Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 270
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Friday, April 09, 1999 8:43 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #270
champ-l-digest Friday, April 9 1999 Volume 01 : Number 270
In this issue:
Re: RE: 5th Edition
Re: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: 5th Edition
Re: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
RE: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
Re: 5th Edition
Re: 5th Edition
Re: (Mental) Damage Shield Q's
Re: 5th Edition
Re: Quick question
Re: theme villains
Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Scaled Activation
Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: 5th Edition
Re: theme villains
Re: Scaled Activation
Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
Non-Lethal Weapons
Re: theme villains
Re: theme villains
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: theme villains
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: theme villains
Re: 5th Edition
Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Re: Scaled Activation
Re: theme villains
Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 10:50:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dennis C Hwang <dchwang@itsa.ucsf.edu>
Subject: Re: RE: 5th Edition
On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Geoff Speare wrote:
> >Actually, we put those Regeneration options in there because it made the
> >Fuzion/Hero conversion script easier. Secondarily, they've met with
> >near-universal approval, so those options will be in the 5th Edition Hero
> >System.
>
> Allow me to be the first to say Thank You! It's good to see that changes
> like these (minor, quick, extending the reach of the Hero System) are going
> into 5th Edition.
I agree! Although I'm also *very* curious to find out if anything I put
in my (admittedly overboard and 11th-hour) Questionnaire response will
make it in.
;)
- --Dennis
*************************************************************
* dchwang@itsa.ucsf.edu * xenopathologist at large! *
*************************************************************
* "To be or not to be: that is the question, whether 'tis *
* nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of *
* outrageous fortune." *
* *
* ANAGRAM: "In one of the Bard's best-thought-of *
* tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet, queries on two *
* fronts about how life turns rotten." *
*************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 11:00:25 PDT
From: "Jesse Thomas" <haerandir@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
>At 12:41 PM 4/9/99 -0400, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>>
>> I want to make a character that is an extremely lucky shot.
His
>>luck can fail, however.
>>
>> Since Luck isn't a standard 3d6 roll, I was wondering how I
could
>>construct ODV/DCV based on Luck.
>>
Bill Svitavsky replied:>
>How about Levels with an Activation Roll?
>
>- Bill Svitavsky
This is how I've always done it. I have built several characters with
some variant of the +3 DCV on an 11- roll, to represent luck, cat-like
reflexes, or whatever. I got the idea from a published villain, I
don't remember who. Something to do with playing cards, I think.
Anyway, you could easily do something similar with OCV levels, and
maybe a higher Activation roll.
Jesse Thomas
haerandir@hotmail.com
_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 11:05:16 PDT
From: "Jesse Thomas" <haerandir@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
On Fri, 09 Apr 1999 Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us> wrote:
>The heroes get sent back in time by an evil warlock. They find
themselves
>outside the door of a Nineteenth-Century English home. When they
inevitably
>knock on the door, a drugged and angry Samuel Taylor Coleridge
answers,
>demanding to know what they're doing there. When they mention the
warlock,
>the addled poet says "Porlock? You're from Porlock?" Literary history
is made.
>
Douglas Adams has already done that one. In "Dirk Gently's Holistic
Detective Agency".
Now *there's* a sourcebook for time-hopping Champions adventures!
Jesse Thomas
haerandir@hotmail.com
PS: Bill, I may or may not be able to make the game tonight, my
co-workers are being incompetent again... I'll let you know when they
figure out what they want me to do.
_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 11:05:00 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
At 01:27 PM 4/9/1999 EDT, HeroGames@aol.com wrote:
>
>Actually, we put those Regeneration options in there because it made the
>Fuzion/Hero conversion script easier. Secondarily, they've met with
>near-universal approval, so those options will be in the 5th Edition Hero
>System.
Well, it looks like my understanding of things was wrong, then.
And actually this explanation makes a lot more sense.
