[new MnM rules question] Revised question: construct-o-rama?

[Karl Green]

I have no doubt that's in the book somewhere. I just missed it. If only the book was right here.

Extra Effort and Hero Points are on Page 105, while Area Attacks in on Page 138

 

[Piratecat]

Superb explanation. Thanks!

 

[DMScott]

Second stupid question. Is a dodge bonus to defense (from super-dex or super-speed) able to stack with the basic defense that you buy up at 2pp per rank?

Yup. Take Evasion, too, so even if you do get hit you use your Dex in the damage save and save some points on Con. At this point you probably want to get into the realm of M&M house rules. It's a nice system, but there are various ways to break it that aren't very hard to find, and "Captain Dodge" is one of them. One common approach is to take a page from Champions and limit the final range of values - insist that PL 10 heroes, in addition to the M&M restrictions on individual powers and abilities, have a total defence no higher than X, a total AB no higher than Y, and so on where X and Y are set so the top values are good but not dominating. Then review character sheets to make sure nobody's hitting all the high values, or alternately that nobody's going to be completely overshadowed.

 

[Thanee]

NOW most speedster/dex people ignore their Damage Save as they max out their Reflex, so they have a good chance of at least taking a hit.

Though, Evasion would help here, or not?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Piratecat]

While I have the attention of people who know what they're talking about:

Say you want to create a character who is effectively a The Incredibles OmniDroid, only used as a vehicle by someone's disembodied brain hidden in the middle of the machine. Would you:

A. Build the robot as a PL 10 construct with the sidekick feat, and treat the brain as a PL 7 sidekick (as per the rules on reverse sidekicks)

B. Build the robot as a vehicle, and make the brain the main character

C. Build the robot as an intelligent construct, and treat the brain just as a special effect

D. Build the robot as a normal character, and treat the brain just as a special effect

E. Treat the brain as the main character, and build the robot as a suit of powered armor

F. Something else entirely I haven't thought of

I've been struggling with this one, but am leaning towards option A. Any advice?

 

[Karl Green]

Though, Evasion would help here, or not?

Bye
Thanee

Evasion can not be used for this damage save (see feat description on pg 45; Evasion cannot evasde the damage of area attacks. You cannot use Evasion if you are denied your dodge bonus to Defense for any reason). NOW you do get to make a Reflex save for Half damage (affect) so it does help you somewhat

At this point you probably want to get into the realm of M&M house rules. It's a nice system, but there are various ways to break it that aren't very hard to find, and "Captain Dodge" is one of them.

I don't really agree with this. There are SOOO many options with M&M that you don't need lots of House Rules IMO. NOW I do have a few but not many

I've been struggling with this one, but am leaning towards option A. Any advice?

Hmm I would have to think about this one a bit but have to go to church right now... already going to be late

 

[DMScott]

D. Build the robot as a normal character, and treat the brain just as a special effect

If I were creating a player character, this is the one I'd do. Straightforward and easy. As an NPC, it'd depend on what my plans were, but absent any other considerations the more straightforward the better.

One of the villains in the M&M book, The Atomic Brain, is "... little more than an irradiated brain supported by an advanced robotic armour system ...", and is built just like a normal character.

 

[Thanee]

[Evasion]

So, area effects deny you your dodge bonus to Defense?

Sure, you do not get to use your Defense at all, but that's a bit different, and is that (area effect) really a situation, where this generally applies?


[OmniDroid with Brain]

I'd probably just build them both together as a single character.

Basically the Brain is the character and the OmniDroid is a Device used by the character (so any powers are bought with the device flaw).

That would be E then.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Piratecat]

One of the villains in the M&M book, The Atomic Brain, is "... little more than an irradiated brain supported by an advanced robotic armour system ...", and is built just like a normal character.

I considered that, but his main powers are really not armor-related, they come right from his big swollen radioactive brain. In this case, virtually every power is going to come from the robot. . . so I wondered if a different approach might be justified.

Not to say you're wrong, mind you. . . just wanted to give you some perspective on my thought process.

 

[DMScott]

I considered that, but his main powers are really not armor-related, they come right from his big swollen radioactive brain. In this case, virtually every power is going to come from the robot. . . so I wondered if a different approach might be justified.

Seems to me that what approach is justified is determined mostly by the use and role you intend for the character. The key in the Atomic Brain example isn't the source of each power, it's that TAB and his armour don't operate independently from one another in the normal course of play. So in your case, the question is will the brain operate separately from the bot on a regular basis? I wouldn't, if I was a disembodied brain . So I'd go with the "one character, special effect" option. YMMV, if you need for the brain and bot to operate separately on a regular basis.