Superheroes of The Trust OOC Thread (Accepting Alts)

[Victim]

Some of (possibly) mystic beings could also be in some way allergic to technology, as kind of an update of iron vulnerability. It kind of brings in a magic vs tech metaphysical divide which might be undesireable from a setting PoV, but does offer ways to exploit weaknesses without many magical antagonists.

Some kind of technologically exploitable weakness also might allow for a "powered beings from other dimensions" explanation/rationalization for mystic creatures, thereby reducing religious impact. It all depends on your point of view.

 

[DM_Matt]

Fenris-
1) No save is broken. Using no-save on a rank 2 (dazzle) power that can be used as much as you want (and has only 1 level of failure) is abusive to boot, since even a low rank No-save power doesn't allow a save, and increasing save is the main function of additional ranks. So making a one-stage effect rank 2 power No-Save is far better than buying 8 additional ranks, for a much lower price. The Mastermind's Manual recommends not letting PCs have the No-Save extra (although, surprisingly, Ultimate Power doesn't seem to include such a warning).

2) Selective Emotion Control doesn't let you avoid hitting your friends. For that you need Selective Attack, an extra. Same for your Dazzle power.

Also, your emotion control power has the flaw Range: Touch. This would allow a Reflex save against it, even though it probably shouldn't have one. To have an effect centered on you that doesn't allow a Reflex save, keep the range at Perception and use the -1 Flaw (No-Range). I don't think this flaw is in any of the books, but the idea is that for a -1 flaw a perception-range Area power has to be centered on you, which is the same limitation as going from Ranged to Touch for an Area power.


3) I realize that Charisma totally sucks as an ability score, but shouldn't an Angel have more than 14 Charisma?

4) What are the 2 pp of limitations? I don't see it specified. Edit- nevermind, I think you mention that this is just a way of saying "2 pp over."

5) Autofire being only on your sword and not your Strike might mean that you can't get your full damage bonus with the "walking the fire" portion of Autofire. Shayuri- it's generally used to represent striking a lot of times possibly due to the character's super-speed, extreme skill, or in the case of the sword, magic ala D&D's Speed enchantment. Note that Autofire doesn't apply to your whole strength bonus as you haven't bought Autofire on your Strength score- the power construct is perfectly fine, though.

6) Skill Mastery on Notice isn't valid, as you can't normally take 10 on Notice and skill mastery only works on skills that you can normally take 10 on.

7) Your whole attack and Defense bonus are in Attack Focus: Melee and Dodge Focus. I realize that these are definitely better pp deals than the normal bonuses but in particular having all of your Defense bonus from Dodge focus is suited to a pure speedster, not an Angel.

8) As Shayuri said, you should remove 4 ranks of Protection since your Con already adds +4 so this will leave you at +14 Toughness and free up 4 pp.

9) You have to buy Indestructible and Restricted on the Device power itself- so they are bought with your normal pp, not with the pool of pp for the device (you don't get the device discount on them).

Attack Specialization on the sword should be the Accurate Power Feat (but the effect is the same). Also, Accurate 4 on the sword seems a little high. Wouldn't it make more sense if your character had at least 1 rank of Attack Specialization himself to reflect his skill in using swords?

You should take an AP on your array of angelic attack powers that enhances your sword, since you talked about the swords power being proportional to that of the user, as well as some kind of vampiric ability.

Also, I agree that No Save is broken.

 

[DM_Matt]

Shayuri - You're right, the immunity power doesn't work as the hinge for other abilities as presently formulated. I think if I make it a long-term Boost that gives immunities it should work.

The low defenses and lack of offensive power are intentional. My thinking is that he'd be a bit like DC's Oracle. Generally he'd stay at the groups headquarters and provide utility remotely. Keep in mind that the current build can design and construct a ~30pp device in under 2 minutes using Quickness. With the next version, if its OK with Matt, I'd like to speed that up further to about 3 rounds.

Matt - What would be a reasonable amount of healing? Would it be OK if I just removed the Total and/or Restoration extras?

For the nanotech device array I was thinking that he'd have a removable interface gloves. Without them, there might be nano in his system and in the air, but he wouldn't be able to do anything with it.

Also, I'll rework the Summon to make it a single critter that's just a little shy of caps.

Unfortunately The Trust has to have its own base command and invention facilities and staff. Holding down the fort might not work, and in many situations, comm van etc type scenarios may also not work. Healing, meanwhile, must take at least a standard action.

 

[Voidrazor]

Unfortunately The Trust has to have its own base command and invention facilities and staff. Holding down the fort might not work, and in many situations, comm van etc type scenarios may also not work. Healing, meanwhile, must take at least a standard action.

I'll see what I can do in terms of beefing up his defences. But do you find the idea of comm van scenarios problematic? I understand that in some situations it wouldn't be feasible, and that occasionally it would mean that he'd get ambushed alone.

I never tried to reduce the activation on healing. Just about every other bell & whistle but not that. Also, at 6 ranks, would that qualify as low rank abuse? For the current version I was looking at 8 ranks, taking out restoration and Total.