>Regarding HERO Creator, once we've locked down the manuscript for 5th
Edition
>the programmer will work on the 5th Edition template. It won't be a lot of
>work, but we've got a lot of work stacked up for our programmer... Ars
>Magica, GURPS, Deadlands, L5R, and more... so the template won't be released
>until the book comes out. The 5th Edition template will be free for current
>HERO Creator owners.
Huzzah! This will *definitely* make it a lot easier to make CW files
for my Fifth Edition characters.... :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 11:02:19 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
At 12:44 PM 4/9/1999 -0500, Bill Svitavsky wrote:
>At 12:41 PM 4/9/99 -0400, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>>
>> I want to make a character that is an extremely lucky shot. His
>>luck can fail, however.
>>
>> Since Luck isn't a standard 3d6 roll, I was wondering how I could
>>construct ODV/DCV based on Luck.
>>
>
>How about Levels with an Activation Roll?
This is how I'd do it.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 14:09:39 -0400
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: RE: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
I have a PC in my FH game with an overall skill level that only works if I
roll his luck successfully. Of course, I don't roll it with every shot, just
at the beginning of the session. So, Koronasta wakes up in the morning and
asks himself, 'Do I feel lucky?'.
I let him take a -1/2 on the skill level for it because it's like a skill
roll in the sense that he can change his chances by spending points. Right
now, he's got 3D6 of good luck and 1D6 of bad luck. I could have justified a
greater limitation since he only seems to get his level about half the time.
Attached to this is a psych lim: Over/Under Confident which toggles based on
how the luck roll turned out. He's at the mercy of the fates. It works
pretty well.
Brian Wawrow
Financial Models Company
bwawrow@fmco.com
(905) 629 - 1411 XT220
"The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer is that if they foul
up, there's no law against whacking them around a little."
- -Porterfield
] -----Original Message-----
] From: Dennis C Hwang [mailto:dchwang@itsa.ucsf.edu]
] Sent: Friday, April 09, 1999 1:26 PM
] To: champ-l@sysabend.org
] Subject: Re: OCV/DCV RSR: Luck
]
]
] On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Jason Sullivan wrote:
]
] > > Since Luck isn't a standard 3d6 roll, I was wondering how I
] > > could construct ODV/DCV based on Luck.
] >
] > Let's say you have 3d6 of Luck. What would be the appropiate
] > percentage for the Activation roll?
] >
] > On a side note, has anyone here ever made a "scaled" activation
] > roll? A one roll series of Activation rolls... +1 OCV -12,
] +2 OCV (one
] > additional) -13, +3 OCV (two from the levels previous) -14, etc?
]
] Alternatively, you could just give +1 OCV/DCV for every "6"
] rolled on the
] Luck dice.
]
] But I think I like the Activation idea better.
]
] --Dennis
] *************************************************************
] * dchwang@itsa.ucsf.edu * xenopathologist at large! *
] *************************************************************
] * "To be or not to be: that is the question, whether 'tis *
] * nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of *
] * outrageous fortune." *
] * *
] * ANAGRAM: "In one of the Bard's best-thought-of *
] * tragedies, our insistent hero, Hamlet, queries on two *
] * fronts about how life turns rotten." *
] *************************************************************
]
]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 15:08:36 EDT
From: SteveL1979@aol.com
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
In a message dated 4/9/99 1:51:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dchwang@itsa.ucsf.edu writes:
<< > Allow me to be the first to say Thank You! It's good to see that changes
> like these (minor, quick, extending the reach of the Hero System) are going
> into 5th Edition.
I agree! Although I'm also *very* curious to find out if anything I put
in my (admittedly overboard and 11th-hour) Questionnaire response will
make it in. >>
As long as this subject's come up, let me take this opportunity to
once again thank everyone who turned in a questionnaire. While I can't say
that suggestions from every single one of them appear in the 5th Ed., or that
any one questionnaire is solely responsible for any particular idea which
made it in, each one certainly gave me something intriguing to think about.
