile, Ponderous Rock Monster can buy a 26 DEX and a 6 SPD because he's "good in combat". Never mind that, in the source material, the "normal humans" seem to be quicker and more agile than their Super counterparts, or that skill levels are (or at least were) hideously overpriced - we have to make that "normal human" meet MY conception of normal human. That's far more important than YOUR character meeting YOUR vision.[/quote']

Why would you cap the Bat at Human Maxima? First of, they are for Heroic games. Just like the fact that you can buy equipment with money there. Second, they don't say you can't go beyond that, just that it cost's you double beyond that (at least 6E). Again, that is only for Heroic games, since Heroic and Supers scale differently.

I agree that the maxima are a good guideline for non-powered supers, so you know for example that 25 DEX is already beyong the "everyone can cheaply buy" limit or 25% better than most non-professional athlets. They are no straight-jacket for non-powered supers and where never intended to be aplied to them in the first place.

 

IPE TK is absolutely devastating to a particular archetype' date=' the Gadgeteer, and should be costed accordingly. Strictly speaking TK also justifies Flight Usable as Attack, Ranged which is devastating to many other archetypes as well. It's a subtle, versatile, awesome power and if its intensity is not metered accordingly can dominate your game.[/quote']

You could just as easily shoot them out of his hands and you still can't steal more than one per attack. Plus, Clinging for the Gadgeteer helps a lot. But I see what you mean and it supports my theory that some players can be very happy with TK.

[Tasha]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

Why would you cap the Bat at Human Maxima? First of, they are for Heroic games. Just like the fact that you can buy equipment with money there. Second, they don't say you can't go beyond that, just that it cost's you double beyond that (at least 6E). Again, that is only for Heroic games, since Heroic and Supers scale differently.

I agree that the maxima are a good guideline for non-powered supers, so you know for example that 25 DEX is already beyong the "everyone can cheaply buy" limit or 25% better than most non-professional athlets. They are no straight-jacket for non-powered supers and where never intended to be aplied to them in the first place.

 

 

Everyone who posts here has a certain amount of mental damage caused by Poor GMing. We have more than one Poster who had GM's interpret the NCM and Characteristic Guideline charts very literally. This causing said GM to Make all "Trained Normals" adhere to NCM whether it actually made sense or not. So I would hazard a guess that you and Hugh actually agree, but might be talking past one another (ie slightly Misinterpreting both side's posts).

 

My Damage is Keeping things "fair" and not having GM favorite characters who are built on significantly more points than everyone else. Also GM's who don't give a thought about entertaining their players. I am also quite opinionated about powerlevels and giving appropriate Exp (ie not being stingy).

[Christopher]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

So a usual chase of not really reading/adhering to the rules?

If it is that, one can hardly blame the rules that were ignored, for getting ignored.

 

I still don't know how human maxima worked in 5E, but in 6E it is like this:

Automatically aplies. Only for Heroic (non-super) games. Only doubles the costs after breaching the limit. Does not affect how aid or power based bonuses work (i.e. and AID or +10 STR isn't halved).

 

From what I heard in 5E it was a Complication (or whatever they were called).

Btw.: My Damage was a D&D-GM who was a power gamer. Allowed us to pick scores(not buying, picking), just gave everyone the max HP per Level instead of roling or average. Overall extremly combat-oriented. That's why I prefer to stay with the rules. Sure, sometimes they are a littlebit in the way (heck, even I collide with them) but usually not so much that you can't still do your thing after collecting a little bit of experience points...

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

Why would you cap the Bat at Human Maxima? First of, they are for Heroic games. Just like the fact that you can buy equipment with money there. Second, they don't say you can't go beyond that, just that it cost's you double beyond that (at least 6E). Again, that is only for Heroic games, since Heroic and Supers scale differently.

I agree that the maxima are a good guideline for non-powered supers, so you know for example that 25 DEX is already beyong the "everyone can cheaply buy" limit or 25% better than most non-professional athlets. They are no straight-jacket for non-powered supers and where never intended to be aplied to them in the first place.

