Questions for Various writers...

[NMI]

In order to reduce the # of stickied topics, I am compiling some of the topics here and listing their links. I dont prune the game forums so the actual topics wont be lost.

Questions For Wayne Breaux

Questions For Carmen Bellaire

[Carl Gleba]

For Carl Gleba...

in the Phase World book the Gateland section mentions that Center has portals to Ninja & Superspies & Heroes Unlimited Earth.

Does your upcoming book mention where these might be located ? I know we'll have to buy the book for the actual answer, but just wondering if you happened to touch on this particular item.

Thanks NMI for pointed me over here

Gadrin,

I did give some details about Gateland, but I didn't got into where each of the gates goes. Its more about the protocols for coming and going and how the gates are arranged and so forth. I kind of figure you can pretty much go anywhere and I think I discuss how the prometheans do this... I think?

Carl

[Carl Gleba]

Its all explained in Armageddon Unlimited

There is a portal from Dyval to HU in Century Station and that's all I'll say.

Carl

[NMI]

But is the book already released? The Palladium website indicates the book is in "pre-order" status.......

no, it is not released yet.

[Carl Gleba]

But is the book already released? The Palladium website indicates the book is in "pre-order" status.......

Pre-order just means at this point Palladium will take orders for the book and will send it to you when its released. Check out the latest Press Release for what's due to be released in the coming months. These are at least Palladium's "target dates".

Carl

[Stone Gargoyle]

Its all explained in Armageddon Unlimited

There is a portal from Dyval to HU in Century Station and that's all I'll say.

Carl

That's really cool. KInda like a stable wormhole to hell.

[Kovoston]

Its all explained in Armageddon Unlimited

There is a portal from Dyval to HU in Century Station and that's all I'll say.

Carl

Nice teaser Carl... (He he!) ! I'm looking forward to getting that book too!

[rbm10101]

Its all explained in Armageddon Unlimited

There is a portal from Dyval to HU in Century Station and that's all I'll say.

Carl

Nice teaser Carl... (He he!) ! I'm looking forward to getting that book too!

got arm unlimited but not seeing what page it list the portal
odd.

[Carl Gleba]

Its all explained in Armageddon Unlimited

There is a portal from Dyval to HU in Century Station and that's all I'll say.

Carl

Nice teaser Carl... (He he!) ! I'm looking forward to getting that book too!

got arm unlimited but not seeing what page it list the portal
odd.

Due to an editing change it just states a portal to Dyval is in Century Station. I don't know about you,. but in my game it was one of those hidden things in the Church of Unity CS building. there is also one that can be opened on vilde's island.

[AlanGunhouse]

Carl, I had a question about the "Heroic Hellion" Class. Can a member of the Deevil Host be a member of that class? Something like a Shock Dragon perhaps?

[Carl Gleba]

Carl, I had a question about the "Heroic Hellion" Class. Can a member of the Deevil Host be a member of that class? Something like a Shock Dragon perhaps?

Ultimately up to the GM, but I'd probably allow it in one of my games.

Good question

[AlanGunhouse]

I have a complicated and technical question, for any and all Writers who are involved with such things but Carl in particular (since it involved the background of a Corrupted Good hero).

Namely, can third party pacts exist?

In specific, I was wondering if Demon Lord A wanted to, could they use a previously created but unsigned pact of Devil Lord B and, acting in the form and under the common name of that Devil Lord, have the pact signed by the human and count as being with the Devil Lord rather than the Demon Lord?

The matter should not come up very often...the specific situation is very unique. I simply wanted to know if it could be done at all.

[Carl Gleba]

I have a complicated and technical question, for any and all Writers who are involved with such things but Carl in particular (since it involved the background of a Corrupted Good hero).

Namely, can third party pacts exist?

In specific, I was wondering if Demon Lord A wanted to, could they use a previously created but unsigned pact of Devil Lord B and, acting in the form and under the common name of that Devil Lord, have the pact signed by the human and count as being with the Devil Lord rather than the Demon Lord?

The matter should not come up very often...the specific situation is very unique. I simply wanted to know if it could be done at all.

This is why all lawyers go to hell

I'm sure there are many cases where people made pacts not knowing who they were dealing with. Could it happen, sure probably. The thing is you are dealing with beings who are supremely arrogant and they take the greatest pleasure in corrupting the minions of the other team and they would do it openly to demonstrate their superiority. In a demon/deevils mind they are far superior, so why should they hide?

