Forums of the Megaverse®

I know what the rules says, but I want to know what you say!

I was rolling up a random character. I got two minor powers. The First was Frequency Absorbtion. The second was Linguistics. I know Linquistics explicitly states "does not apply to radio, televisions, or other types of transmissions, nor audio, film or videotape recordings" . . . but that kinda sucks! I'm imagining the guy as the ultimate code cracker, combining the two abilities into something really cool.

So if you were my GM and I asked you nicely what would you say.

If you randomly rolled those two, yeah I'd let you, because.. in the grand scheme of things.. those powers are not what you'd call ground breaking or world shaking. I'd toss you a bone and let you modify it to be useful.

I would totally allow this combination. It's interesting and unique, and I like it when players get powers and combine them for new effects.

However, I would rule that it takes twice as long to learn from the electronic signals than normal as the book states you can't do it. But with Frequency Absorption, I don't see a reason why you couldn't learn with some trouble.

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't combine them, it's an artificial distinction to try and divorce what in the end is all just a different form of communication anyway. If you can perceive it you should be able to learn how to translate it and communicate it in it somehow.

Toss in Bookwyrm and EO IQ

toss out bookworm and throw in multi-tasking so you can learn multiple languages from multiple sources at once.

Linguistics, Frequency Absorption, EO IQ, Bookworm and Multi-Tasking - 5 minors BOOK LEGAL

So I wrote up the character. Went with a Ninja's & Superspies Free Agent. I determined that his specialty is an outside specialist generally used to find moles. So he took the following skill programs: Security Specialist, Intellegence Gathering, Deep Cover, Computer Hacking, Locksmith, Guerilla Warfare. Finally I rolled up my last two powers. Extraordinary Physical Strength & Healing Factor. I probably would have ended up with a different character if I had rolled thoes two first. . . but you know I kinda like it this way to. Nothing like when that pencil pushing desk jocky can toss you across the room.


Code Breaker

“If there is a mole in your organization, I'll find it”

Real Name: Roger Andrel
Aliases: Code Breaker
Experience Level: 1
Power Category: Free Agent [Mutant]
Alignment: Aberant
Attributes: IQ: 22 ME: 21 MA: 20 PS: 28 PP: 15 PE: 23 PB: 15 SPD: 25 [Note: House Rule has people rolling higher than average attributes]
Hit Points: 42, S.D.C.: 60
Age: 28, Sex: Male, Height: 6', Weight: 170 [Note: The characters PS is from his powers not his physical build]
Appearance: Fairly attractive young adult. Short black hair. Well dressed and well groomed.

Education Level: Special Training
Skill Programs: Security Specialist, Intellegence Gathering, Deep Cover, Computer Hacking, Locksmith, Guerilla Warfare
Skills: Cryptography: +20, Laser Communications: +5, Microfilm: +10, Microwave: +5, Radio Basic: +15, Radio: Scramblers: +10, Disguise: +20, Escape Artist: +15, Forgery: +15, Imitate Voices: 98, Impersonation: +15, Photography: +10, Boxing, Prowl, Electronic Counter Measures: +10, Interrogation: +10, Optic Systems: +10, Read Sensory Equipment: +15, Surveillance Systems: +20, T.V/Video: +10, Computer Operation: +15, Computer Network: +20, Computer Programing: +20, Computer Repair: +5, Math Basic: +10, Super Computers: +20, Demolitions: +10, Demolitions, Disposal: +5, Locksmith: +20, Mechanical Engineering: +10, Pick Locks: +20, Safe-Cracking: +6, Detect Ambush: +15, Detect Concealment: +15, Land Navigation: +10, Sniper, Wilderness Survival: +15, Running, Pilot: Automobile, First Aid, Swimming, Research, Writing, Arabic: +25, German +25, Spanish +25, Chinese +25, Japanese +25, French +25

W.P. Skills: Pistol, Rifle, Sub Machine Gun, Knives, Paired Weapons
Combat Style: HTH Expert
Combat Abilities:
Combat Bonuses: Damage: +13, Strike: +0, Parry: +2, Dodge: +2

Other Bonuses: Save vs Coma: +63, Save vs Magic: +7, Save vs Poison: +10, Save vs Psionics: +3

Cyber Disguises: Larnyx Manipulator, Silicon Fingertips

Cause of the Mutation: Genetic Aberration
Mutant Characteristics: None
Minor Super Abilities: Freqency Absorption, Linguistics, Extraordinary Physical Strength, Healing Factor

Mr. Deific NMI wrote:Linguistics, Frequency Absorption, EO IQ, Bookworm and Multi-Tasking - 5 minors BOOK LEGAL

Oh yeah? Book legal 6 minors:

Linguistics
Frequency Absorption
EO IQ
Bookworm
Multi-Tasking
Speed Tasking

Now you can learn all those languages from any source - and all of them at the same time - in half the time it would normally take.