Bill Svitavsky wins the award for "Most Thorough," since his was several
pages long, neatly typed, and included an attachment -- but they were all
useful to some degree. ;)
Steve Long
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 15:37:23 -0400
From: Bill Svitavsky <nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
At 03:08 PM 4/9/99 EDT, SteveL1979@aol.com wrote:
>
> As long as this subject's come up, let me take this opportunity to
>once again thank everyone who turned in a questionnaire. While I can't say
>that suggestions from every single one of them appear in the 5th Ed., or
that
>any one questionnaire is solely responsible for any particular idea which
>made it in, each one certainly gave me something intriguing to think about.
>Bill Svitavsky wins the award for "Most Thorough," since his was several
>pages long, neatly typed, and included an attachment -- but they were all
>useful to some degree. ;)
>
Ooh - I won an award! :-) With my handwriting, neatly typed documents are
about the only hope I have of communicating.
My hopes for minimal typos in the 5th edition have just gone way up, by the
way - hardly anyone ever spells "Svitavsky" right, even when they're just
transcribing from one typed document to another.
And thank you, Steve Long, for being open to our suggestions.
Bill Svitavsky
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 14:50:03 -0500
From: Lance Dyas <lancelot@radiks.net>
Subject: Re: (Mental) Damage Shield Q's
> The power I'm imagining is a sort of lethal mental defense, so I'm already
> bending lots of rules anyway. It'll probably look something like this:
>
> xd6 Ego Blast, Based on ECV, Continuous, Uncontrolled, Does BODY even
> though it's a Mental Power, various limitations. Sticky is optional for
> the /really/ powerful people.
>
> (Yeah, it's nasty. Real nasty. The guys who have it are in the top
> hierarchy of a cult that's managed to exist even though the authorities
> have powers like Mind Scan - and it's because of little gimmicks like
> this.)
>
I have characters in a Fantasy Game I am continually trying to model
They are kind of passively possessed by a semi-demonic force. They tap and
control this vengence force themselves(weilding its spirit in magics), but it
unleashes automatically on anyone contacting them mentally/spiritually
empathically..... since this is the normal method of mystical healing, and
telepathic communication anyone trying to do so gets unleashed on the results
arent usually lethal physically...
They are usually extreme psychic trauma which may prohibit the use of the
ability that caused the mental contact and frequently cause a form of wild
insanity as well.
stun? + how do you model gaining of psych disadvantages?
I'd like to make it a psych disadvantage making it hard to use there own
ability...
you know forcing ego rolls and such. Just to get past the trauma.
They do not consider this beneficial at all... even if it does sometimes act as
a sort of defense making them a pain/ impossible to mentally control.
Anyway any ideas
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 12:52:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
>On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Geoff Speare wrote:
>
>> ...just wanted to generate some traffic, didn't get any list messages last
>> night. :)
>
>Speaking of new Hero rules and ideas, some friends of mine who own
>Creation Workshop are reporting some interesting new options for such
>powers as Regeneration. If I recall correctly, you can select "Regen
>Limbs" and "After Death".
One of the things they decided to carry over from Fuzion.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 12:54:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Quick question
>
>I don't have my book with me, this is on VPP's for an equipment pool...
>
>Am I right in thinking that the points in the VPP are the limit on the
>Active Points for each item, and the amount of equipment in Real Points that
>you can carry?
Correct on both counts. Assuming you're refering to the pool.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 12:57:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: theme villains
>
>Anybody got any ideas for 'theme' villains ?
>Villains whose crimes and m.o. all fit one theme or have a recurring motif.
I've got a couple:
Checkmate, a planning mastermind type who uses chess themes for everything;
Hangman, who uses various rope and fiber based gimmicsk, and has a martial
art specifically for using ropes and similar things. He managed to escape
jail the first time he was captured with the help of a wet towel. :)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:15:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
>On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>
>> >
>> > Very interesting list. Might I add most any pre-contact or early
>> > contact Native American culture?
