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Tywyll

In the case of Palladium Fantasy, men at arms are generally portrayed as fairly normal people; giving them superhuman traits or capabilities (which tends to come with Palladium's eastern martial arts) seems inconsistent with the setting. Sure, this has always been an element of old school game desi...

Tywyll

I don't know if this is quite what you're looking for, but Nightbane get Talents as they level (1,4,7,10,12), plus the option of buying two new ones at each new level. You may counter that they're magic, but they're not spell casters (though they could be) and they're not psychics (though they coul...

Tywyll

They don't stack. You can't emulate the strength levels that appear in comics and still have a balanced game. Supernatural Strength is good enough for my players, especially since it has drawbacks that they tend to crush and damage things accidentally. We'll just have to agree to disagree there. Mo...

Tywyll

Ah, I wasn't asking why a character's 'damage resistance' should increase with level. I agree by now its just sort of taken for granted by most systems though represented in different ways. I know what HP represent in D&D, which is very much an abstract 'timer' of a character's skill and luck an...

Tywyll

I think it's also important to note that some skills bring key utilities to a player. Horsemanship: Exotic can bring all the special abilities of the animal you fly to bear. W.P. Net brings a tremendous power to disable an opponent. Skills that enable the making and use of toxins can allow you to p...

Tywyll

I think it's also important to note that some skills bring key utilities to a player. Horsemanship: Exotic can bring all the special abilities of the animal you fly to bear. W.P. Net brings a tremendous power to disable an opponent. Skills that enable the making and use of toxins can allow you to p...

Tywyll

Sooooo... No Tech, No Psionics, and no Magic.. What exactly does that leave? Something with unique abilities? Something that has moved beyond the DnD paradigm that nonmages are only differentiated by gear? I was hoping in the plethora of Rifts books there might he some class that got abilities as i...

Tywyll

Yeah agreed. It's one of the things I don't like about old school systems is a lack of mechanical options for characters who don't cast spells of some kind. You are pretty much the same at first level as you are at tenth, only usually with better gear. But the casters also have better gear so....he...

Tywyll

Sooooo... No Tech, No Psionics, and no Magic.. What exactly does that leave? Heroes Unlimited mutants with continuous mutation who gain powers as they level up. Either this or a DMA/WMA from N&S. Honestly the tech-based characters are typically front-loaded with their stuff vs the mages and the...

Tywyll

Sooooo... No Tech, No Psionics, and no Magic.. What exactly does that leave? Something with unique abilities? Something that has moved beyond the DnD paradigm that nonmages are only differentiated by gear? I was hoping in the plethora of Rifts books there might he some class that got abilities as i...

Tywyll

Are there any non magic, non psychic OCCs that actually gain mechanically interesting options upon leveling? I'm not looking for spells or psionics (though that might be the only real option). Basically, I find leveling in PB to be fairly dull unless you are a caster class. I was wondering if somew...

Tywyll

Are there any non magic, non psychic OCCs that actually gain mechanically interesting options upon leveling? I'm not looking for spells or psionics (though that might be the only real option). Basically, I find leveling in PB to be fairly dull unless you are a caster class. I was wondering if somewh...

Tywyll

So, I know the real answer (because D&D and SDC didn't exist in first edition) but why does HP increase as you level instead of SDC? Considering the definition of the two factors, it seems like SDC should increase rather than your chunky life blood. So besides 'because', why do it? Why keep it t...

Tywyll

So many of those links are dead.

Tywyll

I really don't think that argument is relevant to the discussion of why PCs are limited in ways that NPCs aren't. On the contrary it cuts to the exact heart of that discussion. If the argument is that ALL NPCs must only be created via the rules that PCs use... That isn't the argument I was having o...

Tywyll

The Palladium Skill system is VERY basic; without tweaking, it's pass/fail, often does not acknowledge difficulty (most skills have few guidelines on difficulties), and doesn't deal well with opposed rolls. It's also missing a lot of what I would consider key skills for a game that wants to be skil...

Tywyll

Mark Hall wrote:Well, we talked about it a bit here.... with you...

I know, I was looking for more options, seeing if anyone else had similar ideas?

