[V&V] Heightened Expertise Table

[baldingfatman]

I've got a couple of ideas for the Heightened Expertise table and wanted some feedback.

1. I want to alter the table so that it favors the middle rather than lowest result. So:

01 - 30 : The character is an expert with one weapon.
31 - 90 : The character is an expert with a group of weapons.
91 - 00 : The character is an expert with all weapons.

2) I'd like to apply the table to other powers. This would not apply to every power (I doubt I'd use it with a Heightened attribute power), but would apply to ones with a potential sliding scale. Example:

Regeneration:

01 - 30 : Rapid Healing: The character heals damage at his Healing Rate per turn rather than per night (this is the power as written in the rulebook), but cannot regrow lost limbs or destroyed organ systems.

31 - 90 : Regeneration True: As Rapid Healing, but the character can regrow lost limbs and destroyed organ systems.

91 - 00 : Self-Revivication: As Regeneration True. Additionally, when the character is reduced to 0 HPs and Power, he does not die. Instead, he enters a death-like coma. He heals at his normal rate while in this state. He regains consciousness when his hit point total is restored to full.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[bishoplogan]

I've got a couple of ideas for the Heightened Expertise table and wanted some feedback.

1. I want to alter the table so that it favors the middle rather than lowest result. So:

01 - 30 : The character is an expert with one weapon.
31 - 90 : The character is an expert with a group of weapons.
91 - 00 : The character is an expert with all weapons.

2) I'd like to apply the table to other powers. This would not apply to every power (I doubt I'd use it with a Heightened attribute power), but would apply to ones with a potential sliding scale. Example:

Regeneration:

01 - 30 : Rapid Healing: The character heals damage at his Healing Rate per turn rather than per night (this is the power as written in the rulebook), but cannot regrow lost limbs or destroyed organ systems.

31 - 90 : Regeneration True: As Rapid Healing, but the character can regrow lost limbs and destroyed organ systems.

91 - 00 : Self-Revivication: As Regeneration True. Additionally, when the character is reduced to 0 HPs and Power, he does not die. Instead, he enters a death-like coma. He heals at his normal rate while in this state. He regains consciousness when his hit point total is restored to full.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I really like the regeneration idea.
the h.exp is ok.
there were some other ideas for it from the old site that you might like.
when I get home I'll see if I still have them.

[AnotherSKip]

I think that my position is mix and match the rules with the concepts.

good one on the mixing idea

hm..... scary thought: revivification concept with the Magnetism rules

[Justice]

I like the Ht. Expertise a lot because it increases the scope and matches the comics - usually it IS a group of weapons.

But the Regeneration as presented changes the level of power instead of "increasing the scope" and thus I would handle that differently.

Or in other words, being able to use a sword or a flail or a mace as opposed to just a sword really doesn't change much in gameplay. It just gives the PC a few more reasonable options of what to smack you with. You can't use them all at once.

But going from "I get better much faster than the average Joe" to "I can raise from the dead in mere minutes after limbs have been hacked off" really is a whole different power level.

In such cases, I favor the "multiple doses" of the same power to grant greater and more fantastic abilities. What do you do with Regeneration times 2? Just double the HP returned? If its THAT fast, what does that imply?

You see what I mean, I hope.

"Wider" skills or abilities can be randomly rolled for and creatively dealt with.

"Taller" or "Stronger" skills or abilities impact everything the character does, the threat level the GM tosses at them, their effectiveness in combat and even what they can survive. That should be handled by "stacking" such abilities or powers IMXO. (In my experienced opinion ;) )

[Imaginos]

Here are some of my ideas on similar powers:

Heightened Attack
A character with this power becomes more effective in combat as they
rise in level. This one can get out of hand as the character gains levels.
To determine what area the character increases in, roll
on the following table:

Die Roll Result
1-45 +1 Accuracy per level
46-90 +1 Damage per level
91-00 +1 Accuracy and Damage per level

Revivication / Healing
This power allows the character to heal and/or restore life to an
individual. To determine the extent of this power, roll on the
following table:

Die Roll Result
1-18 Healing
19 Revivication
20 Healing and Revivication

If a character has healing, then for every 5 PR they use, a recipient
is healed an amount of hit points equal to their Healing Rate. This can
be used by the character to heal themselves. For example, Medicine Man
is healing Bruiser. Medicine Man uses 5 PR to heal Bruiser, who has a
healing rate of 7. This heals Bruiser of 7 hit points.

