unclevlad

Yeah, the mechanical derivation doesn't necessarily work out, especially with Charges. There's lots of moving parts. The baseline reference to me, to determine how often the limitation has to affect things, is under the Limited Power guidelines. A -1/4 limitation is either "loses about 1/4 of its effectiveness" or the condition affects him about 1/4 of the time. So that would be for a 4 shot clip...not an 8 shot clip per se. Yeah, the fact that swapping a clip is nominally a full phase action...that matters some, but I don't think it improves things *enough*. It's offset by the fact that you'd lose 1 phase while taking 17 shots. How long is this combat gonna go, anyway? And in that long a time frame...assuming no autofire or multiple attacks, at least...there's a good chance that there'll be a window to spend the phase to swap the clip. Granted: there are limitations that kick in even less often...for the vast majority of Blast, RKA, or Flash constructions, the base points give an enormous range...so long that the range mod is a killer. Even a 4d6 Blast has 20 base points, so 200 meter range. That's -10 range mod. No Range Mod is +1/2. OK, if this is some NND, Does Body, then since NRM is still only on the base points, it doesn't add much. Maybe you go that way. But if it's a 10d6 Blast, that +1/2 is another 25 points on the active cost. OR...you take the -1/4 limitation and shoot from 200 meters out...half range is 250...IF the situation justifies it. (Hit the hex, or hit a ginormous target with a massive DCV penalty, or the like.) Range beyond even 32 meters is getting to be a very tough shot *most* of the time...so decreasing even 200m max range to 100m results in almost no practical decrease in function. Besides, this is a magic quiver. How about we call it 8 shots per clip, then it's a *half phase* action for the quiver to conjure a new clip. No limitation value. This feels better to me anyway, because when you say magic quiver, *you* aren't completely tied up for the full phase. The quiver's doing that. You should be able to still do things. YMMV here, of course. The alternative would seem to be, ok, make the clips notional. The quiver conjures up 8 rounds, and it takes a half phase action to command it to refresh the quiver. (Which can be done at any time.) So it's not "clips" or "charges" per se, it's basically just SFX.

With each team having 4 games left, and not playing each other...San Antonio's magic number to clinch a berth is 2. Pelicans, it's 1.

Yeah. Charges get to be insanely complex. In HD, I built a Blast with: 16 clips of 8 recoverable charges It's net +1/2. Note that 4 clips of 8 is only +1/4...you're getting into the some of the special case BS. Yes, I loathe charges with a passion. It's detailed in the second paragraph of Clips, 6E1 369. There's also a note that charges shouldn't recover more than once a day, generally...but still, the quiver can supply 2 full racks of 128 shots? 256 a day??? By my lights, I can call that an effectively infinite supply, barring some serious autofire. And, of course, what can happen is that the *belief* is, it never runs out.... And hey, it's fully reloaded the next day anyway.

So obviously with only the 1 game left, the ESPN bracket game's sharply narrowed down. At most a handful...the best score(s) with Carolina winning, the best score(s) with Kansas winning. The best score so far has Kansas winning. There are 2 brackets that are only 10 points...a single first round game pick...behind. They both have Carolina. Everyone else is at least 10 more points behind. The tiebreaker is picking the score of the final. One of the two Carolina brackets? Didn't set a score. 0-0. For this *trivial* omission....he basically can't win. Second is BLOODY!!!! impressive, but it's not winning. Oh, and...yeah, it matters. Turns out...the best scores at the end of each round, all get entered into a random drawing for a nice, even $100,000. (Therefore, probably around 10-12, because multiple brackets were tied most after most rounds. But not very many of em.) So the guy who has Kansas? He's in the drawing now. On yesterday's games...Kansas came out blazing, and Nova just never had an answer on the inside. Duke...I don't think they ever entirely gelled, or maybe just played tight much of the time. Lot of similarity to Coach K's last home game. They started frosh, frosh, soph, soph, junior...and it showed, I thought, in several games. And Williams in major foul trouble..only played 16 minutes...really hurt. So one more game. Got to go with Kansas.