Of course, this wouldn't necessarily be a character to play in a campaign. But it's still fun to put him together!

Severus Snape wrote:

Mr. Deific NMI wrote:Linguistics, Frequency Absorption, EO IQ, Bookworm and Multi-Tasking - 5 minors BOOK LEGAL

Oh yeah? Book legal 6 minors:

Linguistics
Frequency Absorption
EO IQ
Bookworm
Multi-Tasking
Speed Tasking

Now you can learn all those languages from any source - and all of them at the same time - in half the time it would normally take.

Of course, this wouldn't necessarily be a character to play in a campaign. But it's still fun to put him together!

Sounds like a quite useful character, particularly since with suitable skills and stats they can really go for the long haul (particularly since Multi-Tasking can be used for everything like extra combat actions/attacks).

I abstain from voting on the grounds that the results of this poll could be used to rules lawyer a GM. If your GM doesn't want to allow it, and you've made a sound argument, then let it go. It's his game as much as yours and he's there to have fun too. Throwing a monkey wrench in the works of what he's got up his sleeve is not going to add to the fun..

In my game? yeah probably, but I've been GMing for 25 years, so...

Eh.... If I randomly rolled those powers... I'd probably make a new char. Can that char be useful? Sure. in special situations. And is there something to be said about trying weird combos or weaker chars? sure. I'm very anti twink myself.

All that being said.. rolling those two powers.. in a Super hero game? Wouldn't be very FUN for me. If I'm playing a super hero game I wanna be a super hero. Not "That guy that can learn languages really fast".

If the GM was being a stickler... I think my char would jump in front of a blast or something to 'save some innocent people's lives' and... be all Martyr or something. lol Then I'd hopefully roll better the next time.

Not that I gotta Rock Superman or the Hulk or Thor in every outing... but I don't wanna be the guy pushing up his glasses and yelling from behind cover "In the traditional German you can call him a ______!! oh.. and that sign is grammatically incorrect!" you know?

Pepsi Jedi wrote:Eh.... If I randomly rolled those powers... I'd probably make a new char. Can that char be useful? Sure. in special situations. And is there something to be said about trying weird combos or weaker chars? sure. I'm very anti twink myself.

All that being said.. rolling those two powers.. in a Super hero game? Wouldn't be very FUN for me. If I'm playing a super hero game I wanna be a super hero. Not "That guy that can learn languages really fast".

If the GM was being a stickler... I think my char would jump in front of a blast or something to 'save some innocent people's lives' and... be all Martyr or something. lol Then I'd hopefully roll better the next time.

Not that I gotta Rock Superman or the Hulk or Thor in every outing... but I don't wanna be the guy pushing up his glasses and yelling from behind cover "In the traditional German you can call him a ______!! oh.. and that sign is grammatically incorrect!" you know?

For the record, as you may have seen above, it's not actually a "Super Hero" game. . . it's actually a Ninjas & Superspies game where you get to sport 4 minor powers. Essentially the powers are not "supposed" to make the character, they're gravy. You roll 2 minor powers [see the back chart of PU3, roll then choose either the offensive or defensive verson. Make your N&SS character. Roll 2 more minor powers.

4 minor powers + a N&SSclass, is a super hero game.

It's Ninja's and Superspies, SUPER HERO version.

Call it what you like. I don't see where you got it's a N&SS game where you just get 4 minors.

He rolled 2 minors, chose a N&SS class then rolled two more.

*Shrugs* Eh. Either way, 4 minors is a goodly amount of powers. 5 minors is the general 'max' (( I think one of the new power categories allows for 6, but 5 minors is the max in the core book))

4 Minors+ a N&SS class can be very strong.

If it IS a Ninjas and superspies game... it's in the wrong forum.

Pepsi Jedi wrote:4 minor powers + a N&SSclass, is a super hero game.

It's Ninja's and Superspies, SUPER HERO version.

Call it what you like. I don't see where you got it's a N&SS game where you just get 4 minors.

He rolled 2 minors, chose a N&SS class then rolled two more.

*Shrugs* Eh. Either way, 4 minors is a goodly amount of powers. 5 minors is the general 'max' (( I think one of the new power categories allows for 6, but 5 minors is the max in the core book))

4 Minors+ a N&SS class can be very strong.

If it IS a Ninjas and superspies game... it's in the wrong forum.

You are incorrect on that statement. In the core book, an Experiment can have up to 6 minor powers.