[AlanGunhouse]

Why...well it is a very specific situation. Assume Abdul-Ra decided to free Rhana from her imprisonment, but also decided that no demon (possibly not even an entire army of them) could make it that far into Dyval. It might be, however, that the forces of Dyval might not react to someone who is linked to those same forces by a pact. So, if he could create a link to Rhana by pacting a human to her to grant the human power, that human might possibly have an easier time making through Dyval and freeing Rhana...especially if he was guided by Rhana's Fenry.

The Question was not could the human be fooled, but could the pact be transferred? Could Abdul-Ra, acting as Rhana, actually make a human who would be considered Empowered by a Deevil, or would only a human empowered by a Demon be possible?

[Carl Gleba]

Why...well it is a very specific situation. Assume Abdul-Ra decided to free Rhana from her imprisonment, but also decided that no demon (possibly not even an entire army of them) could make it that far into Dyval. It might be, however, that the forces of Dyval might not react to someone who is linked to those same forces by a pact. So, if he could create a link to Rhana by pacting a human to her to grant the human power, that human might possibly have an easier time making through Dyval and freeing Rhana...especially if he was guided by Rhana's Fenry.

The Question was not could the human be fooled, but could the pact be transferred? Could Abdul-Ra, acting as Rhana, actually make a human who would be considered Empowered by a Deevil, or would only a human empowered by a Demon be possible?

Ok, didn't get that from your first post. I don't think so. I can see agents of a particular demon/deevil lord acting on behalf of their lord, but no i can't see one lord transferring a pact to another. That's not to say it can't be done, but that I leave up to each GM. If that works in your game go for it.

On a side note I can Abdul-Ra sending his agents to help Rhada, her followers, or even adventurers trying to venture into the depths of Dyval. He might even make his own pacts with conditions that the pact maker has to help free Rhada in some capacity.

[AlanGunhouse]

Yes, my first post was intentionally unspecific...which made it too easy to misunderstand. Not being the GM of the game the character is in, I was wondering whether this fantastic background I was working on was even possible. I decided I should ask an expert, the designer of the class being high on that list

I did switch down to it being a "One Favor" pact with Abdul-Ra, with the favor in question being freeing Rhana. As the character said, "It is a win-win for the demon lord, if the mission fails he gets the soul, if it succeeds he gets what he wants."

[Carl Gleba]

Yes, my first post was intentionally unspecific...which made it too easy to misunderstand. Not being the GM of the game the character is in, I was wondering whether this fantastic background I was working on was even possible. I decided I should ask an expert, the designer of the class being high on that list

I did switch down to it being a "One Favor" pact with Abdul-Ra, with the favor in question being freeing Rhana. As the character said, "It is a win-win for the demon lord, if the mission fails he gets the soul, if it succeeds he gets what he wants."

Yes a boon is very likey. Say some spell of legend, forbidden knowledge or some other tempting item as a reward.

[AlanGunhouse]

Had another question for you...what effect would milk of power have on a mutant who already has super powers?

[Carl Gleba]

Had another question for you...what effect would milk of power have on a mutant who already has super powers?

Yes it will with all the same effects/penalties. Check out permanent power on page 81.

[AlanGunhouse]

Thank you...I had this idea for a minor mutant character who had a power and did not know it and was then chosen to receive the milk...the version that grants minor powers not the permanent one...as something in a campaign I am setting up. I just was not sure if it would work as planned.

[AlanGunhouse]

I was discussing with a friend a character they created for the Hardware class, and it was pointed out that if the character STARTS as a Hardware: Weapons character and then learns Hardware: Analytical as a second specialization, that the character thus generated is far better overall then if they start as Hardaware: Analytical and then takes Hardware: Weapons as a second specialization.

To me, as an outside observer, this makes no sense. A character created with two specializations should be the same either way you create it.

So tell me, if anyone knows the official answer, what do you lose when you combine two hardware classes total? Is it only what the first class you took would lose...or what would be lost by each class?

Importantly, if one of the classes is Analytical, would you roll for education (I would think not, since Analytical does not, but thew other player was arguing otherwise)?

Sub question I just thought of: do you get the budget for both classes, the budget for only the bigger budget class, or the budget for the class you start from? If the last, it might make sense to place more limits on the class with the higher starting budget, so that you are less likely to start from it...

[NMI]

I was discussing with a friend a character they created for the Hardware class, and it was pointed out that if the character STARTS as a Hardware: Weapons character and then learns Hardware: Analytical as a second specialization, that the character thus generated is far better overall then if they start as Hardaware: Analytical and then takes Hardware: Weapons as a second specialization.