Well, there's a very good chance now that LeBron's done...Lakers had a 5 point lead with 5 minutes left, but got outscored 15-7 down the stretch...to lose at home to the Pelicans. They now have basically no shot to catch the Pelis; they're 3 games behind, and lose the tiebreaker. Now they're a full game back of the Spurs...and they lose the tiebreaker there. And the Lakers have have games at Phoenix, Golden State, and Denver. The hope for the Lakers: Phoenix has everything sewn up...best record in the league. It'll be game #79...so maybe a good game to rest the stars a bit, play the bench more, with leaving games 81 and 82 to play mostly normally to stay in the groove. Golden State's hurting. Denver's playing for positioning, tho. Theyre' only 2 up on Minnesota...to stay OUT of the play-in circus.

With the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants in the same division? I'll take the under.

And I say no. It's too cheap. At lower damage, lower speed, lower points? It may be a wash, in that the 0 END is less significant, and adding to lifting STR is likely to still be fairly useful. At higher levels, the END per turn is growing rather high...you're either paying for Reduced END, extra-high REC and END, or planning to take regular extra recoveries, not just post-12's. None of that matters with MA DCs. The actual cost of buying it as pure STR is somewhat hidden because it's scattered. Also, an MA DC is better than buying a plain, physical HA, because the latter costs END. Building to concept is always ambiguous. As far as I'm concerned, martial arts simply means formal training. Footwork, body positioning, body control. MA DCs aren't just channeling chi; it's knowing how to punch. As I've mentioned, IMO lifting STR is ridiculously out of balance with HTH damage. For me, for every 5 points over 20 STR, I'll add 1d6 either as an HA or MA DC. I tend to run characters that have been trained, too...so it's usually DCs. (An exception sometimes is a regular but separate source of STR. For example...a pretty sick combat build is base STR 25, then: --extra limbs (dirt cheap in 6E) --STR, only with extra limbs (explicit limitation in HD) --Stretching...limited body parts (extra limbs), no non-combat stretching. Believe I bought it to 0 END, but you can get a lot of of not very many points, so the 0 END isn't that much...and gets whacked back down anyway. --and HTH to match the STR, which can get a Linked to the extra limbs. Only for -1/4, granted. OK, then I see where you're coming from...but I still don't allow it. STR is a power. You can't use it twice in a Combined Attack. Your interpretation means the brute/brick never has to bother with Multiple Attack, with the penalties involved, and that's trying to get something for nothing. He can buy his STR, and (just to keep things clean) a pair of small HAs, applying full STR to each, and with no penalties? No. GAHH...nightmare scenario. Let's take your position further. We'll build 4 separate attacks, each is 1 DC. HAs or HKAs, whichever fits into your rationale for doing the Combined Attack. By your argument, they're ALL usable...with no penalties whatsoever, with no additional cost. Unlike autofire, when it does hit, all 4 attacks hit, every time. Your interpretation makes a mockery of too much else. On the "orphan mechanic"...you're splitting hairs between how HAs (and for that matter martial maneuvers) works, and HKAs. It's a distinction no one else recognizes. The rules are simply not close to being precise enough to support it. Lemme go back to a point a bit earlier: Because everything you're suggesting is a myth, to some degree. The system *tries* to be SFX agnostic, but we've had that argument...and people *do* bring SFX into play. The goal is to get what you pay for, and pay for what you get...but there's always gray areas. Far as I'm concerned, using STR in a combined attack is one such. There's others. There's quite a bit of shaky costing here and there...it can't be helped. But...take build concept A, and build concept B. The intent is they'll have the same in-game effects and capabilities. At point level X, power level Y...maybe they achieve that. Like Ninja-Bear's point about STR vs. MA DCs. At Heroic levels...well, until you consider exceeding NCMs...it may well be a wash. With 500, maybe 600 point supers? Totally different story. Secondary: what manipulations are plausible between the 2 builds? By-the-book HAs have a mild weakness...they have a built-in -1/4 limitation. That means any more limitations you might want to include, are somewhat damped. OTOH, of course, martial DCs are rarely allowed to have any limitations. MAs can be used in some ways that STR can't...are you using them? The costs of A and B are subject to different manipulations, or support other, low-cost, extensions, so their point costs or in-game effects are not going to remain the same. And, some limitations (OIAID, sometimes Linked, limited range for attack powers, beam for many attack powers but especially AVAD/NNDs) really don't hurt.