Tywyll

Has anyone done anything to have attributes impact skills more (i.e. at all for stats beyond IQ)?

Tywyll

Fighting Classes: I wouldn't import any tech-based classes. I'd generally steer clear of most mystic or spiritual warrior O.C.C.'s, as well as those with exotic hand-to-hand skills like ninja or samurai, unless you're going for a high-powered campaign. I guess I would be interested in any fighting ...

Tywyll

@Hotrod 1st ed is 70 powers 2nd ed is 80 powers I'm guessing nobody had 2nd ed mind mages catatonic striking things left right and centre. If you save you lose half your attacks, if you fail you unconscious and don't wake up until you roll under %15 cumulative and 1 roll per day. This power kills t...

Tywyll

Yeah, I'll admit, I'm not a fan of MA=Palladin MA.

Has anyone updated the old HtH to 2nd edition/Rifts mechanics?

Tywyll

Just did a quick skim of both HU2 (wow, has it been 21 years already?) & HU Revised (original copyright was 1987...wow, high school days...). I'm not seeing anything in the former saying that you can't use martial arts from N&SS...they just don't mention them at all in the descriptions. See...

Tywyll

As for children. They're covered in one of the books, but I forget where, but then I don't play children as player chars. Not my thing. Didn’t Beyond the Supernatural have a normal person class with normal skills you could roll on? I think they had rules for kids. I think I used them once for some ...

Tywyll

So, HU seems super intent on keeping N&SS MA styles out of people's hands. Only one character type can really get them. But why? Why the restriction? Are they that unbalanced? I mean, the majority of them are real world styles, many of which are taught all over the world (Thai Kick Boxing I'm l...

Tywyll

What do you mean, only one? I just opened my copy of Ninja's and Superspys, it says Experiment, Hardware, Mutant, Physical Training, Psionic and all special training types can take one and Ancient Master can take two. P164/165. N&SS Revised came out during Heroes Revised; i believe Heroes 2nd s...

Tywyll

So, HU seems super intent on keeping N&SS MA styles out of people's hands. Only one character type can really get them. But why? Why the restriction? Are they that unbalanced? I mean, the majority of them are real world styles, many of which are taught all over the world (Thai Kick Boxing I'm lo...

Tywyll

Kind of sounds like you are overthinking it. Yes, if he meets a mute stranger, he won't know what language to speak at first. But if hears the guy speak ogre, he knows ogre thanks to the spell so he can immediately continue the conversation. A multilingual person doesn't hear a language they know bu...

Tywyll

1st Edition has different hth styles, but the magic system is a bit simple, psionics is a bit better because the more powerful abilities are level limited and mind mages aren't as overpowered. 2nd Ed has a slightly better magic system, but at higher level the casters of the party will have more wai...

Tywyll

Little bit of thread necromancy... B/X D&D had a rule that if you were moving at exploration speed (i.e. that slow ass D&D movement rate) of X feet per Turn, then you only had a 1-2 on a d6 chance of setting off most traps. The others were either avoided or noticed, hence the extremely slow ...

Tywyll

Palladium is one of those examples of things that are very resilient because they are so poorly made. It's hard to break the system without a big hammer, because the system mostly works by slowly sliding downhill. So true! Honestly, that is one of the things I love about old school systems. I don't...

Tywyll

This does sound amazing (and a heck of a lot of work!). Will it be something for purchase like the other?

Tywyll

I'm still not really seeing this as a problem. Do you really need the ability to cast talismen in the road with no infastructure support? The same way the Summoner O.C.C. has trouble summoning allies once your stuck in a Dungeon. You really have to plan ahead and summon what you'll need before head...

Tywyll

So I've read the thread on the differences between editions. I'm toying with running a campaign in PF soon, but I can't decide which edition I should use. Can people help me decide? I guess pitch why the changes in each are preferable? The campaign may well be high-powered, using something like the ...

Tywyll

Okay, another question...how do the additional attacks work? At first level you start with 5, ignoring what the style gives you. Then you gain a bonus every other level. Do these stack with the attacks from the style you emulate as well? Or do you continue to ignore the style bonus attacks like you ...