 

We have more than one Poster who had GM's interpret the NCM and Characteristic Guideline charts very literally. This causing said GM to Make all "Trained Normals" adhere to NCM whether it actually made sense or not. So I would hazard a guess that you and Hugh actually agree' date=' but might be talking past one another (ie slightly Misinterpreting both side's posts).[/quote']

 

We have had posters insist that no character with a Skilled Normal background could ever be permitted without taking the NCM disadvantage, and strenuously debate that Batman and Captain America should be capped at 20 characteristics and make up the difference with (vastly overpriced) skill levels. To me, pretty much every "skilled normal" in Supers books has a SPD (and, pre 6e, DEX) well above normal humans and higher than most of their Superpowered teammates, so clearly they are not saddled with NCM. Unfortunately, some people get hung up on the labels, and fail to recognize they are only convenient shorthand for mechanics designed to simulate a huge array of special effects, many of which may have nothing to do with the name of the mechanic used to build them.

[casualplayer]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

We have had posters insist that no character with a Skilled Normal background could ever be permitted without taking the NCM disadvantage' date=' and strenuously debate that Batman and Captain America should be capped at 20 characteristics and make up the difference with (vastly overpriced) skill levels. To me, pretty much every "skilled normal" in Supers books has a SPD (and, pre 6e, DEX) well above normal humans and higher than most of their Superpowered teammates, so clearly they are not saddled with NCM. Unfortunately, some people get hung up on the labels, and fail to recognize they are only convenient shorthand for mechanics designed to simulate a huge array of special effects, many of which may have nothing to do with the name of the mechanic used to build them.[/quote']

 

Aww, what the heck, this thread has strayed. I'm one of those GM's that used to make my players who insisted they were unaugmented humans take NCM. Cybernetic, don't worry about it. Mystical background, not a concern. Super soldier formula, who are you trying to kid? My players had 20 pts of their Disadvantages/Complications allocated to NCM or some manner of Phys Lim/Distinctive Feature combo that represented the archetype they were: alien, bionic, cybernetic, deviant, etc. Call it a Rainbow Archer reaction to a "non-augmented human" having a DEX that Quicksilver would envy. Haven't decided yet if I will continue with this now that figured characteristic hijinks are history.

 

I pegged many an item to these disadvantages. Power Suppressors don't work on you if you have NCM and 'don't have any powers.' King Cobra's mutagenic venom had vastly different effects depending on whether you had NCM or not. I could have NNDs work whether NCM or a particular non-NCM condition was present or not, without having to make a metagame ruling or scouring a backstory to see if the conditions were met. If you chose a Mystical Aura (Conditional) Distinctive Feature then you triggered things that sensed Mystical Auras; if you didn't, you didn't.

[Lucius]

Re: Severe Thread Drift

 

Characters crossposted from

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/70488-Normal-Human

 

Why would you cap the Bat at Human Maxima? First of, they are for Heroic games.

 

Actually, they're not a good idea even for heroic games. But in 4th and 5th edition there was a Disadvantage (the old word for Complication) called Normal Characteristic Maxima that could apply in a superhero game. That was also a bad idea.

 

I've often compared Normal Characteristic Maxima (either version) to the Flintmobile. You remember the "car" from the Flintstones? Family piles, in, then sticks their feet through the floor and starts running. The Flintmobile doesn't help them get anywhere, it's just a wood and stone contraption for them to haul around.

 

But if you want to run a heroic game with characteristic maxima, here's a character and his DNPC I'd like to play.

 

The Florist Friars

 

Brother Rose Aka ”the Flying Monk”

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

15 STR 5 12- Lift 200.0kg; 3d6 [3]

20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7

13 CON 6 12-

9 BODY -2 11-

13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12-

11 EGO 2 11- ECV: 4

13 PRE 3 12- PRE Attack: 2 1/2d6

8 COM -1 11-

 

3/5 PD 0 Total: 3/5 PD (0/2 rPD)

3/4 ED 0 Total: 3/4 ED (0/1 rED)

6 SPD 50 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

6 REC 0

26 END 0

24 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 88

 

Movement:

Running: 3"/6"

Flight: 3"/12"

Leaping: 2"/4"

Swimming:1"/2"

 

Cost Powers END

9 The Flying Monk: Flight 3", x4 Noncombat, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; +1) (22 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Drain 3d6 END when fuel runs out.; -1/2), Conditional Power Only if already ran 3" that phase; Can only go noncombat if ran noncombat that phase (-1/2), Only In Contact With A Surface (-1/4), 1 Continuing Fuel (Secret herbal potion) Charge lasting 30 Minutes (-1/4) [1 cc]

1 No thank you, I won't stand still and let you land a solid blow...: Armor (2 PD/1 ED) (5 Active Points); Limited Power Does not stop first pt of BOD of a Killing Attack (-1), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Drain 3d6 END when fuel runs out.; -1/2), Linked (The Flying Monk; Lesser Instant Power can be used in any Phase in which greater Constant Power is in use; -1/4), Nonpersistent (-1/4), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 30 Minutes (-1/4) [1 cc]

2 Healing Potion: Rapid Healing (5 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), 6 Boostable Charges (-1/2)

Notes: For some reason, Brother Rose's herbal potions seem to only be able to heal himself. Unfortunately, not everyone believes that....

