TEXT: INT
  EGO
  PRE
  OMCV
  DMCV
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  PD
  ED
  REC
  END
  BODY
  STUN
  OCV
  DCV
  SPD
  RUNNING 12m
  DEADLY FIST TECHNIQUE
  HKA 2D6+1
  COSMIC BLAST
  BLAST 8D6, NND
  (LINKED) DRAIN DMCV 4d6
  JET PACK
  FLIGHT
  30m
  TURBO
  THRUSTER
  x32 NCM
  SWIMMING 4m
  
  INT
  EGO
  PRE
  OMCV
  DMCV
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  PD
  ED
  REC
  END
  BODY
  STUN
  OCV
  DCV
  SPD
  RUNNING 12m
  DEADLY FIST TECHNIQUE
  HKA 2D6+1
  COSMIC BLAST
  BLAST 8D6, NND
  (LINKED) DRAIN DMCV 4d6
  JET PACK
  FLIGHT
  30m
  TURBO
  THRUSTER
  x32 NCM
  SWIMMING 4m
  
  HERO System™® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  HERO System Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002, 2009 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights 
  reserved. 
  Champions, Dark Champions, and all associated characters © 1981-2009 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All 
  rights reserved. “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. 
  “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are used under license from Cryptic Studios, Inc. 
  Fantasy Hero Copyright © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero Copyright © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, and Western Hero Copyright © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. 
  d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form 
  or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, 
  recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and 
  retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: 
  DOJ, Inc., 226 E. 54th Street, #605, New York, NY 10022-48541.
  Printed in China. First printing September 2009.
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number: DOJHERO1004
  ISBN Number: 978-1-58366-123-9
  Writing and design
  Steven S. Long
  Cover design
  Fred Hicks
  Layout and graphiC design
  Fred Hicks
  dediCation
  To all the HERO System fans 
  out there, who can always find 
  a creative use for another rule.
  THE HERO SySTEm 
  ADvAnCED PlAyER’S GuIDE
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  introduCtion .................................................... 4
  CHAPTER OnE:  CHARACTERISTICS ....................5
  CharaCteristiCs ............................................... 6
  STRENGTH ......................................................... 6
  DEXTERITY ....................................................... 12
  PRESENCE ....................................................... 12
  DEFENSES ........................................................ 12
  SPEED ............................................................. 13
  BODY ............................................................... 15
  CHARACTERISTIC MAXIMA ................................ 16
  CHAPTER TWO:  SKIllS, PERKS, & TAlEnTS ....17
  sKiLLs ............................................................... 18
  GENERAL RULES .............................................. 18
  Skill Combinations ......................................... 18
  Degrees Of Complementariness...................... 18
  Base Times ................................................... 19
  SKILL MODIFIERS ............................................. 23
  SPECIFIC SKILLS ............................................... 32
  Interaction Skills ............................................ 32
  Acrobatics ..................................................... 34
  Breakfall........................................................ 35
  Autofire Skills ................................................ 35
  Bureaucratics ................................................ 35
  Combat Skill Levels ........................................ 36
  Cramming ..................................................... 36
  Deduction ..................................................... 37
  Defense Maneuver ......................................... 38
  Defensive Attack ............................................ 38
  Language ...................................................... 38
  Martial Arts ................................................... 39
  Power ........................................................... 39
  Skill Levels .................................................... 40
  Trading ......................................................... 41
  Transport Familiarity ...................................... 42
  Weapon Familiarity ........................................ 43
  SKILL ENHANCERS ........................................... 45
  perKs ................................................................ 47
  taLents ............................................................ 48
  CHAPTER THREE:  POWERS ...............................51
  poWers ............................................................. 52
  GENERAL RULES .............................................. 52
  ADJUSTMENT POWERS .................................... 53
  ATTACK POWERS .............................................. 56
  BODY-AFFECTING POWERS ............................... 58
  DEFENSE POWERS ........................................... 61
  MENTAL POWERS ............................................. 63
  Cyberkinesis .................................................. 70
  Possession .................................................... 74
  MOVEMENT POWERS ....................................... 77
  SENSE-AFFECTING POWERS ............................. 78
  SIZE POWERS ................................................... 79
  ABSORPTION .................................................... 80
  AID .................................................................. 81
  BARRIER .......................................................... 81
  BLAST .............................................................. 81
  CHANGE ENVIRONMENT ................................... 82
  CLAIRSENTIENCE .............................................. 83
  CLINGING ......................................................... 86
  DAMAGE NEGATION .......................................... 86
  DAMAGE REDUCTION ....................................... 87
  DEFLECTION ..................................................... 88
  DENSITY INCREASE ........................................... 88
  DESOLIDIFICATION ............................................ 90
  Projection ...................................................... 92
  DISPEL ............................................................. 93
  DRAIN .............................................................. 94
  ENDURANCE RESERVE ...................................... 94
  ENHANCED SENSES .......................................... 94
  ENTANGLE........................................................ 96
  EXTRA LIMBS ................................................... 99
  FLASH .............................................................. 99
  GROWTH .......................................................... 99
  HAND-TO-HAND ATTACK ................................. 102
  HEALING ........................................................ 102
  IMAGES .......................................................... 103
  INVISIBILITY .................................................... 103
  LEAPING ........................................................ 104
  LIFE SUPPORT ................................................ 104
  LUCK ............................................................. 105
  MENTAL BLAST .............................................. 106
  MENTAL DEFENSE .......................................... 106
  MENTAL ILLUSIONS ........................................ 106
  MIND CONTROL .............................................. 107
  MIND LINK...................................................... 109
  MIND SCAN .................................................... 110
  MULTIFORM ................................................... 111
  PIERCING ....................................................... 113
  REFLECTION ................................................... 113
  REGENERATION .............................................. 114
  RESISTANT PROTECTION................................. 115
  SHAPE SHIFT .................................................. 115
  SHRINKING ..................................................... 116
  SKILLS ........................................................... 117
  STRETCHING .................................................. 117
  SWIMMING ..................................................... 118
  SWINGING ...................................................... 118
  TELEKINESIS .................................................. 121
  Animating Objects ....................................... 123
  TELEPATHY..................................................... 124
  TELEPORTATION ............................................. 126
  TRANSFORM .................................................. 127
  CHAPTER FOuR:  POWER mODIFIERS .............131
  advantages ................................................... 132
  ALTERNATE COMBAT VALUE ............................ 132
  AREA OF EFFECT ............................................ 133
  Damage Shield ............................................ 133
  Explosion..................................................... 134
  Other Areas Of Effect ................................... 134
  ARMOR PIERCING ........................................... 136
  DELAYED EFFECT............................................ 137
  MEGASCALE................................................... 138
  MULTIPLE SPECIAL EFFECTS ........................... 138
  PENETRATING ................................................. 139
  PROPORTIONAL .............................................. 139
  REDUCED ENDURANCE ................................... 140
  TIME LIMIT ..................................................... 141
  TRIGGER ........................................................ 141
  USABLE ON OTHERS ....................................... 141
  VARIABLE ADVANTAGE .................................... 141
  LiMitations .................................................... 142
  CHARGES ....................................................... 142
  CONCENTRATION............................................ 143
  EXTRA TIME ................................................... 143
  FOCUS ........................................................... 143
  LIMITED POWER ............................................. 144
  LINKED ........................................................... 144
  REQUIRES A SKILL ROLL ................................. 144
  SELF ONLY ..................................................... 145
  SIDE EFFECTS ................................................ 145
  CHAPTER FIvE:  COmPlICATIOnS ...................147
  CoMpLiCations .............................................. 148
  ACCIDENTAL CHANGE ..................................... 148
  DISTINCTIVE FEATURES ................................... 149
  ENRAGED/BERSERK ........................................ 150
  HUNTED ......................................................... 150
  SUSCEPTIBILITY .............................................. 151
  VULNERABILITY .............................................. 151
  VARIABLE COMPLICATION ............................... 154
  POWER MODIFIERS FOR COMPLICATIONS ....... 155
  CHAPTER SIX:  COmBAT AnD ADvEnTuRInG .157
  entering CoMBat .......................................... 158
  OPTIONAL SPEED SYSTEMS ............................ 158
  THE TIME CHART ............................................ 160
  SEGMENTED MOVEMENT ................................ 160
  Fighting .......................................................... 162
  ATTACK ROLLS ............................................... 162
  COMBAT MODIFIERS ....................................... 162
  CoMBat and MartiaL Maneuvers ............... 166
  BLAZING AWAY ............................................... 166
  BLOCK ........................................................... 166
  DISARM BY .................................................... 167
  DIVE FOR COVER ............................................ 167
  GRAB ............................................................. 167
  HAYMAKER ..................................................... 169
  HURRY ........................................................... 169
  INTERFERENCE ............................................... 170
  MULTIPLE ATTACK .......................................... 170
  SHOVE ........................................................... 170
  SUSTAINED ATTACK ........................................ 171
  THROW .......................................................... 171
  daMage and other CoMBat eFFeCts .......... 172
  EFFECTS OF DAMAGE ..................................... 172
  HIT LOCATIONS .............................................. 172
  RECOVERY AND ENDURANCE .......................... 174
  CONTESTS OF POWER .................................... 174
  LEAVING FOOTPRINTS IN CONCRETE ............... 176
  PUSHBACK ..................................................... 176
  CHAPTER SEvEn:  THE EnvIROnmEnT ...........177
  the environMent .......................................... 178
  OPTIONAL VELOCITY DAMAGE ........................ 178
  ELECTRICITY .................................................. 180
  FIRE ............................................................... 181
  RUINS ............................................................ 183
  STARVATION ................................................... 185
  CHAPTER EIGHT:  EQuIPmEnT.........................187
  eQuipMent ...................................................... 188
  COMPUTERS .................................................. 188
  VEHICLES ....................................................... 188
  WEAPONS ...................................................... 190
  resourCe points .......................................... 191
  INDEX................................................................ 197
  
  4 n introduction 
  hero system 6th edition
  InTRODuCTIOn
  The HERO System 6th Edition rulebook 
  contains plenty of rules... but for some campaigns, 
  even that many’s not enough! The HERO System 
  Advanced Player’s Guide is for just such games 
  — ones where the GM and players want a more 
  detailed rule for some specific aspect of play, 
  where the gaming group enjoys trying out variant 
  and optional rules, or where the GM wants to take 
  a different approach to some part of the HERO 
  System to suit the game he has in mind.
  The “APG” is divided into chapters based on 
  different game elements of the HERO System. 
  
  n Chapter One, Characteristics, has expanded 
  and optional rules for STR, SPD, and many 
  other Characteristics. If you want more details 
  about characters’ ability to lift heavy objects or 
  making Power Defense a Characteristic, this is 
  where you’ll find them.
  
  n Chapter Two, Skills, Perks, And Talents, 
  provides additional rules for those game 
  elements. For example, it features more details 
  on Skill combinations, optional rules for 
  converting Language into an Intellect Skill, and 
  more rules for Universal Translator.
  
  n Chapter Three, Powers, is the largest in the 
  book. Besides providing more rules for various 
  Powers and Power categories, it includes some 
  all-new Powers, such as the Projection option 
  for Desolidification and the Possession Power.
  
  n Chapter Four covers the Power Modifiers: 
  Advantages, Limitations, and Power Frame-
  works. If you want more types of Area Of 
  Effect, an optional Power Modifier for giving a 
  power a proportional effect, or expanded possi-
  bilities for Requires A Roll, try this chapter.
  
  n Chapter Five, Complications, covers the little 
  hindrances and flaws that make a character’s 
  life so interesting. Among other things it has 
  expanded rules for Accidental Change and 
  Vulnerability.
  
  n Chapter Six, Combat, delves into the HERO 
  System’s combat rules. It includes possible 
  changes to the Time Chart and the use of SPD, 
  some new Combat Maneuvers, more Hit Loca-
  tion rules, and lots more.
  
  n Chapters Seven and Eight cover the Environ-
  ment and Equipment, respectively. They feature 
  optional rules for falling and vehicle combat, 
  rules for building fires, expansions of the STR 
  Minimum concept, and lots more.
  All of the new rules in the APG are optional. 
  The GM’s not required to use them if he doesn’t 
  want to, and should consider them carefully 
  before allowing them in play. They may be just the 
  thing for creating certain types of characters and 
  creatures for your campaign... or they may cause 
  serious game balance problems based on your 
  style of play. Players should check with their GMs 
  before using any APG rules to build characters.
  ABBREvIATIOnS
  In this book, “6E1” refers to The HERO System 
  6th Edition, Volume I: Character Creation. “6E2” 
  refers to The HERO System 6th Edition, Volume II: 
  Combat And Adventuring. “APG” refers to this 
  book itself. Thus, a reference to “6E1 212” means 
  page 212 of The HERO System 6th Edition, 
  Volume I, and one to “APG 18” means page 18 of 
  this book.
  
  Chapter One
  CharaCteristiCs
  
  6 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  CHARACTERISTICS
  GEnERAl RulES
  In some campaigns, particularly Heroic ones, 
  you may find that characters tend to have the same 
  Characteristics (often one ending in a 3 or 8 to 
  take advantage of the “break point” for calculating 
  Skill and Characteristic Rolls). If the GM wants 
  to encourage characters to take “odd” values for 
  Characteristics (such as STR 16 or INT 14), he 
  should consider the following optional rules:
  
  n if two characters engage in a Characteristic Roll 
  Versus Characteristic Roll Contest and tie, the 
  character with the highest Characteristic wins 
  the Contest.
  
  n if a character fails a Characteristic Roll by only 
  1, he gets to roll another 1d6. If the result on 
  that 1d6 roll is less than or equal to the number 
  of points of Characteristic he has above the 
  nearest 3 or 8 breakpoint, he succeeds after all. 
  For example, if a character has DEX 15, that’s 
  two points above the DEX 13 “break point” for 
  a 12- roll. If he fails a DEX Roll by rolling a 13, 
  he can roll 1d6. If he rolls a 1-2, he succeeds 
  despite having failed the first roll.
  
  n if two characters have the same DEX, instead 
  of having them make DEX Rolls to determine 
  who acts first, use some other Characteristic 
  to break the tie. Some possibilities include: 
  INT (the smartest or most observant character 
  gets to act first); PRE (the most impressive or 
  dramatic character gets to act first).
  STREnGTH
  The following additional or expanded rules 
  apply to STR.
  General Rules
  InCREmEnTAl STREnGTH
  Sometimes characters want to buy their STR 
  in increments. Typically they do this so they can 
  Partially Limit the STR, or for similar reasons. 
  In this situation, the default rule is that all the 
  STR adds together before you calculate damage. 
  The GM may change this rule in the interest of 
  common sense, dramatic sense, special effects, or 
  maintaining game balance.
  Example: A character has STR 13, and buys +12 
  STR as a Power. He does 5d6 ((12+13)/5 = 5) 
  damage; he doesn’t do 4½d6 damage ((13/5 = 
  2.5) + (12/5 = 2)).
  However, you should derive the END cost for 
  STR on an incremental basis where possible, since 
  different modifiers (such as Reduced Endurance 
  or Increased Endurance Cost) can affect them 
  differently.
  EnDuRAnCE AnD PARTIAl STREnGTH
  If a character uses only part of his STR during 
  a Phase, he only pays the END for the amount of 
  STR he used. If he uses more of his STR later in 
  that same Phase for non-attack purposes, he has 
  to pay the rest of the END required. If he uses 
  his STR to attack, he has to pay full END for the 
  amount of STR used in each attack other than the 
  first one made after a partial use of STR.
  Example: Grond has STR 90, so his Casual STR 
  is 45. On his Phase in Segment 6, he uses his 
  Casual STR to escape from an Entangle. This 
  costs him 4 END. If that’s all he does in that 
  Phase, that’s all the END he spends for his STR. 
  However, if he then uses his full 90 STR to hit 
  someone, he has to pay the remainder — 5 END 
  — for a total of 9 END spent to use STR that 
  Phase. If Grond decided to use only STR 60 to hit, 
  he’d only pay another 2 END (for a total of 6); if 
  he used just 45 STR to hit, he wouldn’t have to 
  pay any more END at all. 
  On the other hand, if Grond made a second 
  90 STR Punch in that same Phase (perhaps as 
  part of a Multiple Attack), he’d pay the full 9 
  END for the second one.
  EnDuRAnCE FOR STREnGTH In OFF SEGmEnTS
  If a character uses his STR on a Segment in 
  which he doesn’t have a Phase — for example, if 
  he’s Grabbed in a Segment and immediately makes 
  a Casual STR roll to see if the Grab affects him — 
  he pays END for that STR in that Segment, just as 
  he would if using that STR in one of his Phases. 
  However, a character doesn’t have to pay END for 
  maintaining a STR-based attack (such as a Grab) 
  during Segments in which he doesn’t have a Phase.
  1
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter one 
  7
  Example: Herculan has STR 40, SPD 6. An 
  enemy Grabs him in Segment 5. Herculan imme-
  diately makes a Casual STR roll (STR 20) to see if 
  the Grab affects him. This costs him 2 END. If he 
  uses his STR again on his Phase in Segment 6, he 
  pays the normal END cost for doing so; the END 
  paid in Segment 5 doesn’t “roll over to” his use of 
  STR in Segment 6.
  REDuCED EnDuRAnCE
  If a character wants to buy Reduced Endurance 
  for his STR, he calculates the cost of the Advan-
  tage based on the value of the STR Characteristic 
  — not just the points he paid for it, but for the 
  entire value. For example, if Herculan wanted to 
  buy Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) on 40 STR 
  (which cost him 30 Character Points), he would 
  pay 20 Character Points (40 x (1 + ½) - 40).
  Reduced Endurance purchased for a char-
  acter’s STR does not automatically apply to his 
  forms of movement that require physical exertion 
  (Running, Leaping, Swimming, and so forth). 
  They still cost END at the normal rate; if a char-
  acter wants to reduce their END cost, he must buy 
  Reduced Endurance for them individually.
  CHARGES
  Sometimes a character purchases extra STR 
  with the Limitation Charges. In that case, the extra 
  STR doesn’t cost END, but the character’s standard 
  STR costs END at the normal rate.
  lifting
  The second most important ability STR 
  provides a character is that it indicates his lifting 
  capacity. The Expanded Strength Table lists the 
  amount of weight a character can lift based on his 
  STR. This represents the maximum amount of 
  weight he can just manage to lift off the ground, 
  stagger with for a step or two, then drop. (Simi-
  larly, it represents the maximum amount of weight 
  he can drag or pull; given the definition of lifting 
  capacity, a character must be able to lift an object 
  to move it these ways.) He can easily carry or lift 
  the weight which he can pick up with his Casual 
  STR. (See below for other parameters.)
  Regardless of a character’s carrying capacity, 
  carrying more than a certain amount of weight 
  may encumber him (see 6E2 45). In some cases, a 
  character can Push his STR and lift even more for 
  brief periods (see 6E2 133).
  AlTERInG STR 0-4
  To keep the rest of the STR Table consistent 
  and dramatically reasonable, STRs 1-4 don’t quite 
  fit the lifting capacity progression in the rest of the 
  table. If the GM wants a little more “granularity” at 
  this very low end of the scale, he can change that 
  part of the STR Table as shown in the accompa-
  nying Low-Value STR Table.
  lOW-vAluE STREnGTH TABlE
  strength
  Lift (kg)
  damage
  example
  0
  8.0
  —
  Most HTH Combat 
  weapons, most 
  guns, shotput
  1
  16.0
  —
  Tavern bench
  2
  25.0
  —
  Full suitcase, TV 
  set, bicycle
  3
  33.0
  ½d6
  Coffee table
  4
  42.0
  ½d6
  Caber (average)
  ADJuSTInG lIFTInG CAPACITy 
  FOR HEROIC GEnRES
  Unlike Superheroic campaigns, where it’s not 
  uncommon to find characters with 40, 50, 60, 
  or higher STR, in Heroic campaigns nearly all 
  characters fall into the STR 10-20 range. If the GM 
  wants a little more “granularity” for STR, he can 
  adopt the accompanying Heroic Campaign STR 
  Table as a campaign standard. Note that the table 
  doesn’t change the amount of Normal Damage 
  characters do in HTH combat (though you could 
  easily do so by using the same damage for any 
  given amount of lifting capacity from the standard 
  STR Table; for example, making 25 STR do 4d6 
  instead of 5d6).
  HEROIC CAmPAIGn 
  STREnGTH TABlE
  strength
  Lift (kg)
  damage
  example
  0
  0
  —
  —
  1
  3.2
  —
  Submachine gun, small 
  wooden shield, helmet
  2
  6.4
  —
  Most HTH Combat 
  weapons, most guns
  3
  12.5
  ½d6
  Machine gun, suit of chainmail
  4
  19.0
  ½d6
  Tavern bench
  5
  25.0
  1d6
  Human child, full suitcase, 
  TV set, bicycle
  8
  38.0
  1½d6
  Small refrigerator, suit 
  of plate armor
  10
  50.0
  2d6
  Adolescent human, recliner
  13
  75.0
  2½d6
  Brass bed, washing machine
  15
  100.0
  3d6
  Adult human
  18
  150.0
  3½d6
  Refrigerator
  20
  200.0
  4d6
  Two men, piano, 
  motorcycle, boar
  23
  300.0
  4½d6
  Medium floor safe
  25
  400.0
  5d6
  Chariot, grizzly bear
  28
  600.0
  5½d6
  Sailboat, cow, horse
  30
  800.0
  6d6
  Sportscar, horse and rider
  1
  
  8 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  EXPAnDED STREnGTH TABlE
  strength
  LiFt (Kg)
  daMage Modern eXaMpLes
  Fantasy eXaMpLes
  sCienCe FiCtion eXaMpLes
  0
  0
  —
  1
  8
  —
  Most HTH weapons, most guns, shotput
  Most HTH and ranged 
  weapons, large metal shield
  Most HTH and ranged weapons
  2
  16
  —
  Chair, desktop computer
  Tavern bench
  3
  25
  ½d6
  Human child, full suitcase, TV set, bicycle
  4
  38
  ½d6
  Small refrigerator, coffee table, dishwasher
  Suit of plate armor
  5
  50
  1d6
  Adolescent human, recliner, light dining 
  room table, caber (average)
  Suit of plate barding
  6
  58
  1d6
  Small grandfather clock, wall safe
  7
  67
  1d6
  Chest of drawers, heavy dining room 
  table, manhole cover (average)
  8
  75
  1½d6
  Brass bed, loveseat, washing machine
  Dwarf
  9
  88
  1½d6
  Sofa, railroad tie
  10
  100
  2d6
  Adult human, large grandfather clock, large 
  wooden desk, small computer console
  Man, elf
  Human
  11
  117
  2d6
  Small floor safe, anvil (average)
  12
  133
  2d6
  Large wooden bed, china hutch, side of beef
  Heavyworlder man
  13
  150
  2½d6
  Refrigerator
  Man in armor and equipment
  14
  175
  2½d6
  Wooden armoire
  15
  200
  3d6
  Piano, motorcycle, wooden wardrobe, large wooden 
  bookshelf, large wooden computer desk set, manhole 
  cover (large), medium computer console
  Two men, wild boar, 
  barrel of beer, python
  Hoverscooter
  16
  233
  3d6
  Wooden entertainment center
  17
  267
  3d6
  18
  300
  3½d6
  Medium floor safe
  Two men in armor and equipment
  19
  350
  3½d6
  Billiard table, football goalposts
  20
  400
  4d6
  Large computer console
  Chariot, Grizzly bear
  Hoverbike
  21
  467
  4d6
  22
  533
  4d6
  Moose
  23
  600
  4½d6
  Sailboat, cow
  Sailboat, horse
  24
  700
  4½d6
  Cropduster, small civilian helicopter, large floor safe
  25
  800
  5d6
  Small trailer, sportscar
  Horse and rider, large 
  polar bear, stagecoach
  26
  933
  5d6
  Liberty Bell
  27
  1,067
  5d6
  B43 1-megaton nuclear bomb
  28
  1,200
  5½d6
  Medium missile
  Two horses
  29
  1,400
  5½d6
  30
  1,600
  6d6
  Small car, large missile
  Two horses and riders, catapult
  Hovercar
  31
  1,867
  6d6
  Telephone pole (average wooden), stegosaurus
  32
  2,133
  6d6
  33
  2,400
  6½d6
  Large civilian helicopter
  34
  2,800
  6½d6
  Small military helicopter
  35
  3,200
  7d6
  Truck,  limousine
  Small elephant
  36
  3,733
  7d6
  37
  4,267
  7d6
  B53 9-megaton nuclear bomb
  38
  4,800
  7½d6
  Large military helicopter
  39
  5,600
  7½d6
  40
  6,400
  8d6
  Small jet, tank
  Large elephant, small trebuchet
  41
  7,467
  8d6
  Light jetfighter, tyrannosaurus rex
  42
  8,533
  8d6
  Polaris A-1 missile
  43
  9,600
  8½d6
  Business jet, CH-47D Chinook helicopter
  44
  11 tons
  8½d6
  Triceratops
  45
  12.5 tons
  9d6
  Jetfighter, subway car
  Heavy trebuchet
  46
  15 tons
  9d6
  Heavy jetfighter
  47
  17 tons
  9d6
  Polaris A-3 missile
  48
  19 tons
  9½d6
  Very small ICBM
  49
  22 tons
  9½d6
  Infantry fighting vehicle
  50
  25 tons
  10d6
  Frigate, airship
  Small standing stone
  Space tug
  51
  29 tons
  10d6
  Small tank, apatosaurus
  52
  33 tons
  10d6
  Small ICBM
  53
  37.5 tons
  10½d6
  54
  44 tons
  10½d6
  Olmec stone head
  55
  50 tons
  11d6
  Bulldozer, main battle tank, Easter Island 
  stone head, sperm whale
  Large standing stone
  Starcruiser
  56
  58 tons
  11d6
  Trident II missile
  57
  67 tons
  11d6
  Dump truck, electro-diesel train car, jetliner
  1
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter one 
  9
  strength
  LiFt (Kg)
  daMage Modern eXaMpLes
  Fantasy eXaMpLes
  sCienCe FiCtion eXaMpLes
  58
  75 tons
  11½d6
  Concorde
  59
  88 tons
  11½d6
  B-52H Stratofortress, Stonehenge stone, 
  Washington Monument, bank vault door
  60
  100 tons
  12d6
  Space Shuttle (w/o booster rockets), blue whale, bulldozer
  Two large standing stones
  Starship
  61
  117 tons
  12d6
  62
  133 tons
  12d6
  Mir Space Station
  63
  150 tons
  12½d6
  Titan II rocket
  64
  175 tons
  12½d6
  65
  200 tons
  13d6
  Large ICBM, Spruce Goose, Statue of Liberty
  Large starships
  66
  233 tons
  13d6
  67
  267 tons
  13d6
  Bank vault (entire, including door)
  68
  300 tons
  13½d6
  Very large ICBM
  69
  350 tons
  13½d6
  70
  400 tons
  14d6
  Trawler
  Very large starship
  71
  467 tons
  14d6
  72
  533 tons
  14d6
  Redwood tree
  73
  600 tons
  14½d6
  74
  700 tons
  14½d6
  75
  800 tons
  15d6
  Drilling rig
  76
  933 tons
  15d6
  77
  1 kton
  15d6
  78
  1.2 ktons
  15½d6
  Sequoia tree
  79
  1.4 ktons
  15½d6
  80
  1.6 ktons
  16d6
  Small bridge, freighter (unloaded)
  Small stone bridge
  81
  1.9 ktons
  16d6
  82
  2 ktons
  16d6
  Space Shuttle (with booster rockets)
  83
  2.4 ktons
  16½d6
  84
  2.8 ktons
  16½d6
  85
  3.2 ktons
  17d6
  Freighter (loaded), Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
  Large stone bridge
  86
  3.7 ktons
  17d6
  87
  4.3 ktons
  17d6
  88
  4.8 ktons
  17½d6
  89
  5.6 ktons
  17½d6
  Small cruiser (unloaded)
  90
  6.4 ktons
  18d6
  Destroyer (unloaded)
  Enormous stone bridge
  91
  7.5 ktons
  18d6
  Eiffel Tower, small cruiser (loaded)
  92
  8.5 ktons
  18d6
  93
  9.6 ktons
  18½d6
  Destroyer (loaded), small submarine
  94
  11 ktons
  18½d6
  Large cruiser (unloaded), small cruise ship
  95
  12.5 ktons
  19d6
  Temple
  96
  15 ktons
  19d6
  97
  17 ktons
  19d6
  Large cruiser (loaded)
  98
  19 ktons
  19½d6
  Large submarine
  99
  22 ktons
  19½d6
  100
  25 ktons
  20d6
  Large bridge
  Castle
  105
  50 ktons
  21d6
  St. Louis Gateway Arch, medium cruise ship
  110
  100 ktons
  22d6
  Aircraft carrier (loaded), large cruise ship
  Large castle
  115
  200 ktons
  23d6
  120
  400 ktons
  24d6
  Empire State Building
  125
  800 ktons
  25d6
  Golden Gate Bridge
  130
  1.6 mtons
  26d6
  135
  3.2 mtons
  27d6
  140
  6.4 mtons
  28d6
  Great Pyramid of Giza (est.)
  145
  12.5 mtons
  29d6
  150
  25 mtons
  30d6
  Small asteroid
  155
  50 mtons
  31d6
  160
  100 mtons
  32d6
  165
  200 mtons
  33d6
  170
  400 mtons
  34d6
  175
  800 mtons
  35d6
  180
  1.6 gtons
  36d6
  185
  3.2 gtons
  37d6
  190
  6.4 gtons
  38d6
  Medium asteroid
  195
  12.5 gtons
  39d6
  200
  25 gtons
  40d6
  kton:  kiloton (1,000 metric tons) • mton:  megaton (1 million metric tons) • gton:  gigaton (1 billion metric tons)
  lift:  The maximum amount of weight the character can usually just manage to lift off the ground, stagger with for a step or two, then drop, in kilograms (1 kg = 2.2 
  pounds) or metric tons. This assumes a solid lifting surface; see text for various modifiers.
  Damage:  Normal Damage in HTH Combat
  Examples:  Where necessary, examples are typically rounded up to the next highest rating of lifting capacity.
  1
  
  10 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  lIFTInG mODIFIERS
  Numerous conditions can affect a character’s 
  lifting capacity. The most important of these is 
  how many hands he uses: if a character lifts with 
  one hand (or half or less of his manipulatory 
  limbs), he’s at -5 STR for lifting purposes — in 
  other words, he’s only got half of his normal lifting 
  capacity. The accompanying table lists other 
  suggested modifiers, based on the nature of the 
  object lifted and other circumstances; the GM may 
  apply them as he sees fit.
  lIFTInG mODIFIERS
  Circumstance
  Modifier
  Using only one hand (or 
  half or less of character’s 
  manipulatory limbs
  -5 STR (i.e., half lifting 
  capacity)
  nature of object lifted
  Weight shifts frequently
  -1 to -10 STR
  Object is bulky or poorly 
  balanced
  -1 to -10 STR
  grip
  Good grip
  -0 STR
  Poor grip
  -3 to -10 STR
  Very poor grip
  -10 to -20 STR (or worse)
  Lifting surface
  Solid/strong surface
  -0 STR
  Weak surface
  -5 to -10 STR
  Very weak surface
  -10 to -20 STR (or worse)
  Character’s balance
  Character is 
  well-balanced
  -0 STR
  Character is slightly off 
  balance
  -3 to -5 STR
  Character is severely off 
  balance
  -5 to -10 STR
  Character is completely 
  off balance
  -10 to -20 STR (or worse)
  Surface: The solidity/strength required of the surface on 
  which a character’s standing can vary depending on 
  what he’s lifting — the heavier the object, the more 
  stable and solid the surface needs to be to support 
  him.
  Balance: The GM can also use “balance” factors to 
  represent poor footing or like circumstances — any 
  environmental condition (other than surface solidity) 
  that might prevent the character from exerting his full 
  STR. If appropriate, the GM may have the character 
  make a DEX Roll to determine how well balanced or 
  “planted” he is. (Similarly, he may require a DEX Roll 
  to determine how good a grip the character has on 
  an object.)
  OPTIOnAl lIFTInG PARAmETERS
  At the GM’s discretion, the following optional 
  parameters for other forms of lifting apply:
  
  n Bench Press (lying down, lifting object to the 
  full extent of one’s arms): 75% of the character’s 
  full lifting capacity
  
  n Clean And Jerk (lifting a weight from the floor 
  to one’s chest in one movement, then lifting it 
  to a full arms’ extension over one’s head in a 
  second movement and holding it there motion-
  less until allowed to release it): 50% of the char-
  acter’s full lifting capacity
  
  n Dead lift (using the legs and back to lift a 
  weight from floor to hip level): 90% of the 
  character’s full lifting capacity
  
  n leg Press (using a special type of fitness 
  machine to lift with one’s legs): Double the 
  character’s full lifting capacity (i.e., use +5 STR 
  to determine his lifting capability).
  
  n Snatch (in a single movement, lifting a weight 
  from the floor to a full arms’ extension over 
  one’s head, then holding it there motionless 
  until allowed to release it): 40% of the charac-
  ter’s full lifting capacity
  For example, a character with STR 40 can lift 
  a maximum of 6,400 kg — that’s as much as he 
  can barely get off the ground and stagger with for 
  a step or two. Using these optional rules, he can 
  bench press 4,800 kg, clean and jerk 3,200 kg, 
  dead lift 5,760 kg, leg press 12,500 kg, and snatch 
  2,560 kg — any one of which puts him thousands 
  of kilograms ahead of the real world’s strongest 
  people.
  Realistic uses Of Strength
  As with the rest of the HERO System, the rules 
  for STR are designed with “dramatic realism” and 
  ease of play as the primary considerations, not 
  true “realism.” Here are some STR rules for games 
  where the GM prefers to be more “realistic.”
  REAlISTIC THROWInG
  Speaking “realistically,” the Throwing Table 
  (6E2 81) short-changes high-STR characters 
  when it comes to Throwing for distance. The two 
  accompanying Realistic Throwing Tables present 
  a more “realistic” picture of high-STR throwing 
  distances, based on the force a character of a given 
  STR can exert. The first table shows how heavy 
  an object a character with a given STR 40-100 
  can throw 1,000 feet (305m), 1 Mile (1,609m), 
  10 Miles (16,090m), and into the orbit of Earth 
  (escape velocity). The second table shows how 
  far a character of a given STR can throw a given 
  weight. Formulae are provided for calculating 
  other STRs and weights.
  Obviously, these “realistic” throwing rules 
  potentially create enormous game balance 
  problems. They have a lot of fun, dramatic uses, 
  such as a brick throwing a nuclear bomb far 
  enough away from inhabited areas that it doesn’t 
  “I’m AS STROnG 
  AS TEn mEn!”
  it’s not uncommon 
  in some genres for 
  characters to define their 
  high str as representing 
  being as strong as 
  some number of men. 
  For example, a golden 
  age superhero might 
  have the ability to make 
  himself “as strong as ten 
  men!,” or a potion of 
  threefold strength 
  in a Fantasy 
  Hero game might 
  make the imbiber 
  as strong as three 
  men.
  in HERO System terms, 
  to determine the lifting 
  capacity of a group of 
  people, you combine 
  their lifting capacities 
  from str and then use 
  that total to determine 
  a “group str” for them. 
  Following that method, 
  here’s how strong 
  various groups of men 
  are (assuming they all 
  have 10 str):
  
  n 2 men = 15 str
  
  n 3 men = 18 str
  
  n 4 men = 20 str
  
  n 5 men = 21 str
  
  n 10 men = 26 str
  
  n 15 men = 29 str
  
  n 20 men = 31 str
  
  n 25 men = 33 str
  
  n 30 men = 34 str
  
  n 40 men = 36 str
  
  n 50 men = 38 str
  
  n 100 men = 43 str
  1
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter one 
  11
  hurt anyone. But if a character can easily throw 
  his foes into orbit (or even just a few miles), he 
  can end a combat or crisis situation in a few short 
  seconds. To compensate for this, GMs who want 
  to use these rules should consider creating a Long-
  Range Throw Combat Maneuver. This maneuver 
  allows bricks to access the realistic throwing rules, 
  but it entails the same penalty as a Haymaker: a 
  Long-Range Throw requires an Extra Segment to 
  execute on a Grabbed target, and puts the brick at 
  -5 DCV.
  Whether the GM adopts the Long-Range 
  Throw rule (or some similar rule), when charac-
  ters use the “realistic” throwing rules, standard 
  rules for Throws, including damage done, and the 
  penalties for range, balance, and aerodynamicity, 
  apply.
  REAlISTIC lIFTInG
  “Realistically,” a lot of the large objects bricks 
  tend to lift wouldn’t remain in one piece during 
  the process — they’d snap in two, or break into 
  pieces, because they can’t support their own 
  weight when picked up off the ground. If the GM 
  wants to simulate this in game terms, here are 
  some simple rules for doing so.
  First, the GM should determine the weight 
  of the object. Since he has to do this anyway to 
  figure out if the brick can lift it in the first place, 
  that shouldn’t prove too difficult a task. Once he 
  knows the weight, he should consult the Expanded 
  Strength Chart to determine the minimum STR 
  needed to lift it.
  REAlISTIC THROWInG TABlE II
  str
  Lift
  100 Kg
  1 ton
  5 tons
  10 tons
  50 tons
  100 tons
  40
  6.4 tons
  40,960
  410
  16
  —
  —
  —
  45
  12.5 tons
  156,250
  1,562
  62
  16
  —
  —
  50
  25 tons
  625,000
  6,250
  250
  62
  —
  —
  55
  50 tons
  2.5 mil
  25,000
  1,000
  250
  —
  —
  60
  100 tons
  10 mil
  100,000
  4,000
  1,000
  40
  —
  65
  200 tons
  40 mil
  400,000
  16,000
  4,000
  160
  40
  70
  400 tons
  160 mil
  1.6 mil
  64,000
  16,000
  640
  160
  75
  800 tons
  640 mil
  6.4 mil
  256,000
  64,000
  2,560
  640
  80
  1.6 ktons
  2.6 bil
  25.6 mil
  1 mil
  256,000
  10,240
  2,560
  85
  3.2 ktons
  10 bil
  102.4 mil
  4.10 mil
  1 mil
  40,960
  10.240
  90
  6.4 ktons
  40 bil
   4.10 bil
  16.4 mil
  4.10 mil
  1.64 mil
  40,960
  95
  12.5 ktons
  156 bil
  1.56 bil
  62 mil
  15.6 mil
  625,000
  156,250
  100
  25 ktons
  620 bil
  6.2 bil
  250 mil
  62 mil
  2.5 mil
  625,000
  Distances listed are in meters. To find the the distance a character can throw each of these weights for other STR ratings, divide the maximum 
  amount the character can lift by the following numbers:
  1.  Take the maximum mass the character can left.
  2.  Divide by the mass the character wants to throw.
  3.  Square the result of Step 2.
  4.  Multiply by 5 to find the maximum throwing distance in hexes (or multiply by 10 for meters).
  Basically, each +5 STR quadruples the maximum throwing distance for a given mass, and each doubling of mass quarters the throwing 
  distance.
  These calculations assume a one second application of force and a 45 degree angle throw, and do not take air fiction into account.
  REAlISTIC THROWInG TABlE I
  str
  Lift
  1,000 feet 
  (305m)
  1 Mile 
  (1,609m)
  10 Miles 
  (16,090m)
  orbital
  40
  6.4 tons
  1.2 tons
  502 kg
  159 kg
  —
  45
  12.5 tons
  2.3 tons
  980 kg
  310 kg
  —
  50
  25 tons
  4.5 tons
  2 tons
  620 kg
  22 kg
  55
  50 tons
  9 tons
  3.9 tons
  1.2 tons
  45 kg
  60
  100 tons
  18 tons
  7.8 tons
  2.5 tons
  89 kg
  65
  200 tons
  36 tons
  16 tons
  5 tons
  179 kg
  70
  400 tons
  73 tons
  31 tons
  10 tons
  357 kg
  75
  800 tons
  145 tons
  63 tons
  20 tons
  714 kg
  80
  1.6 ktons
  290 tons
  125 tons
  40 tons
  1.4 tons
  85
  3.2 ktons
  581 tons
  251 tons
  79 tons
  2.9 tons
  90
  6.4 ktons
  1.2 ktons
  502 tons
  159 tons
  5.7 tons
  95
  12.5 ktons
  2.3 ktons
  980 tons
  310 tons
  11 tons
  100
  25 ktons
  4.5 ktons
  2 ktons
  620 tons
  22 tons
  To find the the mass a character can throw for each of these distances for other 
  STR ratings, divide the maximum amount the character can lift by the following 
  numbers:
  5.5 for 1,000 feet
  12.75 for 1 Mile
  40.3 for 10 Miles
  1,120 for Orbital (escape velocity)
  These calculations assume a one second application of force and a 45 degree 
  angle throw, and do not take air friction into account.
  1
  
  12 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  Second, he has to determine the object’s PD 
  and BODY based on the materials it’s built with, 
  its size, and other factors.
  Third, for each Segment the brick holds the 
  object off the ground (beginning in the Phase 
  when he picks it up), the GM should apply the 
  STR damage from the STR needed to lift it to 
  the object. If the object takes any BODY damage 
  beyond its PD, it starts to crack and break. The 
  GM can determine just how badly it breaks, and 
  whether any pieces fall off, by comparing how 
  much BODY damage it takes to its overall BODY. 
  Then he can apply common sense and dramatic 
  sense to figure out how the object breaks, and 
  what happens. For instance, if a building with 100 
  BODY takes 10 BODY, then it’s 10% damaged. 
  Depending on the situation, that may mean that 
  the outermost 10% of its length falls off, that it’s 
  suffered 10% damage but remains in one shape, or 
  that the outermost 90% falls off, leaving the brick 
  holding a 10%-sized chunk.
  HuRTInG yOuRSElF WITH HIGH STREnGTH
  “Realistically,” a character with high STR 
  doesn’t necessarily have a body that can with-
  stand the use of that STR. When he really exerts 
  himself, he might cause himself injury. As an 
  optional rule, the GM can establish a threshold 
  beyond which exerting STR can hurt the character 
  using that STR. If the character uses STR above 
  the threshold, he takes damage (and no defense 
  applies to reduce that damage).
  Typically, the threshold depends on the char-
  acter’s STR in comparison to his PD — PD in this 
  case reflects how well the character’s body is built 
  to withstand the use of his own STR. Possible 
  thresholds include:
  
  n if the dice of STR damage exceeds the charac-
  ter’s PD
  
  n if the dice of STR damage exceeds some 
  multiple of the character’s PD (such as 2 x PD, 
  or 3 x PD)
  For lifting or throwing, which don’t involve 
  rolling any dice, divide the STR used by 5 and 
  compare that to the character’s PD. Obviously, 
  the lower the threshold, the more characters will 
  restrict themselves from using high STR unless 
  they absolutely have to.
  The character takes 1d6 damage for each die 
  of damage (or STR/5) done beyond the threshold. 
  This represents muscle strain, torn tendons and 
  ligaments, internal injuries, and similar injuries. 
  He gets no defense against this damage.
  Example: The GM establishes a “frail brick” 
  threshold of 2 x PD. Belgarn the Alchemist (PD 5) 
  uses a Potion Of Gigantic Strength to increase his 
  normal 10 STR to 40 STR. That means he does 
  8d6 damage. But since his PD is only 5, he takes 
  (8 - 5 =) 3d6 damage every time he uses his full 
  STR in combat... and he gets no defense against 
  that damage! If he used 30 STR to lift something, 
  he would take ((30/5) - 5 =) 1d6 damage.
  DEXTERITy
  Dexterity is a bit unusual in that it costs 2 
  Character Points per point, whereas the other 
  Characteristics it’s grouped with on the character 
  sheet all cost 1 Character Point per point. If you 
  don’t mind adding a line to your character sheet, 
  you can split DEX into two Characteristics — 
  Agility and Reaction — each costing 1 Character 
  Point per point.
  Agility (AGI) represents a character’s general 
  nimbleness, adroitness, and dexterousness. It’s 
  the basis for the character’s “DEX Roll” (Reaction 
  doesn’t normally have a Characteristic Roll) and 
  for most DEX-Based Skills (aptly named “Agility 
  Skills”).
  Reaction (REA) represents a character’s reac-
  tion time and related attributes. It’s the basis for 
  a character’s initiative (when his Phase occurs in 
  a Segment, and whether he goes before or after 
  someone else). That’s nearly all it does — deter-
  mine when the character acts in relation to other 
  characters. However, the GM can use a REA Roll 
  to break initiative ties during combat, and REA 
  also provides the roll for the Skills Fast Draw and 
  Teamwork.
  PRESEnCE
  One of PRE’s most important functions is that 
  it allows characters to make Presence Attacks, 
  which not only add a lot of flavor and fun to the 
  game but can be very combat-effective in the right 
  circumstances. To add a little “oomph” to them, 
  characters sometimes want to buy Advantages for 
  their Presence Attacks, such as Does Knockback.
  By definition any Advantage bought for a Pres-
  ence Attack is a naked Advantage, and using it 
  requires an Attack Action. Therefore, a character 
  can’t use it with a Presence Attack made after 
  making some other attack (unless, of course, he 
  buys it with an appropriate form of the Trigger 
  Advantage).
  DEFEnSES
  The standard HERO System dichotomy of 
  Physical Defense and Energy Defense works well 
  for nearly all campaigns. But for some types of 
  games the GM may want to change what defenses 
  a character has. Some possibilities include:
  OnE DEFEnSE
  In campaign settings where one category of 
  attack (usually Energy) tends to be rare, it may be 
  simpler (and cheaper) for the GM just to collapse 
  PD and ED into one Characteristic, Defense 
  (DEF), that applies against both Physical and 
  Energy damage. DEF typically has a Base Value of 
  2 and costs 1 Character Point per point, but the 
  GM should set things to suit his campaign.
  WEIGHTlIFTInG 
  RECORDS
  due to the plethora of 
  organizations for weight-
  lifters and weightlifting, 
  the numerous catego-
  ries (based on body 
  weight, age, and gender) 
  for weightlifting, and 
  other considerations, 
  determining real-world 
  records for weightlifting 
  sometimes proves 
  difficult. according 
  to the standards 
  of the interna-
  tional Weight-
  lifting Federation, 
  the following records 
  apply for the over-110 kg 
  body weight category for 
  men as of 2009:
  Snatch: 216.0 kg
  Clean And Jerk: 266.0 
  kg (the “world standard”)
  typically, the best male 
  weightlifters in the world 
  can lift about 2.5 times 
  their own body weight in 
  the snatch, and as much 
  as three times their own 
  body weight in the clean 
  and jerk.
  the comparative 
  totals for the strongest 
  women’s category, 
  over-75 kg, are a snatch 
  lift of 140 kg and a clean 
  and jerk of 186 kg.
  1
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter one 
  13
  mEnTAl DEFEnSE AS A CHARACTERISTIC
  In some campaigns, particularly psionics 
  campaigns or games in settings featuring lots of 
  Mental Powers, the GM may want to make Mental 
  Defense a Characteristic. It has a Base Value of 
  2 and costs 1 Character Point per point. This 
  ensures that everyone has at least some resistance 
  to mental attacks.
  POWER DEFEnSE AS A CHARACTERISTIC
  Similarly, in some games the GM may want 
  all characters to have at least a little resistance to 
  attacks like Drains and Transforms. For example, 
  in a world where there’s lots of magic, perhaps 
  everyone’s evolved a certain innate level of 
  resistance to magical attacks. Power Defense as a 
  Characteristic has a Base Value of 2 and costs 1 
  Character Point per point.
  AlTERInG THE DEFEnSE CATEGORIES
  In some campaigns the GM may want to create 
  additional categories of damage besides Physical, 
  Energy, and Mental. (This may go hand in hand 
  with combining PD and ED into DEF, and perhaps 
  renaming DEF to something more campaign-
  appropriate.) Some possible other categories 
  include:
  
  n Arcane Defense (“AD”), which protects against 
  any magical attack. In essence, AD is a defense 
  defined by the “special effect” that it protects 
  against, rather than the type of damage. It 
  protects the character against Physical attacks, 
  Energy attacks, Mental attacks, attacks that 
  work against Flash Defense, and attacks that 
  work against Power Defense. In campaigns that 
  use AD, regular PD, ED, and other defenses 
  typically offer no protection against magical 
  attacks at all. However, using AD may signifi-
  cantly weaken magical Flashes, Drains, and the 
  like unless it costs more than regular PD and 
  ED.
  
  n Mystical Defense (“MD”), which combines 
  Mental Defense and Power Defense. 
  Campaigns that use MD typically collapse PD 
  and ED into a single category, often named 
  Physical, that protects against all attacks that 
  cause physical injury regardless of whether 
  they use Physical or Energy attacks to do it.
  
  n Spiritual Defense (“SD”), which protects against 
  attacks that directly assault the spirit or soul 
  (such as Transforms of the Spirit aspect, or 
  certain types of Necromancy spells). Unless 
  such attacks are common in the setting, SD 
  should typically be much cheaper than other 
  Defense Characteristics.
  SPEED
  Here are some additional rules and options 
  pertaining to SPD.
  lImITED SPD
  When a character buys Limited SPD, it’s up 
  to the GM to determine which Segments the 
  additional Phases occur in. If the character’s two 
  SPDs — unrestricted and Limited — have no 
  Phases in common, then the Limited SPD Phases 
  simply occur in their regular Segments. If the two 
  SPDs have some Phases in common, the GM has 
  to decide in which Segments the Limited SPD 
  Phases occur.
  Example: Rocket is SPD 4, but has +4 SPD, 
  Only To Move (-1). His standard Phases from 
  his un-Limited SPD are 3, 6, 9, and 12. The +4 
  SPD would ordinarily give him SPD 8, which 
  has Phases on Segments 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 
  12. Since none of the four “extra” Phases coincide 
  with his standard Phases, determining when he 
  can use his Limited SPD is easy: in Segments 2, 5, 
  8, and 11, Rocket can only move.
  The Crimson Comet is SPD 5, but has bought 
  +3 SPD, Only To Attack (-½). His standard 
  Phases from his un-Limited SPD are 3, 5, 8, 10, 
  and 12. The +3 SPD would ordinarily give him 
  SPD 8, which has Phases on Segments 2, 3, 5, 6, 
  8, 9, 11, and 12. Thus, his “two SPDs” have four 
  Phases in common: 3, 5, 8, and 12. That leaves 
  Segments 2, 6, 9, and 11 when his +3 Limited 
  SPD Phases could occur. The GM decides the 
  Crimson Comet gets his attacks-only Phases on 2, 
  6, and 11.
  A character who buys Limited extra SPD must 
  declare at the beginning of the Turn that he’s using 
  his extra SPD that Turn. He cannot activate it later 
  in the Turn. The GM may, of course, permit him 
  to declare it later, but if so must address any rules 
  ramifications that occur.
  A character who buys Limited extra SPD 
  cannot “turn off” that extra SPD partway through 
  a Turn without the GM’s permission. By defini-
  tion, if a character activates Limited extra SPD, 
  that SPD has to remain “in effect” for an entire 
  Turn, since SPD’s effectiveness is “measured” on 
  a per-Turn basis. A character can’t take advantage 
  of gaining extra Phases, then “turn off” the extra 
  SPD late in the Turn to take advantage of not 
  having it. If he wants to de-activate the extra SPD, 
  he has to do that prior to the next Turn beginning 
  so he gains no benefit from it in that Turn.
  If a character purchases SPD that Costs Endur-
  ance, he must pay the END cost every Phase, 
  not just on the extra Phases he gains from the 
  Power. Therefore, he can’t take Recoveries (other 
  than the standard Post-Segment 12 Recovery) 
  unless he de-activates the extra SPD, since his 
  SPD costs him END every Phase. If he gets 
  Stunned in one of his “extra” Phases (the Phases 
  added by the Limited SPD) before his Phase 
  occurs in the Segment, he still gets to recover 
  1
  
  14 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  from being Stunned when his Phase occurs in that 
  Segment, since the power doesn’t deactivate until 
  the end of the Segment.
  If a character buys extra SPD with Charges, 
  he spends 1 Charge for every extra Phase he 
  uses from the SPD-bought-as-Power. He can 
  buy Continuing Charges, Fuel Charges, or the 
  like as desired (or as the GM permits). In any 
  event, he’s subject to the standard rules for using 
  Limited SPD.
  If a character has Limited SPD, he has to pay 
  END on every Phase for every Constant Power he 
  wants to maintain, whether the Phase comes from 
  his unrestricted SPD or his Limited SPD. If he 
  doesn’t pay the END, the power ceases to function. 
  The fact that a Phase comes from Limited SPD 
  doesn’t exempt the character from having to pay 
  END to maintain his Constant Powers.
  If a character has extra SPD with Limitations, 
  and he hasn’t activated that power for a given 
  Turn, he cannot Abort to activate it in mid-Turn. 
  Using extra SPD doesn’t qualify as a “defensive 
  Action.”
  The GM may alter these rules in the interest of 
  dramatic sense or game balance.
  mEnTAl SPD
  In a campaign that focuses on Mental Powers 
  and related matters, perhaps characters have 
  Mental SPD (“MSPD”) in addition to their stan-
  dard, physical, SPD. Regular SPD can only be used 
  for physical actions, and MSPD that can only be 
  used for mental actions. MSPD has a Base Value of 
  2; every +1 MSPD costs 10 Character Points, and 
  the same rules for buying additional SPD apply to 
  buying additional MSPD.
  If a character has a SPD Phase and an MSPD 
  Phase in the same Segment, he can take both 
  Actions. He gets a full Phase’s worth of physical 
  actions (possibly including making a physical 
  attack) and a full Phases’s worth of mental actions 
  (possibly including making a mental attack). This 
  can result in his getting two attacks in a single 
  Segment, provided one is physical and one mental. 
  Making a physical attack ends the character’s SPD 
  Phase as usual, but doesn’t affect his MSPD Phase, 
  and vice-versa.
  SPD BEyOnD 12 
  As noted on 6E1 45, the maximum SPD that 
  has any additional effect on a character’s Phases 
  and Actions is 12 — SPD 13 and higher don’t 
  grant any extra Phases or Actions, they just help 
  the character resist Drain SPD attacks and the like. 
  Despite this rule, GMs running high-powered 
  campaigns (such as Galactic Champions games) 
  may want to allow SPDs of 13 or higher as an 
  option. In that case, the following rules apply.
  Points of SPD above 12 still cost 10 Character 
  Points per point, unless the GM rules otherwise.
  SPDs of 13 and higher grant a character 
  extra Phases in certain Segments — the same 
  Segments that SPDs 1-12 grant. In other words, 
  distribute the remaining actions throughout the 
  Turn according to the standard Speed Chart — 
  just subtract 12 from the character’s SPD to figure 
  out which Segments he gets an extra Phase in. 
  For example, SPD 18 gets one Phase in Segments 
  1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, and two Phases in Segments 
  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 — the Phases that SPD 6 (18 
  minus 12) gets. Thus, a character with SPD 24 
  would get two Phases every Segment. In the event 
  a character’s SPD exceeds 24, apply the same rule, 
  giving the character three, four, or more Phases in 
  some Segments.
  When a character has two (or more) Phases in 
  a single Segment, each qualifies as a full Phase. A 
  character with two Phases could perform two Full 
  Phase Actions, four Half Phase Actions, or one 
  Full Phase and two Half Phase Actions. As always, 
  an Attack Action ends a Phase, but if the character 
  makes an Attack Action with his first Phase in 
  the Segment, he still gets his entire second Phase. 
  Thus, a character with two Phases could attack 
  with his first Phase, then use his second Phase to 
  make a Full Move away from the battlefield so his 
  enemy wouldn’t have the chance to counterattack.
  If a character has multiple Phases in a Segment, 
  both Phases are performed on his DEX — he 
  takes his first Phase on his DEX in the Segment, 
  and when that’s done he immediately takes his 
  second Phase (and so on if he has more Phases). 
  He doesn’t have to “wait” between Phases. 
  (Alternately, GMs who want to “slow down” such 
  characters a little bit may want to divide their 
  Phases over the DEX order as evenly as possible. 
  For example, if a character with DEX 30 has three 
  Phases in a Segment, he’d get them on DEX 30, 
  DEX 20, and DEX 10. If the GM uses this rule, he 
  should decide how it affects Holding an Action.)
  Because a character loses a Held Action if he 
  Holds it until a Segment when he has a Phase (as 
  discussed on 6E2 20), a character with SPD 13 or 
  higher cannot hold any of his Phases until a later 
  Segment. However, he may hold any or all of his 
  Actions in a Phase until later in that Segment.
  A character with multiple Phases in a Segment 
  may not take a Recovery with any of them if he 
  uses any of them to perform Actions — having 
  multiple Phases doesn’t change the rule that a 
  character cannot Recover if he does anything in 
  a Phase (including Holding an Action). Thus, if 
  a character with multiple Phases wants to take a 
  Recovery, he has to take a Recovery with all of his 
  Phases in that Segment. All such Recoveries occur 
  at the very end of the Segment, as usual.
  Before allowing SPDs higher than 12, GMs 
  should be aware that they have a significant 
  potential to cause game problems. First, the 
  more Actions characters can take in combat, the 
  longer combats tend to take. Second, allowing 
  one character a lot more Actions than others may 
  unbalance the game in his favor, giving him too 
  much “screen time” at the expense of the other 
  characters.
  1
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter one 
  15
  seCondary spd 
  Alternatively or in addition to allowing char-
  acters to buy SPDs higher than 12, the GM might 
  consider Secondary SPD. Basically this means 
  allowing a character to have two SPD Character-
  istics — the regular one, and a second one usable 
  only for some Limited purpose.
  The character’s primary SPD Characteristic 
  works just like normal: it starts with a Base Value 
  of 2, costs 10 Character Points per point, and 
  so forth. The Phases it provides can be used for 
  anything. Any character who wants to can also 
  buy secondary SPD. Secondary SPD starts with 
  a Base Value of 0 and costs 10 Character Points 
  per point. It provides Phases on the standard 
  Segments for its value, even if the character 
  already has a normal Phase from his primary 
  SPD. However, it it must have some Limitation 
  applied to it to restrict what the Phases it provides 
  can be used for. See Limited SPD, above, for some 
  suggestions.
  If a character’s primary and secondary SPD 
  give him two Phases in the same Segment, the 
  Actions taken with a character’s primary Phases 
  (which must be taken first) do not affect the 
  Actions he can take with his secondary Phases 
  (which are always taken last). For example, a char-
  acter with both a primary Phase and a secondary 
  Phase in Segment 6 could use his primary Phase 
  to make a Full Move or to attack. He could then 
  still use his secondary Full Phase for whatever 
  types of Actions it allows. For example, if it’s Only 
  To Attack he could make another attack (despite 
  the fact that he’s already attacked once in this 
  Segment); if it’s Only To Take Recoveries, he could 
  take a Recovery (even though he already acted this 
  Phase).
  Example: Kinetik has SPD 8 (which gives him 
  Phases in Segments 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12). 
  Because he acts so often he uses up a lot of 
  END. To help alleviate the problem of running 
  out of END, he buys 4 Secondary SPD, Only 
  To Recover (-1) (40 Active Points; total cost 20 
  points). Since SPD 4 provides Phases in Segments 
  3, 6, 9, and 12, on those four Segments he ends 
  up with two Full Phases — one primary, one 
  secondary. In his primary Phase he can take any 
  Actions he wants: attacking, defending, moving, 
  taking Recoveries, using Skills, and so on. In his 
  secondary Phase he can only take Recoveries. 
  But he can do so despite the fact he’s already 
  acted in his primary Phase — the two Phases are 
  “separate,” so what he does in the primary Phase 
  doesn’t stop him from using his secondary Phase. 
  If he’s really tired, he could even take a Recovery 
  with both Phases!
  BODy
  The following rules apply to negatively 
  Adjusting BODY:
  DRAIn
  A character who has positive BODY and is 
  reduced into negative BODY by Drain loses more 
  BODY in Post-Segment 12 (just like any other 
  character injured into the negative BODY range). 
  However, the loss of BODY stops if the effects of 
  the Adjustment Power fade and the fading at any 
  time returns him to positive BODY. (He does not, 
  however, regain the BODY he lost to “bleeding” 
  while in the negatives.)
  If a character is in the negative BODY range 
  due to a wound, and an Adjustment Power adds 
  to that effect, he keeps bleeding from the wound 
  on Post-Segment 12 and eventually dies (or dies 
  immediately if the Adjustment Power takes him to 
  negative his starting BODY).
  If a character is in the negative BODY range 
  due to a wound, and an Adjustment Power takes 
  him to positive BODY, he stops Post-Segment 12 
  bleeding from the wound as long as the Adjust-
  ment Power keeps his BODY score positive. When 
  the fading of the Adjustment Power returns him to 
  negative BODY, he starts bleeding again in Post-
  Segment 12.
  SuPPRESS
  A character who has positive BODY and is 
  Suppressed into negative BODY doesn’t lose more 
  BODY in Post-Segment 12.
  If reduced to negative his BODY solely due 
  to Suppress, a character “dies” for all intents 
  and purposes, but comes back to life when the 
  Suppress ceases to apply.
  If a character is in negative BODY numbers 
  due to a wound, and a Suppress adds to that effect, 
  he keeps bleeding from the wound on Post-
  Segment 12 and will eventually die for real. 
  If a character has lost some BODY due to a 
  wound, but not enough to put him in the nega-
  tives, and Suppress takes him into the negatives, 
  he does not bleed on Post-Segment 12, and will 
  “come back to life” after the Suppress is removed if 
  it takes him to negative his BODY.
  If a character’s suffering from the effects of 
  a Suppress BODY, he can Heal or Regenerate 
  the lost BODY. Both Healing and Regeneration 
  restore BODY lost to a Suppress BODY while the 
  Suppress remains in effect — though of course the 
  character maintaining the Suppress could hit the 
  victim with another use of the Suppress BODY, 
  forcing the victim to start Healing/Regenerating 
  the additional lost BODY (if desired). However, if 
  a character suffers a Suppress BODY that reduces 
  him to negative his BODY (or lower), Healing/
  Regeneration Resurrection will not restore him to 
  “life,” because (a) the condition that “killed” the 
  character remains in full effect, and (b) he’s not 
  truly dead, so Resurrection isn’t applicable.
  1
  
  16 n Characteristics 
  hero system 6th edition
  If a character Suppresses the BODY of an 
  inanimate or unliving object, such as a Vehicle, a 
  Base, a mailbox, or a rock, to 0, it crumbles to its 
  component pieces or dust, just like with a Drain 
  — but when the Suppress effect ceases to function, 
  the object instantly re-assembles into its intact, 
  working self. If someone takes part of the object 
  away while the BODY is Suppressed, the GM has 
  to determine the effects based on what’s taken, 
  how far away it’s taken, and so forth.
  CHARACTERISTIC mAXImA
  Some campaigns, such as many Fantasy Hero 
  and Star Hero games, feature multiple sentient 
  species or races. Some GMs like to vary the Char-
  acteristic Maxima for different races. This allows 
  some races to buy Characteristics to a higher limit 
  without doubling the cost, or lowers the doubling 
  threshold to make it harder for some races to 
  increase their Characteristics. For example, maybe 
  dwarves can have CON up to 23 and elves can 
  have INT up to 23 before the doubling takes effect, 
  but elves can only have CON 16 before doubling 
  sets in.
  Since there’s no guarantee how many points 
  each character will spend on each Characteristic, 
  there’s no way to create a uniformly balanced 
  method of applying this sort of change. Many 
  GMs try to “balance” the effect by imposing an 
  equal amount of “upgrades” and “downgrades” 
  to each race, or by applying downgrades in some 
  other proportion to upgrades. For example, if 
  elves can have up to INT 23 without doubling (a 
  possible savings of 3 points), then perhaps they 
  can only have STR 17 before doubling (a possible 
  extra cost of 3 points).
  1
  
  Chapter twO
  skills, Perks, 
  and talents
  
  18 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  SKIllS
  T
  he following additional, optional, or 
  expanded rules apply to Skills. 
  GEnERAl RulES
  Sometimes a player or a GM wants to give a 
  character a permanent penalty to one or more 
  Skills. For example, a character might be so 
  awkward and shy that he automatically suffers a 
  -2 penalty on Interaction Skill rolls, or suffer from 
  a “curse of palsy” that imposes a -1 penalty on all 
  Agility Skills. In most cases the best way to do this 
  is with a Complication. Which Complication is 
  most appropriate depends on the special effects 
  of the penalty. Physical Complication, Psycho-
  logical Complication, and Social Complication are 
  most commonly used, but they’re not necessarily 
  the only possibilities. For example, as noted on 
  APG 149, Distinctive Features may entail some 
  penalties to Interaction Skill rolls.
  Skills involving some sort of physical activity 
  (such as Acrobatics, Lockpicking, Mechanics, or 
  Riding) are typically Obvious when used, unless 
  that would contradict the nature or purpose of 
  the Skill. (For example, neither Conversation or 
  Stealth would work properly if they were Obvious 
  when used, though the GM might rule that their 
  use is sometimes Obvious to observers who aren’t 
  the target of the Skill.) Skills that are mental in 
  nature, such as Deduction and Knowledge Skill, 
  are Invisible, though the character’s actions may 
  make them Obvious (for example, if he diagrams 
  his thoughts on a chalkboard as a way of analyzing 
  a problem). Characters cannot apply the Invisible 
  Power Effects Advantage to Skills unless the GM 
  permits it. If he does permit it, any Skill Levels 
  used with the Skill that are not also Invisible to the 
  same Sense Groups automatically render the Skill 
  perceivable when used.
  Skills do not ordinarily cost END to use. 
  However, “realistically” some of them, such as 
  Climbing, could be considered tiring activities. 
  Therefore GMs running “realistic” campaigns may 
  choose to charge characters END for them. Typi-
  cally this means END for the STR used (perhaps 
  with some minimum cost, such as 2 END per 
  Phase, and subject to the rules regarding STR and 
  END). Even if the GM charges END for some 
  Skills, characters cannot Push them.
  With a few exceptions (such as Inventor, 
  which only works in conjunction with some 
  other Technological Skill), the HERO System 
  doesn’t require characters to buy any particular 
  ability before buying a Skill. There’s no rule that 
  says, for example, that “only characters with INT 
  15 or higher can buy Demolitions” or “to buy 
  Computer Programming, a character must first 
  have Electronics with at least a 13- roll.” However, 
  there’s no reason a GM couldn’t create “Skill 
  Prerequisite” rules for his own campaign if he 
  wants to. For example, in a world with computers 
  similar to those of early twenty-first century Earth, 
  but where literacy is far less common, the GM 
  might rule that characters cannot buy Computer 
  Programming until they buy Literacy in at least 
  one language.
  Skill Combinations
  If you’re interested in using the “Skill combina-
  tions” suggestion on 6E1 54, the text box on APG 
  19 has an expanded list of possibilities. The GM 
  sets the cost for each one; on average they each 
  have about 9-12 Character Points’ worth of Skills 
  using the standard rules.
  Degrees Of 
  Complementariness
  The standard Complementary Skill rules don’t 
  differentiate between Complementary Skills that 
  are closely related to the task at hand, and those 
  that are less relevant — any Skill that qualifies as 
  Complementary can provide a bonus. This may 
  not suit some GMs, particularly those running 
  campaigns where Skill use is an important aspect 
  of adventures. For those games, the GM can use 
  the degree of complementariness rules so that some 
  Complementary Skills are better than others.
  As detailed in the accompanying table, the 
  degrees of complementariness rules assign 
  Complementary Skills to one of five categories. 
  From best to worst, these are Extremely, Very, 
  Average, Low, and Poorly Complementary. 
  The greater the degree of complementariness, 
  the greater the maximum bonus the Comple-
  mentary Skill can provide. Furthermore, some 
  highly Complementary Skills can, at the GM’s 
  option, provide an automatic bonus to the base 
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  19
  SKIll COmBInATIOnS
  name
  skills
  Actor
  Acting, Disguise, Mimicry
  Animal Trainer
  Animal Handler (7 points’ worth), Riding
  Athletics
  Acrobatics, Breakfall, Climbing
  Cat Burglar
  Climbing, Lockpicking, Security Systems
  Commander
  Oratory, Tactics, WF (4 points’ 
  worth) (add Riding in Fantasy and 
  other appropriate genres)
  Con Artist
  Conversation, High Society, 
  Persuasion, Charm
  Crime
  Bribery, Forgery (3 points’ worth), 
  Gambling (3 points’ worth), Streetwise
  Detective Work
  Criminology, Deduction, Forensic 
  Medicine, Interrogation
  Dilettante
  Gambling (3 points’ worth), High Society, 
  Knowledge Skills (6 points’ worth)
  Doctor
  Paramedics, SS: Medicine (INT 
  Roll), SS: Surgery (INT Roll)
  Electronics Wizard
  Computer Programming, Electronics, 
  Inventor, Systems Operation
  Finesse
  Climbing, Contortionist, Sleight Of Hand
  Grease Monkey
  Inventor, Mechanics
  Gunfighter
  Fast Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting 
  (Ranged), WF (Small Arms)
  Hacker
  Computer Programming, Cryptography, 
  Electronics, Systems Operation
  Hunter
  Navigation (Land), Stealth, Survival (2 
  points’ worth), WF (2 points’ worth)
  Infiltration
  Lockpicking, Security Systems, Stealth
  Pilot
  Combat Piloting, Navigation 
  (Air), Systems Operation, TF (5 
  points’ worth of Air Vehicles)
  Politician
  Bureaucratics, Oratory, Persuasion
  Sage
  20 points’ worth of Knowledge Skills 
  lumped into one Skill with an appropriate 
  title (for example, a character with an 
  extensive knowledge of history might buy 
  Sage and change the name to Historian).
  Sailor
  Navigation (Sea), TF (10 points’ 
  worth — all the watercraft)
  Scientific Genius
  20 points’ worth of Science Skills lumped 
  into one Skill with an appropriate title (for 
  example, a character with an extensive 
  knowledge of the biological sciences 
  might buy Scientific Genius and change 
  the name to Biologist or Biology Genius).
  Spy
  Cryptography, Lockpicking, 
  Security Systems, TF (2 points’ 
  worth), WF (2 points’ worth)
  Surveillance
  Bugging, Concealment, Shadowing
  Wheelman
  Combat Driving, Navigation (Land), 
  Shadowing (only in vehicles), 
  TF (7 points’ worth — all of the 
  Motorized Ground Vehicles)
  Skill Roll, even if the Complementary Skill roll 
  fails (provided the failure isn’t by 4 or more, or a 
  Critical Failure). The automatic bonus is part of, 
  not in addition to, the rolled bonus. For example, 
  if a character has an Extremely Complementary 
  Skill (+2 automatic bonus) and makes his roll by 8 
  (for a +4 bonus), he grants a +4 bonus to the base 
  Skill Roll (not +6).
  The GM determines what degree of comple-
  mentariness a Complementary Skill has based on 
  the situation, the special effects involved (if any), 
  common sense, dramatic sense, and consider-
  ations of game balance. Most Complementary 
  Skills tend to be Average Complementary; only 
  a truly closely-related Skill should qualify as 
  Very or Extremely Complementary. This is most 
  appropriate when a character has a tightly-focused 
  Background Skill directly related to the task.
  DEGREE OF 
  COmPlEmEnTARInESS TABlE
  degree of 
  Complementariness
  automatic 
  Bonus
  Maximum 
  Bonus
  Extremely Complementary
  +2
  +5
  Very Complementary
  +1
  +4
  Average Complementary
  None
  +3
  Low Complementary
  None
  +2
  Poorly Complementary
  None
  +1
  Base Times
  As noted on 6E1 55, making a Skill Roll usually 
  requires a Half Phase Action (but this can vary 
  tremendously), and 6E1 59 discusses how charac-
  ters can get a bonus to a Skill Roll for taking extra 
  time (or suffer a penalty for trying to accomplish 
  a task quickly). The GM can use the following 
  rules for determining the Base Time required for 
  a task to determine how long Skill use takes, and 
  how much time a character has to devote to get an 
  extra time bonus to his roll. As always, these rules 
  are ultimately just guidelines; the GM has the final 
  say on how long any given task takes.
  DETERmInInG THE BASE TImE
  Typically the Base Time for a Skill depends 
  on simple common sense and real-world experi-
  ence, leavened by the “dramatic action” emphasis 
  of the HERO System rules. For example, a little bit 
  of research makes it apparent that hacking into 
  a secured computer is, “realistically” speaking, a 
  complex, time-consuming task. At a minimum 
  it’s likely to take an hour, and it could take days, 
  weeks, months, or even years. But in adventure 
  fiction and movies, computer-savvy characters 
  often seem to hack systems much more quickly 
  than that. To simulate this, the GM might set the 
  Base Time for using Computer Programming 
  to hack into a system as 1 Minute or 5 Minutes 
  for a computer with basic/simple security, 
  2
  
  20 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  and when necessary increase the Base Time to 
  represent stronger types of security. A GM in 
  a more “realistic” game might start with a Base 
  Time of 1 Hour and go from there.
  The accompanying Base Time Table lists 
  suggested Base Times for common tasks 
  performed with each Skill. The times are chosen 
  with dramatic realism as the primary consider-
  ation, and should often be lengthened for more 
  “realistic” campaigns.
  EXTEnDED TASKS
  Some tasks are so enormous or so complex that 
  they could easily take weeks or months. Examples 
  include building a new starship from scratch, 
  curing an epidemic, or fighting a war. If you view 
  them in the abstract, you could simply resolve 
  them as a single Skill Roll with a large Base Time 
  and various modifiers — but that’s not neces-
  sarily much fun, and it doesn’t necessarily allow 
  individual characters to shine or to apply different 
  Skills to different aspects of the situation.
  As an optional rule, the GM can treat this sort 
  of situation as an Extended Task. To perform an 
  Extended Task, the GM divides the overall task 
  into “sections” and assigns each one an appro-
  priate Skill (and Skill Modifiers, if any) and Base 
  Time. The characters involved have to succeed 
  with each section before moving on to the next, 
  and in the process they may make their job easier 
  (or harder) and quicker (or slower) depending 
  on how well they succeed (or fail). This works 
  particularly well when the characters have a dead-
  line to meet for the Extended Task.
  For each section of the Extended Task, the 
  primary character involved makes the Skill Roll 
  chosen by the GM. The Complementary Skill 
  rules apply, particularly in terms of other char-
  acters helping out. Characters can deliberately 
  push themselves to work faster by accepting the -3 
  penalty per step up the Time Chart, or if necessary 
  can take extra time to get a bonus to the Skill Roll 
  (but at the risk of missing their deadline to finish 
  the Extended Task). Depending on the degree of 
  success (or failure) of a roll, a part of the Extended 
  Task may take much less (or more) time than 
  expected.
  As the characters work on an Extended Task, 
  the GM should interpret their success or failure in 
  a dramatically appropriate way. Don’t just let them 
  make rolls and move on; explain what the rolls 
  mean in setting terms and give them an impact 
  beyond mere success or failure.
  Example: Prince Wolfgang and his friends (the 
  PCs) need to build some fortifications quickly 
  so they can stem an invasion of Thurgandia. 
  They have a small army, plenty of tools, and 
  a nearby forest to supply raw materials. The 
  invading dwarven army will arrive in five days. 
  The GM rules that building the best possible 
  fortifications (given the resources available) 
  will take 1 Week and require a Tactics roll. 
  (He chooses Tactics because several PCs have this 
  Skill, and none have a more directly relevant Skill 
  like PS: Castle Design, PS: Build Fortifications, or 
  PS: Combat Engineer. He assumes at least a few 
  NPCs have Skills like that, though.)
  The GM decides to use the Extended Task 
  rules to handle this situation, since that will 
  emphasize the drama of trying to get the forti-
  fications ready in five days instead of seven. He 
  divides the work into four sections: clear and 
  prepare the land; obtain and prepare raw mate-
  rials; build basic fortifications; build advanced 
  fortifications. Each takes about a day and a half 
  to two days, give or take; the PCs will have to 
  work hard to do all the tasks in just five days.
  First, the heroes and their army clear and 
  prepare the land — they remove trees, dig the 
  outlines of moats, pits, and other obstacles, and 
  pile up a mound of dirt to give their fortress some 
  elevation. The GM has Wolfgang make a Tactics 
  roll. First two other PCs make theirs (one fails, 
  one succeeds by 1) and one NPC makes his PS: 
  Combat Engineer roll (succeeding by 2). The 
  Complementary Skill rolls give Wolfgang a total 
  +2 bonus. He rolls well, succeeding by 3. This is 
  enough to save some time, so the GM rules that 
  the whole job takes only a day, rather than a 
  day-plus.
  Second, the characters must obtain the raw 
  materials — mostly tree trunks and large stones 
  — they need. They head off into the forest with 
  their army and a lot of axes and saws. The GM 
  decides that one PC, who has PS: Woodcutter 
  because he used to help his father with that job, 
  should be the primary character for this section of 
  the Extended Task. None of the other PCs has any 
  relevant Skill, so the character rolls. He succeeds 
  exactly. The heroes have their supplies, but it took 
  a day and a half to get them. The dwarven army 
  arrives in two and a half days....
  Third, the heroes have to build the basic forti-
  fications — lay out and erect the log palisades 
  and so forth. Wolfgang makes a Tactics roll with 
  a +1 bonus from Complementary Skills; unfor-
  tunately, the NPC with PS: Combat Engineer 
  failed his roll badly (-4), so the GM rules that he 
  was badly hurt in an accident and can no longer 
  help. Wolfgang’s roll succeeds exactly, so the job is 
  finished in a day and a half. One more day and 
  battle will be joined.
  Fourth and last, the heroes and their army 
  need to put the finishing touches on the fort, 
  finalize the moat and other trenches, and prepare 
  the rest of the obstacles to slow down the dwarves. 
  Wolfgang makes another Tactics roll, with a 
  +2 bonus from Complementary Skill rolls. He 
  succeeds by 6! The GM rules that with an inspira-
  tional speech and setting an example by working 
  hard himself, Prince Wolfgang inspires the men to 
  work extra hard so that they finish the fortifica-
  tions in less than a day. Now they can snatch a 
  few hours’ rest before the dwarven army reaches 
  the fort.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  21
  skill
  task
  Base time
  acrobatics
  Obtain combat bonus
  No time
  Bounce off wall 
  or surface
  No time
  acting
  Faking an injury
  Half Phase
  Impersonating someone
  Varies
  analyze
  Analyzing subject
  Half Phase (or more)
  animal handler
  Teach animal a trick
  1-8 hours
  Calm a ferocious beast
  Full Phase
  “Communicate” 
  with an animal
  Full Phase
  autofire skills
  N/A
  Breakfall
  Any use
  No time
  Bribery
  Evaluate subject’s 
  susceptibility
  1 Minute or more
  Gauge proper amount/
  type of bribe
  1 Turn or more
  Offer bribe
  Full Phase or more
  Bugging
  Plant bug
  1 Minute or more
  Operate bug
  Varies
  Sweep room for bugs
  1 Minute or more
  Disable/counteract 
  a bug
  1 Turn
  Create a bug
  1 Hour or more
  Bureaucratics
  Obtain information
  1 Hour or more
  Hide information
  1 Minute
  Obtain permission, 
  papers, etc.
  1 Hour or more
  Know who’s who 
  in organization
  1 Minute or more
  Obtain appointment
  1 Minute or more
  Use organization’s 
  resources
  1 Hour or more
  Prompt/delay 
  organizational action
  1 Day or more
  Charm
  Gaining trust/friendship
  1 Minute to 6 Hours
  Romantic seduction
  1 Minute to 4 Hours
  Climbing
  Climb surface
  2m per Full 
  Phase Action
  Combat driving
  N/A
  Combat 
  piloting
  N/A
  Combat skill 
  Levels
  N/A
  Computer 
  programming
  Search for information
  1 Turn or more
  Penetrating 
  computer security
  1 Hour or more
  Eliminate traces 
  of activity
  1 Turn or more
  Writing a program
  1 Hour or more
  Concealment
  Hiding an object
  Full Phase or more
  Search a person
  See 6E2 175-76
  Search an area
  Full Phase to 
  6 Hours
  skill
  task
  Base time
  Contortionist
  Escape from Grab/
  Entangle
  Half Phase or more
  Escape from restraints
  1 Turn
  Fit into narrow space
  Full Phase
  Conversation
  Any use
  1 Turn
  Cramming
  Cram a Skill
  20 Minutes or more
  Criminology
  Examine crime scene
  Full Phase to 
  6 Hours
  Analyze evidence, 
  simple
  Full Phase to 1 Turn
  Analyze evidence, 
  complex
  1 Hour or more
  Criminological 
  evaluation
  1 Hour
  Cryptography
  Encode a message
  5 Minutes to 
  1 Season
  Decode a message
  5 Minutes to 
  1,000 Years
  deduction
  Quick flash of insight
  No time
  Research basis 
  of deduction
  1 Minute to 1 Day
  defense 
  Maneuver
  Any use
  Half Phase (or 
  No Time)
  demolitions
  Create bomb
  1 Hour
  Examine bomb
  Full Phase
  Disarm bomb
  1 Turn
  disguise
  Apply disguise
  Full Phase to 
  6 Hours
  Create disguise
  20 Minutes to 1 Day
  electronics
  Hotwire a car
  Full Phase
  Create/repair 
  electronics
  1 Hour per 10 
  Active Points
  Disable electronic 
  device
  1 Turn per 10 
  Active Points
  Identify strange device
  1 Minute per 
  10 Act Points
  Operate/activate 
  strange device
  2 Full Phases 
  or more
  Fast draw
  N/A
  Forensic 
  Medicine
  Basic visual 
  examination of corpse
  1 Turn
  Perform autopsy
  1 Hour to 6 Hours
  Forgery
  Create fake object/
  document
  1 Hour to 1 Month
  Attempting to 
  detect forgery
  1 Minute to 6 Hours
  gambling
  N/A
  high society
  Knowing proper 
  customs
  Half Phase
  Knowing who’s who
  Half Phase
  Learning goings-on
  1 Hour
  Digging up society dirt
  1 Hour
  interrogation
  Interrogate/
  torture subject
  20 Minutes 
  to 1 Hour
  inventor
  Create an invention
  1 Hour to 1 Month
  BASE TImES TABlE
  2
  