Tywyll

kiralon wrote:You can still play like that and not have those stats, and normal gamewise there isn't really a difference between IQ: 15 and IQ: 1, except that you can't be a wizard.

Exactly!

Equally, giving a small benefit to someone who is above average shouldn't break the system.

Tywyll

Looking at the HU 2 Hold rules, it seems that Strength is irreelvent. It's purely a PP-based thing. So no matter how strong you are someone slippery can always slide out of your grasp unless your also super agile. I know, that's what I said in the OP and is the problem I'm looking for solutions for...

Tywyll

My point with the Centurions was just that PCs can be built with a similar viewpoint. If you want an effect or combination that is book illegal, but makes sense, or is just cool it will fit in my game, but another table may not let half the NPCS out there ride as is, and never think of a similar PC...

Tywyll

I don't mind filling in the gaps, or rulings not rules design philosophy. However, grappling is pretty integral to super's genre so I'd expect some clarity, especially with 5 kinds of strength. Can a 30 PS normal hold down an extraordinary with 5 PS? Can a superhuman with 80 PS hold a supernatural ...

Tywyll

Looking at the HU 2 Hold rules, it seems that Strength is irreelvent. It's purely a PP-based thing. So no matter how strong you are someone slippery can always slide out of your grasp unless your also super agile. I know, that's what I said in the OP and is the problem I'm looking for solutions for...

Tywyll

in regards to holds or joint locks - a lot of times, depending on the specific hold or lock, strength has no thing to do with it. YOu can be strong enough to bench press cars, but if you have no way to leverage your strength, it wont do you any good.. Sure, that's true, but when is that the case ve...

Tywyll

I did lower the bonus threshold to 13+ but as the bonuses for the non physical stats are of lesser effect, and players tend to have trouble playing different to their iq, ma and me it didn't make much difference. Attaching meaningful bonuses to the other stats was more effective. Awesome! Do you ha...

Tywyll

Not that I'm aware of. It was a great way to keep super strong characters in check. It doesn't really make any sense though. There is no doubt in my mind that my 6 year old has a higher PP than I do (at least gross dexterity, maybe not so much hand-eye coordination). But there is no way she could l...

Tywyll

With skills I still use what is written in the book for each level, but the bonuses can take you over %100, but there are usually negatives as well, and I have differing degrees of success, just making the roll by a few % isn't as good as making the roll by %50 or more. So if you were blacksmithing...

Tywyll

I'd rather tie attributes more closely to skills... someone with a 30 IQ and a 3 PP should not be better at sneaking than someone with a 3 IQ and a 30 PP. Using attributes as the base of skills also allows you to more easily default for skills people should know, or have the physical capability to ...

Tywyll

No, it is the exact opposite of dump stats. It means that suddenly every stat is 'super critical' and you can no longer afford to take your 9 your 12 and your 14 and assign them in the way that is the best for RP... but instead if you do the RP then you are being punished, harshly, by the game mech...

Tywyll

I'm considering changing when character's get benefits from above average attributes. So this was what I was thinking, something like this: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 IQ +1% +1% +2% +3% +3% +4% +5% +5% +6% ME +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 MA 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60...

Tywyll

So this was what I was thinking, something like this: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 IQ +1% +1% +2% +3% +3% +4% +5% +5% +6% ME +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 MA 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% PS +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 PP +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +2 ...

Tywyll

This is because it simply lowered the threshold at which the 'stat race' began. When I started giving bonuses at 12 suddenly every stat choice mattered. Deeply and truly. And that meant that it was suddenly really hard to justify taking the moderate IQ or PP or whatever because now whatever you too...

Tywyll

Well, there are some mechanics in game that make the attributes worthwhile. The obvious one is HP. Just start with PE and add so every point of PE matters. The same goes for ME/ISP and PE/PPE although as you level, the initial amount from the stat becomes less important. While HP matters, ISP and P...

Tywyll

zerombr wrote:Seems to me characters would already be proficient in their blasts, so no.

But they don't get better with them. I mean, sure, it could be they get a bonus to strike as they level up.

But what's the rationale behind allowing them to get better with a gun but not an energy blast?

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