>>
>> Tunguska <sp?>, Russia (when the big explosion happened).
>
>Siberia in 1908, about a thousand miles from anyone, shortly before a
>comet impacts? Ohhh... sounds like a really fun time!
>
>Actually, it could be a comet, a meteor or a spaceship. I guess the reick
>would be to either survive or stop the incoming object.
You're missing a bet...their time travel method could be the _cause_ of the
explosion. Could make it interesting figuring how to safely come back to
the present...
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:43:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: Scaled Activation
I was wondering if there would be any way to make a Scaled Activation
Limitation.
For example, if you were to apply the scaled Limitation on
+6 RSR,
+1 would activate on a roll of -15 or less,
+2 would activate on a roll of -14 or less,
+3 would activate on a roll of -12 or less,
+4 would activate on a roll of -11 or less,
+5 would activate on a roll of -10 or less, and
+6 would activate on a roll of -9 or less, all on the same roll.
Also, could you have the same Activation roll for a number of powers as a
0 Limitation?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:43:25 -0500
From: Bill Svitavsky <bsvitavsky@mln.lib.ma.us>
Subject: Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
At 01:15 PM 4/9/99 -0700, Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>>
>>> Tunguska <sp?>, Russia (when the big explosion happened).
>>
>>Siberia in 1908, about a thousand miles from anyone, shortly before a
>>comet impacts? Ohhh... sounds like a really fun time!
>>
>>Actually, it could be a comet, a meteor or a spaceship. I guess the reick
>>would be to either survive or stop the incoming object.
>
>You're missing a bet...their time travel method could be the _cause_ of the
>explosion. Could make it interesting figuring how to safely come back to
>the present...
>
>
I like it! Especially if they didn't start their time trip from Siberia, so
they clearly can't just make the trip at a conveniently desolate place.
- - Bill Svitavsky
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:28:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
>At 01:15 PM 4/9/99 -0700, Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>>On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>>>
>>>> Tunguska <sp?>, Russia (when the big explosion happened).
>>>
>>>Siberia in 1908, about a thousand miles from anyone, shortly before a
>>>comet impacts? Ohhh... sounds like a really fun time!
>>>
>>>Actually, it could be a comet, a meteor or a spaceship. I guess the reick
>>>would be to either survive or stop the incoming object.
>>
>>You're missing a bet...their time travel method could be the _cause_ of the
>>explosion. Could make it interesting figuring how to safely come back to
>>the present...
>>
>>
>
>I like it! Especially if they didn't start their time trip from Siberia, so
>they clearly can't just make the trip at a conveniently desolate place.
Right. Or are going to be, say, retrieved by a projector of some kind...in
the middle of their home city.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 13:58:36 -0700
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
From: Bill Svitavsky <bsvitavsky@mln.lib.ma.us>
<snip>
> I like it! Especially if they didn't start their time trip from Siberia,
so
> they clearly can't just make the trip at a conveniently desolate place.
You can do that, though you don't have to. After all, there is virtually no
place on Earth sufficiently desolate today to guarantee you won't kill
someone.
"Heroes kill respected scientist and research team. Film at 11PM."
Alternately, try this. Heroes arrive in past; see desolation. Find out that
their arrival caused Tungusta blast, which occurred about ten minutes before
they arrived. Heroes work hard on fixing time machine, and believe they have
cured its destructive power.
Now, destroy a city for no good reason (or a very good reason). Have heroes
arrive in city and think they caused the damage.:)
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 17:04:27 EDT
From: HeroGames@aol.com
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
In a message dated 4/9/99 1:11:36 PM, nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us writes:
>My hopes for minimal typos in the 5th edition have just gone way up, by
>the
>way - hardly anyone ever spells "Svitavsky" right, even when they're just
>transcribing from one typed document to another.=20
Remember, Steve Long is just drafting the manuscript. Bruce Harlick and I=20
still have to go through and put in all the typos. ;)
=97 Steve Peterson, Hero Games=20
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 17:30:49 -0400
From: Glen Sprigg <borealis@cois.on.ca>
Subject: Re: theme villains
>Anybody got any ideas for 'theme' villains ?