  22 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  skill
  task
  Base time
  Knowledge 
  skill
  Remember a fact
  Full Phase
  Research a fact
  20 Minutes or more
  Language
  Speak a language
  Length of 
  conversation
  Lipreading
  Read lip
  Length of 
  conversation
  Lockpicking
  Pick a simple lock
  Full Phase
  Pick more 
  complex locks
  1 Turn to 6 Hours
  Martial arts
  N/A
  Mechanics
  Create/repair machine
  1 Hour per 10 
  Active Points
  Disable machine
  1 Turn per 10 
  Active Points
  Identify strange 
  machine
  1 Minute per 
  10 Act Points
  Operate/activate 
  strange machine
  2 Full Phases 
  or more
  Mimicry
  Imitate sound
  Half Phase
  Imitate voice
  Length of 
  conversation
  navigation
  Quick dead 
  reckoning check
  Full Phase
  Ascertain direction
  1 Turn
  Plan a trip
  5 Minutes or more
  oratory
  Make a speech
  Length of speech
  paramedics
  Stop bleeding
  Full Phase
  Provide field 
  medical care
  1 Turn or more
  Treat medical condition
  1 Turn or more
  penalty skill 
  Levels
  N/A
  persuasion
  Any use
  Half Phase or more
  power
  Any use
  Zero Phase or 
  Half Phase
  professional 
  skill
  Any task
  1 Turn or more
  rapid attack
  N/A
  riding
  Mounted movement 
  in combat
  See 6E2 30
  Mount a riding animal
  Full Phase
  Dismount a 
  riding animal
  Half Phase
  science skill
  Any task
  1 Turn or more
  security 
  systems
  Locating security 
  system
  See Concealment
  Disable security system
  1 Minute or more
  shadowing
  Following someone
  Varies
  Conducting surveillance
  Varies
  skill Levels
  N/A
  sleight of 
  hand
  Any use
  Full Phase
  stealth
  Any use
  Half Phase or more
  skill
  task
  Base time
  streetwise
  Find person or 
  information
  20 Minutes 
  to 1 Week
  survival
  Foraging
  1 Hour
  Hunting/trapping/fishing
  3-6 Hours
  Food preparation
  20 Minutes 
  to 1 Hour
  Find water
  1 Hour
  Make water drinkable
  20 Minutes 
  to 1 Hour
  Find fuel for fire
  1 Minute to 1 Hour
  Start a fire
  1-5 Minutes
  Find shelter
  20 Minutes 
  to 6 Hours
  Build a shelter
  1d6 Hours
  Predict the weather
  1 Turn
  systems 
  operation
  Operate device
  Half Phase to 1 Turn
  Identify strange device
  1 Minute per 
  10 Act Points
  Create/repair device
  1 Hour per 10 
  Active Points
  Overcome interference
  1 Minute
  Improve transmission
  1 Minute
  Eavesdrop on 
  transmission
  1 Turn or more
  Trace transmission
  1 Turn to 1 Minute
  Analyze recordings
  1 Turn to 1 Hour
  tactics
  Anticipate enemy action
  Half Phase
  Battlefield analysis
  Half Phase
  Improve small-
  unit efficiency
  Full Phase
  Plan ambush or attack
  1 Turn
  Plan fortifications
  1 Hour
  teamwork
  N/A
  tracking
  Finding a trail
  1 Turn
  Read tracks
  Full Phase
  Hide tracks
  Varies
  trading
  Appraise goods/
  services
  5 Minutes
  Evaluate the market
  1 Minute to 1 Hour
  Negotiate price
  1 Turn or more
  Negotiate a deal
  1 Hour or more
  transport 
  Familiarity
  N/A
  two-Weapon 
  Fighting
  N/A
  ventriloquism
  Any use
  Length of 
  conversation
  Weapon 
  Familiarity
  N/A
  Weaponsmith
  Create weapon
  1 Hour or more
  n/A: Not Applicable, meaning the Skill takes no time to use, or that 
  its use is part of some other Action (such as making an attack).
  BASE TImES TABlE (COnTInuED)
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  23
  tasK diFFiCuLty
  Alternately, the GM can handle extended tasks 
  and similar challenges by assigning them a Task 
  Difficulty rating. The character makes one roll 
  for each Base Time period that passes, and the 
  amount he makes the roll by subtracts from the 
  Task Difficulty. When the Task Difficulty reaches 
  zero, the character has completed the task.
  Using the standard “Ease Of Task” catego-
  ries on 6E1 58, a Routine task usually has a Task 
  Difficulty of 0-2; an Easy task usually has a Task 
  Difficulty of 3-4; an Average task usually has a 
  Task Difficulty of 5-10; a Difficult task usually has 
  a Task Difficulty of 11-20; an Extremely Difficult 
  task usually has a Task Difficulty of 21-40; and a 
  Sheer Folly task usually has a Task Difficulty of 
  41 or higher. Since the Ease Of Task sets the Task 
  Difficulty, characters do not also get the Ease Of 
  Task modifier to their Skill Rolls.
  If a character fails a roll while using the Task 
  Difficulty system, it usually means he accom-
  plished nothing during that time period. If he fails 
  badly (by 4 or more) the amount he failed by adds 
  to the Task Difficulty — he’s made things harder 
  on himself. For a Critical Failure, the GM might 
  increase the Task Difficulty even more.
  Example: Smooth-talking troubador Whistler 
  tries to persuade an innkeeper to give him room 
  and board for the night in exchange for playing 
  and singing in the inn’s common room for several 
  hours. The innkeeper is stubborn and miserly, so 
  the GM decides to use the Task Difficulty system. 
  He rules that the Base Time for this Persuasion 
  task is 1 Turn and that it’s a Difficult task with 
  a Task Difficulty of 15. Whistler wheedles and 
  persuades for 1 Turn using his Persuasion 14- 
  and makes his first roll. He rolls a 10, making 
  it by 4, thus reducing the Task Difficulty from 
  15 to 11. He talks for another Turn, making his 
  roll by 1; the Task Difficulty becomes 10. A third 
  Turn of talking yields a great roll, 8, so the Task 
  Difficulty falls to 4 — the innkeeper’s wavering! 
  But then Whistler says something that strikes the 
  innkeeper the wrong way — he rolls an 18! Since 
  this means failure by 4 or more, the GM adds 
  the amount failed by (4) to the Task Difficulty, 
  bumping it back up to 8. It takes Whistler three 
  more rolls — for a final total of seven Turns, or 
  nearly a minute and a half, of talking to get the 
  Task Difficulty to 0 so he can have a room and 
  meal for the price of a few songs.
  You can also use the Task Difficulty rules to 
  create “dramatic tension” with tasks that have to 
  be accomplished by a specific deadline (such as 
  “disarm this bomb in four minutes or the building 
  goes up in a mushroom cloud” or “better fix the 
  engine in the next two minutes or we’re gonna 
  crash!”). The GM sets a Task Difficulty, and if the 
  character doesn’t get the work done in time, bad 
  things happen....
  For Skill Versus Skill Contests, the GM can set 
  a Task Difficulty as a target number to indicate 
  when the character initiating the Contest wins it 
  (if ever). In this case, the Task Difficulty is reduced 
  only by the amount the initiating character’s roll 
  exceeds the defending character’s — and if the 
  defender wins, the Task Difficulty increases by the 
  amount he won the Contest by.
  Example: Take the same example above, but 
  the GM lets the innkeeper use his EGO Roll 
  12- to resist Whistler’s Persuasion 14- in a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest. For the first roll, Whistler 
  rolls a 10 and the innkeeper rolls a 13, failing by 
  1. Thus Whistler won the Contest by 5, so the 
  Task Difficulty decreases to 10. In the next Turn, 
  Whistler rolls a 13 but the innkeeper rolls a 10, so 
  the innkeeper wins by 1 and thus the Task Diffi-
  culty increases to 11. The Contest proceeds until 
  Whistler wins, Whistler gives up in disgust, or the 
  innkeeper refuses to discuss the matter anymore.
  Alternately, if the Skill Versus Skill Contest is 
  less a matter of “two characters opposing each 
  other” than it is “two characters competing to 
  complete a task first,” the GM may set a Task Diffi-
  culty for them and let each of them make his Skill 
  Rolls. The first one to reduce the Task Difficulty to 
  0 gets the job done first and wins.
  SKIll mODIFIERS
  This section offers additional information 
  about and rules for Skill modifiers. This is most 
  appropriate for campaigns that emphasize Skill 
  use, such as many Heroic games.
  EASE OF THE TASK
  Some tasks are easy, others are nearly impos-
  sible, and the GM should use positive and negative 
  modifiers to reflect this. Most tasks are “average,” 
  meaning there’s no modifier at all, but during an 
  adventure, circumstances often arise that are far 
  from average. In some cases, a more precise type 
  of Skill Modifier (e.g., broken or lost equipment) 
  covers the specific type of difficulty in a situation, 
  so you should use that modifier instead; “ease of 
  the task” modifiers are the most general and vague 
  type of Skill Modifier the GM can apply.
  EASE OF TASK mODIFIERS
  difficulty Category
  Modifier
  Routine
  +3 to +5
  Easy
  +1 to +3
  Average
  +0
  Difficult
  -1 to -3
  Extremely Difficult
  -3 to -5
  Sheer Folly
  -5 to -10 (or more)
  In the case of “Routine” and “Easy” tasks, don’t forget 
  that in ordinary situations, when a character’s under no 
  stress or pressure and has sufficient time to perform a 
  task correctly, there’s no need to make a Skill Roll — 
  just assume he succeeds (see 6E1 57).
  2
  
  24 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  GEnERAl COnDITIOnS
  The general conditions under which a char-
  acter uses a Skill can also affect his chances of 
  success. The GM assesses the general conditions, 
  then consults the accompanying table for the 
  appropriate modifier. As with ease of the task, 
  these are general and vague modifiers that may be 
  replaced by more precise modifiers when appro-
  priate... but they’re more likely to be cumulative 
  with other modifiers than ease modifiers are.
  GEnERAl COnDITIOnS 
  mODIFIERS
  Condition
  Modifier
  Excellent Conditions
  +1 to +3
  Poor Conditions
  -1 to -5
  Extremely Strange/Weird 
  Subject of Skill
  -1 to -5
  Extensive Knowledge of 
  Subject of Skill
  +1 to +3
  Combat conditions
  -1 to -3
  Time/deadline pressure
  -1 to -2
  Being stealthy
  Requires Stealth roll 
  at -2 or worse
  eXCeLLent and poor Conditions
  Depending on the Skill, “Excellent Conditions” 
  may include things like very good weather, having 
  plenty of time, being in a comfortable situation, 
  and so forth. “Poor Conditions” are the opposite 
  — lousy weather, discomfort, being pressured/
  subjected to stress, and the like.
  strange or Weird suBjeCt
  Performing Skills upon objects or subjects 
  that are extremely strange, weird, or unusual 
  imposes penalties of -1 to -5 to the Skill Roll. 
  See APG 30-31 for more specific rules regarding 
  unusual technologies.
  eXtensive KnoWLedge
  Characters who have “extensive knowledge” 
  of the object or subject of their Skill Roll receive 
  a positive modifier. A good example would be 
  a group of commandos sent to defuse a terror-
  ist’s bomb. Experts have briefed them in advance 
  on the type of bomb the terrorist usually uses 
  and how to defuse it. If the experts’ information 
  is correct, the commandos receive a bonus for 
  having extensive knowledge of the situation. The 
  GM should not grant an extensive knowledge 
  bonus because a character knows a lot of related 
  or similar Skills; that’s what the Complementary 
  Skill rules are for. (However, in some situations 
  a character may use Cramming to obtain an 
  obscure Knowledge Skill solely for the purposes 
  of reflecting “extensive knowledge,” and this is 
  perfectly appropriate.)
  CoMBat Conditions; tiMe/deadLine pressure
  In some cases, trying to use a Skill in combat 
  conditions, or other high-stress crisis situations, 
  imposes a -1 to -3 penalty on the Skill Roll.
  The following Skills are intended for use in 
  combat conditions, or can be used in combat 
  with no penalty, and therefore characters receive 
  no negative modifiers for using them in combat: 
  Accurate Sprayfire, Acrobatics, Analyzes related to 
  combat situations (Analyze Style, Analyze Combat 
  Technique, and the like), Breakfall, Combat 
  Driving, Combat Piloting, Concentrated Sprayfire, 
  Fast Draw, Rapid Attack, Rapid Autofire, Skipover 
  Sprayfire, Stealth, Tactics, Two-Weapon Fighting, 
  and Weapon Familiarity. All other Skills are not 
  normally used in combat conditions — even Skills 
  often associated with combat situations, such 
  as Demolitions, typically aren’t intended for use 
  when the character is under attack. Characters 
  using those Skills in combat suffer a negative 
  modifier determined by the GM.
  Similarly, characters who are under some sort 
  of time or deadline pressure or similar forms 
  of stress (the bomb is going to explode in six 
  seconds, only have one hour to write a 5,000-word 
  story) suffer a negative modifier to their Skill 
  Rolls.
  steaLthy sKiLL use
  Characters have trouble performing Skills if 
  they try to be stealthy while doing so. Characters 
  may not be able to use some Skills in a stealthy 
  fashion at all; the GM determines this on a 
  case-by-case basis. If stealthy use is possible, the 
  character must make a Stealth roll at -2 (or worse, 
  at the GM’s discretion) to perform the task stealth-
  fully. If he fails the roll he can still attempt to use 
  the Skill, but others can perceive him doing so as 
  usual.
  DAmAGE TO SuBJECT
  If the object the character is using his Skill — a 
  lock he’s trying to open with Lockpicking, and 
  engine he’s trying to fix with Mechanics, a broken 
  radio he’s trying to make a last-ditch Systems 
  Operation roll with — has suffered damage, it’s 
  harder for him to succeed. (The same applies 
  with Paramedics and similar Skills based on the 
  subject’s degree of injury.) The accompanying table 
  lists the standard modifiers in this situation.
  “Significant” damage is damage to a specific 
  part of the subject, or a specific type of damage, 
  that the GM deems particularly relevant or 
  necessary for the Skill used or task attempted. 
  For example, if a character has to pick a lock, and 
  parts of the lock have been fused together by fire 
  damage, the GM might consider that “significant” 
  damage and tack on an additional -2 penalty to 
  the roll. Significant damage penalties are cumula-
  tive with other damage modifiers.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  25
  At the GM’s option, damage to the subject may 
  not affect some Skills or Skill uses. For example, 
  damage to parts of a radio might not penalize 
  a character who wants to use that radio to jam 
  another radio’s signal.
  DAmAGE TO SuBJECT 
  mODIFIERS
  damage
  Modifier
  Less than 1/3 BODY
  -0
  1/3 to 2/3 BODY
  -2
  More than 2/3 BODY
  -4
  Significant damage
  Additional -1 to -3
  EQuIPmEnT
  Many Skills, like Lockpicking and Demoli-
  tions, almost always require some type of equip-
  ment to perform. With the right, or right type of, 
  equipment, a character may find his task easier 
  to perform (or at least possible to perform). On 
  the other hand, using poor-quality, improvised, 
  or damaged equipment probably makes his job 
  tougher, if not impossible. The accompanying 
  table has suggested modifiers for equipment 
  quality.
  “Improvised” equipment includes makeshift, 
  jury-rigged, and other less-than-perfect forms of 
  equipment used when nothing better is available. 
  Determining which types of equipment are Poor, 
  Very Good, and so forth is left to the GM’s discre-
  tion — unless, of course, the character has paid 
  Character Points for better-than-average equip-
  ment, in which case he’s entitled to the bonuses he 
  paid for. You can use the guidelines in this table 
  when deciding how to build quality equipment. 
  For example, if a character wants “very good” 
  lockpicks, he should buy them as a +3 (or greater) 
  bonus to Lockpicking on a Focus.
  EQuIPmEnT mODIFIERS
  type of equipment
  Modifier
  None 
  Cannot perform Skill
  Very Poor
  -4 to -6 or more
  Very Damaged
  -4 to -6 or more
  Poor and Improvised
  -4 to -6 or more
  Poor, Improvised, or Damaged
  -1 to -3
  Average
  +0
  Good 
  +1 to +2
  Very Good 
  +3 to +4
  Extremely Good 
  +5 or more
  Buying eQuipMent
  If a Skill requires equipment, unless stated 
  otherwise in the Skill’s writeup it’s not neces-
  sarily assumed that the character gets the needed 
  equipment for “free,” because he may have to pay 
  money for it in the game or the like. But he doesn’t 
  have to pay a separate Character Point cost for the 
  equipment (unless, as noted above, he’s buying a 
  particularly good form of equipment defined in 
  rules terms).
  In some cases a character may want “concealed” 
  versions of standard equipment, such as a set of 
  lockpicks built into what looks like a ballpoint 
  pen, or a listening device that looks like a coin. 
  Generally, there’s no need to pay Character Points 
  for this sort of equipment — it’s something the 
  GM allows as part of the campaign that characters 
  can purchase with money. However, concealable 
  equipment may cost much more than ordinary 
  equipment since it’s usually harder to manufac-
  ture, illegal to own, or the like. If the GM abso-
  lutely insists on having characters pay Character 
  Points for concealable/disguised standard equip-
  ment, buy it this way: Relevant Skill 8- (1 Active 
  Point); IAF (-½) (total cost: 1 point) (alternately, 
  a character can buy a Concealment Skill for his 
  equipment). The character uses his own Skill Roll, 
  not that of the gear; the “roll” simply indicates 
  which Skill the equipment is intended for.
  InJuRy
  At the GM’s option, it’s harder for a character 
  to perform most Skills when he’s hurt. The penal-
  ties in the accompanying table reflect this. This 
  modifier works best in more “realistic” games, like 
  some Dark Champions or Low Fantasy games; it’s 
  usually not appropriate (or at most applies to some 
  lesser degree) in more cinematic campaigns.
  A “significant” injury is one to any part of the 
  body, or a specific type of wound, that the GM 
  deems particularly necessary for the Skill used 
  or task attempted. For example, a character who’s 
  received an injury to his hand may suffer addi-
  tional penalties to Skills such as Lockpicking and 
  Demolitions, and in some cases an injury caused 
  by, say, acid may affect a character more strongly 
  than a wound from a punch or knife. Significant 
  injury penalties are cumulative with other injury 
  modifiers.
  At the GM’s option, injuries may not affect 
  some Skills. For example, Knowledge Skills and 
  uses of other Skills that simply reflect knowing 
  something often ignore injury penalties (unless 
  the injury is to the head).
  InJuRy mODIFIERS
  degree of injury
  Modifier
  Less than 1/3 BODY
  -0
  1/3 to 2/3 BODY
  -2
  More than 2/3 BODY
  -4
  Significant injury
  Additional -1 to -3
  2
  
  26 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  mOnEy
  In some cases a character can make it easier to 
  perform a task or resolve a problem by “throwing 
  money at it” — in other words, by spending 
  extravagantly on the best parts, a legion of assis-
  tants, copious bribes, or whatever else is neces-
  sary for what he’s doing. At the GM’s option, a 
  character with Money can obtain a +1 bonus to 
  a single Skill Roll for each 1 point of Money he 
  “throws” at the problem. This represents a frac-
  tion of his annual income equal to the fraction 
  of his points of Money he spends, so it’s not an 
  idle sacrifice. For example, if a character with 10 
  Character Points in Money spends 2 points of his 
  Money to get a +2 bonus on a single Skill Roll, that 
  represents 20% of his income for that year; if a 
  character with 15 points of Money spends 5 points 
  of it on a single Skill Roll, he get a +5 bonus on 
  that roll at the cost of 33% of his annual income.
  The GM should only allow a character to throw 
  Money at a Skill Roll if doing so will significantly 
  inconvenience that character for that year. If 
  the campaign doesn’t focus much on Money, or 
  characters’ financial lives never seem to be part 
  of the game, the GM shouldn’t allow characters 
  to use this rule. On the other hand, if the nature 
  of the campaign is such that the GM can make 
  the character feel the financial pinch of throwing 
  Money at a Skill it’s a good way to let a character 
  prove just how much succeeding with a specific 
  roll means to him.
  On the other hand, too little money may cause 
  real problems with a project. For every 10% below 
  the calculated expenses that the character spends, 
  he suffers a -2 on relevant rolls. In “realistic 
  campaigns,” the project is simply impossible below 
  half the appropriate cost. In cinematic games, 
  a sufficiently clever inventor can improvise and 
  scrounge with no money at all.
  mOvEmEnT
  At the GM’s option, characters in motion — 
  who move during the same Segment when they 
  want to use a Skill — have a more difficult time 
  performing many Skills, whether they’re moving 
  under their own power or are in a moving vehicle, 
  as indicated by the accompanying table. Gener-
  ally this only applies to Skills that require rolls; it 
  doesn’t affect a character’s ability to allocate his 
  Combat Skill Levels, Penalty Skill Levels, or Skill 
  Levels, shout a command in a learned Language, 
  to use Rapid Attack or Two-Weapon Fighting, or 
  the like. At the GM’s option, it also does not apply, 
  or applies at a lesser level, to Skills that inherently 
  involve some movement, such as Breakfall or 
  Acrobatics.
  mOvEmEnT mODIFIERS
  Movement this phase
  Modifier
  Half Move (under own 
  power)
  -2
  Full Move (under own 
  power)
  Cannot perform any Skills 
  unless permitted by GM
  In smooth-riding vehicle/
  mount
  -1 to -2
  In rough-riding vehicle/
  mount
  -2 to -5
  In campaigns that stress “realism,” the GM may want to 
  significantly increase these penalties (say, by another -2 
  to -4 each).
  SKIll PERIOD
  As discussed on 6E1 59, the Skill Table assigns 
  every Skill to one or more Skill Periods, which 
  define the genres and eras for which those Skills 
  are appropriate (roughly speaking). Characters 
  are typically trained in how to use a Skill based on 
  their native period/genre; if they try to use a Skill 
  as it would be used in an earlier or later period, 
  they suffer penalties. This most often applies to 
  technology-oriented Skills; the same problems 
  may apply to non-technical Skills, but this is less 
  common. (See also the Technology modifiers, 
  described below.)
  A Fantasy-era character who has the opportu-
  nity to use Skills from later periods often suffers 
  a Skill Roll penalty of -3 to -5 for dealing with 
  Modern situations, -5 to -8 for Future.
  A Modern character trying to use his Skills in 
  Fantasy era situations (for example, to use Security 
  Systems, which he learned to defeat electronic 
  burglar alarms, to neutralize a trapdoor), or in 
  Future eras where he may not completely under-
  stand what’s going on, suffers Skill Roll penalties 
  of -2 to -4. On the other hand, a Modern character 
  applying Modern knowledge, techniques, and 
  perhaps even technology to a Fantasy-era problem 
  (perhaps because he’s traveled back in time) 
  may receive a +2 to +4 bonus to reflect his more 
  expansive abilities — thanks to his greater knowl-
  edge, he can easily resolve problems that frustrate 
  Fantasy characters.
  Future characters trying to use their Skills 
  in Modern settings or with Modern technolo-
  gies may suffer Skill Roll penalties of -2 to -4; the 
  penalty increases to -5 or greater in Fantasy eras. 
  These penalties may instead become bonuses if 
  the character applies his Science Fiction knowl-
  edge, techniques, and perhaps even technology 
  to earlier-period problems that would baffle the 
  people of that time due to lack of knowledge or 
  the like.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  27
  eXpanding sKiLL period ModiFiers
  For some campaigns (such as time traveling 
  games, or games where the characters frequently 
  explore ancient ruins), the GM may want greater 
  granularity in the Skill Period rules. The accom-
  panying table lists ten time periods, defined 
  roughly by genre, organized in descending order 
  from earliest to latest (sort of like a “Time Chart 
  for history”). For every step up or down the chart 
  from a character’s native period (i.e., every step 
  backward or forward in time), he suffers a cumu-
  lative -2 penalty on Skill use. (As noted above, 
  when a character applies his Skill to problems 
  from an earlier time period, sometimes the GM 
  may convert this into a bonus instead if a char-
  acter’s greater degree of knowledge would prove 
  unusually helpful.)
  Using these rules may make things much more 
  difficult for the PCs. For example, a character 
  trained in how to set up and defuse modern-day 
  security systems will have a lot of trouble trying 
  to disarm a collapsing pit trap from Babylonian 
  times — it’s not nearly as much within his field of 
  knowledge.
  The GM can increase this to -3 per step for 
  greater “realism,” or decrease it to -1 for more 
  cinematic games. Similarly, he can alter the 
  penalty for more sophisticated technology (i.e., 
  technology from periods down the chart from 
  what the character’s used to) if he thinks the 
  increased “user friendliness” of the advanced 
  tech would help the character. And in some cases 
  he may want to decrease the penalty generally; 
  sometimes the gulf of time doesn’t matter much 
  if a problem involves relatively simple equipment 
  or can be solved through careful application of 
  reason and logic.
  EXPAnDED SKIll 
  PERIOD mODIFIERS
  Fantasy — Ancient (up to 500 AD)
  Fantasy — Medieval (501-1399)
  Fantasy — Renaissance (1400-1599)
  Age Of Reason/Piracy/Sail (1600-1849)
  Western/Victorian (1850-1913)
  Pulp (1914-1939)
  Modern-Day (1940-2020)
  Science Fiction — Near Future (2021-2299)
  Science Fiction — Far Future (2300-2699)
  Science Fiction — Very Far Future (2700 and later)
  ROlEPlAyInG
  When a player roleplays the use or perfor-
  mance of a Skill well, his character should receive 
  a +1 to +3 bonus to his Skill Roll.
  TImE
  Taking more or less time than normal can 
  affect Skill Rolls.
  taKing eXtra tiMe
  First, and most commonly, a character who 
  takes extra time to perform a Skill gets a posi-
  tive modifier. This is because he’s taking his time, 
  being extra careful, analyzing the situation thor-
  oughly, and so forth. For every step down on the 
  Time Chart beyond the Base Time for the Skill, the 
  character gets +1 to his Skill Roll. (See APG 19-23 
  regarding Base Times for Skills.)
  Example: The Base Time for using Acrobatics 
  is, at most, a Half Phase. Nighthawk wants to 
  attempt a particularly difficult leap-flip-grab 
  the ledge maneuver so he can sneak into Green 
  Dragon’s hideout without being seen. Because 
  it’s a difficult maneuver, the GM rules that 
  Nighthawk suffers a negative modifier of -2 to 
  his Acrobatics roll. Nighthawk spends 1 Minute 
  studying the layout of the location, his approach, 
  and other factors. By spending this extra time 
  (1 Minute is two steps down on the Time Chart 
  from 1 Phase, the closest Base Time on the Time 
  Chart), Nighthawk gets a +2 positive modifier to 
  his Skill Roll, effectively negating the penalty for 
  the difficulty of the maneuver.
  Example: The Base Time for performing Para-
  medics is 1 Turn. Drago has been hurt in combat 
  and Freda decides to use Healing (the Fantasy 
  Hero form of Paramedics) to prevent the wound 
  from getting worse. She spends 1 Minute cleaning 
  the wound, applying bandages, and so forth. 
  Because 1 Minute is one step down the Time 
  Chart from the Skill’s Base Time of 1 Turn, Freda 
  gets a +1 to her Paramedics roll to determine 
  if she successfully helps Drago’s wound heal 
  properly.
  perForMing sKiLLs More QuiCKLy than norMaL
  Second, characters can try to perform a Skill 
  more quickly than normal — either to impress 
  onlookers, or because there’s some sort of deadline 
  involved (“You’ve only got ten seconds to defuse 
  the bomb, McCarrigan. No pressure, buddy”). 
  For each step up on the Time Chart beyond the 
  Base Time for the Skill, the character suffers a -3 
  penalty to his Skill Roll. (At the GM’s option, if 
  a Skill takes a Full Phase to perform, a character 
  can perform it in a Half Phase at a -3 penalty [and 
  possibly as a Zero Phase Action at a -6 penalty]; a 
  Skill that normally takes a Half Phase can, with the 
  GM’s permission, be performed as a Zero Phase 
  Action for a -3 penalty. However, in no case can a 
  character use a Skill against another character in 
  any way as a Zero Phase Action.)
  Example: McCarrigan has to defuse a booby-
  trapped bomb before it explodes — and the timer 
  says there’s only ten seconds left! Unfortunately, 
  the GM rules that defusing a bomb with a booby 
  trap of this complexity would normally require 
  20 Minutes. McCarrigan only has a Turn (ten 
  seconds is a little less than a full Turn, but it’s 
  close enough for the GM). 1 Turn is three steps 
  above 20 Minutes on the Time Chart, so McCar-
  rigan’s going to suffer a -9 penalty to his Demoli-
  tions roll. Good luck....
  TImE CHART 
  (EXPAnDED)
  time period/duration
  1 Segment
  1 Phase
  1 Turn (Post-Segment 12)
  1 Minute
  5 Minutes
  20 Minutes
  1 Hour
  6 Hours
  1 Day
  1 Week
  1 Month
  1 Season (3 months)
  1 Year
  5 Years
  25 Years
  1 Century
  5 Centuries
  2,500 Years
  10,000 Years
  50,000 Years
  250,000 Years
  1 Million Years
  5 Million Years
  25 Million Years
  100 Million Years
  500 Million Years
  2.5 Billion Years
  10 Billion Years
  50 Billion Years
  2
  
  28 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  To overcome this penalty, a character can buy 
  Skill Levels for the specific purposes of counter-
  acting it. If the GM considers this cost-prohibitive, 
  he may want to reduce the penalty for performing 
  Skills more quickly than normal (to, say, -2 per 
  step up the Time Chart).
  In “realistic” campaigns, characters who try 
  to perform tasks at high speed may run into a 
  problem: the equipment they need to use the 
  Skill, or the medium upon which they practice 
  the Skill, can’t withstand the force of their speed! 
  This is particularly likely to happen to comic-book 
  speedsters in Champions campaigns. For example, 
  it doesn’t matter how fast a speedster can type 
  commands into a computer if the keyboard breaks 
  after just a few seconds of ultra-fast keying. Speed-
  sters may also have problems with equipment 
  that’s deliberately designed to slow people down, 
  such as anti-hacking computer software that only 
  allows the input of so many possible passwords 
  in a given amount of time. The GM can simulate 
  these difficulties by imposing additional penalties 
  on the Skill Roll, having the character’s powers 
  automatically do a certain amount of damage to 
  equipment he uses, or the like.
  modifiers For Skill 
  Categories
  The following modifiers apply to Skills of a 
  particular category.
  AGIlITy SKIll mODIFIERS
  The following modifiers apply to all Agility 
  (i.e., DEX-based) Skills.
  arMor
  In campaigns where characters frequently wear 
  “realistic” armor (e.g., some Fantasy Hero games), 
  some GMs prefer to impose specific penalties for 
  wearing armor, instead of counting the armor as 
  part of the character’s overall load for Encum-
  brance purposes. For example, the penalty might 
  be -1 per 3 PD/3 ED of defense.
  enCuMBranCe and BuLKiness
  It’s much harder to perform Agility Skills when 
  the character carries more than he comfortably 
  can. Consult the Encumbrance Table on 6E2 46 
  and apply the listed “DEX Roll” penalty to all 
  Agility Skills.
  Furthermore, particularly bulky or awkward 
  burdens might impose additional penalties. A 
  “Bulky” load — including any Focus with the 
  Bulky Limitation, a large television set or appli-
  ance, pieces of furniture, and the like — would 
  impose another -1 penalty. A “Very Bulky” load 
  — especially bulky or awkward loads, such as an 
  injured or unconscious person or a keg of ale — 
  entails an additional -2 penalty.
  not using hands
  Agility Skills normally require the use of the 
  hands — but sometimes a character can’t use his 
  hands for some reason (they’re tied up, broken, 
  can’t reach the object to be manipulated, or 
  the like). A character can attempt to perform an 
  Agility Skill with his mouth at a -5 penalty, or his 
  feet/toes at a -8 penalty. The GM may adjust these 
  penalties based on the situation. A character who 
  buys his legs and/or mouth as Extra Limbs suffers 
  no penalties for performing Agility Skills with 
  them.
  InTEllECT SKIll mODIFIERS
  The following modifiers apply to all Intellect 
  (i.e., INT-based) Skills. See also Perceptive Skills, 
  below, since many Intellect Skills require a char-
  acter to perceive something.
  reFerenCe MateriaLs
  For many Intellect Skills, one of the most 
  useful pieces of equipment a character can have is 
  reference materials — books, pamphlets, computer 
  databases, and other sources of information 
  characters can look to for the details. For example, 
  even the most most competent user of Mechanics 
  can’t remember every single one of the literally 
  tens of thousands pieces and spare parts he might 
  need to use. He’s an expert not only because he 
  knows about more of them than the average 
  mechanic, but because he knows when and 
  where to look up more information in a technical 
  manual or parts catalog.
  You can use the Equipment modifiers (see 
  above) to represent the quality of the refer-
  ence materials available to a character when he’s 
  using a Skill. Alternately, characters can buy a 
  particularly useful reference source as a bonus to 
  a Skill on a Focus; a library of reference materials 
  might qualify as a “laboratory” in a Base instead, 
  allowing characters to use its Skills as Comple-
  mentary Skills.
  InTERACTIOn SKIll mODIFIERS
  The following modifiers apply to all Interaction 
  (i.e., PRE-based) Skills.
  aLienness
  In some settings, characters of one species (or 
  race) have difficulty interacting with characters of 
  any other species — something about the “alien” 
  nature of other species makes it hard to relate to 
  them. Sometimes this phenomenon depends on 
  “classes” of aliens; a mammalian species might 
  relate just fine to any other mammalian species, 
  but reptilian or ichthyoid species give it the willies. 
  This trait is most common in Low Science Fiction, 
  Low Fantasy, or “realistic” settings; it almost 
  never exists in Space Opera Science Fiction, Pulp 
  Science Fiction, or High Fantasy, where dozens 
  of alien species or fantastic races mingle freely 
  together.
  To reflect this discomfort, GMs can impose 
  a penalty on all Interaction Skill rolls between 
  members of two different species: -2 for relatively 
  similar species; -4 for dissimilar species; and -8 (or 
  more) for greatly different species (like a physical 
  being and an energy being).
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  29
  appropriateness
  Interaction Skills are particularly limited by 
  the appropriateness of the situation. Trying to use 
  Persuasion on an enemy in the middle of a battle, 
  bribe someone while lots of people are watching, 
  or the like is almost certainly doomed to failure. 
  It’s not necessarily impossible — after all, the 
  HERO System is about dramatic action, and some-
  times heroes can do some bizarre and spectacular 
  things if fortune favors them — but it’s difficult (-4 
  or greater penalty, typically).
  On the other hand, sometimes a particular 
  Interaction Skill is especially appropriate for the 
  situation at hand. Usually this doesn’t merit any 
  bonus, but sometimes the GM provides a small 
  one (+1 or +2).
  striKing appearanCe
  As discussed on 6E1 115, the Striking Appear-
  ance Talent can modify appropriate Interaction 
  Skill rolls where a character’s looks might be a 
  factor.
  presenCe attaCKs
  In many cases the GM can use appropriate 
  modifiers listed under Presence Attacks in the 
  main rulebook as modifiers to Interaction Skill 
  rolls by converting the number of dice into a 
  penalty. For example, a +2d6 modifier equals a 
  +2 Skill Roll modifier (or a -2 EGO Roll modi-
  fier). (But see below regarding Psychological 
  Complications.)
  Alternately, the GM can allow a character to 
  make a Presence Attack as a sort of “Complemen-
  tary Skill Roll” to an Interaction Skill. The GM 
  determines what level of Presence Attack a char-
  acter would have to achieve to get the results the 
  character wants from using his Interaction Skill. 
  He then makes a Presence Attack, roleplaying it if 
  appropriate (and perhaps to obtain bonus dice!). 
  For every 5 points by which the roll exceeds the 
  target number, the character gets a +1 bonus on 
  his Interaction Skill roll.
  psyChoLogiCaL CoMpLiCations
  A character’s ability to use Interaction Skills 
  successfully on a target depends in part on the 
  target’s Psychological Complications. Some 
  Psychological Complications make one or more 
  Interaction Skills easier to use on a target; some 
  make it harder. For example, a character who is 
  Greedy may be more susceptible to Bribery. A 
  character who’s a Skirtchaser or Lustful probably 
  gives in to Charm and similar Skills quicker than 
  one who’s taken a Vow Of Chastity. Modifiers 
  from Psychological Complications depend on the 
  intensity of the Complication, as indicated by the 
  accompanying table.
  Caveat: the Interaction Skill Effects Table on 
  APG 33 uses Psychological Complication values as 
  a “benchmark” indicating how much a character 
  must make an Interation Skill Roll by to affect 
  the target. If the GM uses that rule, he should not 
  also apply Psychological Complication modifiers 
  unless he feels it’s particularly appropriate to do so.
  PSyCHOlOGICAl 
  COmPlICATIOn mODIFIERS
  intensity and nature 
  of Complication
  Modifier
  Moderate, in favor of Skill use
  +1
  Moderate, opposed to Skill use
  -1
  Strong, in favor of Skill use
  +2
  Strong, opposed to Skill use
  -2
  Total, in favor of Skill use
  +3
  Total, opposed to Skill use
  -3
  resistanCe and reputation
  The Positive Reputation Perk and Resistance 
  Talents can provide direct bonuses or penalties to 
  Interaction Skills generally (or to a specific Inter-
  action Skill in the case of Resistance and its kin). 
  The Negative Reputation Complication may also 
  affect certain Interaction Skill rolls.
  MentaL poWers
  At the GM’s option, characters with Mental 
  Powers who have Interaction Skills can use some 
  Mental Powers (primarily Mind Control) to 
  “enhance” those Skills. In essence the character 
  subtly uses his Mental Power to “boost” the Skill. 
  This provides a bonus to the Skill Roll: +1 to the 
  roll for every 10 points of Mental Power used to 
  enhance it. The mentalist must pay the standard 
  END cost for any Mental Power used to enhance 
  an Interaction Skill.
  Using a Mental Power to enhance an Interac-
  tion Skill is perceivable with Mental Awareness 
  (unless, of course, the Mental Power has Invisible 
  Power Effects to the Mental Sense Group). It also 
  allows the target of the Skill to use his Mental 
  Defense (if any) as a bonus to whatever Skill Roll 
  he makes to counteract, avoid, or fight off the Skill.
  Example: Brainstorm wants to use his Persuasion 
  to convince a guard to let him go. He decides to 
  mentally enhance his Persuasion with 40 points’ 
  worth of his Mind Control, giving him +4 to his 
  Persuasion 12- (total 16-). This costs him 4 END. 
  The GM rules that the guard will try to resist the 
  attempted persuasion with an EGO Roll. His base 
  roll is 11- and he has 5 points of Mental Defense. 
  This adds to his EGO Roll, giving him a 16- roll 
  to resist Brainstorm’s Persuasion roll.
  Even if a character uses a Mental Power to 
  enhance an Interaction Skill, he can’t use that Skill 
  to do anything more than he could with a normal 
  use of that Skill — though with the bonuses 
  involved, making Extraordinary Skill Rolls may 
  become much easier. To achieve greater effects, 
  mentalists must use Mental Powers directly on 
  the target. In some cases a character may even 
  purchase a Skill (or Skill Levels) to represent a 
  low-level, subtle, or subconscious use of psionic 
  powers to influence and affect the world around 
  him.
  2
  
  30 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  In most cases the appropriate power for 
  enhancing an Interaction Skill is Mind Control. 
  Mental Illusions or Telepathy may be better 
  suited to some tasks or situations; the final call on 
  which Power to use is up to the GM. A character 
  can only use a single Mental Power to enhance a 
  particular use of an Interaction Skill.
  The GM may, at his discretion, expand the use 
  of Mental Powers to enhance Skills other than 
  Interaction Skills. For example a psychometric 
  power (Retrocognition) might enhance some 
  uses of Criminology of Forensic Medicine, while 
  Telepathy (i.e., reading the “trace thoughts” that 
  linger on a physical object) might enhance Skills 
  like Demolitions, Lipreading, or Cryptography. 
  Agility Skills, Background Skills, and Combat 
  Skills usually cannot be enhanced psionically, 
  though this may depend on the situation.
  roLepLaying
  More than any other type of Skill, Interaction 
  Skills can benefit from good roleplaying... or suffer 
  from bad roleplaying. The GM should consider 
  granting a bonus of +1 to +3 for good roleplaying 
  of an Interaction Skill, or a similar penalty if the 
  character doesn’t try to roleplay it at all or does so 
  badly.
  Of course, “good” or “bad” roleplaying can 
  be a relative thing, and in general GMs shouldn’t 
  penalize characters because their players aren’t as 
  good at something as the character himself should 
  be. Players don’t have to be crack marksmen to 
  buy Combat Skill Levels, martial artists to buy 
  Martial Arts, or pilots to buy TF: Small Planes 
  for their characters, so they shouldn’t have to be 
  socially adept or sophisticated to buy and use 
  Interaction Skills. But since any player can talk 
  and act, as long as a player makes at least some 
  reasonable effort to roleplay what his character 
  does, that should suffice to at least prevent a 
  penalty (even if it’s not enough to get a bonus).
  PERCEPTIvE SKIll mODIFIERS
  The Perception Roll modifiers on 6E2 11-13 
  apply to “Perceptive Skills” — that is, Skills 
  involving perception or analysis of phenomena, 
  such as Criminology, some aspects of Bugging and 
  Mechanics, Lipreading, or Tracking. Typically this 
  means perception with Sight, but in some cases 
  other Senses may be involved.
  For example, if a Skill requires a character to 
  read or observe something (a book or scroll, a 
  radar screen, a speaker’s lips...), then the modifiers 
  for darkness, shadow, and lighting apply to the 
  Skill Roll. After all, it’s kind of difficult to read a 
  book in pitch-black conditions! The same applies 
  to trying to see something over a long distance 
  (i.e., in game terms, the Range Modifier applies) 
  or hear something in a noisy room.
  If it’s impossible for a character to use a partic-
  ular Sense (usually because Darkness or a Flash 
  have “blinded” him or block his Sense entirely), he 
  cannot use Perceptive Skills based on that Sense.
  TECHnOlOGICAl SKIll mODIFIERS
  “Technological Skills” refers to Skills that 
  involve working with particular types of equip-
  ment. Examples including Computer Program-
  ming, Demolitions, Electronics, Lockpicking, 
  Mechanics, Security Systems, and Systems Opera-
  tion. The Skill Modifiers for equipment almost 
  always apply to these Skills (many of which cannot 
  be performed without the right tools or gear).
  Rather than use the general Skill Period 
  rules discussed above, technology-heavy games 
  may prefer a more precise system of Skill modi-
  fiers based on technological advancement and 
  compatability.
  oBsoLete and advanCed teChnoLogy
  Often technologies introduced at an earlier 
  tech level remain in use for long periods. Humans 
  in the early twenty-first century still use auto-
  matic pistols designed before 1900 (and still 
  manufacture some, with minor improvements). 
  Axes and hammers are among the earliest known 
  tools, and are still available at the hardware store. 
  In general, characters suffer no penalty using 
  (relatively) simple equipment from an earlier 
  tech level, particularly if that equipment is still 
  generally in use in their society or is highly similar 
  to common technology. There are exceptions to 
  this: some technologies become so obsolete that 
  characters accustomed to a more advanced tech 
  landscape are completely unfamiliar with them. 
  Firemaking is a good example — until the inven-
  tion of matches just about everyone could kindle 
  a fire with flint and steel; now it’s something to 
  study in wilderness-survival courses or historical 
  reenactment workshops. Forgotten tech imposes a 
  minimum -3 Skill Roll penalty, or the GM may not 
  allow the character to make a roll at all. (For more 
  cinematic games, the GM can reduce the penalty 
  to -2 or -1.)
  Advanced technology is much harder to use. 
  The standard skill penalty is -3 for each step down 
  on the Expanded Skill Periods Modifier table. But 
  this applies only to equipment based on under-
  standable principles — an Industrial-Age steam 
  engineer trying to fix an Atomic Age chemical 
  rocket motor, for example. If the technology 
  involves new concepts unknown to the low-tech 
  person, there’s an additional -5 penalty (though 
  the GM may wish to cap the overall penalty for 
  technological unfamiliarity at -10). Thus, a steam 
  engineer would be at -8 to fix a nuclear power 
  plant, because the whole phenomenon of nuclear 
  fission is outside his worldview. Characters can 
  use the Cramming Skill to quickly familiarize 
  themselves with local technology. (If appropriate, 
  the GM can reduce these penalties for cinematic 
  campaigns.)
  The modifiers work in reverse when charac-
  ters use high-tech skills and knowledge against 
  low-tech equipment — like a computer hacker 
  breaking into an obsolete system or a weapon 
  officer on a modern warship trying to hit a target 
  with old-fashioned countermeasures. Advanced 
  tech gets a +3 bonus per Skill Period of difference, 
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  31
  with an additional +5 if the high-tech equipment 
  uses principles unknown to the builders of the 
  low-tech target. (Of course, these bonuses don’t 
  apply if the high-tech character is trying to use 
  older tech he’s not familiar with; see above.)
  aLien teChnoLogies
  Characters may also run into tech level-related 
  problems when they encounter technology that’s 
  highly different from what they’re used to. Typi-
  cally this means technology from other worlds or 
  dimensions, but in some time periods and places 
  it’s possible this could apply between two groups 
  of humans from wildly different societies. In a 
  Fantasy campaign it might involve the technolo-
  gies used by two different humanoid races. Maybe 
  the alien devices and systems require a different 
  size, type, or arrangement of hands than the char-
  acter’s, involve senses the character lacks, or are 
  simply so different that the character can’t fully or 
  properly comprehend them.
  At the GM’s discretion, a character dealing 
  with sufficiently alien technology suffers a -1 to 
  -5 Skill Roll penalty. Over time, this penalty may 
  diminish for a specific character as he becomes 
  accustomed to the odd tech, or a character can 
  eliminate the penalty altogether by having a KS or 
  PS in the alien technology on at least an 11- roll.
  What constitutes “sufficiently alien” is up to the 
  GM. In a setting that mixes and mingles a wide 
  variety of sentient humanoid species, they may all 
  be able to use each other’s technology (or the tech 
  may automatically adapt itself to the species of 
  the user). Large galactic federations and empires 
  automatically spread technological knowledge 
  among their citizens (unless they want to keep 
  them ignorant for purposes of repression). On the 
  other hand, a secretive alien species may refuse to 
  teach anyone about its tech.
  ADvAnCED, OBSOlETE, AnD 
  AlIEn TECH mODIFIERS
  skill roll Modifier
  situation
  -3 per Skill Period 
  difference
  Working with Advanced Tech
  -5 
  Working with advanced tech 
  using unknown principles
  -3
  Working with forgotten tech
  +3 per Skill Period 
  difference
  For high tech versus  
  low tech contests
  +5
  For high tech with new principles 
  versus low tech contests
  -1 to -5
  Working with sufficiently  
  alien technology
  As always, the GM can alter any of these modifiers 
  based on the situation, the type of technology involved, 
  the task being attempted, or to make the rules more 
  “realistic” or “cinematic.”
  teChnoLogy CoMpataBiLity
  Gamemasters and characters may also have to 
  deal with situations where technology created by 
  different species doesn’t work together well. If the 
  PCs’ ship has a Human-built hyperdrive thruster, 
  a D-coil manufactured by the Perseids may not 
  quite fit or work right. A group of characters could 
  easily find itself in the frustrating situation of 
  having access to plenty of spare parts... that don’t 
  work with their equipment!
  In this situation, GMs have to decide on the 
  relative compatability of two species’ technology, 
  using the following classifications:
  Fully Compatible: The two species’s tech is totally 
  compatible; it works together automatically, 
  without the need for Skill Rolls.
  Mostly Compatible: The two species’s tech is largely, 
  but not entirely, compatible. Typically characters 
  have to make an appropriate Skill Roll at -2 to 
  get the two types of tech to function together 
  properly. Even then, there may be a loss of 2-12% 
  efficiency (measured in terms of dice/points of 
  effect, Active Points, or the like, as chosen by the 
  GM).
  partly Compatible: The two species’s tech is some-
  times compatible, sometimes not. Typically char-
  acters have to make an appropriate Skill Roll at -4 
  to get the two types of tech to function together 
  properly. Even then, there is definitely a loss of 
  4-24% efficiency, and possibly as much as 10-60% 
  efficiency.
  Barely Compatible: The two species’s tech works 
  together properly only on rare occasions. Typi-
  cally characters have to make an appropriate Skill 
  Roll at -8 to get the two types of tech to function 
  together properly. Even then, there is definitely a 
  loss of 10-60% efficiency, and possibly as much as 
  40-90% efficiency.
  incompatible: The two species’s tech is not 
  compatible in any way, and cannot be made to 
  work together at all (or, at best, could only work 
  together for a short period of time if the character 
  makes an Extraordinary Skill roll).
  2
  
  32 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  SPECIFIC SKIllS
  Here are some additional rules and guidelines 
  pertaining to specific Skills or Skill groups.
  Interaction Skills
  Because they represent social relationships and 
  methods by which characters interact — intan-
  gible things not easily reduced to numbers and 
  rules — Interaction Skills pose some difficulties in 
  the game. The issues they raise that the GM should 
  consider are discussed below.
  Unless noted otherwise in the rules for a 
  particular Skill, there’s no specific penalty for 
  trying to use an Interaction Skill on more than 
  one target at once — if there were, Oratory in 
  general and many uses of Persuasion, among 
  others, would become effectively impossible. If 
  appropriate the GM can simply resolve the situ-
  ation by determining each target’s resistance to 
  the Skill separately. If the GM thinks that having 
  multiple targets would inconvenience or hinder 
  the character, then he should definitely impose a 
  penalty to reflect that, but tackling two targets at 
  once doesn’t automatically entail a penalty.
  aFFeCt on pLayer CharaCters
  First, to what extent, if any, can Interaction 
  Skills affect PCs?
  On one end of the spectrum, some GMs rule 
  that PCs are just as susceptible to Interaction 
  Skills as NPCs. As these GMs see it, in the interest 
  of fairness, all characters should be affected the 
  same way. Furthermore, unless the GM wants to 
  give persuasive, seductive, or clever NPCs Mind 
  Control-based abilities, Interaction Skills are the 
  only way to represent some characters’ ability 
  to make other people do what they want or see 
  things their way — a common ability in the fiction 
  and movies that inspire RPGs and RPG characters.
  At the other end of the spectrum, some GMs 
  rule that PCs are never affected by Interaction 
  Skills. People who subscribe to this viewpoint 
  believe the player alone decides how his character 
  reacts to any given situation. Dice rolls and rules 
  should never dictate a PC’s actions unless the rules 
  represent a power, like Mind Control, that can be 
  “forced” on a PC. Aside from that, in the realm of 
  human interactions only the player can determine 
  how his character acts. Thus, Interaction Skills are 
  useless against PCs.
  Taking the middle ground are GMs who think 
  that Interaction Skills can affect PCs (at least to 
  some degree) but that give the PC a chance to 
  resist them in a Skill Versus Skill Contest or by 
  other means. Typically these rules also apply to 
  NPCs, which sometimes makes it difficult for PCs 
  to use Interaction Skills on them. Resisting Interac-
  tion Skills, below, discusses some possible methods 
  for this.
  None of these approaches is necessarily “right” 
  or “wrong” for everyone. It’s a question of how 
  each GM prefers to run his game, how each 
  group prefers to play the HERO System, and the 
  needs and demands of a given genre or setting. In 
  some campaigns it may be appropriate, or even 
  desireable, for PCs to suffer the effects of Interac-
  tion Skills, while in others that might be utterly 
  anathema. For most groups, the middle approach 
  — Interaction Skills can affect PCs, but they have 
  a chance to resist them — works well.
  eFFeCtiveness oF interaCtion sKiLLs
  Second, how effective can Interaction Skills be? 
  To put it another way, how strong an affect can 
  an Interaction Skill have on a character? In some 
  cases (such as certain uses of Animal Handler 
  or High Society) these questions aren’t usually 
  relevant, but for Interaction Skills like Charm, 
  Conversation, Persuasion, and Trading — all of 
  which can direct, to some extent, a character’s 
  actions (see above) — they’re important issues.
  The accompanying table lists suggested 
  guidelines for determining the effects of Interac-
  tion Skills when the Skill might affect or dictate a 
  character’s actions. Some of the examples rely on 
  characters’ Psychological Complications (which 
  may instead factor in as a modifier to the roll, 
  see APG 32), but the presence or absence of a 
  Psychological Complication isn’t the only deter-
  minant — a character can be strongly opposed 
  to or in favor of something without having taken 
  a Psychological Complication to reflect that. The 
  GM can adjust these as he sees fit to make Interac-
  tion Skills easier or harder to lose, or alter them to 
  suit specific Interaction Skills better.
  By comparison, an Extraordinary Skill Roll 
  or Critical Success with an Interaction Skill is 
  necessary to get a character to do something he’s 
  “strongly opposed” to — roughly equivalent to an 
  EGO +20 roll with Mind Control in most circum-
  stances. Greater effects, such as those achieved 
  with EGO +30 Mind Control, generally cannot be 
  achieved with Interaction Skills. (One exception: 
  sometimes a character using Persuasion or the like 
  can convince someone to believe a baldfaced lie 
  that contradicts reality under direct observation. 
  Normally this requires an EGO +30 Mind Control 
  effect but it’s specifically mentioned under the 
  Extraordinary Skill rules.)
  duration oF eFFeCt
  Third, how long do the effects of an Interac-
  tion Skill roll last? For example, if Kozar the 
  Dark Mage successfully uses Charm to sweep 
  the Princess Hallea off her feet, will she always 
  be infatuated with him and/or susceptible to his 
  blandishments, or will she come to her senses 
  sooner or later?
  In some cases, the resolution of this issue 
  depends on the circumstances, what the victim 
  has been made to do or believe, or the conduct of 
  the character using the Interaction Skill. When 
  Randall Irons uses Acting to feign an injury 
  and lure Dr. Fang in close, Dr. Fang realizes 
  he was tricked as soon as Randall springs his 
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  33
  surprise attack. When Kozar betrays Princess 
  Hallea, she discovers he was just toying with her 
  affections to get what he wanted. When the mob 
  has time to calm down, its members come to 
  understand they gave in to someone’s Oratory roll.
  In other situations, the exact duration of an 
  Interaction Skill’s effects may be a crucial factor in 
  the adventure. For example, a thief’s con job using 
  Acting and Persuasion has to hold up long enough 
  for him to get away with the loot. In this situation 
  the final determination depends on the GM, but 
  he should consider the following factors:
  
  n Is the character still in the presence of the 
  victim “maintaining” the effects of the Interac-
  tion Skill? Usually an Interaction Skill remains 
  in effect as long as the character takes steps to 
  “maintain” it and nothing occurs to make the 
  victim question things. Sooner or later, though, 
  even the cleverest story or most charming 
  manner tends to wear thin. Conversely, if 
  the character does nothing to “maintain” the 
  Interaction Skill’s effects, it’s likely the character 
  will realize he’s been tricked or “played” much 
  sooner.
  
  n Have the events of the adventure or the infor-
  mation available to the victim caused him to 
  question the effects of the Interaction Skill? 
  For example, if a character successfully uses 
  Bureaucratics on a low-level bureaucrat, and 
  while doing the task the victim is confronted 
  by his boss, the victim may very well change 
  his mind and stop helping the character.
  
  n If the victim failed a roll to resist the Interac-
  tion Skill’s effects (see below) but only by a 
  little (say, 1-2), he’s more likely to shake off the 
  Skill’s effects (or at least question them) than 
  someone who fails by a greater degree.
  
  n How “outrageous” was the initial effect? The 
  more the character asks of the victim, the 
  sooner the victim’s likely to realize he’s being 
  manipulated.
  As a good rule of thumb, the GM should 
  establish a Base Time for the effects of an Interac-
  tion Skill to last in a give situation (such as 1 Turn, 
  1 Minute, 1 Hour, or 1 Day). For every point the 
  Skill Roll succeeds by, add +1 increment (or some 
  fraction thereof). For example, in many cases 1 
  Hour makes a good Base Time for the duration 
  of an Interaction Skill’s effects; in that case, a 
  character whose roll succeeded by 2 would cause 
  effects lasting (1 + 2 =) 3 hours.
  Related to the “duration” of an Interaction Skill 
  is the issue of when, if ever, the victim of an Inter-
  action Skill realizes what’s happened to him. With 
  some Skills (such as Interrogation) this is imme-
  diately obvious, and in most cases once the effects 
  of an Interaction Skill fade the victim is aware he 
  was manipulated (assuming he even cares). But 
  sometimes, as with some uses of Conversation or 
  High Society, a character who’s fallen prey to an 
  Interaction Skill may never know what was done 
  to him.
  InTERACTIOn SKIll 
  EFFECTS TABlE
  skill roll 
  Made By...
  effect
  0 (exactly)
  Target will go along with suggestions 
  he’s inclined to accept anyway (i.e., 
  against which he has no Psychological 
  Complications and which don’t seem 
  likely to contradict his self-interest)
  Target believes any statement that 
  doesn’t contradict prior knowledge or 
  direct observation and which seems 
  plausible or accurate
  1-2
  Target will go along with suggestions 
  he’s neutral about (e.g., which he’s 
  neither in favor of nor opposed to and 
  which don’t seem likely to contradict 
  his self-interest)
  Target will believe any statement that 
  doesn’t contradict prior knowledge or 
  direct observation, even if it seems 
  somewhat implausible or inaccurate
  3-5
  Target will go along with suggestions 
  he’s mildly opposed to (e.g., which 
  he’s somewhat opposed to or has a 
  Moderate Psychological Complication 
  against, or which might contradict his 
  self-interest)
  Target will believe any statement that 
  doesn’t contradict prior knowledge or 
  direct observation, even if it definitely 
  seems implausible or inaccurate
  6-9
  Target will go along with suggestions 
  he’s opposed to (e.g., which he’s 
  somewhat opposed to or has a Strong 
  Psychological Complication against, 
  or which are likely to contradict his 
  self-interest)
  Target will believe any statement that 
  doesn’t contradict prior knowledge or 
  direct observation, even if it seems 
  highly implausible or inaccurate
  10 or more; 
  Critical 
  Success
  Target will go along with suggestions 
  he’s strongly opposed to (e.g., against 
  which he has a Total Psychological 
  Complication — a nun gives in to a 
  Charm attempt, a miser makes a really 
  bad deal using Trading)
  Target will believe patent untruths (“Are 
  you going to believe me or your own 
  eyes?”, “The Emperor is wearing new 
  clothes.”)
  2
  
  34 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  resisting interaCtion sKiLLs
  Fourth, how can characters resist Interaction 
  Skills used against them? In meta-game terms, the 
  target of an Interaction Skill isn’t going to meekly 
  comply with what his “attacker” wants. At the 
  most basic level, the character has to succeed with 
  his Interaction Skill roll before he has any chance 
  of getting what he wants. But that’s not necessarily 
  the end of the story.
  Because Interaction Skills can directly or indi-
  rectly dictate a character’s actions, usually to his 
  detriment, most GMs won’t allow a character to 
  succeed in using one with just a single Skill Roll. 
  Instead, the target has a chance to resist. Usually 
  this takes the form of a countervailing roll against 
  the “attacker’s’ Interaction Skill roll in a Skill 
  Versus Skill Contest. In most cases the “resistance 
  roll” is an EGO Roll, but it could be a PRE Roll, a 
  roll with an appropriate Skill, a PER Roll, or the 
  like. The modifiers for Interaction Skills (APG 28) 
  can apply to either roll, as the GM sees fit. For 
  example, if the target of an Interaction Skill roll 
  has a Strong Psychological Complication opposed 
  to the Interaction Skill, the GM could apply the 
  modifier listed on APG 29 as a penalty to the 
  Interaction Skill roll or a bonus to the resistance 
  roll. Modifiers from the Talent Resistance and its 
  kin also apply.
  Other factors may also affect the roll. For 
  example, in a Star Hero campaign, some alien 
  species may be incapable of lying, and, believing 
  others to be the same, be very 
  gullible (thus granting a bonus to 
  others’ Persuasion rolls, or a penalty 
  to their own EGO Rolls to resist).
  Typically a character only gets to 
  make one roll to resist an Interac-
  tion Skill. However, if the effects 
  of the Skill last for a long time (see 
  above), the GM might allow addi-
  tional rolls, perhaps at a cumulative 
  penalty similar to that for Breakout 
  Rolls versus Mental Powers.
  If the target of an Interaction 
  Skill roll succeeds in resisting 
  the Skill, it means not only that 
  the Interaction Skill failed, but 
  usually that the target realizes the 
  other character was trying to use 
  an Interaction Skill on him (if it 
  isn’t already obvious). That could 
  color his reaction to the character, 
  leading to a humiliating incident, 
  a fight, penalties on the character’s 
  future attempts to use Interaction 
  Skills on that person, or the like.
  Finally, in some cases, such as 
  Trading, the rules specifically note 
  that any person can “resist” them 
  by removing himself from the situ-
  ation or refusing to interact with 
  the character using the Skill any 
  further.
  Acrobatics
  A character with Acrobatics has a lot of 
  opportunities to interact with his environment in 
  creative ways. Most commonly, he can find flex-
  ible surfaces to bounce off to gain more altitude, 
  hurtle back at a villain in a surprise maneuver, and 
  so forth. You can represent this as a bonus to the 
  character’s Leaping when he makes an Acrobatics 
  roll under specific circumstances. A character who 
  intelligently and correctly uses “bouncing” can 
  move faster and farther than normally expected, 
  sometimes allowing him to go what would have 
  been a Full Move’s worth of distance and then still 
  take a combat action, or permitting him to close 
  the distance to a target or rescuee before the bad 
  guys realize what he’s doing.
  In any such situation, the GM decides whether 
  there are flexible surfaces in the hero’s vicinity, 
  what directions they can launch a character, and 
  so forth. To use them, a character must succeed 
  with an Acrobatics roll for each bounce. Each 
  bounce gives the character additional meters of 
  Leaping. Some surfaces are difficult to use this way 
  and impose penalties to the Acrobatics rolls. (See 
  the accompanying table for details.)
  The “Direction of Movement” column is only 
  a general indicator of direction. Someone leaping 
  onto a diving board, for instance, can bounce 
  straight up, up and forward, up and backward, up 
  and to the side, and so on.
  BOunCInG
  surface
  Leaping 
  Bonus
  direction of 
  Movement
  acrobatics 
  penalty
  Where Found
  Awning
  +4m
  Upward
  +0
  Downtown, 
  residential, 
  shopping malls
  Banner 
  (Huge)
  +4m
  Out From 
  Face
  -2
  Shopping malls, 
  parade routes
  Billboard
  +4m
  Out From 
  Face
  +0
  Everywhere
  Diving 
  Board
  +8m
  Upward
  +0
  Swimming pools
  Flagpole
  +6m
  Opposite 
  Angle of 
  Approach
  -2
  Downtown, 
  government 
  buildings, 
  some homes
  Power or 
  Telephone 
  Line
  +8m
  Opposite 
  Angle of 
  Approach
  -4
  Everywhere
  Tent
  +4m
  Upward
  -2
  Campgrounds, 
  fairgrounds
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  35
  Example: Freedom Fighter is in combat with 
  Splatter, a knife-wielding villain, who’s chasing 
  him all over downtown.
  Freedom Fighter (Leaping 36m) announces, 
  “I’m going to delay my next movement so it 
  takes place at almost exactly the same time as 
  his, giving him the opportunity to pursue me at 
  almost hand-to-hand distance. I’m going to head 
  toward the nearest set of telephone poles on the 
  ground, leap up into the air at the wires, and try 
  to bounce off the wires right back into Splatter’s 
  face as a Surprise Move.”
  The GM says that’s possible on this Phase. He 
  has Freedom Fighter make his Acrobatics roll 
  at the -4 penalty for using the telephone wires; 
  even with the penalty, Freedom Fighter makes it 
  by 2. The GM then makes Splatter’s PER Roll to 
  see if Splatter detects or anticipates the surprise 
  maneuver; he gives him a -2 penalty (because 
  Freedom Fighter has an excellent Acrobatics 
  roll) and another -2 (because Splatter’s following 
  Freedom Fighter too closely to react well). Splatter 
  misses his roll.
  Freedom Fighter bounds to the wire, bounces 
  up to them, inverts, hits it with his feet, and 
  bounces straight back at Splatter. His movement 
  rate is 44m (36m for his Superleap, +8m for the 
  bonus from the wire), giving him +7d6 to his 
  Move Through.
  The GM can use any method he chooses to 
  determine whether there are flexible surfaces in 
  the hero’s vicinity. Typically, downtown city build-
  ings have at least one or two flagpoles and awnings 
  each, and other city areas also often plenty 
  of resources for bouncing; outside city areas, 
  bouncing may become more difficult due to lack 
  of opportunity. He can have the character make 
  a Luck roll to determine whether a particular 
  building has any flexible features (or more than 
  normal), with results other than a 6 indicating the 
  pickings are pretty sparse.
  Characters who like to use these bouncing 
  rules may tend to ask for incredible amounts of 
  information about local architectural details when 
  they’re in combat. It’s best to settle the question 
  of whether there are flexible surfaces nearby very 
  quickly, such as with a Luck roll.
  Breakfall
  If a character is carrying another character (or 
  any similarly large or bulky object) and wants to 
  use Breakfall, his Breakfall roll suffers a -2 penalty 
  and only protects him, not the carried person/
  object. If he makes the roll at an additional -2, 
  the Skill’s affects also apply to the carried person/
  object.
  Autofire Skills
  Here are three new forms of Autofire Skill.
  DEADly SPRAyFIRE 
  When a character with this Autofire Skill uses 
  an Autofire attack against a single target, he rolls 
  damage differently to reflect his deadly accuracy 
  and control. Instead of rolling a separate damage 
  roll for each attack that hits, the character makes 
  just one roll: he takes the base damage of the 
  attack and increases it by +1 Damage Class for 
  each additional attack that hit. (When deter-
  mining how to increase the DCs of the attack, do 
  not count the Autofire as an Advantage.)
  The GM should evaluate this Autofire Skill 
  carefully before allowing it in the game. It reflects 
  the “realistic” chance that multiple hits from an 
  Autofire attack will inflict serious injury or death. 
  But because of the way the HERO System damage-
  versus-defenses rules work, it also makes it more 
  likely that a heavily-armored character can be hurt 
  by a low-powered attack. The larger damage roll 
  also makes it more likely the attack will Stun the 
  target.
  PRECISE SPRAyFIRE I
  The character can use Autofire against a single 
  target with great accuracy. For every full two 
  shots fired at a single target, he receives a +1 OCV 
  bonus. (Thus, 2-3 shots means +1 OCV; 4-5 shots 
  +2 OCV; 6-7 shots +3 OCV; and so on.) However, 
  since the number of Autofire hits depends on how 
  well he makes his Attack Roll, a character using 
  Precise Autofire I can only hit the target one time 
  — he trades the possibility of multiple hits for a 
  greater chance to hit once. The GM may cap the 
  Precise Autofire I bonus at some level, if necessary.
  PRECISE SPRAyFIRE II 
  The character can use Autofire against a single 
  target with great accuracy. Instead of hitting with 
  one shot for every 2 points he makes his Attack 
  Roll by, he hits with one shot for every 1 point he 
  makes the roll by. The GM may cap the number of 
  hits at some level (such as half the overall number 
  of shots fired), if necessary.
  Bureaucratics
  Bureaucratics is a broadly-defined Skill that 
  can accomplish a lot of things. In a campaign that 
  involves a lot of interaction between characters 
  and bureaucracies and organizations, as a single 
  Skill it may become too effective. In that case the 
  GM may want to subdivide it into categories, such 
  as the ones listed in the accompanying table. Each 
  category costs 2 Character Points for a PRE-Based 
  Roll (if a character only wants to know a subcat-
  egory, that costs 1 Character Point), +1 to the roll 
  with all categories the character knows for each 
  +2 Character Points. A character can use Bureau-
  cratics on a bureaucracy he hasn’t purchased at a 
  -2 or greater penalty to all rolls.
  CATEGORIZED 
  BuREAuCRATICS
  Business 
  Bureaucracies
  Subcategories are 
  by type of industry; 
  examples include:
  Financial Bureaucracies
  Heavy Industry 
  Bureaucracies
  Light Industry 
  Bureaucracies
  Software Bureaucracies
  Civilian Government 
  Bureaucracies
  Foreign Relations 
  Bureaucracies
  Judicial System 
  Bureaucracies
  Public Services 
  Bureaucracies
  Public Utilities 
  Bureaucracies
  Regulatory Agency 
  Bureaucracies
  School System 
  Bureaucracies
  military 
  Bureaucracies
  Air Force Bureaucracies
  Army Bureaucracies
  Marines Bureaucracies
  Military Contracting 
  Bureaucracies
  Navy Bureaucracies
  2
  
  36 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  Combat Skill levels
  Characters cannot apply Combat Skill Levels 
  to improve combat-related Skill Rolls, such as rolls 
  with Tactics or many forms of Analyze.
  The standard rules for Combat Skill Levels 
  describe how to use them to increase the damage 
  of an attack. Generally speaking that only applies 
  to attacks that directly injure or damage the target: 
  Blasts, RKAs, STR and HA damage, Drains, and 
  the like. However, at the GM’s option, characters 
  can use CSLs to improve the effects of other types 
  of attacks, as follows:
  
  n Aid: Treat Aid powers as “5 points per 1d6” 
  powers for purposes of the Adding Damage 
  rules.
  
  n Dispel: Treat Dispel powers as “5 points per 
  1d6” powers for purposes of the Adding 
  Damage rules.
  
  n Entangle: Treat Entangles as “10 points per 
  1d6” powers for purposes of the Adding 
  Damage rules. Every 2 CSLs adds +1d6 BODY 
  and +1 PD/+1 ED to the Entangle (charac-
  ters cannot increase the BODY and defenses 
  separately, though at the GM’s option if the PD 
  and ED aren’t equal the CSLs increase them 
  proportionately).
  
  n Flash: Regardless of which Sense Groups a 
  Flash affects (or how many), treat Flashes as 
  “5 points per 1d6” powers for purposes of the 
  Adding Damage rules.
  
  n Telekinesis: Treat Telekinesis as Normal 
  Damage for purposes of the Adding Damage 
  rules.
  
  n Transform: Treat Cosmetic and Minor Trans-
  forms as “5 points per 1d6” powers, Major 
  Transforms as “10 points per 1d6” powers, 
  and Severe Transforms as “15 points per 1d6” 
  powers for purposes of the Adding Damage 
  rules.
  Characters cannot use CSLs to increase the 
  damage of a Reflected attack or the combat effects 
  of Change Environment.
  Cramming 
  The following optional rules expand the 
  scope and usefulness of Cramming, primarily by 
  allowing for rolls greater than 8- (which some 
  players find to be a dissatisfyingly low roll for 
  use in the game). The GM should evaluate them 
  carefully before using them in the campaign, since 
  they may pose a significant threat to game balance.
  Using these rules, a character can buy the 
  ability to Cram a Skill at a much higher level of 
  proficiency (though this requires more time). The 
  accompanying Optional Cramming Table lists the 
  cost, the highest possible roll the character can 
  acquire with a studied Skill, and the study time 
  required to learn the Skill to that level.
  Other standard Cramming rules apply when 
  appropriate. For example, a character using these 
  rules can only learn non-combat Skills, cannot 
  increase his roll in any way, and forgets the 
  learned Skill at the end of the adventure.
  A character using these rules can choose not to 
  learn a Skill as thoroughly as he possibly could — 
  perhaps because he’s pressed for time and can only 
  learn so much. For example, a character who’s paid 
  20 Character Points for Cramming (13- possible 
  maximum roll) could choose to Cram a Skill only 
  to 11-, using the time listed for that level in the 
  table. This does not allow him to Cram a second 
  Skill at the same time, but at the GM’s option if the 
  character has more time to study later on, he can 
  improve his 11- roll to 12- or 13-.
  OPTIOnAl CRAmmInG TABlE
  Cost
  Maximum effect
  Base time
  5
  8- roll
  or
  1 point with a Language
  or
  Any 1-point Skill  
  (such as a TF or WF)
  Base Time deter-
  mined by GM (20 
  Minutes or more, 
  depending on the 
  complexity of the 
  subject)
  8
  9- roll
  1.5 times Base Time
  11
  10- roll
  2 times Base Time
  14
  11- roll
  or
  2 points with a Language
  or
  Any 2-point Skill  
  (such as a TF or WF)
  3 times Base Time
  17
  12- roll
  4 times Base Time
  20
  13- roll
  or
  3 points with a Language
  5 times Base Time
  13- or 3 points in a Language is the maximum effect a 
  character can obtain using this rule.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  37
  Deduction
  Deduction is a flexible and powerful Skill the 
  GM needs to handle carefully. On the one hand, 
  characters should get the benefit of the Skills they 
  pay for. This is particularly true when the char-
  acter is supposed to be smarter and more deduc-
  tive than the person playing him. Players want 
  to build and play characters who are deductive 
  geniuses — it’s impossible to escape the influence 
  of Sherlock Holmes. It stands to reason that many 
  PCs would be far better at deducing the meaning 
  of clues than the players who play them are, and 
  one of the reasons the HERO System has Deduc-
  tion is to make it possible to play such characters. 
  That means the Skill should offer a significant 
  benefit in the game at appropriate times.
  On the other hand, solving a mystery or 
  deducing crucial information on the basis of a 
  Skill Roll can be boring and diminish the fun 
  of the game: “OK, I talk to everyone for a few 
  minutes and read the crime scene reports. Now I 
  want to make a Deduction roll to figure out who 
  the killer is.” That’s no fun for anyone. Ideally, the 
  players should figure out what the clues mean and 
  make the deductions themselves. The sense of 
  accomplishment that brings adds an enormous 
  amount of fun to the campaign.
  Fortunately, there are ways around this 
  dilemma:
  
  n Instead of interpreting “successful Deduction 
  roll” as “character immediately figures out all 
  the answers,” think of it as “character gains a 
  little bit of insight toward the ultimate goal of 
  solving the mystery.” In other words, when a 
  PC succeeds with a Deduction roll, give him 
  an extra tidbit of information or a little help 
  toward figuring out the answer, not the whole 
  solution on a silver platter. The more he makes 
  the roll by, the more information you give him 
  (or the more important a hint you offer). For 
  example, suppose the PCs are trying to figure 
  out a riddle Anagram left behind. The answer 
  is “Iron Curtain.” If a PC makes his Deduc-
  tion roll exactly, maybe the hint you provide is 
  “Winston Churchill” (who coined the term). If 
  he makes it by 1-3, maybe the hint is “Soviets” 
  or “Warsaw Pact.” If he makes it by 4 or more, 
  maybe you tell him “steel drapes” or the like. 
  In short — Deduction should help the players 
  figure out the answer, not provide the answer 
  for them directly.
  Similarly, Deduction provides a rationale for 
  the GM to help the players out if they get stumped. 
  If a character succeeds with a Deduction roll, the 
  GM can provide a gentle hint or an additional clue 
  — something to get the players’ minds working on 
  a different, and hopefully more productive, track.
  
  n Look at each PC’s Knowledge Skills. If a PC 
  has a Knowledge Skill that’s related to the clue, 
  let him use the KS as a Complementary Skill. 
  If the Deduction roll succeeds, provide more 
  information than you otherwise would — the 
  PC knows more about the subject, so it stands 
  to reason he ought to have more insight on the 
  problem.
  
  n Prepare for the use of Deduction in advance. 
  If you expect the PCs to investigate a clue, 
  prepare a list of potential answers. For each PC 
  who makes a Deduction roll, give the players 
  one randomly-chosen item from the list (if a 
  character makes his roll by 4 or more, maybe 
  he gets two items). Then let the players analyze 
  the items they’ve got and figure out the right 
  one (even if they have to check out every loca-
  tion on the list in person, or find every object 
  listed). It’s a lot easier to work from a list of 
  possibilities than it is to try to pull one right 
  answer out of the ether.
  
  n In the comics, television, and movies, it often 
  seems that once a character hits on the right 
  answer to a mystery, he instinctively knows 
  he’s right. A group of players, on the other 
  hand, can spend hours debating the possible 
  meaning of a clue, even if one of the ideas they 
  had five minutes into the discussion was the 
  right answer. To keep this from happening, 
  try to hint at which answer is correct... or you 
  could even go so far as to say, “Bob’s suggestion 
  sounds like a pretty good one — it seems right 
  to you.”
  Looking at it another way, a successful Deduc-
  tion roll doesn’t necessarily mean a character’s 
  suddenly realized what the right answer is, or 
  what’s going on. It could just mean that he real-
  izes one of the possible answers couldn’t be the 
  right one. In other words, Deduction helps him 
  narrow down the possibilities (so the character’s 
  player can eventually reach the right conclusion) 
  rather than giving him the right answer in deus ex 
  machina fashion.
  The GM may also want to consider secretly 
  making characters’ Deduction rolls himself, then 
  providing them with information tailored to 
  account for the success or failure of a role. A char-
  acter may think he’s right when he deduces the 
  answer to a problem, but he can’t necessarily know 
  he’s right (especially if he defines his Deduction 
  as “I make intuitive leaps of thought that I can’t 
  explain” or some similar special effect). Keeping 
  the results of the roll hidden lets the GM create 
  that effect of uncertainty if he wants it.
  2
  