He's Fast!

Maneuver OCV DCV Notes

5 Flying Dodge -- +4 Dodge All, Abort; FMove

3 Martial Throw +0 +1 3d6 +v/5, Target Falls

3 Martial Grab -1 -1 Grab 2 Limbs, 25 STR holding

 

Skills

3 Breakfall 13-

3 Acrobatics 13-

3 Bureaucratics 12-

3 Paramedics 12-

3 Trading 12-

0 Language: English (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

2 Language: Latin (fluent conversation)

3 Jack of All Trades

2 1) PS: Florist (3 Active Points) 12-

2 2) PS: Flower Arranging (3 Active Points) 12-

2 3) PS: Gardener (3 Active Points) 12-

2 4) PS: Herbalist (3 Active Points) 12-

3 Scholar

2 1) KS: Canon Law (3 Active Points) 12-

2 2) KS: Flowers (3 Active Points) 12-

2 3) KS: Herblore (3 Active Points) 12-

2 4) KS: The Fastest Routes through the City (3 Active Points) 12-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 62

Total Cost: 150

 

75+ Disadvantages

0 Normal Characteristic Maxima

5 Age: 40+

15 Dependent NPC: Brother Orchid 14- (Slightly Less Powerful)

15 Psychological Limitation: Monastic Vows (Common, Strong)

5 Money: Vow of Poverty Poor

5 Distinctive Features: Monastic Habit (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Rivalry: Professional (Mercury Man and the FTD; Rival is Significantly More Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Unaware of Rivalry)

5 Hunted: People wanting the secret of his herbal preperations 8- (As Pow, Mildly Punish)

15 Hunted: Ecclesiastical Superiors 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 150

 

Background/History: Brother Rose gained the nickname "The Flying Monk" when he started doing the deliveries for his monastic order's floral business.

 

Personality/Motivation: Brother Rose loves the Church and flowers, not necessarily in that order. He has an irrational resentment of Florist's Transworld Delivery because their symbol "Mercury Man" is a Pagan God.

 

Quote: May the Saint forgive me, but I hate Valentine's Day....how many more orders do I have to deliver?

 

Powers/Tactics: Unless he is cornered or must act to protect the innocent, Brother Rose responds to violence by running away.

 

Campaign Use: Florist Friar

 

Appearance: Brother Rose is almost always to be found in his monkish habit. Wearing it is one of his monkish habits.

 

 

 

 

Brother Orchid aka “Brother Ox”

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

40 STR 50 17- Lift 6400.0kg; 8d6 [8]

11 DEX 3 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4

13 CON 6 12-

10 BODY 0 11-

10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11-

11 EGO 2 11- ECV: 4

15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6

8 COM -1 11-

 

6 PD -2 Total: 6 PD (0 rPD)

4 ED 1 Total: 4 ED (0 rED)

3 SPD 9 Phases: 4, 8, 12

11 REC 0

26 END 0

37 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 67

 

Movement:

Running: 5"/10"

Leaping: 4"/8"

Swimming:2"/4"

 

Talents

6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

 

Skills

3 Hoist 11-

3 Jack of All Trades

2 1) PS: Florist (3 Active Points) 11-

2 2) PS: Flower Arranging (3 Active Points) 11-

2 3) PS: Gardener (3 Active Points) 11-

3 Scholar

2 1) KS: Flowers (3 Active Points) 11-

2 2) KS: Herblore (3 Active Points) 11-

2 3) KS: Monastic Traditions (worldwide) (3 Active Points) 11-

2 +1 With Grab

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 29

Total Cost: 96

 

50+ Disadvantages

0 Normal Characteristic Maxima

15 Psychological Limitation: Monastic Vows (Common, Strong)

5 Money: Vow of Poverty Poor

5 Distinctive Features: Monastic Habit (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

15 Hunted: Ecclesiastical Superiors 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

10 Psychological Limitation: Looks up to Brother Rose (Common, Moderate)

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 50

 

Background/History: Brother Orchid is actually Brother Rose's nephew, and he looks up to his uncle as a wiser and more experienced monk. But he's also read about the monastic and ascetic traditions of other cultures, and is not above sometimes mischeivously annoying his uncle by comparing their own rules and rituals to those of Buddhists or Taoists.