To me, as an outside observer, this makes no sense. A character created with two specializations should be the same either way you create it.

So tell me, if anyone knows the official answer, what do you lose when you combine two hardware classes total? Is it only what the first class you took would lose...or what would be lost by each class?

Importantly, if one of the classes is Analytical, would you roll for education (I would think not, since Analytical does not, but thew other player was arguing otherwise)?

Sub question I just thought of: do you get the budget for both classes, the budget for only the bigger budget class, or the budget for the class you start from? If the last, it might make sense to place more limits on the class with the higher starting budget, so that you are less likely to start from it...

With the primary 3 Hardware Classes, you must roll for a level of education. However with Hardware Analytical, you do not roll for education, so in a way, you could not go from Weapons to Analytical.

[AlanGunhouse]

That one is what I thought also. It still leaves open the Weapon Specialist learning Mechanics having many more attacks a round than a mechanic learning the weapon specialist...but if you only get the budget for your first class that would compensate...you would have the choice of more toys or better combat

[Pepsi Jedi]

I was discussing with a friend a character they created for the Hardware class, and it was pointed out that if the character STARTS as a Hardware: Weapons character and then learns Hardware: Analytical as a second specialization, that the character thus generated is far better overall then if they start as Hardaware: Analytical and then takes Hardware: Weapons as a second specialization.

To me, as an outside observer, this makes no sense. A character created with two specializations should be the same either way you create it.

So tell me, if anyone knows the official answer, what do you lose when you combine two hardware classes total? Is it only what the first class you took would lose...or what would be lost by each class?

Importantly, if one of the classes is Analytical, would you roll for education (I would think not, since Analytical does not, but thew other player was arguing otherwise)?

Sub question I just thought of: do you get the budget for both classes, the budget for only the bigger budget class, or the budget for the class you start from? If the last, it might make sense to place more limits on the class with the higher starting budget, so that you are less likely to start from it...

With the primary 3 Hardware Classes, you must roll for a level of education. However with Hardware Analytical, you do not roll for education, so in a way, you could not go from Weapons to Analytical.

I think, that's actually what they're hitting on. If you take Weapons first, Take all the stuff that comes with it, and roll on the education table. For sake of arguement, lets say you roll the big one, Doctorate level.

You lose one skill program,

So you have 3 MORE skill programs to pick and 10 secondary skills.

You choose all those.

THEN you sacrifice 4 wps (( Easily made up with the 10 seconary skills or even WP skill programs)) and half the bonous to those

Add on Annalytical

you get 20 more skills, which can be cross referenced with your weapons skills, so you don't choose those 20 skills when you're figuring out your three skill programs and "6" secondary skills.

THEN you get ANOTHER skill program of choice (( making up for the one you lost when you chose hardware as a catagory)) And 6 MORE secondary skills (( More than thhe 4 you lost))

So you end up with, Hardware Weapons, Hardware Analytical, the 20 special skills from Analytica. 12 secondary skills, and 4 full skill programs.

All you've 'sacrificed" is half of the bonous' on the weapons stuff, and 4 wp (( which can come out of secondary skills. That's already included in the math above.))

It's purposefuly twinking the mechanics. I wouldn't allow it as a GM, but -----------------technically----------------- breaking the spirit of the class on purpose and just going by words on the page. You "Could" do it.

Drop 4 more secondary skills (( taking it to just eight)) and you can tack on one of the super martial arts from N&SS.

[Damian Magecraft]

I was discussing with a friend a character they created for the Hardware class, and it was pointed out that if the character STARTS as a Hardware: Weapons character and then learns Hardware: Analytical as a second specialization, that the character thus generated is far better overall then if they start as Hardaware: Analytical and then takes Hardware: Weapons as a second specialization.

To me, as an outside observer, this makes no sense. A character created with two specializations should be the same either way you create it.

So tell me, if anyone knows the official answer, what do you lose when you combine two hardware classes total? Is it only what the first class you took would lose...or what would be lost by each class?

Importantly, if one of the classes is Analytical, would you roll for education (I would think not, since Analytical does not, but thew other player was arguing otherwise)?

Sub question I just thought of: do you get the budget for both classes, the budget for only the bigger budget class, or the budget for the class you start from? If the last, it might make sense to place more limits on the class with the higher starting budget, so that you are less likely to start from it...

With the primary 3 Hardware Classes, you must roll for a level of education. However with Hardware Analytical, you do not roll for education, so in a way, you could not go from Weapons to Analytical.