  38 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  Defense maneuver
  For some campaigns, the odd cost structure of 
  Defense Maneuver may not work well. As an alter-
  native, you can convert it into a standard Agility 
  Skill with a 9 + (DEX/5) roll. Using Defense 
  Maneuver I requires a standard Skill Roll (the roll 
  itself takes no time, but the Skill still requires a 
  Half Phase to use). To use Defense Maneuver II, 
  the character must make his roll at a -2 penalty; 
  for Defense Maneuver III at a -4 penalty; for 
  Defense Maneuver IV at a -6 penalty. This form 
  of Defense Maneuver IV can only make DCV-
  affecting Levels Persistent for 1 Hour (or some 
  other timeframe chosen by the GM); to extend the 
  effect beyond that time the character has to make 
  another roll.
  Defensive Attack
  A character with this optional new Combat 
  Skill has a heightened ability to avoid attacks in 
  combat. He only suffers a -2 DCV when making 
  a Multiple Attack (6E2 73), rather than his DCV 
  being halved. (This includes Multiple Attacks 
  made with the Two-Weapon Fighting Skill.) No roll 
  is required, and all other Multiple Attack penalties 
  and rules apply.
  Defensive Attack costs 10 Character Points 
  and applies to all forms of Multiple Attack. If 
  a character only wants to be able to use it with 
  Multiple Attacks only featuring HTH attacks, or 
  only featuring Ranged attacks, he can apply a -1 
  Limitation, HTH Multiple Attacks Only or Ranged 
  Multiple Attacks Only.
  language
  The Language Skill has an unusual cost struc-
  ture, different from any other Skill in the HERO 
  System. For the sake of consistency, GMs may wish 
  to convert Languages into an Intellect Skill costing 
  3 Character Points for the standard (9 + (INT/5)) 
  roll. The accompanying table lists the roll that 
  matches various degrees of fluency. Converting 
  Languages into an Intellect Skill does not prevent 
  you from using the Language Familiarity Table.
  If the GM uses this system, you can apply 
  standard Skill Modifiers to Language rolls, 
  representing such factors as the thickness of a 
  speaker’s accent, how long he speaks, ambient 
  noise, complex phrasing, the use of technical 
  vocabulary, and similar factors. In most cases, 
  characters won’t have to make any sort of roll to 
  speak normally. But if a roll is necessary, then 
  even a character with just an 8- or 11- gets a +3 
  to +5 bonus for “routine” speech, making the roll 
  a virtual certainty in most situations. Similarly, 
  with the GM’s permission a character could make 
  Language rolls as Complementary Skill Rolls 
  when using Skills like Conversation, Oratory, and 
  Persuasion — if the roll succeeds, he’s chosen “just 
  the right word” or made the right turn of phrase.
  Even if the GM chooses to use the standard 
  cost structure for Languages, you can use the rolls 
  indicated in the accompanying table in situations 
  when characters need to make rolls to use their 
  Languages or understand a speaker.
  lAnGuAGE AS 
  InTEllECT SKIll
  Level of 
  Fluency
  roll
  Cost
  Basic Words
  6-*
  ½ (no Skill Levels apply)
  Basic 
  Conversation
  8-
  1 (no Skill Levels apply)
  Fluent 
  Conversation
  10-
  2 (no Skill Levels apply)
  Completely 
  Fluent, with 
  accent
  12-
  3 (INT Roll)
  Idiomatic, native 
  accent 
  14-
  Varies
  Imitate dialects
  16-
  Varies
  *: If the GM uses this system, the Untrained Skill Use 
  rules do not apply to Languages.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  39
  martial Arts
  The Optional Combat Maneuvers in 6E2 (and 
  in Chapter Six of this book) aren’t appropriate for 
  every campaign — but they may be appropriate 
  for individual characters even in a campaign that 
  doesn’t let every character use them. If appro-
  priate, the GM might allow characters to buy 
  Optional Combat Maneuvers as “Martial Maneu-
  vers.” The GM may, if desired, apply the “charac-
  ters must buy a minimum of 10 Character Points’ 
  worth of maneuvers” rule from Martial Arts to 
  Optional Combat Maneuvers. (Alternately, maybe 
  characters must spend 10 Character Points overall 
  on some combination of Martial Maneuvers, 
  Optional Combat Maneuvers, or both.)
  The accompanying table lists the suggested 
  Character Point costs for various Optional 
  Combat Maneuvers as Skills. Unless the GM rules 
  otherwise, Optional Combat Maneuvers as Skills 
  work just like normal Optional Combat Maneu-
  vers that characters can use for free.
  OPTIOnAl COmBAT 
  mAnEuvERS COST
  optional Combat Maneuver 
  Cost
  Choke
  3 Character Points
  Club Weapon
  3 Character Points
  Cover
  3 Character Points
  Dive For Cover
  5 Character Points
  Hipshot
  3 Character Points
  Pulling A Punch
  3 Character Points
  Roll With A Punch
  3 Character Points
  Snap Shot
  4 Character Points
  Strafe
  5 Character Points
  Suppression Fire
  4 Character Points
  Power
  The Power Skill can be amazingly creative 
  and fun, but the GM should take care to control 
  it carefully. Power isn’t a cheap substitute for a 
  Variable Power Pool, and shouldn’t be used as 
  one. It’s intended to give characters greater flex-
  ibility and the GM a way to keep the story moving 
  forward in a dramatically appropriate fashion 
  without worrying about whether a character has 
  spent Character Points for every single possible 
  application of his powers. Characters shouldn’t use 
  Power to provide Advantages for their Powers or 
  to overcome Limitations (except in rare circum-
  stances), nor should it provide bonuses in combat. 
  Characters who want to perform a particular 
  “trick” or “power stunt” frequently should pay 
  Character Points for it (especially if it has an effect 
  on combat). For example, the GM might let a 
  character with Strength Tricks make a roll and use 
  his awesome STR to squeeze coal so hard it turns 
  into diamond (a type of Transform) — once. If he 
  wants to do it again, he should buy it as a separate 
  ability.
  As a a suggested guideline, the GM should 
  examine the pregenerated abilities found in 
  various HERO System supplements, or similar lists 
  he’s prepared on his own for his campaign. A char-
  acter with an appropriate form of the Power Skill 
  who succeeds with a Skill Roll can create an effect 
  with no more than thirty percent of the Active 
  Points of any of those abilities. Any Advantages on 
  an ability still apply to the Power-created ability, 
  and must fit within the Active Point total; any 
  Limitations on the ability also apply to the Power-
  created ability, but do not reduce the cost or 
  somehow make it easier for the character to create. 
  If this isn’t enough to get at least 1-2d6 of power 
  or some similar quantifiable level of effect, the 
  GM can allow the character to access more Active 
  Points. However, he may impose a penalty on the 
  roll (such as -1 per additional 1-10%) or any other 
  restrictions he deems appropriate.
  If the character doesn’t necessarily need more 
  than ten percent of the Active Points to achieve a 
  worthwhile effect, but wants to access more of the 
  points for some reason, he may do so, but at the 
  GM’s option must apply to the ability at least -½ 
  worth of Limitations per +1-10% Active Points in 
  addition to any Limitations listed in the ability’s 
  writeup. These extra Limitations cannot include 
  Requires A Skill Roll, since the character has to 
  make a Skill Roll with his Power Skill to do this 
  in the first place. Limitations like Concentration, 
  Extra Time, Increased Endurance Cost, and Side 
  Effects are the most appropriate, but they’re not 
  necessarily the only applicable ones.
  POWER In HIGH-POWERED CAmPAIGnS
  In some campaigns, the guidelines above are 
  too restrictive — the GM wants characters to have 
  even more flexibility, combats to be more free-
  wheeling, and the powers to be even more spec-
  tacular. In that case the GM should consider some 
  or all of the following, more open, guidelines:
  
  n A character who succeeds with a Power roll 
  can alter all of the Active Points in a power, but 
  cannot increase them. For example, he could 
  transform a Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points) into 
  a Blast 8d6, Double Knockback (60 Active 
  Points), but not into a Blast 10d6, Double 
  Knockback (75 Active Points).
  
  n A character who succeeds with a Power roll 
  can create an entirely new power of the same 
  special effect as one of his other powers, but 
  with no more Active Points than the most 
  similar power he has with the smallest number 
  of Active Points. (Typically this is most 
  appropriate for characters who have a lot of 
  powers built around a common, easily-iden-
  tifiable special effect, such as “Fire Powers” or 
  “Weather Control.”)
  
  n A character who succeeds with a Power roll 
  can add up to a +½ worth of Advantages to an 
  existing power, or remove up to -½ worth of 
  Limitations.
  2
  
  40 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  Another possible change for Power for higher-
  powered campaigns is to make it an Everyman 
  Skill (or perhaps give every character a free Profi-
  ciency with it). That way every character has some 
  ability to alter his powers or develop new ones “on 
  the fly,” and characters who want to be really good 
  at it can purchase the full Skill.
  REPEATED uSE OF POWER
  Typically it’s recommended that a character 
  who wants to use a “power stunt” repeatedly pay 
  Character Points for it, rather than using the 
  Power Skill to “create” it. However, the GM can 
  permit repeated use, but at a penalty — such as 
  a cumulative -1 or -2 to the Power roll per use, 
  or perhaps a flat -3. That gives the character the 
  freedom he wants, but at a balancing price, and it 
  encourages him to spend Character Points on the 
  ability when he can afford to.
  POWER AnD HEROIC ACTIOn POInTS
  In campaigns that use the Heroic Action Point 
  rules (6E2 287), the GM can use them as a substi-
  tute for, or supplement to, the Power Skill.
  One way to do this is to replace Power with 
  HAPs (at least for purposes of altering existing 
  powers or creating new ones; it would remain in 
  the rules for use as a Required Roll and the like). 
  Instead of requiring a character to succeed with 
  a Power roll to manipulate one of his powers, the 
  GM could require him to spend HAPs. The cost 
  would depend on the nature of the campaign. For 
  more high-powered, less restrictive games, a single 
  HAP would be enough to accomplish anything the 
  Power Skill can accomplish. For more controlled 
  campaigns, a character might have to spend 1 
  HAP per 10 Active Points of power he wanted to 
  use/change.
  Another option is to allow characters to 
  augment Power with HAPs. In this case, the GM 
  allows Power to create small amounts of change or 
  new powers, such as the 30% rule discussed above. 
  To create more powerful abilities, characters have 
  to pay HAPs (either a flat cost such as 2 HAPs, or 
  one depending on the power, like 1 HAP for every 
  +10% of power beyond 30%).
  Skill levels
  In some campaigns, GMs may find that Move-
  ment Skill Levels are too useful. They not only 
  improve a character’s Turn Mode, they can also 
  sometimes improve his DCV while he’s moving, 
  help him to accelerate and decelerate, and so on. 
  That’s a lot of utility for 2 Character Points per 
  Level! If this is causing problems in the campaign, 
  the GM should increase the price of “MSLs” — at 
  least to 3 Character Points per Level, and possibly 
  5, for Levels that only apply to one type of move-
  ment, and at least to 5 Character Points for Levels 
  that apply to all modes of movement.
  Alternately, the GM could change the cost of 
  Movement Skill Levels for a single Movement 
  Power based on the Power they apply to, since 
  they’re more useful for some Movement Powers 
  than others. The accompanying table has a list of 
  suggested costs.
  AlTERnATE mOvEmEnT 
  SKIll lEvElS
  power
  Cost per 1  
  Movement skill Level
  Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement
  N/A
  FTL Travel
  N/A
  Gliding
  3 Character Points
  Flight
  3 Character Points
  Leaping
  2 Character Points
  Running
  2 Character Points
  Swimming
  2 Character Points
  Swinging
  2 Character Points
  Teleportation
  2 Character Points
  Tunneling
  1 Character Point
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  41
  Trading
  The most common use for Trading is to 
  negotiate prices for goods, commodities, services, 
  and other things someone can buy or sell. Each 
  character in the negotiation wants to obtain the 
  best price or terms for himself, so this is a Trading 
  Versus Trading Contest (if one character doesn’t 
  have Trading, he can make an INT Roll at -2). You 
  can handle the specifics of the bargaining in one 
  of three ways. Each of them has a Base Time of 1 
  Turn, but the GM can raise this if necessary based 
  on the circumstances.
  set priCe starting point
  The first (and generally simplest) method is for 
  the GM to determine a fair market price for the 
  item or service in question as a “baseline” for the 
  negotiations. The character who wins the Contest 
  gets that price, +10% per point he won the Contest 
  by if he’s selling or -10% per point he won the 
  Contest buy if he’s buying.
  However, there are two caveats to this. First, 
  the GM may set some minimum or maximum 
  price; characters shouldn’t be allowed to use 
  Trading to obtain ridiculous bargains or charge 
  absurd prices. Second, Trading is not Mind 
  Control. Normally you should let the Trading roll 
  determine the outcome of a price negotiation. But 
  ultimately either character can choose to walk 
  away from the deal regardless of what the dice say 
  if that’s the most appropriate thing to do based on 
  common and/or dramatic sense.
  diFFering starting priCes
  The second method is for each character 
  involved in the negotiation to set a starting price. 
  If both agree, the deal is made — but usually 
  the seller’s proposed price exceeds the buyer’s 
  proposed offer. (If the seller’s stated price is lower 
  than the buyer’s offer, the deal takes place at the 
  seller’s price.) The characters then engage in a 
  Trading Versus Trading Contest. The loser of 
  the Contest must adjust his proposed price by a 
  minimum of 10% of the buyer’s proposed offer 
  per point he lost the Contest by — the seller 
  adjusts downward (i.e., lowers his price), while 
  the buyer adjusts upward (i.e., raises his offer). 
  The loser may adjust his price/offer by a greater 
  amount if desired (perhaps to bring the deal to a 
  quick conclusion). The adjusted price becomes a 
  new threshold for that character — even if that 
  character wins one of the future rolls, he can’t 
  re-adjust his price back to its starting total. (The 
  same applies to all future rolls.)
  Now the characters have another Trading 
  Versus Trading Contest, with the same results 
  (but governed by the threshold rule stated above). 
  This goes on until the two agree on a price or 
  one party gives in and agrees to the other’s latest 
  offer. Regardless of the dice rolls, at no time does 
  the buyer have to raise his offer above the seller’s 
  current price, or the seller lower his price below 
  the buyer’s current offer — if that happens, the 
  current price/offer takes effect.
  Example: Stonehand the Dwarf and Azarath 
  the Mage are negotiating a sale — Stonehand 
  wants to pay Azarath to enchant his bracers so 
  that they allow Stonehand to attack more swiftly. 
  Stonehand offers 200 silver royals for the job; 
  Azarath counters with 600 silver royals. They 
  now engage in a Trading Versus Trading Contest. 
  Azarath’s roll succeeds by 6 and Stonehand’s by 3, 
  so Stonehand must raise his offer by ((6-3) x 10% 
  of buyer’s offer =) 60 silver royals, to 260 royals. 
  That’s still not enough for Azarath, so the Contest 
  goes on. The next round Stonehand makes his roll 
  by 4, while Azarath fails. Therefore Azarath must 
  lower his asking price by ((4-0) x 10% of buyer’s 
  offer =) by 80 silver royals, to 520 royals. The two 
  are getting closer, but they’re not in agreement 
  yet. Negotiations continue....
  no sKiLL Contest
  Alternately, the GM can use the first method 
  but dispense with the Trading Versus Trading 
  Contest and just let the PC make his Trading roll. 
  If the roll succeeds exactly, the character pays the 
  GM-set fair market price (if buying) or receives it 
  (if selling). If he succeeds by more than that, for 
  each point he succeeded by he lowers (if buying) 
  or raises (if selling) the price by 10%. If the roll 
  fails, for each point it fails by he raises (if buying) 
  or lowers (if selling) the price under the impres-
  sion he’s getting a bargain or making a killing. The 
  same restrictions and guidelines as for the first 
  Contest method apply.
  ModiFiers
  Several circumstances can modify Trading rolls 
  to negotiate prices. Unusually high or low demand 
  affects prices, though the GM should determine 
  whether the seller’s or buyer’s roll is modified 
  (both are not, just one). If the goods are obviously 
  stolen or illegal (the buyer can make a Streetwise 
  roll, or an INT Roll at -2, to figure this out), that 
  tends to put the buyer in a better position — it 
  gives him another negotiating point in his favor 
  and puts pressure on the seller to get rid of the 
  “hot” items as soon as possible.
  negotiating deaLs
  Characters can also use Trading to negotiate 
  deals, contracts, agreements, and other business 
  arrangements. You can handle this like a price 
  negotiation, except that the parties are dickering 
  over terms of the agreement rather than prices. 
  The loser in the Trading Versus Trading Contest 
  has to concede some point of contention rather 
  than alter his price; the GM determines what 
  constitutes a valid concession. Typically nego-
  tiating deals has a Base Time of 1 Hour, but the 
  GM may reduce this for easy deals or raise it for 
  complex ones.
  2
  
  42 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  Transport Familiarity
  The accompanying table has an expanded list of TFs that characters can purchase.
  Category
  examples
  Water Vehicles (B)
  Rafts
  Small Rowed Boats 
  Canoes, rowboats, kayaks
  Large Rowed Boats 
  Biremes, triremes, 
  Fantasy slave ships
  Small Wind-Powered Boats 
  Sailboats, longboats, racing yachts
  Large Wind-Powered Boats 
  Clipper ships, galleons
  Small Motorized Boats 
  Speedboats, CRRCs/Zodiacs
  Large Motorized Boats 
  Pleasure yachts, tugboats, 
  barges, tankers
  Small Military Ships 
  Cutters, PT boats
  Large Military Ships 
  Destroyers, frigates, aircraft carriers 
  Submarines
  recreational Vehicles (B)
  Hanggliding
  Jetskis
  Parachuting, Basic
  Parachuting, Advanced 
  (requires Basic Parachuting)
  SCUBA
  Skateboarding
  Skating (iceskating and rollerskating)
  Skiing, Snow
  Skiing, Water
  Snowboarding
  Surfing
  Windsurfing
  science Fiction & space Vehicles (a) 
  (includes FTL travel, if any)
  Early Spacecraft 
  Apollo, Mercury, Gemini projects
  Spaceplanes 
  Space Shuttle
  Grav Vehicles/Hovercraft
  Personal-Use Spacecraft 
  Consumers’ spacecraft
  Commercial Spacecraft 
  & Space Yachts
  Industrial & Exploratory Spacecraft
  Military Spacecraft
  Mobile Space Stations
  Mecha (a)
  Anthropomorphic Mecha
  Beast-Shaped Mecha
  Hybrid/Shapeshifting Mecha
  Category
  examples
  riding animals (a) 
  (includes use of animals in teams, if applicable)
  Camels
  Dogs
  Equines 
  Horses, donkeys, mules, unicorns
  Flying Beasts 
  Griffins, pegasi, rocs, 
  giant dragonflies
  Huge Beasts 
  Elephants
  Swimming Beasts 
  Whales, sharks, giant fish
  Other (purchased by animal type)
  Muscle-Powered Ground Vehicles (B)
  One-Wheeled Muscle-
  Powered Ground Vehicles 
  Unicycles
  Two-Wheeled Muscle-
  Powered Ground Vehicles 
  Bicycles, velocipedes
  Carts & Carriages [also requires 
  TF: appropriate riding animal]
  Chariots [also requires TF: 
  appropriate riding animal]
  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles (a)
  Small Motorized Ground Vehicles 
  Cars, pickups, jeeps, 
  ambulances, taxis
  Large Motorized Ground Vehicles 
  Trucks, tractor-trailers, buses
  Uncommon Motorized Ground Vehicles (B)
  Two-Wheeled Motorized 
  Ground Vehicles 
  Motorcycles, motoscooters
  Construction & Agricultural Vehicles 
  Bulldozers, steamrollers, 
  tractors, combines
  Tracked Military Vehicles 
  Tanks, IFVs, some APCs
  Wheeled Military Vehicles
  Reconnaissance vehicles, 
  some APCs
  Railed Vehicles 
  Trains, cablecars, maglev 
  trains, subways
  air Vehicles (B)
  Balloons & Zeppelins 
  Hot air balloons, zeppelins, blimps
  Small Planes 
  Propeller planes, autogyros, 
  gliders, volantors
  Large Planes 
  Jumbo jets, C130 transports
  Combat Aircraft
  F15s, F117As, B2s
  Helicopters
  Cold-Weather Vehicles (B)
  Bobsleds 
  Bobsleds, luge
  Sleds 
  Sleds, sledges, sleighs, dogsleds 
  (also requires TF: Dogs)
  Snowmobiles
  TRAnSPORT FAmIlIARITy CATEGORIES
  A: Can be purchased as a group
  B: Must be purchased separately
  1. Riding Animals: In a Fantasy campaign, where 
  Riding Animals is the prominent TF group, GMs may 
  wish to forbid characters to purchase it as a group.
  2. Parachuting, Basic and Advanced: Basic 
  Parachuting allows the character to make basic use 
  of a parachute safely, and assumes the character is 
  performing typical MAMO (Medium Altitude, Medium 
  Opening) jumps. Advanced Parachuting (which 
  can only be bought by characters who know Basic 
  Parachuting) allows the character to perform more 
  difficult jumps or aerial stunts; it includes military 
  parachute training and LALO, HALO, and HAHO 
  jumps.
  3. Science Fiction & Space vehicles: This TF 
  category encompasses the largest number and 
  variety of vehicles. Gamemasters running Future-era 
  campaigns should consider expanding this category 
  extensively to suit their campaigns. For example, 
  different spacefaring species’s ships might require 
  different TFs (one species’s controls and methods 
  of construction may differ greatly from another’s; a 
  species’s arrangement of manipulatory limbs may 
  lead to vastly different controls), by planet or sector 
  of space, by government, and so forth. Science 
  Fiction vehicles include FTL travel if available.
   
         At the GM’s option, Grav Vehicles/Hovercraft 
  may be placed under the “Uncommon Motorized 
  Ground Vehicles” or “Air Vehicles” categories instead.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  43
  Weapon Familiarity
  The accompanying table has an expanded list 
  of WFs that characters can purchase.
  notes
  * = All characters have this Weapon Familiarity for free
  1: Fist-Loads includes brass knuckles, bagh nakh, the 
  yawara, rocks or rolls of quarters held in the fist, 
  and similar weapons. It also includes tasers that 
  the user must touch to the victim’s skin (the type of 
  taser that fires small metal darts requires WF: Small 
  Arms).
  2: Polearms and Spears includes the use of Bayonets 
  attached to rifles (Bayonets wielded on their own 
  are considered Blades).
  3: Flails includes the flail, the morningstar, and other 
  articulated clubs not listed elsewhere.
  4: Thrown Rocks includes Molotov cocktails and other 
  crude missile weapons. All characters know this WF 
  for free.
   
      Related to Thrown Rocks are some hand-held 
  dropped weapons, like caltrops, marbles, and the 
  like. Such weapons do not require a WF to use.
  5: Bows includes pellet bows/sling bows.
  6: Crossbows includes pellet crossbows and the chu-
  ko-nu (Chinese repeating crossbow).
  7: Thrown Knives, Axes, and Darts includes shuriken 
  and chakram.
  8: Grenade Launchers includes both GLs which are 
  separate and those which are a component of 
  another weapon, and also includes rifle grenades. 
  Examples include the U.S. M79 and M203.
  9: General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns includes 
  the U.S. M60, M61A1/M168, M134 Minigun, 
  Vulcan, M249 SAW, and similar weapons. However, 
  if mounted in a vehicle, these weapons usually 
  require a WF: Vehicle Weapon to use.
  10: Shoulder-Fired Weapons is a broad category that 
  includes anti-tank weapons (such as the U.S. M20 
  bazooka, M72 A2, and M47 Dragon), man-portable 
  SAMs (such as the U.S. Stinger or Russian SA-7 
  Grail), hand-held recoilless guns (such as the 
  Armbrust), and some man-guided missiles (such as 
  TOWs, FOGs, laser-guided missiles, and so forth).
  11: Early Emplaced Weapons includes all such 
  weapons developed prior to World War I, such as 
  cannons, bombards, culverins, and early howitzers. 
  The GM may wish to break this category out into 
  several separate categories for campaigns set in 
  periods in which such weapons are commonplace 
  (such as a pirates campaign or Civil War campaign).
  12: Vehicle Weapons must be purchased per vehicle 
  (for example, WF: M1A Abrams Weapons, WF: 
  F-15 Weapons), at 1 point per vehicle. Bombs 
  and missiles dropped or launched by aircraft, tank 
  guns, and torpedoes are all examples of Vehicle 
  Weapons. Mines do not require a WF (building and 
  working with them is a function of Demolitions), 
  though vehicle-based minelaying weapons require 
  a Vehicle Weapons WF.
   
       Advanced land-based missile systems and some 
  other weapons are controlled via Systems Operation 
  (q.v.), not a WF.
  Common melee Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group) 
  Unarmed Combat
  Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks
  Blades
  Clubs*
  Fist-Loads* (1)
  Polearms and Spears (2)
  Two-Handed Weapons
  uncommon melee Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flails (3)
  Garrote
  Lances
  Nets
  Spread-The-Water Knife
  Staffs
  Whips
  Common martial Arts melee 
  Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Chain & Rope Weapons
  Karate Weapons
  Mourn Staff
  Ninja Weapons
  Rings
  Staffs
  War Fan
  uncommon martial Arts melee 
  Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flying Claw/Guillotine
  Hook Sword
  Kiseru
  Lajatang
  Pendjepit
  Rope Dart
  Three-Section Staff
  Urumi
  Wind and Fire Wheels
  Common missile Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Thrown Rocks* (4)
  Bows (5)
  Crossbows (6)
  Javelins and Thrown Spears
  Thrown Knives, Axes, and Darts (7)
  WEAPOn FAmIlIARITy CATEGORIES
  uncommon missile Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Arare
  Atlatl
  Blowguns
  Boomerangs and Throwing Clubs
  Early Thrown Grenades
  Fukimi-Bari
  Iron Mandarin Duck
  Metsubishi
  Sling
  Sling Bow
  Staff Sling
  Steel Olive
  Steel Toad
  Thrown Chain & Rope Weapons 
  Thrown Sword
  Wishful Steel Ball
  Siege Engines 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Ballista
  Catapult
  Onager
  Siege Tower
  Spring Engine
  Trebuchet
  Turtle
  Early Firearms 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Early Muzzleloaders
  Matchlocks
  Wheellocks
  Flintlocks
  Early Percussion Firearms  
  (up to approximately 1850)
  Small Arms 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Assault Rifles/LMGs
  Handguns
  Rifles
  Shotguns
  Submachine Guns
  Thrown Grenades
  uncommon modern Weapons 
  (must be purchased separately)
  Flamethrowers
  Grenade Launchers (8)
  General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns (9)
  Shoulder-Fired Weapons (10)
  Emplaced Weapons 
  (may be purchased as a group)
  Early Emplaced Weapons (11)
  Anti-Aircraft Guns
  Anti-Tank Guns
  Artillery
  Howitzers
  Mortars
  Recoilless Guns
  vehicle Weapons (12) 
  (must buy per vehicle)
  2
  
  44 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  vEHIClE WEAPOnS
  As noted in the Weapon Familiarity Catego-
  ries table, a character can buy a WF with Vehicle 
  Weapons for any specific type of vehicle (such as 
  an Abrams tank or a Hornet fighter plane) for 1 
  Character Point. Gamemasters may, if desired, 
  allow characters to buy 2-point WF categories 
  with all types of weapons on all vehicles of a 
  particular type. See the accompanying text box for 
  some examples. Using this system, a character in a 
  Vehicle-oriented campaign can shift from Vehicle 
  to Vehicle without worrying about Unfamiliar 
  Weapon penalties.
  vEHIClE WEAPOn 
  FAmIlIARITIES
  Each of these categories is a 2-point category 
  which may be purchased as a group.
  Airplane Weapons
  Airplane Guns
  Airplane Missiles
  Dropped Bombs
  Automobile Weapons
  Automobile Beam Weapons
  Automobile Dropped Weapons
  Automobile Grenade Launchers
  Automobile Guns
  Automobile Incendiary Weapons
  Automobile Missiles
  Helicopter Weapons
  Helicopter Grenade Launchers
  Helicopter Guns
  Helicopter Missiles
  Dropped Bombs
  mecha Weapons
  Mecha Beam Weapons
  Mecha Guns
  Mecha Hand-Held Ranged Weapons
  Mecha Hands
  Mecha Melee Weapons
  Mecha Missiles
  modern naval vessel Weapons
  Naval Guns
  Naval Missiles
  Naval Torpedoes
  Sailing Ship Weapons
  Light Cannons
  Medium Cannons
  Large Cannons
  Ship-Based Siege Weapons
  Starship Weapons
  Starship Beam Weapons
  Starship Guns
  Starship Missiles
  Submarine Weapons
  Submarine-Launched Missiles
  Submarine Torpedoes
  Tank Weapons
  Tank Grenade Launchers
  Tank Main Guns
  Tank Missiles
  Tank Secondary Guns
  SCIEnCE FICTIOn
  The number and types of weapons available to 
  characters is greater in Science Fiction than any 
  other genre, given the panoply of worlds, cultures, 
  and technological levels to choose from. It’s not 
  uncommon for characters in a Star Hero game to 
  carry everything from clubs, knives, and swords to 
  blasters and disintegrators. See the accompanying 
  table for suggested additions to the WF categories 
  for most Science Fiction campaigns. The GM 
  should alter or add to the existing lists to better 
  suit his specific campaigns.
  Gamemasters may want to consider making 
  each planet’s or species’s weapons a separate WF. 
  Thus, a character with WF: Ackálian Common 
  Melee Weapons or WF: Human Small Arms 
  can’t use Varanyi Common Melee Weapons or 
  Denebian Small Arms without suffering the 
  normal nonproficiency penalty. Depending on a 
  species’s number of limbs or fingers and similar 
  considerations, other species may find it difficult 
  or impossible to use their weapons, regardless of 
  proficiency.
  STAR HERO WEAPOn 
  FAmIlIARITIES
  uncommon melee Weapons (add to existing 
  category)
  Electric Whip
  Energy Blades
  Inertial Gloves
  Stun Rods
  Small Arms (add to existing category)
  Liquid-Propellant Rifles
  Gauss Guns
  Polymer Guns
  Rocket Pistols
  Rocket Rifles
  Missile Guns
  Sonic Stunners
  Tranquilizer Dart Guns
  Beam Weapons (may be purchased as a group)
  Laser Pistols
  Laser Rifles
  Electron Beam Weapons
  Particle Guns
  Energy Weapons (may be purchased as a group)
  Ion Blasters
  Plasma Guns
  Disintegrators
  Alternately, for some campaigns GMs may prefer 
  to establish a Science Fiction Small Arms category 
  including all weapons listed in the Small Arms, Beam 
  Weapons, and Energy Weapons categories of this table.
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  45
  SKIll EnHAnCERS
  Here are some additional Skill Enhancers the 
  GM can allow characters to buy, and other sugges-
  tions for ways that characters can affordably buy 
  lots of Background Skills. (See also Other “Univer-
  sals,” APG 48.)
  EXPERT 
  Whereas the standard Skill Enhancers are 
  all restricted by the type of Skill(s) characters 
  can buy through them, Expert is restricted by 
  subject. A character can buy any Language, KS, 
  PS, or SS through Expert, provided they all relate 
  to a subject about which he is an expert or for 
  which he has an innate talent. Examples might 
  include Russia (Language: Russian, KS: Russian 
  History And Culture, AK: Russia, KS: Russian Art 
  And Literature), Serial Killers (KS: Serial Killers 
  And Serial Killing, SS: Psychology/Criminal 
  Psychology, PS: Criminal Profiling), or Electri-
  cian (KS: Electrical Systems, PS: Electrician, SS: 
  Electrical Engineering).
  Expert costs 3 Character Points and has the 
  same effect as other Skill Enhancers: it reduces 
  the cost of all Skills bought through it by -1 
  Character Point (minimum cost of 1 point, as 
  always). However, to prevent abuse, the GM may 
  want to require characters to buy a minimum of 
  three Skills through Expert; with fewer than that, 
  it’s difficult for a character to argue that he has 
  a thorough, “expert” grasp of all the facets and 
  complexities of a subject.
  Expert does not “stack” with other Skill 
  Enhancers, giving two Enhancer cost reductions 
  to a single Skill. If a character buys a Back-
  ground Skill that could go in more than one Skill 
  Enhancer, he must pick one Skill Enhancer to put 
  a given Skill under, and that’s the only one it gets a 
  cost break for.
  The GM should examine any purchase of 
  Expert carefully to make sure it fits the character, 
  is properly defined, and won’t unbalance the 
  game. Characters should use it to define relatively 
  narrow subjects in which they’re extremely well-
  versed, not treat it as an excuse to save points on 
  any Background Skill they want to have and can 
  loosely link together.
  PIlOT
  A character with Pilot is adept at learning how 
  to drive or pilot vehicles of all sorts: air, sea, and 
  land, even riding animals. He buys Transport 
  Familiarities for -1 point, thus allowing him to buy 
  a 2-point TF category for only 1 Character Point. 
  He may also purchase two 1-point TFs for only 1 
  point (thereby halving the cost).
  Other Ways To Buy lots 
  Of Background Skills
  If Skill Enhancers and Universals aren’t quite 
  what your campaign’s looking for, consider these 
  options. (But don’t forget the guidelines discussed 
  on 6E1 31 — there’s generally no need to spend 
  points on a Background Skill so obscure it’s just 
  for “color” and won’t have any significant effect on 
  game play.)
  BACKGROunD SKIll mulTIPlIERS
  In campaigns where GMs like characters to 
  have a lot of Background Skills as a way of differ-
  entiating themselves or covering a lot of areas of 
  knowledge within the PC group, Skill Enhancers 
  may not go far enough. Even with the point 
  savings they provide, buying a lot of Background 
  Skills may become prohibitively expensive.
  One possible solution for this is to treat Skill 
  Enhancers as “Skill Multipliers.” Instead of making 
  the rolls for Background Skills cheaper, a Skill 
  Multiplier lets a character buy a lot of particular 
  type of Background Skill for a low cost. The 
  accompanying table indicates the cost of Skill 
  Multiplier for both an 11- roll or an INT Roll 
  with each Skill (or basic conversation and fluent 
  conversation with Languages). Use the same 
  categories and names for Skill Multipliers as for 
  Skill Enhancers (i.e., the Jack Of All Trades Skill 
  Multiplier for PSs; the Scholar Skill Multiplier for 
  KSs).
  If a character wants to reduce the roll with a 
  particular Background Skill, he can do so (this 
  doesn’t count as “selling back” a Skill or provide 
  him with any point savings; it’s just a way of 
  better defining the character). If a character wants 
  to improve the roll with a specific Background 
  Skill, he can do so by paying the usual cost. If 
  he wants to improve the roll with a group of the 
  Background Skills he’s bought, he should buy Skill 
  Levels.
  SKIll mulTIPlIERS TABlE
  Cost 
  (11- roll)
  Cost 
  (int roll)
  number of 
  Background skills
  2
  3
  1
  4
  6
  2-3
  6
  9
  3-4
  8
  12
  5-8
  10
  15
  9-16
  12
  18
  17-32
  14
  21
  33-64
  16
  24
  65-125
  ...and so on
  2
  
  46 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  The GM should carefully monitor the use of 
  Skill Multipliers. They’re intended to provide a 
  cost-effective way for characters to buy a lot of 
  obscure Background Skills to better define their 
  non-combat abilities, or in settings and genres 
  where it’s appropriate for characters to know lots 
  of Background Skills (like some Pulp Hero games). 
  In campaigns where obscure SSs, KSs, and PSs 
  tend to come into play frequently, the GM should 
  increase the cost of Skill Multipliers until they’re 
  balanced for the utility they provide.
  BuyInG BACKGROunD SKIllS In mID-GAmE
  Rather than requiring a character to buy and 
  list every Background Skill he should know (based 
  on his character’s history, origin, prior life experi-
  ences, and so forth), the GM simply requires him 
  to have a well-defined background that states, in 
  part, the sorts of Background Skills the character 
  has. During character creation, the character pays 
  Character Points for at least a few of these Skills — 
  the ones most central to his character concept, or 
  which the player or GM think are likely to be used 
  in the game frequently. The player then makes sure 
  to always have a few unspent Character Points or 
  Experience Points on hand. During the course of 
  the game, if he encounters a situation where he 
  needs one of the obscure Background Skills that 
  are noted as being “within his character concept” 
  but that he hasn’t paid for, he can immediately 
  use his saved points to buy it. After all, according 
  to his character concept he’s actually known that 
  Background Skill all along — it’s just that until this 
  point in the campaign, there’s been no use for it 
  and thus no reason to spend points on it.
  In short: if the GM’s willing to trust the players 
  not to abuse the privilege, until a Background Skill 
  actually matters for the game, there’s no reason to 
  make a character pay points for it. As soon as it 
  does matter, the character should pay for it if he 
  wants to use it.
  vARIABlE POWER POOl
  The ultimate way to buy a lot of Background 
  Skills for a minimal point cost is for the GM to 
  allow characters to buy Variable Power Pools for 
  Background Skills. With even a 10-point Pool, 
  a character can have a lot of Background Skills 
  active at once for even fewer Character Points 
  than a Universal. The downside to this method is 
  that a character may not have access one day to a 
  Background Skill he knew yesterday, which makes 
  no sense.
  COmPREHEnSIvE BACKGROunD SKIllS
  For games that tend to de-emphasize Back-
  ground Skills, but where characters would like 
  to have a lot of obscure bits and pieces of knowl-
  edge at their command for character definition 
  purposes, one possible solution is to use a single 
  broadly-defined Background Skill bought with 
  a high roll and the Extraordinary Skill rules. For 
  example, a character could buy KS: Everything My 
  Character Should Reasonably Know 21- and PS: 
  Everything My Character Should Reasonably Be 
  Able To Do 21-. This gives him an at least an 11- 
  roll to know all sorts of information pertinent to 
  his background no matter how obscure.
  2
  
  volume 2: Combat and adventuring n Chapter two 
  47
  PERKS
  T
  he following additional, optional, or 
  expanded rules apply to Perks. 
  Contact
  Characters who are considering buying a 
  Follower might want to also consider a “Slavishly 
  Loyal” Contact, or vice-versa. The two are similar 
  in many ways, but also have some important 
  differences.
  Although a Slavishly Loyal Contact is “almost 
  always” available, it’s the “almost” that’s important 
  — he’s not always at the PC’s beck and call, the 
  way a Follower should be. Furthermore, in most 
  cases a PC controls a Follower’s actions, but he 
  never controls a Contact’s actions in that sort of 
  direct fashion — he doesn’t have a character sheet 
  for the Contact, for example.
  There’s also a qualitative difference between 
  a Contact (even a Slavishly Loyal one) and a 
  Follower. Followers tend to be more well-rounded, 
  more developed, and more in the PC’s sphere of 
  control. Contacts have a certain ambiguity about 
  them; they’re just not quite as reliable. 
  Depending on the genre or campaign, one Perk 
  or the other might be emphasized, not available, 
  or the like. For example, in a Golden Age Cham-
  pions games there might be lots of Followers (kid 
  sidekicks), but no Contacts among the PCs (since 
  true-blue heroes don’t need to go skulking around 
  to get information from people like that). On the 
  other hand, a gritty espionage game might have 
  lots of Contacts, but no Followers (no one’s that 
  loyal or trustworthy!).
  Follower
  As discussed on 6E1 102, a Follower’s Matching 
  Complications don’t reduce the Follower’s Char-
  acter Point cost to the character. This is because, 
  generally speaking, a Follower’s Complications 
  don’t significantly affect his usefulness to the 
  character. In fact, some Complications, such as 
  Psychological Complication: Unswervingly Loyal To 
  Master or Enraged: when master is harmed, could 
  even help the character. However, if the GM feels 
  that one or more of a Follower’s Complications do 
  reduce his usefulness to or effectiveness on behalf 
  of the character, he could reduce the Follower’s 
  Total Points by that amount, thus in turn reducing 
  his cost to the character.
  vehicle And Bases
  If a character wants a “stock” Vehicle — a 
  normal, commercially-available model — but with 
  a few adjustments or extra pieces of equipment, 
  typically he must pay Character Points for the 
  entire Vehicle. He can’t obtain a standard civilian 
  Vehicle for free, then just pay for the “upgrades” 
  he wants, unless the GM permits this.
  If a Base or Vehicle has a Variable Power Pool, 
  the Base/Vehicle also has to have the Control Cost 
  and a Skill necessary to change the VPP (or an 
  Advantage that makes the Skill unnecessary). The 
  character who creates or builds the Base/Vehicle 
  can’t buy those things separately.
  2
  
  48 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  TAlEnTS
  T
  he following additional, optional, or 
  expanded rules apply to Talents. 
  Ambidexterity
  If a character has more than two manipulable 
  limbs, all limbs but one count as his “off hand.” 
  Buying Ambidexterity reduces or eliminated the 
  Off Hand penalty for all of his limbs.
  lightning Reflexes 
  Since the Lightning Reflexes Talent increases a 
  character’s effective DEX for purposes of acting 
  first, it has no bearing on Mental Combat or the 
  use of Mental Powers, which use EGO to deter-
  mine who acts first. With the GM’s permission 
  mentalists can buy a related Talent, Speed Of 
  Thought, that applies to EGO rather than DEX. 
  See the Speed Of Thought Table for the cost of 
  different levels of this Talent.
  The standard Lightning Reflexes Talent can 
  also serve well in a mentalist-oriented campaign. 
  Differences between EGO and DEX can cause 
  confusion in the order of actions, and if a 
  mentalist’s EGO is higher than his DEX (a not 
  uncommon occurrence) he loses the opportu-
  nity to make a Half Move if he chooses to attack 
  when his EGO comes up in the initiative order. If 
  a mentalist buys Lightning Reflexes to make his 
  DEX equal his EGO, these problems disappear.
  SPEED OF THOuGHT TABlE
  Cost
  effect
  1
  +2 EGO to Act First with All Mental Actions
  1
  Up to +3 EGO to Act First with  
  a Large Group of Mental Actions
  1
  Up to +4 EGO to Act First with  
  a Small Group of Mental Actions
  1
  Up to +5 EGO to Act First with  
  a Single Mental Action
  universal Translator
  Universal Translator is a broad Talent that 
  enables many sorts of communication between 
  characters — but it’s not infallible. In particular, 
  a character with Universal Translator generally 
  cannot:
  
  n Read/understand encrypted or encoded docu-
  ments or transmissions (he might understand 
  the literal meaning of the words of a code [as 
  opposed to a cipher], but wouldn’t know what 
  they signified) 
  
  n read lips (that requires the Lipreading Skill)
  
  n understand or speak to animals (unless animals 
  can routinely speak to humans in the campaign 
  setting)
  
  n understand or “read” mathematical equations
  
  n perceive lies or emotions by “reading” body 
  language
  
  n provide cultural context (for example, the 
  character won’t know if a particular word or 
  gesture is considered a gross insult, a proposal 
  of marriage, a combat challenge, or the like in a 
  given culture or society)
  
  n read or understand symbols, runes, logos, 
  flags, and the like (except to the extent the GM 
  believes those things are intended to “commu-
  nicate” a specific word or meaning that’s gener-
  ally accepted in society)
  
  n understand or “read” the sounds made by a 
  modem or like device.
  OTHER “unIvERSAlS”
  It’s possible to think of Universal Translator as 
  roughly equivalent to Linguist and 17 Character 
  Points’ worth of Languages — which, if chosen 
  properly, would let a character communicate with 
  the vast majority of humanity. The rest of the 
  Languages, which a character will rarely (if ever) 
  need, are “thrown in” for the sake of drama and 
  fun game play.
  Taken one step further, that logic can justify 
  the creation of other “Universals” that apply to 
  other types of Background Skills. The GM should 
  consider them carefully before allowing them 
  into his campaign. Since they grant a character 
  2
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter two 
  49
  access to an enormous body of knowledge, they 
  could easily unbalance some games. Even if the 
  GM allows them in appropriate games — such 
  as a Pulp Hero campaign where all the characters 
  are supposed to be universally competent — he 
  may want to restrict them so that each one can 
  only be purchased by one PC. That way having a 
  Universal is a distinctive thing, one of the charac-
  ter’s “shticks,” not something everybody and his 
  brother has.
  If for some reason a character has both a 
  Universal and a Skill Enhancer that pertain to 
  the same type of Skill, their bonuses are not 
  cumulative.
  true jaCK oF aLL trades
  A character with this Talent can perform 
  virtually any trade, craft, or other Professional 
  Skill competently, whether it involves building 
  a skyscraper, playing chess, painting a portrait, 
  catching dogs, installing electrical wiring, or 
  anything else.
  True Jack Of All Trades costs 20 Character 
  Points. For that cost, the character is assumed to 
  have a roll of 11- in any Professional Skill (though 
  the GM can forbid him to perform certain tasks, 
  or reduce the roll, if appropriate). In some cases 
  the GM may require the character to succeed with 
  an INT Roll, or spend a significant amount of time 
  practicing, before he’s qualified to make an unpe-
  nalized roll with a specific Professional Skill.
  At the GM’s option, a character with True Jack 
  Of All Trades can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The only 
  Skill Levels that apply to True Jack Of All Trades 
  rolls are Overall Skill Levels, 10-point Skill Levels 
  with All Noncombat Skills, and 4-point Skill 
  Levels with All Professional Skills, but the GM can 
  permit other Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  Skill Modifiers, including taking extra time to 
  perform a task, apply normally to True Jack Of 
  All Trades rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. 
  In particular, the GM should impose negative 
  modifiers (-1 to -3) if the PS the character tries to 
  use is extremely different from other types of work 
  he’s done. Conversely, if he tries to perform a task 
  that’s similar to others he’s already performed, he 
  gets a bonus (+1 to +3).
  universaL ConneCtions
  A character with this Talent has friends 
  everywhere — literally. No matter where he goes 
  or what sort of help he needs, he always seems to 
  know “just the right person” to turn to for infor-
  mation or assistance.
  Universal Connections costs 20 Character 
  Points. For that cost, the character can make 
  a Contact roll of 11- any time he needs help 
  or information. If the roll succeeds, he knows 
  someone who can help him out; if it fails, he 
  doesn’t know anyone (or not the right sort of 
  person), he cannot contact the person he seeks, or 
  his friend can’t help him for some reason. The GM 
  should interpret the results for maximum drama 
  and fun.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Universal 
  Connections can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The only 
  Skill Levels that apply to Universal Connections 
  rolls are Overall Skill Levels, but the GM can 
  permit other Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  The Contacts met via Universal Connections 
  are standard 11- Contacts; the character doesn’t 
  have any special relationship with or hold over 
  them, and they rarely possess significant resources, 
  Contacts, or Skills of their own. However, the GM 
  can create the character’s Contacts to suit himself, 
  the adventure, and the campaign, so it’s possible 
  the character might know some very influential 
  and powerful people indeed.
  universaL piLot
  A character with this Talent knows how to 
  drive or pilot any vehicle, whether it’s a sportscar, 
  submarine, hovercar, airplane, time machine, heli-
  copter, tank, or Class 7-Alpha starship. Somehow 
  he instinctively, or through long experience with 
  vehicles of every sort, knows how to start the 
  vehicle, operate its equipment, and steer it.
  Universal Pilot costs 20 Character Points. For 
  that cost, a character’s considered to have every 
  Transport Familiarity possible in the campaign 
  (though the GM may choose to exclude Riding 
  Animals, and any other category so rare and 
  unusual that he thinks it shouldn’t be included). 
  As with Transport Familiarity, the character has 
  an 8- roll for performing dangerous maneuvers 
  (jumps, screeching turns, and so forth), but 
  doesn’t have to make rolls to operate a vehicle 
  normally. At the GM’s option, a character with 
  Universal Pilot can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll (though 
  the GM should establish some maximum, such as 
  11-, so Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, and/or 
  Riding remain viable Skills). No Skill Levels (not 
  even Overall Levels) apply to Universal Pilot rolls 
  unless the GM rules otherwise.
  universaL sChoLar
  A character with this Talent knows some-
  thing about pretty much everything. His grasp 
  of obscure topics may not be as good as that of 
  someone who’s spent a significant amount of time 
  studying them, but he’s surprisingly well-informed 
  about even unusual subjects.
  Universal Scholar costs 20 Character Points. 
  For that cost, the character has an INT Roll with 
  any Knowledge Skill. However, the GM may 
  restrict this to “average” or “general” KSs, not 
  obscure ones, or may impose penalties if the char-
  acter wants to make a roll with an obscure KS. But 
  he can also rule that some facts are so well-known 
  that the character automatically knows them or 
  suffers a lesser penalty.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Universal 
  Scholar can improve his roll at a cost of +1 
  Character Point for each +1 to the roll. The only 
  Skill Levels that apply to Universal Scholar rolls 
  are Overall Skill Levels and 5-point Skill Levels 
  with All Knowledge Skills, but the GM can permit 
  other Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  2
  
  50 n skills, perks, and talents 
  hero system 6th edition
  Skill Modifiers, including taking extra time 
  to perform a task, apply normally to Universal 
  Scholar rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. 
  In particular, the GM should impose negative 
  modifiers (-1 to -3) if the KS the character tries 
  to use has no significant relation to subjects he’s 
  previously studied or shown great knowledge of. 
  Conversely, if he tries to answer a question that 
  relates to topics he’s already shown knowledge of, 
  he gets a bonus (+1 to +3).
  universaL sCientist
  A character with this Talent is intimately 
  familiar with the entire realm of Science. His grasp 
  of obscure sciences may not be as good as that of 
  someone who’s spent a significant amount of time 
  studying them, but he’s surprisingly well-informed 
  about even unusual subjects.
  Universal Scientist costs 20 Character Points. 
  For that cost, the character has an INT Roll with 
  any broad Science Skill (such as Biology, Chem-
  istry, Mathematics, or Physics). For more obscure 
  topics, the GM can impose penalties on the roll. 
  On the other hand, he can rule that some scientific 
  facts are so well-known that the character auto-
  matically knows them or suffers a lesser penalty.
  At the GM’s option, a character with Universal 
  Scientist can improve his roll at a cost of +1 Char-
  acter Point for each +1 to the roll. The only Skill 
  Levels that apply to Universal Scientist rolls are 
  Overall Skill Levels and 5-point Skill Levels with 
  All Science Skills, but the GM can permit other 
  Skill Levels to apply if desired.
  Skill Modifiers, including taking extra time 
  to perform a task, apply normally to Universal 
  Scientist rolls unless the GM rules otherwise. 
  In particular, the GM should impose negative 
  modifiers (-1 to -3) if the SS the character tries 
  to use has no significant relation to subjects he’s 
  previously studied or shown great knowledge of. 
  Conversely, if he tries to answer a question that 
  relates to topics he’s already shown knowledge of, 
  he gets a bonus (+1 to +3).
  2
  
  Chapter three
  PoWers
  
  52 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  POWERS
  T
  he following additional, optional, or 
  expanded rules apply to Powers. 
  GEnERAl RulES
  Here are some additional rules, guidelines, and 
  options pertaining to Powers generally.
  Power Duration
  If a character has made a Constant or Uncon-
  trolled attack against a target, he cannot then 
  apply a naked Advantage to the power to change 
  the way it affects the target going forward. If he 
  wants to change the power that way he has to use 
  the power on the target all over again with the new 
  set of Advantages (however bought). The special 
  effect of this may be “he just made the ongoing 
  attack worse,” but mechanically it involves 
  applying a new attack to the target.
  If a character’s subjected to a Constant attack, 
  it’s usually possible for him to do something 
  to protect himself from it other than breaking 
  Line Of Sight to his attacker. For example, a 
  character who’s in a cloud of poison gas (RKA, 
  NND [Immunity], Does BODY) could drink a 
  Potion of Poison Immunity (grants Life Support 
  [Immunity] for 1 Minute). At that point the attack 
  stops affecting him, because he has the defense. 
  However, any damage (or other effect) already 
  taken remains; negating or stopping the ongoing 
  effect does not heal or “reverse” the effects it 
  already had on the character.
  As noted on 6E1 127, a target subject to a 
  Constant Power suffers the damage (or other 
  effect) whenever the attacker has a Phase (i.e., 
  when his DEX occurs during the countdown in 
  Segments when his SPD indicates he has a Phase). 
  Typically this occurs before the character using 
  the Constant Power takes any other action, just to 
  simplify the bookkeeping, but the GM can have it 
  occur at some other point during the Actions that 
  comprise that character’s Phase if he likes.
  If the victim of a Constant attack has a 
  Required Roll on his defenses and misses his first 
  roll, he can try to make the Roll in later Phases. 
  Once he succeeds, the defense applies thereafter 
  for “Requires A Skill Roll” abilities. For “Activation 
  Roll” abilities, he has to succeed with the roll 
  each Phase to keep getting the protection; any 
  time he misses he loses the protection until he 
  succeeds again.
  Endurance
  A power that’s available to a character, but not 
  actually in use, doesn’t cost END. For example, 
  if a character has Deflection, Costs Endurance 
  as a slot in a Multipower, and he currently has 
  the Multipower reserve allocated to that slot, he 
  doesn’t pay END for it if he’s not Deflecting any 
  missiles. Except in some very unusual situations, 
  characters only pay END for Powers when they 
  activate/use them. The fact that a Power is “avail-
  able to be activated” doesn’t mean a character has 
  to pay END for it.
  Other “Casuals” 
  6E1 131-23 discusses the “Casual” use of STR 
  and other forms of attack. The rules specifically 
  forbid it to apply to defenses, movement, or other 
  non-attack abilities. However, as an optional rule, 
  the GM might permit the “Casual” use of some 
  other Characteristics or types of abilities. Here are 
  some suggestions for possible applications.
  Several of the suggestions below mention 
  Casual Characteristic-based Skill Rolls or Char-
  acteristic Rolls. However, since the difference 
  between the Casual Characteristic-based DEX 
  Roll, and the ordinary Characteristic Roll is likely 
  to be minor (perhaps only a point or three), the 
  GM should save this method for occasions when 
  he deems it appropriate and dramatic. Characters 
  cannot apply any Skill Levels (of any type) to rolls 
  made with a Casual Characteristic.
  CASuAl DEXTERITy
  You might occasionally use a character’s Casual 
  DEX to make an Agility Skill Roll that would ordi-
  narily take a Half Phase or Full Phase as a Zero 
  Phase Action.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  53
  Example: Eagle-Eye (DEX 24, Acrobatics 14-) 
  is trying to save a falling child while fending off 
  the attacks of the villains who tossed her out the 
  seventieth-story window. He wants to make an 
  Acrobatics roll to “bounce off” a cornice so he can 
  change the direction of his (and the child’s) fall, 
  while still leaving himself a Full Phase in which to 
  use Swinging and then counter-attack one of the 
  villains. He asks the GM if he can make a Casual 
  DEX-based Acrobatics roll as a Zero-Phase 
  Action. At DEX 12, his Acrobatics roll becomes 
  11-. The GM decides this is a fairly significant 
  difference, so he’ll allow it — but if Eagle-Eye 
  fails, he must automatically make a normal Acro-
  batics roll as a Full Phase Action to keep from 
  hurting the child.
  CASuAl InTEllIGEnCE
  In appropriate situations, you could use a 
  character’s Casual INT to determine his PER Rolls 
  for his “everyday perceptiveness.” Few people 
  walk around intently perceiving everything 
  around them. Most events and stimuli register 
  faintly, if at all — which is why it’s so easy for a 
  person to overlook something that turns out to be 
  important. A Casual INT-based PER Roll could 
  represent this. Of course, if anything crucial to the 
  plot comes along, the GM may want to switch to 
  ordinary PER Rolls, to keep the adventure flowing 
  smoothly.
  CASuAl EGO
  This Casual Characteristic is already 
  mentioned in the rules, on 6E1 217, for use in 
  breaking out of “Mental Paralysis” Entangles. 
  Besides that (relatively rare) use, GMs might 
  also allow characters targeted by continuing-
  effect Mental Powers to make Casual EGO-based 
  Breakout Rolls as Zero Phase Actions. However, 
  since the difference between full EGO and Casual 
  EGO is not likely to be that great for most charac-
  ters, this may have the effect of weakening Mental 
  Powers (and mentalist characters) unfairly, so you 
  should use this method cautiously.
  CASuAl PRESEnCE
  Since making a Presence Attack is an action 
  that takes no time, Casual PRE may not be as 
  useful as other Casual Characteristics — why 
  bother with a Zero Phase Action for half effect, 
  when it takes no time to get the full effect? 
  However, you could use a character’s Casual PRE 
  as an indicator of the level of “ambient Presence 
  Attack” he tends to exert just by being near other 
  people. If a character has a sufficiently high PRE, 
  his simply stepping into a room may be enough to 
  make people stop talking!
  Example: The Harbinger of Justice has a 50 PRE 
  to indicate his strength of personality, impressive 
  demeanor, and the ease with which he terrifies 
  criminals. His Casual PRE is 25, so even when 
  he’s just around other people — not attempting to 
  make a Presence Attack or use Interaction Skills 
  on them — the GM could roll a 5d6 Presence 
  Attack to gauge their reactions to him.
  CASuAl mOvEmEnT
  In campaigns where the GM wants active, 
  free-wheeling combats, he might consider letting 
  characters use their Movement Powers Casually. 
  In this case, a character can use one-fourth of his 
  meters of movement (i.e., half of a Half Move) as a 
  Zero Phase Action.
  The Standard Effect Rule
  A Normal Damage attack with the Standard 
  Effect Rule does 1 BODY.
  When a character makes a Killing Attack that’s 
  subject to the Standard Effect Rule, he rolls the 
  STUN Multiplier normally unless the GM rules 
  otherwise.
  ADJuSTmEnT POWERS
  The following additional, optional, or expanded 
  rules apply to Adjustment Powers.
  General Rules
  mAXImum EFFECT
  If a character buys extra dice of Absorption 
  or Aid with a Limitation, those dice increase the 
  power’s maximum effect only when the character 
  can use them.
  HIT lOCATIOnS
  Adjustment Powers are not affected by Hit 
  Location modifiers. Whether a Drain or Aid hits 
  a target in his Head or his Arms, the effect is the 
  same.
  ADJuSTInG COmPOunD POWERS
  Some characters have “compound” powers — 
  abilities built with two or more Powers, such as a 
  lightning bolt spell defined as an RKA + Linked 
  Flash. Adjustment Powers affect a compound 
  power as two powers. Using the lightning bolt 
  spell as an example, a character with Drain Magic 
  3d6, Variable Effect (any one Magic power at a 
  time; +½), has to choose whether to Drain the 
  RKA or the Flash — he can’t affect both at once. If 
  his power had Expanded Effect (two Magic powers 
  simultaneously; +½), then he could Drain both 
  parts of the compound power at the same time. A 
  GM who wants to deal with the additional work 
  could split an ordinary Drain’s effect between 
  the two powers if desired (similar to setting up a 
  ratio for an Adjustment Power, as discussed on 
  6E1 137).
  3
  
  54 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  THE SOuRCE OF A POWER vERSuS 
  THE EFFECTS OF A POWER
  Adjustment Powers work the same whether 
  they’re used on the effects or manifestation of a 
  power or on the creator or originator of the power. 
  For example, a character could use Suppress 
  Summon on a Summoned demon, or on the 
  wizard who cast the Summon spell; either attack 
  could banish the demon if the Suppress effect roll 
  is high enough.
  If the target is a being opposed to the character 
  using the Adjustment Power (such as a demon 
  serving the character’s wizard enemy), use the 
  being’s DCV, Power Defense, and so on. If it’s a 
  freestanding effect (like a Suppression field or 
  Change Environment effect), use the original 
  creator’s DCV, Power Defense, or the like. If a 
  character wants the victim of a Power like Mind 
  Control (or the like) to be less susceptible to 
  having that effect Adjusted, he also needs to have 
  a Power Defense Usable As Attack ability to make 
  the Mind Control more resistant to Drains and 
  similar powers.
  If a Drain is used on the effect but not the char-
  acter who created it, it reduces only the effect, not 
  the character’s power.
  ADJuSTInG mulTIPlE vERSIOnS OF THE SAmE 
  POWER; AWAREnESS OF ADJuSTED POWERS
  When a character defines an Adjustment 
  Power as working against a particular type of 
  Power (Drain Blast, Aid Resistant Protection) 
  rather than a special effect (Drain Fire Powers, Aid 
  Energy Powers), it may happen that the target of 
  such a power has two or more powers built with 
  the Power in question. In that case, only one of the 
  powers is Adjusted (unless the Adjustment Power 
  has a Expanded Effect Advantage so it can affect 
  more than one such power at once), and the char-
  acter with the Adjustment Power chooses which 
  one. But this assumes he knows what powers the 
  target has that are built with that Power — if he 
  only knows about one, that’s the one he has to 
  affect. Having the Adjustment Power does not 
  automatically grant him knowledge of the target’s 
  powers built with that Power.
  Similarly, a character may try to use an Adjust-
  ment Power on a target, but the target doesn’t have 
  the type of power(s) the Adjustment Power is built 
  to affect. If the character doesn’t know the target’s 
  powers, he can take a “shot in the dark” and hope 
  that a particular power fits into the category of 
  things he can Adjust. If he’s wrong, the attack fails 
  and is wasted, and the character’s used up that 
  particular Phase without accomplishing anything. 
  It’s up to the GM to inform him of what happens 
  in whatever way the GM sees fit. The character 
  might learn that his target doesn’t have that type 
  of powers, or the GM may simply say “Your attack 
  had no effect” and leave the character to wonder 
  whether his opponent has Power Defense, is 
  secretly Desolidified with Invisible Power Effects, 
  or the like.
  If an Adjustment Power has a secondary effect 
  (for example, it has the Does Knockback Advan-
  tage so that it causes Knockback), the secondary 
  effect does not apply if the target doesn’t have the 
  Characteristic or power(s) the Adjustment Power 
  is built to affect.
  ADJuSTInG CHARACTERISTICS 
  BOuGHT AS POWERS
  It’s not uncommon for characters to buy Char-
  acteristics as Powers — for example, some extra 
  STR Only For Lifting (-4), or a DEX boost based 
  on taking a drug (OAF, Continuing Charges), 
  or a magic amulet that provides +1 SPD. This 
  raises some interesting rules issues with regard to 
  Adjustment Powers, primarily Drain.
  Because of the wide variety of potential powers 
  and situations involved, there aren’t necessarily 
  any hard-and-fast rules you can apply. The text 
  below provides guidelines, but the GM has to 
  decide how best to apply those guidelines in light 
  of common sense, dramatic sense, the special 
  effects involved, and considerations of game 
  balance.
  Generally speaking, the basic guideline in these 
  situations is that the Drain comes “right off the 
  top” — in other words, it affects the character’s 
  entire STR. For example, if Drogar (a Fantasy 
  Hero warrior with STR 15 and a magic potion that 
  provides +30 STR for 1 Minute) were subjected to 
  a Drain STR spell that removed 14 points of STR, 
  he’d have STR 31 until the Drain’s effects wear off.
  innate versus separaBLe CharaCteristiCs
  In situations where the extra STR is innate to 
  the character once applied — as with Drogar’s 
  potion — there’s generally no need for further 
  rules or guidelines. Such Characteristics don’t 
  really differ, in rules terms, from the character’s 
  natural STR in any significant way (even though it 
  may come from an outside source), because once 
  it’s applied to the character it can’t be taken away 
  from him directly.
  But if the STR is separable from the character 
  — for example, a character with a magic amulet 
  that enhances his CON, or a set of artificial arms 
  that increase his STR — other considerations 
  come into play, primarily this: what happens if the 
  source of the STR is taken away from the char-
  acter? For example, imagine that Graall Axetooth, 
  a troll with 35 STR, has a magic amulet (OAF) 
  that grants him +30 STR. He suffers 14 points 
  of Drain STR. Then he loses his amulet. Unless 
  the GM prefers otherwise for some reason, in 
  these cases the Drain affects the character’s innate 
  Characteristic before his separable Characteristic 
  — thus, Graall would have STR 21 if he lost the 
  amulet (and the person who took the amulet away 
  from him could use it to gain +30 STR himself). 
  An attacker could, in appropriate circumstances, 
  target the source of the separable Characteristic 
  directly (in this example, target the magic amulet 
  rather than Graall himself). This may be difficult, 
  if the item is small and thus has a high DCV.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  55
  enduranCe reserves
  A similar issue arises with respect to Endur-
  ance Reserve. If a character’s hit with a Drain 
  END, what does it affect — his own END, or 
  the Reserve’s END? What if he has two or more 
  Endurance Reserves?
  Generally speaking, the same rules should 
  apply. One of the reasons characters buy Endur-
  ance Reserves is to separate that source of END 
  from “themselves,” so that they don’t have to worry 
  about what happens if they run out of innate END. 
  Taking into account special effects — such as an 
  electricity-based power that only affects batteries 
  — the GM may rule that a Drain applies to the 
  Reserve and not the character, or affects them 
  both in some ratio (usually 50-50), or the like.
  Since Endurance Reserves are discrete things, 
  usually if a Drain affects one and reduces it to 0 
  END, it doesn’t go on to affect a second Reserve 
  or the character’s personal END if it has “Drain 
  points” left to use. But as always, the GM has 
  to interpret this in light of special effects, game 
  balance, and other considerations. If a character 
  buys several small Endurance Reserves to try to 
  exploit this rule, the GM should allow “overage” 
  to affect other Reserves, or maybe establish some 
  other restriction (such as imposing an Extra Time 
  requirement for switching from one Reserve to 
  another, for -0 Limitation value).
  RETuRn RATE BASED On RECOvERy
  At the GM’s option, characters can base the 
  return/fade rate of an Adjustment Power on the 
  target’s REC, rather than on a flat 5 Character 
  Points per Turn basis. Unless the GM establishes 
  this as the default rule for a campaign, it requires 
  a Power Modifier. If the average REC of potential 
  targets of an Adjustment Power is higher than 5 
  (which tends to be the case in many campaigns, 
  given that REC has a Base Value of 4), a return/
  fade rate based on REC is a Limitation for Adjust-
  ment Powers — how much of one depends on 
  how much higher than 5 the average REC is. If 
  the average REC’s lower than 5, than a return/fade 
  rate based on REC would be an Advantage.
  Advantages
  Autofire: In the case of an Autofire Adjustment 
  Powers, each hit (even multiple hits in the same 
  Segment) counts as a separate attack for purposes 
  of the Adjusted points fading/returning. So, 
  someone hit with an Autofire Drain three times in 
  one Segment would have 5 points’ worth of Drain 
  return to him for each hit (total of 15) when the 
  appropriate amount of time has passed.
  Damage Over Time: If a character applies the 
  Damage Over Time Power Modifier to a nega-
  tive Adjustment Power, such as Drain, the target 
  doesn’t start regaining lost points until all incre-
  ments of effect have accrued. Once the last incre-
  ment accrues, he starts regaining lost points at the 
  specified rate for the power. The same is not true 
  of Adjustment Powers that boost or improve game 
  elements, such as Aid; their effects fade at the 
  standard rate regardless of the Damage Over Time 
  increment. If the GM feels any of this might be 
  abusive or pose game balance problems, he should 
  forbid such powers.
  variable Special Effects: At the GM’s option, 
  a character who’s bought Variable Effect for an 
  Adjustment Power can buy a separate Advantage, 
  Variable Special Effects, to increase the number 
  of special effects he can affect. Instead of being 
  restricted to just one special effect category, he can 
  choose between two or more. For a +½ Advan-
  tage, a character can choose to affect either of two 
  special effects (he can’t affect both simultaneously. 
  For each additional +¼ Advantage, he can double 
  the number of special effects he can choose from 
  (+¾ to affect any one of four special effects, +1 for 
  any one of eight special effects, and so on).
  Example: AquaChimp, the world’s only water-
  breathing chimpanzee, wants to project a blast 
  of water that can reduce a target’s Fire-based 
  powers. However, he realizes water usually short-
  circuits Electricity-based powers as well, so he 
  wants his power to affect two special effects at 
  once. Here’s how he builds that power:
  Drain Fire/Electricity Powers 2d6, Expanded 
  Effect (all Fire or Electricity powers simultane-
  ously; +4), Variable Special Effects (Fire or Elec-
  tricity powers; +½). Total cost: 110 points.
  When AquaChimp uses his power, he does 
  a Drain 2d6 of all Fire Powers or all Electricity 
  Powers his target possesses (his choice). If he 
  wanted to Drain both Fire and Electricity powers 
  simultaneously, he could buy the power twice 
  with the Limitations Linked and Unified Power.
  With the GM’s permission, a character use the 
  Variable Special Effects rules for Variable Effect 
  with Dispel as well.
  limitations
  Charges: With the GM’s permission, a character 
  can use an Adjustment Power just to affect a target 
  power’s Charges. Divide the Active Points in the 
  power by the number of Charges it has. Using the 
  resulting “point total” for each Charge, apply the 
  Adjustment Power as per normal. Of course, the 
  GM should forbid any use of this rule that seems 
  abusive or unbalancing, such as Adjusting Charges 
  which Never Recover.
  If a power has Continuing Charges, and an 
  Adjustment Power is applied to it, the Adjust-
  ment Power typically affects the entire power (i.e., 
  all Charges, whether in use or not), not just the 
  Charge currently in effect. However, at the GM’s 
  option, a character could declare that he wants to 
  Adjust only the Charge(s) in effect at a particular 
  time (or the GM may restrict him to doing so).
  3
  
  56 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Increased Return Rate (-¼ or more): For some 
  powers, a character may want to increase the rate 
  at which the Character Points added or removed 
  by an Adjustment Power fade or return.
  If an Adjustment Power doesn’t have the 
  Delayed Return Rate Advantage, then every 
  doubling of the amount of points that fade/return 
  per time increment is a -¼ Limitation, Increased 
  Fade(Return) Rate: -¼ if the points fade/return 
  at 10 per time increment; -½ if the points fade/
  return at the rate of 20 per time increment; and so 
  on (assuming the GM allows any further increase 
  in the rate of fade/return). If all the points fade/
  return immediately when 1 Turn or some lesser 
  increment of time passes, that’s worth a flat -½ 
  (the GM may reduce this to -¼ if the Adjustment 
  Power typically adds/removes 10 or fewer Char-
  acter Points).
  If an Adjustment Power has the Delayed Return 
  Rate Advantage, the Limitation described above 
  simply reduces the value of the Advantage, but the 
  Advantage has a minimum value of +½. The GM 
  may alter the value of the Advantage as he sees fit 
  to preserve game balance.
  ATTACK POWERS
  The following additional, optional, or expanded 
  rules apply to Attack Powers.
  PERSISTEnT ATTACKS
  Although it’s rare, sometimes a character wants 
  to apply Persistent (+¼) to a Constant attack. This 
  has several effects.
  First, it removes the need for the character to 
  maintain Line Of Sight to the Constant Power (see 
  6E1 127). Second, the attack continues to affect 
  the target on each of the attacker’s Phases, just like 
  a Constant attack; this applies even if the attacker 
  is Stunned, provided he still has enough END (or 
  STUN) to keep “fueling” the attack. Third, if the 
  attack costs 0 END, it continues to affect the target 
  even if the attacker is Knocked Out, leaves the 
  vicinity, or the like; in theory it could continue to 
  affect the target forever. For this reason, Persistent, 
  0 END attacks should be considered “Stop Sign” 
  abilities, and as with Uncontrolled attacks the GM 
  may require the attacker to define a reasonably 
  common and obvious way for someont to stop the 
  Persistent attack from affecting the target.
  If a Persistent attack is a slot in a Power Frame-
  work, a character cannot maintain it as an attack 
  while switching to another slot. Switching slots 
  automatically causes the Persistent attack to stop 
  working.
  HAlF DICE
  Typically it’s best if most Attack Powers are 
  bought in full dice, rather than half dice or single 
  points. However, there may be instances where a 
  character needs just a little more power or the GM 
  wants to customize a villain’s attacks. Unless the 
  specific rules for an Attack Power indicate other-
  wise, use the accompanying table to determine 
  the cost for half dice and single points of Attack 
  Powers.
  lESS THAn Full DICE
  if a Full 
  die Costs...
  then a half die Costs...
  15 points
  10 points (or 5 points for 1 point)
  10 points
  5 points (or 3 points for 1 point)
  5 points
  3 points (or 2 points for 1 point)
  3 points
  1½ points (or 1 point for 1 point)
  InCREASED DAmAGE DIFFEREnTIATIOn
  The GM can, if he wishes, allow for greater 
  differentiation of damage than just whole and half 
  dice. This provides more incentive for characters 
  to buy odd values of STR, Blast, or other abili-
  ties, and also allows for greater variation among 
  characters in Heroic genres.
  The accompanying table shows what various 
  attack abilities cost using this system in the 10-20 
  Character Point range. Using it as an example you 
  can extrapolate costs for other amounts of dice.
  DAmAGE DIFFEREnTIATIOn 
  Cost
  normal 
  damage*
  drain, 
  Mental Blast
  Killing 
  damage
  10
  2d6
  1d6
  ½d6
  11
  2d6
  1d6
  ½d6
  12
  2d6+1
  1d6
  1d6-1
  13
  2½d6
  1d6+1
  1d6-1
  14
  3d6-1
  1d6+1
  1d6-1
  15
  3d6
  1½d6
  1d6
  16
  3d6
  1½d6
  1d6
  17
  3d6+1
  1½d6
  1d6
  18
  3½d6
  2d6-1
  1d6
  19
  4d6-1
  2d6-1
  1d6
  20
  4d6
  2d6
  1d6+1
  *: You can also use this column for STR (the “Cost” in 
  this case indicating points of STR rather than actual 
  cost) and for continuing-effect Mental Powers like 
  Mind Control and Telepathy.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  57
  ATTACKS AGAInST AlTERnATE 
  CHARACTERISTICS 
  Several Attack Powers use a Characteristic to 
  determine the Power’s effect on the target. For 
  example, the victim of an Entangle uses STR to 
  break free, and a Transform’s effect is compared to 
  the target’s BODY to determine whether he’s been 
  Transformed.
  At the GM’s option, characters can use a Power 
  Modifier, Works Against Alternate Characteristic, 
  to change the Characteristic that determines the 
  effect of a Power. This Modifier may be an Advan-
  tage or a Limitation depending on whether, in the 
  campaign, the average character is likely to have 
  the affected Characteristic at a lower or higher 
  level than the standard Characteristic used with 
  the Power (the GM determines this, and the value 
  of the Power Modifier).
  For example, EGO can substitute for STR 
  to break out of an Entangle or the BODY that 
  determines a Transform’s effects to simulate a 
  Mental Paralysis (6E1 217) or Mental Transform 
  (6E1 306). In the typical campaign, the average 
  character’s likely to have a higher STR or BODY 
  than EGO, so both forms of the Power Modifier — 
  Works Against EGO, Not STR and Works Against 
  EGO, Not BODY — are Advantages. However, in 
  a “psychic wars” campaign involving factions of 
  mentalists competing for power, the average char-
  acter’s likely to have a higher EGO than STR or 
  BODY, making both forms of the Power Modifier 
  a Limitation. The accompanying text box provides 
  some suggested values, but the final decision’s up 
  to the GM.
  Unless the GM permits otherwise, characters 
  cannot buy this Power Modifier for an Attack 
  Power that causes STUN damage to change the 
  Characteristic used to determine whether the 
  target is Stunned (CON). Nor can they buy it to 
  make Mental Powers function against a target 
  other than EGO; for that, see Based On CON, 
  APG 69.
  WORKS AGAInST 
  AlTERnATE CHARACTERISTIC
  affected Characteristic 
  is, on the average...
  suggested value
  Much higher than standard 
  target Characteristic
  -½ or more
  Slightly higher than standard 
  target Characteristic
  -¼
  Equal to standard target 
  Characteristic
  -0
  Slightly lower than standard 
  target Characteristic
  +¼
  Much lower than standard 
  target Characteristic
  +½ or more
  Here are some further guidelines for alternate 
  Characteristic Powers. Note that only Characteris-
  tics similar to STR and BODY are listed; Char-
  acteristics such as OCV and SPD have different 
  cost structures and wouldn’t function properly for 
  these purposes.
  DEX: An Entangle that uses DEX in place of STR 
  might represent energy bonds that can’t be broken, 
  only wiggled out of, coils that stretch so much 
  they’re unbreakable but which the character can 
  squeeze out of, and so forth.
  COn: This might represent “paralytic attack” 
  Entangles such as some venoms, tasers, and nerve 
  strikes — it’s not the strength of the character’s 
  muscles or will that governs how long he’s para-
  lyzed, but his hardiness and fitness. A Transform 
  against CON could inflict a long-term disease of 
  some sort on the target.
  InT: An Entangle against INT might represent 
  psychic attacks that put the victim in a “mental 
  maze” he has to “escape” from before he can act, or 
  a riddle or puzzle so absorbing a character can’t do 
  anything but try to figure it out until he somehow 
  forces himself to look away from it. A Transform 
  against INT could represent an attack that inflicts 
  madness or mental chaos upon the target.
  EGO: See 6E1 217 for Mental Paralysis Entangles, 
  6E1 295 for the “Psychokinesis” form of Teleki-
  nesis, and 6E1 306 for Mental Transforms.
  PRE: An Entangle against PRE might simulate 
  the ability to inspire unwavering awe, or a terror 
  attack leaving the victim so frightened he’s literally 
  “paralyzed with fear.” A Transform against PRE 
  might be suitable for some Transforms of the 
  Spirit (see 6E1 306).
  REC, EnD, STun: Entangles or Transforms against 
  these Characteristics could represent “fatigue 
  attacks” that make the victim too tired to move, or 
  “dazedness attacks” that “Stun” him without actu-
  ally doing any STUN damage to him.
  aLternate CharaCteristiC entangLes
  A character attempting to break out of one 
  of these alternate Characteristic Entangles uses 
  the indicated Characteristic in exactly the same 
  way that STR works against normal Entangles. 
  This costs END at the standard rate of 1 per 10 
  Active Points used (including the base 10 points 
  the character gets “for free” in the Characteristic). 
  (He may also use his Characteristic Casually; see 
  6E1 131-32).
  An Entangle against an alternate Characteristic 
  functions in all ways as a standard Entangle (it 
  reduces the victim’s DCV to zero, and so forth). 
  Typically it must be built with the Advantages 
  Takes No Damage From Attacks (see below), 
  Affects Desolidified, and Cannot Be Escaped 
  With Teleportation, but the final decision’s up to 
  the GM.
  3
  
  58 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  As with a standard Entangle, other characters 
  can help the victim of an alternate Characteristic 
  Entangle escape. But as noted above, most such 
  Entangles can’t be physically damaged by others 
  — they should have the Takes No Damage From 
  Attacks Advantage, typically at the full +1 level. 
  However, depending on the special effects of the 
  Entangle, there may be alternate ways of helping 
  the victim escape. Possible examples include 
  slapping the victim’s face, splashing water on him, 
  administering an antidote, or shouting out clues 
  and encouragement. In some cases this method 
  may be so obvious, or easy to implement, that the 
  Entangle can take a Susceptible or Vulnerable Limi-
  tation (see 6E1 219).
  aLternate CharaCteristiC transForMs
  A Transform against an alternate Characteristic 
  functions in all ways as a standard Transform. 
  For example, the character must specify how the 
  Transform heals back. Typically this relates to the 
  nature of the attack and may involve applying the 
  same or a similar power to the target. For example, 
  someone who’s spirit is Transformed to make him 
  black-hearted and evil (Works Against PRE, Not 
  BODY) could perhaps “heal back” through any 
  similar Spirit Transform, being blessed by a devout 
  priest, or hearing the laughter of a small child. 
  Alternate Characteristic Transforms usually take 
  the Limitations All Or Nothing (-½) and Limited 
  Target, though they’re not necessarily required to.
  varying CharaCteristiCs
  At the GM’s option, a character can improve 
  Works Against Alternate Characteristic so that 
  the character can choose which Characteristic 
  an ability works against every time he uses the 
  power — the one the power would ordinarily 
  work against, or the alternate one chosen when 
  the power’s bought. This costs an additional 
  +½ Advantage, and is written as Works Against 
  Either [Standard Characteristic] Or [Alternate 
  Characteristic].
  On the other hand, for some types of powers 
  the character must choose the Characteristic 
  that’s the worst for him between the standard and 
  alternate ones (typically this means whichever one 
  has a higher value). That qualifies for an additional 
  -¼ Limitation.
  BODy-AFFECTInG 
  POWERS: COmBInInG 
  Some groups of characters have the ability 
  to merge, becoming one much larger form with 
  proportionately greater abilities. This is referred 
  to as Combining for ease of reference. While 
  Combining helps the good guys beat the bad guys, 
  it can also unbalance the campaign unless the GM 
  handles it carefully.
  In HERO System terms, you can define 
  Combining in several different ways, each with 
  its own benefits and drawbacks. The GM should 
  select the one best suited to his campaign and 
  require all Combining characters to use that 
  method (though some games may feature multiple 
  methods). For purposes of this discussion, the 
  smaller characters that join together are the 
  “component” characters, and the larger character 
  they create when they Combine is the “lead” 
  character.
  RESTRICTIOnS On 
  COmBInInG
  In anime and other fictional representations 
  of Combining, forming the lead character isn’t 
  a casual act, or something the characters do 
  every time they go into combat. Instead, it’s 
  sort of a last-ditch strategy that typically takes 
  place at the climax of the story. The lead char-
  acter is so powerful that the writers of these 
  shows don’t want to use him too soon, lest they 
  spoil the story.
  Unfortunately, gamers rarely show the same 
  amount of restraint. Given access to a powerful 
  “weapon” like a lead character, they’re likely to 
  want to use it in every single battle... and real-
  istically, it’s hard to tell them not to if there’s 
  no restriction on Combining. Therefore, a GM 
  who wants to keep Combining a rare event, 
  and who can’t simply appeal to his players’ 
  better nature, has to restrict it using the rules. 
  For example, he could:
  
  n require Combining powers to take a 1 
  Continuing Charge Limitation, with the 
  Charge lasting for no more than a Minute.
  
  n make Combining take so much Extra Time 
  and/or Concentration that characters will 
  be reluctant to use it frequently.
  
  n require the lead character to take a Physical 
  Complication, Unstable, that forces the 
  component characters’ operators to spend 
  a Half Phase to make Power: Direct Lead 
  Character rolls every Phase to keep it from 
  coming apart.
  Depending on the nature of Combining, 
  other possibilities for restricting Combining 
  may exist.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  59
  DuPlICATIOn
  You can use the Duplication Power to repre-
  sent Combining if you think of the component 
  characters as Duplicates and the lead character 
  as the “original character.” You build the lead 
  character the same as the component characters, 
  but with some additional abilities. Either it has 
  extra points in powers as described under Pooled 
  Resources, below, or it buys a Multiform with the 
  Limitation that it can only “change shape” when 
  no Duplicates exist. (Of course, with the latter 
  method, no actual shape alteration takes place, 
  though the Combined character is larger than any 
  single component; the Multiform is simply a way 
  of representing the fact that the joined character 
  is “greater than the sum of its parts” and thus has 
  different [more powerful] abilities.)
  In many cases, the component characters (the 
  Duplicates) are just junior versions of the lead 
  character — they have the same abilities (or most 
  of them), but at a lesser level of power — so they 
  don’t need the Altered Duplicates Advantage. In 
  other campaigns, each component character has 
  markedly different powers from the lead char-
  acter, so you have to apply that Advantage to 
  the Duplication. At the GM’s option, characters 
  can apply other Duplication-specific Adders and 
  Power Modifiers (such as Easy Recombination), if 
  appropriate.
  The benefit to this method is that it’s relatively 
  easy to define and note on the character sheet. The 
  drawback is that since the number of Character 
  Points on which a Duplicate is built is defined by 
  the points the original form spends on the power, 
  you can’t improve the component characters until 
  more points are spent on the lead character to 
  increase the points devoted to Duplication.
  mulTIFORm
  In some campaigns, the GM may want to 
  define Combining with Multiform. Each of the 
  component characters is a true form which defines 
  the lead character as its alternate form. Each of 
  them take the Limitation Only When All Compo-
  nent Characters Are Present (-1) on the Multiform 
  power.
  Instead of each component character paying 
  for the entire cost of the Multiform itself, the GM 
  may allow them to pay for only their propor-
  tional share of the lead character. For example, if 
  five 200-point characters Combine to form one 
  gigantic 600-point character with Multiform, then 
  each of the five would be responsible for (600/5 =) 
  120 points’ worth of the ability (before dividing 
  by 5 or applying Limitations). But even if the 
  GM allows proportional costing, all component 
  characters must be present and combat-worthy 
  (i.e., not Stunned or Knocked Out) to form the 
  lead character.
  For this type of Combining, if one of the 
  component characters already has a Multiform 
  for some reason, he cannot buy the Combining 
  Multiform with the usual “+5 Character Points 
  doubles the number of forms” method. Instead, he 
  must buy the Combining Multiform separately, as 
  a distinct power.
  The benefit to this method is that each compo-
  nent character can be changed or improved on 
  its own. The only restriction is that none of the 
  components can change the points spent on Multi-
  form separately; if the components want to make 
  the lead character better, they must all “upgrade” 
  their Multiform power at the same time.
  POOlED RESOuRCES
  With a “pooled resources” option, “Combining 
  into one bigger character” is defined as the special 
  effect for the enhancement of various powers and 
  abilities possessed by the component characters. 
  The component characters define what they want 
  the lead character to be able to do, then they 
  parcel those abilities out among themselves in 
  some way, applying the Usable On Others Advan-
  tage so that they can add them together. When 
  they “join together,” the components operate is if 
  they’re a single unit; they don’t fly off in different 
  directions, for example.
  For example, suppose the component charac-
  ters want the lead character to have a Mega-Laser 
  Blast that does RKA 8d6. Four of them buy an 
  RKA 3d6; one — the component responsible 
  for controlling the Mega-Laser Blast — buys an 
  RKA 4d6. The other four also buy RKA +1d6, 
  Usable By Other (+¼), Must Remain Joined To 
  Primary Component (-2). (A GM who wanted to 
  encourage this might even allow the components 
  to dispense with Usable By Other.) That way, when 
  all the components join together, the component 
  responsible for controlling the Mega-Laser Blast 
  can project the desired 8d6 attack.
  The possibilities for building pooled resource 
  abilities are practically limitless. The lead character 
  could have better Characteristics, stronger attacks, 
  faster modes of movement, or improved defenses. 
  It might even have some abilities that none of 
  the component characters could use individu-
  ally. Some powers might work one way when 
  used by a component character, but differently 
  when he’s part of the lead character. For example, 
  the components’ energy bolts might be defined 
  as Blasts, but when they Combine they become 
  powerful enough to be RKAs. You can simulate 
  this by constructing these systems as Multipowers.
  The benefits to this method are twofold. First, 
  it doesn’t require all the components to be present, 
  it just means fewer components have less power 
  when joined — if only three are available in the 
  above example, they can project just an RKA 6d6. 
  However, the component responsible for control-
  ling any given system (the one with the RKA 4d6 
  in the above example) does have to be present for 
  that system to function. At the GM’s option, you 
  can change the Must Remain Joined To Primary 
  Component Limitation to Must Remain Joined 
  To Another Component (-1), meaning that any 
  component could add his extra effect to any other 
  component. Second, as with Multiform, each 
  component character can be changed or improved 
  on its own.
  3
  