 

Personality/Motivation: Curiosity about Eastern traditions aside, Brother Orchid takes his vow of Obedience very seriously. Whatever he's doing at any given moment, it's probably what someone told him to do.

 

Quote: No thank you brother, I can handle it. They can't weigh more than a couple hundred kilos.

 

Powers/Tactics: Brother Orchid is gentle by nature and if he must fight will usually try to grab and immobilize his opponent. He knows he is unusually strong and is unlikely to strike anyone with his full Strength unless frightened or severely provoked.

 

Campaign Use: Florist Friar

 

Appearance: Brother Orchid is almost always to be found in his monkish habit. Wearing it is one of his monkish habits.

 

 

Aww, what the heck, this thread has strayed.

 

Has it ever!

 

I'm one of those GM's that used to make my players who insisted they were unaugmented humans take NCM. Cybernetic, don't worry about it. Mystical background, not a concern. Super soldier formula, who are you trying to kid? My players had 20 pts of their Disadvantages/Complications allocated to NCM or some manner of Phys Lim/Distinctive Feature combo that represented the archetype they were: alien, bionic, cybernetic, deviant, etc. Call it a Rainbow Archer reaction to a "non-augmented human" having a DEX that Quicksilver would envy. Haven't decided yet if I will continue with this now that figured characteristic hijinks are history.

 

I pegged many an item to these disadvantages. Power Suppressors don't work on you if you have NCM and 'don't have any powers.' King Cobra's mutagenic venom had vastly different effects depending on whether you had NCM or not. I could have NNDs work whether NCM or a particular non-NCM condition was present or not, without having to make a metagame ruling or scouring a backstory to see if the conditions were met. If you chose a Mystical Aura (Conditional) Distinctive Feature then you triggered things that sensed Mystical Auras; if you didn't, you didn't.

 

This is not a playable character; maybe I should rework it to be such.

 

Normal Human

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

17/47 STR -8 12- / 18- Lift 263.9kg/16.9tons; 3d6/9d6 [1/4]

23 DEX 3 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8

0 CON -20 9-

10 BODY 0 11-

28 INT 18 15- PER Roll 15-

0 EGO 0 Automaton

15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6

0 COM -5 9-

 

3/10 PD 6 Total: 3/10 PD (3/6 rPD)

3/10 ED 9 Total: 3/10 ED (3/6 rED)

4 SPD 7 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12

0 REC -16

0 END 0

Total Characteristic Cost: -23

 

Movement:

Flight: 17"/68"

 

Cost Powers END

45 Normal Human: Automaton (Takes No STUN (loses abilities when takes BODY))

5 Weapon Bearing Tentacles: Extra Limbs (6)

15 Normal Human: Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED)

13 +15 STR, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+1/4) (19 Active Points); Only with Extra Limbs (-1/2)

16 +12 DEX, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+0) (36 Active Points); Only with Extra Limbs (-1/2), Requires A Tactics Skill Roll (-1/2), Linked (STR; -1/4)

1 Normal Human durability: Life Support (Longevity: 200 Years)

Normal Human Senses

12 1) High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group)

3 2) Ultrasonic Perception (Hearing Group)

5 3) Nightvision

3 4) Bump Of Direction

10 5) Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) with Sight Group

33 Normal Human Powers: Elemental Control, 66-point powers

27 1) Small but Deadly: Shrinking (0.1875 m tall, 0.0977 kg mass, -6 PER Rolls to perceive character, +6 DCV, takes +9" KB), Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (67 Active Points); No Growth Momentum (-1/4)

34 2) Advanced Materiels: Density Increase (3,200 kg mass, +30 STR, +6 PD/ED, -6" KB), Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (67 Active Points)

33 3) Flight 17", Position Shift, x4 Noncombat, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+1/4), No Turn Mode (+1/4) (66 Active Points) [1 cc]

Weapons (These foci are "personal" and will self-destruct if anyone but a Bayang or Bayangi robot attempts to utilize them)

13 1) Assorted Weapons: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6-1 (d6 - 1 / 1d6+1 w/STR), Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX; Any Technology available ; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Variable Advantage (+1 1/2 Advantages; +3) (47 Active Points); Fuel Dependent (fuel is Common; must refuel Once per 6 Hours; -1), OAF Durable (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)