Quickness only helps the design phase of Invention (and the like); it doesn't speed the time it takes to construct them. Since Invention takes 5 hours per pp - or 2.5 hours if you take the penalties - the quickness will only save you an 1 hour (30 min) per point of the invention. Obviously, that adds up if you want to make big gadgets. But you aren't going to cranking stuff out nigh instantly. For that you need some sort of Gadget power.

Doh! You're right. It's still worth taking Quickness. But it looks like he's not going to have quite the utility I had imagined.

 

[DM_Matt]

I'll see what I can do in terms of beefing up his defences. But do you find the idea of comm van scenarios problematic? I understand that in some situations it wouldn't be feasible, and that occasionally it would mean that he'd get ambushed alone.

I never tried to reduce the activation on healing. Just about every other bell & whistle but not that. Also, at 6 ranks, would that qualify as low rank abuse? For the current version I was looking at 8 ranks, taking out restoration and Total.


Doh! You're right. It's still worth taking Quickness. But it looks like he's not going to have quite the utility I had imagined.

Heh, I'm sorry, the real world is kicking my arse at the moment. I read "Area" as "Aura." i still would rather not have group healing though. Especially usable every round from afar. Somm van situations, meanwhile, can work sometimes, but often cannot.

 

[Fenris2]

First up, thanks for the help all. I have combined replies here...

>> 1) No save is broken.

np, will fix


2) Selective Emotion Control doesn't let you avoid hitting your friends.

np, will fix


>> 3) I realize that Charisma totally sucks as an ability score, but shouldn't an Angel have more than 14 Charisma? 7) Your whole attack and Defense bonus. Plus low saves [sic]

All too true, there is quite a bit of quite valid commentary here. Missing one key point I fear. Where to get the PP from.... lol. If you can magically make 20 PP or so appear. I am all ears.

If not, basically I see four choices. 1) Accept point shaving like mad to make things work, which means using things like dodge, low cha and so forth... And even then still give up something like saves, and talk to animals. Its not ideal, but its what I choose so far at least. . . 2) Reduce attacks and defenses to about half their current levels, which while purer, has its issues too. A melee slugger in a PL11 game with +6 AB and +6 defense. Probably not very viable or fun?
3) Remove core features. Take away the sword, and he can't fight. Take away the array and he is basically a flying angel who can swing a sword, period, but do no other angel stuff. Take away the senses/immunities and he is basically flying sword guy w/magic. 4) Or I could build something that can fit in points allowed... lol

>> 4) What are the 2 pp of limitations?

Well secret id is 1. Not sure what it is worth pp wise though, or if I need other limits. I have a hard time getting a handle on limits in MM... Would be nice if they provided a concrete list of 40-50 examples to compare from.

>> 5) Autofire being

fix in works

>> 6) Skill Mastery on Notice isn't valid, as you can't normally take 10 on Notice and skill mastery only works on skills that you can normally take 10 on.

same as above

>> 8) As Shayuri said, you should remove 4 ranks of Protection since your Con already adds +4 so this will leave you at +14 Toughness and free up 4 pp.

ok

>> 9) You have to buy Indestructible and Restricted on the Device power itself- so they are bought with your normal pp, not with the pool of pp for the device (you don't get the device discount on them).

okay


>> Attack Specialization on the sword should be the Accurate Power Feat (but the effect is the same). Also, Accurate 4 on the sword seems a little high. Wouldn't it make more sense if your character had at least 1 rank of Attack Specialization himself to reflect his skill in using swords?[/QUOTE]

okay

>> Ap array for sword.

Sorry, but I will need help there DM_Matt. I have absolutely no clue how to build something like that. Maybe, wait until I have the fixes in place though

 

[Victim]

You could take Enhanced Charisma as part of the divine power array, possibly replacing Emotion Control, since it needs to be reworked anyway.

 

[Shayuri]

You know, that could even work...

Sort of like..when he wants to, he gains this incredible charismatic aura. It's not always on, but when it is he can use Intimidate to easily cow crowds, or Diplomacy to awe them...

HMM. Conceptually, it could work...

 

[James Heard]

You could even link the relevant skills to the CHA within the array, so you could apply mods to everything at once.

Personally I think crowds would be sort of unjustified, but limiting the effectiveness to one single person? The angel having a little one-on-one with one person at a time?

 

[Elric]

You could even link the relevant skills to the CHA within the array, so you could apply mods to everything at once.

Skills are really cheap enough as they are now. Putting Enhanced out of combat skills in an array with in-combat powers is a discount the skills don't need. Cha could actually use a discount (since it's quite a bit overpriced) but since Enhanced Charisma in an array is pretty much like a bad Enhanced Skills Power in an array, that doesn't feel great either.

Edit- of course, the real problem here is that arrays make acquiring these (and other) abilities too cheap, not that there's anything wrong with having Enhanced Skills in general.

Further edit- for this character, an enhanced Cha array would be less abusive than for most. APing a +25 Cha power off of your Blast is different from something like a +10 Cha power.