[baldingfatman]

In such cases, I favor the "multiple doses" of the same power to grant greater and more fantastic abilities. What do you do with Regeneration times 2? Just double the HP returned? If its THAT fast, what does that imply?

You see what I mean, I hope.
I do see what you mean and I was hesitant at first to include self-revivication.

Initially, I was listing it as a bonus ability (something you can get for multiple doses of a power), but I spent some time thinking about how I have seen regeneration depicted in the comics and other speculative adventure stories and, while it is not common to all regenerators, it is not entirely rare for them to be able to come back from death either. For those characters who have it, it doesn't feel to me like a tacked on extra ability or something that must be represented by multiple doses.

I like the Ht. Expertise a lot because it increases the scope and matches the comics - usually it IS a group of weapons.

But the Regeneration as presented changes the level of power instead of "increasing the scope" and thus I would handle that differently.

Or in other words, being able to use a sword or a flail or a mace as opposed to just a sword really doesn't change much in gameplay.

"Taller" or "Stronger" skills or abilities impact everything the character does, the threat level the GM tosses at them, their effectiveness in combat
I'm not sure I see as much distinction between "scope" and "level of power" as you do.

If you're playing Archer Guy and the GM has Villain Dude steal his bow, AG's pretty much screwed. On the other hand, if Villain Dude steals the preferred weapons of Omni-Competent Weapons Guy, OCWG's +4 to hit with all weapons means that he can still (potentially) take out Villain Dude even if he's armed with nothing more than a spork.

I'd call that something that changes gameplay, the threat level the GM is going to throw at you, the character's effectiveness in combat, etc.

Here are some of my ideas on similar powers:

Heightened Attack

I use Heightened Attack mostly the way it is written in the rules, with two exceptions:

1. A new character starts out with a +4 bonus. The bonus doesn't increase until the character reaches 5th level (so the power still functions at +1 per level, but the charcater starts out slightly ahead to make the power useful at lower levels).

2. The power does not automatically apply to all attacks. The (modified( Heightened Expertise table applies:

01 - 30 : Heightened attack with one weapon or attack.
31 - 90 : Heightened attack with one group of weapons or attacks.
91 - 00 : Heightened attack with all attacks.

Revivication / Healing
I like your take on Healing. I was originally using a different mechanic, but basing the rate of damage healed on the target's healing rate is a nice take on the power.

[hidufel]

I've got a couple of ideas for the Heightened Expertise table and wanted some feedback.

1. I want to alter the table so that it favors the middle rather than lowest result. So:

01 - 30 : The character is an expert with one weapon.
31 - 90 : The character is an expert with a group of weapons.
91 - 00 : The character is an expert with all weapons.

2) I'd like to apply the table to other powers. This would not apply to every power (I doubt I'd use it with a Heightened attribute power), but would apply to ones with a potential sliding scale. Example:
I always felt the weight towards one weapon a bit restrictive, especially for a super power. I like this better.


Regeneration:

01 - 30 : Rapid Healing: The character heals damage at his Healing Rate per turn rather than per night (this is the power as written in the rulebook), but cannot regrow lost limbs or destroyed organ systems.

31 - 90 : Regeneration True: As Rapid Healing, but the character can regrow lost limbs and destroyed organ systems.

91 - 00 : Self-Revivication: As Regeneration True. Additionally, when the character is reduced to 0 HPs and Power, he does not die. Instead, he enters a death-like coma. He heals at his normal rate while in this state. He regains consciousness when his hit point total is restored to full.

Thoughts? Suggestions?
i dont see in the rule book how normal regeneration prohibits regrowing limbs and organs?Regeneration:

The character can heal per turn rather than per night. Up to one ac¬tion may be spent per turn to regenerate, enabling the character to re¬gain his full Healing Rate in that phase. There will always be some type of damage (GM and character choose what type) that a character is un¬able to regenerate: keep track of the number of hit points of damage of that type that the character suffers and use the normal healing pro¬cedure to regain them.
An unconscious character may regenerate, but does so in place of his normal chance to wake up that turn.
An incapacitated character regenerates automatically between-turns, becoming merely unconscious once all of his hit points are regained.
usually, when the game talks about damage its types... as in ice... flame... disintigration. IE when regenlad takes 20 points disintigration damage, he cant regenerate that with the power... but all other types ha can. I always took that as a sort of control, or at least emulating that almost every single comic character has at least one thing hes vulnerable too, or something that is just hard to snap back from.