  60 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  CHARACTERS BOuGHT By 
  THE lEAD CHARACTER
  With the GM’s permission, you can simu-
  late Combining by building the lead character 
  normally, then having it buy the components as 
  Followers (or perhaps Summoned beings). He 
  takes a Physical Complication representing the 
  fact that his powers diminish, and eventually 
  become completely unusable, as he “releases” 
  component characters or separates into all of his 
  parts (and that, if he’s destroyed, so are all the 
  components). When all components are separated, 
  the lead character effectively ceases to exist — he 
  can’t be attacked, moved, or the like. This is similar 
  to the Pooled Resources option, above.
  GEnERAl GuIDElInES
  Regardless of how you define Combining, a few 
  general guidelines apply.
  First, when component characters Combine 
  to create a lead character, the GM must decide 
  whether (and to what extent) each component can 
  act on its own. With methods such as Duplica-
  tion and Multiform, technically the lead character 
  should only get one Action per Phase, and so 
  forth. However, it may be more fun to let each 
  component attack or perform other appropriate 
  Actions in combat by itself — it can’t split off and 
  act on its own, separately from the greater whole, 
  but it could fire an attack (much like a gunner on a 
  large vehicle can attack the enemy independent of 
  what the vehicle itself does).
  Second, except in particularly fantastic 
  campaigns, the mass of the lead character should 
  be as close as possible to the Combined mass of 
  the component characters, and the Character-
  istics, powers, and abilities of the lead character 
  should relate to, and often be proportional to, the 
  powers and abilities of the component charac-
  ters. Typically, either the lead character splits its 
  overall power up more or less equally among all 
  its components, or each major power is “given” 
  to a particular component. Sometimes it’s a bit of 
  both, with one component getting the lion’s share 
  of a particular ability, and the other components 
  getting lesser versions of that same ability.
  Third, the GM may want the act of Combining 
  (or splitting apart) to take some time and effort. 
  If the ability is built with a single Power, you can 
  represent this by applying Limitations such as 
  Extra Time or Concentration; if it involves multiple 
  powers, a Physical Complication may work better 
  for this purpose.
  COmBAT WITH COmBInED CHARACTERS
  Combining characters (and Vehicles, like some 
  mecha) raise certain questions and considerations 
  in combat.
  distriButing daMage
  When a group of characters combines into 
  a larger one, does battle, takes damage, and 
  then separates, the GM must determine how to 
  distribute the damage among the component 
  characters. The simplest method (and probably 
  the best in campaigns that want fast, easy Vehicle 
  combat) is to keep track of the overall damage to 
  the combined character, and then distribute that 
  damage equally among the component charac-
  ters when they separate. On the other hand, if 
  the campaign uses the Hit Location rules, then 
  the GM should know which Hit Locations on 
  the combined character each component forms. 
  Then he keeps track of the damage by Location, 
  and when the components split up, the ones who 
  formed the Locations that took damage still have 
  that damage.
  Similar considerations apply if one or more 
  component characters have suffered damage prior 
  to combining. If the combined character’s BODY 
  is equal to, or greater than, the total BODY of all 
  components, any damage to a component accrues 
  directly to the combined character. For example, 
  suppose the Phobos Gladiator consists of six 
  component Vehicles, each with 12 BODY, and has 
  a total of 72 BODY. If one component has suffered 
  6 BODY damage, and another has taken 3 BODY 
  damage, then when all five form the Phobos 
  Gladiator, it has only 63 BODY (72-9).
  If a component character’s BODY is not equal 
  to or greater than the total BODY of the combined 
  character, the GM should determine what 
  percentage a component’s BODY is to the lead 
  character’s BODY, and then apply that percentage 
  of damage taken to the lead character. For 
  example, Shining Warrior Epsilon is a combined 
  Vehicle with 48 BODY. Each of its components 
  has 24 BODY. Since 24 is 50% of 48, 50% (half) 
  of any damage a component sustains accrues to 
  Shining Warrior Epsilon when it’s formed. If one 
  component has taken 15 BODY, then 7 BODY of 
  that damage applies to Shining Warrior Epsilon.
  In either case, if the total damage taken by 
  the combined character as a result of previously-
  suffered damage to its components exceeds the 
  lead character’s BODY, the components cannot 
  combine.
  adjustMent poWers
  If an attacker uses Adjustment Powers against 
  a combined character, divide the effect up among 
  the components as equally as possible when they 
  separate. For example, if a combined character 
  received +9 DEX from an Aid DEX, when its five 
  components separate, four get +2 DEX and one 
  (determined randomly) would only get +1.
  If a component has been affected by an Adjust-
  ment Power prior to combining, apply the result 
  directly to the combined character. If the compo-
  nents separate before the effect wears off, it divides 
  equally as specified above.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  61
  unavaiLaBLe CoMponents
  Sometimes a character wants to combine, but 
  all of its components aren’t available. In this case, 
  one of two things happens: 
  1. the available components form the combined 
  character, but all of its powers and abilities are 
  proportionately weaker than it would be if it had 
  all components (or, perhaps some powers and 
  abilities simply aren’t available to it).
  2. the components cannot combine.
  The GM determines which result applies, 
  based on the nature of the components and the 
  combined character.
  DEFEnSE POWERS
  The following additional, optional, or expanded 
  rules apply to Defense Powers.
  Partial Hardening
  If a character has some defenses that are Hard-
  ened, and some that are not, the Hardened defense 
  applies in full against an Armor Piercing attack, 
  and non-Hardened defenses have half value as 
  usual.
  With Impenetrable, any Impenetrable defense, 
  no matter where it’s layered in, stops Penetrating 
  from affecting the character. (Of course, GMs 
  should remain wary of players who attempt to 
  unfairly exploit this rule by buying a tiny amount 
  of some defense and making it Impenetrable just 
  to stop Penetrating attacks.)
  layered Defenses
  The HERO System rules include many different 
  Defense Powers — many ways for characters to 
  protect themselves from injury. Oftentimes, two or 
  more Defense Powers can apply to a single attack. 
  In most cases, you just add the defenses together 
  to determine how much protection the character 
  has. For example, if a character’s attacked with a 
  Blast, he adds his ED, his ED worn armor, and his 
  ED Resistant Protection that costs END together 
  to determine his total defense against the attack’s 
  STUN and BODY.
  But depending either on the type of attack or 
  the types of Defense Powers involved, there are 
  circumstances in which this simple “stacking” 
  of defenses isn’t necessarily satisfying. It’s simple 
  and easy to handle in the game, and that’s why it’s 
  usually the default approach. But if an unusual 
  situation arises, you may want to consider the 
  issue of layering of defenses — in other words, in 
  what order do multiple defenses apply?
  BASIC PRInCIPlES
  Before you bring up the topic of layered 
  defenses in your campaign, keep two primary 
  rules in mind:
  1. if a character has ablative defenses, those 
  defenses are always “on top” — they get affected 
  first, before any other defenses. Otherwise the 
  Limitation may not actually restrict or hinder the 
  character to any significant degree.
  2. if a character has damage reduction that applies 
  to an attack, it applies last — after all ordinary 
  (subtractive) defenses diminish the damage.
  In light of the guidelines discussed below, 
  as well as common sense, dramatic sense, and 
  considerations of game balance, the GM is of 
  course free to waive or ignore either of these rules. 
  But in general they should always apply, since they 
  help to maintain the balance between attacks and 
  defenses in the HERO System.
  lAyERED DEFEnSE GuIDElInES
  In general, here’s the order in which you should 
  apply “layered” defenses:
  1. Barriers and other defenses that manifest outside 
  or away from the character’s body.
  2. resistant protection that costs end and other 
  defenses that manifest at or around the character’s 
  body, but which surround the body in such a way 
  as to cover worn defenses.
  3. Worn defenses — defenses bought through a 
  Focus such as a suit of powered armor, an armored 
  costume, or the like — and other defenses imme-
  diately next to the character’s body.
  4. innate defenses — defenses the character has 
  or buys as innate abilities that aren’t listed above, 
  including his standard PD and ED (whether 
  Resistant or not), some special effects of Resis-
  tant Protection, most forms of Damage Nega-
  tion, defenses provided by Density Increase and 
  Growth, and so forth.
  Of course, these are guidelines, not necessarily 
  rigid rules. No set of rules can account for every 
  possible combination of Powers, special effects, 
  and in-game circumstances, so the GM should 
  modify these guidelines as he sees fit.
  EFFECTS OF lAyERED DEFEnSES
  In most instances, the layering of defenses has 
  little, if any, game effect. All you need to do is add 
  up the character’s applicable defenses and use 
  them to reduce the damage rolled on an attack 
  that hits him, and that’s it. But there are some situ-
  ations in which layering can matter.
  hardened, iMpenetraBLe
  First, it may be that some of the character’s 
  defenses are Hardened, and some are not. In 
  that case, the Hardened defense applies in full 
  against an Armor Piercing attack, and non-
  Hardened defenses have half value as usual. 
  3
  
  62 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Against Penetrating attacks, any Impenetrable 
  defense, no matter where it’s layered in, stops 
  the Advantage from affecting the character (see 
  Partial Hardening, above).
  However, some GMs may prefer to establish 
  alternate rules/guidelines. One possible method 
  is this: if the DCs of the Penetrating attack exceed 
  the number of points of a layered Impenetrable 
  defense, the Impenetrable won’t counteract the 
  Penetrating. Suppose, for example, a character has 
  a Impenetrable Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 
  ED) that costs END and some innate Resistant 
  Protection and PD that aren’t Impenetrable. An 11 
  DC (or greater) Penetrating attack would ignore 
  the Impenetrable, allowing Penetrating to have 
  its usual effect. If that particular standard doesn’t 
  work for you, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up 
  with one that does.
  LiMited deFense poWers
  Second, sometimes a character applies 
  Limitations to some of his defenses so that they 
  don’t protect him against certain types of attack. 
  For example, a fire elemental might have extra 
  defense that Only Protects Against Fire (-½). When 
  defenses are layered, a restricted defense may be 
  more or less effective than it otherwise would 
  be, particularly if, for example, the target has a 
  relevant Vulnerability.
  Similarly, other Limitations on a defense may 
  interact with the layering of defenses. For example, 
  suppose that one of the character’s defenses is 
  an armored costume — an OIF. If an enemy 
  wants to attack and damage not the character, 
  but his Focus, it may be important to know if the 
  character has other defenses “above” the armored 
  costume to reduce the damage before it hits the 
  Focus. (In this situation the GM may require the 
  character to buy a Focus that would normally be 
  considered Accessible as Inaccessible, since it has 
  protection that most Accessible Foci lack.)
  lAyERInG COnSTAnT DEFEnSE POWERS
  Related issues arise when characters have 
  Constant Defense Powers — primarily Resistant 
  Protection that costs END (typically to simulate 
  “force field” powers and the like). Some characters 
  may want to activate one of those Powers again 
  and again (paying the END cost each time, of 
  course) to “stack” the defenses to the point where 
  they cannot be harmed.
  In the case of Resistant Protection, this is 
  illegal. A character with Resistant Protection 
  cannot activate it multiple times to provide 
  himself with multiple points of Resistant Defense; 
  he can only have “one use” of a single Resistant 
  Protection-based power active at a time. However, 
  characters can buy multiple powers built with 
  Resistant Protection and have them all active at 
  one time if they choose (provided the GM doesn’t 
  object for some reason).
  In the case of Barrier, characters can create 
  multiple walls by taking the appropriate Action 
  and paying the END cost for each one created. 
  Even if activating Barrier is a Zero Phase Action, 
  the character can only create one wall per Phase. 
  If the character wants to create a Barrier beyond 
  one that’s already established, the power must 
  have the Indirect Advantage (to get past the initial 
  wall). Similarly, to “wrap” one Barrier around 
  another, the second Barrier has to have enough 
  meters of length to reach the entire distance (in 
  the case of simply establishing one straight wall 
  after another to, for example, block a corridor, this 
  won’t matter). Of course, the GM can forbid this 
  practice in the interest of common sense, dramatic 
  sense, and game balance; allowing characters to do 
  this repeatedly (or perhaps at all) could signifi-
  cantly unbalance some campaigns. In most cases, 
  a character shouldn’t have more than one Barrier 
  protecting himself; it’s not “in genre” and poten-
  tially causes too many problems in the game.
  Damage-Based 
  Endurance Cost 
  Depending upon the setting, the type of 
  protective ability involved, and other factors, a 
  character may want to create a defensive power 
  whose END cost depends on how much damage 
  hits it, not on the power’s Active Point cost. Here’s 
  an optional rule for that.
  Damage-Based Endurance Cost is a Limita-
  tion. For a -½ Limitation, the Defense Power 
  costs its Active Points divided by 10 to activate 
  (if it doesn’t already). Thereafter it costs no END 
  to maintain (unless it takes the Costs Endurance 
  (to maintain) Limitation). However, any time 
  the defense is hit by any damage that it protects 
  against, the character pays 1 END for every 5 
  points of STUN damage (or fraction thereof). He 
  can incur this cost multiple times in a Segment, 
  if he’s hit multiple times. If the attack is a type the 
  defense doesn’t protect against (for example, it’s a 
  Drain used against Resistant Protection that only 
  provides PD and ED), no END cost is incurred. 
  For a -¼ Limitation, decrease the END cost to 1 
  END for every 10 points of damage (or fraction 
  thereof). In either case, if the character ever has no 
  END (or if lacking END, STUN) to spend when 
  the Defense Power “takes” damage, the Defense 
  Power has no effect at all against that attack.
  Depending upon the type of Defense Power 
  used and whether it has some form of the Costs 
  Endurance Limitation, a defensive ability may also 
  have the standard END cost to activate or to use. 
  This could represent, for example, a force-field 
  that costs some energy to maintain, but that draws 
  more energy from its power source when hit.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  63
  mEnTAl POWERS
  The following additional, optional, or expanded 
  rules apply to Mental Powers.
  Expanded And variant Rules
  Here’s some additional information on the 
  existing Mental Powers rules.
  WIllInG TARGETS
  For various reasons, sometimes a character 
  will want to be affected by a Mental Power. Mental 
  Powers are not automatically more effective on a 
  willing target (the mentalist still has to make his 
  MCV Attack Roll and Effect Roll, and so on), but 
  typically the willing target of a Mental Power can 
  lower his MCV (by any amount, even all the way 
  to 0) and/or his Mental Defense (if any) so the 
  mentalist has an easier time “hitting” him.
  A character who voluntarily lowers his MCV 
  (and/or Mental Defense) may choose to do so 
  for one particular power used by one particular 
  person. Other powers used by that person, and 
  any power used by another person, work against 
  the character’s full DMCV — unless he chooses to 
  lower it for them, too.
  When a character voluntarily lowers his MCV 
  (and/or Mental Defense) to allow another char-
  acter easy access to his mind, he cannot thereafter 
  “reactivate” his MCV or his Mental Defense as to 
  that character and that power unless his attacker 
  does something to change the nature/use of 
  the Mental Power (e.g., trying to alter the level 
  of effect or feeding the power END to keep the 
  Breakout Roll from improving). Having chosen 
  to expose himself to the attack, the character has 
  to live with the consequences of his actions. The 
  GM may choose to alter this rule in the interest 
  of common sense, dramatic sense, and consider-
  ations of game balance.
  With the GM’s permission, a character can 
  lower his EGO (to 0 or otherwise) to make it 
  easier for a mentalist to achieve a successful Effect 
  Roll against him. This works just like lowering 
  MCV, as described above.
  With the GM’s permission, a character could 
  in some cases use less than his full EGO to make 
  a Breakout Roll, much in the same way he can 
  use less than his full STR to try to break out of an 
  Entangle if he wants to. This isn’t appropriate for 
  all situations (such as when the character’s trying 
  to weasel out of an enemy’s Mind Control with 
  the help of a friendly mentalist), but works well in 
  others. However, doing so lowers the character’s 
  EGO for all purposes and power as to all attackers 
  — in short, it leaves him vulnerable to other 
  mental attacks for as long as he keeps it lowered. 
  Unless the GM permits him to, a character cannot 
  choose not to make his Breakout Rolls.
  lInE OF SIGHT
  A mentalist can establish LOS with any 
  Targeting Sense, though it’s almost always 
  established by Sight. With the GM’s permis-
  sion, a mentalist can buy a Targeting Sense 
  Only For Establishing LOS (-½), but this is not 
  recommended.
  A mentalist can establish LOS on any part of 
  the body — he doesn’t have to perceive the whole 
  target, or even a majority of the target’s physical 
  form. If a target hides behind a corner and only 
  his left foot is visible, the mentalist can make an 
  attack based on LOS, because part of the char-
  acter is within his LOS (alternately, the GM could 
  use the rules for lack of LOS, discussed above). 
  However, a mentalist should remember that it 
  can be risky to use an attack on someone he can’t 
  positively identify — that left foot may belong to 
  someone he’d rather not attack.
  Situations may occur in which the mentalist 
  can see parts of two bodies, but believes they both 
  belong to the same body. In this case, the GM 
  should roll dice to randomly determine which 
  body part forms the primary basis of the mental-
  ist’s LOS, and apply the mental attack to that 
  person; the other person is unaffected.
  There may also be cases in which a mentalist 
  has LOS on what he thinks is part of a person, but 
  which is not (for example, a shoe with no foot in 
  it). In this case, the mentalist can make a mental 
  attack as normal, but it’s a complete waste of time, 
  and the mentalist realizes after making the attack 
  that no mind exists for him to attack.
  Generally, a target cannot “fool” LOS with a 
  disguise or an illusion which makes him look like 
  someone else. The target still has a mind, and a 
  mentalist can affect that mind even if the target’s 
  outward appearance changes. But of course, the 
  disguise/illusion may convince the mentalist that 
  that person isn’t someone he wants to attack.
  A character must establish LOS with his “naked 
  eye” — with his Targeting Senses unaided by 
  any outside enhancements. Thus, he could use 
  his innate Telescopic Sight to establish LOS, but 
  not binoculars. Characters cannot establish LOS 
  through Clairsentience, television, or similar 
  methods. However, there’s no restriction on the 
  Range of a Mental Power targeted by a character’s 
  innate Targeting Senses. For example, if Lancer 
  has purchased enough Telescopic Vision to view 
  people on the surface of the Moon, she can use 
  her Mind Control 8d6 on those targets; she isn’t 
  limited to a maximum range of 400m (40 Base 
  Points x 10m). (Alternately, the GM could use the 
  rules for lack of LOS on 6E1 149 when characters 
  try to establish LOS with artificial aids — in other 
  words, using artificial aids might make estab-
  lishing LOS more difficult, but not impossible.)
  3
  
  64 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  BreaKing Line oF sight
  Whether and how the target of a Mental Power 
  can break a mentalist’s Line Of Sight is up to the 
  GM, but usually the circumstances and location 
  make it obvious. Typically all the victim has to do 
  is move to a position where there’s an obstacle (a 
  wall, a large tree, or the like) between himself and 
  the mentalist to prevent the mentalist from seeing 
  him. Moving to another dimension, or through 
  time, breaks LOS for the purposes of maintaining 
  Mental Powers unless the GM rules otherwise.
  Breaking Line Of Sight doesn’t entirely break 
  the “mental contact” between a target and a 
  character using a continuing-effect Mental Power. 
  Even though he now lacks LOS, the mentalist 
  can continue to feed END to the power to keep 
  the victim’s Breakout Rolls from improving (see 
  below) or attempt to change the level of effect.
  BREAKOuT ROllS
  If (for whatever reason) a character’s Breakout 
  Roll for a Mental Power is reduced to 2 or less, he 
  still succeeds with a Breakout Roll if he rolls a 3. 
  However, any penalties to the roll still apply for 
  purposes of counteracting bonuses for the passage 
  of time or other factors — 3 is not a “floor” below 
  which nothing can sink, it’s the minimum roll a 
  character can have after all bonuses and penalties 
  are applied.
  BreaKout roLLs as reduCing eFFeCt
  Rather than making a Breakout Roll an all-or-
  nothing function, GMs interested in representing 
  Mental attacks as a sort of “duel” between charac-
  ters can have the Breakout Roll work differently. 
  If a Breakout Roll succeeds, the character doesn’t 
  break free of the attack automatically, he just 
  lowers it by 10 points of effect. (Alternately, the 
  GM can relate the reduction directly to the degree 
  of success, such as “-3 points of effect per point 
  the roll succeeds by.”) Typically that’s enough 
  to reduce the effect by one level (for example, 
  from EGO +20 to EGO +10), but depending on 
  the results of the Effect Roll it may just reduce/
  eliminate a Breakout Roll penalty or remove 
  some other effect. Once a character succeeds with 
  enough Breakout Rolls to reduce the effect to less 
  than “Greater than EGO,” he breaks free of the 
  Mental Power entirely.
  When the target of a Mental Power reduces 
  the Effect Roll using this rule, if necessary the 
  character who used the Mental Power on him can 
  immediately redefine the effect to fit the “new” 
  Effect Roll. In doing so he typically cannot radi-
  cally change what he initially created, just alter it 
  to a lesser similar effect he could have achieved 
  with the lesser roll. For example, if he established 
  an EGO +20 Mental Illusion, if it’s reduced to 
  EGO +10 he redefines it as a less complex form of 
  the same illusion; if an EGO +30 Mind Control 
  is reduced to EGO +20, he reduces the command 
  from, say, “Attack your friends” to “Don’t attack 
  me or my allies” (but not to “run away,” which is a 
  different sort of order).
  To re-establish the effect at its former, higher, 
  level, the attacking character has to use an Attack 
  Action and succeed with another MCV Attack 
  Roll. If he does so, the results of the last successful 
  Breakout Roll are erased, restoring the Mental 
  Power’s effect to what it was before that roll 
  succeeded. (The mentalist doesn’t have to make 
  another Effect Roll.) Alternately, he can engage the 
  target in an EGO Roll Versus EGO Roll Contest 
  as a Zero Phase Action. If the attacker wins the 
  Contest, the results of the last successful Breakout 
  Roll are erased, restoring the Mental Power’s effect 
  to what it was before that roll succeeded. But if 
  the target wins the Contest, that counts as another 
  successful Breakout Roll, reducing the effect by 10 
  points more.
  Since under these rules the victim of a Mental 
  Power doesn’t get as much effect from a Breakout 
  Roll, at the GM’s option the victim gets to make 
  a Breakout Roll every Phase, rather than over 
  increasing time periods as in the standard rules. 
  This can more dynamically simulate a back-and-
  forth “duel for control” between the mentalist and 
  his target.
  If the GM doesn’t want to use “reductive 
  Breakout Rolls” as a default rule for the campaign, 
  a character buying a continuing-effect Mental 
  Power could take a +½ Advantage, Contestable, 
  for his Mental Power to have it work according to 
  these rules.
  BreaKout roLLs using oMCv
  Instead of using an EGO Roll for the Breakout 
  Roll, the GM can treat the process sort of like a 
  Block in HTH Combat and let the target pit his 
  OMCV against the attacker’s OMCV to deter-
  mine if he breaks free. Since most characters with 
  Mental Powers are likely to have high OMCVs, 
  this may make it even less likely that the victim of 
  a Mental Power can break out.
  deCreasing the enduranCe Cost 
  to Maintain a MentaL poWer
  At the GM’s option, if a character wants to 
  reduce the END required to keep a Mental Power 
  from deteriorating, he must buy Reduced Endur-
  ance as a naked Advantage for the power with the 
  Limitation Only Applies To Endurance Spent To 
  Maintain Effect (-¼). This is separate from any 
  Reduced Endurance bought to reduce the END 
  for using the power in the first place, and requires 
  GM’s permission.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  65
  ClASSES OF mInDS
  Here are some additional rules about classes of 
  minds:
  Changing CLass oF Minds
  Generally a character cannot change the 
  class(es) of minds he belongs to, but there are 
  some possible ways to do this.
  The preferred method is Multiform. Typi-
  cally if a character changes to an alternate form 
  that would belong to another class of minds, this 
  does not change his class of mind. For example, 
  consider a Human who changes form into a wolf. 
  Ordinary wolves belongs to the Animal class 
  of minds, not Human. But if in wolf form the 
  character retains his Human intellect and the like, 
  he’s still got a Human mind. If not (if he becomes 
  completely wolf-like mentally [to the point where 
  his INT and EGO drop to wolf levels, and so 
  forth], or loses his personality to the effects of 
  the Personality Loss Limitation), then he belongs 
  to the Animal class of minds (at least tempo-
  rarily). However, a character can buy a Multiform 
  specifically to change his class of mind and nothing 
  else. The alternate form is exactly the same as 
  he is, it just has a different class of mind (which 
  he chooses when he buys the power and cannot 
  change thereafter).
  Second, in some cases the GM may allow a 
  character who has Shape Shift (Mental Group) 
  and the Deep Mental Shift Adder (APG 15) to 
  change his class of minds. However, that could 
  be extremely unbalancing in some campaigns. A 
  better approach to simulate this sort of “defensive 
  class of mind changing” is to buy Mental Defense 
  with the Limitation Costs Endurance.
  If a character is subject to Mental Powers 
  affecting either of two (or more) classes of minds 
  (for example, he’s an android sophisticated enough 
  to be treated as a Human mind, but still vulnerable 
  to powers that affect Machine minds), he can take 
  a Physical Complication to reflect that fact.
  deFining the CLasses oF Minds
  In most cases, the class of mind a target 
  belongs to is obvious, but here are a few notes on 
  distinctions between the classes:
  Human: The “Human” category includes the 
  character’s own sentient species (typically 
  humans, since most characters are sentient beings 
  from Earth). If the character is a Dwarf, then 
  his “Human” is other Dwarves; to him, Elves, 
  Humans, and Halflings belong to the Alien class 
  of minds. (See below for more information on 
  defining “Alien.”)
  In some campaigns the GM may want to 
  expand the definition of “Human” slightly. For 
  example, if your campaign features an Atlantis 
  where the inhabitants were once Human, but have 
  since somehow evolved into a distinct species, 
  they might count as Alien. Or you might rule 
  that because they come from Human stock, they 
  still count as Human for the purposes of Mental 
  Powers. In a campaign with a lot of sentient 
  humanoid races (such as most High Fantasy or 
  Space Opera games), it may be easier and more 
  consistent to assume that all sentient humanoids 
  are part of the “Human” class of minds.
  Animal: This category includes nonsentient 
  creatures such as dogs, fish, birds, horses, insects, 
  and wolves. Characters with mental powers that 
  work against animals are sometimes known as 
  theriopaths.
  machine: This category includes computers and 
  other electronic and mechanical equipment that’s 
  subject to mental manipulation. Hydraulics and 
  engines, for example, generally are not susceptible 
  to psionic manipulation (though they can be tele-
  kinetically manipulated). Characters with mental 
  powers which work against machines are known 
  as cyberkinetics or cyberpaths.
  When using Mental Powers on machines that 
  have INT but not EGO, substitute INT for EGO 
  as appropriate. If a machine has neither INT nor 
  EGO, usually Mental Powers won’t work on it, but 
  the GM might assign a device an “EGO” just for 
  cyberkinetic purposes. (See Cyberkinesis, APG 70, 
  for more discussion and rules about this subject.)
  Alien: “Alien” refers to any sentient species other 
  than the character’s own. Thus, to a Perseid 
  psionic, other Perseids are in the “Human” class of 
  minds; Humans, Toractans, Mon’dabi, and other 
  sentient species all have “Alien” class minds.
  But that’s not necessarily the end of the issue. 
  Because of the prevalence of Alien minds in 
  many campaigns (such as Space Opera games or 
  High Fantasy settings), the GM needs to decide 
  how characters buy the ability to affect the Alien 
  class of minds. One extreme is that each sentient 
  species requires its own Multiple Classes Adder. 
  Just as Humans can only affect Humans by default, 
  if a Human in, say, a Fantasy campaign buys 
  the ability to affect an Alien class of minds, he 
  must define exactly which species he can affect: 
  Dwarves, Elves, or Orcs. If he chooses Elves, his 
  Mental Powers can affect them, but not Orcs or 
  Dwarves. If he wants to affect Dwarves, he must 
  buy another Multiple Classes Adder. This could get 
  very expensive very quickly.
  The middle ground, which is appropriate 
  for most campaigns, is for the GM to establish 
  multiple “Alien” class of minds categories based 
  on some criteria (such as species stock, region of 
  the Galaxy the species come from, or the like). 
  For example, maybe all sentient races descended 
  from a specific category of animals (reptilian, 
  mammalian, and so forth) have minds so similar 
  that Mental Powers work normally within that 
  category. Thus, characters would have to cope 
  with a framework including Mammalian Alien, 
  Reptilian Alien, Ichthyoid Alien, and so forth. 
  The Human class of minds would become the 
  3
  
  66 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Alien classification appropriate to the character. 
  A Human psionic, for example, would belong to 
  the Mammalian Alien class of minds, and could 
  affect other mammalian sentients normally with 
  his Mental Powers. He could not, however, affect 
  any other types of aliens unless he paid for the 
  standard Multiple Classes Adder.
  At the other extreme, buying the Alien class of 
  minds may give a character the ability to affect all 
  sentient species other than his own. This option 
  works well for highly cinematic campaigns.
  Additional Classes: In some campaigns the GM 
  might want to add additional classes of minds 
  to the standard four described above. Usually 
  this reflects something about the nature of the 
  campaign setting, the beings who live in it, or 
  the way psionic powers work in the game. Some 
  possibilities include:
  
  n Draconic
  
  n Elemental
  
  n Energy Beings
  
  n Spirit
  
  n Undead
  other CLass oF Minds options
  For some campaigns, the classes of minds rules 
  work best if slightly tweaked or adjusted. Some 
  possibilities include:
  no Classes: In cinematic games, the GM may 
  want to ignore the classes of minds rule, allowing 
  any character with Mental Powers to affect any 
  other character normally, regardless of class of 
  minds or species. This may or may not apply to 
  Animals and Machines; some GMs may want to 
  let characters affect them normally, while others 
  may prefer to maintain the classes of minds 
  distinctions regarding them.
  Reduced Effect: Instead of having no effect on 
  other classes of minds, a character’s Mental Powers 
  may have a reduced effect. The rules on 6E1 149 
  suggest one possible option — -3 to MCV Attack 
  Rolls and -10 to Effect Rolls — but the GM can 
  alter those numbers or establish other rules if he 
  wants to. In a psionics campaign, the GM may 
  even vary the effectiveness of Mental Powers from 
  class to class. A Mammalian Alien character might 
  affect other mammalian minds normally, Reptilian 
  Alien and Avian Alien minds at -3 MCV/-10 
  Effect Roll, other flesh-and-blood alien classes at 
  -5 MCV/-20 Effect Roll, and mineral- or energy-
  based aliens at -8 MCV/-30 Effect Roll. Applying 
  a Multiple Classes Adder to increase the number 
  of classes a character can effect would negate any 
  penalties for that class.
  Reduced Cost Adder: A GM who wants to use the 
  normal classes of minds rules, but also wants to 
  encourage characters to create psionic powers that 
  can affect other classes of minds, could reduce the 
  cost for the Multiple Classes Adder. Instead of +5 
  points, it might cost +3 points, or even as little as 
  +1 point.
  Effect Roll modifier: Rather than requiring 
  character to buy a Multiple Classes Adder, the 
  GM can allow them to affect additional classes of 
  minds with a modifier to the Effect Roll. For some 
  predefined Effect Roll modifier (typically +5 or 
  +10) the character can use his Mental Powers on 
  a class of minds he can’t normally effect (if he’s 
  bought the Multiple Classes Adder, he doesn’t use 
  the modifier — he can automatically affect any 
  class he’s bought an Adder for).
  In some cases the Effect Roll modifier may 
  vary depending on the type of mind the character 
  wants to affect. For example, perhaps the character 
  can affect other sentient humanoid species with 
  a +5 Effect Roll modifier; Animal and non-
  humanoid sentient minds are +10; energy beings 
  and other bizarre lifeforms are +15; and Machines 
  are +20.
  THE PERCEIvABIlITy OF mEnTAl POWERS
  When Mental Powers come into play, two 
  issues regarding their perceivability arise: how 
  other persons perceive the use of Mental Powers; 
  and how (or if) the victim of a Mental Power/
  mental attack perceives what’s being done to him. 
  In some cases the question of what the mentalist 
  can perceive may also arise.
  others’ perCeption oF MentaL poWers
  All Mental Powers are “Invisible” to (i.e., 
  cannot be perceived by) characters who do not 
  themselves have Mental Awareness. (Some other 
  Enhanced Senses that are assigned to the Mental 
  Sense Group might also be able to perceive them.) 
  This includes both the target of the Mental Power 
  and any other characters in the area. Charac-
  ters who have purchased Mental Awareness can 
  perceive the use of Mental Powers; see 6E1 211 
  and APG 95 regarding what they perceive. A 
  mentalist can buy a Mental Power with the Power 
  Advantage Invisible Power Effects (+¼) to make 
  a Mental Power “Invisible” even to persons with 
  Mental Awareness.
  the target’s perCeption oF MentaL poWers
  As noted above, a target of Mental Powers 
  cannot perceive a Mental Power in use unless he 
  has Mental Awareness. Despite that, as the target 
  of the Mental Power he knows (a) the Source of 
  the attack (see below) and (b) what Power he’s 
  been attacked with. This identification occurs 
  immediately for Mental Blast or Mind Scan and 
  Telepathy; for Mind Control or Mental Illusions 
  it usually occurs after the Power no longer affects 
  the character.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  67
  If a mentalist buys his buys a Mental Power 
  with the Power Advantage Invisible Power Effects 
  (versus the Mental Sense Group; +¼), the target 
  cannot sense the Source of a mental attack — 
  he still knows he was attacked with a Mental 
  Power and which one, but not who attacked him. 
  (Though of course, visual cues or other clues may 
  tell him even if he can’t sense it directly.)
  the sourCe oF a MentaL attaCK
  Ordinarily a character knows the Source of a 
  Mental Power used against him. This means he 
  knows which character or person attacked him, 
  assuming he has some sense with which he can 
  perceive that person (and does attempt to perceive 
  him). He doesn’t necessarily know his attacker’s 
  name/identity or anything like that, just that that 
  person is the one who used (or is using) a Mental 
  Power on him. For example, if the guy standing 
  over in the corner used a Mental Power on him, 
  he knows it’s the guy standing over in the corner. 
  If the mental attack comes from the guy in the red 
  hat standing in the middle of a crowded street, he 
  knows it’s the guy in the red hat standing in the 
  middle of the crowded street. If the attacker were 
  Invisible, the character would know “the attack 
  came from right over there” if he looked in that 
  general direction (which of course is a big clue 
  that there’s someone Invisible there). His ability 
  to sense his attacker doesn’t mean he can perceive 
  through the Invisibility, just the general “source” 
  (in this case, an area rather than a specific person) 
  of the attack. (Of course, if he didn’t bother to 
  look, he’d just know the attack came from “behind 
  me” or the like.) If the attacker were perceivable 
  by the character’s senses, he’d know where and 
  who the attacker is, even if the attacker were (for 
  instance) standing in the middle of a crowd.
  However, the character doesn’t have LOS on 
  his attacker with a Targeting Sense solely on this 
  basis. He could easily obtain LOS with Sight or 
  another Targeting Sense, but just knowing where 
  his attacker is doesn’t give him LOS.
  In the case of an attack coming through Mind 
  Scan, the character’s going to have, at best, an 
  idea of his attacker’s general vicinity, but that’s all. 
  Depending on the GM’s preferences, it could be as 
  vague as just knowing what continent he’s on (or 
  planet, in a Science Fiction game).
  preventing the target FroM 
  perCeiving a MentaL poWer
  While this rule — that a mentalist can’t hide 
  the fact that he’s using a Mental Power on a target 
  from that target — works well in general and helps 
  to keep the game balanced, it may clash with genre 
  or setting conventions. In fiction and the movies 
  mentalists can often use their powers (particularly 
  Telepathy and low-level Mind Control) on anyone 
  they want without their victims being any the 
  wiser. The HERO System has several ways to hide 
  the use of a Mental Power from the victim.
  The standard way to use a continuing-effect 
  Mental Power on a target without that target 
  being aware of it is to achieve a +20 effect on his 
  Effect Roll. Telepathy with a +20 on the Effect Roll 
  means the mentalist can read the victim’s mind 
  and the victim doesn’t have a clue that someone’s 
  invading his “mental privacy”; Mind Control with 
  a +20 to the Effect Roll means the target remem-
  bers his actions but thinks they’re his own, natural 
  acts performed of his own will. Even after the 
  victim succeeds with a Breakout Roll, he still won’t 
  realize he’s been affected by a Mental Power.
  If a character uses a Mental Power includes 
  the +20 “Power cannot be detected by target” as 
  part of his desired Effect Roll total, and his Effect 
  Roll succeeds, the target still gets a standard 
  Breakout Roll. If the Breakout Roll fails, the power 
  affects the target without his being aware of it, as 
  described above. If the Breakout Roll succeeds and 
  the target frees himself from the Mental Power’s 
  effects, he does not become aware that the Power 
  was used on him. In this case the Breakout Roll is 
  a sort of “subconscious” thing, not something he’s 
  consciously trying to do to break free (since he’s 
  not even aware he needs/wants to be free). If the 
  first Breakout Roll is the one that succeeds, the 
  target has no idea that anyone even did anything 
  to him unless there are other external indicators 
  (such as a visible special effect, or he has Mental 
  Awareness). If the successful roll is one of the later 
  ones, the target continues to believe that whatever 
  he did/experienced while under the Power’s effects 
  is real, normal, intended, or the like. This might 
  lead to some questions (like, “I know I meant to 
  do so-and-so, but why did I just suddenly decide 
  to stop doing it?” for Mind Control), but at best 
  the target won’t be aware he was ever affected by 
  a Mental Power until more facts come to light. 
  The GM should handle the situation as he sees fit, 
  keeping in mind that the attacker did achieve the 
  requisite “cannot be detected by target” use of the 
  Power and should get the benefit of it to the extent 
  reasonably possible.
  If a Mental Power has the Cumulative Advan-
  tage and the character wants to achieve the +20 
  “Power cannot be detected by target” modifier, 
  the GM has to handle the situation properly — it 
  doesn’t make any sense for the target to have 
  awareness of the attack right away but forget it 
  later. The best approach is to have the mentalist 
  declare a specific total he wants to achieve (such 
  as “I’ll keep attacking until I get a total Effect Roll 
  of 70,” for example). If that suffices to achieve the 
  desired command with the +20, the target’s never 
  aware of the attack. If it fails to achieve that total, 
  the target becomes aware at that point that he was 
  being attacked by a Mental Power that failed. If 
  the attacker stops (or is stopped) before achieving 
  his declared total), the target becomes aware at 
  that point that he was being attacked by a Mental 
  Power that failed.
  A more reliable (but potentially unbalancing) 
  method, discussed on 6E1 339, is to buy Invisible 
  Power Effects (+½) to conceal the effects of the 
  power from the target. This guarantees the victim 
  won’t know he’s been affected by a Mental Power, 
  which may make it far too easy for the mentalist to 
  achieve his goals.
  3
  
  68 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  A third method, using the optional rule on 
  APG 69, is to buy the Mental Power with the +20 
  Character Point Adder that it’s always undetect-
  able by the target. This works the same as the 
  Invisible Power Effects method.
  optionaL ruLes
  The methods discussed above may not work 
  well for some campaigns, based on how the GM 
  defines psionic powers as working and how easily 
  he wants characters to be able to affect each other 
  and NPCs. Some possible variant rules for hiding 
  the effects of a Mental Power from the target of 
  that power include:
  
  n as a campaign default rule, Mental Powers not 
  intended to inflict direct or indirect harm on 
  a target cannot be perceived by that target. 
  Primarily this means that reading thoughts 
  with Telepathy and finding minds with Mind 
  Scan cannot be detected. Mind Control, Mental 
  Illusions, rearranging memories with a Mental 
  Transform, and the like all cause direct or 
  indirect harm and can be perceived normally 
  unless the +20 Effect Roll modifier is declared 
  and achieved. However, the GM might allow 
  some mild uses of those powers, such as a low-
  level Mental Illusion to temporarily distract a 
  guard, to not be perceived either.
  
  n the standard rule is in place, but it requires 
  a lesser modifier than +20 — perhaps only 
  +10, or maybe just +5. The GM sets the value 
  depending on how easily he wants mentalists 
  to be able to hide their psionic activities.
  
  n the GM can base the concealability of Mental 
  Powers on the MCV Attack Roll. If a mentalist 
  succeeds with his MCV Attack Roll by 3 or 
  more, he can, if he chooses, hide from the 
  target the fact that a Mental Power’s being used 
  on him. If he makes the roll by 0-2, the target 
  realizes what’s being done to him.
  the roLe oF MentaL aWareness
  Regardless of what method’s used to hide the 
  use of a Mental Power from the target, the situ-
  ation becomes a little more complicated if the 
  target has Mental Awareness. In that case, typically 
  the target initially “sees” that his attacker is using 
  a Mental Power, but doesn’t realize that he’s the 
  one being affected. When he finally succeeds with 
  a Breakout Roll, at that point he realizes he was 
  the target and that the character used a Mental 
  Power on him (and which one). In effect, having 
  Mental Awareness doesn’t prevent a character 
  with a Mental Power from achieving a +20 “hide 
  the use” result initially, but it overrides the rule 
  that making a Breakout Roll doesn’t “dispel” the 
  hiding.
  the MentaList’s perCeption
  A mentalist who uses a Mental Power on a 
  target knows he hit the target, and that he affected 
  him, and for a continuing-effect Mental Power he 
  knows what “level” of affect he achieved. Beyond 
  that, a mentalist doesn’t necessarily know how 
  badly he hurt/affected a target, or the like — any 
  more than a person who fires a gun at someone 
  can tell every single time whether he’s inflicted a 
  deadly wound or a trivial one. There may be some 
  instances where a GM would consider it appro-
  priate to give a mentalist more information about 
  the effects of his attack, but it’s not required.
  All OR nOTHInG
  The continuing-effect Mental Powers have an 
  “all-or-nothing” effect that most offensive Powers 
  lack. For example, with a Blast, when a char-
  acter hits a target he usually does some damage 
  — maybe just a little, maybe enough to Stun or 
  Knock Out the target, or maybe enough to injure 
  him badly but not Stun him. But a Mental Power 
  like Mind Control either works — in which case 
  the mentalist has a fairly significant amount of 
  control over the target — or it absolutely fails to 
  work. There’s no middle ground.
  This poses a problem for some campaigns 
  because the “all” aspect of Mental Powers is 
  powerful enough that some GMs forbid Mental 
  Powers in their campaigns entirely. Conversely, 
  the “nothing” aspect often makes players avoid 
  playing mentalists.
  To get around the “nothing” problem the GM 
  can institute a rule that an unsuccessful attack 
  with a continuing-effect Mental Power imposes a 
  slight penalty on the target to reflect the fact that 
  he just “fought off” that attack. If the mentalist’s 
  MCV Attack Roll succeeds, but his Effect Roll 
  fails to achieve his declared effect, the target must 
  make an EGO Roll. If the target succeeds, he 
  suffers no penalty. If he fails, he loses a Half Phase 
  — this reflects the effort he puts into resisting the 
  mental attack. If the mentalist’s MCV Attack Roll 
  and Effect Roll both succeed, but the target breaks 
  out of the effect with his first Breakout Roll, the 
  target loses a Half Phase in the Phase in which he 
  made the Breakout Roll. He cannot make an EGO 
  Roll to avoid this effect. (Under this system, the 
  effort required to resist or escape from the effects 
  of mental powers can take some time, compared 
  to the standard rule that making a Breakout Roll 
  doesn’t take any time.)
  Alternately, the GM might make Mental 
  Powers easier to use. For example, if you change 
  the Effect Table levels from +10 per step to +5 
  (thus, the EGO +10 effect becomes EGO +5, the 
  standard EGO +20 becomes EGO +10, and so 
  on) mentalists have a much easier time achieving 
  powerful mental effects. But this may make 
  Mental Powers unbalancingly effective.
  Dealing with the “all” aspect of Mental Powers 
  is much more difficult, if not impossible. In comic 
  books, novels, and movies the author can keep the 
  protagonist from misusing, overusing, or abusing 
  his psionic powers. But in a roleplaying game, 
  the “author” (the GM) doesn’t directly control 
  the protagonists (the PCs) and abilities like Mind 
  Control have to be quantified with numbers and 
  rules, which gives them precisely-defined effects 
  (and limits). In most campaigns the best solu-
  tion is to impose a point or effectivness ceiling 
  (i.e., a restriction on the Active Points or number 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  69
  of dice a character can have in a Mental Power), 
  thus roughly ensuring what the average effect of a 
  Mental Power will be and how strongly it impacts 
  a typical target.
  SKIllS
  Combat Skill levels: If a character uses Combat 
  Skill Levels to add effect dice to a continuing-
  effect Mental Power, he can shift the CSLs to 
  some other function after establishing the effect. 
  Doing so does not reduce the Effect Roll, but it 
  allows the victim to make another Breakout Roll 
  immediately.
  POWERS
  Adjustment Powers: At the GM’s option, an 
  ongoing effect from a continuing-effect Instant 
  Mental Power (such as Mind Control) could be 
  Adjusted. Use the DCV, Power Defense, and other 
  attributes of the character using the Mental Power, 
  not the victim of that power. If the GM prefers, 
  use the attacker’s DMCV rather than DCV. Treat 
  the Mental Power as a non-incremental ability for 
  these purposes — since the attacker’s established 
  an existing effect, the Adjustment Power has to 
  reduce the Mental Power to 0 points to stop the 
  effect from affecting the target. (Note that the 
  Adjustment Power applies to the points in the 
  Mental Power, not the total of the Effect Roll made 
  when it was used.) However, if the attacker has to 
  make another Effect Roll to do something (such as 
  to give a different order with his Mind Control), 
  he would do so at the current, Adjusted, level 
  rather than his normal level of power.
  ADvAnTAGES AnD ADDERS
  Guaranteed modifier: 
   At the GM’s option, 
  a character can buy a continuing-effect Mental 
  Power that always achieves a certain Effect Roll 
  modifier, such as “undetectable by target,” “takes 
  STUN from illusory attacks,” or even “always 
  suffers -2 penalty to Breakout Rolls.” The cost of 
  this Adder equals the amount of the modifier 
  applied to the effect roll on the Power’s Effects 
  Table. For example, “target takes STUN from 
  illusory attacks” is a 10 Character Point Adder, 
  “power is undectable by target” is a 20 Character 
  Point Adder, and “target always suffers a -2 to 
  Breakout Rolls” is a 10 Character Point Adder.
  lImITATIOn: BASED On COnSTITuTIOn
  With the GM’s permission, characters can 
  take Limitations similar to Mental Power Based 
  On CON to have a Mental Power work against 
  alternate Characteristics other than CON. Some 
  possibilities include:
  mental Power Based On STR (-1): Mental Powers 
  with this Limitation (most often Mind Control) 
  typically involve a psychokinetic-like manipula-
  tion of the target’s body. If he’s strong enough, he 
  can resist or break free; if not he’s forced to act 
  according to the mentalist’s wishes.
  Mental Power Based On STR works just like 
  Based On CON in terms of targeting, range, 
  defenses, and similar factors. In games where 
  the average STR tends to be much higher than 
  the average EGO (such as many Champions 
  campaigns), it may be worth even more; in 
  games where EGO tends to exceed STR (such as 
  a “psychic wars” campaign), it may even be a +0 
  Advantage.
  mental Power Based On InT (-¼): Mental 
  Powers with this Limitation typically involve 
  manipulating someone through logic and skillful 
  argumentation (Mind Control), intellectually 
  convincing the target that his perceptions are 
  wrong (Mental Illusions — “Don’t you realize that 
  under these conditions, science and logic indicate 
  you can’t possibly be seeing what you think you’re 
  seeing?”), and so forth.
  Mental Powers Based On INT are targeted with 
  OMCV against DMCV and work on a Line Of 
  Sight basis with no Range Modifier. Like normal 
  Mental Powers, they’re Invisible, but charac-
  ters can perceive them with Mental Awareness. 
  The target’s Mental Defense applies against the 
  attack. Compare the Effect Roll to the target’s INT 
  (substitute INT for EGO on the Effects Table of 
  the Mental Power). A Mental Power Based On 
  INT lasts until the target shrugs off its effects, 
  which requires a successful INT-based Breakout 
  Roll made with the standard modifiers (if appli-
  cable). Mental Powers Based On INT may be 
  Deflected with Mental Deflection (see APG 88).
  mental Power Based On PRE (-¼): This Limita-
  tion in effect lets a character transform a Mental 
  Power into a superhuman version of various Inter-
  action Skills (Persuasion as Mind Control [“Are 
  you going to believe your own eyes, or me?”], 
  Conversation or Interrogation as Telepathy, and so 
  on), create “Presence Attacks” so intense they can 
  stun the target (Mental Blast), and the like.
  Mental Powers Based On PRE are targeted with 
  OMCV against DMCV and work on a Line Of 
  Sight basis with no Range Modifier. Like normal 
  Mental Powers, they’re not visible, but characters 
  can perceive them with Mental Awareness. The 
  target’s Mental Defense applies against the attack 
  (alternately, the GM might require characters 
  to buy “Presence Defense,” defined as PRE with 
  the -1 Limitation Only To Protect Against Pres-
  ence Attacks, which would also apply against 
  Based On PRE powers). Compare the Effect Roll 
  to the target’s PRE (substitute PRE for EGO on 
  the Effects Table of the Mental Power). A Mental 
  Power Based On PRE lasts until the target shrugs 
  off its effects, which requires a successful PRE-
  based Breakout Roll made with the standard 
  modifiers (if applicable). Mental Powers Based On 
  PRE may be Deflected with Mental Deflection (see 
  APG 88).
  3
  
  70 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  new Approaches
  Here are some new approaches to, or signifi-
  cant variants of, Mental Powers.
  nORmAl RAnGE AnD PERCEIvABIlITy
  One of the things that makes Mental Powers so 
  effective, and so potentially unbalancing, is that 
  they’re innately Invisible and work on a Line Of 
  Sight basis. For a very small investment in some 
  Telescopic for Normal Sight, a mentalist could in 
  theory stay far, far away from a battle and yet still 
  attack his team’s enemies. Obviously most GMs 
  would never permit this, but the possibility exists.
  One potential solution for this problem is 
  for the GM to change the way Mental Powers 
  work. Instead of being Invisible and using 
  LOS by default, they function like most other 
  Attack Powers: they’re Obvious and they have 
  the Standard Range of Base Points x 10m. If a 
  character wants his Mental Powers to be Invisible 
  or use LOS targeting, he can buy the appropriate 
  Advantages.
  This method makes Mental Powers work 
  a lot less like they typically do in genre fiction 
  and comic books, but in what may be a more 
  “balanced” way for many HERO System 
  campaigns. On the other hand they could weaken 
  Mental Powers to the point where the GM needs 
  to improve them a little bit to compensate (for 
  example, by imposing a standard penalty on all 
  Breakout Rolls).
  CumulATIvE mEnTAl POWERS
  One way to counteract the “all or nothing” 
  effect discussed above is to make all of the 
  continuing-effect Mental Powers cost 10 Character 
  Points per 1d6 but be Cumulative by default. That 
  way a character who didn’t achieve the result he 
  wanted immediately could keep trying until he 
  reached the desired Effect Roll total (if that weren’t 
  possible, he could take a -1 All Or Nothing Limita-
  tion, meaning he’d have to succeed in one roll). 
  If necessary to keep Mental Powers balanced, the 
  GM could restrict the maximum result to some 
  defined amount (such as 2x or 4x the maximum 
  result on the dice), then allow a character to 
  double that maximum for each +¼ Advantage.
  Cumulative-by-default Mental Powers could 
  also be used to make Mental Combat more of 
  a “psychic duel.” Include the optional rule from 
  APG 64 that makes Breakout Rolls reduce an 
  Effect Roll (rather than completely freeing the 
  victim). Then allow the target of a Cumulative 
  Mental Power to make a Breakout Roll at any time 
  as a Full Phase Action to have a chance to reduce 
  the accumulating effect.
  mEnTAl POWERS AS SKIllS
  Instead of buying continuing-effect Mental 
  Powers as Powers, characters could buy them as 
  EGO-based Skills. Successfully attacking someone 
  with one wouldn’t involve an Attack Roll but 
  a Skill Versus Skill Contest against the target’s 
  EGO Roll. To achieve a “Greater Than EGO” 
  effect, the attacker has to win the Contest by 3; 
  for EGO +10, by 6; for EGO +20, by 9; and so on. 
  Every full 5 points of Mental Defense adds +1 to 
  the target’s EGO Roll. If the attacker succeeds, 
  the target doesn’t get a Breakout Roll on his next 
  Phase like usual (his EGO Roll in the Contest 
  takes the place of that), but does get them after 1 
  Turn, 1 Minute, and so on like usual.
  new mental Powers
  Here’s an expansion of the rules for Cyberki-
  nesis (using Mental Powers on computers and 
  machines), and a new Mental Power, Possession.
  H
  H CyBERKInESIS
  Cyberkinesis is a general term referring to 
  Mental Powers that affect the Machine class of 
  minds. Typically Cyberkinesis powers are used 
  on computers and similar devices, but they’re 
  not restricted to them. This section provides 
  advanced/expanded rules for affecting all sorts of 
  electronic devices with Mental Powers.
  Mental Powers that affect the Machine class of 
  minds use the target’s EGO as usual. If the target 
  doesn’t have EGO, use its INT. This is the case 
  with most non-sentient Computers, for example.
  Devices that aren’t even as “smart” as 
  Computers are assigned a “simulated INT” so 
  that characters can affect them with cyberkinetic 
  powers. The accompanying Simulated Intelli-
  gence Table lists suggested INT values for various 
  everyday devices. As always, the GM has the final 
  say; he may want to adjust some of the entries in 
  the table to suit his game.
  Using Cyberkinesis, a character can even 
  use Mental Powers on another character’s Focus 
  (though a Focus’s simulated INT equals its Active 
  Points divided by 5, which may be even higher 
  than its owner’s INT). If the Focus is Inaccessible, 
  increase its simulated INT by 50% or +5, which-
  ever is smaller. If a Focus has multiple powers, 
  use the one with the highest Active Point total, 
  then add +1 INT for each additional power. At 
  the GM’s option, any Mental Defense the Focus’s 
  owner has also applies to the Focus for purposes 
  of resisting Cyberkinesis. (A character can buy 
  Mental Defense only to protect a specific device 
  for a -2 Limitation, or all of his devices for a -1 
  Limitation.) If the Focus is a Personal Focus, the 
  GM may not allow other characters to affect it 
  with Cyberkinesis, or may give it a large amount 
  of “innate” Mental Defense solely for the purpose 
  of resisting such attacks.
  Most devices and machines have DMCV 3. 
  Devices that have EGO may have higher DMCVs 
  (particularly if they happen to have Mental Powers 
  themselves). A Focus has DMCV 3 or the DMCV 
  of the character using/holding it, whichever is 
  worse.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  71
  mAnIPulATInG PHySICAl COmPOnEnTS: 
  CyBERKInETIC TElEKInESIS
  Most of the entries in the Simulated Intel-
  ligence Table are electronic devices, devices with 
  engines, and the like. For Cyberkinesis purposes, 
  assume that for every full 20 Base Points in a 
  Mental Power (i.e, every 4d6 of a continuing-effect 
  Mental Power), the cyberkinetic character has 
  “1 STR Telekinesis.” He can only use this “Tele-
  kinesis” to press buttons or keyboard keys, flip 
  switches, turn knobs or dials, turn on ignition 
  systems, and the like. He cannot use it for more 
  mechanical purposes (such as operating pulleys, 
  working hydraulic systems, opening locks, or 
  pulling triggers) or for manipulating the machine 
  itself (such as steering a controlled car, drawing a 
  crossbow, or moving a hydraulic press).
  However, with the GM’s permission, a char-
  acter who has Cyberkinesis powers (particularly 
  cyberkinetic Mind Control) can buy Telekinesis 
  with the Fine Manipulation Adder that has the +0 
  Advantage, Cyberkinetic. Cyberkinetic Telekinesis 
  is targeted with the character’s OMCV against 
  the machine’s DCV. It can only be used against a 
  machine the character has established Cyberki-
  nesis Mind Control over. It’s targeted by LOS and 
  can be used through a cyberkinetic Mind Scan 
  lock-on.
  SImulATED InTEllIGEnCE TABlE
  device or technology
  int
  Air conditioner
  3-10
  Answering machine
  4
  ATM machine
  8
  Billboard, electronic/neon
  5
  Blender
  2
  Calculator
  6
  Camera
     Standard
  4
     Digital
  6
  Car
     Standard
  6
     Heavily computerized
  8
  Cash register, electronic
  6
  CD player
  6
  Copier
  6
  DVD player
  7
  DVR
  8
  Electronic book reader
  6
  Elevator
  10
  Escalator
  7
  Fax machine
  6
  Firearms
  Active Points/5 
  (see text)
  Flashlight
  3
  Focus
  Active Points/5 
  (see text)
  Heater
  3-10
  Gaming console
  6-8
  Industrial/manufacturing machine
  5-8
  Intercom system
  6
  Lamp
  2
  Lawnmower
  3
  Leafblower
  3
  Lighting fixture, Lightswitch
  2
  Lock, electronic
  7-10
  Microwave oven
  5
  device or technology
  int
  Modem, external
  8
  Oven, standard
  2
  Phonograph
  3
  Printer
  7
  Radio
     Standard
  4
     Clock-radio
  5
  Refrigerator
  4
  Scoreboard, electronic
  7
  Security system, electronic
  Active Points/5 
  (see text)
  Sign, electronic/neon
  5
  Stapler, electronic
  3
  Stoplight
  6
  Stove
  2
  Tape player
  4
  Telephone
     Cell phone
  8
     Cordless
  6
     Rotary dial
  4
     Touchtone
  5
  Television
     Analog
  7
     Closed circuit
  8
     Digital
  8
     JumboTron
  10
  Toaster
  2
  Trap
  Active Points/5 
  (see text)
  VCR
  6
  Waffle iron
  2
  Walk/Don’t Walk sign
  6
  Watch
     Digital
  5
     Electronic
  4
  Weapons
  Active Points/5 
  (see text)
  3
  
  72 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  To take just a few examples, using Cyberkinetic 
  Telekinesis a character could:
  
  n pull the trigger on a gun
  
  n steer a car
  
  n operate a hydraulic press (or similar manufac-
  turing equipment)
  
  n pull a rope through a pulley
  
  n release (or draw up) an anchor
  
  n turn gearwheels
  If a character uses Cyberkinetic Telekinesis 
  without having Line Of Sight to the target object 
  (for example, through a Mind Scan lock-on), or 
  without some other way to perceive what he’s 
  doing, then any attacks he makes with the device 
  are made as if he cannot perceive the target with a 
  Targeting Sense.
  WEAPOnS
  If a character wants to cyberkinetically attack 
  a mechanical or electronic weapon — a bow, a 
  pistol, a laser rifle, a grenade, a howitzer, or what 
  have you — typically the weapon has a simu-
  lated INT equal to its Active Points divided by 5. 
  However, the GM can adjust that INT to reflect 
  the nature of the weapon and other factors. For 
  example, pulling the pin on a grenade is probably 
  a much easier task than taking control of a blaster 
  pistol and firing it, even if they both have the same 
  Active Points. Manipulating many parts of most 
  weapons requires Cyberkinetic Telekinesis to pull 
  triggers, draw bowstrings, feed shells into firing 
  chambers, and so forth.
  using and ControLLing the Weapon
  When attacking with a cyberkinetically-
  controlled weapon, a character uses his OMCV 
  against whatever defensive Combat Value the 
  weapon normally works against (usually DCV), 
  and attacks using his own SPD.
  If no one else tries to control the weapon (for 
  example, it’s an automated blaster built into a 
  wall), the character has no problem firing the 
  weapon. He can move the weapon using his innate 
  “Telekinesis” from Cyberkinesis (assuming it’s not 
  too heavy to move with so little STR); he doesn’t 
  have to have Cyberkinetic Telekinesis.
  However, in many cases another character will 
  struggle to try to control the weapon. For example, 
  if a cyberkinetic character takes control of a 
  soldier’s blaster pistol, the soldier may try to use 
  his STR to keep the weapon in its holster, point it 
  away from any meaningful targets, or the like. In 
  this case the cyberkinetic character has to engage 
  in a STR Versus STR Contest with the character 
  trying to control the weapon (using either his 
  Cyberkinesis “Telekinesis,” or an actual Cyberki-
  netic Telekinesis power he’s bought separately). 
  Treat this similar to breaking out of Entangles and 
  Grabs: if the cyberkinetic character rolls at least 
  twice the BODY as the character struggling to 
  control the weapon, the Contest takes no time and 
  the cyberkinetic has a Full Phase in which to act 
  with the weapon; if he wins the Contest but by less 
  than that, he has a Half Phase in which to act with 
  the weapon; if he loses the Contest he maintains 
  cyberkinetic control of the weapon but can’t physi-
  cally move or point it.
  SECuRITy SySTEmS AnD TRAPS
  Many security devices in modern-day and 
  futuristic settings, such as motion detectors and 
  electronic eyebeams, can be affected by cyberki-
  netic powers. Typically their simulated INT equals 
  the Active Points used to build them divided by 
  5. If the GM doesn’t have a formal writeup of a 
  security device, he can simply estimate what he 
  thinks its Active Points would be, or assign it an 
  INT based on its complexity.
  Mechanical traps such as arrow projectors, 
  deadfalls, trapdoors, and the like work the same 
  way. However, since they have few (if any) elec-
  tronic parts, usually a character needs Cyberki-
  netic Telekinesis to manipulate them.
  SPECIFIC mEnTAl POWERS
  Here are some guidelines for how specific 
  Mental Powers affect devices and machines. As 
  always, the GM should interpret them in light of 
  common sense, dramatic sense, and consider-
  ations for game balance.
  MentaL iLLusions
  Mental Illusions functions as a cyberkinetic 
  power only against devices that have or can 
  display images. Typically this means television 
  screens, computers, and cameras of various sorts. 
  It has no effect on devices that can’t show images 
  or text electronically.
  At the “Greater Than EGO” level of effect, 
  cyberkinetic Mental Illusions can make cosmetic 
  changes to the picture on a viewscreen or monitor. 
  For example, the character could change the skin 
  or clothing color of someone on the screen, or 
  make black text purple.
  At the “EGO +10” level of effect, cyberkinetic 
  Mental Illusions can make major changes to the 
  picture on a viewscreen or monitor. For example, 
  the character could make one person or image 
  look like another person or similar image, could 
  change or remove text (but only on the screen, not 
  in a computer file), add or remove clothing from a 
  person, or the like.
  At the “EGO +20” level of effect, cyberkinetic 
  Mental Illusions can completely alter the picture 
  on a viewscreen or monitor. The character could 
  turn on the screen and make it show any image 
  he desired, turn off the screen (or make it show 
  nothing but static or blank blackness), or change 
  an existing picture in any way.
  Mind ControL
  Mind Control is the main form of Cyberki-
  nesis, since it’s how a cyberkinetic character 
  literally “takes control of” and operates a device or 
  machine with the power of his mind in most cases.
  Typically establishing Mind Control over a 
  device is easy, since by definition most functions 
  a device can perform are ones it “wouldn’t mind 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  73
  doing,” requiring only an EGO +10 Effect Roll. 
  Higher levels of Mind Control are only necessary 
  against sentient machines — artificially intelligent 
  Computers and other devices that have EGO and 
  often object to being involuntarily controlled.
  However, in some cases even a non-sentient 
  machine may “object” to being Mind Controlled. 
  Specifically, any computer or other machine 
  with pre-programmed instructions about what it 
  should or should not do may require an EGO +20 
  or even EGO +30 Mind Control result, depending 
  on the programming and what the cyberki-
  netic wants the machine to do. For example, 
  suppose that all robots in a Star Hero setting are 
  programmed with an Inviolable Law: a robot must 
  not harm a human being. If a cyberkinetic char-
  acter uses Mind Control on one of these robots 
  and orders it to attack a human, that’s going to 
  require an EGO +30 Effect Roll.
  Mind sCan
  Cyberkinetic characters use Mind Scan to 
  find one machine among the many in existence. 
  Attacking a device through a Mind Scan lock-on 
  is a great way to, for example, cyberkinetically 
  hack into a computer from miles away. Standard 
  Mind Scan rules work the same for the Machine 
  class of minds as for Human or any other class. 
  For example, at “greater than EGO” a character 
  can communicate with a machine via cyberkinetic 
  telepathy, and a cyberkinetic can use Mind Scan 
  just to count the number of devices in a given 
  area if desired. (In the latter case, the GM might 
  restrict him to devices of any given type, such as 
  “computers” or “kitchen appliances,” rather than 
  counting “all devices.”)
  teLepathy
  Cyberkinetic Telepathy (“cyberpathy”) is used 
  to communicate with machines, read files on hard 
  drives, and the like. The character mentally inter-
  faces with a machine to read its files and records 
  of use. For example, he could scan the buffer of 
  a fax to find out about incoming and outgoing 
  faxes, or the hard drive of a computer to find out 
  what the files it contains says. He can also send 
  his own thought and “talk” to machines. He could 
  also “talk” to people through a machine by causing 
  “typed” words to appear on a viewscreen/monitor. 
  He cannot, however, make permanent changes to 
  computer files or the like; that requires a Mental 
  Transform (see below).
  Given the standard speed of Telepathy (one 
  fact per Phase), it may take a character a long time 
  to find the fact he wants if he doesn’t have a good 
  idea about where to start searching. If necessary, 
  the GM can have the character make an EGO 
  Roll, with a penalty based on the amount of data, 
  to find what he’s looking for quickly; the more 
  the character makes the roll by, the quicker he 
  finds the data. (The GM can adapt the Mind Scan 
  Modifiers table to determine the penalty, with 1 
  megabyte equal to one person, and 1 gigabyte of 
  information equal to 10 people [-2 penalty], then 
  doubling the gigabytes for each step down the 
  table.)
  When a character uses Telepathy to “read” a 
  computer or the like, “surface thoughts” include 
  any program currently open or running (and all 
  data files those programs contain). Deep, hidden 
  thoughts include any program installed on the 
  computer, but not currently open, running, or 
  otherwise active (and all that program’s data 
  files). Memories include any deleted programs or 
  files, any Psychological Complications a sentient 
  computer has, and possibly some programs the 
  computer hasn’t run or activated for a long time (a 
  month or more). Non-sentient machines generally 
  don’t have subconscious thoughts, but you could 
  use this level for any programs or files thoroughly 
  erased. Machines count as being “unconscious” for 
  purposes of Telepathy if they’re unplugged (just 
  being turned off doesn’t qualify).
  MentaL transForM
  A Transform of a machine’s “mind” is how a 
  cyberkinetic can alter the files or programs in a 
  computer or similar devise, permanently changing 
  how it functions. Mental Transforms are discussed 
  on 6E1 306.
  A Cosmetic Mental Transform would allow a 
  cyberkinetic to make purely cosmetic changes to 
  the programs or files in a computer. For example, 
  he could change the colors of the characters in 
  a computer game permanently. Making more 
  serious changes — altering the data in a file 
  (or erasing it completely), changing the way a 
  program works, or the like — requires a Minor, 
  Major, or Severe Transform, depending on how 
  serious the changes are. For example, changing 
  all instances of a name in a file to another name 
  would be a Minor Transform, significantly 
  changing the facts in the file without varying 
  the overall content or nature of the file a Major 
  Transform, and completely changing the contents 
  of a file to something else altogether a Severe 
  Transform. Changing a program for anti-aircraft 
  defense into one for naval defense would be 
  a Major Transform; changing it to a cooking 
  program would be a Severe Transform.
  For purposes of Cyberkinetic Transforms, the 
  GM has to determine the BODY of facts, files, and 
  programs in computers and other devices. Some 
  possible ways to do this include:
  
  n Each X amount of hard drive space taken up 
  by a program or file (such as 1 megabyte, or 1 
  gigabyte) counts as 1 BODY.
  
  n A file’s or program’s BODY depends on how 
  important and well-protected it is. Thus, day-
  to-day programs and business records would 
  have 1-3 BODY, while sensitive government 
  and military programs and files could have 20 
  BODY or more.
  
  n A program or file that’s simply software, easily 
  installed or removed, would have a low BODY 
  score (probably 1-5), whereas programs and 
  files “hard-wired” into a machine directly 
  would have more (6+).
  3
  
  74 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  H
  H POSSESSIOn
  Type:  
  Mental power/attack power
  Duration:  
  Constant
  Target:  
  target’s dMCv
  Range:  
  Los
  Costs EnD:  yes
  Cost:  
  60 Character points for standard 
  possession; +2 points of Mind 
  Control effect for every +1 Char-
  acter point; +2 points of telepathy 
  effect for every +1 Character point
  A character with this Mental Power can 
  “possess” other beings, taking total control of 
  them, their senses, and their abilities. Examples 
  of Possession include a ghost who merges with 
  living people to make them do its bidding, a 
  psychic supervillain with mental control powers, 
  or a cyberkinetic who can “take over” machines. 
  Possession costs 60 Character Points.
  To use Possession, the character makes an 
  MCV Attack Roll. If he succeeds, he has Possessed 
  the victim. The victim gets Breakout Rolls 
  according to the standard Mental Powers rules, 
  but the Breakout Roll never “improves” (i.e., the 
  victim gets no bonuses for the passage of time).
  Possession has several effects: control of the 
  victim; use of the victim’s senses; and access to the 
  victim’s thoughts and memories.
  COnTROllInG THE vICTIm; uSInG HIS ABIlITIES
  First, the victim of Possession can be controlled 
  as if subject to Mind Control. At the basic level 
  of Possession, this is as if the character had made 
  a Mind Control Effect Roll of 40 — enough to 
  achieve an EGO +30 result (total control) against 
  someone with EGO 10 or less and no Mental 
  Defense. (If the target’s EGO is higher than that, 
  or he has Mental Defense, the Possession will 
  establish a lesser degree of control over him.) A 
  character can increase the strength of his Posses-
  sion at a cost of +2 points of effect for every +1 
  Character Point.
  Example: Hypnos wants to be able to Possess 
  people, even people with great willpower (such as 
  superheroes). He buys Possession for a base cost 
  of 60 Character Points, but increases the Mind 
  Control effect by +20 points, for a final cost of 70 
  Character Points for his Possession. When he uses 
  it, it’s as if it had an Effect Roll of 60 with Mind 
  Control.
  A character using Possession communicates 
  orders to the victim telepathically (he can take the 
  Incantations Limitation for Possession if he has to 
  communicate them verbally; see below). He may 
  change the victim’s orders at any time as a Half 
  Phase Action; this does not require a new Attack 
  Roll, but the orders cannot be ones that require a 
  higher level of “control” than he’s achieved.
  If the target has such a high EGO, and/or so 
  much Mental Defense, that the “Mind Control” 
  aspect of Possession cannot establish at least an 
  EGO +20 result, the Possession fails entirely.
  physiCaL and MentaL aBiLities
  While Possessing a victim, a character retains 
  the following: his own EGO, INT, PRE, OMCV, 
  and DMCV Characteristics; all Intellect and Inter-
  action Skills; all Skills which are not necessarily 
  based on INT or EGO but which reflect intellec-
  tual learning with no physical skills (for example, 
  he can use his Languages, but not his TFs, which 
  require some physical abilities); all of his mental 
  and psionic powers; and his mental Complications 
  (such as Enrageds/Berserks and Psychological 
  Complications). However, he retains none of his 
  physical Characteristics or abilities. Instead, he 
  can use all of the host body’s physical Character-
  istics (including OCV and DCV), physical Skills 
  (such as Climbing, Combat Driving, and most 
  types of Skill Level), and physical abilities. The 
  Possessing character typically knows what the 
  victim’s Skills, powers, abilities, and other attri-
  butes (whether they’re of a normal or superhuman 
  nature) are, thanks to the telepathic aspects of 
  the Power (see below). He has full access to and 
  control over these abilities. He could, for example, 
  force the victim to shoot his Blast at a friend, fire 
  his gun, use his Lockpicking to open a door, cast 
  his Lightning Bolt Spell, or the like. In some cases 
  the GM may require the character to succeed with 
  EGO Rolls to make the host body function prop-
  erly, at least for the first few Phases of use.
  speed; the possessor’s Body
  While Possessing a victim, a character acts on 
  the victim’s SPD. If the victim had a Phase in the 
  Segment when he was Possessed that he hadn’t 
  used yet, the Possessing character doesn’t get to 
  use that Phase, because he’s already acted in that 
  Segment; the Phase is simply lost. However, the 
  character gets to act on the victim’s next Phase, 
  regardless of what the character’s own SPD is in 
  his own body.
  Example: Hypnos uses his Possession to take 
  control of Mighty Man. Hypnos is SPD 5 and 
  Mighty Man is SPD 6. Hypnos successfully 
  Possesses Mighty Man on his (Hypnos’s) Phase 
  in Segment 5. Mighty Man’s next Phase is in 
  Segment 6, and Hypnos can act through Mighty 
  Man’s body at that time.
  Suppose Hypnos (EGO 25) had Possessed 
  Mighty Man (DEX 20) in Segment 8, when they 
  both have a Phase. Hypnos gets his Phase first, 
  since Mighty Man’s DEX is lower than his EGO. 
  Although Mighty Man has a Phase this Segment 
  that he hasn’t used, Hypnos doesn’t get to use it 
  because he’s already taken his Phase in Segment 
  8. He can act through Mighty Man’s body as soon 
  as it gets another Phase — in Segment 10.
  While a character uses Possession, ordinarily 
  his own body is unable to act, or even to perceive 
  (see below). If the Possessing character wants 
  to make his own body perform some action, he 
  has to use one of the Possessed body’s actions to 
  “shift focus” back to his own body as a Full Phase 
  Action. The Possessed victim can do nothing 
  else in that Phase (but remains Possessed). 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  75
  The character may now act through his own 
  body, using only his own Skills, Talents, powers, 
  and abilities on his next Phase (he does not get a 
  Phase in his own body in the Segment in which 
  he “shifted focus” back to it). The Possessing 
  character must then continue to act only through 
  his own body until he “shifts focus” back to the 
  Possessed body using these same rules.
  SEnSES
  Second, the Possessing character uses all the 
  Senses of the Possessed victim. This includes 
  Senses the Possessing character does not have 
  himself. All of the Possessing character’s own 
  Senses are “blinded” for the duration of the 
  Possession (unless he buys the No Blackout (+¼) 
  Advantage for his Possession). This may make 
  it difficult (or even dangerous) for him to move 
  his own body or take actions with it. If he can 
  perceive his own body with the Possessed victim’s 
  Senses, that’s usually sufficient for him to know 
  what he can and cannot safely do with his own 
  body, where it can move to, and so forth. However, 
  if he makes an attack using his own body, he 
  suffers the standard penalties for not being able to 
  perceive the target with a Targeting Sense, even if 
  the Possessed victim can perceive the target.
  mEmORIES
  Third, the Possessing character has access to 
  all of the Possessed victim’s surface thoughts, deep 
  thoughts, and memories (but not to his subcon-
  scious). In effect, at the base level of Possession 
  it’s as if the character has Telepathy and made an 
  Effect Roll of 30 — enough to achieve an EGO +20 
  result (memories) against someone with EGO 10 
  or less and no Mental Defense. (If the target’s EGO 
  is higher than that, or he has Mental Defense, the 
  Possession will establish a lesser degree of Tele-
  pathic contact with him.) A character can increase 
  the strength of his telepathic contact at a cost of 
  +2 points of effect for every +1 Character Point. 
  Searching through the victim’s mind for facts is 
  done using the rules for Telepathy at the Possessed 
  victim’s SPD.
  DRAWBACKS TO POSSESSIOn
  Although it’s a powerful ability, Possession 
  is not without its drawbacks. Foremost among 
  them is that the Possessing character takes the full 
  STUN and BODY damage done to the Possessed 
  victim, as well as damage done to his own body. 
  He applies the victim’s defenses against damage 
  done to the victim, and his own defenses against 
  damage done to his own body.
  Second, Possession costs END to use. This 
  END cost is paid by the Possessing character’s 
  own body, not by the Possessed character, on the 
  victim’s Phases. Furthermore, as long as Posses-
  sion is in effect, the Possessing character’s body 
  gets no Recoveries, not even the Post-Segment 
  12 Recovery. However, the Possessing char-
  acter may “resume control” of his own body as 
  described above and have it take a Recovery as a 
  Full Phase Action (per the usual Recovery rules). 
  If he’s controlling his body in Segment 12 this way, 
  his body gets the Post-Segment 12 Recovery, but 
  the Possessed victim’s body does not.
  As a Constant Power, Possession requires a 
  character to spend END to maintain it. If he stops 
  spending END for any reason, or if Powers that 
  cost END are shut off for some reason, the Posses-
  sion immediately stops affecting the target, freeing 
  him from it entirely (as if he’d succeeded with a 
  Breakout Roll). This also occurs if the Possession 
  has been bought to cost 0 END (or to cost END 
  only to activate) and the Possessing character is 
  Knocked Out or killed.
  If Possession is made 0 END and Persistent, 
  it remains in effect until the character turns it 
  off. But if he’s Knocked Out and the Possessed 
  character is not, the victim won’t be subject to his 
  control or orders (not even ones previously given) 
  as long as the character’s unconscious. As soon 
  as the character returns to consciousness (i.e., 1 
  STUN or more), the Possession immediately reas-
  serts itself at its former level of control.
  Third, other people can help the victim break 
  free from Possession by using Mental Powers on 
  him. See the Competing Mental Powers rules on 
  6E1 152.
  Fourth, a character can only Possess one target 
  at a time. If he tries to Possess a second target 
  while already Possessing someone and succeeds, 
  his Possession immediately “shifts” from the first 
  target to the second, freeing the first one entirely 
  (as if he’d succeeded with a Breakout Roll). Char-
  acters cannot use Possession with Area Of Effect, 
  Autofire, Multiple Attack, or any other game 
  element or method that would allow it to affect 
  two or more targets simultaneously.
  Fifth, if the body of the character using Posses-
  sion is killed, the Possession ends immediately 
  and the character dies — whatever part of him 
  was Possessing the victim perishes when his 
  body does. Alternately, at the GM’s option he 
  may continue to exist as a disembodied mental 
  force seeking a new home, remain trapped in 
  the victim’s body and have to constantly fight for 
  control of it, or the like.
  DEFEnSES vERSuS POSSESSIOn
  Potential victims of Possession aren’t help-
  less. First, as described above they get standard 
  Breakout Rolls to escape its effects (though the 
  Breakout Roll doesn’t improve over time).
  Second, a high EGO and/or Mental Defense 
  may make it difficult or impossible for the 
  Possessor to achieve full Possession. If the “Mind 
  Control” and “Telepathy” aspects of Possession are 
  reduced, the Possessing character has less control 
  over the victim and less access to his thoughts and 
  memories. (Mental Defense reduces both effects at 
  once; the victim doesn’t have to choose which one 
  to apply it to.)
  Third, Mental Defense also protects against the 
  use of the victim’s Senses. For every full 10 points 
  of Mental Defense, the Possessing character does 
  not gain access to one of the victim’s Sense Groups 
  (the victim chooses which one).
  3
  