No. This cannot be reasonable. This allows STR points to be used twice in the same attack, in a cumulative manner that is not possible any other way. That's clearly, completely broken. You can do it in a Multiple Attack or Autofire, yes, but the attacks are different damage packets that get defenses applied individually. I'll grant that the rules don't explicitly disallow this, but that logic alone does.

Yes, but they'd still need to win half their games to be eligible to go to a bowl. I surmise this might be a problem....

I think the best bracket I ever built, ended up in the top 10%. Or might've stayed in the top 10% through the Elite Eight...it's been quite a while. More commonly, they were a lot closer to complete flameouts.

MA DCs are damage at 0 END. It's quite possible 6 is too high, I'll grant; this isn't an exact science. But also figure: take a 4d6 HA at 0 END. It's 24 points...6 per die. Same argument...why not just buy up STR? For me, part of the answer is, I don't want the CRAZY high lift capability. If you want a 12d6 punch, purely from STR, that's a 60, and lifting 100 tons. And other than the damage, where does the increased STR help, when there are no figured characteristics? 5 per MA DC might be the practical sweet spot, as the 0 END in a case like this isn't *that* much better than 1/2 END. IMO, "only to do damage" is no more than -1/4, and "only for Martial Arts" is worth nothing. If you have martial arts, that's going to be your attack mode. Also, "only for damage" and "only with martial arts" have massive overlap, so there's no way I'd allow them together. OK, if we rework martial maneuvers? Then maybe I'd change this. Not sure about the rest of your comments...it is definitely complex. I'd argue that, for example, allowing a Combined Attack where both involve STR is NOT legal. You can't make a Combined Attack by combining the same power multiple times; they must be separate powers. The STR added to the HKA *is* a power...and therefore can't be used to make the normal-damage strike. For the rest......some of the issue might be trying to make STR do (at least) double duty, with the lifting aspect and damage. The absolutely WORST route, as the rules are now, is to build a Blast or RKA with "no range." It's not HTH, you can't use maneuvers or broader HTH levels, you can't add STR. So, what if we made STR a lot closer to a skill stat, where its role is lifting only? And maybe allow it to increase Leaping? Damage is separate; STR is a justification. One problem is...ok, this is the systems guy's approach, but it's unnatural and would be very jarring to players. Or, go another route, as you note...damage powers are either: a) ranged b) allow STR to be used in a Combined Attack. So they don't add together to target a single defense, unless the attack is physical. Should a 5d6 cold-based attack go to 11d6 because of STR...or remain 5d6 vs. ED, and 6d6 vs. PD? If the attack targets ED...well, yeah, it's plausible that sometimes STR should stack, and sometimes not. With attacks against, say, Power Def? IMO it generally doesn't make sense. I like the dangerous, combat healer...the power that patches you up, can also HURT you. But a normal punch should not, IMO, add to this. Note that martial arts makes this explicit: NNDs gain nothing from STR.

Just watched the tank video. No expert, but yeah, from some things I do know, this guy is largely spot-on. Here's a point about the logistics angle. A US tank platoon is 4 M1A1's. They each burn 1.67 gallons per mile...yeah, not miles per gallon, gallons per mile. So to cover 60 miles? 400 gallons total. For one platoon. Heck, they burn 10 gallons per hour idling...I presume that means all systems up and operating, but not moving. This starts talking to why there've been so many abandoned tanks. On the flip side, tho, the Irag War showed some of the problems with lighter vehicles: they can be vulnerable to IEDs and RPGs. Strykers were particularly vulnerable to IEDs because the undercarriage wasn't well protected. OK, well, adding armor there increases the weight, therefore slowing the vehicle, increasing fuel consumption, and potentially reducing the terrain it can cross before it gets bogged down.