[baldingfatman]

i dont see in the rule book how normal regeneration prohibits regrowing limbs and organs?
It doesn't. In fact, it doesn't say anything one way or the other about regenerating limbs and organs, it only talks about hit point damage (so I guess it's up to the individual GM whether the power can do it or not).

I wrote it up this way just to give the power a little more variability and because there are some characters in comics, sci-fi, etc. whose healing abilities are a little more limited than others (at least there were before Wolverine became so popular and now every character and his brother has a healing factor than can cope with pretty much any injury thrown its way).

usually, when the game talks about damage its types... as in ice... flame... disintigration. IE when regenlad takes 20 points disintigration damage, he cant regenerate that with the power... but all other types ha can. I always took that as a sort of control, or at least emulating that almost every single comic character has at least one thing hes vulnerable too, or something that is just hard to snap back from.
I never liked that automatic vulnerability. It seems like it's there more as a play balance issue than because it accurately reflects the super-hero comics. I can't think of any regenerators off the top of my head who have this weakness ("Oh no! Wolverine's been hit by an ice ball, the one thing his regeneration power cannot cope with!").

If a player rolls Vulnerability for the character's weakness and wants to take this, that's fine, but otherwise I don't require it.

I also don't require most character's to spend an action to heal. Again, it seems like it was a play balance issue more than an accurate reflection of how the power is portrayed in the comics.

If a character's Regeneration is supposed to represent a psychic healing discipline, okay it makes sense to require an action, but if it's a purely physical power then no (I don't recall Wolverine every pausing in combat to say, "That stung! Hold on a minute while I trigger my healing factor to deal with it.").

[Food Eater Lad]

I like the Ht. Expertise a lot because it increases the scope and matches the comics - usually it IS a group of weapons.

But the Regeneration as presented changes the level of power instead of "increasing the scope" and thus I would handle that differently.

Or in other words, being able to use a sword or a flail or a mace as opposed to just a sword really doesn't change much in gameplay. It just gives the PC a few more reasonable options of what to smack you with. You can't use them all at once.

But going from "I get better much faster than the average Joe" to "I can raise from the dead in mere minutes after limbs have been hacked off" really is a whole different power level.

In such cases, I favor the "multiple doses" of the same power to grant greater and more fantastic abilities. What do you do with Regeneration times 2? Just double the HP returned? If its THAT fast, what does that imply?

You see what I mean, I hope.

"Wider" skills or abilities can be randomly rolled for and creatively dealt with.

"Taller" or "Stronger" skills or abilities impact everything the character does, the threat level the GM tosses at them, their effectiveness in combat and even what they can survive. That should be handled by "stacking" such abilities or powers IMXO. (In my experienced opinion ;) )

I agree with you. An extra dose of a power should be the thing that increases it, or giving up a power to increase one you want to keep.

[hidufel]

It doesn't. In fact, it doesn't say anything one way or the other about regenerating limbs and organs, it only talks about hit point damage (so I guess it's up to the individual GM whether the power can do it or not).

I wrote it up this way just to give the power a little more variability and because there are some characters in comics, sci-fi, etc. whose healing abilities are a little more limited than others (at least there were before Wolverine became so popular and now every character and his brother has a healing factor than can cope with pretty much any injury thrown its way).


I never liked that automatic vulnerability. It seems like it's there more as a play balance issue than because it accurately reflects the super-hero comics. I can't think of any regenerators off the top of my head who have this weakness ("Oh no! Wolverine's been hit by an ice ball, the one thing his regeneration power cannot cope with!").

If a player rolls Vulnerability for the character's weakness and wants to take this, that's fine, but otherwise I don't require it.

I also don't require most character's to spend an action to heal. Again, it seems like it was a play balance issue more than an accurate reflection of how the power is portrayed in the comics.