  76 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Fourth, Mental Damage Negation and Mental 
  Damage Reduction can protect against Possession. 
  For Mental Damage Negation, reduce the “Effect 
  Rolls” of the “Mind Control” and “Telepathy” 
  aspects by 5 points per -1 DC; also, the Possessing 
  character does not gain access to one of the 
  victim’s Sense Groups for every full -2 DCs of 
  Mental Damage Negation (the victim chooses 
  which one). Mental Damage Reduction reduces 
  the “Effect Rolls” of the “Mind Control” and 
  “Telepathy” aspects as usual for that Power, but 
  has no effect on the Senses.
  POWERS
  mental Powers: Other characters can use the 
  rules for complementary Mental Powers (6E1 152) 
  to try to help the victim of Possession break free 
  from it. In this case they target the victim’s MCV 
  and EGO. If they want to attack the Possessor’s 
  mind, they use his MCV and EGO.
  Desolidification (Projection): If a character Links 
  Projection to his Possession, or otherwise ordi-
  narily uses them together, the Projection cannot 
  take the Feedback From Host Body Limitation, 
  since Possession already imposes that effect on the 
  character. If Projection is frequently used on its 
  own, then that Limitation could be taken for it.
  Endurance Reserve: If Possession is powered 
  by an Endurance Reserve, the Reserve gets its 
  Post-Segment 12 Recovery normally, despite the 
  standard Possession rule that the Possessor’s own 
  body doesn’t get to take Recoveries.
  ADvAnTAGES
  Area Of Effect: Characters cannot buy this Advan-
  tage for Possession. If a character’s own body and 
  the body he’s Possessing are hit by the same Area 
  Of Effect attack, the character takes the damage 
  twice — once for each body that was hit.
  Area Of Effect — Damage Shield: If the victim of 
  Possession has a Mental Damage Shield, the char-
  acter using Possession suffers its effect on every 
  one of the victim’s Phases (not the character’s own 
  Phases).
  Autofire: Characters cannot buy this Advantage 
  for Possession.
  Invisible Power Effects: Ordinarily the victim of 
  Possession remembers that he was Possessed, and 
  what he did while Possessed, after the Posses-
  sion ends. With the GM’s permission, a character 
  can buy the +½ “make the Target Effect of a 
  power Invisible to the victim” form of Invisible 
  Power Effects for Possession. In that case, after 
  the Possession ends the victim will remember 
  his actions while Possessed and think they were 
  natural. Or, if the character prefers, the victim 
  remembers nothing of the Possession period — 
  the time while Possessed is a “blank slate” in his 
  memory.
  no Blackout (+¼): If Possession has this Advan-
  tage, the Possessing character can use both his 
  own body’s Senses and the Possessed victim’s 
  Senses simultaneously. This in effect gives him 
  two “perception points” and potentially a much 
  broader range of sensory capability. (However, 
  the standard rules about when his own body can 
  take Actions still apply, which restricts it from 
  making many PER Rolls except when the char-
  acter “resumes control” of it.) Using two sets of 
  Senses doesn’t require any rolls or cause him any 
  difficulties.
  no Feedback (+½): Possession with this Advan-
  tage lacks the standard “feedback” effect. If the 
  Possessed victim takes damage, the Possessing 
  character suffers no ill effects.
  Sticky: Characters cannot buy this Advantage for 
  Possession.
  lImITATIOnS
  Incantations (-¼): Some forms of Possession lack 
  the ability to communicate orders telepathically. 
  The Possessing character has to use his own body 
  to issue orders verbally, which (a) requires him to 
  “resume control” of his body to issue the order, 
  and (b) requires the Possessed character to be able 
  to hear the character’s body speak.
  mind Transfer (-1): This form of Possession is 
  not a one-way street. Instead of taking over the 
  victim’s body, the character “trades minds” with 
  him. The victim’s mind ends up in the character’s 
  body... with the exact same nature and degree of 
  control as the character has over the victim’s body!
  With the GM’s permission, once the char-
  acter’s mind is in the host body, he can, if he 
  so desires, use Mind Transfer Possession again 
  to “jump” from the host body to another host 
  body. The mind of host body #2 would then take 
  up residence in host body #1, while the charac-
  ter’s mind occupied host body #2. A character 
  could mentally “jump” through an entire crowd 
  of people this way, possibly leaving a mighty 
  confused group of victims in his wake.
  If a character using Mind Transfer Possession 
  wants to take back control of his own body, at the 
  GM’s option just turning off the Possession isn’t 
  enough — he has to succeed with an MCV Attack 
  Roll against the target’s mind to in effect “Possess” 
  his own body back.
  no memories (-½): This form of Possession grants 
  the Possessing character no access to the Possessed 
  victim’s thoughts or memories. Among other 
  things, this means the Possessing character won’t 
  necessarily have full knowledge of the Possessed 
  victim’s powers and abilities — he’d know about 
  any ability he’d previously seen the Possessed 
  victim use, or that he otherwise has independent 
  knowledge of, but wouldn’t be aware of abilities he 
  had no way of learning about previously.
  no Range: A character can take this Limitation to 
  represent a form of Possession that requires him to 
  touch his victim to Possess him.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  77
  Perceivable: Possession is Invisible just like 
  any Mental Power. If a character wants it to be 
  perceivable somehow, he can take this Limitation 
  for it. Common forms of Perceivable Possession 
  include the victim remaining free to speak (“Help! 
  Something’s controlling me!”), the character’s and 
  victim’s eyes glowing the same color, a nimbus 
  of light surrounding both the character’s and the 
  victim’s head, and so forth.
  mOvEmEnT POWERS
  The following additional, optional, or expanded 
  rules apply to Movement Powers.
  CHAnGInG THE COST OF mOvEmEnT POWERS
  Under the standard rules, all the major Move-
  ment Powers — Flight, Running, Teleportation 
  — have the same cost, 1 Character Point per 1 
  meter. Leaping, Swinging, and Swimming cost half 
  that, since they either suffer from some significant 
  restrictions (Leaping, Swinging) or aren’t usable as 
  often (Swimming, Swinging). This is done in part 
  so that most forms of movement have roughly 
  equal costs and approximately as effective when it 
  comes to adding damage from velocity.
  However, some campaigns might prefer to 
  adjust the cost of these Movement Powers based 
  on their overall utility and effectiveness. Consid-
  erations like adding damage aside, some forms of 
  movement are simply better, for game purposes, 
  than others, and some GMs prefer that the Powers’ 
  costs reflect that.
  Here’s one possible arrangement for altering 
  Movement Power costs based on usefulness. It’s 
  good for the “average” campaign, but ultimately it’s 
  up to the GM to determine costs for his campaign 
  — in some games certain forms of movement may 
  be more effective than others. For example, in a 
  Fantasy Hero game set in an archipelago world, 
  or a Champions game in a city with a prominent 
  harbor and several rivers, Swimming may be 
  much more important than in the average game.
  Using this method, Running becomes the 
  “default” form of movement to which other forms 
  of movement are compared. It retains its cost of 1 
  Character Point per 1m.
  Flight: Flight is the best form of movement in the 
  HERO System, hands down. It’s three-dimensional, 
  thus allowing a character to avoid obstacles and 
  get to difficult-to-reach places quickly, and even 
  lets a character hover. It does suffer from a Turn 
  Mode, but that rarely has much affect during 
  play and is easy to avoid. Based on its utility, it 
  should cost at least 2 Character Points per 1m, and 
  possibly even 3 points per meter.
  leaping: For purposes of a utility analysis, 
  Leaping is sort of like a Limited form of Flight. 
  It allows a character to avoid some obstacles that 
  would thwart or slow down a running character. 
  On the other hand, it doesn’t allow for change of 
  direction mid-movement, requires a character to 
  hit a “target location” to land accurately in some 
  cases, can’t be used in some cramped areas, doesn’t 
  allow for hovering, and leaves the character 
  vulnerable in mid-air during “hang time” for long 
  Leaps. At the very least it should cost no more 
  than Running (1 Character Point per 1m), and 
  depending on how restrictive those drawbacks are 
  might even be cheaper (1 Character Point per 2m, 
  as in the standard rules).
  Swimming: For purposes of a utility analysis, 
  Swimming is basically Flight with the Limitation 
  Only Works In Liquids. In most campaigns it’s 
  worth 1 Character Point per 2m at best, and in 
  some cases could even be cheaper.
  Swinging: Swinging is comparable to Leaping in 
  terms of its utility. It allows a character to avoid 
  many obstacles that get in a running character’s 
  way, but it requires him to have a “swingpoint” 
  (which restricts his movement in some ways) 
  and a “swingline” to attach to it (which is usually 
  vulnerable to attack). As with Leaping, it’s difficult 
  (if not impossible) to change direction in mid-
  Swing. So again, at the very least it should cost no 
  more than Running (1 Character Point per 1m), 
  and depending on how restrictive those draw-
  backs are might even be cheaper (1 Character 
  Point per 2m, as in the standard rules).
  Teleportation: Teleportation has a lot of advan-
  tages over running. By allowing a character to 
  move from Point A to Point B instantaneously 
  and avoid intervening obstacles, it’s often the ideal 
  form of movement. But like Leaping it has some 
  drawbacks: it sometimes requires the character to 
  designate a “target point”; the character has to pay 
  extra to carry people with him; mis-Teleporting 
  into a solid object can be fatal; it doesn’t allow for 
  hovering; and a character can’t use Teleport to 
  perform velocity-based Maneuvers like Move By. 
  It should cost more than Running — probably 2 
  Character Points per 1m — but ideally less than 
  Flight.
  FInE-TunInG mOvEmEnT ABIlITIES
  As an optional rule, the GM may allow a 
  character to “fine-tune” how his Movement Power 
  works by “trading off” the various aspects of the 
  Power. For example, a player may declare that his 
  character has unusually large wings, giving his 
  better acceleration and deceleration but adding 
  to his Turn Mode. Each set of trade-offs must be 
  self-contained to a particular Movement Power; a 
  flying character can’t trade off part of his Running 
  to improve his Flight.
  For these purposes, every ±1m per meter of 
  acceleration, ±1m per meter of deceleration, or 
  ±1m of Turn Mode is equivalent. Thus, a char-
  acter could trade 1m of acceleration per meter to 
  decrease his Turn Mode by 1m, or increase his 
  deceleration by 1m per meter. A character who’s 
  fast, but doesn’t maneuver well, could obtain +1m 
  acceleration per meter by accepting a +1m Turn 
  Mode. The GM must approve all trade-offs.
  3
  
  78 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  EnDuRAnCE
  There may be situations in which a character 
  wants his Combat Movement to cost 0 END (or 
  ½ END), but his Noncombat Movement to cost 
  full END, or vice-versa. To do this, buy Reduced 
  Endurance as a naked Advantage for the Move-
  ment Power with an appropriate Limitation (Only 
  Applies To Combat Movement (-¼) or Only Applies 
  When Using Noncombat Movement (-1)). The 
  naked Reduced Endurance Advantage must be 
  purchased for he full cost of his Movement Power, 
  including any Adders.
  ADvAnTAGES AnD ADDERS
  Improved noncombat movement: If a char-
  acter has two different movement abilities using 
  the same Movement Power (for example, extra 
  Running Linked to Growth, and some more 
  extra Running Linked to Stretching), and buys 
  Improved Noncombat Movement for each 
  of them, the extra Noncombat Multiples add 
  together when he uses both movement abilities 
  at the same time. If he’s only bought Improved 
  Noncombat Movement for one of the abilities, it 
  only applies when he’s using that ability by itself.
  At the GM’s option, characters may purchase 
  half the usual increase from a level of Improved 
  Noncombat Movement for +3 Character Points. 
  For example, a Movement Power that would 
  ordinarily go from its standard x2 Noncombat 
  to x4 Noncombat for +5 Character Points (an 
  increase of +2 in the multiple) could increase to 
  x3 Noncombat (half of the +2 increase, or a +1 
  increase in the multiple) for +3 Character Points. 
  The total cost is 3 Character Points. If the power 
  would go from x32 Noncombat to x64, the +3 
  Character Point version of Improved Noncombat 
  Movement would increase it to (64-32=32, 
  32/2=16, 32+16=) x48 Noncombat. The total cost 
  is 23 points (four normal +5 point increases, and 
  one +3 half-increase).
  Increased Acceleration and Increased Decelera-
  tion: Under the standard rules for acceleration 
  and deceleration (see above), a character with 
  Running 60m, x4 Noncombat, can accelerate or 
  decelerate up to 60m per Phase, at the rate of 5m 
  per meter. It would take him 12m of distance to 
  reach full speed. If he were traveling at his full 
  Combat Movement velocity, he’d also need 12m in 
  which to stop. If he were traveling at his maximum 
  Noncombat Movement velocity of 240m and 
  wanted to stop, he could still only subtract 60m 
  of velocity per Phase. That means he’d need four 
  Phases to come to a complete stop, and during 
  that time he’d travel (180m + 120m + 60m + 0m) 
  360m, or about a fifth of a mile.
  Characters can improve the rate at which 
  they accelerate by paying Character Points for 
  an Adder, Increased Acceleration. For +2 Char-
  acter Points, a character may increase its rate of 
  acceleration by +1m per meter. Thus, for 2 points, 
  a character could accelerate at the rate of 6m per 
  meter; for 4 points, at the rate of 7m per meter, 
  and so on. The GM may impose limits on how 
  much extra acceleration a character can buy; 
  generally, a character should not buy his accelera-
  tion up to the point where it approaches or equals 
  his Combat Movement velocity (unless perhaps 
  there’s some Limitation or other restriction on the 
  ability) — for that, use the Improved Accelereation/
  Deceleration Advantage. This Adder doesn’t affect 
  the character’s Combat Movement for purposes of 
  determining how much total acceleration he can 
  apply in a Phase.
  Similarly, for +2 Character Points, a character 
  may buy Increased Deceleration to improve his 
  rate of deceleration by +1m per meter. The same 
  guidelines apply.
  Attack versus Alternate Defense: Characters 
  cannot apply this Advantage to Movement Powers. 
  To create a movement ability that lets the char-
  acter move when his “EGO” occurs in the combat 
  order, buy Lightning Reflexes with the Movement 
  Power to make the character’s DEX equal his EGO 
  for that purpose.
  usable On Others: As a default rule, an Area Of 
  Effect, Usable As Attack Movement Power must 
  affect all persons within the affected area the 
  same way. For example, if the character moves 
  one person in the area 20m north, everyone in 
  the area must move 20m north. However, at the 
  GM’s option, if the character applies the Selective 
  Advantage to his Area Of Effect, he can affect each 
  target individually, both in terms of distance trav-
  eled and direction traveled.
  SEnSE-AFFECTInG 
  POWERS
  Here are some additional guidelines on the 
  Mental Sense Group:
  The Mental Sense Group is affected by Flash 
  and Darkness somewhat differently than most 
  other Sense Groups. This is because Mental 
  Powers can be targeted two ways: through eyesight 
  (or other Targeting Senses) or through Mind Scan.
  A Darkness versus the Mental Sense Group 
  prevents any use of Mental Awareness, Mind Scan, 
  or other Mental Group Senses by affected char-
  acters. It also prevents the use of Telepathy and 
  Mind Link, since, like a Darkness versus Hearing, 
  it affects both the “mental hearing” and the 
  “mental voice” aspects of those Powers. However, 
  if the victim has LOS to his target, he can still use 
  Telepathy and Mind Link on that target, since 
  they work either through a Mind Scan “circuit” or 
  through LOS. Mind Scan itself doesn’t work on an 
  LOS basis, so it doesn’t matter whether a character 
  in a Mental Sense Group Darkness field can see 
  his target — the Mind Scan is effectively “blacked 
  out.”
  A Flash versus the Mental Sense Group is 
  another story. It also blocks Mental Awareness, 
  Mind Scan, or other Mental Group Senses, but it 
  only Flashes the “mental hearing” aspect of Telep-
  athy and Mind Link. The “mental voice” aspect of 
  those Powers still functions (similarly, a character 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  79
  suffering from a Hearing Group Flash can still 
  talk). Since Mind Scan is Flashed, Telepathy and 
  Mind Link can only be targeted through LOS. The 
  character cannot read the thoughts of anyone he 
  can establish LOS on — his “mental hearing” has 
  been “deafened” — but he can send his thoughts 
  to other persons. If he already has a Mind Link 
  established when the Flash goes off, the “mental 
  voice” aspects continue to function, but the 
  “mental hearing” aspects are cut off.
  Additionally, characters can affect Mental 
  Powers with Sense-Affecting Powers that affect 
  the Sight Group (or any other Sense Group 
  that contains Targeting Senses used to establish 
  LOS). If a character doesn’t have Mind Scan and 
  his Sight is blocked by Darkness or Flash, he is 
  effectively unable to use his Mental Powers. If any 
  mental effects are in existence when the Dark-
  ness or Flash is used against him, such as Mental 
  Illusions or Mind Control, his control over those 
  powers is cut off, but they remain in effect at what-
  ever level they were at when cut off and deteriorate 
  as per the rules from then on.
  SIZE POWERS
  Growth and Shrinking, and the Size Templates 
  on which they’re ultimately based, assume you’re 
  starting at normal human size. However, not 
  all characters are human size; some buy a Size 
  Template so that they’re always larger or smaller 
  than normal. This has potential implications for 
  the use of Growth and Shrinking, since the two 
  Powers cannot “mirror” one another.
  SmAll CHARACTERS uSInG GROWTH
  As shown in the Small Size Templates and in 
  the Shrinking Power, being smaller than normal 
  doesn’t automatically reduce a character’s STR, 
  CON, PRE, defenses, BODY, STUN, or Running. 
  The negative effects it has, as indicated in the 
  mandatory Physical Complication, are being ⅛ 
  mass, a halving of Reach, and suffering +6m of 
  Knockback (distance only) per halving of height.
  Therefore, in most cases, all that a level of 
  Growth needs to do for a small character is double 
  his height, double his Reach, and add -6m of 
  Knockback Resistance. Since that’s all Growth 
  provides, each level should only cost 3 Character 
  Points. Once a small character reaches normal 
  human size this way, if he wants to Grow further 
  he has to buy normal Growth at the costs listed in 
  the table on 6E1 229.
  However, if a smaller than normal character 
  has sold back STR, CON, Running, or other abili-
  ties to represent his small size, if he uses Growth 
  the power needs to compensate for that. Add in 
  the necessary abilities and then recalculate the 
  cost per level using the information in the Toolkit-
  ting box on 6E1 230.
  There may also be situations in which a 
  permanently smaller than normal character wants 
  to gain some Growth-style benefits — more STR, 
  CON, Running, or the like — as he gets larger. In 
  that case, again the solution is to add in the neces-
  sary abilities and then recalculate the cost per level 
  using the information in the Toolkitting box on 
  6E1 230.
  SmAll CHARACTERS uSInG SHRInKInG
  If a permanently small character wants to use 
  Shrinking to become even smaller, first determine 
  which “level” of Shrinking he fits into based on 
  his usual size. Then he can buy levels of Shrinking 
  down from there at the standard cost of 6 Char-
  acter Points per level.
  For example, suppose that a character is 
  normally 0.5m tall — one-fourth normal human 
  size, equivalent to two levels of Shrinking. That 
  means he’s paid for +4 DCV and +4 to Stealth by 
  buying the Diminutive Size Template, and taken 
  the appropriate Physical Complication. If he now 
  buys one level of Shrinking for 6 Character Points, 
  when he uses his Shrinking he becomes one-
  eighth human size (.25m tall, total of +6 DCV and 
  +6 to Stealth rolls). The level of Shrinking reduces 
  him to the equivalent of three levels of Shrinking, 
  with abilities to match.
  lARGE CHARACTERS uSInG SHRInKInG
  A large character who uses Shrinking experi-
  ences the following effects: x⅛ mass; x½ Reach; 
  gains +2 DCV; gains -2 to others’ PER Rolls to 
  perceive him; and suffers +6m Knockback from 
  attacks (only for distance, not damage). In effect 
  this “negates” part of the increase in mass, Reach, 
  and Knockback Resistance provided by the char-
  acter’s Size Template and part of the Target Size 
  penalties imposed on the character by his manda-
  tory Physical Complication. Since these are the 
  same benefits provided to a normal-sized char-
  acter who buy Shrinking, the cost of the Power 
  remains the same: 6 Character Points per level. (In 
  the case of Knockback, rather than use the stan-
  dard Shrinking rule, in most cases it will be easier 
  and better to simply have the “extra KB” that the 
  character takes from being smaller directly reduce 
  the meters of Knockback Resistance he gets from 
  being larger than normal.)
  As with normal-sized characters, Shrinking 
  bought by larger-than-normal characters doesn’t 
  reduce the character’s Characteristics or Running. 
  6E1 281 notes that characters can have Shrinking 
  proportionately reduce their powers by applying 
  a -¼ Reduced By Shrinking Limitation to any 
  affected ability. If a character applies that Limita-
  tion to the abilities gained from his Large Size 
  Template, then each level of Shrinking used 
  reduces the ability to what’s listed in the next-
  smallest template. For example, if a Colossal char-
  acter (+90 STR, +72m Running) has made his STR 
  and Running Reduced By Shrinking, then one 
  level of Shrinking reduces them to the STR and 
  Running listed in the Gargantuan Size Template: 
  +75 STR and +60m Running.
  3
  
  80 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  lARGE CHARACTERS uSInG GROWTH
  If a permanently large character wants to use 
  Growth to become even larger, first determine 
  which “level” of Growth he fits into based on 
  his usual size. Then he can buy levels of Growth 
  up from there. To determine the cost of his first 
  level of Growth, subtract the cost of his “current” 
  level of “Growth” from the cost of the level he’s 
  increasing his size to (see the Growth Table on 
  6E1 229). Additional levels after that have their 
  normal cost.
  For example, suppose that a character is 
  normally 16m tall — eight times normal human 
  size, equivalent to three levels of Growth. That 
  means he’s paid for the Huge Size Template and 
  taken the appropriate Physical Complication. If 
  he wants to buy a level of Growth to double his 
  size to 32m (Gigantic), he pays the cost differ-
  ence between his equivalent level of Growth 
  (Huge) and what he’ll be when he doubles his size 
  (Gigantic): 120 - 90 = 30 Character Points. If he 
  wants to buy a second level of Growth, so he can 
  increase his size to 64m (Gargantuan), he has to 
  pay the additional 30 Character Points (what it 
  would normally cost to increase Growth from four 
  levels [120 points] to five [150 points]). A third 
  level, to Colossal (125m tall), would cost 65 more 
  Character Points, as shown on the Growth Table.
  ABSORPTIOn
  If a character has two Absorptions Linked 
  together to act as a single compound power, they 
  function as a single instance of Absorption and 
  gain or lose points as a single unit. Each would 
  lost 5 Character Points’ worth of effect per Turn 
  (or over whatever Delayed Return Rate period has 
  been purchased for the power).
  ABSORBInG FROm STun-Only ATTACKS
  In the GM’s discretion, a character can 
  Absorb from STUN-only attacks, if doing so 
  would be reasonable according to the special 
  effects involved and not unbalance the game. 
  For example, a character with Physical Absorp-
  tion might be able to Absorb from a STUN Only 
  Blast defined as a rubber bullet (because it has a 
  definite Physical impact), but not from a tranquil-
  izer dart or an Enervator Ray. If the attack is one 
  the character can Absorb (for example, it’s an 
  Energy attack, and he has Energy Absorption), 
  count the Normal Damage BODY. That repre-
  sents the amount of “BODY” he can Absorb from 
  that attack, even though the attack itself doesn’t 
  cause BODY damage. The GM can apply the same 
  reasoning to Powers that don’t directly “damage” 
  the character, like Dispel, though he should be 
  even warier about allowing characters to Absorb 
  from them than from STUN-only attacks.
  ABSORBInG FROm mEnTAl ATTACKS
  With the GM’s permission, a character can 
  define Absorption as working against Mental 
  attacks instead of Physical or Energy attacks. To 
  determine the strength of a mental attack, count 
  the “Normal Damage BODY” rolled on its effect 
  dice. Mental Absorption doesn’t have to be bought 
  with AVAD or any other Advantages; it simply has 
  to be defined as working against Mental attacks.
  If the character also wants to Absorb Physical 
  or Energy attacks which are not EGO-based 
  but which are defined as “mental powers” (such 
  as some psychokinetic abilities), he can buy 
  Physical or Energy Absorption with the Limited 
  Special Effect (mental powers, -1) Limitation. For 
  purposes of Absorption, telekinetic force blasts 
  and similar attacks are regarded as either Physical 
  or Energy attacks (as defined by the character 
  possessing the power); they’re not “mental 
  attacks.”
  If the points Absorbed through a Mental 
  Absorption go to EGO, the increased EGO doesn’t 
  help a character resist the effects of the attack he’s 
  Absorbing, but they may increase his EGO Roll 
  for purposes of breaking out of that attack.
  Example: Brainstorm buys Absorption 10 BODY 
  versus Mental attacks; the Absorbed points go 
  to his EGO. Mentalla attacks him with Mind 
  Control 10d6. The GM counts the “Normal 
  Damage BODY” on the Mind Control dice and 
  gets 9. Brainstorm can Absorb all 9 “BODY” 
  from the Mind Control. His EGO increases by 9. 
  Although this won’t help him resist the effects of 
  the Mind Control (i.e., the GM still uses his base 
  EGO to determine the level of effect achieved by 
  the Mind Control roll), he has +2 to his Breakout 
  Roll when trying to break free from the Mind 
  Control.
  HEAlInG vIA ABSORPTIOn 
  In genre fiction it’s not uncommon for some 
  characters (particularly ones with “bodies of 
  energy” or similar powers) to “heal” themselves 
  by absorbing energy from outside sources. For 
  example, an electricity elemental who’s been 
  injured by an attack (or perhaps by using his 
  powers too much) could touch a wall socket and 
  draw electricity from it into himself to “heal” 
  himself or replenish his spent energy.
  In game terms, powers such as this are typically 
  built with Absorption as the base Power, plus a 
  Linked Healing of some sort. But at the GM’s 
  option, a character can take the new +0 Advan-
  tage, Healing Effect, for those Powers. Absorption 
  with Healing Effect must be defined to affect 
  only the Characteristic or Power the character 
  wants to “heal” (typically BODY, STUN, or both 
  at once), only works when that Characteristic or 
  Power is below its ordinary starting total, and can 
  only increase that Characteristic or Power up to 
  its ordinary starting total... but the effect of the 
  Power is permanent, just like Healing is. Unlike 
  Healing, a character can use Absorption with 
  Healing Effect again and again on himself without 
  restriction, though the GM may choose to impose 
  restrictions on it similar to those on Healing if 
  players use a Healing Effect power improperly.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  81
  Example: Kasdrevan (a wizard with 10 BODY) 
  has a spell, the Incantation of the Healing Blow, 
  which causes attacks made against him to heal 
  him! He defines this as Absorption 10 BODY 
  (physical, to BODY), Healing Effect (+0). Because 
  he’s applied the Healing Effect Advantage, he 
  can’t split the Absorption between, say, BODY 
  and PD — it can only affect BODY, the Char-
  acteristic he wants to “heal.” Furthermore, the 
  Absorption only works when his BODY is below 
  10 due to injuries or other factors, and cannot 
  increase his BODY beyond 10. However, any 
  BODY gained from the Absorption remains with 
  him permanently (until lost to another injury or 
  the like); the points gained don’t fade away as 
  they would with an ordinary Absorption power.
  AID
  A character cannot refuse to accept an Aid. 
  However, (a) he could Abort to make it harder 
  for the character with Aid to succeed with the 
  necessary Attack Roll, and/or (b) refuse to use an 
  Aided Characteristic at its full amount for some 
  reason. Additionally, if a character doesn’t want to 
  be Aided, his Power Defense (if any) reduces the 
  effect of the Aid.
  If a character buys Boost in a Power Frame-
  work and switches the Framework to another 
  slot, the Boost immediately stops working — the 
  character can no longer pay END to maintain it 
  since it’s not active.
  BARRIER
  If an attack doesn’t do enough BODY damage 
  to get through a Barrier, it doesn’t do Knockback 
  to the character who created the Barrier. If the 
  character wants to take Knockback from any 
  attack that could do Knockback regardless of 
  whether it penetrates the Barrier or not, he can 
  take that as a -½ form of the Feedback Limitation.
  The BODY from Coordinated attacks does 
  not add together for purposes of damaging a 
  Barrier, or any other purpose. If one Coordinated 
  attack creates a hole in a Barrier (or destroys it), 
  then all the other attacks being Coordinated are 
  considered to occur “after” that attack so they pass 
  through the hole.
  Even if formed into a globe or similar shape, a 
  Barrier doesn’t take Knockback or get moved by 
  attacks.
  BACKlASH
  The Backlash (+½) Advantage described in 
  6E1 172 applies only to Barriers used to englobe 
  targets. However, the GM permit characters to use 
  it with ordinary Barriers instead. In that case any 
  attack that hits the Barrier from any side triggers 
  the Backlash effect (this doesn’t apply to attacks 
  made through the transparent side of a One-Way 
  Transparent Barrier). Consider this a “Caution 
  Sign” ability.
  mulTIPlE BARRIERS
  Characters can use Barrier multiple times 
  (either once per Phase over several Phases, or 
  in a single Phase via Multiple Attack, Autofire, 
  or similar methods) to create multiple Barriers 
  in concentric rows, Barriers that attach to one 
  another to create a longer or taller Barrier, or 
  the like, unless the GM rules otherwise. The GM 
  should monitor any use of “stacked” Barriers to 
  ensure that they don’t unbalance the game by 
  allowing a character to provide himself with lots of 
  protection for relatively little cost.
  ADDERS
  Dismissable: As noted in 6E1, a Barrier is a 
  physical object that remains in existence until 
  destroyed (or until its creator stops paying END, 
  in the case of Barriers that cost Endurance to 
  maintain). However, in some cases characters may 
  want to be able to instantly remove the Barriers 
  they create. A Barrier with the +5 Character Point 
  Adder Dismissable can be removed by its creator if 
  he takes a Zero Phase Action to do so.
  At the GM’s option, characters can also apply 
  this Adder to other Instant Powers that have some 
  sort of “lingering” effect, such as Entangle or Mind 
  Control. It cannot be used to instantly “heal” 
  the effects of an Attack Power, such as STUN or 
  BODY damage.
  lImITATIOnS
  Always On: Making a Barrier Always On doesn’t 
  cause it to instantly re-create itself after it’s broken 
  by an attack. The character must still take a Zero 
  Phase Action to activate the Barrier again.
  BlAST
  In a (very) theoretical sort of way, you 
  can think of Blast not as a Power that “causes 
  damage,” but as a Power that “subtracts points 
  of a Characteristic.” The standard Blast subtracts 
  points of STUN (and perhaps BODY) from a 
  target if the total on the dice exceeds the target’s 
  defenses. That raises the possiblity of substituting 
  other Characteristics for STUN and BODY. For 
  example, perhaps a character could buy a Blast 
  that subtracts points of CON instead of STUN and 
  REC instead of BODY. This could pose serious 
  game balance problems, though, so consider it a 
  “Stop Sign” suggestion.
  ADvAnTAGES
  Increased STun Damage: At the GM’s option, 
  characters can buy the Advantage Increased 
  STUN Damage for Blast. For a +¼ Advantage, the 
  character increases the STUN damage rolled for 
  his Blast by an amount equal to the dice (not DCs) 
  in the attack, thus improving his chances of doing 
  STUN damage to the target, Stunning the target, 
  and so forth. For example, a Blast 6d6, Increased 
  STUN Damage would add +6 STUN to every roll. 
  3
  
  82 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Characters may buy this Advantage multiple times 
  for a single attack, adding the dice in the attack 
  as STUN for each purchase (thus doing 2x dice 
  in extra STUN for a +½ Advantage, 3x dice in 
  extra STUN for +¾, and so forth). The GM may 
  establish a limit on how many times a character 
  can purchase this Advantage for a single attack, if 
  desired.
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT
  In most cases a Change Environment that’s 
  bought with Area Of Effect only affects characters 
  who are actually in the Area. However, in some 
  cases phenomena passing through the Area may 
  be affected as well. For example, if a character tries 
  to perceive through an area with a CE that reduces 
  PER Rolls, that reduction applies to his attempts 
  to perceive things on the other side of the CE field. 
  If he fires a Ranged attack through a CE field that 
  increases the Range Modifier, that increase affects 
  the Range Modifier for his attack.
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT TO 
  ImPOSE lImITATIOnS 
  A character who wants to impose a Limita-
  tion on another character’s power permanently 
  (or for a long period of time) uses Transform (see 
  6E1 304). However, there may be situations where 
  a character only wants to impose a Limitation for 
  a short period of time by paying END to maintain 
  the effect. You can do with with Change Environ-
  ment, though the GM may restrict this to only the 
  single-target form of Change Environment.
  The GM determines the combat effect cost of 
  imposing a Limitation, but typically it’s a 5 Char-
  acter Point combat effect per -¼ worth of Limita-
  tion imposed. Limitations imposed by Change 
  Environment can make a power more difficult to 
  use in some way, but cannot deprive the target 
  of the use of the power altogether (for example, 
  a character couldn’t impose the Limitation Only 
  Works At Night on a power during the daytime). 
  The imposed Limitation should also be one that 
  could logically be added or removed by a Constant 
  Power. For example, it’s perfectly plausible for a 
  power to temporarily cost more END (i.e., to have 
  Increased Endurance Cost imposed on it by CE). 
  But generally speaking it would defy common 
  and dramatic sense for a power to suddenly have 
  Charges or Focus, then to go back to not having 
  Charges/Focus once the Change Environment 
  effect ends.
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT TO 
  REmOvE ADvAnTAGES 
  The flip side to imposing Limitations on a 
  power is removing a power’s Advantages tempo-
  rarily. The GM determines the combat effect cost 
  of removing an Advantage, but typically it’s a 5 
  Character Point combat effect per +¼ worth of 
  Advantage removed. For these purposes the GM 
  may want to consider “sub-types” of an Advantage 
  as separate Advantages. For example a character 
  would have to buy Change Environment (Remove 
  Area Of Effect [Radius]), and couldn’t affect 
  Cones, Lines, Any Area, Surface, or Explosion 
  with it. As with imposing a Limitation, removing 
  an Advantage has to comply with common and 
  dramatic sense. It’s perfectly plausible to remove 
  a power’s Reduced Endurance temporarily in 
  most cases (though perhaps not for an Always On 
  power), but it might be odd for an attack to be 
  NND one second and work against its standard 
  defense the next.
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT TO ImPOSE 
  COmPlICATIOnS 
  Continuing the “Change Environment as a 
  short-term, Constant variant of Transform” theme, 
  the GM could permit a character to temporarily 
  impose a Complication on another character via 
  CE. The GM determines the combat effect cost 
  of imposing a Complication, but typically it’s 
  a 5 Character Point combat effect per 5 Char-
  acter Points’ worth of Complication (or fraction 
  thereof). However, any Complications imposed 
  cannot be so severe as to significantly incapacitate 
  or seriously harm the character. For example, 
  temporarily giving a character a die or three of 
  Unluck, a Vulnerability to an uncommon form of 
  attack, or a Fear Of Rats is probably permissible in 
  most circumstances. Inflicting Physical Complica-
  tion: Breathes Pure Xenon, Susceptibility: to air, or 
  Vulnerability: 2 x STUN and BODY from Physical 
  Attacks probably is not.
  mEnTAlIST CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnTS
  Clever mentalists can find many uses for 
  Change Environment. First, there are some 
  combat effects specifically related to psionics that 
  the GM can allow. These include:
  
  n EGO reduction (-1 point of EGO): 5 Character 
  Points
  
  n EGO Roll reduction (-1 to EGO Rolls): 3 Char-
  acter Points
  
  n Breakout Roll reduction (-1 to Breakout Rolls): 
  3 Character Points (this assumes Breakout 
  Rolls are the most common type of EGO Roll 
  in the campaign; if that’s not the case the GM 
  may want to lower the cost to 2 Character 
  Points per -1)
  
  n Danger Sense roll reduction (-1 to Danger 
  Sense rolls): 2 Character Points
  
  n Precognition (or Retrocognition) reduction 
  (-1 to PER Rolls with that Sense): 2 Character 
  Points
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  83
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT: SuFFOCATIOn 
  At the GM’s option, a character can use Change 
  Environment to attack a target with a “suffoca-
  tion” effect. This deprives the target of the ability 
  to breathe and subjects him to the Drowning rules 
  (6E2 130). (Of course, it’s possible to build “he 
  can’t breathe” attacks many other ways, such as 
  with AVAD, but those forms usually work very 
  quickly; CE Suffocation works slowly according to 
  the Drowning rules.)
  Suffocation via Change Environment is a 
  20 Character Point combat effect that subjects 
  the target to the effects of drowning: he cannot 
  breathe; he cannot take Recoveries (not even 
  the Post-Segment 12 Recovery); and spends a 
  minimum of 1 END every Phase (and eventu-
  ally STUN, and then BODY, when he runs out 
  of END). (Obviously, this doesn’t work at all on 
  targets that have Life Support: Self-Contained 
  Breathing.) Additionally, a character being 
  suffocated cannot speak or use powers with the 
  Incantations Limitation (but he can still use voice-
  based powers such as a “sonic scream,” unless 
  the GM rules otherwise). When a character buys 
  Suffocation he must define a reasonably common 
  and obvious way to remove, negate, or avoid the 
  effect (other than Life Support). If the Change 
  Environment is bought with Area Of Effect, the 
  reasonable way is “get out of the Area”; for single-
  target Change Environments characters will have 
  to define more specific methods.
  CHAnGE EnvIROnmEnT: STunnInG 
  At the GM’s option, characters can also use 
  Change Environment against a single target to 
  create an attack that Stuns the target without 
  reducing his STUN. This combat effect costs 30 
  Character Points.
  When used, this form of Change Environ-
  ment Stuns the target, subjecting him to all the 
  effects described on 6E2 104 (except for the loss of 
  STUN; his STUN total isn’t reduced). The Stunned 
  effect lasts as long as the Change Environment is 
  maintained. However, when affected the victim 
  gets to make a CON Roll immediately, and if the 
  roll succeeds the attack has no effect on him. If the 
  roll fails, he gets to make an additional CON Roll 
  every Phase he’s affected at a cumulative +1 (so +1 
  on his second roll, +2 on his third, and so on). As 
  soon as any roll succeeds, the power immediately 
  stops affecting him and he has his full Phase in 
  which to act. To affect him further, the character 
  using the Change Environment has to use an 
  Attack Action and successfully attack him again.
  To counteract the CON Roll, a character 
  buying Change Environment (Stun) can include 
  penalties to CON Rolls as an additional combat 
  modifier.
  ClAIRSEnTIEnCE
  Clairsentience doesn’t let a character instantly 
  find an object in an unknown location. Clairsen-
  tience may speed a search because the searcher 
  doesn’t physically move from location to location, 
  but searching a town for something as small as 
  a single person could still take days. Searching a 
  major city for a villain’s hideout could take weeks.
  A character has to be able to perceive the 
  target location of his Clairsentience to position 
  his perception point properly (and as noted in 
  the rules, the GM may require an Attack Roll 
  against DCV 3 to do this successfully). If he 
  cannot perceive the target location, he either 
  can’t place the perception point there or has to 
  make his Attack Roll using the rules for lack of a 
  targeting sense.
  In some cases a character who has Clairsen-
  tience with a Mobile Perception Point may want 
  to “attach” the perception point to an object that’s 
  under someone else’s control. In that case, the 
  character’s ability to perceive the perception point 
  only matters when he establishes that perception 
  point by activating the power. Thereafter all that 
  matters is that the perception point remain within 
  range of his Clairsentience; whether he can see it 
  with his own eyes is irrelevant.
  Precognition And 
  Retrocognition
  Two of the most common forms of Clairsen-
  tience in many settings are Precognition (the 
  ability to perceive the future) and Retrocognition 
  (the ability to perceive the past). Either form is 
  typically bought with a -1 Limitation, as described 
  on 6E1 181; at the GM’s option, a character can 
  use a single Clairsentience power either way by 
  instead taking the Limitation Precognition And 
  Retrocognition Only for -½.
  HOW PRECOGnITIOn AnD 
  RETROCOGnITIOn WORK
  Precognition and Retrocognition can work in 
  either of two ways. Depending on how the GM 
  defines Clairsentience as working in his campaign, 
  one method may apply in the game exclusively, or 
  either method may be available to characters. In 
  the latter case, typically a character must choose 
  which way his Precognition or Retrocognition 
  works when he buys the power and cannot change 
  it thereafter. However, the GM can let characters 
  switch between methods at will, either by default 
  or if they buy a +½ Advantage, Variable Physical 
  Scanning, for the power.
  sCanning a LoCation
  The first way is to scan a location’s past or 
  future. Using this method, a character can see 
  who (or what!) enters and leaves a given spot, 
  but cannot establish a perception point beyond 
  the normal range for his Clairsentience (nor can 
  he move his perception point unless he’s bought 
  3
  
  84 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  the Mobile Perception Point Adder). If something 
  moves outside the radius of his perception, the 
  character has to move himself, then establish 
  another perception point at a location where he 
  can perceive the person or object he wants to 
  “follow.” In short, using Retrocognition to follow a 
  person in a fast car is almost always impossible.
  FoLLoWing a person or oBjeCt
  Alternatively, a character can follow the 
  timeline of a specific object or person. Theoreti-
  cally, a character could watch an alien visitor’s 
  timeline back to his birth on another planet! But 
  this assumes, of course, that the Clairsentience has 
  sufficient range, and/or that the perception point 
  is both (a) Mobile, and (b) fast enough to follow 
  the object or person. The GM may waive these 
  requirements in the interest of dramatic sense. 
  In that case, how far away the subject might have 
  been (or will be) from his present location doesn’t 
  matter, as long as he is within range of the char-
  acter’s Clairsentience when the character uses the 
  power. Even if the GM allows this, the character 
  cannot perceive into other dimensions, including 
  when the subject uses time travel powers, unless 
  he’s bought the Dimensional Sense Modifier for his 
  Clairsentience. Furthermore, the character cannot 
  switch targets in the past or future: he cannot, say, 
  follow one person’s timeline back to a meeting 
  with another person in Marrakech then switch to 
  the other person and see where that person went 
  after the meeting. However, the GM can allow 
  this if the character buys a +½ Advantage for 
  his Precognition or Retrocognition, Transferable 
  Subject.
  SCAnnInG THE TImElInE
  Just as normal Clairsentience can’t scan a broad 
  zone of space instantly, Precognition and Retro-
  cognition can’t scan a long timeline instantly. A 
  character using them views events in “real time” 
  — for every 1 Segment of time spent viewing, 1 
  Segment’s worth of viewed actions occur.
  Two methods for scanning over time more 
  quickly than 1 Segment per Segment are available 
  to characters. Depending on how the GM defines 
  Clairsentience as working in his campaign, one 
  method may apply in the game exclusively, or 
  either (or neither) method may be available to 
  characters. In the latter case, typically a char-
  acter must choose which way his Precognition or 
  Retrocognition works when he buys the power 
  and cannot change it thereafter. However, the GM 
  can let characters switch between methods at will, 
  either by default or if they buy a +¼ Advantage, 
  Variable Timeline Scanning, for the power.
  Whatever system a character uses, remember 
  that Precognition and Retrocognition only give 
  sensory impressions, which the character — and 
  player — must interpret for himself. Gamemasters 
  should try to merely describe what the character 
  sees (or hears, smells, and so forth) without 
  explaining it in any way.
  sped-up sCanning
  First, a character can scan through long 
  periods of time at a faster than the default one 
  Segment per Segment rate. A second-by-second 
  trace of a subject’s timeline can be sped up, like 
  a VCR on fast forward or reverse, but details get 
  lost. Quickly scanning whole decades of a subject’s 
  timeline just isn’t practical.
  Locating information by looking through time 
  takes a PER Roll, and fast scans impose negative 
  modifiers. Gamemasters can use the Time Chart 
  for modifiers. Scanning the past or future in “real 
  time” speed, one Segment per Segment, imposes 
  no modifier. A faster scan, one Phase per Segment, 
  imposes a -2 modifier on the PER Roll; 1 Turn per 
  segment gives a -4 modifier; 1 Minute per segment 
  gives a -6 modifier; and so on. Long-lasting, fairly 
  static events give opposing bonuses: +2 for an 
  event lasting a full Phase, +4 for a Turn, and so 
  forth. Using this as a guideline, GMs can create 
  reasonable modifiers for fast scans. Characters 
  may well decide to just scan short sections of a 
  timeline and hope they get lucky.
  highLights sCanning
  Second, a character can use a “selected high-
  lights” version of scanning to search for only the 
  most important events in a person’s or object’s 
  existence. It’s not as precise and controllable as 
  deciding to scan, say, everything that happened 
  between four and three weeks ago, but when it 
  works it saves the character a lot of time. In this 
  system, each use of Precognition or Retrocog-
  nition picks up one important event from the 
  subject’s timeline. For objects, significant events 
  include its creation, its use in a powerful magic 
  spell or a murder, its destruction, or getting a new 
  owner. For people, any event charged with strong 
  emotion has importance: birth, death, family 
  tragedy, love’s first kiss, sheer terror, and so on.
  The chief problem with this method is getting 
  the right scene. The less important an event was 
  to the subject, the harder finding the event will 
  be. Suppose a character tries to solve a murder 
  with Retrocognition, using objects at the scene 
  of the crime as subjects. The murder weapon is 
  perfect: it was intimately involved in the crime and 
  very close to the killer. It would probably allow 
  an unmodified PER Roll to spot the murderer’s 
  face. A vase shattered in the course of the murder 
  wouldn’t be as good: it suffered a significant event 
  (breaking), but it wasn’t closely involved in the 
  crime itself. Seeing the details of the crime from 
  the vase’s point of view would suffer a severe 
  penalty, if it was possible at all. (See also Psychom-
  etry, immediately below.)
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  85
  PSyCHOmETRy
  Some characters can read the mental or 
  emotional traces, signatures, or residues that 
  cling to objects or places. This ability is known as 
  psychometry. Sometimes psychometric readings 
  are only feelings or impressions; at other times 
  they’re full-blown visions of some past event.
  In HERO System terms, you build psychometry 
  by buying Retrocognition with the Limitation 
  Psychometry (-½). This is basically just the Focus 
  Limitation slightly redefined; it means the char-
  acter can only view the past through objects, and 
  can only see the past associated with (or some-
  times near) those objects. (At the GM’s option, 
  characters can also use Telepathy to simulate 
  psychometry, but in a much more limited way. 
  For example, using Psychometry Retrocognition 
  on a bloody dagger used to kill someone would 
  give the mentalist a vision of a knifing murder, 
  whereas Telepathy would only detect the traces 
  of the extreme hatred and fear associated with 
  the act. In other words, Psychometry Retrocogni-
  tion provides both a more extensive and a clearer 
  psychometric “picture” than Telepathy.)
  Not all objects have the same “psychometric 
  value.” For example, a mirror broken during a 
  murder may hold traces some of the fear or hatred 
  associated with the killing, but it’s just “fear” or 
  “hatred” — what caused that fear or hatred won’t 
  usually be apparent, since the object was only 
  indirectly involved in the act in question. On the 
  other hand, the murder weapon contains strong 
  traces of the emotions involved, and will prob-
  ably even grant the character a vision of what 
  happened during the murder — as the instrumen-
  tality of the killing, the weapon is so central to 
  the event and its emotions that it carries traces of 
  everything that happened.
  In some cases Psychometry Retrocognition 
  powers allow a character to gain information 
  about a person by examining an object that’s 
  important to him or which he’s handled or used 
  frequently (for example, a favorite piece of jewelry, 
  a car, a favored weapon). Usually this is limited to 
  a general emotional/spiritual description of that 
  person (he’s evil, he’s generally happy, he’s mentally 
  powerful) or the circumstances in which he tends 
  to use or handle the object.
  Only THROuGH DREAmS
  Some characters buy Precognition or Retrocog-
  nition with the Only Through Dreams (-1) Limita-
  tion. This means the character has to sleep for at 
  least one hour to gain a glimpse of the future (or 
  the past). However, the information imparted to 
  him may be unclear, muddled, or highly symbolic, 
  as dreams themselves so often are. At the GM’s 
  option, the longer the character sleeps (up to a 
  “full night’s sleep” of eight hours), the clearer 
  his foresight becomes... though it’s never totally 
  obvious.
  SEnSE-AFFECTInG POWERS
  For purposes of the Sense-Affecting Powers, 
  Precognitive Clairsentience and Retrocognitive 
  Clairsentience should be considered separate from 
  each other and from normal Clairsentience. Thus, 
  a Flash versus Clairsentience affects a character’s 
  ordinary Clairsentience (Sight Group), but not 
  his Precognition or Retrocognition; a Flash versus 
  his Precognition doesn’t affect his Clairvsentience 
  (Sight Group) or Retrocognition. If a character 
  has two or more Clairsentience-based abilities, it’s 
  up to the GM to decide whether they’re affected 
  together or separately by Powers like Darkness 
  and Flash.
  Other Aspects Of 
  Clairsentience
  ClAIRmEnTAlISm
  Unless the GM objects, characters can buy 
  Clairsentience for Mental Sense Group senses, 
  such as Mental Awareness or Detect Mind. Since 
  Mind Scan already has a “Clairsentience-like” 
  range, it doesn’t need a “Clair” effect.
  TARGETInG mEnTAl POWERS 
  vIA ClAIRSEnTIEnCE
  The default rule is that a character can’t 
  establish LOS with Clairsentience, even with 
  Mental Powers. Applying the Indirect Advantage 
  to a Mental Power doesn’t change that — unless, 
  of course, the GM so permits. In that case the 
  Indirect should be the +½ “change the Source 
  Point from use to use” version (possibly at an even 
  higher value created specifically for this purpose).
  SEEInG THROuGH THE EyES OF OTHERS
  The Only Through The Senses Of Others 
  Limitation lets a character define a form of 
  Clairsentience that only works via other beings’ 
  Senses. Typically the “carrier” of the Clairsen-
  tience (the person whose Senses the mentalist 
  perceives through) doesn’t know he’s being used 
  for this purpose. However, a GM might give some 
  “targets” (say, those with Mental Awareness, if the 
  special effect of the Clairsentience is “psionics”) 
  a PER Roll to detect that something unusual’s 
  going on, or that someone’s hitching a ride in their 
  sensory nerves. If so, Invisible Power Effects at 
  the +¼ level suffices to hide the power from the 
  “target” altogether.
  If the “carrier” gets hurt, the character 
  perceiving through him doesn’t take damage. 
  However, he might be able to apply some version 
  of the Feedback Limitation to his Clairsentience, 
  in which case he would take any damage his 
  “puppet” takes.
  Clairsentience with the Only Through The 
  Senses Of Others Limitation allows a character to 
  use Senses he does not himself possess. When a 
  character buys Clairsentience, he specifies which 
  Sense Groups it covers, and it doesn’t neces-
  sarily have to correspond to the Sense Groups 
  3
  
  86 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  he has naturally. If the being through whom he’s 
  perceiving has Senses in the Sense Groups covered 
  by his Clairsentience, he can use them even if he 
  doesn’t have the same Senses.
  If a character using Clairsentience Only 
  Through The Senses Of Others can’t perceive 
  a being whose Senses he wants to use, using 
  whatever Senses or Sensory Powers he has, then 
  generally he can’t use the Power. (A character 
  could build an Enhanced Sense specifically for the 
  purposes of perceiving potential target minds.)
  Typically a character cannot use Mind Scan to 
  locate a target sufficiently to allow Clairsentience 
  through that target’s Senses. However, if a char-
  acter successfully uses Mind Scan on a target, he 
  gains some knowledge of that target’s location (the 
  better his Effect Roll, the more precise his knowl-
  edge). A GM could rule that that’s enough for a 
  character to “target” his Clairsentience through 
  the senses of the person being Scanned, or could 
  allow an Attack Roll (modified or not).
  If the person or being the character’s Clairsen-
  tience perceives through moves out of the range of 
  the Clairsentience, the power stops working unless 
  the GM rules otherwise.
  ClInGInG
  Clinging Usable As Attack isn’t the same thing 
  as an Entangle. First, it doesn’t prevent the victim 
  from moving; it simply requires him to succeed 
  with a STR Versus STR Roll to overcome the STR 
  of the Clinging with his own STR to move if the 
  movement requires him to touch a surface (if he’s 
  not, as with Flight or Teleportation, then no roll is 
  necessary). Alternately, he could simply break the 
  surface he’s attached to and carry a piece of it with 
  him as he moves. He’d also have to make a roll to 
  stand up if he’s knocked to the ground, to let go of 
  a held object, or the like. His DCV isn’t affected. 
  If he takes Knockback, standard rules for how 
  Clinging affects that apply; if someone wants to 
  use a Shove or the like on him, he uses the Cling-
  ing’s STR or his own STR, whichever is higher, to 
  resist.
  Generally a character’s only going to have to 
  make one STR Roll to resist Clinging for each 
  discrete effect, as judged by the GM. For example, 
  in one Phase he might have to make one roll to 
  walk, one to let go of an object, and one to stand 
  up after being knocked down. All these rolls are 
  Actions that take no time, so there’s no issue about 
  having to rely on Casual STR.
  Whether this is a UAA power that has to be 
  “controlled” by the attacker, like Flight, is up to the 
  GM, but generally it’s more akin to Desolidifica-
  tion UAA and doesn’t require control.
  Clinging UAA doesn’t cause other persons or 
  objects to get “stuck” to the target if they touch 
  him.
  DAmAGE nEGATIOn
  In the standard HERO System rules, Damage 
  Negation only applies against attacks that cause 
  damage to the target, such as Normal Damage, 
  Killing Damage, AVADs, and Drains of STUN or 
  BODY. However, at the GM’s option, characters 
  can apply Damage Negation to other types of 
  attacks as well. Typically this is most appropriate 
  when the Damage Negation has the Only Works 
  Against [Limited Type Of Damage] Limitation 
  so that it only affects attacks of a specific special 
  effect.
  You can use the Damage Class rules (6E2 96) 
  to determine how many “Damage” Classes other 
  types of attacks have. Assuming the attack has no 
  Advantages, here’s how it usually works:
  Drain: Each -1 DC is -½d6 of effect.
  Entangle: Each -2 DCs is -1d6 of BODY and -1 
  PD/-1 ED. If the GM wants to get more detailed, 
  he can remove -1d6 of BODY alternating with -1 
  PD/-1 ED for each -1 DC.
  Flash: Each -1 DC is -1d6 of effect (regardless of 
  whether the Flash affects a Targeting or Nontar-
  geting Sense Group).
  Transform: Each -1 DC is -1d6 from a Cosmetic 
  or Minor Transform or -½d6 from a Major 
  Transform; for Severe Transforms use the “Killing 
  Damage” column on the Damage Classes Table.
  The GM can also allow characters to buy 
  Damage Negation solely to apply to Mental 
  attacks. Ordinarily Damage Negation affects 
  Mental Blasts but no other Mental Powers. 
  “Mental Damage Negation” affects all offensive 
  Mental Powers, but no other abilities. (For these 
  purposes the GM can consider powers that 
  simulate Mental attacks [see 6E1 326] as “Mental 
  Powers,” if desired.) Each -1 DC equals -½d6 of 
  Mental Blast or -1d6 from a continuing-effect 
  Mental Power.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  87
  DAmAGE REDuCTIOn
  Damage Reduction is a fun Power that’s useful 
  for building many different abilities and charac-
  ters. However, since it works a little differently 
  from other Defense Powers, there are several 
  factors the GM should consider before allowing it 
  into play, particularly as a defense for PCs.
  First, because it removes a percentage of the 
  damage taken after defenses, rather than a fixed 
  subtractive amount like other Defense Powers, 
  Damage Reduction becomes more effective (in 
  absolute terms) the more powerful the attack. For 
  example, if an attack does 20 points of damage 
  after defenses, then 50% Damage Reduction 
  removes 10 points of damage... but if the attack 
  does 30 points of damage, 50% Damage Reduction 
  removes 15 points. This tends to make Damage 
  Reduction a more attractive purchase for higher-
  powered games (the moreso because its flat cost 
  makes it more affordable when characters have 
  lots of points to spend; see 6E2 284 for further 
  discussion).
  Second, because it always lets some damage 
  through, Damage Reduction isn’t as effective 
  as raw PD/ED against a large number of low-
  powered attacks as it is against one (or a few) 
  large attacks. For example, 75% Energy Damage 
  Reduction (cost: 60 points) lets 25% of an attack’s 
  damage apply to a character, whereas having a 
  62 ED (cost: 60 points) makes it virtually impos-
  sible to harm that character with an energy attack. 
  (Of course, Advantages like Armor Piercing and 
  Penetrating can affect the situation, which is why 
  the HERO System has multiple defense options 
  for characters to choose from.) This makes it ideal 
  for creating master villains, giant monsters, and 
  the like — foes the GM wants the PCs to slowly 
  whittle down to defeat, but not to take out of the 
  fight with just one or two punches (so to speak). 
  On the other hand, it may be less useful for PCs 
  who tend to face large numbers of lesser-powered 
  foes (such as a martial artist who often fights 
  hordes of ninja singlehandedly). On the other 
  other hand, the very fact that Damage Reduc-
  tion does let some damage through may make 
  it acceptable to the GM in situations where he 
  wouldn’t let a character spend the same amount of 
  Character Points on raw PD/ED.
  For nearly all campaigns the cost of Damage 
  Reduction works well. But in some games the GM 
  may want to adjust the cost in light of the factors 
  discussed above. This may be particularly appro-
  priate in campaigns where the GM exercises rigid 
  control over how much damage characters can 
  do, which makes it easy to determine the relative 
  worth of Damage Reduction versus straightfor-
  ward points of PD/ED.
  EXPAnDED DAmAGE REDuCTIOn 
  In some campaigns, the GM may want to 
  expand the options for Damage Reduction. The 
  accompanying Expanded Damage Reduction 
  Table lists the new levels and their cost in Char-
  acter Points.
  As you can see, the list includes 100% Damage 
  Reduction, which could obviously become incred-
  ibly unbalancing in any campaign. To prevent 
  this, the GM should at the very least require that a 
  character who buys it define it as working against 
  only a single special effect (such as only against 
  Fire/Heat or only against Electricity) for no 
  Limitation value and/or that the character specify 
  a very common, obvious way for attackers to 
  “bypass” the Damage Reduction so that it doesn’t 
  reduce the damage of an attack at all.
  Another possibility that allows for even greater 
  precision is to rework Damage Reduction so 
  that characters buy it in 10% increments, from 
  10% Damage Reduction all the way up to some 
  predefined maximum (such as 80% or 100%). 
  Each 10% would cost 10 Character Points for 
  Normal Damage Reduction, or 15 Character 
  Points for Resistant.
  AvOIDInG DAmAGE REDuCTIOn
  Under the standard HERO System rules, 
  Damage Reduction is something of an absolute — 
  if it applies to an attack, there’s no way to prevent 
  a character from being able to use it to diminish 
  the effect of an attack. If this strikes the GM as 
  unfair or inconsistent, he can allow characters to 
  buy a +¼ Advantage, Irreducible, for their attacks. 
  An Irreducible attack isn’t affected by Damage 
  Reduction at all; after a character subtracts his 
  defenses from the damage, the character takes the 
  full remaining amount of damage.
  EXPAnDED DAmAGE REDuCTIOn TABlE
  damage reduction
  normal 
  Cost
  resistant 
  Cost
  % of damage taken 
  after defenses
  25% Damage Reduction
  10 points
  15 points
  75% (three-fourths)
  50% Damage Reduction
  20 points
  30 points
  50% (one-half)
  75% Damage Reduction
  40 points
  60 points
  25% (one-fourth)
  100% Damage Reduction
  80 points
  120 points
  0%
  3
  
  88 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  DEFlECTIOn
  Characters ordinarily cannot use Deflection on 
  Mental Powers, since Deflection derives from the 
  rules for Blocking Ranged attacks, and those rules 
  specifically prohibit the Blocking of Mental attacks 
  (see 6E2 59). However, in some campaigns, partic-
  ularly those that feature a lot of Mental powers 
  and attacks, the GM could permit characters to 
  buy Mental Deflection. Mental Deflection costs 
  the same as ordinary Deflection, but only works 
  against Mental Powers and attacks. It uses OMCV 
  versus OMCV, rather than OCV versus OCV as 
  usual for Block; standard modifiers to OCV (such 
  as the Range Modifier) do not apply unless they 
  normally apply to Mental abilities. However, the 
  character must have a way to perceive Mental 
  Powers (such as Mental Awareness), or at best 
  he’ll have a slim chance to Deflect a Mental attack 
  based on guesswork. Other rules for Deflection 
  apply normally, unless the GM changes them 
  based on the way Mental powers work in his 
  campaign.
  Hardened and Impenetrable have no applica-
  tion with Deflection. Neither AP nor Penetrating 
  has any effect on a character’s ability to Deflect a 
  Ranged attack.
  Only WORKS AGAInST [lImITED 
  TyPE OF ATTACK]
  Characters often apply the Only Works Against 
  [Limited Type Of Attack] Limitation (6E1 148) to 
  Deflection even though it’s not a Defense Power. 
  For example, a character with Sonic powers might 
  be able to Deflect attacks involving sound, but not 
  other types of attacks. Some common forms of 
  this Limitation for Deflection include:
  
  n Only Works Against Thrown Objects/Weapons 
  (-¾)
  
  n Only Works Against Non-Gunpowder Projec-
  tiles (arrows, sling stones, thrown objects/
  weapons, and the like; -½)
  
  n Only Works Against Physical Projectiles (e.g., 
  bullets, arrows, thrown weapons, or shrapnel, 
  but not energy beams; -¼)
  
  n Only Works Against Bullets (but no other 
  type of Ranged attack; -½) (you can change 
  “Bullets” to any other common specific form of 
  Ranged attack for the same value, or more/less 
  common forms for a lesser/greater Limitation 
  value)
  
  n Only Works Against Energy Beams (but no 
  physical projectiles; -½)
  As usual, these values are for the “typical” 
  campaign; the GM has the final say on the value 
  based on how common a type of attack is. For 
  example, in some Fantasy campaigns arrows may 
  be common enough to only merit a -¼ Limitation.
  DEnSITy InCREASE
  Some characters or campaigns may need more 
  information about Density Increase. The two 
  accompanying tables increase the options available 
  to characters who want to increase their density 
  at will.
  First, the Expanded Density Increase Table 
  carries the standard table out to much higher 
  levels. Beginning at about 124 Character Points’ 
  worth of DI, “realistically” a character will begin 
  to exert a noticeable gravitational attraction on 
  people near him.
  Second, the Detailed Density Increase Table 
  provides greater “granularity” for Density Increase 
  by allowing characters to buy it in 2-point incre-
  ments. For each +2 Character Points between the 
  standard DI cost breakpoints, the character gets 
  +2 STR, -1m KB, and the PD bonus of the next 
  highest level of DI (ED remains the same as the 
  next lowest level).
  DETAIlED DEnSITy 
  InCREASE TABlE
  points
  Mass (Kg)
  str
  KB
  pd
  ed
  0
  100
  +0
  -0m
  +0
  +0
  2
  150
  +2
  -1m
  +1
  +0
  4
  200
  +5
  -2m
  +1
  +1
  6
  300
  +7
  -3m
  +2
  +1
  8
  400
  +10
  -4m
  +2
  +2
  10
  600
  +12
  -5m
  +3
  +2
  12
  800
  +15
  -6m
  +3
  +3
  14
  1,200
  +17
  -7m
  +4
  +3
  16
  1,600
  +20
  -8m
  +4
  +4
  18
  2,400
  +22
  -9m
  +5
  +4
  20
  3,200
  +25
  -10m
  +5
  +5
  22
  4,800
  +27
  -11m
  +6
  +5
  24
  6,400
  +30
  -12m
  +6
  +6
  26
  9,600
  +32
  -13m
  +7
  +6
  28
  12,500
  +35
  -14m
  +7
  +7
  30
  19,000
  +37
  -15m
  +8
  +7
  32
  25,000
  +40
  -16m
  +8
  +8
  34
  37,500
  +42
  -17m
  +9
  +8
  36
  50,000
  +45
  -18m
  +9
  +9
  38
  75,000
  +47
  -19m
  +10
  +9
  40
  100,000
  +50
  -20m
  +10
  +10
  42
  150,000
  +52
  -21m
  +11
  +10
  44
  200,000
  +55
  -22m
  +11
  +11
  46
  300,000
  +57
  -23m
  +12
  +11
  48
  400,000
  +60
  -24m
  +12
  +12
  50
  600,000
  +62
  -25m
  +13
  +12
  52
  800,000
  +65
  -26m
  +13
  +13
  54
  1,200,000
  +67
  -27m
  +14
  +13
  56
  1,600,000
  +70
  -28m
  +14
  +14
  58
  2,400,000
  +72
  -29m
  +15
  +14
  60
  3,200,000
  +75
  -30m
  +15
  +15
  62
  4,800,000
  +77
  -31m
  +16
  +15
  ...and so on
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  89
  points
  Mass (Kg)
  str
  KB
  pd
  ed
  0
  100
  +0
  -0m
  +0
  +0
  4
  101-200
  +5
  -2m
  +1
  +1
  8
  201-400
  +10
  -4m
  +2
  +2
  12
  401-800
  +15
  -6m
  +3
  +3
  16
  801-1,600 
  +20
  -8m
  +4
  +4
  20
  1,601-3,200
  +25
  -10m
  +5
  +5
  24
  3,201-6,400
  +30
  -12m
  +6
  +6
  28
  6,401-12,500
  +35
  -14m
  +7
  +7
  32
  12,501-25,000
  +40
  -16m
  +8
  +8
  36
  25,0001-50,000
  +45
  -18m
  +9
  +9
  40
  50,0001-100,000
  +50
  -20m
  +10
  +10
  44
  100,001-200,000
  +55
  -22m
  +11
  +11
  48
  200,001-400,000
  +60
  -24m
  +12
  +12
  52
  400,001-800,000
  +65
  -26m
  +13
  +13
  56
  800,001- 
  1.6 million (1 kton)
  +70
  -28m
  +14
  +14
  60
  1.7-3.2 million
  +75
  -30m
  +15
  +15
  64
  3.3-6.4 million
  +80
  -32m
  +16
  +16
  68
  6.5-12.5 million
  +85
  -34m
  +17
  +17
  72
  12.6-25 million
  +90
  -36m
  +18
  +18
  76
  26-50 million
  +95
  -38m
  +19
  +19
  80
  51-100 million
  +100
  -40m
  +20
  +20
  84
  101-200 million
  +105
  -42m
  +21
  +21
  88
  201-400 million
  +110
  -44m
  +22
  +22
  92
  401-800 million
  +115
  -46m
  +23
  +23
  96
  801 million- 
  1.6 mtons
  +120
  -48m
  +24
  +24
  100
  1.7-3.2 mtons
  +125
  -50m
  +25
  +25
  104
  3.3-6.4 mtons
  +130
  -52m
  +26
  +26
  108
  6.5-12.5 mtons
  +135
  -54m
  +27
  +27
  112
  12.6-25 mtons
  +140
  -56m
  +28
  +28
  116
  26-50 mtons
  +145
  -58m
  +29
  +29
  120
  51-100 mtons
  +150
  -60m
  +30
  +30
  124
  101-200 mtons
  +155
  -62m
  +31
  +31
  128
  201-400 mtons
  +160
  -64m
  +32
  +32
  132
  401-800 mtons
  +165
  -66m
  +33
  +33
  points
  Mass (Kg)
  str
  KB
  pd
  ed
  136
  801 mtons- 
  1.6 gtons
  +170
  -68m
  +34
  +34
  140
  1.7-3.2 gtons
  +175
  -70m
  +35
  +35
  144
  3.3-6.4 gtons
  +180
  -72m
  +36
  +36
  148
  6.5-12.5 gtons
  +185
  -74m
  +37
  +37
  152
  12.6-25 gtons
  +190
  -76m
  +38
  +38
  156
  26-50 gtons
  +195
  -78m
  +39
  +39
  160
  51-100 gtons
  +200
  -80m
  +40
  +40
  164
  101-200 gtons
  +205
  -82m
  +41
  +41
  168
  201-400 gtons
  +210
  -84m
  +42
  +42
  172
  401-800 gtons
  +215
  -86m
  +43
  +43
  176
  801 gtons-1.6 ttons
  +220
  -88m
  +44
  +44
  180
  1.7-3.2 ttons
  +225
  -90m
  +45
  +45
  184
  3.3-6.4 ttons
  +230
  -92m
  +46
  +46
  188
  6.5-12.5 ttons
  +235
  -94m
  +47
  +47
  192
  12.6-25 ttons
  +240
  -96m
  +48
  +48
  196
  26-50 ttons
  +245
  -98m
  +49
  +49
  200
  51-100 ttons
  +250
  -100m
  +50
  +50
  204
  101-200 ttons
  +255
  -102m
  +51
  +51
  208
  201-400 ttons
  +260
  -104m
  +52
  +52
  212
  401-800 ttons
  +265
  -106m
  +53
  +53
  216
  801 ttons-1.6 ptons
  +270
  -108m
  +54
  +54
  220
  1.7-3.2 ptons
  +275
  -110m
  +55
  +55
  ...and so on
  Every 4 points of Density Increase provides:
  
  n x2 mass
  
  n +5 STR
  
  n -2m Knockback (functions just like Knockback Resistance)
  
  n +1 PD (Nonresistant)
  
  n +1 ED (Nonresistant)
  kton: kiloton (1,000 metric tons)
  mton: megaton (1 million metric tons)
  gton: gigaton (1 billion metric tons)
  tton: teraton (1 trillion metric tons)
  pton: petaton (1 quadrillion metric tons)
  EXPAnDED DEnSITy InCREASE TABlE
  3
  
  90 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  DESOlIDIFICATIOn
  Characters often buy the Affects Physical World 
  (+2) Advantage for their STR so they can affect 
  solid objects and characters in various ways. 
  Affects Physical World on STR allows a character 
  to use HTH Combat Maneuvers as described on 
  6E1 192, and to Throw simple objects like rocks. 
  It does not allow him to wield any sort of weapon, 
  either HTH or Ranged, unless he also buys Affects 
  Physical World for the weapon. Unless the GM 
  permits it, a character cannot buy Affects Physical 
  World on 1 STR (or some other small amount 
  of STR) just so he can carry solid objects; if he’s 
  going to buy Affects Physical World for his STR, 
  he should buy it for all of his STR.
  Even if a character defines a broad or very 
  common group of attacks as affecting him while 
  Desolidified (such as “all Energy attacks” or “all 
  Magic”), he is not entitled to a Limitation on his 
  Desolidification.
  Ordinarily a character can grant a Usable 
  On Others power to another character and then 
  become Desolidified without disrupting the grant 
  — once granted, a UOO power’s typically under 
  the recipient’s control. However, if the Advantage 
  is built with the option that allows the grantor to 
  control it (as with any Usable As Attack power), 
  then the power immediately stops affecting (or 
  working for) the recipient if the grantor becomes 
  Desolidified after granting it. And of course, to 
  grant a UOO power to a solid character while 
  Desolidified, the UOO power must have the 
  Affects Physical World (+2) Advantage.
  ADvAnTAGES
  Selective Desolidification (+1½): Ordinarily, a 
  character is either entirely Desolidified, or entirely 
  solid — he can’t be partly intangible and partly 
  tangible. A character with this Advantage, which 
  requires the GM’s permission, can make himself 
  only partly Desolidified, or while Desolidified 
  can selectively solidify part of his body (typically 
  his hands). Selectively solid parts of the body can 
  affect the physical world normally, and in turn be 
  affected by it normally (which may involve use 
  of the Hit Location table to target specific areas 
  of the body). Since a character may not activate 
  and deactivate a Power in the same Phase without 
  GM’s permission, a character cannot partially 
  solidify, perform an Action, and then fully Deso-
  lidify in the same Phase.
  Alternate Desolidification
  For some HERO System gamers, the “all or 
  nothing” nature of Desolidification runs contrary 
  to the normal way Powers and other character 
  creation elements work. Most Powers are gradu-
  ated — the more Character Points spent on 
  them, the better or more effective they become. 
  It’s possible to re-create Desolidification so that 
  it works this way — the character becomes less 
  dense and less tangible the more Character 
  Points he spends, until at 40 Character Points he 
  becomes completely intangible, just like standard 
  Desolidification.
  Alternate Desolidification costs 5 Character 
  Points per level. A character who’s spent 40 points 
  on alternate Desolidification can increase the 
  number of BODY he can move through for a cost 
  of +3 Character Points for every +1 BODY. Char-
  acters who’ve spent less than 40 points on lesser 
  density cannot do this.
  Each level of alternate Desolidification 
  increases the BODY of objects a character can 
  move through in a single Phase as a Full Phase 
  Action. The character can use up to his full meters 
  of movement while doing this; in effect, using 
  Desolidification “combines” with a Full Move, 
  or converts a Half Move into a Full Move. While 
  doing this the character cannot attack in any way, 
  even with a Move By/Through, unless the GM 
  specifically permits him to.
  At the GM’s option, a character can move 
  through denser objects at a slower pace. With this 
  option, for each Full Phase Action spent to move 
  through objects, the character moves through X 
  BODY of objects, thus requiring multiple Full 
  Phase Actions to move through objects with 
  greater than X BODY. For example, if a character 
  has spent 20 points on alternate Desolidification 
  (meaning he can move through 4 BODY objects as 
  a Full Phase Action), he could move through an 8 
  BODY wall by taking two Full Phase Actions. (In 
  either case, these rules assume the object is small/
  thin enough that the character’s Full Move would 
  be enough to move him through it; if it’s larger/
  thicker than that, he’ll have to spend multiple Full 
  Phase Actions moving through it.) Since alternate 
  Desolidification provides no Life Support, a char-
  acter could suffocate while trying to move through 
  too large an object.
  For 5-35 Character Points’ worth of lesser 
  density, a character becomes harder to hurt (since 
  he’s not fully tangible) and easier to Knock Back 
  (this only increases the Knockback distance, not 
  the damage done by Knockback). The extra points 
  of PD and ED do not apply against attacks with 
  the Affects Desolidified Advantage. A character 
  who’s spent 40 points (or more) on lesser density 
  can, by using 40 or more points’ worth of the 
  power, become completely intangible, at which 
  point the rules for Desolidification apply. While 
  fully intangible, he doesn’t gain the benefit of the 
  extra PD or ED from lower levels, or take extra 
  Knockback from attacks — at that point, most 
  attacks can’t affect him at all.
  A character with 40 or more points of alternate 
  Desolidification can choose to use less than full 
  power so that he gains some extra defense for 
  being only partially tangible. However, he cannot 
  use any “extra BODY movable through” he’s 
  purchased — he’s limited to the amount of BODY 
  indicated on the table. The amount of BODY 
  movable through can only be increased for true 
  intangibility.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  91
  AlTERnATE 
  DESOlIDIFICATIOn TABlE
  points
  Mass
  KB
  pd
  ed
  Body 
  Movable 
  through
  5
  51-99 kg
  +2m
  +1
  +1
  1 BODY
  10
  26-50 kg
  +4m
  +2
  +2
  2 BODY
  15
  12.6-25 kg
  +6m
  +3
  +3
  3 BODY
  20
  6.5-12.5 kg
  +8m
  +4
  +4
  4 BODY
  25
  3.3-6.4 kg
  +10m
  +5
  +5
  5 BODY
  30
  1.7-3.2 kg
  +12m
  +6
  +6
  6 BODY
  35
  0.8-1.6 kg
  +14m
  +7
  +7
  7 BODY
  40
  Intangibility*
  —
  —
  —
  8 BODY*
  ...and so forth
  *: At this point, the character becomes completely intan-
  gible, and the rules for Desolidification apply (i.e., 
  he cannot be affected by physical attacks, cannot 
  affect the physical world, and so forth), except as 
  noted otherwise in the text. He cannot move through 
  objects of 9 BODY or higher, despite the fact that he’s 
  fully intangible, unless the GM uses the optional rules 
  for that. Characters who buy 40 or more Character 
  Points’ worth of alternate Desolidification can 
  increase the BODY of objects they can move through 
  per Full Phase Action for a cost of +1 BODY for every 
  +3 Character Points.
  unifying Density Increase 
  And Desolidification: 
  Alter Density
  If the GM uses the “alternate Desolidification” 
  power described above, it becomes possible to 
  “unify” Density Increase and Desolidification into 
  a single Alter Density Power. Alter Density Power 
  is a Body-Affecting Power. It’s Constant, Self Only, 
  and costs END. The cost for each “level” of mass 
  alteration is indicated on the accompanying table. 
  The standard rules for Density Increase apply 
  unless otherwise noted, as do the standard rules 
  for Desolidification when the character reaches 40 
  points’ worth of reduced mass.
  A character who buys Alter Density must 
  decide whether he can become heavier (Density 
  Increase) or less dense (“Density Decrease”) when 
  he buys the Power, and can’t change this thereafter. 
  For a +1 Advantage, True Density Alteration, he 
  can become heavier or less dense as he chooses 
  (though he can’t become both heavier and less 
  dense at the same time, of course).
  FuRTHER ImPlICATIOnS
  The Alter Density Power isn’t perfectly 
  consistent. While there are some similarities 
  between greater-than-normal mass and less-
  than-normal mass, there are also significant 
  differences: becoming more dense increases the 
  character’s STR (though becoming less dense 
  doesn’t weaken him); and becoming less dense 
  provides a restricted form of intangibility (until 
  true intangibility is reached at 40 points’ worth 
  of Alter Density) that isn’t paralleled by any 
  aspect of “Density Increase.” You might want to 
  consider making the “Density Decrease” aspect 
  of the Power reduce a character’s STR by 5 points 
  per level, but that may make it far too unat-
  tractive a Power for that purpose, and certainly 
  wouldn’t be consistent with the standard rules for 
  Desolidification.
  AlTER DEnSITy TABlE
  points
  Mass
  str
  KB
  pd
  ed
  Body 
  Movable 
  through
  60
  1.61- 
  3.2mil kg
  +75
  -30m
  +15
  +15
  —
  56
  800,001-
  1.6mil kg
  +70
  -28m
  +14
  +14
  —
  52
  400,001-
  800,000 kg
  +65
  -26m
  +13
  +13
  —
  48
  200,001-
  400,000 kg
  +60
  -24m
  +12
  +12
  —
  44
  100,001-
  200,000 kg
  +55
  -22m
  +11
  +11
  —
  40
  50,001-
  100,000 kg
  +50
  -20m
  +10
  +10
  —
  36
  25,001-
  50,000 kg
  +45
  -18m
  +9
  +9
  —
  32
  12,501-
  25,000 kg
  +40
  -16m
  +8
  +8
  —
  28
  6,401-
  12,500 kg
  +35
  -14m
  +7
  +7
  —
  24
  3,201- 
  6,400 kg
  +30
  -12m
  +6
  +6
  —
  20
  1,601- 
  3,200 kg
  +25
  -10m
  +5
  +5
  —
  16
  801- 
  1,600 kg
  +20
  -8m
  +4
  +4
  —
  12
  401-800 kg
  +15
  -6m
  +3
  +3
  —
  8
  201-400 kg
  +10
  -4m
  +2
  +2
  —
  4
  101-200 kg
  +5
  -2m
  +1
  +1
  —
  0
  100 kg
  +0
  -0
  +0
  +0
  —
  5
  51-99 kg
  —
  +2m
  +1
  +1
  1 BODY
  10
  26-50 kg
  —
  +4m
  +2
  +2
  2 BODY
  15
  12.6-25 kg
  —
  +6m
  +3
  +3
  3 BODY
  20
  6.5-12.5 kg
  —
  +8m
  +4
  +4
  4 BODY
  25
  3.3-6.4 kg
  —
  +10m
  +5
  +5
  5 BODY
  30
  1.7-3.2 kg
  —
  +12m
  +6
  +6
  6 BODY
  35
  0.8-1.6 kg
  —
  +14m
  +7
  +7
  7 BODY
  40
  Intangibility*
  —
  —
  —
  —
  8 BODY*
  ...and so forth, in either direction
  *: See the alternate Desolidification table for further information.
  3
  