Severus Snape wrote:

Pepsi Jedi wrote:4 minor powers + a N&SSclass, is a super hero game.

It's Ninja's and Superspies, SUPER HERO version.

Call it what you like. I don't see where you got it's a N&SS game where you just get 4 minors.

He rolled 2 minors, chose a N&SS class then rolled two more.

*Shrugs* Eh. Either way, 4 minors is a goodly amount of powers. 5 minors is the general 'max' (( I think one of the new power categories allows for 6, but 5 minors is the max in the core book))

4 Minors+ a N&SS class can be very strong.

If it IS a Ninjas and superspies game... it's in the wrong forum.

You are incorrect on that statement. In the core book, an Experiment can have up to 6 minor powers.

*Pulls out the book and looks. Looks twice* Ok. The last roll "Three major super abilities or six minor powers" Your right.

Ok.

One place in the core book allows for 6
Empowered, in PU2 has one subsection that allows for 7
Imbued, in PU2 allows for 6, under limited terms

So in all of HU, 2 allow you to have 6 minor and one with 7. Empowered and imbued both come with pretty big conditionals. So the "5 minors is the general max" statement is still good. Generally, 5 minors is max, except for those three sub rolls under very specific types of hero and even then you gotta roll the percentile and land on them.

Better?

Pepsi Jedi wrote:4 minor powers + a N&SSclass, is a super hero game.

It's Ninja's and Superspies, SUPER HERO version.

Call it what you like. I don't see where you got it's a N&SS game where you just get 4 minors.

He rolled 2 minors, chose a N&SS class then rolled two more.

See it depends on where you put the Emphasis. The game has more of an emphasis on the super SPY than the super HERO. I would offer you that intellegence agency's would rather have someone with Linguistics & Frequency Absorption over someone with Extraordinary PS & Healing Factor. It's all about the theme of the game.

Pepsi Jedi wrote:
*Shrugs* Eh. Either way, 4 minors is a goodly amount of powers. 5 minors is the general 'max' (( I think one of the new power categories allows for 6, but 5 minors is the max in the core book))

4 Minors+ a N&SS class can be very strong.

Yup that's where the SUPER comes into play with our spies 4 Minors also happens to be the absolute lowest number of minor powers for both the mutant and experiment. While 4 Minors + N&SS class can be a very good character even in classic HU, to say it's "Strong" is kinda pushing it. Very versitile & well skilled yes. Strong is a matter of perspective, I guess they're better than the special training classes without powers, but I'd say that raw power they're still amongst the weakest of powered classes. Remember it's not 4 Minors of choice, you're at the whims of fate [the dice]

Pepsi Jedi wrote:If it IS a Ninjas and superspies game... it's in the wrong forum.

But the original question was regarding HU powers, and if you would allow the details of a power to be switched or if you were a stickler for the rules. While I may have derailed the converation with additional exposition, the bulk of the conversation is still aimed at the Powers aspect.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, NO, Winner Winner Sheen Dinner.

Pepsi Jedi wrote:

Severus Snape wrote:

Pepsi Jedi wrote:4 minor powers + a N&SSclass, is a super hero game.

It's Ninja's and Superspies, SUPER HERO version.

Call it what you like. I don't see where you got it's a N&SS game where you just get 4 minors.

He rolled 2 minors, chose a N&SS class then rolled two more.

*Shrugs* Eh. Either way, 4 minors is a goodly amount of powers. 5 minors is the general 'max' (( I think one of the new power categories allows for 6, but 5 minors is the max in the core book))

4 Minors+ a N&SS class can be very strong.

If it IS a Ninjas and superspies game... it's in the wrong forum.

You are incorrect on that statement. In the core book, an Experiment can have up to 6 minor powers.

*Pulls out the book and looks. Looks twice* Ok. The last roll "Three major super abilities or six minor powers" Your right.

Ok.

One place in the core book allows for 6
Empowered, in PU2 has one subsection that allows for 7
Imbued, in PU2 allows for 6, under limited terms

So in all of HU, 2 allow you to have 6 minor and one with 7. Empowered and imbued both come with pretty big conditionals. So the "5 minors is the general max" statement is still good. Generally, 5 minors is max, except for those three sub rolls under very specific types of hero and even then you gotta roll the percentile and land on them.

Better?

Yes, that is better.

But you can still get more than 7 minors. There is a side effect "Singular Powers" for experiments that grants you additional minors (although you can only use one of them at a time). If you end up with 6 minors, and then get the side effect Singular Powers, I believe you can have 8 minors. I have to check on that to be sure, but I think I'm right. If I'm not, then I apologize in advance.