I think, that's actually what they're hitting on. If you take Weapons first, Take all the stuff that comes with it, and roll on the education table. For sake of arguement, lets say you roll the big one, Doctorate level.

You lose one skill program,

So you have 3 MORE skill programs to pick and 10 secondary skills.

You choose all those.

THEN you sacrifice 4 wps (( Easily made up with the 10 seconary skills or even WP skill programs)) and half the bonous to those

Add on Annalytical

you get 20 more skills, which can be cross referenced with your weapons skills, so you don't choose those 20 skills when you're figuring out your three skill programs and "6" secondary skills.

THEN you get ANOTHER skill program of choice (( making up for the one you lost when you chose hardware as a catagory)) And 6 MORE secondary skills (( More than thhe 4 you lost))

So you end up with, Hardware Weapons, Hardware Analytical, the 20 special skills from Analytica. 12 secondary skills, and 4 full skill programs.

All you've 'sacrificed" is half of the bonous' on the weapons stuff, and 4 wp (( which can come out of secondary skills. That's already included in the math above.))

It's purposefuly twinking the mechanics. I wouldn't allow it as a GM, but -----------------technically----------------- breaking the spirit of the class on purpose and just going by words on the page. You "Could" do it.

Drop 4 more secondary skills (( taking it to just eight)) and you can tack on one of the super martial arts from N&SS.

isnt there also a loss of APM when taking a second hardware class?

[AlanGunhouse]

Oddly, you do not lose APM if you start from the Hardware: Weapons class like you do from any other hardware class.

[Damian Magecraft]

Oddly, you do not lose APM if you start from the Hardware: Weapons class like you do from any other hardware class.

while i can see the sense of that in one respect...
but in another respect it makes no sense at all.

[AlanGunhouse]

I quite agree, that was why I asked the question in the first place...

[NMI]

I made a mutant with 5 minor abilities, just had a quick question.
Can you use dispersal, and transfixing gaze/or shadow trap, in any kind of combo?

Well, if you are "Dispersed" then you have no form/body for someone to be be transfixed on. You have no shadow, so I dont think you would be able to use shadow trap while dispersed unless shadow trap allows you to use any shadows.

[Dobergirl]

Many questions about hardware analytical!

IF I have Harware Analytical and want to give them also Hardware Mechanical, do I get to build stuff using the Mechanical budget table instead of the Analytical and will the designs be more polished instead of the grunged looks analytical would otherwise have or will they still remain "bad looking"? Will they have sponsoring organization or do I just get the skills from Mechanical and none of the other bonuses, in which case wouldn't that make the whole "dual spec" kinda pointless since they'd be able to do all that already but without the extra polish?

Does the halving only go to Analytical skill tree or also the ones in Mechanical? If my character has no melee fighting, as in two attacks only, his attack gets reduced to one, right? And the next time he'd get attack it gets minused since he must pay the toll of -3 attacks, untill when he'd have 6 attacks, he'll have 3, right?

[gaby]

To Wayne Breaux

What is the smallest FTL Engine in Aliens Unlimited/Galaxy guide that can fit on Fighters and Shuttles?

What is the Bigest FLT engine?

What size the Ship need to be to fit it?

[Boethermsbrukan]

Hoping this isn't too much of a huge bump:

I don't know who in particular I should address this to, but I assume Wayne would've had a big chunk of the creative input in HU 2nd Edition judging by the foreword, so I'll give it a go. Is the 'no two simultaneous Physical Powers' rule intended to be a final and enforced restriction in Heroes Unlimited for any given PC? This has been bugging me since getting my copy of the 2nd Ed. rulebook when it originally came out (of course, that was a while ago) because my first and only long-time-running superhero PC (who I admit was not initially built for HU, but ended up there) would, if in Heroes Unlimited's universe, require either two or three Physical powers working simultaneously to wind up the way I designed him (he dates back to about 1991 as he is now).

I wasn't especially familiar with HU until buying my copy of the 2nd. Ed. book (I knew it was a superheroics setting like Champions or Marvel Super Heroes) so I don't know if the 'no simultaneous Physical powers' rule was in place in the Revised 1st Ed. (I don't own a copy but got to read one a couple of times briefly around 1991). I know that Kevin's always been keen on the belief that 'The rules should never be a straitjacket; if something doesn't work for your group, change or ignore it'. I just thought if the aforementioned restriction might've had a very particular purpose in gameplay or game balance, I should ask about it, since I've got the chance.

Thanks for listening!

-Boe.