If a character's Regeneration is supposed to represent a psychic healing discipline, okay it makes sense to require an action, but if it's a purely physical power then no (I don't recall Wolverine every pausing in combat to say, "That stung! Hold on a minute while I trigger my healing factor to deal with it.").
Ahh mi understand now. i think i can see your way proving to make it intersting. making the flat our regeneration rare as well. could work in the right setting. THe times ive seen it in our ftf game, it hasnt ever really been an issue.

[bishoplogan]

I never liked that automatic vulnerability. It seems like it's there more as a play balance issue than because it accurately reflects the super-hero comics. I can't think of any regenerators off the top of my head who have this weakness ("Oh no! Wolverine's been hit by an ice ball, the one thing his regeneration power cannot cope with!").

I also don't require most character's to spend an action to heal. Again, it seems like it was a play balance issue more than an accurate reflection of how the power is portrayed in the comics.

If a character's Regeneration is supposed to represent a psychic healing discipline, okay it makes sense to require an action, but if it's a purely physical power then no (I don't recall Wolverine every pausing in combat to say, "That stung! Hold on a minute while I trigger my healing factor to deal with it."). well for wolverine its poison.and if he takes a significant amount of damage he does bow out of the fight for abit to regen.




I use Heightened Attack mostly the way it is written in the rules, with two exceptions:

1. A new character starts out with a +4 bonus. The bonus doesn't increase until the character reaches 5th level (so the power still functions at +1 per level, but the charcater starts out slightly ahead to make the power useful at lower levels).

2. The power does not automatically apply to all attacks. The (modified( Heightened Expertise table applies:

01 - 30 : Heightened attack with one weapon or attack.
31 - 90 : Heightened attack with one group of weapons or attacks.
91 - 00 : Heightened attack with all attacks.


i like your take on h.att. rolling on that table makes it balanced:shoot:

[baldingfatman]

Ahh mi understand now. i think i can see your way proving to make it intersting. making the flat our regeneration rare as well. could work in the right setting. THe times ive seen it in our ftf game, it hasnt ever really been an issue.
It's never actually been an issue in any game I've ever played in either (lost limbs and character death are both pretty rare =).

[baldingfatman]

well for wolverine its poison.and if he takes a significant amount of damage he does bow out of the fight for abit to regen.

I wouldn't say he's vulnerable to poison. In fact, in one of the issues shortly after Rogue joined the team, the entire team is poisoned and nearly dies. Wolvie goes unconscious but he's up on his feet and back in action well before anyone else, which he attributes to the benefits of his healing factor. That doesn't sound like his regen is ineffective against poison to me.

And, yeah, if he takes enough damage he might bow out of a fight to recuperate (because he's simply taking more hp damage per turn than he's healing), but he begins healing from the moment he gets struck the first blow, while he's still in the thick of the attack. He doesn't have to use an action to activate his healing power, it kicks in all by itself, let alone spend an action each turn to continue healing.

[hidufel]

It's never actually been an issue in any game I've ever played in either (lost limbs and character death are both pretty rare =).

actually i was referring to the specific type of damage that cant be regenerated. Ive never seen it come up, on the few characters we've had with it. (and as a side note... yeah lost limbs and character death are also both pretty rare in our game. unless the gm flings the character into a lake of 5000 degree molten magma. kinda hard to live through that. =0) )

[baldingfatman]

actually i was referring to the specific type of damage that cant be regenerated. Ive never seen it come up, on the few characters we've had with it.
Oh, okay. Yeah that's never really come up in our games either.

Actually, now that I think about it, I can't really think of too many player characters in any of the games I have played in or ran as a GM who had regeneration. It just wasn't a very popular power with my gaming group.

(and as a side note... yeah lost limbs and character death are also both pretty rare in our game. unless the gm flings the character into a lake of 5000 degree molten magma. kinda hard to live through that. =0) )
Uh, yep, that would require at least 2 doses of Regeneration. :D

[AnotherSKip]

Or regneration + Adaption

:)

[bishoplogan]

Or regneration + Adaption

:)
i had a character like that:

RELENTLESS
regen
adaption
willpower
speed bo +80
H.agil(a) +12

he was an ex olympic runner now Canadian Mounty(i know wolvie)
but i did roll all that from background

[bishoplogan]

has anyone used these charts yet(besides BFM)?

[Imaginos]

I've used the charts I posted. *shrug*