  92 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  Projection
  Projection (a +0 Advantage) is a variant form of 
  Desolidification in which a character can project 
  some part of his self outside of his body. Examples 
  of Projection include a mystic who can release his 
  “astral self” from his physical form, a psychic who 
  can detach his “mental power” from his body, or a 
  character who has the power to free his soul from 
  its prison of flesh and bone.
  Projection Desolidification is typically bought 
  with Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), particu-
  larly if a character intends for his Projected Self 
  to remain outside of his body for long periods 
  of time. It’s also often bought Persistent (+¼) — 
  otherwise, if the Projected Self is Knocked Out it 
  instantly returns to the character’s body.
  Just like with normal Desolidification, a char-
  acter using Projection can use any of his standard 
  powers, Skills, and abilities. However, he cannot 
  touch or affect the solid world unless his STR 
  or abilities have the Affects Physical World (+2) 
  Advantage. He can interact with other characters 
  using Projection normally. He cannot interact 
  with characters using ordinary forms of Desolidi-
  fication, nor can they interact with him, any more 
  than if they were solid. A character who wants to 
  be able to affect a Projected Self can buy attacks 
  and other abilities with the Advantage Affects 
  Projections (+¼).
  A character can buy Powers that he can only 
  use while Projecting by taking the Limitations 
  Linked and Unified Power for them (and of course, 
  Unified Power for the Projection Desolidification). 
  Powers often bought for Projected Selves include:
  
  n Invisibility to Sight Group (possibly with a 
  Limitation; see Perceiving A Projected Self, 
  below)
  
  n Flight (often with MegaScale so the Projected 
  Self can travel at tremendous speed)
  
  n Life Support (usually Total)
  
  n Extra-Dimensional Movement (e.g., to travel 
  to the Astral Plane for Projection defined as 
  “releasing my astral form”)
  
  n Enhanced Senses
  
  n Mind Control
  
  n Possession
  perCeiving a projeCted seLF
  A Projected Self is as perceivable as any other 
  type of Desolidification unless the character 
  buys Invisibility to Sight Group, in which case 
  he cannot be seen. In addition to the Linked and 
  Unified Power Limitations described above, the 
  Invisibility may need to take a -¼ Limitation, 
  Invisibility Does Not Apply To [Specific Defined 
  Sense]. The exact Sense the Projected Self can 
  be perceived by is defined when the character 
  buys the Invisibility, and depends on Projection’s 
  special effect. For example, Projection defined 
  as “my astral self can leave my body” would be 
  perceivable by Astral Awareness (the Dimensional 
  Sense Modifier for the Sight Group, defined as 
  perceiving astral beings/places).
  Whether or not the the Projected Self has 
  Invisibility, if it can be perceived by some unusual 
  Enhanced Sense that’s not a part of the Sight 
  Group, the Projection can take a -¼ Limitation. 
  For example, if the special effect of Projection is 
  “I can send my mental self outside my body,” then 
  the Projected Self could be perceived with Mental 
  Awareness.
  A character using Projection can automatically 
  perceive other characters using Projection, though 
  the GM may ignore this rule if the special effects 
  of the two forms of Projection are significantly 
  different (for example, one’s a mystical astral form, 
  while the other is a cyberkinetic’s mind Projected 
  into a machine or cyberspace).
  the physiCaL Body
  While a character uses Projection — that is, 
  while his Projected Self is outside of his body — 
  his body is incapacitated, helpless, and unable 
  to act or perceive anything. To all but the most 
  intense medical examination, or the use of 
  appropriate Enhanced Senses, it seems to be dead. 
  Projection must take a -½ Limitation, Physical 
  Body Left Behind, to reflect this. (If a character 
  wants a form of “Projection” in which his physical 
  body remains able to act, build that as Duplication, 
  with the Duplicate having Desolidification that’s 
  built similar to Projection and is Always On.)
  Any injuries or harm suffered by the Projected 
  Self are also suffered by his physical body, and 
  vice-versa; to reflect this, Projection must take 
  the Limitation Feedback (-1). For this reason, a 
  character with Projection usually prefers to use it 
  only when he’s reasonably sure his physical body 
  will remain safe, such as when he’s in his home or 
  secret headquarters. Otherwise an enemy could 
  find it and easily kill him.
  With some forms of Projection, if the Projected 
  Self doesn’t return to the physical body and merge 
  with it within a certain period of time (usually 24 
  hours), the character dies. (Typically both parts of 
  him die, but at the GM’s option the Projected Self 
  might live on as a “ghost” or disembodied spirit of 
  some sort.) This qualifies for a Limitation, Must 
  Return To Physical Body, which has a -½ value for 
  the standard timeframe of 24 hours (1 Day). For 
  each step up the Time Chart (6 Hours, 1 Hour, 20 
  Minutes...), increase the value of the Limitation by 
  ¼ (usually with a final maximum value of -2 for 
  a measly 1 Turn duration outside of the physical 
  body); for each step below (1 Week, 1 Month...) 
  decrease it by ¼ (to a minimum value of -0).
  A Projected Self has no special knowledge of 
  his own body (other than knowing when it suffers 
  harm, because the Projected Self suffers the same 
  harm). Unless he can perceive it with the Senses 
  he has when Projected, it could be moved, locked 
  in a vault, or the like and he won’t know until he 
  returns to it or can perceive it again. (Assuming 
  he can find it, said the GM fiendishly.) Of course, 
  a character could buy an Enhanced Sense, Detect 
  State/Location Of Body, to remain fully aware of 
  his body while Projected... though he might need 
  to buy a lot of Telescopic, or even Dimensional, 
  for it, depending on his travel plans.
  PHySICAl 
  PROJECTIOn
  some special effects of 
  projection may involve 
  a physical form. For 
  example, a character 
  could be a symbiote, 
  with a humanoid body 
  that’s “run” by a host 
  organism living inside 
  it. in this case, projec-
  tion would involve the 
  host organism leaving 
  one body (which then 
  becomes non-functional) 
  to take control of 
  another. to represent 
  this, buy the desolidifica-
  tion with the Limitations 
  Does Not Protect Against 
  Damage (-1) and Cannot 
  Pass Through Solid 
  Objects (the only object 
  the projected self could 
  pass through would be 
  something it Merged 
  with; -½).
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  93
  Merging
  At the GM’s discretion, a character using 
  Projection can buy the Advantage Merging (+0). 
  Merging means the character doesn’t leave behind 
  any sort of physical body; his Projection involves 
  “transforming” his entire self (body, mind, and 
  spirit) into the Projected Self and the Projecting it 
  into another being or object (hence, “merging”). 
  The Projected Self is then a “part” of the being/
  object merged with, and moves as it moves. This is 
  most often done for Projection bought Linked to 
  Possession, so that the Projected Self “takes over” 
  the host body while merged with it.
  When using Merging Projection, a character 
  typically must Merge with an appropriate being/
  object within no more than 1 Turn of activating 
  Projection (and usually much sooner, such as in 
  the same Phase). Otherwise the Projection turns 
  off; the character has to activate it again if he 
  wants to keep using it.
  To merge with a host body/object, a Projected 
  Self must hit it in HTH Combat. If the target 
  cannot perceive him, he typically gets a Surprise 
  bonus to his OCV, but this depends on the 
  circumstances, whether his target knows about 
  his Projection power, and other factors. A merged 
  Projected Self remains as perceivable as when he 
  was not merged, though the exact special effects of 
  this of course depend on the Projection ability.
  Generally there’s no “defense” to merging, since 
  a Projected Self merging with a character has 
  no detrimental effect per se. If the Projected Self 
  attacks the host body/object after merging with 
  it, then the host body would apply any defenses 
  it had against that attack in the usual manner — 
  being merged with a host body/object does not 
  allow the Projected Self to bypass the host body’s/
  object’s defenses in any way.
  However, there are ways to prevent the merger 
  in the first place, or to eject the merged Projected 
  Self from the host body/object. For example, a 
  character can apply Affects Projections (+¼) to his 
  full PD to make it impossible for a Projected Self 
  to merge with him. (The Projected Self could over-
  come this by buying Penetrating for his Projec-
  tion; the host body could buy Affects Projections 
  multiple times to overcome this, and the Projec-
  tion could have multiple levels of Penetrating to 
  overcome that.)
  The merged Projection can be attacked 
  separately from the host body/object, assuming 
  another character has a way to do so (such as a 
  Mental Power or attack that Affects Projections). 
  Typically such attacks have no affect on the host 
  body/object, but the final decision is up to the GM 
  (for example, an Affects Projections Blast would 
  probably hit both the host body and the merged 
  Projected Self). Even if the attacker cannot 
  perceive a merged Projected Self separately from 
  the host body/object (which typically requires 
  special Senses; see above), he doesn’t suffer the 
  usually penalties for inability to perceive his target 
  with a Targeting Sense.
  Damage or injury to the host body/object 
  typically has no effect on the Projected Self. 
  However, the character can take the Limitation 
  Feedback From Host Body (-1), in which case he 
  takes all STUN and BODY damage the host body/
  object takes while he’s merged with it. Even if the 
  Projection lacks that Limitation, destroying the 
  host body/object ends the merging (though the 
  Projected Self could merge with another target 
  when it gets the chance).
  DISPEl
  The rules for affecting the effects/manifestation 
  or the creator/originator of a power with Adjust-
  ment Powers (APG 54) also apply to Dispel.
  Dispel’s effectiveness can depend on whether 
  an Adjustment Powers is affecting the target 
  ability. For a power that’s been Adjusted down-
  ward (via Drain, for example), the Dispel takes 
  effect if it exceeds the current (Adjusted) Active 
  Point total of the power. However, the character 
  whose power is Dispelled must make note of the 
  total on the Dispel dice and compare it to the 
  Active Point total of his power as the Adjustment 
  Power wears off. As soon as the power regains 
  enough points to where its current Active Point 
  total exceeds the Dispel’s effect, the power returns 
  to the character (at its current, Adjusted but partly 
  recovered, level). For a power that’s been Adjusted 
  upward (via Aid, for example), the Dispel takes 
  effect if it exceeds the current (Adjusted) Active 
  Point total of the power. If it fails to take effect, it 
  fails altogether; the character doesn’t have to keep 
  track of its effects.
  Linked can also affect Dispel. To Dispel a 
  Linked power, the attacker must apply the Dispel 
  separately to each component — though of course 
  Dispelling the greater power makes the lesser 
  power useless anyway, so it’s sort of a moot point. 
  In the case of other compound powers (such as a 
  Blast composed of various amounts of dice, each 
  with separate Limitations), typically you add the 
  parts together to get an overall Active Point total, 
  just as you would if you were trying to see if the 
  power would fit into a Framework slot, and that’s 
  the amount the Dispel has to equal or exceed.
  3
  
  94 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  DRAIn
  If a character attempts to Drain (or otherwise 
  negatively Adjust) Power Defense, the Power 
  Defense applies first in full, and anything that gets 
  past the Power Defense is then halved when deter-
  mining how much the Drain reduces it.
  SuPPRESS
  A character can be Stunned from any loss of 
  STUN, including from a Suppress. If the character 
  using the Suppress chooses not to maintain it by 
  paying END, the lost STUN returns to the victim, 
  but the return of the STUN doesn’t automatically 
  un-Stun him. Once Stunned he has to recover 
  from being Stunned using the standard rules for 
  doing so.
  If a character buys Suppress in a Power Frame-
  work and switches the Framework to another slot, 
  the Suppress immediately stops working — the 
  character can no longer pay END to maintain it 
  since it’s not active.
  If Suppress is bought with Charges, the 
  Suppress effect lasts for the one Phase the Charge 
  is active, then it ends and the Suppressed points 
  immediately return to the victim. If the Charges 
  are Continuing Charges, the effect lasts until the 
  duration of the Charge expires, then the points 
  immediately return. If the Charges are Continuing 
  Fuel Charges, the character has to keep expending 
  1 second’s worth of fuel per Phase to maintain the 
  Suppress; as soon as he stops doing this, the points 
  immediately return.
  See also APG 15 regarding Suppressing BODY.
  EnDuRAnCE RESERvE
  If a character has multiple Endurance Reserves, 
  each Reserve must have its own REC; they cannot 
  “share” one REC.
  A character doesn’t have to take his Endurance 
  Reserve’s Recovery if for some reason he doesn’t 
  want to.
  If a character has an Endurance Reserve and 
  wants some Variable Power Pool powers to use 
  it, but some not, he must apply the +¼ Power 
  Can Draw END From Character Or END Reserve 
  Advantage (6E1 206) to the Control Cost of the 
  VPP.
  EnHAnCED SEnSES
  Here are some additional and expanded rules 
  about various Enhanced Senses and related issues.
  Sense Groups
  THE mEnTAl SEnSE GROuP
  The Mental Sense Group includes Mental 
  Awareness, Mind Scan, and any other Enhanced 
  Senses based primarily upon mental powers. To 
  a limited extent, Telepathy (which acts as both 
  “mental hearing” and a “mental voice”) and Mind 
  Link (a more limited form of Telepathy) are also a 
  part of this Sense Group for purposes of applying 
  Sense-Affecting Powers.
  A Detect or other Sense defined as belonging 
  to the Mental Sense Group is not a Mental Power. 
  An Enhanced Sense (no matter what Sense Group 
  it belongs to) is a Special Power, not a Mental 
  Power. Unless more specific rules note otherwise, 
  Mental Group Sense Senses are subject to the 
  Range Modifier, just like any other Senses.
  The GM should be careful not to let Enhanced 
  Senses (particularly Detects) take the place of any 
  Mental Power. For example, a character might 
  want to buy Detect Emotions, Discriminatory, 
  so he could tell what a given person was feeling. 
  This might be appropriate for some campaigns 
  and characters, especially if it’s fairly restricted in 
  scope, but in most situations this sort of ability is 
  best simulated with Telepathy (perhaps in Limited 
  form).
  BLoCKing MentaL senses
  Typically Mental Senses aren’t blocked by 
  physical obstacles such as walls — though they’re 
  often analogized to Sight, they aren’t Sight and 
  don’t function the way Sight does. The GM deter-
  mines what blocks Mental Senses based on the 
  way Mental Powers work in his campaign. (See 
  Penetrative, 6E1 213, for more information.) Some 
  possibilities include:
  
  n a Barrier that has even 1 point of Mental 
  Defense
  
  n another mind. Just like a character’s eyes can’t 
  see through one opaque object to see another 
  object, a Sense like Detect Minds can’t perceive 
  “through” one mind to perceive another. Thus, 
  being in a large crowd of people may serve as 
  “cover” or “camouflage” from Mental Senses.
  
  n a strong electromagnetic or energy field
  
  n a layer of metal, or a particular metal (such as 
  aluminium or questionite) (possibly of some 
  mimimum thickness)
  
  n a particularly thick physical barrier (such as 
  1m thick or more)
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  95
  Senses
  Here are some more rules and information 
  about Senses.
  mEnTAl AWAREnESS
  Mental Awareness allows a character to 
  perceive the user and target of Mental Powers, 
  which are normally not perceivable (except to 
  those two characters). Mental Awareness works 
  at Range and is a Sense (i.e., it doesn’t require 
  any time to use), but it is not a 360-Degree Sense, 
  Discriminatory, or a Targeting Sense.
  Discriminatory Mental Awareness would allow 
  the character to determine (with a successful PER 
  Roll) the specific Mental Power being used, the 
  level of power (i.e., Active Points, plus or minus 
  10%), and whether the power is being used grossly 
  or subtly. Analyze with Mental Awareness allows 
  the character to know the exact Active Points 
  in the Power and any Advantages bought for it. 
  Targeting Mental Awareness allows a mentalist 
  to establish Line Of Sight for attack purposes on 
  either the user or the target of a Mental Power.
  What the CharaCter perCeives
  What a character perceives with Mental Aware-
  ness depends on the nature of the Mental Power 
  being used.
  For mental attacks, such as Mental Blast, 
  Mental Illusions, Mind Control, Telepathy, and 
  some ACV/AVAD powers, the character perceives 
  a momentary “connection” of some sort between 
  the attacker and his target(s). Depending on how 
  the GM has defined psionics as working in the 
  game, this could manifest as, for example:
  
  n a “beam of light” or other phenomenon 
  connecting the head of the attacker with the 
  head(s) of his target(s)
  
  n a “halo of light” or other phenomenon 
  surrounding the head of the attacker and the 
  head(s) of his target(s)
  However, this assumes no continuing or 
  ongoing “mental contact” between the attacker 
  and his target(s) — just the sort of momentary 
  contact necessary to make the attack, and no 
  more. If the attacker maintains contact for some 
  reason (for example to feed the power END so 
  the Breakout Rolls don’t improve, or conducting 
  a “mental conversation” with Telepathy), then 
  whatever phenomenon the character perceives as 
  “connecting” the attacker and his target(s) remains 
  in effect, and perceivable, for as long as the mental 
  contact lasts.
  For Mind Scan, other Constant Mental Powers, 
  and Mind Link the effect is the same as a lasting 
  mental contact: as long as the mentalist maintains 
  the power (typically by paying END for it or the 
  like), the phenomenon that “connects” the attacker 
  and his target(s) remains in effect and perceivable.
  Note that nothing about the phenomenon indi-
  cates the type or strength of Mental Power being 
  used. The phenomenon is the same for all Mental 
  Powers... until the character buys Discrimina-
  tory and/or Analyze for his Mental Awareness. At 
  that point the phenomenon becomes phenomena 
  — a distinct perceivable effect for each Mental 
  Power. The phenomena have varying “brightness” 
  or intensity to indicate the relative strength of 
  the power (or the amount of it being employed, 
  anyway — a strong Mental Power “looks” weaker 
  than it really is if it’s only being used at half 
  strength). For example, Mental Blast might look 
  like a “laser beam” of mental force lancing out 
  from the attacker’s mind to the target’s, while 
  Mind Control looks like a cloud of vapor that 
  surrounds the attacker’s head, part of which flows 
  out to engulf the target’s head.
  Mental Awareness only allows a character to 
  perceive “the use of” Mental Powers within his 
  LOS. It doesn’t allow him to perceive that a person 
  is under the effect of a standard continuing-
  effect Mental Power — for example, the fact that 
  someone’s under the effect of Mental Illusions or 
  Mind Control. In that case the Power’s already 
  been “used.” But as noted above, if the attacker 
  maintains or continues the mental contact, Mental 
  Awareness can perceive the Power.
  Using Mental Awareness to perceive mental 
  communication (such as by Mind Link or 
  Telepathy) doesn’t allow a character to “overhear” 
  the communication, “tap into” it, or otherwise find 
  out what’s being “said.”
  Sense modifiers
  AnAlyZE
  Analyze is a Sense Modifier that can be 
  purchased for any Sense that has full Discrimi-
  natory (whether a “free” one or one that’s been 
  bought by the character). So a character could 
  “upgrade” the crude Discriminatory that Normal 
  Sight comes with (see 6E1 209) to full Discrimina-
  tory, and then buy Analyze for it.
  As discussed on 6E1 209, Normal Sight can 
  crudely differentiate people based on appearance 
  (height, facial features, weight, visible distinguish 
  features, and so on). With full Discriminatory, that 
  becomes even more precise — the character could 
  precisely estimate features like height, weight, and 
  other dimensions within +/-25%, and could much 
  more accurately describe the person/object to, say, 
  a police sketch artist. With Analyze, with a PER 
  Roll he can determine the subject’s exact height, 
  weight, and other dimensions, and describe 
  him with total accuracy (within the limits of his 
  descriptive abilities, naturally).
  3
  
  96 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  mICROSCOPIC
  As a general rule, if something is too small to 
  be perceived with standard Senses, a character 
  must apply Microscopic to a Sense intended to 
  perceive it even if that Sense is a Detect bought 
  specifically to perceive that thing. In other words, 
  a character can’t buy Detect Bacteria and get lots 
  of Microscopic “for free” just because what he 
  can Detect is tiny; he has to buy the appropriate 
  amount of Microscopic. As a vague sort of guide-
  line, think of it this way — if a character could see 
  whatever it is with the unaided eye, Microscopic 
  probably isn’t needed. Thus, Detect Nanobots 
  requires Microscopic, but Detect Ants doesn’t.
  MiCrosCopiC as teLesCopiC
  The Expanded Shrinking Table (APG 116) 
  makes it possible to restructure the cost of Micro-
  scopic. Use the same cost as Telescopic — 1 Char-
  acter Point for +2 PER with a single Sense, 3 Char-
  acter Points for +2 PER with a single Sense Group 
  — and buy Microscopic to cancel out the PER Roll 
  modifier for very small objects. Apply whatever 
  PER Roll modifier remains to the character’s PER 
  Rolls. For example, if a character bought +42 
  Microscopic for his Sight Group (63 Character 
  Points), he could see bacteria (or anything larger) 
  with an unmodified PER Roll. If he tried to see a 
  single molecule (-50 to PER Rolls), he’d suffer a -8 
  to his PER Roll.
  RAnGE
  Much like the rules have a Limited Range (+¼) 
  version of the Ranged (+½) Advantage, a char-
  acter could create a Limited Range (+3 points for 
  a single Sense) version of the Range (+5 points) 
  Sense Modifier.
  TRACKInG
  A Tracking Sense cannot necessarily be used to 
  follow a Teleporting character from his depar-
  ture point to his arrival point. When a character 
  Teleports, he “drops off the Perception “radar,”” so 
  to speak. Once he re-appears, a character trying to 
  track him can make another PER Roll to perceive 
  him at his new location. In many cases the GM 
  won’t even require a roll, since special effects or 
  the like will make it obvious to everyone where 
  the teleporter is when he “appears.” On the other 
  hand, sometimes a character Teleports so far that 
  there’s absolutely no hope of tracking him. But 
  Teleportation itself doesn’t leave any sort of “trail” 
  (unless the GM establishes that it does as part of 
  the campaign ground rules — in which case he 
  should also define how it’s “followed”).
  In general, a Tracking Sense be used to see 
  where someone came from rather than where they 
  went (just like the Tracking Skill can). However, 
  the GM could rule otherwise based on the nature 
  of the power or the circumstances. And naturally, 
  the further back a character Tracks someone, the 
  older the trail gets and the worse the modifiers he 
  suffers to follow it.
  TRAnSmIT
  A character with Eidetic Memory cannot 
  perfectly reproduce, via Transmit, sounds he’s 
  heard — perfect memory for something doesn’t 
  necessarily translate into the ability to reproduce 
  it exactly. A character with Mimicry can Transmit 
  perfectly-reproduced sounds if he succeeds with 
  a roll.
  Transmit doesn’t necessarily have to involve a 
  specific target — typically anyone within sensory 
  range of a transmission, and who possesses the 
  right Senses (either innately or via equipment) can 
  perceive a transmission. Focusing a transmission 
  more carefully might require a roll with Systems 
  Operation or some other appropriate Skill, a 
  certain special effect for Transmit, or the like.
  Typically a character can Transmit anything 
  he can receive. Thus, if he has High-Range Radio 
  Perception, he could Transmit radio signals, video, 
  audio, and the like. However, Transmit cannot 
  give his voice properties beyond what it normally 
  has, unless the GM rules otherwise. For example 
  it won’t let him generate ultrasonic or infrasonic 
  sound, nor to use Ventriloquism if he hasn’t paid 
  for that Skill.
  EnTAnGlE
  Here are some expanded and additional rules 
  for Entangle:
  Breaking Out Of Entangles
  Here are some expanded rules and rules clarifi-
  cations regarding breaking out of Entangles.
  ESCAPInG WITH COnTORTIOnIST
  The basic HERO System rules assume a char-
  acter cannot use Contortionist to escape from 
  an Entangle. This represents Entangles like glue 
  bombs, ice blocks, sticky webbing, and magical 
  energy fetters — no matter how a character 
  squirms and contorts his body, he cannot get out 
  of such Entangles by agility alone. His only resort 
  is to try to smash out of them using STR, a Martial 
  Maneuver with the Exert element devoted to 
  “escape,” or an appropriate attack.
  However, characters could escape other special 
  effects for Entangle — rope, chains, handcuffs, 
  wireguns, and the like — with Contortionist, 
  though it might be difficult. You can represent this 
  with a Limitation, Escapable With Contortionist. 
  For a -1 Limitation, a character can escape an 
  Entangle by making a normal Contortionist roll. 
  This requires a Full Phase. This might represent 
  poorly-tied ropes, weak wireguns, or the like.
  For a -½ Limitation, a character can escape an 
  Entangle by making a Contortionist roll at a -1 to 
  -3 penalty (the GM determines the appropriate 
  penalty, based on special effects and the circum-
  stances). This might represent normal handcuffs 
  (see the example in the sidebar on 6E1 219), an 
  average-quality wiregun, typical chains, or the like.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  97
  For a -¼ Limitation, a character can escape an 
  Entangle by making a Contortionist roll at a -4 to 
  -6 penalty (the GM determines the appropriate 
  penalty, based on special effects and the circum-
  stances). This might represent high-tech hand-
  cuffs, a quality wiregun, some limited or poor-
  quality types of glue bombs or ice blocks, tight and 
  well-made chains, and the like.
  In any case, using Contortionist to escape an 
  Entangle normally requires a Full Phase. For ¼ 
  more Limitation, this only requires a Half-Phase 
  Action. For each ¼ less Limitation, the char-
  acter buying the Entangle can extend the time 
  it normally takes to contort out of it by one step 
  down the Time Chart (1 Turn, 1 Minute, and so 
  forth). However, these are average times; the GM 
  may modify them based on special effects, how 
  much the character makes his roll by, the circum-
  stances, common sense, dramatic sense, and other 
  factors.
  Characters can also escape some types of 
  Entangles, such as chains, with Lockpicking rather 
  than Contortionist (assuming the character can 
  reach the lock and has an appropriate tool or 
  power to do the job). If so, simply change the 
  Limitation’s name to Escapable With Lockpicking. 
  If a character can escape an Entangle with both 
  Lockpicking and Contortionist (as with hand-
  cuffs), simply include both Skills in the Limita-
  tion’s name; the Entangle doesn’t get an additional 
  Limitation because of this.
  TARGETInG EnTAnGlES
  6E1 216 describes how Entangles can be 
  targeted specifically at -3 OCV if a character wants 
  to free a victim from an Entangle without hurting 
  him. Like the character it traps, a typical Entangle 
  has a DCV of 0. Of course, the Range Modifier 
  and other applicable penalties may make it more 
  difficult to hit. The GM can increase an Entangle’s 
  natural DCV based on special effects, the situa-
  tion, common sense, dramatic sense, and similar 
  factors.
  At the GM’s option, for each +5 Character 
  Point Adder, Increased DCV, applied to an 
  Entangle, its DCV increases by 3. Thus, for +5 
  points, an Entangle has DCV 3; for +15 points, it 
  has DCV 9. The GM may, in his discretion, estab-
  lish a limit on how much an Entangle’s DCV may 
  be increased.
  Regardless of an Entangle’s DCV, a character 
  trapped by that Entangle always hits it automati-
  cally. He never has to make an Attack Roll to hit 
  it, though attempting to damage it does constitute 
  an Attack Action except where the rules note 
  otherwise.
  ByPASSInG EnTAnGlES
  Many Entangles buy the Takes No Damage 
  From Attacks Advantage so that most attacks do 
  not affect them. A paralysis spell, which prevents 
  a character from moving but doesn’t use any 
  sort of physical substance that other characters 
  could damage or break, is a perfect example of an 
  Entangle with that Advantage.
  By the same token, there are some types of 
  attacks that should avoid Entangles, even if the 
  Entangle normally takes damage from attacks, 
  because of the nature of the attack. Examples 
  include biokinetic attacks (the ability to affect the 
  victim’s biological processes, for instance to make 
  him suffer a heart attack or boil his blood), ripping 
  the victim apart inside via gravity manipulation or 
  psychokinetic power, and freezing the victim from 
  the inside out.
  At the GM’s option, attacks that should affect 
  a character without harming Entangles affecting 
  him must take a +¼ Advantage, Bypasses Entan-
  gles, to reflect this. Attacks with the Bypasses 
  Entangles Advantage damage the target without 
  causing any damage to any Entangle affecting him.
  CASuAl STREnGTH AnD RElATED mATTERS
  Since using Casual STR is a Zero Phase Action, 
  a character trapped in an Entangle may try it each 
  Phase. If he breaks out, he still has a Full Phase 
  left to act. If he fails, he can still use his Action 
  to try to break free with his full STR, per the 
  standard rules. The same rules apply to the Casual 
  use of other powers and abilities to break out; see 
  6E1 131-32.
  Entangled characters may not, except with the 
  GM’s permission, make Multiple Attacks against 
  an Entangle.
  A character trapped by an Entangle immedi-
  ately drops to DCV 0, even if the Entangle is so 
  weak he can easily break out of it with his Casual 
  STR/attack in his next Phase. If characters start 
  to abuse this rule by attacking their enemies with 
  measly 2d6 Entangles just to reduce their DCVs to 
  0, allow trapped characters to make a Casual STR 
  roll/attack to break out immediately when they’re 
  Entangled (as with Grab); if the Casual STR roll/
  attack succeeds, the victim keeps his normal DCV.
  See 6E2 124 for rules on Actions remaining to 
  characters who break out of Entangles.
  Other Rules
  An an Entangle with the Does Not Prevent The 
  Use Of Accessible Foci Limitation typically also has 
  no effect on Restrainable powers. For example, 
  handcuffs are a classic example of an Entangle 
  that Does Not Prevent The Use Of Accessible Foci, 
  and they certainly wouldn’t stop a character with, 
  say, Restrainable wings from flying. On the other 
  hand, a net might stop some types of Restrainable 
  powers, but not most Accessible Foci. The final 
  decision is up to the GM.
  3
  
  98 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  EnTAnGlES AnD lARGE TARGETS
  Typically, a character using Entangle attacks a 
  roughly human-sized target. Under the standard 
  HERO System rules, an Entangle (whether Area of 
  Effect or not) used against a character who’s larger 
  than normal (due to Growth, one of the Large Size 
  Templates, the special effects of various powers, 
  or what have you) affects the character in full, 
  according to the standard rules for Entangle. The 
  rules do not restrict Entangles to a certain “size” 
  — if an Entangle affects a target, it affects that 
  target, regardless of the target’s size. The odds are 
  that large targets will be strong enough to break 
  out with just Casual STR, but by a strict reading 
  of the rules the target could still be reduced to 
  DCV 0 until it can perform a Zero Phase Action 
  to break out.
  If you consider this a problem in your game, 
  here’s a rule to end it that uses the Large Size 
  Templates on 6E1 443:
  
  n an ordinary Entangle can affect a Large target, 
  Human-sized target, or any target smaller than 
  Human size normally.
  
  n to affect a larger target, the Entangle must be 
  at least as wide as half the Reach (Stretching) 
  bonus listed in the Size Template (e.g., at least 
  1m wide to affect an Enormous target, at 
  least 15m wide to affect a Gargantuan target). 
  This width can come from the Area Of Effect 
  Advantage, being Spread, or the like. If the 
  Entangle’s smaller than that, one of two things 
  can happen: 
   
  1. The target receives a STR bonus equal to the 
  PRE bonus listed in its Size Template to break 
  free from it (e.g., +15 STR for a Huge target)
   
  2. At the GM’s option, based on special effects, 
  the situation, and other considerations, the 
  Entangle may not affect the target at all (alter-
  nately, the target immediately gets a Casual 
  STR roll to break free; this is an Action that 
  takes no time).
  Making an Entangle larger than the minimum 
  listed size has no effect (i.e., it doesn’t make the 
  Entangle harder to break out of).
  the AFFECTS LARgE TARgETS advantage
  Alternately or in addition, the GM can 
  establish an Affects Large Targets Advantage that 
  allows an Entangle to affect a large target normally 
  even if the Entangle isn’t sufficiently “wide.” This 
  would be appropriate for, e.g., a Paralysis Spell that 
  only affects a single target but works equally well 
  against titans and sprites.
  For a +¼ Advantage, an Entangle can affect 
  Large and Enormous targets normally. In game 
  terms, it negates up to +10 bonus STR to break 
  out under the system described above; it doesn’t 
  prevent the target from using his regular STR, 
  Pushing that STR if appropriate, or the like. For 
  example, an Enormous target hit with an Affects 
  Large Targets (+¼) Entangle doesn’t get his 
  normal +10 STR bonus to break out; the Advan-
  tage negates that and restricts him to using his 
  just ordinary STR. (Though that’s at least STR 40, 
  based on his Size Template’s effect on STR.)
  For a +½ Advantage, the Entangle can affect 
  Huge and Gigantic targets normally. The Advan-
  tage negates up to +20 STR bonus under the 
  system described above.
  For a +1 Advantage, the Entangle can affect 
  Gargantuan or larger targets normally. The Advan-
  tage negates any STR bonus under the system 
  described above.
  REACTIvE EnTAnGlE
  The Backlash Advantage causes a character 
  trapped in an Entangle to also take any damage he 
  inflicts on the Entangle in an attempt to break free 
  from it. At the GM’s option, a character can define 
  an Entangle’s Backlash as Reactive. This means 
  that instead of reflecting damage at the victim, 
  the Advantage causes the Entangle to get stronger 
  — the classic “Don’t squirm, you’ll just make it 
  tighter” effect. For each 2 DCs of damage done to 
  the Entangle, increase its BODY by 1 (this may 
  in effect “heal” the damage the attack does). The 
  GM can alter the damage-to-extra-BODY ratio, 
  rule that any successful attack automatically does 
  1 BODY damage regardless of Reactive, or make 
  any other changes he sees fit to maintain game 
  balance.
  harMFuL entangLes
  If a character wants to create an Entangle that 
  also harms the target — for example, “Lightning 
  Chains” that restrain while inflicting electrical 
  shock damage — he can do so by Linking the 
  attack to the Entangle. However, a Linked attack 
  still damages the Entangle as well as the Entan-
  gled victim; to prevent this from occurring, the 
  Entangle should have the Takes No Damage From 
  Attacks Advantage at the +¼ level (immune to 
  Linked attack).
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  99
  EXTRA lImBS
  In some campaigns, the GM may want to alter 
  the standard Extra Limbs rule — as many Extra 
  Limbs as a character wants for 5 Character Points 
  — so that the more limbs the character has, the 
  more he pays. Instead, they use a different cost 
  structure: 5 Character Points for up to two extra 
  limbs, +2 Character Points for every up to x2 extra 
  limbs thereafter. Thus, an eight-armed monster 
  would have to spend 9 Character Points (5 points 
  for the first two extra limbs, +4 points for the 
  remaining four limbs) for them.
  Alternately, some GMs may prefer for Extra 
  Limbs to inherently have an effect on combat, 
  instead of just being utilitarian. In this case, each 
  Extra Limb costs 4 Character Points and provides a 
  +1 OCV bonus with Punch, Disarm, and Grab (this 
  works just like a 3-point Combat Skill Level, but 
  can only add to OCV).
  In some settings, it’s possible to have species that 
  naturally have more than four limbs. For example, 
  in a Pulp Science Fiction story the Martians or 
  Venusians might have four arms. Since Extra Limbs 
  allows any number of limbs for 5 points, if you 
  have a naturally multi-limbed species and want to 
  add even more, just change the number of limbs 
  without changing the cost of the power (unless 
  manipulability changes, in which case buy Extra 
  Limbs twice). Depending on special effects and the 
  like, some of the limbs may be Inherent and others 
  not; if so, the character must apply Inherent (if it’s 
  not on the Extra Limbs already), and then restrict 
  the non-Inherent limbs with a -0 Limitation.
  FlASH
  Being affected by a Flash versus the Mental 
  Sense Group doesn’t reduce a character to DMCV 
  0. It just prevents the character from perceiving 
  Mental attacks with Mental Awareness, or other-
  wise using his Mental Group Senses. A character’s 
  DMCV doesn’t depend on his ability to perceive 
  Mental attacks — otherwise most characters 
  would have DMCV 0 all the time.
  Long-terM FLashes 
  In the “real world,” some disabling or harassing 
  weapons, such as tear gas and pepper spray, 
  are defined as Sight Group Flashes, but their 
  effects can last several minutes or more, not the 
  few seconds common to Flashes in the game. 
  Some energy projectors might likewise be able 
  to blind targets for long periods of time. At the 
  GM’s option, characters can build long-term 
  Flash attacks by applying the Advantage Delayed 
  Recovery (+2) to Flash. For a Flash with this 
  Advantage, each “Normal Damage BODY” rolled 
  on the Flash dice represents 1 Turn of sensory 
  deprivation, rather than 1 Segment. The GM 
  may adjust the recovery rate based upon cura-
  tive measures the characters take, for the sake of 
  drama, or for any other appropriate reason — after 
  all, it’s not always conducive to enjoyable game 
  play to have PCs and NPCs incapacitated for long 
  periods of time.
  GROWTH
  The Growth rules describe how tall and wide a 
  character becomes, but they establish no parame-
  ters for how thick his torso and frame become. For 
  the most part, there’s no need for players or GMs 
  to know that, but if necessary you can assume the 
  character’s “thickness” increases proportionately 
  to his height and width.
  COllATERAl SIZE DAmAGE
  APG 176 has rules for how heavy characters 
  may damage surfaces they walk on. But extremely 
  large characters — bricks using Growth, giant 
  monsters rampaging through Tokyo, and so on 
  — are even more likely than heavy characters to 
  wreak havoc in their local environment. In a world 
  designed for normal-sized humans, every step a 
  super-tall character takes and every casual swing 
  of his arms has the potential for disaster — “realis-
  tically” speaking.
  If the GM wants to take this into account, 
  here’s a simple rule for doing so. Each Phase, a 
  super-tall character has to make a DEX Roll as an 
  Action that takes no time. (If the character doesn’t 
  move his body at all during a Phase, then the GM 
  can waive the roll.) A penalty of -1 per “level” of 
  Growth applies; for characters not using Growth, 
  calculate the corresponding penalty based on their 
  height. If the character makes the roll, he doesn’t 
  cause any collateral damage (other than crushing 
  the surface he steps on, perhaps). If he fails the 
  roll, he does his Casual STR damage to some 
  feature of the environment. Typically this means a 
  building, tree, or the like, but the GM has the final 
  say based on the situation.
  Intermediate large 
  Size Templates
  The Size Templates on 6E1 443 are fine for 
  most larger-than-normal characters. However, 
  some characters may want to be not quite as tall, 
  strong, and tough as indicated in those templates. 
  On AGP 100-01 are some additional Size 
  Templates for characters roughly half as powerful 
  as each of the Templates on 6E1 443 (each 
  Template also lists the cost for buying that size as 
  Growth). If a character buys one of these, his mass 
  is x1½ the mass from the previous full Template, 
  not x2 as with the full Template.
  Expanded large Size 
  Templates And Growth Table
  If being as much as 64 times human size just 
  isn’t enough for you, on APG 100-01 are three 
  more Size Templates and a Growth Table for char-
  acters up to 1,000 meters (1 km) tall!
  3
  
  100 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  size: seMi-Large (CharaCter is up to X1½ huMan size)
  Cost
  8 
  greater strength: +8 STR
  3 
  greater toughness: +3 CON
  3 
  More impressive: +3 PRE
  2 
  tougher: +2 PD
  2 
  tougher: +2 ED
  2 
  greater Mass: +2 BODY
  2 
  greater toughness: +4 STUN
  1 
  reach: Reach +1m (total of 2m)
  6 
  Long Legs: Running +6m
  3 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -3m
  total cost: 32 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Large (+1 OCV 
  to hit character, +1 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive him) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) (10 points)
  Cost For growth: 15 points.
  size: seMi-enorMous 
  (CharaCter is up to three tiMes huMan size)
  Cost
  23 
  greater strength: +23 STR
  8 
  greater toughness: +8 CON
  8 
  More impressive: +8 PRE
  5 
  tougher: +5 PD
  5 
  tougher: +5 ED
  5 
  greater Mass: +5 BODY
  5 
  greater toughness: +10 STUN
  2 
  reach: Reach +2m (total of 3m)
  18 
  Long Legs: Running +18m
  9 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -9m
  total cost: 88 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Enormous (+3 
  OCV to hit character, +3 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive 
  him) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing) (15 points)
  Cost For growth: 40 points.
  size: seMi-huge (CharaCter is up to siX tiMes huMan size)
  Cost 
  38 
  greater strength: +38 STR
  13 
  greater toughness: +13 CON
  13 
  More impressive: +13 PRE
  8 
  tougher: +8 PD
  8 
  tougher: +8 ED
  8 
  greater Mass: +8 BODY
  8 
  greater toughness: +16 STUN
  5 
  reach: Reach +5m (total of 6m)
  30 
  Long Legs: Running +30m
  15 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -15m
  total cost: 146 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Huge (+5 OCV 
  to hit character, +5 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive him) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) (20 points)
  Cost For growth: 65 points.
  size: seMi-gigantiC  
  (CharaCter is up to tWeLve tiMes huMan size)
  Cost 
  53 
  greater strength: +53 STR
  18 
  greater toughness: +18 CON
  18 
  More impressive: +18 PRE
  11 
  tougher: +11 PD
  11 
  tougher: +11 ED
  11 
  greater Mass: +11 BODY
  11 
  greater toughness: +22 STUN
  11 
  reach: Reach +11m (total of 12m)
  42 
  Long Legs: Running +42m
  21 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -21m
  25 
  gigantic hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼) 
  for up to 70 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 232 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Gigantic (+6 
  OCV to hit character, +6 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive 
  him) (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) (20 points)
  Cost For growth: 100 points.
  size: seMi-gargantuan 
  (CharaCter is up to tWenty-Four tiMes huMan size)
  Cost 
  68 
  greater strength: +68 STR
  23 
  greater toughness: +23 CON
  23 
  More impressive: +23 PRE
  14 
  tougher: +14 PD
  14 
  tougher: +14 ED
  14 
  greater Mass: +14 BODY
  14 
  greater toughness: +28 STUN
  23 
  reach: Reach +23m (total of 24m)
  64 
  Long Legs: Running +54m
  27 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -27m
  30 
  gargantuan hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (3m Radius; 
  +¼) for up to 80 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 314 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Gargantuan (+7 
  OCV to hit character, +7 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive 
  him) (Very Frequently, Greatly Impairing) (25 points)
  Cost For growth: 140 points.
  size: seMi-CoLossaL  
  (CharaCter is up to Forty-eight tiMes huMan size)
  Cost 
  83 
  greater strength: +83 STR
  28 
  greater toughness: +28 CON
  28 
  More impressive: +28 PRE
  17 
  tougher: +17 PD
  17 
  tougher: +17 ED
  17 
  greater Mass: +17 BODY
  17 
  greater toughness: +34 STUN
  47 
  reach: Reach +47m (total of 48m)
  66 
  Long Legs: Running +66m
  33 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -33m
  75 
  Colossal hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (6m Radius; +½) 
  for up to 100 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 428 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Semi-Colossal (+9 
  OCV to hit character, +9 to others’ PER Rolls to perceive 
  him) (All The Time, Greatly Impairing) (30 points)
  Cost For growth: 190 points.
  InTERmEDIATE lARGE SIZE TEmPlATES
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  101
  EXPAnDED GROWTH TABlE
  Cost
  Category
  height
  Width
  Mass (kg)
  str
  Con pre defs Bod stun reach
  run
  KB
  15
  Semi-Large
  Up to 3m
  Up to 1.5m
  100-400
  +8
  +3
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +4
  +1m
  +6m
  -3m
  25
  Large
  3.1-4m
  1.6-2m
  401-800
  +15
  +5
  +5
  +3
  +3
  +6
  +1m
  +12m
  -6m
  40
  Semi-Enormous
  5-6m
  2-3m
  801-3,200
  +23
  +8
  +8
  +5
  +5
  +10
  +2m
  +18m
  -9m
  50
  Enormous
  7-8m
  3-4m
  3,201-6,400
  +30
  +10 +10
  +6
  +6
  +12
  +3m
  +24m -12m
  65
  Semi-Huge
  9-12m
  5-6m
  6,401-25,000
  +38
  +13 +13
  +8
  +8
  +16
  +5m
  +30m -15m
  90
  Huge*
  13-16m
  7-8m
  25,001-50,000
  +45
  +15 +15
  +9
  +9
  +18
  +7m
  +36m -18m
  100
  Semi-Gigantic
  17-24m
  9-12m
  50,001-200,000
  +53
  +18 +18 +11 +11
  +22
  +11m +42m -21m
  120
  Gigantic
  25-32m
  13-16m
  200,001-400,000
  +60
  +20 +20 +12 +12
  +24
  +15m +48m -24m
  140 Semi-Gargantuan
  33-48m
  17-24m
  400,001-1.6mil
  +68
  +23 +23 +14   +14
  +28
  +23m +54m -27m
  150
  Gargantuan
  49-64m
  25-32m
  1.7-3.2mil
  +75
  +25 +25 +15 +15
  +30
  +31m +60m -30m
  190
  Semi-Colossal
  65-96m
  33-48m
  3.3-12.8mil
  +83+28 +28 +17 +17 +34 +47m +66m -33m
  215
  Colossal
  97-125m
  49-64m
  12.9-25.6mil
  +90
  +30 +30 +18 +18
  +36
  +63m +72m -36m
  300
  Monumental
  126-250m
  65-125m
  25.7-205mil
  +105
  +35 +35 +21 +21
  +42
  +119 +84m -42m
  400
  Skyscraperish
  251-500m
  126-250m
  206-1,640mil
  +120
  +40 +40 +24 +24
  +48
  +249 +96m -48m
  600
  Cloudcutting
  501-1000m 251-500m 1,641-13,120mil
  +135
  +45 +45 +27 +27
  +54
  +499
  +108
  -54m
  soMe CoMparisons
  points of growth
  approximately equal in size to...
  190 (Semi-Colossal, 96m)
  Length of a football field (91m)
  215 (Colossal, 125m)
  Height of the Washington Monument (169m) 
  or a Saturn rocket
  300 (Monumental, 250m)
  Height of the Eiffel Tower (324m)
  400 (Skyscraperish, 500m)
  Height of the Empire State Building (381m)
  600 (Cloudcutting, 1,000m)
  Elevation of the lowest clouds
  *:  Beginning at the Huge level of Growth, the character’s 
  hands and feet become large enough to qualify as 
  Area Of Effect attacks; see the Size Templates on 6E1 
  443 for details. 
   
  Each level of Growth imposes upon the character a 
  Physical Complication that makes him easier to hit 
  and to perceive (+2 OCV to hit and +2 to PER Rolls 
  to perceive for each doubling of height); see the Size 
  Templates on 6E1 443 for details.
  size: MonuMentaL  
  (CharaCter is up to 125 tiMes huMan size)
  Cost
  105 
  greater strength: +105 STR
  35 
  greater toughness: +35 CON
  35 
  More impressive: +35 PRE
  21 
  tougher: +21 PD
  21 
  tougher: +21 ED
  21 
  greater Mass: +21 BODY
  21 
  greater toughness: +42 STUN
  124 
  reach: Reach +124m (total of 125m)
  84 
  Long Legs: Running +84m
  42 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -42m
  157 
  Colossal hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +¾) for 
  up to 140 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 666 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Monumental (All The Time, 
  Fully Impairing) (35 points)
  size: sKysCraperish  
  (CharaCter is up to 250 tiMes huMan size)
  Cost
  120 
  greater strength: +120 STR
  40 
  greater toughness: +40 CON
  40 
  More impressive: +40 PRE
  24 
  tougher: +24 PD
  24 
  tougher: +24 ED
  24 
  greater Mass: +24 BODY
  24 
  greater toughness: +48 STUN
  249 
  reach: Reach +249m (total of 250m)
  96 
  Long Legs: Running +96m
  48 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -48m
  240 
  Colossal hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (32m Radius; +1) for 
  up to 160 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 929 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Skyscraperish (All The 
  Time, Fully Impairing) (35 points)
  size: CLoudCutting  
  (CharaCter is up to 500 tiMes huMan size)
  Cost
  135 
  greater strength: +135 STR
  45 
  greater toughness: +45 CON
  45 
  More impressive: +45 PRE
  27 
  tougher: +27 PD
  27 
  tougher: +27 ED
  27 
  greater Mass: +27 BODY
  27 
  greater toughness: +54 STUN
  499 
  reach: Reach +499m (total of 500m)
  108 
  Long Legs: Running +108m
  54 
  heavy: Knockback Resistance -54m
  337 
  Colossal hands and Feet: Area Of Effect (64m Radius; +1¼) for 
  up to 180 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  total cost: 1,331 points.
   
  Complication: Physical Complication: Cloudcutting (All The Time, 
  Fully Impairing) (35 points)
  EXPAnDED SIZE TEmPlATES
  3
  
  102 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  HAnD-TO-HAnD ATTACK
  If a character has an Uncontrolled HA, the 
  pool of END used to power the ability must cover 
  the END for both the HA itself and the STR used 
  with it. This cost must be paid each Phase, but if 
  the character uses his STR for something else in a 
  Phase, he doesn’t have to pay END again, per the 
  usual rules — he only pays END once in a Phase 
  for all uses of STR, but in this case the END comes 
  from the Uncontrolled pool. (See 6E2 100 for 
  rules about adding STR to Advantaged HAs.) An 
  Uncontrolled HA should have “target moves out 
  of HTH Combat range” as the condition (or one of 
  the conditions) that causes the Uncontrolled effect 
  to cease.
  If a character has a Power Framework where all 
  the slots are HAs, he can apply the Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) Limitation to the Framework’s base 
  cost/reserve.
  If a character has an HA Damage Shield, the 
  HA damage adds to his STR as usual. He cannot 
  include damage from Martial Maneuvers or 
  the like, just HA + STR. (A character can apply 
  Damage Shield to a specific Martial Maneuver in 
  appropriate circumstances, using the rules for that 
  in HSMA.)
  HEAlInG
  In a situation where two or more characters 
  want to apply Healing to the same target, and 
  one of the characters’ Healing powers has the 
  Decreased Re-Use Duration Advantage, each 
  character uses his own power’s duration for 
  determining when he can apply Healing a second, 
  third, or further times without being subject to the 
  maximum effect rules. The duration is calculated 
  for each character from when he first tries to Heal 
  the target.
  Example: Brother Herbert has a Healing BODY 
  2d6 spell (maximum effect 12 points, or 6 
  BODY). Brother Willem has a Healing BODY 
  2d6 spell, Decreased Re-Use Duration (1 Turn) 
  (again, maximum effect 12 points, or 6 BODY). 
  Their friend Artorius the Bold has been badly 
  injured in battle, suffering 8 BODY worth of 
  wounds. In Turn 1, they both decide to try to 
  Heal Artorius. Herbert acts in Segment 3 and 
  rolls 8 (thus Healing 4 BODY). On his Phase 
  in Segment 4, Willem tries to Heal Artorius as 
  well. Willem has to roll more than 8 on his 2d6 
  to Heal Artorius further, and can only Heal 
  him to the extent his roll exceeds 8. However, 
  whereas Herbert has to wait 1 Day before he 
  can apply Healing without being subject to the 
  maximum effect rules, Willem only has to wait 
  until Segment 4 of Turn 2 (one Turn later). At 
  that time he can apply his Healing power anew, 
  regardless of what he, Herbert, or any other 
  healers did in the intervening time.
  TAKInG EXTRA TImE FOR Full EFFECT
  The way most Healing-based powers and abili-
  ties work, it’s plausible to think that a character 
  who takes more time should get a better result. 
  Normally a character might be able to obtain this 
  sort of result with the Constant (+½) Advantage, 
  but the maximum effect rules for Healing mean a 
  character may have to take a lot of time and make 
  a lot of rolls before he gets his full result.
  As an optional rule, the GM can say that any 
  character who takes additional time when using 
  his Healing power — one step down the Time 
  Chart — automatically gains the maximum result 
  for his Healing without having to make an Effect 
  Roll.
  Example: Father Mikael has a Curing-Spell 
  (Simplified Healing 6d6) with the Limitation 
  Extra Time (1 Turn). If he takes even more time 
  — 1 Minute, the next step down the Time Chart 
  from 1 Turn — he automatically does 36 STUN, 
  12 BODY (halved to +18 STUN, +6 BODY) with 
  his Healing without having to make an Effect 
  Roll.
  (The GM can, if he wishes, use this rule/
  concept with other powers. For example, if a char-
  acter has a typical Mind Control attack, maybe if 
  he takes a full Turn to use it on a target, he auto-
  matically gets his maximum Effect Roll.)
  ADvAnTAGES
  Cumulative: Normally characters cannot buy the 
  Cumulative Advantage for Healing, since it doesn’t 
  involve applying a total rolled on the dice to a 
  defense to determine an effect. However, if the 
  GM prefers, characters can use Cumulative with 
  Healing as a way to guarantee they can achieve 
  their maximum effect with every use. A character 
  can use Cumulative Healing again and again on 
  a particular character (or, if preferred, a specific 
  wound), adding the effect rolls together without 
  later rolls having to exceed earlier rolls, until the 
  character reaches the maximum possible effect 
  for his Healing. Characters cannot pay extra for 
  Cumulative to increase the maximum effect of 
  their Healing; they’re restricted to the maximum 
  imposed by the dice of Healing they’ve purchased.
  Example: Anne O’Dyne has the ability to heal the 
  injuries of others, which she’s bought as Healing 
  4d6, Cumulative. When she uses her Healing, 
  she can keep using it again and again until her 
  Effect Rolls add up to 24 STUN, 8 BODY — the 
  maximum result she could achieve on a 4d6 roll.
  Anne’s helping Nighthawk on a secret mission, 
  and during the mission Nighthawk gets shot. 
  He suffers a 21 STUN, 7 BODY wound (after 
  applying his defenses). Anne heals him. She 
  applies her Healing, rolling 12 STUN, 4 BODY 
  on her first roll (leaving Nighthawk at -15 STUN, 
  -5 BODY). Her next Phase, she applies Healing 
  again, rolling 6 STUN, 2 BODY (total of 18 
  STUN, 6 BODY, leaving Nighthawk at -12 STUN, 
  -4 BODY). She tries again her third Phase, 
  rolling 13 STUN, 4 BODY (total of 24 STUN [her 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  103
  maximum], 8 BODY [her maximum], enough to 
  heal Nighthawk to -9 STUN, -3 BODY.
  Trigger: Typically characters shouldn’t be allowed 
  to buy Healing with Triggers such as “when STUN 
  is reduced to 0 or less,” since such abilities can 
  unbalance the campaign. If the GM permits a 
  character to have this sort of a power, if it restores 
  the character to consciousness before the end of 
  the Segment he doesn’t suffer any of the stan-
  dard effects for being Knocked Out. However, 
  since being Stunned is an instantaneous thing, 
  it wouldn’t prevent a character from becoming 
  Stunned by an attack even if it effectively negates 
  some or all of the loss of STUN.
  ImAGES
  If a character creates an Image of a warrior, 
  monster, policeman, or something else that 
  should have a DCV, its DCV is whatever DCV the 
  character creating it wants it to have, subject to 
  the GM’s permission. But of course an extremely 
  high DCV is likely to tip attackers off that there’s 
  something amiss, probably providing a bonus to 
  PER Rolls to realize the Image isn’t real.
  ADvAnTAGES
  Constant: Taking the Constant (+½) Advantage 
  for Images means that characters perceiving an 
  Image must make PER Rolls every Phase, but that 
  could be good or bad for the character creating the 
  Image depending on whether the perceivers failed 
  the first time. Anyone perceiving the Image has 
  to make a PER Roll each Phase, and whether he 
  believes the Image is real or not can change from 
  Phase to Phase depending on whether his roll 
  that Phase fails or succeeds. Once the character 
  succeeds with a PER Roll, the GM may grant 
  bonuses to any further PER Rolls, since realizing 
  the Image isn’t real one time tends to make the 
  character more suspicious going forward.
  Indirect: Images are not in any way “Indirect” 
  by default; a character cannot create one on the 
  other side of a glass window or the like. (Though 
  as always, the GM can grant exceptions in the 
  interest of common and dramatic sense.) Charac-
  ters can buy Indirect for Images to alter the Source 
  Point of the Power.
  InvISIBIlITy
  Invisibility to the Mental Sense Group makes 
  a character imperceivable by Mind Scan, and by 
  Detect Mind and any other Senses or Detects 
  included in the Mental Sense Group. It gener-
  ally has no effect against Telepathy or Mind Link, 
  since that requires LOS — if the mentalist can see 
  someone, he can use his Telepathy on that person, 
  since Telepathy isn’t a Mental Sense even though it 
  has Sense-like aspects.
  A “mentally Invisible” character can only be 
  located with Mind Scan (or other Mental Senses) 
  if the mentalist makes a Mind Scan Attack Roll at 
  OMCV 0 (or at ½ OMCV if the mentalist is within 
  2m of the target and makes a PER Roll to spot the 
  fringe [if any]). If a Mind Scan lock-on is estab-
  lished, the Invisibility has no further effect against 
  the Mind Scanning character (unless the lock-on 
  is broken somehow). The Invisibility still applies 
  to other mentalists, though they can may be able 
  to use their Mental Awareness to “trace” the first 
  mentalist’s use of Mind Scan and perceive where 
  the target is.
  Invisibility to the Mental Sense Group doesn’t 
  affect Mental Awareness, since that Sense only 
  detects the use of Mental Powers, not the mere 
  possession of them. Nor does it interfere with the 
  character’s ability to use his own Mental Powers, if 
  any. But if a character who’s Invisible to the Mental 
  Sense Group uses a Mental Power, a character with 
  Mental Awareness can perceive the use of that 
  Power (unless the power has the Invisible Power 
  Effects to make it Invisible to Mental Senses).
  Being Invisible to the Mental Sense Group 
  doesn’t hide the use of Mental Powers from others, 
  any more than being Invisible to Sight Group 
  allows a character to apply Invisible Power Effects 
  to his Blast for free. If the character uses Telepathy 
  to send thoughts to someone, he can receive 
  thoughts from that person, and anyone using 
  Mental Awareness can perceive the exchange. If 
  he has Mind Scan, he can Scan for a mind, and 
  anyone with Mental Awareness can perceive that 
  he’s doing so.
  InvISIBIlITy Only WHEn ATTACKInG
  If a character has Invisibility with the Limita-
  tion Only When Not Attacking, most abilities that 
  involve an Attack Roll and that could negatively 
  impact a target in any way count as “an attack.” 
  This includes things like Images that don’t neces-
  sarily cause physical harm.
  3
  
  104 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  lEAPInG
  As noted on 6E1 243, characters ordinarily 
  cannot change direction in mid-Leap. However, 
  at the GM’s option, in some situations a character 
  may be able to use Leaping to “bounce” off of 
  surfaces (usually vertical ones) to change direction 
  or “ricochet” himself in the middle of a Leap.
  To bounce, a character must has an appropriate 
  surface to bounce off of, such as the side of a 
  building, a wall or ceiling in a room, or the trunk 
  of a large tree. He must declare a target point for 
  the end of his Leap as usual. The total meters 
  traveled, from the starting point, to the point of 
  bouncing, to the end target point, cannot exceed 
  the character’s meters in Leaping (though he could 
  bounce with a Noncombat Leap if he wants to, 
  unless the GM rules otherwise).
  To bounce, a character must make an Acro-
  batics roll at +1, or a DEX Roll at -2. If the roll 
  succeeds, he performed the bounce properly and 
  may now make his Attack Roll to hit his target 
  point. If he could perceive the target point before 
  making his Leap, the Attack Roll is unmodified; 
  if he could not perceive it, he suffers the standard 
  penalties for inability to perceive his target with 
  a Targeting Sense. If the bouncing roll fails, the 
  attempt to bounce also fails. The GM determines 
  where the character ends up landing based on the 
  character’s trajectory, the surface he bounced off 
  of, special effects, common sense, and dramatic 
  sense; he may also require the character to succeed 
  with a Breakfall roll to keep his footing when 
  he lands. In some cases an attempt to bounce 
  may automatically fail (for example, when the 
  bouncing surface looks solid but is so fragile the 
  Leaping character just crashes right through it).
  At the GM’s option, a character may perform 
  a Leap involving multiple bounces (such as 
  ricocheting around inside a room to perform a 
  Multiple Attack with Move By). The total distance 
  traveled still may not exceed the character’s meters 
  in Leaping. The character must make an Acro-
  batics or DEX Roll as described above, but suffers 
  an additional modifier of -1 per each additional 
  bounce after the first. For example, if El Salto, the 
  midget Mexican leaping supervillain, wanted to 
  bounce off four walls to inflict a Surprise Attack 
  on Nighthawk, he would have to make his Acro-
  batics roll at a -2 penalty (the base roll is Acro-
  batics +1, but he suffers a -3 penalty for bouncing 
  off four walls).
  At the GM’s option, a character who wants 
  to use Leaping to perform a Move By or Move 
  Through can do so using bouncing — he hits the 
  target and bounces off rather than going past him 
  or plowing through him.
  lIFE SuPPORT
  Here are some additional rules and guidelines 
  for Life Support.
  EXPAnDED ImmunITy
  The accompanying text box lists some specific 
  examples of Immunity to make it easy for charac-
  ters to determine how much they should spend on 
  this form of Life Support.
  ImmunITIES
  Cost
  very Broad immunities
  5
  All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents
  5
  All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare 
  agents
  Broad immunities
  4
  Phytotoxins (poisons derived from plants)
  4
  Zootoxins (poisons derived from animals)
  specific group immunities
  2
  Alcohol (beer, bourbon, gin, whiskey, dwarven 
  ale)
  2
  Asphyxiants (chlorine gas, phosgene gas)
  3
  Bacterial Infections (anthrax, the plague, 
  brucellosis, typhoid fever)
  2
  Blistering Agents (Vesicants) (mustard gas, 
  Lewisite)
  1
  Fungal Infections (desert fever)
  2
  Haemotoxins (cyanide, cyanogen gas)
  1
  Microbe Toxins (botulin, B, TZ)
  2
  Nerve Gases (Tabun, Sarin, Soman, VE, VM, VX)
  2
  Neurotoxins (poisons which kills by attacking 
  the nervous system)
  2
  Neutralizing Agents (tear gas, itching powder, 
  retching agents)
  1
  Rickets Infections (typhus, purple fever, 
  Queensland fever)
  3
  Venoms from one category of plant or animal 
  (e.g., all reptile venoms)
  2
  Venoms from one type of plant or animal (e.g., 
  ophidotoxins — venoms from snakes)
  3
  Viral Infections (smallpox, HIV, ebola and Lassa 
  viral fevers, yellow fever)
  individual substance/disease immunities
  1
  Common cold/flu
  1
  Malaria
  1
  Rabies
  2
  Tetanus
  1
  Venom from any single rare or common 
  poisonous plant or animal (e.g., coral snake, 
  black widow spider)
  2
  Venom from any single very common 
  poisonous plant or animal (e.g., rattlesnake)
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  105
  lIFE SuPPORT AS A DEFEnSE
  Many AVADs have one or more forms of Life 
  Support, typically a Safe Environment, as the 
  defense against them — in fact, often choosing 
  Life Support as a defense is pretty much manda-
  tory, given the special effects in question. For 
  example, a Radiation Pulse NND would have Safe 
  Environment (High Radiation) as the defense, and 
  a Bitter Cold NND would have Safe Environment 
  (Intense Cold). To not choose those forms of Life 
  Support as a defense removes some of the utility 
  Life Support provides, so GMs should be very 
  cautious about allowing it.
  Gamers interested in greater variation among 
  characters can extend the concept of Life Support 
  as a defense in two ways. First, they can reduce 
  the effectiveness of all of the Safe Environments 
  that cost 2 Character Points. With this option, 
  characters can buy 1-point versions of those four 
  Safe Environments. The 1-point version is half as 
  effective as the regular 2-point version:
  
  n when used as a defense against an AVAD 
  (including NNDs) or similar attacks, a 1-point 
  Safe Environment doesn’t provide an absolute 
  defense; it reduces the damage done by half.
  
  n the Safe Environment is otherwise roughly half 
  as effective (with the GM determining exactly 
  what this entails). For example, a character 
  with 1-point Safe Environment (Intense Cold) 
  can stay in extreme cold longer than other 
  characters before he feels uncomfortable or 
  develops frostbite, but eventually he’ll suffer 
  problems. One with Safe Environment (High 
  Radiation) can take a lot more rads than other 
  characters, but after enough exposure he’ll 
  begin suffering radiation poisoning.
  Second, the GM can allow Safe Environments 
  to have some effect against attacks of the appro-
  priate special effect that aren’t AVADs. This may 
  either be a part of how those attacks work in the 
  campaign (i.e., characters get no Limitation for it), 
  or it might constitute a -¼ (at most) Limitation on 
  the attacks. Here’s how this works:
  safe environment (high pressure): reduces the 
  damage caused by Gravity attacks (and similar 
  attacks) that squeeze or crush the character by 
  10%.
  safe environment (high radiation): reduces the 
  damage caused by Radiation attacks by 25%
  safe environment (intense Cold): reduces the 
  damage caused by Ice/Cold attacks by 25%, 
  provided the attack does Energy damage (it has no 
  effect against, for example, crushing blocks of Ice 
  that do Physical damage)
  safe environment (intense heat): reduces the 
  damage caused by Fire/Heat attacks by 25% (alter-
  nately, it might reduce pure Fire attacks by 25%, 
  and pure Heat attacks by 50%)
  The GM can also apply this to other forms 
  of Life Support if he wishes, such as using Life 
  Support (Longevity) to reduce the effects of Time-
  based attacks. In all cases, the reduction of damage 
  applies after the character uses his defenses to 
  reduce the attack’s damage, just like the Damage 
  Reduction Power. (If the character also has 
  Damage Reduction, apply it to the damage that 
  gets past defenses first, then use Life Support to 
  further reduce the remaining damage.)
  If the GM prefers, he can even scale this effect 
  based on the value of a Limitation, Expanded 
  Defensive Effect, taken on an attack. For a -0 Limi-
  tation, the appropriate Safe Environment reduces 
  damage by 10% (or this may be the campaign 
  default, worth no Limitation at all). For a -¼ Limi-
  tation, it reduces the damage by 25%. For a -½ 
  Limitation, it reduces the damage by 50%. For a -1 
  Limitation, it reduces the damage by 75%. In some 
  cases, the GM may require that characters always 
  take a Limitation of a minimum value for attacks 
  of a particular special effect; for example, Ice/Cold 
  attacks might always have to take the Limitation at 
  the -¼ value. (Characters cannot take this Limita-
  tion for NNDs, which are an all-or-nothing form 
  of attack.)
  luCK
  Characters cannot use Overall Skill Levels to 
  increase or improve the results of a Luck roll.
  OTHER WAyS OF uSInG luCK
  Besides the standard “count the 6s” method 
  described above, other ways exist to simulate the 
  effects of Luck in the game. They include:
  
  n At the beginning of a game session, the player 
  rolls his Luck dice and counts the Normal 
  Damage BODY. The number of BODY equals 
  the number of rolls the player may re-roll 
  during that game to get a better result.
  
  n At the beginning of a game session, the player 
  rolls his Luck dice and counts the total. That 
  total represents a number of points the player 
  may add to or subtract from rolls throughout 
  that game to get better results.
  
  n At the beginning of a game session, the player 
  rolls his Luck dice and counts the total. That 
  total represents the number of individual dice 
  the player may re-roll during that game to get a 
  better result.
  
  n As an optional rule, the GM can allow Luck to 
  help characters who have Gambling. Every 6 
  rolled for Luck adds +2 to the Gambling roll.
  Note that some of these methods are similar to 
  Heroic Action Points (see below), and therefore 
  may not be used in a game that uses HAPs.
  In all cases where the GM uses Luck to allow a 
  player to re-roll dice, re-rolls must achieve a better 
  result than the original roll. The player may keep 
  rolling (without sacrificing any more of his Luck-
  based re-rolls) until he gets a better result.
  3
  
  106 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  luCK AnD HEROIC ACTIOn POInTS
  If the GM’s using the Heroic Action Points 
  rules (6E2 287) in the campaign, he should decide 
  how they interact with Luck. Some possibilities 
  include:
  
  n Characters cannot buy Luck; they have to rely 
  on their HAPs.
  
  n Every 1d6 of Luck purchased adds to the dice 
  the character rolls at the beginning of the game 
  session to determine how many HAPs the 
  character has that session; otherwise, charac-
  ters cannot use Luck.
  
  n Ordinarily characters can only use HAPs to 
  improve his own rolls or abilities, but if a 
  characters succeeds with a Luck roll, he can use 
  HAPs to alter other characters’ rolls. Luck has 
  no other function in the game.
  
  n Characters can have both HAPs and Luck; each 
  functions as indicated in the rules and doesn’t 
  affect the other.
  mEnTAl BlAST
  As an optional rule for campaigns that involve 
  heavy use of Mental Powers, the GM might decide 
  that Mental Blasts do damage to the target’s EGO, 
  just as if EGO were BODY: a roll of 1 is 0 EGO 
  damage, a roll of 2-5 is 1 EGO, and a roll of 6 is 2 
  EGO. Mental Defense protects against this damage 
  the same way that PD and ED protect against 
  BODY damage from ordinary attacks.
  mEnTAl DEFEnSE
  Depending on how the GM conceives of 
  Mental Power and Mental combat as working in 
  his campaign, he may want to establish a “Charac-
  teristic Minima” governing the purchase of Mental 
  Defense. What this means is that the amount of 
  Mental Defense a character can buy depends on 
  the value of a certain Characteristic — typically 
  DMCV, but possibly OMCV or EGO (or even 
  an average of OMCV and DMCV). For example, 
  characters might not be allowed to have more 
  Mental Defense than their DMCV times 3.
  mEnTAl IlluSIOnS
  Here are some additional rules and guidelines 
  for Mental Illusions.
  KnOWlEDGE OF mEnTAl IlluSIOnS
  If a target knows that a character has a Mental 
  Illusions power (perhaps because he’s been 
  affected by it previously), the character suffers 
  a -10 on his Effect Rolls. It’s harder to make 
  someone believe an Illusion when they’re aware 
  that you can create Illusions.
  TImE
  Typically time passes the same for a character 
  subjected to Mental Illusions as for other charac-
  ters. His SPD remains the same, and he gets a Full 
  Phase’s worth of Actions on each of his Phases to 
  react to the Illusion. As noted above, he spends 
  END like normal, and otherwise interacts with 
  the world and the HERO System rules as normal 
  (except as noted here or changed by the GM in the 
  interest of common sense, dramatic sense, special 
  effects, and other factors).
  At the GM’s option, at the EGO +30 level, a 
  mentalist can alter a target’s sense of time in a 
  Mental Illusion. He can cause him to go through 
  Turns, minutes, perhaps even years’ worth of time 
  in a single Segment, or stretch what seems like 
  a single Segment over a Turn or more of time. 
  Thus, the character might feel like he’s been doing 
  something for an hour, even though it’s only been 
  twelve seconds. A character could be forced to 
  live an entire illusory lifetime in the space of an 
  hour. Similarly, a Mental Illusion could be used to 
  make a character think that a given time frame is 
  much shorter than it actually is (a good way to sit 
  quietly through long, boring journeys or lectures). 
  However, Illusions of combat situations should 
  generally correspond to the “real world” on a 
  Phase-by-Phase basis.
  The GM is the final arbiter of the exact 
  temporal correspondence between Illusion and 
  reality. He might rule, for example, that an illusion 
  that’s supposed to simulate three days of “real life” 
  must last for three Turns of game time. If the char-
  acter breaks out of the Illusion before three Turns 
  have passed, the effect automatically fails.
  If the GM allows Illusions to distort time in 
  this manner, then he may either allow it “for free,” 
  or he may require a mentalist to achieve +10 
  points of effect on the Mental Illusion roll to create 
  gross distortions of time.
  OTHER EFFECTS 
  As noted in the rules, a Mental Illusions can 
  only do Normal Damage — even if the illusion is 
  of, for example, a Killing Damage weapon. This 
  inconsistency may provide the target of a Mental 
  Illusion with a chance to roll to break out of the 
  illusion. At the GM’s option, a character’s Mental 
  Illusions do the appropriate type of damage 
  (Killing Damage for guns, knives, and the like; 
  NND Damage for knockout gas; and so on) if 
  the character takes an Advantage, Illusions Do 
  Appropriate Damage (+½), for the power. With the 
  GM’s permission the damage caused by Mental 
  Illusions with this Advantage can have Advantages 
  that affect damage, such as NND, Armor Piercing, 
  or the like. The Active Points in the “attack” still 
  depends on the Effect Roll. For example, if the 
  Effect Roll is 40 and the mentalist wants the 
  damage to be a Blast with Penetrating (+½), the 
  most dice of damage he can do is 5d6 (25 x 1.5 
  = 37 Active Points, which fits within 40 points, 
  whereas 6d6 would be 45 Active Points). (Alter-
  nately, the GM may dispense with the “Illusions 
  Do Appropriate Damage” Advantage and simply 
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  107
  establish a house rule that illusions always do the 
  appropriate type of damage.)
  At the GM’s option, mentalists may create/
  cause “unusual effects” other than damage with 
  certain Mental Illusions. This requires a +20 
  Effect Roll modifier, and the “Active Points” in the 
  Power(s) used to create the effect must be equal 
  to or less than the total Effect Roll or the Active 
  Points in the Mental Illusions power, whichever is 
  less. If any of the Power(s) used are Constant, the 
  mentalist must maintain the Illusion by paying 
  the full END cost for the Mental Illusions each 
  Phase (this END doesn’t prevent the Illusion from 
  deteriorating — it’s in addition to any END the 
  character spends to keep the illusion from deterio-
  rating). If something blocks the mentalist’s LOS, 
  or if he switches to a different Power Framework 
  slot (other than the one is Mental Illusions power 
  is in), the unusual effect vanishes at once. Some 
  examples of unusual effects include:
  
  n Change Environment (illusions of altered 
  weather and similar phenomena, thick fog, or 
  the like)
  
  n Darkness (illusions of dark night or a total 
  eclipse)
  
  n Drains of Running or DEX (illusions of slip-
  pery ice or marshy ground underfoot)
  
  n Entangle (illusions of quicksand, Ironclad grab-
  bing the target, magical chains appearing from 
  nowhere)
  
  n Flash (illusions of a bag over the victim’s head, 
  a bright light, a handful of sand thrown in the 
  eyes)
  
  n Telekinesis (illusions of enlarging an object so 
  other characters cannot pick it up)
  If an unusual effect would do STUN or BODY 
  damage to a target, the mentalist must achieve the 
  necessary +10 or +20 effect in addition to the +20 
  he must achieve to create the unusual effect.
  At the GM’s option, a Mental Illusion can make 
  a “Presence Attack” against an affected character 
  if the Illusion is particularly impressive. To do 
  this, the mentalist must declare his Effect Roll at 
  +10; this is separate from the +10/20 needed to 
  do damage. The maximum “points of Presence” 
  with which the attack is made equals the Effect 
  Roll achieved with the Mental Illusions dice or 
  the Active Points in the Mental Illusions power, 
  whichever is less. Of course, the Illusion must be 
  of something the victim considers impressive; if 
  the Illusion isn’t appropriate for these purposes, 
  the GM shouldn’t let the character roll a Pres-
  ence Attack, or should reduce the number of dice 
  available.
  MuLtipLe eFFeCts
  If a character wants a Mental Illusion to have 
  multiple combat effects (such as causing damage 
  and achieving a Change Environment effect, he 
  must get the GM’s permission. This typically 
  requires him to achieve the next highest level 
  of effect on his Effect Roll. If causing damage 
  ordinarily requires a base “major changes to 
  setting” (EGO +10) roll (plus the modifier for 
  causing damage), then causing damage and 
  creating another effect is clearly better, so a higher 
  level of effect (EGO +20, plus the modifier for 
  causing damage and the modifier for an unusual 
  effect).
  SuGGESTIBIlITy
  A mentalist can make a target more suscep-
  tible to the effects of a Mental Illusion in the right 
  circumstances. For example, suppose he carries 
  around a .44 Magnum handgun and makes sure 
  people know he carries it (perhaps he has a Nega-
  tive Reputation for carrying a gun, for example). 
  It might even be a fake pistol — all that matters 
  is that people think it’s real. The mentalist might 
  use his Mental Illusions to make his target think 
  he (the metnalist) has just pulled out the pistol 
  and shot him (the victim). Since the target already 
  thinks the mentalist has a gun, this illusion is 
  more believable than the “average” illusion. In this 
  sort of situation, the GM might grant the mentalist 
  a bonus of +5 or more on his roll on his Effect 
  Roll (in some cases, this bonus would only apply 
  to achieving a high enough effect to do damage 
  to the target). However, the GM might make this 
  bonus contingent on the target making an INT 
  Roll or Negative Reputation roll to realize who the 
  mentalist is.
  mInD COnTROl
  The GMs for some campaigns, particularly 
  campaigns that involve a lot of Mental Powers, 
  may want to consider ignoring Telepathic and 
  assume that Mind Control is automatically tele-
  pathic. In that case, Mind Control that requires 
  spoken commands can take the Incantations 
  Limitation (though in some cases the GM may let 
  the mentalist whisper orders to the victim).
  If a character’s been the victim of a Mind 
  Control that achieved the +20 modifier so the 
  target thinks his actions were natural, at the 
  GM’s option it may be possible for other char-
  acters to convince him he was Mind Controlled. 
  It all depends on how the GM defines Mental 
  Powers as working in his campaign, the special 
  effects involved, and other factors. Just telling the 
  character he was Mind Controlled won’t do it; 
  the victim firmly believes he acted on his own. 
  Telepathy alone isn’t enough — sufficiently strong 
  Telepathy reveals to the telepath what happened, 
  but the best he can do is to tell the Mind Control 
  victim, who probably won’t believe him (or at 
  least is highly skeptical). A mentalist can use a 
  “psionic surgery” Mental Transform to “remove” 
  the “mental blocks” that prevent the victim from 
  remembering and restore to him the memory of 
  what was done to him; see APG 128-30.
  3
  
  108 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  HyPnOSIS
  One form of Mind Control in many genres 
  and settings is hypnosis. Defining hypnosis is 
  difficult; it’s been said that the number of defini-
  tions of hypnosis roughly equals the number of 
  practitioners. For game purposes hypnosis can 
  be considered a trance state in which the subject 
  relaxes, experiences heightened imagination, and 
  is extremely suggestible. In effect it allows the 
  hypnotist to bypass the subject’s conscious mind 
  to directly access the subconscious. Subjects tend 
  to become playful, imaginative, and willing to go 
  along with bizarre suggestions (such as clucking 
  like a chicken or pretending to pet a dog). It’s 
  the suggestibility aspect that relates hypnosis to 
  Mind Control. (Because the subconscious mind 
  stores a person’s memories, hypnosis also allows 
  a hypnotist to “access” memories for therapeutic 
  purposes... or to learn something he wants to 
  know, or possibly even to plant false memories. 
  These aspects of hypnosis require Telepathy and 
  Mental Transform; they can’t be accomplished 
  with Mind Control.)
  Although hypnosis-like states and experiences 
  have been known for centuries (often in religious 
  or mystical contexts, such as a shaman’s medita-
  tive trance), hypnosis in the modern sense dates to 
  the late 1700s. Austrian physician Franz Mesmer 
  studied and described the phenomenon; he 
  considered it a quasi-mystical force that emanated 
  from the hypnotist into his subject. Since his time 
  hypnosis has been studied and practiced exten-
  sively, to the point where it’s often used in various 
  forms of therapy today.
  reaListiC hypnosis
  Some experts believe people self-hypnotize 
  themselves frequently by becoming deeply 
  absorbed in a daydream, book, movie, task, or 
  the like, but for game purposes, there are two 
  types of hypnosis: realistic and cinematic. Realistic 
  hypnosis, the type used by most modern practi-
  tioners, is very restricted in many ways. First, it 
  requires extensive time and preparations to induce 
  a hypnotic trance. Depending on the subject’s 
  fitness for hypnosis, the entire process may take 
  as little as 5 Minutes, or as long as 20 Minutes (or 
  more), though some skilled entertainer hypno-
  tists can put people into simple hypnotic trances 
  much more quickly on stage. The methods used 
  include eye fixation (getting the subject to focus 
  exclusively on one object, such as a pocketwatch 
  or shiny fountain pen, so that he tunes out every-
  thing else and relaxes into a trance), rapid mental 
  overload with repeated forceful suggestions, and 
  progressive relaxation guided by the hypnotist’s 
  soothing voice and instructions.
  Second, a hypnotist must have a subject who’s 
  willing to be hypnotized. A person who’s deter-
  mined not to be hypnotized can’t be; he has to 
  agree to the process. (However, some experienced 
  hypnotists argue they can hypnotize virtually 
  anyone, in part by subconsciously changing a 
  person’s willingness to undergo hypnosis.)
  Third, while realistic hypnosis can induce 
  relaxation and remove inhibitions to the extent 
  of eliminating a subject’s fear of embarrassment 
  or the like, it cannot make him ignore his own 
  personal safety, conscience, or morality (in game 
  terms, it can only achieve an EGO +10 level of 
  effect). In short, realistic hypnosis can’t make the 
  subject do something he doesn’t want to do.
  Realistic hypnosis is appropriate for campaigns 
  and settings that also consider themselves “real-
  istic,” such as many Dark Champions games.
  CineMatiC hypnosis
  Cinematic hypnosis, on the other hand, isn’t 
  nearly as restricted. Depending on the genre and 
  setting, it may not differ much at all from outright 
  Mind Control in the Superhero or Science Fiction 
  sense. A cinematic hypnotist may be able to 
  induce a hypnotic trance with little more than 
  a second or two of speaking to someone... and 
  cinematic hypnotism can make a subject do nearly 
  anything. This includes things that are dangerous 
  or even possibly fatal (“Jump off that ledge”), the 
  complete removal of inhibitions or conscience 
  (“Take this gun and shoot your husband”), and 
  so on. While cinematic hypnosis is a little more 
  restricted than pure psionic Mind Control, it’s still 
  very powerful in most contexts.
  Cinematic hypnosis is particularly adept at 
  implanting post-hypnotic suggestions into the mind 
  of a hapless victim. A post-hypnotic suggestion is 
  a command that takes effect only when the subject 
  is exposed to a particular phenomenon, such as 
  a command word or seeing a particular sequence 
  of flashing lights. The command lies dormant 
  in the subconscious until that time, but springs 
  into full effect when the victim experiences the 
  trigger phenomenon. Among other things, this is 
  a great way for a villains who knows hypnosis to 
  create potential armies from innocent people he 
  encounters during the course of the campaign. 
  One command word, and suddenly the hero’s 
  surrounded by dozens of everyday people deter-
  mined to kill him! (See below regarding Trigger 
  and post-hypnotic suggestions.)
  ADvAnTAGES
  long-Term Control (+½, +1, +2): 
   In some 
  genres and settings, characters have the power to 
  establish Mind Control that lasts for long period 
  of time — sometimes years or decades. Given the 
  way the Breakout Roll rules work, doing this with 
  Mind Control is difficult at best, since the odds are 
  the victim of Mind Control will succeed with his 
  Breakout Roll within a few minutes in most cases. 
  At the GM’s option, to create Mind Control effects 
  that are likely to last for much longer periods 
  of time, characters can buy the new Advantage 
  Long-Term Control. For a +½ Advantage, the 
  Mind Control automatically doesn’t “deteriorate” 
  over time; the target’s Breakout Roll is an EGO 
  Roll unmodified by time. (Other modifiers, such 
  as for a friend trying to “snap him out of it,” can 
  still apply.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  109
  For a +1 Advantage, all Breakout Rolls after 
  the first are made at one additional step down the 
  Time Chart — the first is made in the character’s 
  first Phase after being Controlled, but the second 
  is made after 1 Minute (not 1 Turn), the third after 
  5 Minutes (not one), the fourth after 20 Minutes 
  (not five) and so forth. For each additional +½ 
  Advantage, the character can move the second 
  Breakout Roll another step down the Time Chart. 
  For example, for a total +2½ Advantage, the 
  second Breakout Roll wouldn’t occur until 1 Hour 
  after the first.
  Regardless of how much the character spends 
  on this Advantage, the target always gets to make 
  his first Breakout Roll in his first Phase after being 
  Controlled (see 6E1 149-50). Furthermore, the 
  target still gets bonuses to his Breakout Roll for 
  the passage of time. This is the standard cumula-
  tive +1 for each roll after the first. In the example 
  above, when the character makes his second 
  Breakout Roll after 1 Hour, he makes it at a +1; 
  when he makes his third Breakout Roll after 6 
  Hours, it’s at +2; and so on. The character typically 
  cannot pay END to prevent this Breakout Roll 
  from deteriorating, since combat doesn’t occur 
  over such lengths of time and spending END to 
  prevent deterioration doesn’t really hinder or 
  affect the character in any way. However, with the 
  GM’s permission characters can buy both the +½ 
  and the +1 form of the Long-Term Control for the 
  same power so that the Breakout Rolls get made at 
  greater time intervals and do not get bonuses over 
  time.
  At the GM’s option, characters can take any 
  form of this Advantage for other continuing-effect 
  Mental Powers. It’s listed here because it’s most 
  often applied to Mind Control. Characters who 
  want to make permanent (or long-term) changes 
  in a target’s actions, beliefs, or thoughts should 
  also consider using Mental Transform (q.v.).
  Trigger: Mentalists can use Trigger to create “post-
  hypnotic suggestion” orders with Mind Control 
  — an order the victim isn’t supposed to perform 
  right away, but at some point in the future when 
  a specific event or phenomenon activates the 
  suggestion. To do this, the mentalist must buy 
  Trigger at a sufficient level to let him change 
  the triggering event from use to use. When he 
  successfully hits someone with Mind Control, he 
  gives a command that specifies what the Trigger 
  is (such as “When you see the President ride 
  past, attack and kill him”). Then he rolls his Mind 
  Control dice and notes the Effect Roll total. When 
  the Trigger activates the Mind Control, compare 
  the Effect Roll total to the target’s EGO at that 
  time to determine if the Mind Control succeeds. 
  (For example, a post-hypnotic suggestion to “Take 
  a nap” might only require EGO +10 ordinarily, 
  but if the mentalist attempts to trigger it when the 
  target is in combat, it probably requires an EGO 
  +30 effect.) If the mentalist achieves the appro-
  priate level of Control, the victim has to obey 
  (though he gets standard Breakout Rolls begin-
  ning at that time, of course). If the Effect Roll isn’t 
  high enough or the first Breakout Roll succeeds, 
  the suggestion fails.
  You can also use post-hypnotic suggestions to 
  simulate “long-term” Mind Control effects such as, 
  “Meet me at Joe’s Cafe tomorrow at noon.” In this 
  case, the Mind Control is Triggered by the passage 
  of a certain amount of time, so until that time 
  passes the victim doesn’t get to make any Breakout 
  Rolls.
  Feedback (-1, -2): This Limitation, which can 
  only be taken for Mind Control with the Telepathic 
  Advantage, signifies that whatever pain a char-
  acter in a Mind Control “link” feels, the character 
  who possesses the Power also feels. See Feedback 
  on 6E1 260 for more information. This is only 
  appropriate if the character expects to regularly 
  maintain “mental contact” so that he can prevent 
  the Breakout Roll from increasing.
  mInD lInK
  At the GM’s option, in some cases one or 
  more characters may be able to Mind Link with 
  someone before he goes to sleep, then share his 
  dreams via the Link even though he’s unconscious.
  A character can use an existing Mind Link to 
  obtain “Line Of Sight” with which to establish 
  a Mind Link with another person. For example, 
  suppose A establishes a Mind Link with B. Then 
  C establishes his own Mind Link with B. If A 
  wants to establish his own Mind Link with C, 
  their existing Links to B give him “Line Of Sight” 
  to do so even if he can’t actually perceive C with a 
  Targeting Sense (though A and C can’t necessarily 
  communicate just because they’re both Linked to 
  B; see below).
  COmmunICATIOn WITHIn THE lInK
  If two persons are both Mind Linked to the 
  same person but through separate or distinct 
  links, those two persons can communicate 
  with each other through the Links, but only via 
  the “Linkee” they have in common. They can’t 
  communicate directly. For example, suppose A 
  establishes a Mind Link with B. Then C estab-
  lishes his own Mind Link with B. A and C can 
  both mentally communicate with B (who’s a part 
  of both Links) or with each other — but they can 
  only communicate with each other “through” B, so 
  they can’t conceal what they’re “saying” from him.
  If characters A, B, C, D, and E are all joined by 
  one Mind Link, and characters V, W, X, Y, and Z 
  are all joined by a different Mind Link, another 
  character can use his Mind Link power to join 
  both Links and hook up all ten characters into one 
  big Link, provided that (a) his Mind Link power 
  is built in such a way he can do that (for example, 
  he can create a Link with nine people), and (b) 
  the GM doesn’t have some objection based on the 
  nature of the powers, the special effects involved, 
  and so forth.
  3
  