>Villains whose crimes and m.o. all fit one theme or have a recurring motif.
>
Here are a couple of examples from my Canadian Champions and my
street-level campaigns:
* A street-level villain named Chance, whose crimes all have a gambling or
sporting motif.
* Trillium, a woman with plant-powers who focuses on environment protection
stuff.
* A Native American who attacks museums and such to 'liberate' tribal
artifacts (no name yet).
Glen
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 14:43:43 -0700
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: Scaled Activation
At 04:43 PM 4/9/99 -0400, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>I was wondering if there would be any way to make a Scaled Activation
>Limitation.
As I understand the rules, if you have two or more devices that go off at
the same time and have varied activation rolls, the easier activations all
go off if the harder roll is made. In other words:
Joe Blow has a suit of armor made of old phonebooks and recycled tin
cans. It is built with, among other things:
+2 PD, ED 11-
+2 PD, ED 12-
+2 PD, ED 14- (eek no 13 its evil!!)
When hit, Joe rolls his activation and gets a 12 on his 3D6. Since 14-
is easier to achieve than 12-, BOTH the 12- and 14- layer of armor will
activate and protect him for a total +4 PD, ED. So in a sense it does sort
of work how you want, with multiple layers staging depending on the roll.
This brings up an interesting construct I use with some characters, armor
in two layers of equal protection (usually 14-) representing armor that
reacts to damage by becoming harder or erecting an energy shield.
Occasionally you blow both the rolls, for a very unpleasent result (oddly
enough it often happens that if one fails the other does, when it rains, it
pours). Now technically from what I said above, technically if you make
one roll, the other will activate as well, but with GM approval I skipped
that for the effect.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 99 19:26:10
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
On Fri, 02 Apr 1999 17:37:14 -0800, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>At 10:17 AM 4/2/1999, qts wrote:
>>On Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:24:45 -0800, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>>
>>>At 02:50 PM 3/31/1999 GMT, Quentin Stephens wrote:
>>>>> Physical Limitation: No manipulatory limbs
>>>>
>>>>Not appropriate as it has TK, I would suggest.
>>>
>>> I disagree here. The TK does offset the problems formed by having no
>>>manipulatory limbs, but the offset is paid for by the points that the
>>>creature spends in TK. IOW, if the disabling effect of a 20-point Physical
>>>Limitation is offset by a 20-point Power, then the two can be considered to
>>>balance each other out. At least, IMHO.
>>
>>But TK can do *so* much more, and at greater range.
>
> While at the same time, doing much less -- for example, zero tactile
>feedback (which would require Clairsentience).
If you wanted that, I'd use Fully Invisible Stretching instead of TK
and Linked Clairsentience.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 17:43:17 -0500
From: "J. Alan Easley" <alaneasley@email.com>
Subject: Non-Lethal Weapons
The feature article at this site is on military use of non-lethal weapons.
www.discover.com
Alan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 08:49:39 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: theme villains
- -----Original Message-----
From: gilberg@ou.edu <gilberg@ou.edu>
> Always. How about "The Muscle Crew?" An all-bricks villian group
>from my campaign led by Mighty-Mite, a shrinking, DI, flying brick. Also
>includes Grand Slam, who carries a baseball bat with double KB.
>
>
> -Tim Gilberg
All-brick teams seem rather diffuse in terms of common theme,
in fact they and other 'same power' groups
seem to end up going in all different directions, or they get boring.