15 2) Multiple Weapons: 8 (15 Active Points)

42 3) Energy Shield Generator: (Total: 102 Active Cost, 42 Real Cost) Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) (39 Active Points); Fuel Dependent (fuel is Very Common; must refuel Once per 6 Hours; -3/4), OIF Durable (-1/2) (Real Cost: 17) plus Force Field (1 PD/1 ED/1 Mental Defense/1 Power Defense) (Protect Carried Items), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+1/4), Hardened (+1/4) (63 Active Points); OIF Durable (-1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Ablative BODY Only (-1/2) (Real Cost: 25) [1 cc]

15 4) Multiple Generators: 8 (15 Active Points)

 

Skills

3 Tactics 15-

3 Fast Draw 14-

3 Stealth 14-

3 Concealment 15-

8 Defense Maneuver I-III

3 Security Systems 15-

3 Shadowing 15-

3 Tracking 15-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 369

Total Cost: 346

 

200+ Disadvantages

20 Normal Characteristic Maxima

10 Age: 60+ (Average age of Normal Humans is usually over 100 Earth years - built to last)

15 Reputation: Run! It's a Normal Human!, 14- (Extreme; Known Only To A Small Group)

15 Distinctive Features: The Normal Human is a metallic disc or saucer shaped flying object, circular, with a dome on one side (usually the side facing "up" when in a gravity well) containing sensors and a weapons turret on the other side (that is, the side that is usually the "bottom.") To either side of the sensor dome are a pair of insect like mechanical arms, and the turret sprouts a half dozen powerful extendible metal "tentacles." (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

30 Enraged: In combat with pre-programmed target (Common), go 14-, recover 8-

30 Self destruct sequence Susceptibility: Any attempt to reprogram, control, or otherwise tamper with either software or hardware (Can also be triggered remotely by the Bayang) 3d6 damage per Segment (Uncommon)

10 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Double damage or effect from electrical or magnetic attacks (Uncommon)

10 Physical Limitation: Can only be repaired by Bayang who know the passcodes; other attempts to repair trigger self-destruct sequence (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)

10 Physical Limitation: Cannot Speak (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 346

 

Background/History: The Bayang are masters of robotics and have a number of robot types specialized for assassination or combat. In their native language, "Normal" means "dangerous or damaging" and "Human," from roots meaning "Moves by itself," means a robot. "Normal Human" could be translated as "Killer Robot" or "Automated Weapon."

 

Personality/Motivation: This particular Normal Human is an assassin, or hunter/killer robot.

 

Quote: Ominous Hummmmmmmmm...........

 

Powers/Tactics: Because of differences in Bayang physiology and culture their development of missile weapons was retarded. Due to this bias against ranged attacks, even their Normal Humans tend to be designed to attack "close up" rather than having ranged weapons. The standard weapon is a cylinder capable of projecting a force field in the form of a force blade, bludgeon, or other melee type weapon, although heat, cold, short range radioactive bursts, or other technological effects are possible.

 

Appearance: Utterly inhuman. Specifically, the Normal Human is a metallic disc or saucer shaped flying object, circular, with a dome on one side (usually the side facing "up" when in a gravity well) containing sensors and a weapons turret on the other side (that is, the side that is usually the "bottom.") To either side of the sensor dome are a pair of insect like mechanical arms, and the turret sprouts a half dozen powerful extendible metal "tentacles."

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Copyright Palindromedary Enterprises

[casualplayer]

Re: Obviousness of Telekinesis

 

I should also say that point limits and point efficiency have mattered to me never. My time-tested group were initially made on point totals ranging from 260 (the NCM martial artist) to 385 (the Thor-analogue powerhouse.) The martial artist could hit you almost always with a 12d6 Roundhouse Kick and the powerhouse could hit you with a 18d6 punch paired with an 18d6 explosion, something he got to use rarely unless he wanted to take out his own team as well. In a game where the focus is squeezing every bit of oomph out of your maximum point allotment, NCM is probably too much of a burden to take. In a game where you are content to play the character you want to play and not spend too much time worrying about how you match up against your own teammates, let alone your adversaries, it's not such a big deal. For me gaming is whether you can overcome your own self-imposed limitations, because the GM can always throw something at you that you can't beat.

 

I've learned that I can't put my characters up for review because I always get suggestions on how to make them 'more efficient,' and efficiency was never the point. The most efficient way to game is a MMORPG, sitting alone staring at a screen with a headset on, and that's not what holds my interest.