  110 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  With the GM’s permission characters in a Mind 
  Link can send “mental images” to one another 
  rather than communicating by “mental speech.” 
  For example, rather than “saying” “I think you’re 
  an idiot,” a character in a Mind Link could send 
  the thought-image of a stupid-looking caricature 
  of that person.
  THE SuBJECT’S SEnSES
  A character Mind Linked with another 
  character (the “subject”) doesn’t use the subject’s 
  Senses. He only receives the mental impressions 
  of those Senses — he knows the character sees a 
  particular building or smells the odor of gasoline, 
  but doesn’t himself see the building or smell gaso-
  line. If a mentalist wants to use a subject’s senses 
  this way, he should buy Clairsentience Linked to 
  his Mind Link, with the -1 Limitation Only To Use 
  Subject’s Senses.
  Some examples:
  
  n A subject in a Mind Link sees a sign in a 
  language he doesn’t know but the character 
  with Mind Link does. The character knows the 
  subject is seeing a sign, but he cannot see the 
  sign or read what it says.
  
  n A subject in a Mind Link experiences sensory 
  input he’s never had before but that the char-
  acter with Mind Link has (for example, he 
  smells a type of perfume he’s never smelled 
  before but that the character knows well). The 
  character doesn’t know what’s being smelled; 
  he recognizes only that the subject is smelling 
  something, and that the subject cannot identify 
  the smell.
  
  n If the subject has Senses the character with 
  Mind Link lacks, the character knows those 
  Senses are being used and that something 
  is being Sensed, but he can’t really interpret 
  the data beyond the Senses he possesses and 
  uses. For example, if the subject uses Infrared 
  Perception to perceive a building, and the 
  character lacks Infrared Perception, he would 
  understand that the subject is looking at a 
  building, but (a) would not himself perceive 
  the building (he would only know “a building is 
  being perceived”), and (b) wouldn’t understand 
  the significance of the infrared patterns.
  POWERS
  Damage negation, Damage Reduction: If Mind 
  Link has the Feedback Limitation and a character 
  in the Link suffers damage, the character who has 
  Mind Link can’t use the Physical or Energy forms 
  of Damage Negation or Damage Reduction to 
  reduce the Feedback damage he takes. However, 
  if he has Mental Damage Negation or Mental 
  Damage Reduction, they apply to reduce the Feed-
  back damage even if that damage wasn’t caused by 
  a Mental attack.
  mInD SCAn
  Unless the GM specifically permits him to, a 
  character can’t use Mind Scan as a way to obtain 
  information he wouldn’t otherwise have access to. 
  For example, he can’t specify that he’s searching 
  for “the nearest criminal,” since he has no real 
  way of determining who’s a criminal and who’s 
  not — letting him search that way would effec-
  tively turn Mind Scan into a form of Telepathy 
  for free. However, with the GM’s permission 
  Mind Scan can have certain telepathic aspects. 
  It could allow a character to search for, say, “Joe 
  Smith,” or “Anyone thinking about robbing the 
  First National Bank last Friday.” In other words, 
  it lets him define a search based on what qualifies 
  as “surface thoughts” for purposes of Telepathy: 
  current thoughts and facts of extreme significance 
  to the person. The more precisely a character can 
  describe the thought-patterns he’s looking for, the 
  better his chances are of finding those patterns. 
  If the GM believes the description is sufficiently 
  precise, he should impose at most a slight penalty 
  on the MCV Attack Roll — -0 to -2, at most. For 
  less precise descriptions, the penalty can range as 
  high as -5 or more (or the GM might not let the 
  character make a Scan at all). Regardless of the 
  penalty, a the mentalist cannot use this telepathic 
  aspect of Mind Scan to read a target’s mind once 
  he establishes a lock-on.
  The GM should impose significant penalties on 
  the MCV Attack Roll if a character Mind Scans for 
  someone who doesn’t actually exist as he thinks he 
  does. For example, suppose Brainstorm recently 
  encountered Thunderbird in disguise as a drunken 
  bum named Moe. He now wants to find “Moe,” so 
  he begins Mind Scanning for that person — but 
  “Moe” doesn’t exist the way Brainstorm thinks he 
  does. Depending upon the specifics of the situa-
  tion, the GM might impose a substantial penalty 
  (-5 to -8, or more) on the MCV Attack Roll. If the 
  mentalist succeeds despite the penalty, he locates 
  Thunderbird’s mind and realizes “Moe” is really 
  Thunderbird. Alternately, the GM might rule that 
  locating “Moe” with Mind Scan is impossible, 
  no matter how well the mentalist character rolls 
  or how much he narrows his search. Of course, 
  failure to locate “Moe” may provide a clue as to 
  “his” true nature....
  At the GM’s option, establishing a Mind Scan 
  lock-on might give the mentalist some very general 
  hints about the nature of the mind he’s Scan-
  ning: “bestial,” for example, or “vicious,” “totally 
  inhuman,” “extremely strong,” and so forth.
  The GM may want to consider restricting 
  the amount of power that can be used through a 
  Mind Scan lock-on. The restriction would depend 
  on how powerful the lock-on is: a mentalist can 
  only achieve an effect with a Mental Power used 
  through a Mind Scan lock-on equal to or less 
  than the effect of the Mind Scan roll. Thus, if a 
  mentalist establishes a Mind Scan lock-on at the 
  +20 level, any continuing-effect Mental Powers 
  used to attack the target through that Mind Scan 
  are limited to a +20 level of effect maximum.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  111
  mulTIFORm
  Here’s some additional information about and 
  rules for Multiform.
  PERKS
  vehicles And Bases: A character with Multi-
  form might belongs to a group whose members 
  contribute Character Points to pay for a Vehicle or 
  Base. Every form that wants access to the Vehicle/
  Base has to pay its fair share of the cost; one form 
  can’t pay the points and then the other forms have 
  use of the Perk. Different forms may pay different 
  amounts with the GM’s permission. However, 
  the character’s single contribution to the Vehicle/
  Base (see below) equals the lowest amount paid 
  by any of his forms. (Therefore there’s usually 
  no reason for all forms’ contribution not to be 
  the same amount.) The contribution of all forms 
  only counts once, not multiple times — the other 
  forms’ paying their fair share of the cost doesn’t 
  increase the amount of points the resource is built 
  with, it simply “confirms” the base form’s contri-
  bution and allows them standard access to it, so to 
  speak. For example, if Multiform Man has three 
  forms and each contributes 10 points to a Base, 
  Multiform Man has contributed 10 points to the 
  Base, not 30.
  If each form has bought a Vehicle/Base (or 
  whatever), each form has the Vehicle/Base it 
  bought. The Vehicle/Base doesn’t change form, it’s 
  just that each form gets what it paid for. If a char-
  acter wants the special effect of this to be “I have 
  a Vehicle that changes forms when I do,” there’s 
  nothing in the rules to prevent that as long as the 
  GM doesn’t object.
  POWERS
  Adjustment Powers: If an attacker Drains or 
  Suppresses a character’s Multiform power, apply 
  the effects of the Adjustment Power as evenly 
  as possible to reduce the Multiform power in a 
  logical and reasonable manner (keeping special 
  effects, common sense, and dramatic sense in 
  mind, of course). In some cases, simply removing 
  the ability to change into one or more particular 
  forms may make sense (if so, the GM randomly 
  determines which forms the character loses). 
  In others, it may make more sense to apply the 
  Adjustment Power to the total cost of each form 
  — for example, if the Adjustment Power removes 
  20 points of effect, reduce each form by 20 points, 
  figuring out in a reasonable manner which powers 
  or abilities each form loses.
  If a character is already in an alternate form 
  and the ability to change into that one form is 
  removed, the character spontaneously reverts to 
  his true form. If the entire Multiform power is 
  removed, it locks the character into that alternate 
  form until the Adjustment Power’s effects fade. 
  Since the alternate form doesn’t pay for Multiform 
  himself, the GM must look at the true form’s char-
  acter sheet to determine the cost of the power.
  If a character has an Adjustment Power that 
  boosts or improves his Multiform power (such as 
  Absorption or Aid), it works like any other posi-
  tive Adjustment Power — it adds points directly 
  to the Multiform. Since Multiform works by 
  having every point spent on it count as 5 points 
  for purposes of building the alternate form, that 
  means every point added likewise increases the 
  points available to build the alternate form with by 
  5. Obviously, this could quickly become abusive; 
  most GMs probably would not allow it.
  Unlike damage or similar negative effects, 
  which carry over from form to form as the 
  character changes shape, the effects of a positive 
  Adjustment Power do not carry over from form to 
  form when a character uses Multiform. However, 
  if the character changes back to the “boosted” 
  form before the Adjustment Powers effects have 
  faded, the “boost” remains in effect.
  ADvAnTAGES
  variable Special Effects: A character cannot take 
  Variable Special Effects on Multiform to change 
  the appearance (but not abilities) of his forms 
  from use to use. If he wants to change shape or 
  appearance, he should buy Shape Shift or a similar 
  Power for his various forms.
  lImITATIOnS
  Personality loss:  The Personality Loss Limita-
  tion presented above describes one of the classic 
  shapechanging dilemmas in adventure fiction: the 
  possibility of losing one’s personality, one’s self, 
  to whatever one changes into. This is particularly 
  common for some types of wizards and lycan-
  thropes, but it could occur in any Multiform 
  where the alternate form has a radically different 
  personality than the true form. For games where 
  the GM wants to make greater use of Personality 
  Loss, here’s an optional expanded version. The 
  accompanying table lists the values of the various 
  aspects of the Limitation. Standard rules for 
  Personality Loss apply unless indicated otherwise 
  below.
  The base value of Personality Loss depends on 
  the Time Before Change — the amount of time the 
  character can spend in his alternate form before 
  he runs the risk of assuming its mentality. At the 
  end of that time, the Change Happens aspect of 
  the Limitation takes effect. Either he automatically 
  loses his personality (and ability to change back) 
  to that of the alternate form, or he has to make a 
  roll. If it’s a Required Roll, it starts at 14-. He must 
  succeed with the roll to retain his normal person-
  ality and the ability to change back to his true 
  form. For every step down the Time Chart there-
  after, the roll decreases by 1 (to 13-, 12-, and so 
  on). If the character ever fails the roll, he’s trapped 
  in his current form and assumes its personality in 
  place of his own; thereafter he can only recover 
  his true personality and form with outside help. 
  (Alternately, the character’s Required Roll may 
  start at 11- and decrease from there for a greater 
  Limitation value.) If the roll is an EGO Roll, it 
  3
  
  112 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  doesn’t decrease over time, but the character still 
  has to make the roll at each step down the Time 
  Chart; like any EGO Roll, Psychological Compli-
  cations and similar circumstances may modify it.
  Two other factors modify the value of Person-
  ality Loss. The first is the Speed Of Change — how 
  quickly the character loses his personality. The 
  default is that it happens instantly: as soon as 
  he fails that roll or passes that time limit, he’s 
  trapped in his alternate form. However, for 
  forms of Personality Loss with a Strong or Total 
  change, the change might be Gradual. When the 
  character first passes the time limit or fails a roll, 
  he suffers a Slight change (see below). The next 
  passage of time or failed roll increases that to a 
  Strong change; the one after that, to a Total change 
  (unless restricted to Strong).
  The second is the Extent Of Change. The 
  default for the Limitation is that a total change 
  takes place: the character’s personality shifts 
  entirely over to that of the alternate form all at 
  once. But the character can restrict the extent 
  of his Personality Loss to either Strong or Slight 
  loss for a lesser Limitation value. A Slight change 
  affects the character’s day to day life, but not life 
  or death matters. For example, he might crave 
  foods associated with their form, have a change in 
  temperament to resemble the alternate form (e.g., 
  become more animalistic or bestial if the alternate 
  form is a wolf), adopt the alternate form’s likes, 
  dislikes, and mental Complications, and so forth. 
  A Strong change affects all aspects of a character’s 
  life. All the Slight changes occur, and in addition 
  the character may suffer -2 or greater penalties 
  to Skill Rolls as his learned and trained abilities 
  become “fuzzy” and his memories fade. The char-
  acter also probably prefers the company of others 
  of his “own” kind to that of other people.
  Once a character suffers a Personality Loss, 
  whether it’s Total, Strong, or Slight, he loses the 
  ability to change from his current alternate form 
  to his true form or another alternate form. Until 
  someone finds a way to counteract or correct the 
  loss of “self,” the character’s trapped in his alter-
  nate form — he doesn’t want to change back, he 
  thinks of his current state as his proper “self.”
  As noted in the standard Personality Loss 
  rules, remaining in true form for 1 Day “resets” 
  the Required Roll to 14- (or 11- if the character 
  has chosen that version) or otherwise cancels the 
  effects of losing one’s personality. The GM may 
  alter this slightly if preferred. For example, after a 
  character loses his personality, maybe eight hours 
  in his true form reduces the loss from Total to 
  Strong, then another eight hours from Strong to 
  Slight, and a final eight hours from Slight to no 
  loss at all. Or perhaps the lost personality comes 
  back over days or weeks instead of hours.
  EXPAnDED 
  PERSOnAlITy lOSS TABlE
  time Before Change
  value
  Instant
  -2
  1 Turn
  -1½
  1 Minute
  -1¼
  5 Minutes
  -1
  20 Minutes
  -¾
  1 Hour
  -½
  6 Hours
  -¼
  1 Day
  -0
  1 Week
  +¼
  1 Month
  +½
  Change happens
  Modifier
  EGO Roll
  0 more Limitation
  Required Roll (14-)
  ¼ more Limitation
  Required Roll (11-)
  ½ more Limitation
  Automatic
  1 more Limitation
  Speed Of Change
  Modifier
  Instant
  0 more Limitation
  Gradual
  ½ less Limitation
  Extent Of Change
  Modifier
  Total
  0 more Limitation
  Strong
  ¼ less Limitation
  Slight
  ½ less Limitation
  The minimum value of Personality Loss is -0; it cannot 
  become an Advantage.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  113
  PIERCInG 
  Piercing is a new optional new Power that 
  some GMs allow in some campaigns.
  H
  H PIERCInG
  Type:  
  attack power/special power
  Duration:  
  special (see text)
  Target:  
  special (see text)
  Range:  
  special (see text)
  Costs EnD:  special (see text)
  Cost:  
  see piercing table
  Piercing allows characters to more precisely 
  differentiate attacks by giving them the ability 
  to reduce the target’s defenses before damage is 
  applied. Some examples specially-designed armor-
  piercing bullets, a fire bolt that’s particularly good 
  at cutting through a target’s defenses, or a Mental 
  Blast against which Mental Defense offers little 
  protection. The cost for Piercing depends on the 
  type of defenses the attack reduces, as indicated in 
  the accompanying table.
  The Duration, Range, and Target of Piercing 
  depend on the Power for which points of Piercing 
  are bought. For example, they’re Instant and 
  affect a single target if applied to a typical Blast, 
  Constant and cover an Area if bought for Change 
  Environment with Area Of Effect. Piercing costs 
  END to use (in other words, the END cost of a 
  Power with Piercing points is calculated from the 
  power’s Active Points plus the Active Points of the 
  Piercing points).
  To use Piercing, a character must buy points of 
  it for use with a specific attack or weapon; Piercing 
  doesn’t function on its own, and cannot be bought 
  to affect more than one attack or weapon. The 
  number of Piercing points purchased directly 
  reduce the total applicable defense on a one-for-
  one basis before the attack’s damage is applied. 
  For example, if a gun fires a bullet bought as an 
  RKA 1d6 with 2 Piercing points, the target’s total 
  Resistant PD applied against the BODY damage 
  (and total defenses applied to reduce the STUN 
  damage) is reduced by 2. A Piercing point affects 
  both Physical and Energy defenses, if appropriate.
  Because Piercing is bought for a specific attack 
  or weapon, the Advantages and Limitations taken 
  for that attack or weapon apply to Piercing as well. 
  The Piercing points increase the cost of the base 
  power before Advantages are applied.
  Example: Firefight is building a new gun exclu-
  sively for firing a special type of APHC (armor 
  piercing hardcore) ammunition. He decides 
  he wants an RKA 2d6 with 1 point of Piercing 
  (Resistant). That gives him a base cost of 33 
  points, to which he applies the Armor Piercing 
  Advantage and various Limitations. Here’s what 
  he ends up with:
  RKA 2d6, 1 point of Piercing (Resistant), 
  Armor Piercing (+¼) (41 Active Points); OAF (-1), 
  Beam (-¼), Real Weapon (-¼), STR Minimum 
  (11; -½), 12 Charges (-¼). Total cost: 13 points.
  If this Power didn’t have Charges, it would 
  cost Firefight 4 END per shot to use.
  PIERCInG TABlE
  defense pierced
  Cost
  Normal Defenses
  2 Character Points per 
  point of defense removed
  Resistant Defenses
  3 Character Points per 
  point of defense removed
  Mental Defense
  3 Character Points per 
  point of defense removed
  Power Defense
  3 Character Points per 
  point of defense removed
  Flash Defense
  3 Character Points per 
  point of defense removed
  ADvAnTAGES
  Armor Piercing: If an attack that has Piercing 
  points is also Armor Piercing, subtract the 
  Piercing points first, before the reduction of 
  defenses caused by AP.
  REFlECTIOn
  The standard rules for Reflection specify that 
  it can’t be used with Deflection — in other words, 
  with Ranged attacks that are Blocked at Range. 
  However, in some powerful or free-wheeling 
  campaigns, the GM may choose to permit this. In 
  that case, to Reflect attacks at Range the char-
  acter must buy the Ranged (+½) Advantage for 
  his Reflection (though he’s still allowed to Reflect 
  attacks aimed directly at him).
  The standard rules for Reflection specify that 
  applying Variable Advantages or Variable Special 
  Effects doesn’t allow a character to change the 
  Advantages on or special effects of a Reflected 
  attack. Again, for some powerful or free-wheeling 
  campaigns, the GM may choose to permit this 
  anyway. For example, a magical incantation of 
  Spell Reversal might allow one wizard to turn 
  another wizard’s spell back on his foe, using his 
  own magic to alter it in the process to make it even 
  deadlier. This should be considered a “Caution 
  Sign” ability.
  Hardened and Impenetrable have no applica-
  tion with Reflection. Neither AP nor Penetrating 
  has any effect on a character’s ability to Reflect a 
  Ranged attack.
  3
  
  114 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  REFlECTInG mEnTAl ATTACKS
  Characters ordinarily cannot use Reflection on 
  Mental Powers, since Reflection derives from the 
  rules for Blocking Ranged attacks, and those rules 
  specifically prohibit the Blocking of Mental attacks 
  (see 6E2 59). However, in some campaigns, partic-
  ularly those that feature a lot of Mental powers 
  and attacks, the GM could permit characters to 
  buy Mental Reflection. Mental Reflection costs 
  the same as ordinary Reflection, but only works 
  against Mental Powers and attacks. It uses OMCV 
  versus OMCV, rather than OCV versus OCV as 
  usual for Block; standard modifiers to OCV (such 
  as the Range Modifier) do not apply unless they 
  normally apply to Mental abilities. Other rules for 
  Reflection apply normally, unless the GM changes 
  them based on the way Mental powers work in his 
  campaign.
  Only WORKS AGAInST  
  [lImITED TyPE OF ATTACK]
  Characters often apply the Only Works Against 
  [Limited Type Of Attack] Limitation (6E1 148) to 
  Reflection even though it’s not a Defense Power. 
  For example, a character with Fire powers might 
  be able to Reflect attacks involving flames or heat, 
  but not other types of attacks. Some common 
  forms of this Limitation for Reflection include:
  
  n Only Works Against Thrown Objects/ 
  Weapons (-¾)
  
  n Only Works Against Non-Gunpowder Projec-
  tiles (arrows, sling stones, thrown objects/
  weapons, and the like; -½)
  
  n Only Works Against Physical Projectiles (e.g., 
  bullets, arrows, thrown weapons, or shrapnel, 
  but not energy beams; -¼)
  
  n Only Works Against Bullets (but no other 
  type of Ranged attack; -½) (you can change 
  “Bullets” to any other common specific form of 
  Ranged attack for the same value, or more/less 
  common forms for a lesser/greater Limitation 
  value)
  
  n Only Works Against Energy Beams (but no 
  physical projectiles; -½)
  As usual, these values are for the “typical” 
  campaign; the GM has the final say on the value 
  based on how common a type of attack is. For 
  example, in some Fantasy campaigns arrows may 
  be common enough to only merit a -¼ Limitation.
  REGEnERATIOn
  The following additional rules are options the 
  GM can consider for Regeneration.
  FASTER REGEnERATIOn 
  At the GM’s option, characters can buy Regen-
  eration to work even faster than once per Turn by 
  extending the Regeneration Table. To Recover 1 
  REC worth of BODY per Phase costs 18 Character 
  Points; to Recover 1 REC worth of BODY per 
  Segment costs 20 Character Points.
  If a character has SPD 12, he only has to buy 
  the per-Phase rate to get Regeneration that works 
  each Segment. He doesn’t have to pay for per-
  Segment even though that’s effectively what he’s 
  getting; he’s already paid the high cost for raising 
  his SPD.
  REGEnERATInG OTHER CHARACTERISTICS 
  At the GM’s option, characters can buy Regen-
  eration for Characteristics other than BODY, at 
  the same cost. This is typically done for STUN and 
  END for Regeneration bought to very fast rates 
  (such as per Phase or per Segment); otherwise 
  it’s less efficient than simply buying more REC. 
  But characters can buy Regeneration for other 
  Characteristics if they want, to ensure they regain 
  Drained points quickly.
  Also at the GM’s option, characters can make 
  their Regeneration apply to multiple Character-
  istics at a time by buying the Advantage Multiple 
  Regeneration. To apply an Adjustment Power to 
  any two Characteristics simultaneously is a +½ 
  Advantage. Each additional Characteristic that 
  can be affected simultaneously is an additional +½ 
  Advantage. Thus, affecting three at once is a +1 
  total Advantage, four is +1½, 5 is +2, eight is +3½, 
  and so on. The character must define which Char-
  acteristics he Regenerates when he buys Multiple 
  Regeneration, and cannot change them thereafter.
  Also at the GM’s option, characters can apply 
  the Variable Effect (+½) Advantage (6E1 142) to 
  Regeneration, including Multiple Regeneration.
  REGEnERATIOn FOR POWERS
  At the GM’s option, a character can define his 
  Regeneration as working for a Power rather than a 
  Characteristic (or even for a Skill, Talent, or Perk). 
  In this case the Power regains the character’s REC 
  in Active Points per defined time period. Since 
  this is generally only useful for counteracting 
  Drains and the like, it makes sense primarily for 
  Regeneration that works on a per-Turn or shorter 
  timeframe.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  115
  RESISTAnT PROTECTIOn
  Resistant Protection isn’t necessarily imper-
  meable to liquids, gases, or the like. Resistant 
  Protection is a Defense Power, and thus provides 
  protection against things that damage or injure the 
  character. If a liquid is defined as a form of attack, 
  or a dangerous substance that could inflict injury, 
  then the Resistant Protection’s defense applies to 
  reduce or eliminate the damage it causes. Whether 
  it literally prevents the liquid from contacting 
  the character depends on the special effects of 
  the Resistant Protection and the circumstances. 
  For instance, if a character’s Resistant Protection 
  is defined as “a screen of energy surrounding 
  the character’s body,” the Resistant Protection 
  might only prevent contact if it counteracts all 
  damage the liquid would do — otherwise some 
  “gets through” and hurts the character somehow. 
  On the other hand, if the Resistant Protection 
  is defined as “the character has super-tough 
  skin,” then it’s definitely not going to prevent the 
  liquid from contacting the character — but it 
  may prevent the liquid from hurting him when 
  it contacts him. The same rationale applies to 
  picking up dangerous objects, like a red-hot piece 
  of metal. As for non-damaging substances, such as 
  ordinary rainfall, whether a Resistant Protection 
  can prevent them from touching the character 
  depends on special effects, the circumstances, and 
  the GM’s judgment. Since that has no real game 
  effect at all, most GMs probably won’t care if a 
  player wants to define his character’s Resistant 
  Protection as keeping him dry in the rain.
  SHAPE SHIFT
  Here are some additional rules and guidelines 
  for Shape Shift.
  SImPlIFIED SHAPE SHIFT
  For some games, a more simplified form of 
  Shape Shift may be appropriate. This type of Shape 
  Shift allows a character to change his form — the 
  way he looks, feels, sounds, smells, and so forth 
  — but not change his powers, Characteristics, or 
  the like. It affects all Sense Groups, as appropriate, 
  unless the GM rules otherwise (for example, in 
  many campaigns it can’t affect a character’s mind, 
  so Mental Group Senses would still perceive the 
  character’s real mind).
  Simplified Shape Shift costs 10 Character 
  Points for the ability to shift shape into a single 
  alternate form, defined when the character 
  purchases the power. For +5 Character Points, the 
  character can shift shape into up to four forms, 
  defined when the character purchases the power. 
  For +5 Character Points (a total cost of 20 points), 
  the character can shift shape into any form. In 
  all cases, forms must be no more than +/-10% of 
  the character’s height and mass. Characters can 
  buy the Adders and Advantages for regular Shape 
  Shift, such as Cellular and Imitation, for simplified 
  Shape Shift unless the GM rules otherwise.
  mEnTAl SHAPE SHIFTInG
  To use the Imitation Adder with Mental Group 
  Shape Shift, a mentalist must have previously 
  achieved an EGO +20 Telepathy effect on the 
  subject to be imitated and spent at least 5 Minutes 
  exploring his psyche. If he spends less time than 
  that, or if he hasn’t had that level of quality of 
  mental contact with the subject (for example he’s 
  only Mind Linked with him), the GM may give 
  other characters a PER Roll, perhaps with a bonus, 
  to see through the psychomorphic disguise.
  Example: Menton buys Shape Shift (Mental 
  Group). He Shifts his mind’s Shape to that of 
  an ordinary construction worker. If someone 
  uses Mind Scan or Detect Minds to try to find 
  him, they won’t perceive him, they’ll perceive an 
  ordinary construction worker. If someone uses 
  Telepathy on him, at the surface thoughts level his 
  thoughts appear to be the appropriate thoughts 
  of an ordinary construction worker, according 
  to the circumstances. Telepathy that reads more 
  deeply than that perceives Menton’s true mind. If 
  he later buys the Imitation Adder, he could make 
  his thoughts look like, for example, Defender’s or 
  Professor Ben E. Scott’s — assuming he’s previ-
  ously had sufficient mental contact with them to 
  know what their thoughts “look like.”
  ADDERS
  Deep mental Shift: This +5 Character Points 
  Adder allows a Mental Group Shape Shift to 
  affect all levels of the character’s mind, not just 
  his surface thoughts. Someone using Telepathy to 
  scan his hidden thoughts, memories, or subcon-
  scious still “sees” the change. The character’s 
  Psychological Complications and other mental 
  Complications do not actually change, but to 
  a character using Telepathy they seem to have 
  changed.
  3
  
  116 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  SHRInKInG
  Some characters or campaigns may need more 
  information about Shrinking. The two accompa-
  nying tables increase the options available to char-
  acters who want to increase their density at will.
  First, the Expanded Shrinking Table carries the 
  standard table out to much higher levels. Buying 
  Small Size Templates for sizes below “Insectile” is 
  easy — the Template for each additional halving of 
  height costs +14 Character Points.
  Second, the Detailed Shrinking Table provides 
  greater “granularity” for Shrinking by allowing 
  characters to buy it in 3-point increments. For 
  each +3 Character Points between the standard 
  Shrinking cost breakpoints, the character gets 
  another -1 to other characters’ PER Rolls, +1 DCV, 
  and +3m of Knockback.
  DETAIlED SHRInKInG TABlE
  points of 
  shrinking
  height
  Mass
  per 
  rolls 
  against
  dCv
  KB
  0
  2m
  100 kg
  0
  +0
  +0m
  3
  1.9-1.5 m
  99-56.25 kg
  -1
  +1
  +3m
  6
  1.4-1 m
  56.24-12.5 kg
  -2
  +2
  +6m
  9
  .9-.75 m
  12.4-7.05 kg
  -3
  +3
  +9m
  12
  .74-.5 m
  7.04-1.6 kg
  -4
  +4
  +12m
  15
  .4-.375 m
  1.5-0.9 kg
  -5
  +5
  +15m
  18
  .374-.25 m
  .8-.2 kg
  -6
  +6
  +18m
  21
  .24-.187 m
  .19-.11 kg
  -7
  +7
  +21m
  24
  .186-.125 m
  .10-.025 kg
  -8
  +8
  +24m
  27
  .124-.09 m
  .024-.014 kg
  -9
  +9
  +27m
  30
  .08-.064 m
  .013-.0032 kg
  -10
  +10
  +30m
  33
  .063-.048 m
  .0031-.0018 kg
  -11
  +11
  +33m
  36
  .047-.032 m
  .0017-.0004 kg
  -12
  +12
  +36m
  39
  .031-.024 m
  .00022 kg
  -13
  +13
  +39m
  42
  .023-.016 m 
  .00005 kg
  -14
  +14
  +42m
  45
  .015-.012 m
  .00003 kg
  -15
  +15
  +45m
  48
  .011-.008 m
  .0000064 kg
  -16
  +16
  +48m
  51
  .007-.006 m
  .000004 kg
  -17
  +17
  +51m
  54
  .005-.004 m
  .0000008 kg
  -18
  +18
  +54m
  57
  .0039-.003 m
  .0000004 kg
  -19
  +19
  +57m
  60
  .0029-.002 m
  100 nanograms
  -20
  +20
  +60m
  EXPAnDED SHRInKInG TABlE
  points of 
  shrinking
  height (meters)
  height (other)
  Mass
  per rolls 
  against
  dCv
  KB
  example
  0
  2 m
  200 cm (6 feet)
  100 kg
  0
  +0
  +0m
  Normal human size
  6
  1.9-1 m
  100 cm (3 feet
  99-12.5 kg
  -2
  +2
  +6m
  Human child, halfling
  12
  .9-.5 m
  50 cm (20 inches)
  12.4-1.6 kg
  -4
  +4
  +12m
  Housecat, small dog
  18
  .4-.25 m
  25 cm (1 foot)
  1.5-.2 kg
  -6
  +6
  +18m
  Average rat or frog
  24
  .24-.125 m
  12.5 cm (.5 foot)
  .19-.025 kg
  -8
  +8
  +24m
  Dragonfly
  30
  .124-.064 m
  6.4 cm
  .024-.0032 kg
  -10
  +10
  +30m
  Average mouse or shrew
  36
  .063-.032 m
  3.2 cm (1 inch)
  .0031-.0004 kg
  -12
  +12
  +36m
  American cockroach, small shrew
  42
  .031-.016 m
  1.6 cm (.5 inch)
  .00005 kg
  -14
  +14
  +42m
  Wasp, diameter of a penny
  48
  .015-.008 m
  8 millimeters
  .0000064 kg
  -16
  +16
  +48m
  Ant, housefly
  54
  .007-.004 m
  4 millimeters (.5 cm)
  .0000008 kg
  -18
  +18
  +54m
  60
  .003-.002 m
  2 millimeters
  100 nanograms
  -20
  +20
  +60m
  Head of a pin
  66
  .00199-.001 m
  1 millimeter (mm)
  12.5 nanograms
  -22
  +22
  +66m
  72
  .0099-.0005 m
  .5 millimeters
  1.6 nanograms
  -24
  +24
  +72m
  78
  .0004-.00025 m
  250 micrometers
  .2 nanograms
  -26
  +26
  +78m
  84
  .00024-.000125 m
  125 micrometers
  25 picograms
  -28
  +28
  +84m
  Plant cell, human unaided viewing 
  limit, width of an artery
  90
  .000124-.000064 m
  64 micrometers
  3 picograms
  -30
  +30
  +90m
  Width of an average human hair
  96
  .000063-.000032 m
  32 micrometers
  400 femtograms
  -32
  +32
  +96m
  102
  .000031-.000016 m
  16 micrometers
  50 femtograms
  -34
  +34
  +102m
  Width of an animal cell, length of 
  a salt grain
  108
  .000015-.000008 m
  8 micrometers
  6 femtograms
  -36
  +36
  +108m
  114
  .000007-.000004 m
  4 micrometers
  800 attograms
  -38
  +38
  +114m
  Width of shag-carpet fiber
  120
  .000003-.000002 m
  2 micrometers
  100 attograms
  -40
  +40
  +120m
  126
  .000001 m
  1 micrometer (μm)
  12.5 attograms
  -42
  +42
  +126m
  Width of a bacterium, 1 micron
  132
  .0000005 m
  500 nanometers
  1.6 attograms
  -44
  +44
  +132m
  Viewing limit of a light microscope
  138
  .00000025 m
  250 nanometers
  .2 attograms
  -46
  +46
  +138m
  Width of an average virus
  144
  .000000125 m
  125 nanometers
  25 zeptograms
  -48
  +48
  +144m
  Width of a nanomachine
  150
  .000000064 m
  64 nanometers
  3 zeptograms
  -50
  +50
  +150m
  Width of a small molecule
  156
  .000000032 m
  32 nanometers
  400 yoctograms
  -52
  +52
  +156m
  162
  .000000016 m
  16 nanometers
  50 yoctograms
  -54
  +54
  +162m
  Viewing limit of an electron 
  microscope, the smallest viri
  168
  .000000008 m
  8 nanometers
  6 yoctograms
  -56
  +56
  +168m
  174
  .000000004 m
  4 nanometers
  Negligible
  -58
  +58
  +174m
  180
  .000000002 m
  2 nanometers
  Negligible
  -60
  +60
  +180m
  186
  .000000001 m
  1 nanometer (nm)
  Negligible
  -62
  +62
  +186m
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  117
  SKIllS
  Skills are relatively inexpensive compared to 
  most Powers (even when bought to have high Skill 
  Rolls). Therefore it can be unbalancingly effective 
  if characters Adjust them or put them in Power 
  Frameworks (assuming the GM permits this, since 
  doing either is illegal under the standard HERO 
  System rules). To compensate for this problem, the 
  GM can assign Skills as Powers a “phantom value” 
  that’s used for determining how they’re affected by 
  Adjustment Powers, fit into Frameworks, and the 
  like. Some possible ways to do this include:
  
  n Multiply each Active Point in the Skill by some 
  amount (such as 2, 3, or 5) to determine the 
  phantom value. For example, if the multiplier is 
  x3, then if a character spent 20 Active Points to 
  buy a Skill as a Power, it would have “60 Active 
  Points” for Adjustment Power purposes. An 
  enemy who Drained 10 points from it would 
  reduce it to ((60 - 10) / 3 =) 17 Active Points’ 
  worth of effect.
  
  n Assume each point in a Skill Roll is worth X 
  Active Points. The GM determines X based on 
  how valuable he thinks Skills are in relation to 
  other Powers. For example, if the GM thinks 
  a 15- roll is equivalent to a 60 Active Point 
  power, then X = 4 (so that 4 x 15 = 60 “Active 
  Points”). If he thinks it takes a 20- roll to equal 
  a 60 Active Point power, then X = 3.
  
  n The GM sets a flat cost for a certain amount of 
  Skill, and then a flat cost for each additional 
  point of the roll or added effectiveness. For 
  example, a roll of 11- with any Skill might be 
  worth “20 Active Points” as a phantom value. 
  Each additional +1 is worth +5 “Active Points.” 
  If the character adds functionality (such 
  as buying more animal groups for Animal 
  Handler), those additions are worth the Active 
  Points spent on them x5.
  Of course, the value of a Skill-as-Power can 
  vary tremendously from campaign to campaign. 
  In a Superheroes game or some High Fantasy 
  campaigns, characters have such easy access to 
  Desolidification that no amount of Lockpicking 
  or Contortionist may be worth very much. On 
  the other hand, in a Cyberpunk setting, a “skill 
  chip” with the latest Computer Programming 
  techniques or KS: America’s Top Military Secrets 
  may be one of the most useful things a character 
  can have.
  STRETCHInG
  Since Stretching isn’t a Persistent Power, if 
  a character’s Stunned or Knocked Out while 
  Stretched, the GM has to determine what happens. 
  The easiest option is that his body “retracts” to 
  its normal length and shape at the end of the 
  Segment. But a more fun option is this: he remains 
  Stretched but doesn’t have to pay END until he 
  recovers from being Stunned or awakens. This 
  may expose him to various perils — such as 
  waking up to find himself tied around a lamppost.
  A character with Stretching can probably 
  Stretch his neck (and thus his head) around a 
  corner to perceive things, but he can’t Stretch 
  individual sensory organs such as just his eyes or 
  just his ears. If he wants the ability to do that, he 
  can buy it as a “Stretching trick” using a Limited 
  form of Clairsentience, or perhaps the Adjacent 
  Sense Modifier.
  The GM has to determine what happens if a 
  character using Stretching is “cut off” from the 
  area he’s Stretched into (for example, because 
  someone closed a door). Generally in that situ-
  ation, whether the Stretching has the Does Not 
  Cross Intervening Space Advantage or not, the 
  character maintains control of whatever parts of 
  his limbs aren’t restrained. Regardless, a character 
  cannot exceed his maximum meters of Stretching. 
  If he has, say, Stretching 12m and reaches into a 
  vault with it, he can’t Stretch any further once his 
  arm is trapped by the shutting of the vault door. 
  (And he may even take some damage from having 
  the door crush his limb.) If he’d only Stretched 
  10m, he’d have 2m of Stretching left to use. 
  Furthermore, the character can’t get his arm out 
  of the vault door by turning off his Stretching (any 
  more than a character can escape from a Grab by 
  “turning off” a limb or his STR). He’s got to pay 
  END to maintain the Stretching until he can free 
  himself or passes out (in which case see above).
  If a character with Stretching attempts to 
  Haymaker with his punch, and the target moves 
  while he’s “winding up,” he still misses even if the 
  target’s move is less than his meters of Stretching.
  If a character uses Stretching to attack a target 
  that’s more than 1m away from him (i.e., beyond 
  normal HTH Combat range) in HTH Combat, the 
  target can counterattack him normally, hitting the 
  Stretched part of the body using a standard Attack 
  Roll and doing generalized damage. If he wants 
  to perform some sort of attack that has to target 
  the Stretched limb specifically (such as a Disable), 
  he suffers the standard Hit Location and damage 
  modifiers for attacking that limb. Anyone else 
  along the length of the Stretched limb can attack 
  that limb, but suffers the standard Hit Location 
  and damage modifiers for doing so (this assumes 
  it crosses the intervening space, as usual; if not, 
  the limb can only be attacked at points where it 
  enters ordinary space).
  Areas a character can only reach by Stretching 
  are considered “at range” for purposes of that 
  character making Area Of Effect attacks (and thus 
  are DCV 3, not DCV 0 “adjacent areas”).
  3
  
  118 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  SWImmInG
  A character with Swimming can “breach” the 
  water by Swimming straight up toward the surface 
  so that his momentum carries him up out of the 
  water as if he were “leaping.” He can “leap” upward 
  out of the water a distance equal to half the meters 
  of Swimming he used in his previous Phase, 
  provided in his previous Phase he swum straight 
  up toward the surface with the intention of 
  breaching. (Of course, since he Swam straight up, 
  the number of meters used is affected by gravity, 
  as discussed on 6E2 25, and that affects breaching. 
  For example, a character who uses Swimming 40m 
  to breach only moves 20m upward, so he only 
  breaches for 20m.) With the GM’s permission a 
  character can make a Full Move by combining 
  a Half Move of Swimming and a Half Move of 
  Breaching into one Full Phase Action.
  SWInGInG
  The GM determines the direction of a swing 
  based on the situation, the point to which the 
  character attaches his swingline, and other factors. 
  Typically a swing takes place in a straight line, and 
  the character cannot change direction once he 
  begins the swing (he cannot, for example, swing 
  around corners, though the GM might allow 
  minor shifts in direction based on body motion 
  and the like). However, the GM may allow char-
  acters to swing in arcs in some circumstances. For 
  example, if a character attaches his swingline to 
  the corner of a building, he might be able to swing 
  in an arc around the corner of the building. In this 
  case, Swinging has the standard Turn Mode (see 
  6E2 28-29), unless the GM rules otherwise. The 
  character should describe the arc of his swing to 
  the GM before making it so the GM can approve 
  it, and cannot change it once he begins the swing 
  unless the GM permits him to.
  GEnERAl RulES
  Here are a few general rules that help to explain 
  how Swinging works and some of its ramifications. 
  These rules are optional, and generally appropriate 
  for the more “realistic” views or uses of Swinging 
  (see below); in many campaigns GMs will ignore 
  them entirely.
  the sWing arC
  Swinging typically carries a character in an 
  arc, which means the character has to be a certain 
  minimum distance above the ground or else his 
  Swinging will really be “falling.” This distance 
  equals half the meters of Swinging the char-
  acter uses (standard rounding rules apply). For 
  example, if the character Swings 40m, he’s got to 
  be at least 20m above the ground or he’ll collide 
  with it, taking damage as if he fell. For multiple-
  Phase Swings, the arc distance equals half the 
  total distance Swung, from launching point to 
  landing point.
  For non-standard Swings, such as a character 
  who attaches a swingline to a telephone pole so he 
  can Swing horizontally around it, the GM should 
  adapt these rules as he sees fit to determine if the 
  character collides with some object.
  attaCKing the sWingLine
  In some cases, it’s possible to make trouble for 
  a Swinging character by attacking his swingline. 
  Typically a swingline has a DCV equal to that of 
  the character using it, and the attacker also suffers 
  a Target Size OCV penalty of -6 or more. If the 
  swingline is a Focus or a Physical Manifestation, it 
  has the standard PD, ED, and BODY specified for 
  those Limitations. If it’s neither — for example, if 
  it’s a strand of energy the character generates — 
  then it cannot be damaged so attacking it is prob-
  ably useless. However, even in that case just hitting 
  the swingline may throw the Swinging character 
  off course (or require him to succeed with a DEX 
  Roll to remain on course).
  BreaKing a sWingLine
  In some games, particularly “realistic” ones or 
  ones using the Real World Swinging guidelines 
  (see below), the question of the breakability of 
  swinglines may arise. The rules assume that a 
  character’s swingline is fully capable of supporting 
  him under ordinary conditions. But what if it 
  becomes frayed or damaged? What if he carries 
  a passenger or burden? Here are some rules to 
  resolve this situation; they presume, of course, that 
  the swingline is a Focus or Physical Manifestation, 
  otherwise it won’t break at all.
  First, determine the swingline’s PD, ED, 
  and BODY. Second, determine the swingline’s 
  “Strength.” At a base level, a swingline has a STR 
  equal to twice the STR needed to lift the character 
  (thus, 20 STR in most cases). A character may 
  increase the STR of his swingline with a special 
  Adder, Stronger Swingline: for each +1 Character 
  Point, the swingline has +5 STR.
  As long as the combined weight of the char-
  acter and anything he carries doesn’t exceed the 
  weight limit of the swingline’s STR, there’s no 
  chance of the swingline breaking (assuming it’s 
  in good condition; see below). If the swingline 
  carries more weight than that, figure out how 
  much STR it would take to lift the “extra” weight, 
  and use that STR to do Normal Damage (BODY 
  only, of course) to the swingline. The GM may 
  increase the “STR” used to calculate damage if 
  appropriate (for example, during multiple-Phase 
  Swings that especially stress the swingline). When 
  enough BODY damage gets past the swingline’s 
  PD to reduce its BODY to 0, the swingline breaks.
  If a swingline is in bad condition, this should 
  be reflected by reducing its BODY. That repre-
  sents the damage, wear and tear, and fraying it’s 
  experienced. The reduced BODY means it’s more 
  likely the swingline will snap if it takes damage. 
  If the character uses his swingline under less 
  than optimal conditions — for example, if it rubs 
  against a sharp edge while in use — the GM can 
  convert the Normal Damage from STR into the 
  equivalent DCs of Killing Damage.
  EXAmPlE 
  SWInGlInES
  a non-exclusive list of 
  swinglines characters 
  might use include:
  
  n Cord tied to a 
  boomerang or other 
  throwing weapon 
  that also serves as a 
  grapnel
  
  n energy strands the 
  character creates
  
  n Linegun or 
  ropethrower
  
  n Long, finely-made, 
  flexible chains
  
  n nylon wire stored on 
  a secret reel inside a 
  walking cane
  
  n rope and grapnel
  
  n spider webs the 
  character can 
  generate (either 
  by himself or via a 
  device)
  
  n super-tech expand-
  able cord concealed 
  in a belt buckle
  
  n vines (and other 
  “environmental 
  swinglines”)
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  119
  KnoCKBaCK
  If a character is hit by an attack while in mid-
  Swing, he’s considered to be “in the air,” so you roll 
  one less d6 for Knockback.
  REAl WORlD SWInGInG
  Like Running and Swimming, Swinging is 
  a movement mode which mimics a real-world 
  form of movement, but many hard-core details 
  are omitted to reflect the dramatic reality of most 
  games and game settings. Since the Power is less 
  restrictive than reality, you can use campaign 
  ground rules (or perhaps Limitations) to 
  customize it to make it more “realistic,” if desired. 
  There are three styles of Swinging: Real World 
  Swinging, which mirrors the real world closely; 
  Heroic Swinging, which shares some of the restric-
  tions of Real World Swinging, but is looser and 
  more suited to a Heroic level action-adventure; 
  and finally Superheroic Swinging, which has very 
  few game mechanics, and is suited for a four color 
  game.
  Here’s how Swinging might “realistically” work.
  the sWingLine
  First, you would need some kind of swing-
  line or rope, with the following characteristics: 
  compact, lightweight, flexible, slightly elastic, long 
  enough to carry you a significant distance, and 
  strong enough to hold your weight (if not more). 
  If you’ve ever carried a coil of rope around before, 
  you realize that you’ve already entered the realm 
  of fantasy just looking for this ideal swingline.
  At one end of the swingline, you need 
  some sort of grappling hook or device with the 
  following features: lightweight and compact 
  enough to carry around; heavy enough to reach 
  the building ledge or pivot point when propelled 
  through the air; it clings, hooks, or otherwise 
  fastens securely to almost any type of surface with 
  few (if any) re-try attempts; it unhooks or releases 
  reliably when necessary. At the other end of the 
  swingline, you need a securely connected handle 
  or grip so you don’t cut your hands to ribbons 
  when you put your full weight on the line. The 
  grip must be such that it doesn’t slip out of your 
  hands in mid-Swing. In addition, you need a way 
  to store the swingline so you don’t tangle yourself 
  up with it before you’re ready to use it, a way to 
  reel in the swingline after the Swing so you don’t 
  spend a long time putting the line away, and a 
  method of propelling the grappling hook toward 
  the pivot point so it catches on reliably.
  Not all swinglines need to fit all the above 
  criteria (which is a good thing, because realisti-
  cally, no swingline is anywhere near that good). If 
  the swingline is disposable, the character doesn’t 
  need to worry about post-Swing retraction, 
  although now storage and reliability of multiple 
  swinglines become a greater issue (as does the 
  possibility of enemies gathering information 
  from the leftover swinglines via forensic analysis). 
  Perhaps the environment is already full of poten-
  tial swinglines, like the vines in a jungle, and the 
  Swinging character just comes along and borrows 
  them to travel to the next tree.
  A character using Real-World Swinging typi-
  cally has an amount of swingline equal to four 
  times his meters of Swinging, and can increase 
  that amount by x2 for every +5 Character Points 
  spent on Swinging. However, the final decision 
  is up to the GM based on special effects, the 
  campaign setting and tone, game balance, and 
  similar considerations.
  Finding the pivot point
  Once a character has an acceptable swingline, 
  the next step is to find a pivot point to attach it to 
  so he can Swing on it. The pivot point must have 
  several qualities:
  
  n it must be within range of the character’s 
  swingline
  
  n it must be within range of whatever the char-
  acter uses to propel the swingline
  
  n it must be high enough off the ground so the 
  character doesn’t hit the ground while trying to 
  Swing (see above)
  
  n it must be sturdy enough to support the full 
  weight of the character and swingline for the 
  duration of the swing (if necessary, the GM 
  can assign a PD and BODY to it, then assign 
  the swingline/Swing a “Killing Attack” value 
  to determine how badly they could damage 
  it — typically 1 DC per 10m of Swinging works 
  well)
  
  n it must be of appropriate size for the swing-
  line to attach to it, if the swingline includes a 
  grappling hook or other object that might be 
  restricted by size
  In many cases, the pivot point will be obvious 
  — in a city setting, for example, building ledges, 
  flagpoles, and the like abound; in a forest there 
  are plenty of tree limbs large enough to support 
  a human-sized character. But in some cases, the 
  GM may require the character to make a PER Roll 
  (with appropriate modifiers) to find an appro-
  priate pivot point. A character with Swinging can 
  also make an INT Roll to judge whether a given 
  pivot point meets the criteria set forth above, if he 
  doesn’t already know or it isn’t obvious. Finding 
  a pivot point is usually a Zero Phase Action, but 
  may take up to a Full Phase if the character has to 
  look hard.
  Of course, it’s conceivable that there are no 
  good pivot points in the vicinity. For example, 
  Swinging’s rarely of much use in the desert, the 
  Arctic wastes, or many other outdoor environ-
  ments. In that case, the character’s simply out of 
  luck. And this is one restriction that carries over 
  even to Superheroic Swinging.
  attaChing and detaChing the sWingLine
  Having identified an acceptable pivot point, 
  the character must attach his swingline to it. With 
  Real-World Swinging, this takes a minimum of 
  a Full Phase, and perhaps longer. The character 
  must make an Attack Roll, to which the Range 
  Modifier and Target Size penalties apply if appro-
  priate, to attach the swingline to the pivot point. 
  3
  
  120 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  This assumes, of course, that attachment is 
  possible; in some cases what seems to be an 
  acceptable pivot point won’t be because the point 
  and the swingline are incompatible.
  After performing his swing, the character 
  detaches the swingline from the pivot point 
  (assuming that’s possible). This takes a minimum 
  of a Half Phase Action, and possibly a Full Phase 
  or longer.
  In some cases, characters have to (or try to) 
  perform “hot swings,” in which the swingline is 
  detached and then attached to another pivot point, 
  all in mid-Swing. This is tricky at best, and any 
  complications are likely to result in a long and 
  painful fall.
  sWinging on the sWingLine
  With swingline attached (and presumably 
  tested with a strong yank to make sure it won’t 
  come loose!), the character’s now ready to Swing. 
  Don’t think about it and don’t look down; either 
  action’s likely to cause the character to hesitate (at 
  best) and cost himself more Phases, or abandon 
  the idea of Swinging altogether as the sort of 
  action only a fool who doesn’t understand how to 
  use a sidewalk would contemplate.
  For a typical straight Swing, the character 
  simply “falls” or lightly jumps off his starting 
  point, and away he goes. But for a Swing where the 
  character wants to arc around something or the 
  like, he’s going to have to jump to propel himself 
  in the appropriate direction. The GM may require 
  a DEX Roll so the character makes the arc he 
  wants to make.
  During the downward/outward arc the 
  character feels a real strain on his wrists as he 
  picks up speed (after all, he’s largely engaging in a 
  controlled fall). He reaches his maximum velocity 
  just past the bottom/most outward point of the 
  arc (though in game terms, Swinging uses the 
  standard acceleration rules). On the upward arc 
  he gains altitude to compensate for the altitude 
  lost during the downward part of the arc. As he 
  reaches his destination, he slows down.
  Reaching the right destination isn’t necessarily 
  guaranteed. The GM may require an Attack Roll 
  or DEX Roll for the character to land where he 
  wants to land; after all, Swinging isn’t an entirely 
  controlled form of movement. The GM may 
  require a separate roll, such as a DEX Roll or STR 
  Roll, for the character to remain on the surface 
  after landing; some surfaces are slippery or other-
  wise hard to hold onto.
  Because Swinging involves so much exertion, 
  the GM may require a character to pay END not 
  only for Swinging itself, but for his STR.
  HEROIC SWInGInG
  In Heroic (but not Superheroic) campaigns, 
  characters typically don’t worry about all of the 
  possibilities for failure intrinsic in Real World 
  Swinging — the rules are boiled down enough to 
  keep things simple and flavorful.
  the sWingLine
  In a Heroic campaign, you’re enough into the 
  realm of the cinematic and fantastic not to worry 
  about things like the weight of the swingline (as 
  discussed above under Real-World Swinging). 
  Even if the setting itself doesn’t provide appro-
  priate technology (such as monofilament-woven 
  rope in a Star Hero game, or an enchanted rope in 
  a Fantasy Hero setting), “realistic” considerations 
  as gritty as the weight of the line aren’t appropriate 
  for Heroic Swinging. However, the GM may still 
  want to worry about the “grappling hook” end 
  (i.e., the mechanism of attachment to the pivot 
  point), how the character propels his swingline to 
  the pivot point, and how the character retracts his 
  swingline. Use the rules from Realistic Swinging, 
  above, but weaken or modify them as appropriate 
  to Heroic games.
  A character using Heroic Swinging typically 
  has an amount of swingline equal to eight times 
  his meters of Swinging, and can increase that 
  amount by x2 for every +5 Character Points spent 
  on Swinging. However, the final decision is up to 
  the GM based on special effects, the campaign 
  setting and tone, game balance, and similar 
  considerations.
  Finding the pivot point
  With Heroic Swinging, it’s assumed a char-
  acter can easily find acceptable pivot points, if any 
  are available at all. Heroic genre settings tend to 
  be filled with flagpoles, lampposts, chandeliers, 
  building ledges, tree limbs, candle sconces, torch 
  holders, cranes, bridges, and all sorts of other 
  objects that make useful, and often cinematically 
  cool, pivot points. At most the character has to 
  succeed with a PER Roll to locate one. Usually any 
  pivot point he finds is strong enough to hold him 
  (that’s part of what he’s looking for with the PER 
  Roll), but if appropriate the GM can have him 
  make an INT Roll to evaluate the point. Finding 
  the pivot point is almost always a Zero Phase 
  Action (at worst).
  Heroic Swinging rarely causes any damage to 
  the pivot point, but if the GM wants he can use 
  the rules for Realistic Swinging to determine if the 
  point breaks.
  attaChing and detaChing the sWingLine
  With Heroic Swinging, characters rarely 
  (if ever) have to make Attack Rolls to attach 
  swinglines, and even when they do the Range 
  Modifier and Target Size penalty usually don’t 
  apply. Detaching the swingline either occurs 
  automatically at the end of the Swing, or must be 
  performed next Phase as a Zero Phase Action. 
  Thus, hot swings are much easier and safer... 
  though still not safe.
  sWinging on the sWingLine
  The actual act of Swinging is largely the same 
  in the Real World and Heroic versions. However, 
  Heroic characters usually don’t have to make any 
  sort of roll to land where they want to (landing 
  safely on slippery surfaces is another matter). They 
  also don’t have to pay END for STR as well as 
  Swinging itself; they’re used to the exertion.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  121
  SuPERHEROIC SWInGInG
  Superheroic Swinging is a piece of cake. 
  Characters don’t have to make any rolls or pay 
  any extra END to use Superheroic Swinging, 
  don’t have to worry about the weight or quality of 
  their equipment (if they even need it — some can 
  generate swinglines without the need for gear!), 
  and rarely have trouble finding and using appro-
  priate pivot points (when any are available at all 
  — not even a Superheroic character can Swing in 
  the barren desert). Swinging takes no additional 
  time to use; a Half Move is a Half Phase Action, a 
  Full Move a Full Phase Action, and the process of 
  finding a pivot point and attaching/detaching the 
  line is just a part of the overall Action.
  A character using Superheroic Swinging typi-
  cally has an amount of swingline equal to 16 times 
  his meters of Swinging, and can increase that 
  amount by x2 for every +5 Character Points spent 
  on Swinging. However, the final decision is up to 
  the GM based on special effects, the campaign 
  setting and tone, game balance, and similar 
  considerations.
  ADDERS
  Extra Swingline: In some games GMs will tell 
  characters exactly how much swingline they have 
  when they buy Swinging, and this Adder allows a 
  character to buy more. See above for details.
  Stronger Swingline: This Adder only applies in 
  campaigns using the rules for breaking swinglines 
  (see above). Every +1 Character Point gives a 
  swingline +5 STR.
  TElEKInESIS
  Here are some additional, expanded, or 
  optional rules for Telekinesis.
  TElEKInETIC “ARmSPAn”
  Telekinetic characters sometimes want to pick 
  up an entire layer of soil from a field, or all of the 
  water out of a pool, or something similar. Even 
  if they have the STR to lift the object in ques-
  tion, ordinarily the GM shouldn’t allow this. The 
  “armspan” of a character’s Telekinesis should be 
  the same as his regular STR, i.e., about the span of 
  his arms. A telekinetic thus can pick up with his 
  Telekinesis as much soil (or whatever) as he could 
  encompass with his arms. If the character wants to 
  use his Telekinesis over a broader area, he should 
  buy the Area Of Effect Advantage for it.
  However, the limited “span” of Telekinesis 
  doesn’t necessarily limit its uses to those that 
  could be performed with the arms. Consider an 
  automobile engine. A character with a normal 
  armspan can spread his arms and reach across 
  most of the engine. However, he can’t stop the 
  pistons from pumping or the belts from moving. 
  A telekinetic, on the other hand, usually can stop 
  the parts of the engine from moving (at least the 
  visible parts). This is one of the many advantages 
  Telekinesis has over ordinary STR.
  Alternately, the GM can allow telekinetics to 
  Spread their Telekinesis. For every 5 points of STR 
  the character sacrifices, he may “spread” the reach 
  of his Telekinesis by +2m. The reach of Telekinesis 
  is assumed to be 2m at its base level, about the 
  same as a person’s armspan. However, characters 
  should not be allowed to Spread their Telekinesis 
  when they use it to “punch” targets.
  The “telekinetic armspan” rules do not allow a 
  character to pick up multiple people or differing 
  objects by making a single Attack Roll — they 
  don’t grant any sort of Area Of Effect for free. 
  They apply to attempts to pick up large masses of 
  a specific type of object. As always, the GM has 
  the final say on what a character can do with his 
  Telekinesis based on special effects, game balance, 
  common sense, dramatic sense, the circumstances, 
  and other appropriate considerations.
  piCKing up MuLtipLe oBjeCts
  A character can pick up multiple objects 
  with Telekinesis to roughly the same extent that 
  he could with his ordinary STR. Consider, for 
  example, a pile of bricks (assuming all the bricks 
  together don’t weigh more than the character’s 
  telekinetic lifting capacity). If the bricks are neatly 
  stacked on a pallet, the character can easily lift 
  them all by lifting the pallet. If they’re in a big, 
  jumbled pile, he can pick up as many as he can 
  “fit” in his telekinetic “armspan.” The GM should 
  make a final decision as to how a character can 
  telekinetically lift a particular object, group of 
  objects, or the like; obviously the specifics of a 
  situation have a lot of impact on this issue.
  DISASSEmBlInG ITEmS
  One classic telekinetic power is to take an 
  object apart: remove all the nails from a table so 
  it collapses, pull all the parts out of an electronic 
  device, and so on. In HERO System terms this 
  isn’t done with Telekinesis per se, since that would 
  require individually targeting and removing each 
  part of an object. Instead this is the special effect 
  of a “Telekinesis trick.” Typically it’s built using 
  Dispel — whatever power(s) the object provides 
  are Dispelled until it’s put back together — but 
  depending on the circumstances some other 
  Power, such as Killing Attack, might be more 
  appropriate.
  lInE OF SIGHT
  A character cannot Grab or Punch some-
  thing with Telekinesis beyond his Line Of Sight. 
  However, once he Grabs an object he can continue 
  to manipulate it even if it passes out of his LOS. If 
  he moves an object behind something he cannot 
  see through, or if he moves it beyond the range 
  of his eyesight, his hold on the object continues 
  (though he may have difficulty knowing where 
  to move it or what he can do with it, of course). 
  Characters who want to have “sensory feedback” 
  with their Telekinesis, so that they know what’s 
  happening near objects that they are telekineti-
  cally manipulating beyond their LOS, should Link 
  the appropriate form of Clairsentience to their 
  Telekinesis. 
  3
  
  122 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  lIQuIDS, GASES, AnD EnERGy
  A character cannot ordinarily use Telekinesis 
  to pick up liquids. He has to apply the Affects 
  Porous Adder (see below) to do so. Affects Porous 
  Telekinesis can affect gases, smokes, and mists, 
  but only if it also has the Advantage Area Of 
  Effect. This may grant Telekinesis some Dispel-like 
  effects, since characters usually build gases and 
  smokes with Powers (such as Change Environ-
  ment, Darkness, and AVAD Blast). If the GM 
  considers this abusive, he should disallow this use 
  of Telekinesis, instead requiring characters to buy 
  Dispel (and similar Powers).
  Some telekinetics can actually use their power 
  to affect forms of energy. Usually this is limited 
  to a particular form of energy, such as a pyroki-
  netic’s ability to move and shape masses of fire. 
  Since energy is weightless, the STR of the Teleki-
  nesis reflects how much energy the character can 
  pick up in other terms: 1 Damage Class worth of 
  energy (usually Killing Damage) for every 5 points 
  of telekinetic STR. This also provides a convenient 
  method for determining the damage done to char-
  acters touched with the energy. Energy picked up 
  with Telekinesis in this fashion is self-sustaining 
  (it doesn’t “burn out” or dissipate) until used to 
  damage someone (which “extinguishes” it). When 
  let go, the energy dissipates at once, unless it’s 
  placed on something it can “attach” itself to (i.e., 
  fire placed on something flammable, where it 
  keeps burning until it exhausts the fuel; electricity 
  placed into an electrical outlet or cable, and so 
  forth).
  Characters cannot use ordinary Telekinesis 
  to pick up energy; doing so requires a special-
  ized form of Telekinesis indicated by an appro-
  priate Limitation, such as Only Works On Fire or 
  Only Works On Electricity. Typically these are -1 
  Limitations, but the GM may adjust the value if 
  necessary. A character with “energy Telekinesis” 
  can also use it to crudely shape the energy he can 
  hold (to, for example, create a fiery phoenix out 
  of flame). On the other hand he loses most of 
  the ordinary uses of Telekinesis, such as grab-
  bing, throwing, or punching, since he can’t affect 
  physical objects.
  mulTIPlE ATTACK
  A character can Multiple Attack with his Tele-
  kinesis to Grab multiple targets, “punch” multiple 
  targets, or the like. He must affect all targets the 
  same way; he can’t Grab some and “punch” others. 
  Having Grabbed multiple targets, he has the 
  following choices:
  
  n he can affect them all the same way (for 
  example, Squeeze all of them, Throw all of 
  them, continue to hold on to all of them, or 
  turn them all upside down). If he does this, he 
  must pay the END cost for his Telekinesis every 
  Phase he maintains it. If Attack Rolls or the like 
  are required, the character must make one roll 
  per victim he wants to affect, or use Multiple 
  Attack again, but making these multiple Attack 
  Rolls counts as a single Attack Action.
  
  n choose to affect one of the Grabbed victims 
  in whatever way the Grab rules or other rules 
  allow and let all the other victims go. If he 
  does this, he must pay the END cost for his 
  Telekinesis every Phase he maintains it. At 
  the GM’s option, the character can affect two 
  or more persons in some appropriate manner 
  (such as smashing them into each other) by 
  again Multiple Attacking with his Telekinesis 
  against those persons while letting the others 
  go (normal rules for Multiple Attack and END 
  expenditure apply).
  
  n choose to affect two or more Grabbed victims, 
  up to all of them, in different ways — holding 
  on to some while Throwing others, Squeezing 
  some and Throwing others, turning some 
  upside down and lifting others 8m into the 
  air, or what have you. But to do this, he must 
  pay the END cost for his Telekinesis once per 
  person or object affected every Phase he main-
  tains it. If Attack Rolls or the like are required, 
  the character must make one roll per victim 
  he wants to affect (but making these multiple 
  Attack Rolls count as a single Attack Action).
  Example: Corporal Exeter of the Psi-Patrol has 
  Telekinesis (40 STR — 60 Active Points) and 
  uses it to Multiple Attack Grab six people. That 
  costs him 6 END. In his next Phase, he decides 
  he wants to keep holding on to them. Again, he 
  pays 6 END to do this — he only pays for his 
  Telekinesis once, since he’s doing the same thing to 
  every victim.
  In his next Phase, Exeter decides to Squeeze 
  four victims and Throw two of them. He can do 
  so, but must meet two requirements: first, he has 
  to succeed with an Attack Roll against each one 
  (not hard, since they’re at reduced DCV due to 
  being Grabbed); second, he has to pay 36 END — 
  one payment of END for each victim affected.
  PuPPETEERInG
  A character can use Telekinesis to “take 
  control” of a target’s body and make him do things 
  he doesn’t want to do — sort of an Entangle that 
  forces the target to move. Each Phase in which the 
  telekinetic retains control of the target, he may 
  make that target take one physical action — walk, 
  run, pick things up, pull a trigger, and so on. He 
  cannot force the target to take actions that are 
  mental or which are not based on physical move-
  ment (he could not, for example, force the target 
  to fire an innate Blast or use a Mental Power). If he 
  makes the puppet attack another character (either 
  HTH or at Range), the puppet’s OCV is ½ of the 
  mentalist’s OCV (or OMCV if using Psychoki-
  nesis); the damage in HTH Combat depends 
  on the mentalist’s telekinetic STR, not by the 
  puppet’s STR. 
  A puppet cannot perform fine actions unless 
  the Telekinesis is bought with Fine Manipula-
  tion. If two telekinetics try to use the same person 
  as a puppet at the same time, a STR Versus STR 
  Contest determines who wins control.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  123
  WIElDInG WEAPOnS
  If a character uses Telekinesis to wield a 
  weapon to which he can add damage with STR, 
  his Telekinesis STR adds at the same rate and 
  in the same way as his personal STR. There’s no 
  change for the fact that Telekinesis costs more 
  than STR.
  ADvAnTAGES AnD ADDERS
  Affects Porous: Characters cannot ordinarily 
  use Telekinesis to pick up liquids. They can do so 
  if they buy this +10 Character Point Adder. The 
  amount of liquid a character can pick up depends 
  on his telekinetic STR and the weight of the liquid. 
  A character may use Affects Porous Telekinesis to 
  shape the picked-up liquid into crude forms (such 
  as squares, spheres, or humanoid shapes); to actu-
  ally sculpt the water requires Fine Manipulation 
  and PS: Sculptor.
  Fine manipulation: The text of the Fine Manipu-
  lation Adder notes it doesn’t allow a character 
  to manipulate objects on the microscopic level. 
  With the GM’s permission, a character can do 
  that by buying the Microscopic Sense Modifier for 
  his Sight, with the Limitation that it only works 
  with Telekinesis, to allow him to “perceive” things 
  at the microscopic level so he can telekinetically 
  manipulate them. The GM determines the effects 
  of microscopic Telekinesis, but of course shouldn’t 
  let it unbalance the game.
  Cumulative: Characters cannot apply Cumulative 
  to Telekinesis.
  Animating Objects
  Some characters want to have the power to 
  make inanimate objects “come to life” — to move 
  around, carry things, do chores, even attack 
  their enemies. In the HERO System, the most 
  appropriate way to model that ability is to use 
  the Summon Power. That allows you to treat an 
  animated object as a separate character so it and 
  the character have distinct actions.
  However, using Summon means you need a 
  character sheet for the animated object, even if 
  only a simple one, and that may not always be 
  convenient. If you prefer a method that doesn’t 
  treat animated objects as separate characters, you 
  create a simple “Animate Object” ability using 
  Telekinesis.
  Animating an object with Telekinesis requires 
  an Attack Action. Keeping it animated in later 
  Phases requires a Half Phase Action. Thus, a 
  character could control two animated objects at 
  once. However, since attacking with one requires 
  an Attack Action, he can only attack with one 
  at a time (though he could “attack with both” as 
  the special effect of making a Multiple Attack). 
  (At the GM’s option, for each +5 Character Point 
  Adder, Multiple Animated Objects, a character can 
  animate two times as many objects simultane-
  ously — four objects for +5 points, eight objects 
  for +10 points, and so on. In this case, controlling 
  any more than one object, no matter what they do, 
  requires a Full Phase Action.)
  Objects animated by Telekinesis are in effect 
  objects used as improvised weapons (see 6E2 173). 
  If the character attacks a target with one, use the 
  rules for improvised weapon damage... including 
  the rules about damaging the improvised weapon. 
  Chairs, statues, trees, and other things a char-
  acter might animate using Telekinesis aren’t 
  intended for use as weapons and can easily batter 
  themselves apart smashing into a foe. However, 
  animating an object does not, in and of itself, 
  damage the object in any way. Depending on 
  special effects the object may literally seem to 
  come alive, flexing and moving in ways its mate-
  rials never could, but when the animation stops, it 
  returns to its standard form, undamaged.
  At the GM’s option, a character who’s 
  animating an object can simultaneously use 
  his Telekinesis to push, pull, turn, or otherwise 
  affect targets in addition to simply hitting them 
  for Normal Damage. For example, he could pull 
  the trigger on an animated rifle to make it shoot 
  bullets as well as animating it so it “walks” around 
  and bashes targets.
  Additionally, animated objects can sometimes 
  perform mundane chores. An animated bed or 
  table could carry other objects for the character, 
  an animated chair could wrap its arms around 
  an occupant to Grab him and hold him prisoner, 
  an animated broom can clean the floor. At most,  
  objects can only exert the Telekinesis STR used to 
  animate them, and even that may be too much. If 
  an animated object carries a heavy load, determine 
  the STR needed to pick up that much weight, then 
  use that STR to apply damage to the object every 
  Segment. If the damage breaks the object, the load 
  is dropped and the object becomes un-animated.
  A character animating an object can only exert 
  his Telekinesis STR through it. He can’t use the 
  object’s natural functions, if any — he can’t turn it 
  on, fire a built-in weapon, or the like. (Of course, 
  it might be possible to do that by separately using 
  Telekinesis in the usual way to just manipulate 
  parts of the object.)
  As “weapons” controlled by a character, 
  animated objects act on their controller’s SPD 
  (in effect, the controller takes Actions “through” 
  them). Typically animated objects can move at no 
  more than Running 12m per Phase. Large objects 
  with long legs (such as a big table) might move 
  faster; smaller objects, or ones without features 
  that function as legs, usually move much slower.
  If a character can only use Telekinesis to 
  animate objects, he can buy the Power with a -½ 
  Limitation, Animate Object. If he can only animate 
  certain types of objects (such as only statues or 
  only furniture), he can take an additional Limita-
  tion reflecting that.
  3
  
  124 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  TElEPATHy
  Here are some additional rules and options for 
  Telepathy.
  EGO +40: THE COllECTIvE unCOnSCIOuS
  At the GM’s option, a mentalist who achieves 
  EGO +40 or greater on a target may read into the 
  target’s collective unconscious, or racial memory. 
  This level is entirely symbolic and archetypical, 
  with the symbols relating to the target’s species 
  and culture (an American’s collective unconscious 
  includes Uncle Sam; a Scandinavian’s includes 
  the Norse gods; any male human’s mind would 
  contain a Madonna/whore image of Woman, and 
  so on). This is not only an interesting storytelling 
  tool, but can give a character some clues as to the 
  mores and motivations of strange cultures, aliens, 
  and the like. 
  mEnTAl TAGS
  A mentalist may use Telepathy to place a 
  “mental tag” on someone that makes it easy to 
  locate that person later with Mind Scan. The tag 
  can apply to any Mind Scan, or just to the Mind 
  Scan of the mentalist who places the tag (and 
  anyone else he tells about it). Placing tag requires 
  a Full Phase. The mentalist must succeed with 
  an MCV Attack Roll, achieve at least an EGO 
  +10 Telepathy Effect Roll, and succeed with an 
  unmodified EGO Roll.
  A mental tag lasts for a minimum of 1 Turn. 
  The mentalist counts the “Normal Damage 
  BODY” on his Effect Roll. For each “BODY” 
  rolled, the message or emotion lasts for one step 
  on the Time Chart beyond the minimum time 
  of 1 Turn. A mental tag lasts until it’s expired or 
  removed via psionic surgery (see below under 
  Transform). At the GM’s option it can also be 
  removed by using Telepathy with an Effect Roll 
  equal to or greater than the Effect Roll that 
  implated the tag to do so. As long as a tag exists it’s 
  obvious to anyone who successfully uses Telepathy 
  on the subject, but cannot be perceived with 
  Mental Awareness.
  Until a tag expires or is removed, a mental tag 
  applies a +10 OMCV bonus for using Mind Scan 
  to locate the tagged mind (the bonus applies either 
  to all uses of Mind Scan, or the use of Mind Scan 
  only by the mentalist and people he specifically 
  tells about it, depending on how he defines the 
  tag). The tag is like a “mental beacon” that draws 
  the attention of mentalists who are looking for it. 
  A tagged person knows he’s been tagged unless the 
  mentalist declares and achieves the +20 “Telepathy 
  cannot be detected by target” level of effect when 
  implanting it.
  nOnHumAn THOuGHTS
  Telepathy isn’t limited to Human minds. It 
  can be used on many types of minds, depending 
  on how the character defines it and the way the 
  GM uses the class of minds rules. Here are a few 
  additional guidelines. 
  Mentalists usually have an easy time using 
  on animals, who tend to have low EGO scores; 
  this sort of power is known as “theriopathy” or 
  “theriokinesis.” However, except in genres where 
  they’re sentient, animals don’t generally “think” 
  the same way Humans do. Their thoughts are 
  sensory impressions and instincts, not sentience. 
  Telepaths can mentally “talk” to animals, but their 
  “speech” should be simple and straightforward. At 
  the GM’s option, some types of animals, such as 
  cetaceans or apes, may experience actual sentient 
  thoughts, or thoughts more advanced than “stan-
  dard” animal thoughts.
  Alien minds may be difficult for a telepath 
  to use Telepathy on. Since Telepathy crosses the 
  language barrier, mentalists can understand alien 
  minds at a crude level, but the thought processes 
  may be so, well, alien that the telepath can’t 
  achieve full understanding of them. They may 
  even cause psychic trauma!
  PSyCHIC mESSAGES, 
  ImPRESSIOnS, AnD TRAPS
  Characters can use Telepathy to implant 
  “psychic messages” in places or objects. The 
  messages can only be short — no more than five 
  times the character’s EGO in words unless the 
  character buys the Enhanced Messages Adder 
  (see below). In many (if not most) cases implated 
  messages aren’t even expressed in words, they’re 
  “feelings” or emotions: “this object is dangerous”; 
  “you’d enjoy keeping this object”; and so forth. 
  Especially strong emotional or psychic events, 
  such as murders, battles, romantic proposals of 
  marriage, and the like may also leave psychic 
  messages or impressions. A character can read an 
  implanted message with Telepathy (it’s typically 
  considered a “surface thought”) or Psychom-
  etry Retrocognition (see APG 85). Psychometry 
  usually provides a much stronger and more accu-
  rate reading of the message.
  To implant a message or emotion, a tele-
  path takes a Full Phase (or longer, for lengthy 
  messages), makes his Effect Roll, and counts the 
  “Normal Damage BODY” on the roll. For each 
  “BODY” rolled, the message or emotion lasts for 
  one step on the Time Chart beyond the minimum 
  time of 1 Turn. In other words, the more power 
  a telepath uses, the clearer and longer-lived his 
  message becomes.
  A character can also implant a mental “trap” 
  in a mind or an object by using Telepathy and 
  another Mental Power with the Trigger Advantage. 
  The telepath must roll enough on his Telepathy 
  dice to read surface thoughts and then succeed 
  with an EGO Roll. Then he rolls the dice for 
  the other Mental Power and sets the Trigger 
  (example Triggers include picking up a specific 
  object, achieving EGO +10 with Telepathy, or 
  mInDSCAPES
  it sometimes happens 
  that a mentalist who’s 
  telepathically probing 
  someone deep enough 
  to read deep, hidden 
  thoughts or subcon-
  scious thoughts gets 
  caught up in a miniature 
  psychodrama within the 
  target’s mind. rather 
  than being repre-
  sented as dry thoughts, 
  the target’s mental 
  processes become a 
  sensory world where 
  the telepath 
  encounters all 
  sorts of objects, 
  people, and 
  creatures (many 
  or most of whom have 
  some symbolic meaning 
  that the mentalist must 
  interpret [this is particu-
  larly true at the level of 
  the subconscious]). in 
  some cases, the target 
  mind is so strong (or 
  so deranged) that the 
  mentalist becomes 
  trapped in this “mental 
  world,” and must solve 
  some problem or cure 
  the target’s madness 
  before he can get out 
  again.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  125
  any successful use of Mind Control). The telepath 
  then makes a second Effect Roll and counts the 
  “BODY” to determine how long the trap will 
  remain in effect, as outlined above.
  A character can define a mental trap as 
  attacking anyone who “reads” the trap or the 
  thing/person who “carries” the trap. Examples 
  include a trap that subjects the reader to a Mental 
  Illusion or Mind Control, or a trap which Mind 
  Controls the person in whom it’s planted to 
  commit suicide if anyone tries to use Telepathy on 
  him.
  Mental traps are normally perceivable by 
  anyone who uses Telepathy on the person or 
  thing carrying the trap, but are not perceivable by 
  Mental Awareness. A mentalist can hide a trap by 
  buying the Triggered Mental Power with Invisible 
  Power Effects (+¼).
  PSyCHIC TRAumA
  Sometimes a telepath is inside a target’s mind 
  during particularly stressful or unusual occa-
  sions. At the GM’s option, this may cause “psychic 
  trauma,” a form of feedback that can inconve-
  nience, injure, or even kill the mentalist. Psychic 
  trauma can occur in the following situations:
  
  n When the telepath is in the mind of someone 
  who suffers an injury (or possibly who’s already 
  feeling pain for some reason). The telepath may 
  take a portion of the damage as STUN-only 
  damage.
  