Hence the high-power merc squad 'brix', who are each
based on super-strength, but with variations in what they can achieve- such
as fendale,
an alien tentacle-humanoid with 'super-clinging' powers as well as str,
shockwave,
a heavyworlder with powersul psycokinetic abilities, and korg, a renegade
daemon
who's reality-warping abilities enable him to do ridiculous things- like
lift aircraft
carriers without him tearing them apart, sinking into the ground, ect.
Actually, how'd you lot model such a power? If it's assumed the gm does not
usually
allow high-str characters to lift things like that, what power could they
potentially
buy to do so anyways? I figured a limited frorm of TK, with str equal to
half
the str being exerted, thoughts?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 17:54:26 -0500
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: theme villains
At 05:30 PM 4/9/1999 -0400, Glen Sprigg wrote:
>* A Native American who attacks museums and such to 'liberate' tribal
>artifacts (no name yet).
Ghost Dancer, maybe?
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:02:09 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
- -----Original Message-----
From: gilberg@ou.edu <gilberg@ou.edu>
> This is causing a re-examination of the entire knowledge base of
the
>Aztec culture.
>
>
>
> -Tim Gilberg
. . .based on what, native descendant oral tradition?
*L*
good one. . .
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:09:01 -0700
From: Mark Lemming <icepirat@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: theme villains
Wayne Shaw wrote:
>
> >
> >Anybody got any ideas for 'theme' villains ?
> >Villains whose crimes and m.o. all fit one theme or have a recurring motif.
>
> I've got a couple:
>
> Checkmate, a planning mastermind type who uses chess themes for everything;
>
> Hangman, who uses various rope and fiber based gimmicsk, and has a martial
> art specifically for using ropes and similar things. He managed to escape
> jail the first time he was captured with the help of a wet towel. :)
In the first few months of GMing I ran a villian by the name of
"The Towel Master!" with his Terry cloth agents. 15 years later, I
still get complaints. Amazing what a wet towel and terry cloth armor
will do...
- -Mark
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 16:15:21 -0700
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
From: Lockie <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
> From: gilberg@ou.edu <gilberg@ou.edu>
> > This is causing a re-examination of the entire knowledge base of
> the
> >Aztec culture.
> >
> >
> >
> > -Tim Gilberg
>
>
> .. . .based on what, native descendant oral tradition?
> *L*
> good one. . .
First of all, both the Aztecs and their enemies could write. Your assumption
that they couldn't is presumptuous.
For that matter, in what way is written testimony better than oral, even if
the Spanish records were the only ones? Conquerors routinely demonize the
conquered, so the testimony of the Spanish questionable. There is, so far
as I know, no known written record of anyone actually witnessing these
executions, so the Spanish couldn't have been going on more than rumors
themselves. And oral traditions are fairly reliable ways to track the
essence of what happened over a considerable period of time. Researchers
routinely rely on them for valuable, if not necessarily completely accurate,
data. A complete lack of an oral tradition among the Aztec's enemies of
these executions is probably more valuable as data than Spaniards who, like
virtually all conquerors, are known to have overstated things on occasion
for effect and support back home.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 09:42:19 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
- -----Original Message-----
From: Filksinger <filkhero@usa.net>
>>
>> .. . .based on what, native descendant oral tradition?
>> *L*
>> good one. . .
>
>First of all, both the Aztecs and their enemies could write. Your
assumption
>that they couldn't is presumptuous.
>
. .. the post i replied to specifically noted a lack of mention of sacrifice
in native
oral history.
>For that matter, in what way is written testimony better than oral, even if
>the Spanish records were the only ones? Conquerors routinely demonize the
>conquered, so the testimony of the Spanish questionable. There is, so far
>as I know, no known written record of anyone actually witnessing these
>executions, so the Spanish couldn't have been going on more than rumors
>themselves.
Writing stays static. oral histories change a great deal.
>And oral traditions are fairly reliable ways to track the
>essence of what happened over a considerable period of time.
essence. . . . right, i'll just go look that term up in my psychology
textbooks *g*
>Researchers
>routinely rely on them for valuable, if not necessarily completely
accurate,
>data. A complete lack of an oral tradition among the Aztec's enemies of
>these executions is probably more valuable as data than Spaniards who, like
>virtually all conquerors, are known to have overstated things on occasion
>for effect and support back home.