LBJ haters rejoice. Lakers got blown off the court again tonight, giving up 82 in the first half. That moved the Spurs from 11th into a tie for 10th...and *with* the tie breaker. So as of this evening, with 7 games left and a HARD schedule...the Lakers are *out* of the playoffs altogether...and they lose the tiebreakers to both the Pelicans and Spurs. The Pelicans have a 1 game lead, and the tie breaker? The Lakers and Pels play...I think next week...and that's basically a must-win. Lose that and they have largely no chance of passing the Pelicans.

NFL Live is discussing this; replay's on right now. Marcus Spears' point: it won't make any real difference as long as the owners are locked into not doing it. It's going to be more lip service and nothing more. History shows he's very likely correct.

Also sounds like it's just a standard PC build, that happens to use Automaton. The AI is intended to be something that is standalone, operating independently of the character. Even something like a tactical computer doesn't per se operate independently; it's basically SFX for a number of recognition and targeting powers/talents/skills. A robotic PC is simply that...a PC that's basically not organic, that gets repaired rather than healed.

Well....that was annoying. Still fairly new Win 11 box blue-screened...2nd time today. Argh. And now it's REALLY acting weird. Warning, folks: Win 11 is not ready for prime time. I think the fundamental baseline for HA is right in 6E. Treat as additional STR, with the Limited Power limitation "not for lifting/carrying." And that only deserves -1/4. Lifting STR grows exponentially; damage STR grows linearly. That's a terrible mismatch, IMO. But push comes to shove...lifting and carrying STR is much less important than damage, so anything more than -1/4 for HA feels excessive. HKAs: these are a little different. Shifting the damage from normal to killing is worth something. It's not easy to quantify, but it is different. It allows applications that wouldn't be practical otherwise, because it shifts the emphasis from STUN to BODY. Something has 10 DEF...doing any notable damage to it with 9d6 normal is not likely, whereas with 3d6 killing, you'll get some. You can't think just in terms of the DCs. Yes, I think no price break might be a bit high, particularly with 6E gutting the stun mult...but even -1/4 feels too high. Doing BODY to break through a defense is too useful. Martial arts DCs: these are cheap...probably too cheap. The notion was that, well, you had to buy 10 points in maneuvers...but by and large, there's very few wasted points here, if you're careful with your maneuver selections. The problem, I think, is that the costs didn't change when figured characteristics disappeared. (Note that this is a factor in giving HAs a larger limitation in 5E, because now it's saying STR, Does Not Affect Figured Stats.) I'd also question whether they considered how the increased cost of skill levels (all HTH is 5 points in 5E, and 8 points in 6E, for example) might impact martial arts DCs. I'm a little less worried about the aspect that they're 0 END implicitly, as everyone learns to manipulate the END breakpoints and the beneficial rounding, but having martial DCs cost at least 5 points per, makes sense. I might even buy going as high as 6, honestly. AND potentially rethink the maneuvers themselves. On the flip side...a nasty complication arises trying to compare the cost of MA DCs to DCs available through converting skill levels into damage. The issue is: the cost of those levels is WILDLY variable. They have to be 3 point levels, sure...but brute types can readily be built with no maneuvers...STR with perhaps a single HA. Is it better to buy 6 three-point levels, so you get all kinds of flexibility...or go through martial arts? The former is quite probably cheaper; it's definitely more flexible. OTOH, MA DCs can be used in places where skill levels can't...for holding onto, or escaping, a Grab; and the maneuvers incorporate OCV and DCV bonuses. Neither approach is universally better than the other; it comes down to the specific build, and to a degree, one's stylistic preferences, and sometimes the underlying campaign issues. (When the character's training was formal, with dedicated instructors, I lean to the martial arts route. More ad hoc, jus the raw skill levels. That can be, in part, campaign-related.) Last comment...my Win 11 box appears to be behaving after a full shutdown and reboot, I think the problem is either coming out of sleep mode (I've been putting it to sleep at night), OR issues related to graphics mode shifts (which are clearly awkward and slow) running older games. WIzardry 8 right now. Generally speaking, the root problem is that the game's point system isn't that fine-grained; advantages and limitations in particular are very coarsely grained. So some of this is probably inherent...and some of this may well be unrecognized side effects when some major rules changed between editions.