This is a game about comic book based heroes, quite often heroes pull tricks that are above and beyond their "list abilities". It is part of what makes them heroes. As long as it makes setting sense, and does not really make the character significantly more powerful, I allow a degree of personalization by the PC so the character can more easily fit the concept.

That said, if you look over the NPC's from various official HU books, you will find that many of them are not book legal, so why complain?

AlanGunhouse wrote:This is a game about comic book based heroes, quite often heroes pull tricks that are above and beyond their "list abilities". It is part of what makes them heroes. As long as it makes setting sense, and does not really make the character significantly more powerful, I allow a degree of personalization by the PC so the character can more easily fit the concept.

That said, if you look over the NPC's from various official HU books, you will find that many of them are not book legal, so why complain?

Because some are a little too obsessed with 'book legal', they won't allow for one iota beyond what's explicitly written no matter how sensible or logical it is.

Save us all from Game Lawyers and Munchkins.

AlanGunhouse wrote:Save us all from Game Lawyers and Munchkins.

Amen brother, preach on!

Seriously though, some people just need to learn to let go of the reins a little bit. I like to fudge things here in there for the sake of a good story and to make sure that a good time is had by all those at the table. However, I have one player at the table that is such a "Game Lawyer" that he even argued a call i made that had him survive an attack.

He was playing a full conversion borg, he was falling through the air and was hit by some missiles, so I made a call (for the sake of story) that he survived and he argued it. He was all like no, according to the book, the damage is blah, blah, blah and I would be dead. So I was like no, you survived and he kept insisting that the book clearly states he's dead. So this is the compromise I make, I say "fine how about this, because you were falling you avoided some of the blast radius so you survive but your legs blown off ?" So that made him happy. He was so hell bent on saying he was destroyed he wouldn't allow the call of just coming out with minor damage.

I've seen him argue other calls our GM made (obviously in his favour) but it's the first time I've seen someone argue a call that was negative to the player. So I guess the silver lining to that cloud is he may be a Games Lawyer, but even he isn't "above the law", some sort of self executing Judge Dredd



*edited for spelling: oops, "executing" has two e's in it, slip of the keyboard lol

Razzinold wrote:

AlanGunhouse wrote:Save us all from Game Lawyers and Munchkins.

Amen brother, preach on!

Seriously though, some people just need to learn to let go of the reins a little bit. I like to fudge things here in there for the sake of a good story and to make sure that a good time is had by all those at the table. However, I have one player at the table that is such a "Game Lawyer" that he even argued a call i made that had him survive an attack.

He was playing a full conversion borg, he was falling through the air and was hit by some missiles, so I made a call (for the sake of story) that he survived and he argued it. He was all like no, according to the book, the damage is blah, blah, blah and I would be dead. So I was like no, you survived and he kept insisting that the book clearly states he's dead. So this is the compromise I make, I say "fine how about this, because you were falling you avoided some of the blast radius so you survive but your legs blown off ?" So that made him happy. He was so hell bent on saying he was destroyed he wouldn't allow the call of just coming out with minor damage.

I've seen him argue other calls our GM made (obviously in his favour) but it's the first time I've seen someone argue a call that was negative to the player. So I guess the silver lining to that cloud is he may be a Games Lawyer, but even he isn't "above the law", some sort of self executing Judge Dredd



*edited for spelling: oops, "executing" has two e's in it, slip of the keyboard lol

Sounds a bit OCD if he's arguing as much rules that go against him as those that go with him, where benefit to himself is irrelevant as he's only obsessed with every rule being enforced without exception or modification.

I'd definitely allow it, with the learning restriction. Sounds like a col combo.

Pepsi Jedi wrote:All that being said.. rolling those two powers.. in a Super hero game? Wouldn't be very FUN for me. If I'm playing a super hero game I wanna be a super hero. Not "That guy that can learn languages really fast".

I *know* you ain't hatin' on Cypher!

/New Mutants represent!

Incriptus wrote:I know what the rules says, but I want to know what you say!

I was rolling up a random character. I got two minor powers. The First was Frequency Absorption. The second was Linguistics. I know Linguistics explicitly states "does not apply to radio, televisions, or other types of transmissions, nor audio, film or videotape recordings" . . . but that kinda sucks! I'm imagining the guy as the ultimate code cracker, combining the two abilities into something really cool.

So if you were my GM and I asked you nicely what would you say.

Linguistics is partially a Pionic power. This is why they can't use the power with sounds coming from a tech box.

So I would of voted, "No, linguistics needs the other speaker to be a flesh and blood speaker for it to work. Not some tech box."

However, it is up to the individual GM to decide if the powers complement each other like you are proposing.

I love synergyzing powers but here is the restriction; you only do electronic signals. But I always try to link powers together seeing how they would work together or modify the whole package