>
Yes, and that only supports my position. The spaniards
did their lying on the spot, but it doesn't mean the oral traditions on
the other side of the imperialism cliche didn't do it more gradually,
over time. The situation is, in general, innacurate. Simply defining one
set of data as more valid becasue it supports somebody's
revisionist tendencies is not a good way to proceed. As it was my point
was simple- oral history does not a substantive revision-quest make.
Perhaps there are more solid issues involved, but if it's just
word of mouth, than 'essence' is all that can be achieved.
>Filksinger
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 17:03:44 -0700
From: "James Jandebeur" <james@javaman.to>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
Here we go again: a perfectly valid Hero systems related question has now
become a socio-political discussion. Please take that discussion off-list,
or bring it back around to a list-relevant discussion.
JAJ, GP
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 16:55:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: theme villains
>Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >Anybody got any ideas for 'theme' villains ?
>> >Villains whose crimes and m.o. all fit one theme or have a recurring motif.
>>
>> I've got a couple:
>>
>> Checkmate, a planning mastermind type who uses chess themes for everything;
>>
>> Hangman, who uses various rope and fiber based gimmicsk, and has a martial
>> art specifically for using ropes and similar things. He managed to escape
>> jail the first time he was captured with the help of a wet towel. :)
>
>In the first few months of GMing I ran a villian by the name of
>"The Towel Master!" with his Terry cloth agents. 15 years later, I
>still get complaints. Amazing what a wet towel and terry cloth armor
>will do...
Hangman is actually a semi-serious villain, his schtick just occasionally
borders on the farcical by it's nature.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:45:17 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: 5th Edition
At 05:04 PM 4/9/1999 EDT, HeroGames@aol.com wrote:
>
>In a message dated 4/9/99 1:11:36 PM, nbymail11@mln.lib.ma.us writes:
>
>>My hopes for minimal typos in the 5th edition have just gone way up, by
>>the
>>way - hardly anyone ever spells "Svitavsky" right, even when they're just
>>transcribing from one typed document to another.
>
>Remember, Steve Long is just drafting the manuscript. Bruce Harlick and I
>still have to go through and put in all the typos. ;)
Well, just be sure you mention Bill Smitrovski's award, OK? ;-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:54:06 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
At 05:43 PM 4/9/1999 -0500, J. Alan Easley wrote:
>The feature article at this site is on military use of non-lethal weapons.
>
>www.discover.com
While I'm betting that this overlaps a special I caught on the Discovery
Channel two weeks ago, I will go take a look at this.
I also assume you mean http://www.discovery.com (The Discovery Channel)
and not http://www.discover.com (Discover Card). :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 16:51:27 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
At 01:58 PM 4/9/1999 -0700, Filksinger wrote:
>Alternately, try this. Heroes arrive in past; see desolation. Find out that
>their arrival caused Tungusta blast, which occurred about ten minutes before
>they arrived. Heroes work hard on fixing time machine, and believe they have
>cured its destructive power.
>
>Now, destroy a city for no good reason (or a very good reason). Have heroes
>arrive in city and think they caused the damage.:)
Ewww.... and people have called *me* evil!
Just because I want to have Merry Andrew reprogram a Mechanon robot into
the world's more irresponsible practical joker.... >:-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 17:05:21 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Scaled Activation
At 04:43 PM 4/9/1999 -0400, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>I was wondering if there would be any way to make a Scaled Activation
>Limitation.
>
> For example, if you were to apply the scaled Limitation on
>+6 RSR,
>+1 would activate on a roll of -15 or less,
>+2 would activate on a roll of -14 or less,
>+3 would activate on a roll of -12 or less,
>+4 would activate on a roll of -11 or less,
>+5 would activate on a roll of -10 or less, and
>+6 would activate on a roll of -9 or less, all on the same roll.