You can deflect the bullet with something other than your hand. WW is using those Amazonian metal bracelets. Also...who says the bullet's useless? It can't be shot from a gun, no, but someone with kinetic powers can use it. How about we just say that Catch Arrow is defined as a specific form of Deflection with the No Range limitation? The rules for ranged block at least suggest that the block roll starts with a higher penalty trying to block a bullet than a knife. And I'm thinking right now: the rules for ranged block are very sparse. It might be productive to flesh them out; for one thing, ranged Block says to use the same rules as HTH Block, which is blocker's OCV vs. attacker's OCV. Is that even sensible with ranged Block? Is it too easy? A round from an assault rifle has a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps. Found a ballistic calculator...velocity at 200 yards is 2600 FPS, or call it 800 m/s. Therefore, 9600 meters per turn. The velo-based DCV is 17. A handgun round is much slower, but still, we're talking 500 fps, so 160 m/s or a touch under 2000 meters per turn, for a DCV of 11. And we haven't even talked about any size-based DCV. But the block should be blocker's OCV vs. missile's DCV, when the missile can't be controlled...an energy blast or telekinetic thrust would still be OCV vs. OCV or possibly MOCV. This is beginning to look like author's fiat...much like really trying to implement speedsters' tricks. Or, it's getting rather complicated. Or both.

But I can also see where Smith looked at Rock's reaction, after the slap...and it was surprised, OK, but not apologetic. And can you expect Smith to have calmed down, at all, just in the short walk back to his seat? For Smith...it's customary for the Best Actor to hand out the Best Actress award next year. Fine, take that away. For Rock...ban him from presenting generally for a year or two.

No way. Not a chance. Wonder Woman doesn't catch the bullets; she knocks them away with her bracelets. Cap uses his shield. Thor's occasionally shown whirling his hammer at amazing speed. The catching trick is a high-end, RARE, martial artist's trick, ok, but I'm very confident it is NOT the assumption.

One of the analysts saw how Justin Moore's calf reacted as he went down, late during Nova's win, trying to cut. Watching sports generally? One of the scariest phrases we're learning these days is "non-contact injury"...and unfortunately, yes, this was another. Torn Achilles. Quite unfortunate for the kid and the team; it's an injury with a long recovery time, too.

Wow. I think they were both SERIOUSLY out of line. Rock's joke was disgusting. Smith was out of line, but what do you want him to do? You could see it in Jada's look; that HURT her. Remember when Terrell Owens, with the Niners, caught the TD pass, then ran back and put the ball on the Cowboys star at midfield? One of the Cowboys ran in from the sidelines and smashed into him? It's similar. I'm not going to condone Smith's action, but Rock played instigator.

I don't mean this in a snide way, but archer, did you read the story? You really should; it rips ownership and their nearly complete lack of offseason interest to shreds. The media is likely to monitor overall first-week attendance; it'll be interesting to see if it's down, suggesting it's a strike-related issue, or more localized, suggesting fan dissatisfaction with the owners. EDIT: oh yeah, forgot why I came into this thread this time. First clear-cut impact of the NL DH? Albert Pujols has signed a 1 year deal to return to the Cards. Long presser just now; he said it's definitely his last year. He's really not costing much...pretty sure it's a veterans' minimum contract, and his clubhouse presence may be worth that.

Yeah, at the start of this thread, the big penalty was on my mind as well, if it's only gonna be based on Block. If it's based on Deflection or Reflection, it'll be costing a fair number of points. That said, I'd treat it as a GM's permission only.

Yeah, I saw that a few days ago. The Italian fans are are like...whaaaaaaaaaaaaa??????????????? North Macedonia is ranked #67 in the world by FIFA. Italy was #6. Yes, this is pretty much St. Peters over Kentucky. But much more boring.

It's not everything...quite. Or maybe that's only baseball.