I think you mis-used some terms there (did you mean +6 CSLs?), but if
I'm interpreting this correctly, then I don't see why not.
>Also, could you have the same Activation roll for a number of powers as a
>0 Limitation?
Certainly. Having a number of Powers that all Activate or not on the
same Roll isn't really any more or less Limiting than having them each need
a separate Roll of the dice.
I think, too, that Activation Rolls could be defined as working on some
scale other than "every use."
Already, for example, more than one published character has a Power that
uses an Activation Roll to see if a target is immune to it -- if the Roll
fails, then the target is immune. The Roll is attempted exactly once on
each target; the Power either will work on that target, and will always
work, or fails once and will never work.
Similarly, certain magical effects might have an Activation Roll to test
whether the Power will work that day or that month.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 17:08:35 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: theme villains
At 12:57 PM 4/9/1999 -0700, Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>
>>Anybody got any ideas for 'theme' villains ?
>>Villains whose crimes and m.o. all fit one theme or have a recurring motif.
>
>I've got a couple:
>
>Checkmate, a planning mastermind type who uses chess themes for everything;
>
>Hangman, who uses various rope and fiber based gimmicsk, and has a martial
>art specifically for using ropes and similar things. He managed to escape
>jail the first time he was captured with the help of a wet towel. :)
A while back someone (I think it was Derrick Thomas, one of the Hero
world's more underrated artists) who came up with the Candyman, whose
gadgets are all based on a candy theme. He even has five or six
(apparently female) robot lackeys to help him against PCs. Though
originally written for a Danger International game, I see him as more of a
Champions type....
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1999 17:32:18 -0700
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
At 04:54 PM 4/9/1999 -0700, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>At 05:43 PM 4/9/1999 -0500, J. Alan Easley wrote:
>>The feature article at this site is on military use of non-lethal weapons.
>>
>>www.discover.com
>
> While I'm betting that this overlaps a special I caught on the Discovery
>Channel two weeks ago, I will go take a look at this.
> I also assume you mean http://www.discovery.com (The Discovery Channel)
>and not http://www.discover.com (Discover Card). :-]
Please pardon my goof, everyone. http://www.discover.com is Discover
Magazine; Discover Card is at http://www.discovercard.com (I presume).
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 19:34:42 -0500
From: "J. Alan Easley" <alaneasley@email.com>
Subject: Re: Non-Lethal Weapons
> At 05:43 PM 4/9/1999 -0500, J. Alan Easley wrote:
> >The feature article at this site is on military use of non-lethal
weapons.
> >
> >www.discover.com
>
> While I'm betting that this overlaps a special I caught on the
Discovery
> Channel two weeks ago, I will go take a look at this.
> I also assume you mean http://www.discovery.com (The Discovery Channel)
> and not http://www.discover.com (Discover Card). :-]
> ---
> Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
> http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
> Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
> http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
>
There may be some overlap, I would be surprised if there weren't, but I did
mean www.discover.com which isn't the Discover Card's web site but is
instead Discover Magazine's web site. I have seen part of the special you
mentioned but have yet to catch all of it.
Alan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 20:42:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Heroes and Villians of Myth and Legend
On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Filksinger wrote:
> > > This is causing a re-examination of the entire knowledge base of
> > the Aztec culture.
> > .. . .based on what, native descendant oral tradition?
> > *L*
> > good one. . .
>
> First of all, both the Aztecs and their enemies could write. Your assumption
> that they couldn't is presumptuous.
I would liketo comment that I recently purchased the Time Life series
"Myth and Mankind" that shows Aztec (and Mayan) books. It does mention
human scarifice and reprintings of Mayan (and Aztec) codexes show the
same.
I'm not saying Tim is incorrect, but there is some hard, - period -
evidence to support execution of captives.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
------------------------------
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