  n When the telepath is in the mind of someone 
  who dies (particularly when the death is 
  violent). In this case the telepath may take 
  damage (including BODY), may black out for 
  1d6 Segments (or longer), or may suffer some 
  other appropriate effect. In extreme cases, the 
  telepath might die as well.
  
  n When the telepath enters the mind of someone 
  caught in the grip of a Mental Illusion. 
  Normally the telepath is able to view the Illu-
  sion dispassionately, knowing it for what it 
  is, and in fact may be able to help the victim 
  break out of the illusion by mentally telling 
  him what’s happening (see Competing Mental 
  Powers, 6E1 152). However, particularly vivid, 
  unusual, or strong Illusions (for example, any 
  Illusion at the +30 level) may draw the telepath 
  into them, subjecting him to their effects. In 
  this case compare the Mental Illusions roll 
  to the telepath’s own EGO to determine how 
  strongly he’s affected by the Illusion; the tele-
  path may make Breakout Rolls as normal.
  The GM can also use this rule for experiencing 
  a target’s dreams, which can be considered a 
  form of “Illusion.” Usually a telepath can simply 
  “observe” the dream, and even enter it or manipu-
  late it if he wishes, but in the case of some dreams 
  (i.e., vivid nightmares) could experience difficul-
  ties. See the Mindscapes sidebar on APG 124 for 
  more information.
  
  n When the telepath encounters particularly 
  horrible or terrifying memories. Examples 
  might include memories of a serial killer’s 
  or murderer’s activities and feelings; memo-
  ries of child abuse, rape, or other extremely 
  unpleasant situations; memories of circum-
  stances that have spawned phobias; and memo-
  ries of particularly dangerous situations. In this 
  case the telepath might take minor amounts 
  of damage, or might reflexively “eject” himself 
  from the target mind.
  
  n When the telepath enters the mind of a deeply 
  insane person. In this case the telepath might 
  take minor amounts of damage, reflexively 
  “eject” himself from the target mind, or get 
  trapped within the target’s bizarre, twisted 
  mindscape.
  Depending on how the GM defines psionics 
  and psionic powers in his campaign, psychic 
  trauma might be a “default” phenomenon that all 
  telepaths can fall prey to, or it could affect only 
  those who take a -1 Limitation, Can Suffer Psychic 
  Trauma. A character whose mind may cause 
  psychic trauma could buy a Mental Damage Shield 
  to reflect this “power.”
  SHOuTInG
  At the GM’s option, a character with Telepathy 
  can mentally communicate with everyone nearby 
  at once by telepathically “shouting.” Typically this 
  requires a successful EGO Roll (or a Power Skill 
  roll), but the GM may allow it automatically in 
  the interest of dramatic sense or other factors. The 
  range of such a “shout” usually roughly equals that 
  of a vocal shout. The message shouted is the same 
  for all “hearers,” and is usually short, simple, and 
  to the point (such as “Look out!” or “Help me!”).
  SImulTAnEOuS TElEPATHy
  Two telepaths reading or communicating with 
  the same mind at the same time are automatically 
  aware of each other’s presence, absent the use of 
  Invisible Power Effects. They cannot, however, 
  communicate mentally with each other unless 
  they establish their own telepathic connection via 
  Telepathy or Mind Link; being in the same mind 
  constitutes “Line Of Sight” (not only for these 
  purposes but for making mental attacks as well).
  TOuCHInG THE SuBJECT
  At the GM’s option, a telepath may get a bonus 
  of +5 (or greater) to his Telepathy Effect Roll when 
  he’s in skin-to-skin contact with a person he uses 
  Telepathy on. More intimate forms of contact 
  could bring even greater bonuses. This bonus 
  doesn’t apply if the Telepathy is bought with the 
  Skin Contact Required Limitation.
  3
  
  126 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  ADDERS
  Sensory Impressions: Telepathy with this +5 
  Character Point Adder can convey direct sensory 
  impressions to the telepath using it, if the tele-
  path so desires. For example, if he’s telepathically 
  reading the mind of someone who’s taking a 
  hot shower, he’ll feel the impact and heat of the 
  water just as if he were taking the shower himself. 
  However, he suffers no loss of STUN or BODY, 
  nor any beneficial effect such as an Aid, from any 
  source (though Telepathy with this Adder often 
  takes the Feedback Limitation as well).
  Enhanced messages: A character who implant 
  “psychic messages” in places or objects (see above) 
  is normally limited to messages no more than five 
  times the character’s EGO in words. For every +1 
  Character Point spent on this Adder he can double 
  the length of the message he can implant.
  lImITATIOnS
  Partial Effect (-½): Telepathy with this Limitation 
  is easier to avoid than normal. The target makes 
  his first Breakout Roll as usual. If it succeeds, he 
  breaks the telepathic contact. If it fails, the tele-
  pathic contact remains in place, but the target gets 
  to make an EGO Roll. If the EGO Roll fails, he’s 
  subject to the standard effects of Telepathy. If the 
  EGO Roll succeeds, he’s able to put up some minor 
  resistance to telepathic probes by feeding the tele-
  path partially false information — for example, he 
  could alter one or two digits in a phone number, 
  a couple of letters in a name, or the hair color of 
  a person in his memory. The more the EGO Roll 
  succeeds by, the more information the GM can let 
  him alter.
  TElEPORTATIOn
  Here are some additional rules and options for 
  Teleportation
  GATES
  Characters are not required to add the Safe 
  Blind Teleport Advantage (see below) to their 
  Gates just because they can see through them and 
  are therefore not likely to step into a solid object 
  or hazardous environment. They can apply Safe 
  Blind Teleport if they want, but it’s not manda-
  tory. Typically, if a character opens a Gate onto a 
  hazardous area, he sees that, shuts it down, and 
  tries again — meaning he’s wasted a Phase. If a 
  Gate power has Safe Blind Teleport, it automati-
  cally shifts the opening of the Gate to the nearest 
  area large enough to hold it (though, as the text of 
  the Advantage notes, that doesn’t necessarily mean 
  the nearest safe area).
  A character might want to create a Gate in 
  an area that’s already filled with matter — such 
  as underwater, in the middle of a mountain, or 
  the like. The GM determines the exact effects. 
  This may mean nothing happens and the Gate’s 
  effectively useless (the typical outcome for a Gate 
  opened inside a solid object). On the other hand, 
  opening a Gate underwater could cause water to 
  flow through the Gate at the rate of the charac-
  ter’s weight limit per Phase. (The GM may, if he 
  wishes, apportion the total per Turn equally over 
  12 Segments.)
  gates and attaCKs
  If a character can create a Gate as a Half Phase 
  Action, he could open it adjacent to a foe and then 
  make a HTH Combat attack against him using 
  his remaining Half Phase Action. (He could also 
  make a Ranged Attack against more distant foes, 
  effectively using the Gate to diminish or elimi-
  nate the Range Modifier.) However, as the text 
  of 6E1 notes, it can be difficult for a character to 
  position a gate properly unless he has a Fixed or 
  Floating Fixed Location with it. The GM might 
  require a character to make a PER Roll, DEX Roll, 
  or a Teleportation Tricks roll to set up the Gate 
  so it opens at the right point for him to make the 
  attack against the target.
  The GM may prefer to rule that opening a Gate 
  always constitutes a Full Phase Action, if he feels 
  the possibilities of abusing the Gate rules to make 
  attacks are too great. And don’t forget that the 
  Gate has to remain open at least until the charac-
  ter’s next Phase, which may make it possible for 
  the target to counterattack. With the GM’s permis-
  sion, a character could use a Gate with Snap Shot, 
  but that has a real potential to cause game balance 
  problems.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  127
  aBsoLute eFFeCt gates
  Some GMs may find the standard Gate rules 
  regarding the size and weight of objects a Gate can 
  “carry” to be inconvenient, because they’d rather 
  have Gates that can work on anything regardless of 
  size or mass. (This might be appropriate for some 
  Gates created by magic, for example.) To create 
  that sort of Gate, the GM should use the Absolute 
  Effect Rule (6E1 133): he declares that all Gates 
  must meet certain standards for size and weight, 
  and then rules that these Gates can “carry” any 
  weight or size of object.
  FIXED lOCATIOnS
  A character cannot mark a specific object as 
  a Floating Fixed Location and then perceive that 
  object wherever it goes. However a character 
  could buy a Detect specifically for that purpose.
  Typically only the character who creates a 
  Fixed or Floating Fixed Location can change it. 
  But special effects may factor in — for example, if 
  a character “memorizes” a Location by placing a 
  small physical tag on it, then someone else could 
  move the tag.
  With the GM’s permission, a Fixed or Floating 
  Fixed Location can be Dispelled, Drained/
  Suppressed, or the like, but the attacker must 
  reduce the entire Teleportation power to zero (or 
  otherwise “overcome” the entire Teleportation 
  power as specified in the rules), not just the cost of 
  the Location.
  A character cannot define a Fixed or Floating 
  Fixed Location that relates to another character’s 
  use of Teleportation, such as “the same destination 
  as another character just Teleported to.”
  TRAnSFORm
  Here are some additional rules and options for 
  Transform.
  HEAlInG BACK
  In many cases, the condition for reversing a 
  Transform is that it “heals back normally” (i.e., 
  that the character heals the “Transform damage” 
  the same way he would ordinary BODY damage). 
  If the target of the Transform is an object (which 
  has no inherent REC), the GM decides how 
  quickly it un-Transforms. There’s no set stan-
  dard. He could base his decision on the object’s 
  general cohesiveness, resilience, and so on, or he 
  might rule that all objects have “REC 4” for these 
  purposes (just like typical people)
  If a Transform is defined as “character must 
  heal the BODY back normally,” then typically 
  Healing BODY or Regeneration counteracts 
  the effects quickly by allowing the character to 
  heal BODY “damage” at a much faster rate than 
  normal. However, a character can define the 
  reversal condition of a Transform as “character 
  must heal the BODY back at the standard REC/
  month rate,” in which case Healing and Regenera-
  tion have no effect.
  mulTIPlE AnD REPEATED TRAnSFORmS
  It’s possible that, while Transformed, a char-
  acter will get Transformed a second time, into 
  something else. For example, while Transformed 
  into a wolf, a character might then get Trans-
  formed into a mouse. In this situation, both the 
  “healing times” continue to run normally. If the 
  wolf form runs out while the character is still 
  in mouse form, when the mouse form ends he 
  reverts to man-shape. If the mouse form runs out 
  first, he reverts to a wolf — but the wolf form has 
  been “on the clock” while he was a mouse. The 
  second Transform doesn’t put the first one “on 
  hold.”
  A character (most likely a villain) can use a 
  Transform on someone repeatedly to in effect 
  prevent them from un-Transforming over time. 
  For example, suppose Witchcraft Transforms 
  Holocaust into a frog on May 1. Based on Holo-
  caust’s REC he’ll heal back and un-Transform in a 
  month. If she wants to Witchcraft can Transform 
  him again each day. That way Holocaust heals 
  back from the first Transform on June 1... but the 
  one she applied on May 2 remains in effect, so he 
  stays in frog form. Or she could just wait until 
  May 31 and re-Transform him the day before he 
  heals back so that he remains a frog for another 
  month.
  OTHER uSES FOR 
  FIXED lOCATIOnS
  Under the standard rules, characters cannot 
  buy Fixed or Floating Fixed Locations for any 
  Movement Power other than Teleportation. 
  However, the GM might want to consider 
  allowing this in some circumstances. For 
  instance, characters might want to buy a Loca-
  tion for:
  
  n Leaping (particularly MegaLeaping) to 
  ensure they can always hit the Location 
  without having to make an Attack Roll to 
  land at the correct target point.
  
  n MegaRunning or MegaFlight, so they can 
  run/fly to the exact spot they want and stop 
  right there.
  
  n Extra-Dimensional Movement powers that 
  allow travel to multiple locations within 
  one or more dimensions, to ensure they 
  can always reach a particular location in a 
  particular dimension without any worries 
  or effort.
  3
  
  128 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  TRAnSFORmInG EnERGy
  It’s possible that some characters have the 
  ability “transform” energy (since, according to 
  modern physics, most forms of energy can be 
  changed into other forms without any loss of 
  energy [heat being one significant exception]). 
  For example, a character might have the power to 
  transform Sonic energy into Light energy, or Elec-
  tricity into Magnetism, or Ice/Cold into Fire/Heat.
  Despite referring to this as “transformation,” 
  this sort of ability doesn’t involve the Transform 
  power. Typically it’s just a Limitation on the 
  character’s powers. For example, the superhero 
  Mirrorball has various Light powers... but he has 
  to have sound (Sonic energy) to “fuel” his abilities. 
  He takes the Limitation Requires Sufficient Sound 
  (-¼) on nearly all of his Light powers (including 
  an Endurance Reserve for them) and works out 
  the details with the GM (e.g., every 5 deciBels of 
  sound that Mirrorball can hear provides 1 REC 
  for his Endurance Reserve, perhaps with a Linked 
  Change Environment to make it harder to hear the 
  sounds Mirrorball is “transforming”). He might 
  also buy one or more Adjustment Powers with 
  “transforming energy” as the special effect (such 
  as a Drain Sonic Powers plus a Linked Aid to 
  Light Powers).
  However, at the GM’s option characters can 
  buy Transform to work specifically on energy. As 
  noted on 6E1 304, changing the special effects but 
  not the nature of a Power is a Minor Transform. 
  That would allow a character to convert, say, a 
  Sonic Blast into a Fire Blast, Ice Blast, Radiation 
  Blast, or whatever other special effect he wants, 
  but not to change the Power used (Blast, in this 
  case). The target of this type of Transform is “any 
  energy” (which qualifies for a -¼ Limited Target 
  Limitation), but the character can specify a more 
  restricted class of target energy for a larger Limi-
  tation value. For a +¼ Improved Results Group 
  Advantage, the character can Transform the target 
  energy into up to four pre-defined types of energy; 
  for a +1 Advantage, he can Transform it into any 
  type of energy. A Major Transform can change 
  the special effect and the Power into another one 
  of similar type (such as a Blast to an RKA, Drain, 
  or Mental Blast); a Severe Transform can change 
  one Power into any other Power or special effect 
  desired. 
  This type of Transform allows a character to, 
  for example, intercept an enemy’s Electricity-based 
  Blast and convert it to, say, Pulson Energy (thus 
  preventing the target, who has a Vulnerability to 
  Electricity, from suffering the added effect). This 
  sort of “interception” uses the same rules as for 
  Dispelling an incoming attack, but could work 
  on attacks made against other people, not just the 
  character using the Dispel.
  Every BODY rolled on a Transform Energy 
  attack converts 5 Active Points of energy into the 
  specified different form of energy. If the Trans-
  form only partly affects an energy attack, it hits 
  the target with both energy types but the target 
  suffers the worst sort of result he can from either 
  type of energy for the entire attack. For example, 
  suppose that the target of an Electricity attack has 
  a Vulnerability to Electricity and also has Resis-
  tant Defense with the Limitation Does Not Work 
  Against Fire/Heat (-½). Someone tries to shoot 
  him with a Lightning Bolt power (Blast 12d6), 
  and someone else uses a Transform Energy that 
  converts 25 Active Points’ worth of the Electricity 
  into a Fire/Heat attack. The target not only still 
  suffers from his Vulnerability (since the attack 
  remains partly Electricity), he doesn’t get to apply 
  any of his Resistant Protection (because the attack 
  is partly Fire/Heat).
  With the GM’s permission, characters can 
  “Coordinate” not to improve their chances to Stun 
  the target but to ensure that a Transform Energy 
  takes place. If both succeed with their Teamwork 
  rolls, the character using the Transform Energy 
  gets to do so before the attack hits the target; if 
  either of them fail, the Transform Energy has 
  no effect.
  The GM can adjust these rules as necessary 
  in light of special effects, common and dramatic 
  sense, and the need to preserve game balance.
  PSIOnIC SuRGERy
  The primary form of Mental Transform is 
  Psionic Surgery — the ability to erase, change, 
  add to, or otherwise affect a person’s memo-
  ries, personality, Psychological Complications, 
  Enraged/Berserks (and other psychologically-
  oriented or psychosomatic Complications), 
  Mental Powers, and the like. Typically Psionic 
  Surgery is written up this way:
  Psionic Surgery: Major Transform 4d6 (erase, 
  change, add to, or otherwise affect a person’s 
  mental “objects”; heals back normally), ACV 
  (uses OMCV against DMCV; +¼), AVAD 
  (Mental Defense; +0), Works Against EGO, 
  Not BODY (+¼) (60 Active Points); Limited 
  Target (mental “objects” in the minds of sentient 
  beings; -½), No Range (-½). Total cost: 30 
  points.
  (Note: depending on special effects, various 
  uses of Dispel, Drain/Suppress, and possibly 
  even Telepathy could be considered “psionic 
  surgery.”) A character can increase the value of the 
  Limited Target Limitation if he wants to restrict 
  it to just one type of mental object (such as “only 
  memories” or “only Psychological Complications 
  pertaining to love and desire”) or to a particular 
  sentient species in a multi-species campaign.
  3
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter three 
  129
  The table on APG 130 lists the typical actions 
  performed with Psionic Surgery, the type of Trans-
  form required, and the modifier to the target’s 
  EGO (if any). A character with Psionic Surgery 
  based on Major Transform can perform any 
  type of psionic surgery; characters with versions 
  based on Minor or Cosmetic Transform can only 
  perform a few types. For these purposes, a Major 
  Transform can completely remove/change any sort 
  of mental Complication, even one worth more 
  than 20 Character Points.
  In some cases, making minor changes to a 
  mental object that ordinarily requires a Major 
  Transform may, at the GM’s option, only require 
  a Minor Transform. For example, adjusting the 
  intensity of a Psychological Complication from 
  Strong to Moderate, or from Strong to Very 
  Strong, might only require a Minor Transform 
  since the character’s only altering the intensity 
  of feelings/belief, not their focus. If the GM 
  permits this, use the point guidelines on 6E1 304 
  to determine how much effect a lesser Transform 
  can have (for example, a Minor Transform could 
  alter a Psychological Complication by adding 
  or removing no more than 10 Character Points’ 
  worth of effect).
  In other cases, the GM might allow a mentalist 
  to use a lesser-strength Transform to accomplish 
  something that ordinarily requires a Major Trans-
  form, but have the effects wear off (i.e., heal back) 
  much more quickly, be more easily detected by 
  another mentalist, or the like. For example, tempo-
  rarily changing someone’s personality/“mental 
  appearance” as a quick “mental disguise” might 
  be possible with a Cosmetic Transform — but a 
  mentalist reading that person’s mind would have 
  a much easier time seeing through the disguise 
  than he would if it were applied with a Major 
  Transform (perhaps a +3 or greater bonus to his 
  PER Roll).
  iMpLiCations and restriCtions
  Psionic Surgery should not be used as a cheap 
  way for characters to eliminate their mental 
  Complications on a permanent or near-permanent 
  basis. Psychological Complications and the like are 
  extremely important for defining who a character 
  is and why he does what he does, so using Psionic 
  Surgery to change or eliminate them can make the 
  game less fun. If characters try to do this anyway, 
  the GM should require them to buy those Compli-
  cations off, on the grounds that they’re not really 
  disadvantageous in any meaningful way.
  Mental Transforms “heal” more or less the 
  same way ordinary Transforms do — either 
  according to some predefined method, or at the 
  rate of REC/month in BODY (or EGO). In many 
  cases the predefined method is “Psionic Surgery 
  must be used again to reverse the effects.” Even if 
  that’s not specifically defined ad a healing condi-
  tion, at the GM’s option a mentalist with a “psionic 
  surgery” Mental Transform can usually reverse 
  the effects of any Mental Transform. (Remember, 
  a target of a Mental Power can voluntarily lower 
  his EGO to 0 if he wants to be affected, virtually 
  guaranteeing that the corrective Psionic Surgery 
  succeeds.)
  sKiLL
  Messing around with someone’s thoughts and 
  memories, not to mention his psionic powers, may 
  be a difficult, delicate, and potentially dangerous 
  task. At the GM’s option, characters can only 
  perform simple types of Psionic Surgery (i.e., only 
  Cosmetic Transforms) unless the character buys a 
  special Science Skill, Psionic Surgery. Typically this 
  doesnt entitle the character to take the Requires 
  A Roll Limitation for his Psionic Surgery power 
  (it’s a prerequisite established by the GM for using 
  such powers at all), but the GM can require it as a 
  mandatory Limitation instead.
  In that case, when a character performs 
  Psionic Surgery, he has to make a Skill Roll. If the 
  roll succeeds, he accomplishes what he set out 
  to do with no problems. If he fails, he botches 
  the Psionic Surgery. Typically this means he 
  just failed to do what he wanted to (he doesn’t 
  properly excise or implant the memory, Psycho-
  logical Complication, or the like). If he fails the 
  roll badly (by 4 or more) he causes some sort of 
  side effect. The GM determines what happens; 
  some examples include: he takes away too much 
  of the subject’s memory, resulting in partial or 
  total amnesia; he causes the character to acquire 
  another mental Complication, or worsens one the 
  target already has; he injures the subject’s brain, 
  causing a temporary or permanent loss of 1d6 
  points of INT or EGO (or a reduction in INT- or 
  EGO-Based Skill Rolls).
  3
  
  130 n powers 
  hero system 6th edition
  PSIOnIC SuRGERy
  Mental object and desired effect
  transform required
  ego required
  Enraged/Berserk
       Adding/augmenting
  Major Transform
  EGO + (value of Complication/5)
       Removing/weakening
  Major Transform
  EGO + (value of Complication/5)
  Fact, adding or removing
       Very minor importance
   Cosmetic Transform
  EGO -3
       Minor importance
  Minor Transform
  EGO -1
       Medium/average importance
  Major Transform
  EGO
       Major importance
  Major Transform
  EGO +1
       Extremely important
  Major Transform
  EGO +3
  Memory, adding or removing
       Very weak
  Cosmetic Transform
  EGO -3
       Weak
  Minor Transform
  EGO -1
       Medium/average strength
  Major Transform
  EGO
       Strong/important/intense
  Major Transform
  EGO +1
       Extremely strong/intense
  Major Transform
  EGO +3
  Mental “appearance” or “shape,” changing
  Minor Transform
  EGO
  Mental Power (including a Psychic Bond)
       Adding/augmenting (if possible)
  Major Transform
  EGO + (Active Point cost of Power/5)
       Removing/weakening
  Major Transform
  EGO + (Active Point cost of Power/5)
  Mental Tag (see APg 124)
  Minor Transform
  EGO - (Active Point cost of Power/5)
  Mental Trap (see APg 124) adding or removing
  Major Transform
  EGO + (Active Point cost of Trap/5)
  Psychological Complication
  Major Transform
  Cost of Limitation
       Adding/augmenting
  Major Transform
  EGO + (value of Complication/5)
       Removing/weakening
  Major Transform
  EGO + (value of Complication/5)
  Restore memory of +20 Mind Control (see 6E1 253)
  Minor Transform
  EGO
  Skill
       Adding/augmenting (if possible)
  Major Transform
  EGO + (Active Point cost of Skill/5)
       Removing/weakening
  Major Transform
  EGO + (Active Point cost of Skill/5)
  “Adding” an ability means to give it to the target character; “removing” it means to take away an ability 
  he has. 
  “Augmenting” an ability refers to improving it in some way, such as adding Active Points or an Advan-
  tage. “Weakening” a mental object means worsening it in some way, such as reducing its Active Points, 
  removing an Advantage, or imposing a Limitation. In this case, the GM should change “value of [mental 
  object]/5” to “alteration in value of [mental object]/5” — in other words, calculate the modifier to EGO 
  based not on the total value of the object, but what changes. For example, if Mentalla uses a Mental 
  Transform to change Ironclad’s Enraged from a 15-point Complication to a 20-point Complication, that 
  increases his EGO by 1 for Mental Transform purposes ((20-15)/5), not by 4 (20/5).
  3
  
  Chapter FOur
  PoWer 
  ModiFiers
  
  132 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  ADvAnTAGES
  u
  nless a more specific rule states otherwise, 
  a character can’t buy an Advantage for an 
  ability, then take a Limitation to cancel 
  that Advantage. For example, a character 
  can’t buy the Persistent Advantage for a power, 
  then take the Nonpersistent Limitation for it.
  With the GM’s permission, a character could 
  have a partially-Limited Adder (such as x2 
  Improved Noncombat Multiple, plus a second x2 
  with Increased Endurance Cost).
  nAKED ADvAnTAGES
  If a character buys a Naked Advantage as a 
  Multipower slot with the GM’s permission, it has 
  to be a Fixed slot. A Naked Advantage can’t be put 
  in a Variable slot.
  If a character buys a naked Advantage that can 
  apply to more than one attack, it’s usually bought 
  to cover any one of a category of attacks (such 
  as “all firearms”). For this purpose, STR and HA 
  are considered the same, so characters can’t buy a 
  Naked Advantage that can apply to either of them 
  — they have to buy it specifically for STR or for 
  HA. The standard Adding Damage rules would 
  then apply to the Advantaged ability.
  If a character applies Requires A Roll to a 
  naked Advantage, he only has to make the roll 
  when he uses the Advantage — if he just uses 
  the power without the Advantage at all, he 
  doesn’t have to make the roll, because the base 
  power itself isn’t Limited that way. But since 
  naked Advantages are by default Instant Powers, 
  maintaining a naked Advantage with RAR for 
  more than one Phase typically requires one roll 
  per Phase. If a character only wants to have to roll 
  once to activate the naked Advantage, then have 
  it remain in effect until he changes the Advantage 
  (or the like), he should apply Constant (+½) to 
  the naked Advantage to make it a Constant Power, 
  and choose the appropriate form of RAR as the 
  appropriate Limitation.
  ESPECIAlly EFFECTIvE 
  ADvAnTAGE COmBInATIOnS 
  The rules on 6E1 327 apply a “surcharge” to 
  Autofire when it’s bought for certain Powers (such 
  as Mental Blast) or for a power that has certain 
  other Advantages (such as Area Of Effect). If the 
  GM is concerned about “Advantage stacking” 
  (6E1 313), he can make this a more general rule 
  that applies to any “especially effective” Advantage 
  combination.
  For these purposes, Advantages are grouped 
  into four categories: Attack (Advantages which 
  affect how an attack applies to defenses, or the 
  like); Duration (Advantages which affect a Power’s 
  duration); Targeting (Advantages which affect how 
  many targets a power hits, or how it hits them); 
  and Miscellaneous. The GM determines which 
  category an Advantage belongs to; see the accom-
  panying table for suggestions.
  If a power has two or more Attack Advantages, 
  two or more Targeting Advantages, or at least one 
  Attack and one Targeting Advantage, it must pay 
  an “especially effective” surcharge of +1. Some 
  GMs may want to take this further and increase 
  the value of the surcharge based on how many 
  Advantages a power has (e.g., a +½ surcharge for 
  each especially effective Advantage after the first).
  AlTERnATE 
  COmBAT vAluE
  The options for ACV on 6E1 318 cover the vast 
  majority of situations where characters want to 
  switch the CV used to target or defend against an 
  attack. Here are a few additional options for more 
  unusual situations.
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  133
  AREA OF EFFECT
  If a character is attacked with an Accurate 
  Area Of Effect that’s a Constant Power, he can 
  avoid the effects of the attack in later Segments 
  by moving out of the affected Area, just as he 
  could with a non-Accurate Area Of Effect. To 
  make the attack “stick” to him and move with 
  him as he moves, the attacker should buy Usable 
  As Attack for it.
  Damage Shield
  A Damage Shield provides no defense against 
  attacks. A character who wants to be “protected” 
  by his Damage Shield should buy Resistant 
  Protection or other Defense Powers that are 
  Linked to his Damage Shield. (This doesn’t 
  reduce the effectiveness of either the Damage 
  Shield or the Defense Power.) However, just 
  because Damage Shield doesn’t act as a defense 
  (in other words, it doesn’t reduce the damage 
  caused by any attack made against the char-
  acter), that doesn’t mean it can’t have defensive 
  consequences or uses. For example, if a char-
  acter using a Damage Shield is captured in an 
  Entangle, the Damage Shield affects the Entangle 
  every Phase (unless some Advantage on the 
  Entangle, or Limitation on the Damage Shield, 
  indicates otherwise). Similarly, a Damage Shield 
  affects a person Grabbing the character.
  AREA OF EFFECT DAmAGE SHIElDS
  Although Damage Shield is already a form 
  of Area Of Effect (Surface), a character may 
  sometimes want to buy a Damage Shield that 
  affects anyone in the Area around him, rather 
  than just people who touch him. Assuming the 
  GM permits this, a character can do this by 
  purchasing Area Of Effect (typically Radius) 
  as a separate Advantage for his Damage Shield. 
  Since a Damage Shield is already No Range, an 
  Area Damage Shield is also, and moves with the 
  character as he moves. Anyone who enters the 
  Area takes damage as usual for Area-affecting 
  Constant Powers (see 6E1 127-28). The char-
  acter himself doesn’t take damage from the 
  Damage Shield; he doesn’t have to buy Personal 
  Immunity to protect himself from it.
  AuTOFIRE DAmAGE SHIElDS
  If a character applies Autofire to a Damage 
  Shield, he must pay for the additional +1 
  Advantage, since Damage Shield doesn’t involve 
  a normal Attack Roll. To determine how many 
  “shots” hit, either the GM establishes a standard, 
  or he rolls randomly.
  ADvAnTAGE CATEGORIES
  Attack Advantages
  
  n Armor Piercing
  
  n Attack Versus Alternate Defense
  
  n Autofire
  
  n Cumulative
  
  n Damage Over Time
  
  n Does BODY
  
  n Does Knockback
  
  n Double Knockback
  
  n Penetrating
  Duration Advantages
  
  n Duration Advantages
  Targeting Advantages
  
  n Alternate Combat Value
  
  n Area Of Effect (whether a standard form, or 
  Damage Shield)
  
  n Hole In The Middle
  
  n Indirect
  
  n MegaScale
  
  n Range Advantages
  
  n Ranged
  
  n Transdimensional
  
  n Uncontrolled
  
  n Usable On Others
  miscellaneous Advantages
  
  n Affects Desolidified
  
  n Charges
  
  n Delayed Effect
  
  n Difficult To Dispel
  
  n Invisible Power Effects
  
  n Personal Immunity
  
  n Reduced Endurance
  
  n Sticky
  
  n Time Limit
  
  n Trigger
  
  n Variable Advantage*
  
  n Variable Special Effects*
  *: Depending on the campaign, the types of char-
  acters involved, and the like, the GM may want to 
  classify these as Attack Advantages instead.
  AlTERnATE COmBAT 
  vAluE OPTIOnS
  value effect
  +0
  Non-Mental Power uses DCV to target instead of OCV
  +0
  Non-Mental Power attacks against OCV instead of DCV
  -¼ Non-Mental Power uses DMCV to target instead of OCV
  +¼ Non-Mental Power attacks against OMCV instead of DCV
  +0
  Mental Power uses DMCV to target instead of OMCV
  +0
  Mental Power attacks against OMCV instead of DMCV
  +0
  Mental Power uses DCV to target instead of OMCV
  -¼ Mental Power attacks against OCV instead of DMCV
  4
  
  134 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  unCOnTROllED DAmAGE SHIElD
  Unless the GM rules otherwise, adding Uncon-
  trolled to a Damage Shield allows the damage 
  caused by the Damage Shield to continue to affect 
  the target after contact between the character and 
  the target ceases, subject of course to whatever 
  condition ends the Uncontrolled effect (including 
  simply running out of END to power it). Buying 
  Constant a second time for a Damage Shield, or 
  buying it for a Damage Shield based on a Constant 
  Power, also has this effect, but without the need to 
  define a condition or event that ends the damage. 
  Adding Sticky to the power just means that people 
  who touch the victim also become subject to the 
  effect.
  Explosion
  As a way to adjudicate the effects of Explo-
  sions more quickly during game play, instead of 
  subtracting dice the GM can simply remove a 
  defined amount of BODY and STUN damage for 
  every 2m out from the target Area. For example, 
  perhaps for every 2m radius beyond the first 2m, 
  an attack loses 3 STUN and 1 BODY. The GM can 
  set the rate of subtraction based on how effective 
  he wants Explosions to be, and may even vary it by 
  Power, type of explosive used, or the like.
  Other Areas Of Effect
  Here are a few other forms of Area Of Effect 
  (or modifiers to existing forms) that GMs can 
  allow in their campaigns, if desired.
  ACCuRATE SElECTIvE
  value: +¾ more advantage
  This modifier is like the Selective modifier, but 
  with one important difference: after hitting the 
  Area, the character doesn’t have to roll to hit the 
  targets in that area which he wants to hit. He hits 
  them automatically. In other words, this form of 
  Area Of Effect is like a regular Area Of Effect, 
  except that the character can ignore targets in the 
  Area he doesn’t want to harm.
  CAGE
  value: see text
  A character can make an Area Of Effect (typi-
  cally a Radius) into a “cage” — with an area in 
  the center that’s not affected by the power — by 
  applying the Limitation Targets Only Take Damage 
  If They Touch Cage Or Move Into/Out Of The 
  Affected Area (-½). In other words, the bound-
  aries of the Area form a “wall” that affects anyone 
  who touches it (from either inside or outside), 
  but being in the interior of the Cage doesn’t cause 
  anyone harm. The Cage’s “walls” can include a 
  “ceiling” and a “floor” if the creator of the Cage so 
  chooses.
  Typically a Cage uses Area Of Effect (Radius) 
  so the “walls” of the Cage conform to the edges 
  of the Area, leaving most of the interior of the 
  Area open — how big the interior is depends on 
  the size of the Radius. For larger Cages, typically 
  the “walls” of the Cage are narrow ones along the 
  outer edge of the Area, leaving a large interior 
  unaffected. However, with the GM’s permission 
  a character can define his Cage as having thicker 
  walls and a smaller interior area; he must make 
  this choice when he buys the power, and can’t 
  alter the configuration of his Cage thereafter. (At 
  the GM’s option, for an additional +¼ Advantage 
  the character can change the configuration of his 
  Cage’s walls, making them thicker or thinner from 
  use to use as desired.)
  A character trapped within a Cage isn’t 
  inhibited in any way. He can move freely, and 
  even leave the Cage if he wants to — it’s just that 
  moving through the “walls” causes him damage. 
  (By Linking the Cage with a Barrier, a character 
  could give it a physical component that the victim 
  has to break through to get free.) He can perceive 
  through the “walls” of the Cage normally, and 
  even fire Ranged attacks through them without 
  difficulty. (However, the GM may rule that any 
  physical missiles passing through the “walls” suffer 
  the Cage’s damage.) If the GM permits, characters 
  can buy Adders and Advantages like Cannot Be 
  Escaped With Teleportation or Opaque to a Cage to 
  further incapacitate those trapped within.
  Because a Cage is made of “energy” (or what-
  ever the special effects of the power indicate), the 
  Cage itself can’t be attacked (any more than a stan-
  dard Constant Area Of Effect could be). For ¼ less 
  Advantage, a Cage has BODY equal to its Active 
  Points divided by 10 (but no PD or ED) and can 
  be attacked; it has DCV 3, and is destroyed when 
  it reaches 0 BODY. For 0 less Advantage, a Cage 
  has BODY, PD, and ED equal to its Active Points 
  divided by 10; it has DCV 3, and is destroyed 
  when it reaches 0 BODY.
  COnFORmInG
  value: +½ more advantage
  Normal Areas Of Effect do not conform to the 
  space they affect; they expand out to their limits 
  and, if blocked, affect whatever blocks them. For 
  example, suppose a wizard has a Fireball spell 
  (RKA 2d6, 12m Radius). He casts it into a corridor 
  that’s 6m wide. The Fireball fills an area equal 
  to 12m (up and down the corridor) by 6m (the 
  limits imposed by the corridor’s walls, though 
  the damage from the Fireball may be enough to 
  destroy the walls so the Fireball can expand to 
  its full area, albeit with its damage in the areas 
  beyond the walls reduced by the ED+BODY of 
  the walls).
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  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  135
  An Area Of Effect power with this additional 
  +½ Advantage conforms to the area in which 
  it’s used, and won’t damage the walls (or other 
  objects) that form that area’s boundaries. (A 
  Barrier qualifies as a “boundary” for Conforming 
  purposes, unless the GM rules otherwise.) If the 
  boundaries do not allow the Area Of Effect to 
  expand out to its full size, the force of the attack 
  is channeled in whatever direction it can go. For 
  example, the Fireball described above, if it had this 
  additional Advantage, would not blast down the 
  corridor’s walls, but would be channeled by the 
  walls so that it filled more of the corridor than just 
  12m. The GM determines how far a Conforming 
  Area Of Effect reaches, in what direction(s), and 
  the other exact effects of this Advantage.
  Characters can buy Conforming as a separate 
  +½ Advantage for Powers that inherently affect an 
  area, such as Darkness.
  LiQuids and gases
  At the GM’s option, characters can buy 
  Conforming in a slightly different way to reflect 
  attacks based on liquids or gases.
  Conforming (Liquids) represents an attack that 
  takes the form of a liquid. It’s typically bought for 
  Area Of Effect (Surface). A Liquid attack acts just 
  like a liquid. It runs from higher places to lower 
  (the GM determines the rate of flow, based on 
  the amount of liquid, viscosity, the nature of the 
  surfaces involved, and other factors). It fills up 
  cracks and crevices along any surface it comes to 
  rest on, can gather in puddles, tends to seek the 
  lowest level it can flow to, and so on. However, 
  unless the GM rules otherwise, the overall size 
  of the “pool” of liquid can never be larger in its 
  overall dimensions than the size of the Area Of 
  Effect purchased.
  Conforming (Gases) represents an attack that 
  takes the form of a gas, mist, smoke, or the like. 
  It’s typically bought for Area Of Effect (Radius). A 
  Gas attack acts just like a gas. It billows out to fill 
  an Area, then gradually sinks to the lowest level 
  it can reach as gravity pulls it down. However, 
  unless the GM rules otherwise, the overall size 
  of the “cloud” can never be larger in its overall 
  dimensions than the size of the Area Of Effect 
  purchased.
  Both Liquid and Gas attacks can seep through 
  small cracks, such as under doors or through open 
  windows. However, unless they’re bought with the 
  Indirect Advantage, the GM should only extend 
  this effect so far; Conforming shouldn’t grant 
  other Advantages for free. If necessary he should 
  require characters creating Liquid and Gas attacks 
  to buy Indirect to represent this ability. Similarly, 
  Liquid and Gas attacks may be subject to being 
  dispersed by wind powers, drained away, and 
  the like.
  SIGHT RAnGE
  value: see text
  Characters sometimes use a combination of 
  Area Of Effect and Line Of Sight to represent a 
  power that only works if the target of the power 
  can see the character. This assumes relatively 
  normal sight conditions. As a default, assume 
  sight has a range of 100m if no visual obstacles are 
  present. If anything interferes with a target’s ability 
  to see — shadows, darkness, fog, foliage, or the 
  like — the GM should reduce the effective range 
  of the power, remove some of its Active Points 
  of effect, or rule that it cannot affect the target at 
  all. If something blocks a target’s sight completely 
  (utter darkness, a wall that’s in the way, or the 
  like), then the power cannot affect him.
  When you combine Area Of Effect (Radius) 
  at the +1 level with Line Of Sight (+½) and the 
  No Range Limitation (which may also require 
  Personal Immunity), a “sight range” power allows 
  a character to affect anyone who can see him. This 
  simulates abilities like a gorgon’s power to petrify 
  anyone who looks at her, or a light-manipulating 
  supervillain’s power to hypnotize anyone who sees 
  the mesmerizing light patterns surrounding him.
  TRAIl 
  value: +1
  One common power used by fast-moving char-
  acters in comic books and some other literature is 
  to generate an attack or other effect behind them 
  as they move. For example, a running speedster 
  might set the ground behind him on fire due to 
  super-friction, a flying speedster could generate 
  a series of sonic booms as he moves through the 
  air at supersonic speed, and just about any type of 
  speedster might “pick up” and move objects in the 
  “backdraft” that follows him as he moves at hyper-
  velocity. Similarly, speedsters often like to create 
  attacks where they run past a large number of foes 
  and hit each one of them.
  To do this using the standard rules, a character 
  simply buys an Area Of Effect: Line attack that’s 
  Linked to his Movement Power. (In some cases 
  Area Of Effect: Cone or Any Area may also be 
  appropriate.) The Line should be bought to have a 
  length equal to the character’s meters of Combat 
  Movement. The attack “activates” at the end of 
  the character’s movement, affecting everyone in 
  the Line. If the character moves less than his full 
  meters of Combat Movement, the Line is only as 
  long as he moved. Since the attack is Linked to 
  the character’s movement, it still activates even 
  if he performs a Full Move, and it’s made against 
  DCV 3.
  To better simulate these sorts of powers, the 
  GM can allow characters to use a new optional 
  form of Area Of Effect, Trail (+1). A Trail is 
  2m wide and tall, and as long as the character’s 
  movement in the Phase; it cannot be made longer, 
  larger, or taller unless the GM specifically permits. 
  (Using Noncombat Movement, or Pushing or 
  otherwise increasing movement increases the 
  length of the Trail.) 
  4
  
  136 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  A Trail only works in conjunction with a char-
  acter’s movement. It follows his movement path, 
  so if he zigs and zags in and out among various 
  obstacles, the Trail will also. (On the other hand, 
  if someone stops him from moving under his 
  own control, such as by causing him Knockback 
  or tripping him, the Trail stops at whatever point 
  he lost control.) A Ranged Power for which Trail 
  is purchased automatically becomes a No Range 
  power; it gets no Limitation for this. A character 
  cannot Link a Trail power to a Movement Power; 
  by definition a Trail only works in conjunction 
  with a Movement Power. If the attack is one to 
  which the character would ordinarily add damage 
  from velocity (for example, the character’s STR), 
  he may still add velocity damage even though the 
  attack is a Trail.
  Example: Afterburner (Running 40m) moves so 
  quickly that he can generate super-friction that 
  causes the air and ground behind him to burst 
  into flame as he runs past. He buys this as an 
  RKA 1d6, Area Of Effect (Trail; +1). If he runs 
  20m he creates a 20m Trail that’s 2m wide and 
  tall and does RKA 1d6 damage to anyone and 
  anything in it. If he makes three turns during 
  those 20m of movement, the Trail follows his 
  turns. At the end of the Segment the fires dissipate 
  (though it’s possible the GM may allow them to 
  set flammable objects on fire).
  Example: The Scarlet Meteor (Flight 60m, No 
  Turn Mode) wants to have the ability to fly past 
  numerous targets and punch each of them with 
  his 20 STR. He buys Area Of Effect (Trail; +1) 
  as a naked Advantage for his STR (total cost: 20 
  points). Now when he flies, he can punch people 
  for 4d6 Normal Damage as he flies past them, 
  twisting and turning in the process and attacking 
  against DCV 3.
  If a character wants to apply Trail to an inher-
  ently area-affecting Power, like Darkness, the GM 
  should consider requiring the character to buy 
  some minimum level of the power (perhaps using 
  the rules on 6E1 187 as a guideline). Otherwise a 
  character could buy a 2m radius version of these 
  powers and make it significantly larger with Trail, 
  causing game balance problems.
  The GM should monitor the use of this 
  Advantage to prevent abuse. It’s intended to make 
  it easier for characters to build intriguing and 
  flavorful abilities that add to the fun of the game, 
  not for stunts like criss-crossing planets and 
  galaxies with trails of fire (or what have you) for a 
  cheap cost.
  TWO-DImEnSIOnAl
  value: ¼ less advantage
  An Area Of Effect that normally covers three 
  dimensions (such as Radius or Cone) can be made 
  only 2m high with this option, which reduces the 
  value of Area Of Effect by ¼. Characters can take 
  Two-Dimensional as a separate -¼ Limitation 
  for Powers that inherently affect an area, such 
  as Darkness.
  vOICE RAnGE
  value: see text
  Characters sometimes use a combination of 
  Area Of Effect and Incantations to represent a 
  power that only works if the target of the power 
  can hear the character speaking, singing, or the 
  like. This assumes a relatively normal volume of 
  speech — the character may increase his voice 
  slightly to “project” better, but cannot shout or 
  scream. As a default, assume hearing has a range 
  of 40m if no other noise is present. If anything 
  interferes with a target’s ability to hear — such as 
  other loud noises in the vicinity, wearing head-
  phones or heavy headgear, or plugging one’s ears 
  — the GM should reduce the effective range of the 
  power, remove some of its Active Points of effect, 
  or rule that it cannot affect the target at all.
  When you combine Area Of Effect (Radius) at 
  the +1 level with Incantations and the No Range 
  Limitation (which may also require Personal 
  Immunity), a “voice range” power allows a char-
  acter to affect anyone who can hear him. This 
  simulates abilities like a siren’s seductive song, 
  a faerie’s power to make anyone who hears his 
  music dance uncontrollably, or a sonic-powered 
  superhero’s Mind Control.
  ARmOR PIERCInG
  Armor Piercing (“AP”) is one of the most 
  popular Advantages for Attack Powers. Here are a 
  few ideas for expanding it, changing it, or creating 
  similar effects. (See also the optional Piercing 
  Power on APG 113.)
  AlTERInG THE RATE OF SuBTRACTIOn
  Some gamers have a conceptual difficulty 
  with AP because it’s defined as reducing a target’s 
  defenses by half — a flat percentage. That means it 
  removes more defense from a high-defense char-
  acter than a low-defense character. For instance, 
  a Blast 10d6, Armor Piercing when used against 
  a character with 30 ED reduces his defense by 15 
  points... but when used against a character with 18 
  ED, it only removes 9 points of defense. To some 
  gamers, this seems like illogical “meta-game” 
  thinking; the effect should be more absolute and 
  predictable, not dependent on the amount of the 
  target’s defenses.
  One possible solution is to treat AP like 
  Penetrating: the amount of points of defense 
  removed by AP depends on the “Normal Damage 
  BODY” rolled on the dice. That makes the defense 
  removed more predictable, but with a little vari-
  ability. For pure predictability, have AP reduce 
  the target’s defenses by 1 point per DC in the 
  attack (without accounting for the Armor Piercing 
  Advantage itself). Thus, a Blast 10d6, Armor 
  Piercing would always remove 10 points from the 
  target’s defenses.
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  137
  Using this sort of system requires a few other 
  changes. First, you have to define Hardened not 
  in terms of cancelling out one level of AP, but 
  negating X points of AP effect. For example, 
  perhaps one level of Hardened reduces an AP 
  effect by 10 points. Thus, a Blast 12d6, Armor 
  Piercing used against Hardened ED would only 
  remove 2 points of ED, not 12. You should set the 
  value of Hardened high enough that the average 
  attack with one level of AP cannot remove any 
  defense.
  Second, you need to alter the rules for buying 
  AP or Hardened multiple times. Using this rule, 
  each additional purchase of AP increases the 
  points removed by the same amount as the first 
  purchase. Thus, a Blast 10d6, Armor Piercing 
  removes 10 points of defense; if it has Armor 
  Piercing (x2) it removes 20 points of defense; 
  with Armor Piercing (x3) it removes 30 points 
  of defense, and so on. Buying Hardened multiple 
  times increases the protection it provides at the 
  same rate.
  deFining the points reMoved By 
  the vaLue oF the advantage
  Instead of using the DCs of the attack, or some 
  similar system, to quantify the value of AP, you 
  can simply have it depend on the value of the 
  Advantage. For example, each +¼ worth of AP 
  might remove 8 points of defense, or 5 points, 
  or whatever the GM thinks best. He should set 
  the value so that one level of AP tends to remove 
  about half the defenses of the “average” target.
  mulTIPlE ARmOR PIERCInG
  The standard rules for Armor Piercing only 
  allow it to halve a target’s defenses regardless 
  of how many times it’s purchased — multiple 
  purchases just counteract Hardened. However, at 
  the GM’s option purchasing AP multiple times 
  reduces defenses by half for each purchase: to half 
  for one purchase; to one-fourth for two purchases; 
  to one-eighth for three purchases; and so on.
  If the GM allows this, the value of AP doubles 
  for each level purchased. The first, standard, level 
  costs +¼. The second level costs an additional +½ 
  (total of +¾); the third level costs an additional 
  +1 (total of +1¾); the fourth costs an additional 
  +2 (total of +3¾); and so on. Hardened subtracts 
  from the purchased levels, reducing or negating 
  the effect of AP. For example, if a character’s 
  purchased AP twice (reduce the target’s defenses 
  to ¼ normal; +¾) and he uses the attack against a 
  target with one level of Hardened (+¼), the Hard-
  ened subtracts one level of AP, leaving one level 
  (and thus allowing the attack to halve the target’s 
  defenses rather than reduce them to ¼ normal).
  DElAyED EFFECT
  If a power has Delayed Effect and 1 Charge, a 
  character still “slot” that power more than once, 
  unless the GM rules otherwise. Limitations apply 
  to Delayed Effect powers at the time the power 
  is “stored.” Thus, a power with 1 Charge could 
  only be stored once per day; storing four uses of it 
  would take four days. But once the power’s stored, 
  it can be used at any time subject to the standard 
  rules for Delayed Effect, and more than one can 
  be used in a day. (The same rule applies to powers 
  with more than 1 Charge; they can simply be 
  stored more quickly.)
  However, there may be situations in which 
  the GM wants to restrict the number of times 
  a Delayed Effect power can be used per day, 
  regardless of how many times it’s been stored. For 
  example, an alchemist might “store” four Invis-
  ibility Potions, each potion with four “doses” 
  (Continuing Charges). Rather than let the char-
  acter have 16 Charges’ worth of Invisibility avail-
  able to him, the GM might rule that he can only 
  use one potion per day (a total of 4 Charges). This 
  doesn’t qualify for a Limitation on the power; it’s 
  simply a campaign ground rule to keep Delayed 
  Effect from becoming unbalancingly useful.
  DElAyED EFFECT AnD TRIGGER
  Delayed Effect and Trigger are similar in many 
  ways. Both allow a character to prepare a power in 
  advance and then use it later. However, there are 
  some important differences between them.
  A power prepared with Delayed Effect has 
  been prepared, but not yet activated and used. A 
  power built with Trigger has been prepared and 
  activated, but not yet used (Trigger lets a char-
  acter delay the final use of the power until a set 
  precondition is met). Thus, Delayed Effect powers 
  can’t be Drained or Dispelled — they don’t “exist” 
  yet — but powers with a set Trigger can be, since 
  they “exist” but haven’t been used.
  Another difference between the two is that 
  Trigger only works when a particular precondition 
  occurs. Once a Trigger is set, the conditions that 
  set it off can’t be changed. On the other hand, a 
  character can use a Delayed Effect power without 
  having to satisfy a precondition.
  Buying Triggered or Delayed Effect powers 
  through a Focus raises certain questions — what 
  happens if the character is Knocked Out or dies? 
  Can he give the item to another character and let 
  him use it? The individual Advantage descriptions 
  address these issues to some extent, but in the end 
  it often depends on the special effects of the power 
  and the GM’s common sense and dramatic sense 
  interpretation. A spell stored in a wizard’s head 
  probably just fades away if he dies. But if he’s used 
  Delayed Effect or Trigger to create an enchanted 
  elixir, that elixir may remain potent, and usable by 
  other characters, even after he dies.
  If a power with Delayed Effect or Trigger is 
  bought in a Multipower or Variable Power Pool, 
  the necessary reserve or pool points must be 
  assigned to the power’s slot while the power is 
  being prepared. Once the preparations have been 
  made and the power is ready for use, the character 
  can switch his reserve or pool to another slot 
  without deactivating the Delayed/Triggered power 
  or causing it to fade. 
  4
  
  138 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  mEGASCAlE
  The rules for MegaMovement state that: “A 
  character with a MegaMovement Power such 
  as Running or Flight is presumed to be able to 
  perceive where he’s going, avoid routine obstacles 
  encountered during travel, and the like. If desired, 
  the GM can have him make INT Rolls to perceive 
  an obstacle far enough in advance to avoid hitting 
  it, and/or a DEX Roll to turn enough that he 
  doesn’t collide with it.” However, that may be 
  “unrealistic” for games that stress a “realistic” 
  approach to superpowers and similar abilities. In 
  that case, you can use the following rules instead:
  A character using MegaMovement may move 
  so fast he can’t perceive where he’s going. Unless 
  a character has an appropriate MegaSense, it’s 
  difficult (at best) for him to perceive where he’s 
  traveling to with MegaMovement (which may 
  result in collisions, blind Teleportation, and the 
  like). To prevent these problems, a character needs 
  a MegaScaled Targeting Sense (this is an excep-
  tion to the rule that characters shouldn’t apply 
  Advantages to Senses). The character usually buys 
  the MegaScale as a naked Advantage for his Sense 
  at the same level he buys it for his movement. (use 
  the costs for normal Senses on 6E1 209, or the cost 
  of a purchased Sense if appropriate). To the Active 
  Point cost the character may apply a Limitation, 
  Only With MegaMovement (-½). (Of course, a 
  character who has a MegaSense already can just 
  use it instead, or can decline to apply the Limita-
  tion if desired.)
  If the character lacks a MegaSense, or has a 
  MegaSense at a lesser level of MegaScaling than 
  his movement, for every step down the Mega-
  Scale Table by which MegaMovement exceeds the 
  MegaScaling on his Sense, he suffers a -1 penalty 
  to make PER Rolls to see obstacles in time to 
  avoid them. The GM may increase or decrease this 
  penalty if appropriate. For example, it’s probably 
  not hard to perceive and avoid obstacles while 
  running across a flat, relatively featureless desert, 
  so the penalty would be less... but it’s a lot tougher 
  in a forest or on a city street, so the penalty might 
  be higher. The character must make a PER Roll 
  once per Phase when using MegaMovement; this 
  is an Action that takes no time. If the character’s 
  PER Roll succeeds, he perceives obstacles in his 
  path and avoids them. If it fails, the GM may 
  require him to make a DEX Roll at the same 
  penalty to avoid the obstacles he encounters. 
  The GM may alter the penalty on the DEX Roll 
  as he sees fit, or require multiple DEX Rolls if 
  appropriate.
  Example: Kinetik has Overdrive Running, 
  defined as five levels of MegaScale (1m = 10,000 
  km; +2) for his Running. That means he needs 
  a similarly-MegaScaled Sense. He applies the 
  Advantage (+2) to his Normal Sight (which has 
  an “Active Point cost” of 35 points) for an Active 
  Point cost of 70, to which he applies the -½ Only 
  With MegaMovement Limitation. That yields a 
  Real Cost of 47 points for the ability. Kinetik now 
  need not fear colliding with obstacles as he jogs 
  around the planet.
  Suppose, however, that he only bought a 
  MegaSense at the +1¼ level (1m = 10 km). Since 
  his MegaMovement is three levels below that on 
  the table, he’d suffer a -3 to his PER Rolls to avoid 
  obstacles.
  mulTIPlE SPECIAl 
  EFFECTS
  value:  
  +¼ for an additional uncommon 
  special effect; +½ for an additional 
  Common special effect; +¾ for an addi-
  tional very Common special effect
  This optional new Advantage represents a 
  power that manifests with two special effects 
  simultaneously. It’s not required for powers that 
  have different “origin” and “manifestation” special 
  effects, such as a Fire Blast that’s a Magic spell (it 
  originates as Magic, but manifests as Fire). This 
  Advantage is for a power that has two manifesta-
  tion special effects at once — for example, a “Solar 
  Flare Blast” that manifests as both Fire and Radia-
  tion simultaneously.
  Refer to the Vulnerability Frequency table 
  (APG 152) to determine the frequency with 
  which the power’s two special effects appear in 
  the campaign (and check with the GM to make 
  sure he hasn’t altered the table for his campaign 
  setting). The most common of the two (if they 
  differ) is the base special effect, and the character 
  pays for the other based on its frequency: +¼ for 
  an Uncommon special effect; +½ for a Common 
  special effect; and +¾ for a Very Common special 
  effect. The GM may rule that some special effects 
  are incompatible and cannot be “combined” into 
  one attack with this Advantage (for example, Fire/
  Heat and Ice/Cold, Holy and Unholy, Darkness 
  and Light).
  If a power with Multiple Special Effects has one 
  special effect that works against Energy Defense, 
  and one that works against Physical Defense, 
  the attack applies against the lower (or worse) of 
  the target’s two categories of defense. However, 
  at the GM’s option a character can take Multiple 
  Special Effects at the +¼ level for a single special 
  effect to represent the fact that it can work against 
  either Physical or Energy defenses (for example, 
  an Ice/Cold attack that could be a dart made of 
  ice (Physical) or a beam of pure Cold [Energy]). 
  In that case the character chooses, from Phase to 
  Phase, which defense applies against his attack.
  If a target has a Limited form of defense that 
  only applies to one of the special effects in a 
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  139
  Multiple Special Effects attack (such as Damage 
  Reduction that Only Works Against Fire when hit 
  by an Electricity-and-Fire/Heat attack), then that 
  defense applies to the Multiple Special Effects 
  attack in its entirety, as if the attack were just 
  the one special effect. This remains true even if 
  a target has two Limited defenses, one of which 
  only works against Special Effect A and one only 
  against Special Effect B — the target gets to apply 
  them all against the Multiple Special Effects attack.
  A power with Multiple Special Effects can 
  trigger Vulnerabilities, Susceptibilities, or Limita-
  tions as if it were either of its manifestation special 
  effects. In the event that a target is somehow 
  unusually affected by both special effects, he 
  suffers the worst of the two. For example, if a 
  character with 2 x BODY from Fire/Heat attacks 
  and 1½ x BODY from Radiation attacks is hit with 
  a Fire-and-Radiation attack, he takes 2 x BODY 
  damage.
  At the GM’s option, a character can take this 
  Advantage more than once, thus giving a power 
  three, four, or more manifestation special effects 
  simultaneously. The cost remains the same; 
  for example, if a characte has a Very Common 
  special effect that also manifests as a Common, 
  an Uncommon, and another Uncommon special 
  effect, he pays a total of a (+½ + +¼ + +¼ =) +1 
  Advantage. The GM can also decide to “cap” the 
  value of Multiple Special Effects at some level 
  (such as +2), at which point it functions as all 
  special effects (or some large subset of all special 
  effects, such as “All Magic,” “All Energy,” or “All 
  Technology”) simultaneously.
  MuLtipLe speCiaL eFFeCts and poWers
  An attack with Multiple Special Effects is 
  still only one attack, not two. Thus, it can only 
  be Absorbed from once (even if the target has 
  multiple Absorption powers), can be used as one 
  part of a Multiple Attack, and so forth. In situa-
  tions where the two special effects in a Multiple 
  Special Effect attack would interact with a Power 
  or game element differently, the GM should inter-
  pret the situation in the best way for the target and 
  the worst way for the character using the Multiple 
  Special Effect attack. For example, suppose a 
  character has a Physical-and-Pulson Energy 
  attack defined as a thrown metal disk imbued 
  with pulson energy. A target using Deflection can 
  Deflect that’s Limited so that it only works against 
  thrown weapons can Deflect this attack even 
  though it’s partially an energy “beam.”
  MuLtipLe speCiaL eFFeCts and avad
  If a character has a Multiple Special Effects 
  attack that’s also an AVAD, he must specify a 
  different defense for each of the special effects 
  involved. If a target has any of the specified 
  defenses, he can apply it to reduce the AVAD’s 
  damage (or to negate an NND entirely).
  MuLtipLe speCiaL eFFeCts and variaBLe advantage
  Characters cannot take Multiple Special Effects 
  for a power via the Variable Advantage Advantage 
  unless the GM specifically permits them to.
  MuLtipLe speCiaL eFFeCts 
  and variaBLe speCiaL eFFeCts
  If a power with Multiple Special Effects has the 
  Variable Special Effects Advantage at the +½ level, 
  the character can switch the two (or more) special 
  effects of the power using the standard rules for 
  Variable Special Effects.
  PEnETRATInG
  If applied to a continuing-effect Mental Power, 
  Penetrating guarantees that a certain number of 
  points of effect will always be compared to the 
  target’s EGO to determine if the character achieves 
  his desired effect. It doesn’t reduce the amount 
  needed to achieve a given effect, or guarantee that 
  a certain level of mental contact can always be 
  achieved.
  PROPORTIOnAl
  value: varies
  This optional Power Modifier — sometimes 
  an Advantage, sometimes a Limitation — makes 
  a power more or less effective in certain defined 
  circumstances. For example, a power might be 
  twice as effective at nighttime, or only have half 
  effect against dwarves. The value of Proportional 
  depends on two factors: first, the commonality or 
  frequency of the circumstance which triggers the 
  proportionality; second, the extent to which the 
  ability gains (or loses) power.
  THE ProPortional ADvAnTAGE
  The accompanying table lists the suggested 
  values for Proportional as an Advantage. You start 
  by determining the value for how many more 
  Character Points’ worth of effect the character has, 
  then apply a value modifier based on how often 
  he has access to that extra power. For example, 
  suppose a werewolf has 20 STR (cost: 10 Character 
  Points). He wants to have twice as much effect — 
  20 Character Points’ worth of STR, or STR 30 — at 
  night. That’s a two times increase in power (+1 
  base Advantage) which applies about half the time 
  (½ less Advantage). That’s a total of a +½ Advan-
  tage on his STR, so his STR with Proportional 
  increase costs (10 x (1 + ½)=) 15 points.
  As indicated in the Commonality/Frequency 
  section of the table, a Proportional Advantage 
  shouldn’t apply more than about half the time. 
  Otherwise, it’s too similar to being at greater 
  power all of the time. The better approach in 
  that case is to buy the power at its maximum 
  desired effect, then use the Proportional Limita-
  tion to define those few circumstances in which 
  the ability works at lesser effect. If the application 
  of the Commonality/Frequency modifier would 
  mathematically turn the Advantage into a Limita-
  tion, that’s a good indication you ought to use the 
  Proportional Limitation instead. See the continu-
  ation of the werewolf example below for further 
  discussion.
  4
  
  140 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  THE ProPortional 
  ADvAnTAGE
  value
  increase in power or ability
  +½
  Ability has up to 1.5 times as many 
  Character Points’ worth of effect
  +1
  Ability has two times as many 
  Character Points’ worth of effect
  +2
  Ability has three times as many 
  Character Points’ worth of effect
  +3
  Ability has four times as many 
  Character Points’ worth of effect
  +4
  Ability has five times as many 
  Character Points’ worth of effect
  ...and so on
  value
  Commonality/Frequency of 
  increase
  2 less Advantage
  Very Uncommon (character 
  rarely, if ever, gets the increase 
  in power)
  1½ less Advantage
  Uncommon (character gets the 
  increase in power about a fourth 
  of the time)
  1 less Advantage
  Common (character gets the 
  increase in power about a third 
  of the time)
  ½ less Advantage
  Very Common (character gets 
  the increase in power about half 
  the time)
  The minimum value of the Proportional Advantage is +¼, 
  regardless of the subtraction applied for commonality/
  frequency.
  THE ProPortional lImITATIOn
  Proportional as a Limitation is really just a 
  form of partially-Limited Power (see 6E1 366). 
  You buy the unaffected portion of the ability 
  normally, then apply a Limited Power Limitation 
  to indicate the reduced effectiveness of it in certain 
  situations (or the fact that it only works in specific 
  circumstances). For example, suppose a werewolf 
  has 30 STR (cost: 20 Character Points), but that 
  full level of STR only applies during the full moon. 
  The rest of the time, he has 20 STR. That means 
  you buy him STR 20 normally (total cost: 10 Char-
  acter Points). Then buy him +10 STR with the 
  Limitation Only Works During The Full Moon (-4) 
  (total cost: 2 points).
  mulTIPlE PROPORTIOnAlITy
  A character might want to have multiple 
  levels or types of proportionality. For example, a 
  character’s STR might wax and wane as the moon 
  waxes and wanes — he’d be his strongest at the 
  full moon, then slowly become weaker until the 
  new moon (when he’d be at his weakest), then 
  get stronger again as the moon became larger in 
  the sky. Or, like Sir Gwethon above, the character 
  might be more powerful in some circumstances, 
  and less powerful in others.
  In this case, the player and GM should work 
  together to decide two things: first, whether the 
  power is overall stronger or weaker than just 
  having an unmodified ability; second, the degree 
  to which it’s better or worse. Then determine 
  the value of the Proportional Modifier in the 
  usual way.
  REDuCED EnDuRAnCE
  Characters cannot buy Reduced Endurance (½ 
  END; +¼) for powers that only cost 1 END. Those 
  powers can only be reduced to 0 END with the +½ 
  version of the Advantage.
  DElAyED EnDuRAnCE COST 
  At the GM’s option, characters can apply the 
  Advantage Delayed Endurance Cost to Constant 
  powers. For a +¼ Advantage, the character pays 
  the END cost for the power once per Turn. He 
  first pays the END in the Phase when he uses 
  the power, and in later Turns pays the END on 
  Segment 1 (the GM may, if he wishes, he may have 
  the character pay END again 12 Segments after he 
  first uses the power, rather than on Segment 1). 
  The power remains in effect for the entire Turn, 
  unless the character (a) voluntarily deactivates it, 
  or (b) is Stunned or Knocked Out (in which case 
  the power stops functioning at the end of that 
  Segment, per the normal rules). If the character 
  wants to use the power again after it deactivates 
  for any reason, he must pay the END cost for the 
  Turn again.
  For a +½ Advantage, the character only pays 
  the END cost for the power once per Minute (or 
  any time interval longer than 1 Turn the GM 
  agrees to). The cost doesn’t increase beyond +½ 
  because paying END even at long intervals is 
  still more restrictive than paying no END (which 
  costs +½).
  Delayed Endurance Cost is most appropriate 
  for Heroic games (such as for certain spells 
  in Fantasy Hero campaigns). The GM should 
  consider carefully before letting Superheroic char-
  acters take it, since for high-SPD characters even 
  the 1 Turn level may be much more effective than 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END).
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  141
  TImE lImIT
  If you like the idea of having a specific Time 
  Limit for spells, but don’t want to use the Time 
  Limit rules set forth above, here are some other 
  ways you could build a Time Limit into a spell:
  
  n use Uncontrolled, but revise the rules for it 
  so that as most it’s only a +0 Advantage for 
  Persistent Powers (which would ordinarily last 
  longer than the duration). It might even be a 
  Limitation, if the duration is particularly short 
  compared to how long the power usually lasts.
  
  n make the power Persistent, but with a Limita-
  tion (not to exceed -¼ in value) that the spell 
  stops functioning after some defined time 
  period.
  TRIGGER
  Characters cannot put Trigger on REC to get 
  “instant Recoveries.” Trigger cannot override the 
  standard rules for taking a Recovery.
  A Triggered power cannot activate or come 
  into effect before the phenomenon that Triggers 
  it. Thus, absent GM permission, setting a defense 
  to Trigger when a character’s hit by an attack 
  won’t work — at least, not if you want the defense 
  to apply to the attack that Triggered it. However, 
  assuming the ability is constructed in a reason-
  able, balanced manner, the GM may be willing 
  to overlook this technicality in the interest of fun 
  game play.
  If a Triggered power is in a Power Framework 
  slot, if the power Triggers while the Framework is 
  not allocated to that slot, then the Trigger will not 
  reset, even if it’s an “automatically resets” Trigger. 
  The Framework has to be allocated to the Trigger-
  able power for it to reset. Furthermore, unless the 
  GM rules otherwise, enough of the Framework’s 
  reserve/pool has to be allocated to the slot to allow 
  for the full Triggerable power to work, even if it’s a 
  Flexible slot.
  uSABlE On OTHERS
  Usable As Attack cannot be combined with 
  AVAD so that even if a target has the specified 
  “reasonably common and obvious defense,” some 
  portion of the attack still affects him.
  The rules for UOO limit the mass of objects 
  a power can be “granted” to (see 6E1 355). This 
  rule exists to preserve game balance; otherwise a 
  character with just a few Character Points’ worth 
  of Flight, Usable As Attack could lift battleships! 
  It leads to some logical “disconnects” (“Why does 
  this power work on GraniteMan, who weighs ten 
  tons, but not on a 200 kg motorcycle?”), but on the 
  whole it works well. However, if the GM believes 
  his PCs won’t abuse the privilege of easily affecting 
  large/heavy objects, he can ignore the rule and 
  allow a UOO power to apply to any size/weight 
  object.
  If a UOO power has Charges, that indicates 
  how many times per day the character can “grant” 
  it to other characters — the recipient(s) can use 
  it as per normal for a UOO power, they’re not 
  restricted by Charges. If you want to design a 
  power that imposes Charges on the recipient 
  rather than on the grantor, that would have to 
  be specified when the power is built/purchased. 
  If Charges apply to both, the Limitation can be 
  taken twice, unless the GM rules otherwise. The 
  “differing modifiers” rules may also come into play 
  in this situation.
  A character might buy a Usable By Other 
  powers through a Focus — an item he gives to 
  the character he grants the power to. This doesn’t 
  negate the need to maintain Line Of Sight, 
  or change the maximum range of the power. 
  (However, the GM could allow that anyway, if he 
  felt the character wouldn’t abuse the privilege.)
  vARIABlE ADvAnTAGE
  If a character has Variable Advantage (+½ 
  Advantages; +1) and has separately bought 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) for his power, 
  and he uses Variable Advantage for Autofire (5 
  shots; +½), the END cost for the power is half 
  the normal END cost per shot. A +½ Reduced 
  Endurance Advantage for an Autofire power is the 
  equivalent of the +¼ Reduced Endurance Advan-
  tage for a normal power.
  4
  
  142 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  lImITATIOnS
  H
  ere are some additional rules and options 
  for Limitations. 
  TEmPORARIly REmOvInG lImITATIOnS 
  With the GM’s permission, a character can buy 
  the ability to temporarily “remove” or “negate” a 
  Limitation on a power. For example, a character 
  might have a power with the Limitation Only 
  Works At Night, but that Limitation doesn’t apply 
  if he holds a mystic focusing crystal (a Focus).
  To do this, re-calculate the cost of the power 
  without the Limitation. Then subtract the cost of 
  the power with the Limitation from that amount, 
  and that tells you the cost of “buying off” the 
  Limitation. It’s up to the GM to determine the 
  specifics of such an ability, but typically a “negated 
  Limitation” should be treated like a naked 
  Advantage.
  Example: Volsitrion the Wizard has this power: 
  Mystic Blast: Blast 10d6 (50 Active Points); 
  Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), Requires A Magic 
  Roll (-½) (total cost: 17 points). He wants to 
  remove the Increased Endurance Cost when he 
  has his magic staff (the special effect being that 
  the staff makes casting the spell less stressful, or 
  that the staff itself provides the power for the 
  spell, or the like). Without that Limitation, the 
  spell would cost 25 points instead of 17.
  So, he then buys: remove Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x3 END; -1) from Mystic Blast (8 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1) (total cost: 4 points). Altogether 
  these two abilities cost him 21 points.
  CHARGES
  If a character has a power with Continuing 
  Charges that Costs Endurance, he must pay the 
  END cost for the power every Phase he uses it.
  If a character buys a Continuing Charge with 
  a long duration for a Constant Power, he cannot 
  turn the Power on and off at will for the duration 
  of the Charge. If a character buys Continuing 
  Charges for any Constant or Persistent Power, 
  each use of the Power requires the expenditure 
  of 1 Charge. If the Power is one the character can 
  alter or turn on and off at will (such as Growth, 
  Shape Shift, or Shrinking), then any “use” of it 
  constitutes using 1 Charge. For example, if a 
  character has Shape Shift, 4 Continuing Charges 
  (1 Hour each), when he activates the Power and 
  alters his form he uses 1 Charge. He remains in 
  Shape Shifted form for 1 Hour, at which point 
  he reverts to his standard shape. If at any time 
  during that hour he wants to change shape again, 
  that’s another “use” and requires him to expend 
  another Charge. To create a power that can be 
  turned “on” and “off” within the duration of a 
  Continuing Charge, consider the Fuel Charges 
  option (6E1 370).
  A Charge last for the character’s Phase. After 
  that Phase ends, so does the Charge, and thus any 
  power that it “fuels.” For a Constant or Persistent 
  Power (like Change Environment or Resistant 
  Protection) would last for 1 Phase per Charge, and 
  no longer. If activated on the character’s Phase 
  in Segment 3, Resistant Protection with Charges 
  stops working when the Phase ends, which means 
  it’s not active and doesn’t protect the character 
  in Segment 4 (and not even for part of Segment 
  3, if some characters got to act before he did). If 
  the character wants it to remain active and keep 
  protecting him in later Segments, he has to expend 
  another Charge; he’s allowed to do this even if he 
  doesn’t have a Phase that Segment.
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  143
  COnSERvED CHARGES
  Sometimes a device, power, or ability needs 
  Charges to represent the fact that it gets used up, 
  runs out of power, or the like — but not every use 
  of the device, power, or ability should necessarily 
  consume a Charge.
  Consider, for example, the macahuitl — the 
  Aztec “sword,” consisting of a sort of wooden 
  club with razor-sharp bits of obsidian set into 
  each edge. The obsidian blades become dull 
  from repeated use, which you can represent 
  with Charges... but not every “activation” of the 
  macahuitl uses up a Charge. Sometimes an attack 
  misses, or cuts through so cleanly that it doesn’t 
  dull the stone.
  In HERO System terms, you can simulate this 
  with Conserved Charges, which reduces the value 
  of Charges based on how likely it is that any given 
  activation of the power will use up a Charge. 
  The reduction listed in the accompanying table 
  is based on a roll — the GM makes the roll each 
  time the character activates the power, and if he 
  rolls less than or equal to that number, a Charge is 
  consumed.
  Alternately, you can define circumstances in 
  which a Charge is or is not used up, and assign a 
  Limitation value to that based on the rolls listed 
  in the table. With the macahuitl, for example, you 
  might define it this way: activating the power uses 
  up a Charge if the Attack Roll indicates a hit, the 
  Attack Roll misses by only 1 or 2, the attack is 
  Blocked, or the circumstances otherwise indicate 
  the obsidian blades have impacted something hard 
  enough to chip or dull them. The GM assigns this 
  a value of ½ less Limitation, similar to an 11- roll.
  COnSERvED CHARGES
  roll
  reduction in value
  14-
  ¼ less Limitation
  11-
  ½ less Limitation
  8-
  ¾ less Limitation
  This reduction in value can convert Charges from a 
  Limitation to an Advantage.
  COnCEnTRATIOn
  The PER Roll penalty imposed by Concentra-
  tion applies to all Senses, including Danger Sense, 
  Combat Sense, and Enhanced Senses a character 
  purchases. This remains true even if the Limita-
  tion’s taken for a purchased sensory ability.
  EXTRA TImE
  Extra Time is a valid Limitation for Persistent 
  Powers, unless the GM rules otherwise. The main 
  issue is whether the power is one that’s likely 
  to be used in combat. If the power is one that a 
  character could turn on out of combat and then 
  maintain all day without effort (such as Damage 
  Reduction or Mental Defense), then Extra Time 
  may not actually restrict him at all, which reduces 
  the value of the Limitation to -0. On the other 
  hand, if this power is one a character tends to acti-
  vate only in combat, then Extra Time still restricts 
  him and is a legitimate Limitation.
  In some situations characters may want to 
  take Extra Time as a Limitation for abilities that 
  inherently take more than a Half Phase to use (for 
  example, Extra-Dimensional Movement, which by 
  default requires a Full Phase Action to use). In that 
  case, they can only take Extra Time if they specify 
  a time period greater than the ability’s standard. If 
  appropriate, the GM may reduce the Limitation’s 
  value to represent the fact that it’s less restrictive 
  than normal.
  At the GM’s option, a character can use other 
  Attack Powers during the Extra Time period if he 
  takes the Limitation at half value.
  A Constant or Persistent power that requires a 
  Delayed Phase throughout means it activates each 
  Phase on the character’s DEX divided by 2 (for 
  example, DEX 10 if he has DEX 20). If the Limita-
  tion applies only to activating the power, but not 
  using the power thereafter, reduce the Limitation 
  value to -0.
  FOCuS
  There are occasions where an opponent attacks 
  a character’s Focus specifically, rather than the 
  character himself. As noted in the rules, this 
  usually entails a -2 OCV penalty (though the GM 
  may adjust this based on the size and nature of the 
  Focus, if desired). Typically an attack on a Focus 
  doesn’t damage or affect the character using the 
  Focus in any way, but the GM has to make the 
  decision based on the nature of the attack, the type 
  of Focus, and similar factors.
  An attack on a Focus usually does no Knock-
  back. However, if desired the GM can roll the 
  Knockback damage dice (if any) and treat the 
  BODY rolled as the “STR” for a Disarm, with 
  the gadget’s owner rolling his STR dice to see if 
  he can hold onto the Focus in the usual manner 
  for Disarms. If the Focus isn’t one that’s held (for 
  example, it’s worn, or is attached to the character 
  somehow), the GM can either use the charac-
  ter’s STR, or assign the Focus a “STR” for these 
  purposes.
  4
  
  144 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  lImITED POWER
  Here are two forms of Limited Power showing 
  how flexible this Limitation can be.
  DElAyED uSE
  A power with this Limitation cannot be used 
  until a certain amount of time has passed since 
  it was last used. This can represent a “cooldown” 
  period before a weapon can be fired again, a 
  mystical restriction that prevents a spell from 
  being cast more than once per hour, or the like. If 
  a power cannot be used for 1 extra Phase after it 
  was last used (i.e., it can’t be used in consecutive 
  Phases, just every other Phase), Delayed Use is a 
  -¼ Limitation. For each additional step down the 
  Time Chart, the value of the Limitation increases 
  by ¼ (thus, -½ for 1 Turn, -¾ for 1 Minute, -1 for 
  5 Minutes, and so on).
  Delayed Use is most appropriate for attacks 
  and other abilities that a character could typically 
  use repeatedly or at will. If a power isn’t one a 
  character would use that way, the GM may reduce 
  the value of the Limitation, even to -0.
  DETERIORATIOn
  Deterioration is a form of Limited Power 
  appropriate for Powers and other abilities that rate 
  their effectiveness with defense or BODY (e.g., 
  Barrier or Entangle). It represents the fact that the 
  power loses some of that effectiveness over time, 
  regardless of whether it’s damaged or not. (Of 
  course, it can lose BODY much more quickly if 
  damaged, or defense if subjected to a Drain PD or 
  the like.)
  The character must choose whether the power 
  loses 1 PD/1 ED or 1 BODY every time incre-
  ment when he buys the power, and can’t change 
  that thereafter. (At the GM’s option, a power can 
  alternate, losing 1 PD/1 ED one increment, then 1 
  BODY the next, and so on.) If a character wants a 
  power to lose both defense and BODY, he can take 
  the Limitation twice.
  Losing 1 PD/1 ED or 1 BODY per Turn is a 
  -¼ Limitation. Losing 1 PD/1 ED or 1 BODY per 
  Phase is a -½ Limitation. Losing 1 PD/1 ED or 
  1 BODY per Segment is a -1 Limitation. Losing 
  defense or BODY at a slower rate (per Minute, or 
  longer) is a -0 Limitation.
  lInKED
  If a character Links an attack to another attack, 
  and the Linked attack has Charges, the character 
  doesn’t have to use a Charge until he actually 
  succeeds with the main attack in a way that would 
  let him use the Linked attack and chooses to use 
  the Linked attack. The most common example of 
  this is a poison attack Linked to a weapon (such as 
  a dagger, or a monster’s fangs).
  If a character Links two attacks that both have 
  Autofire, but they have different rates of Autofire, 
  when he uses them together both attacks must 
  use the same number of shots, fired at the same 
  targets. That means the attack with the higher rate 
  of Autofire can’t ever use its full Autofire unless it’s 
  the greater power (and thus can be used without 
  the lesser power).
  A character can “chain-Link” powers, so that 
  the lesser power in the first greater + lesser combi-
  nation serves as the greater power for a second 
  combination. For example, a character could have 
  a Blast 10d6 plus a Drain 3d6, Linked. He could 
  then Link a Flash 4d6 to the Drain. He can use the 
  Blast + Drain without using the Flash, but he has 
  to use the Drain to use the Flash, and he can’t use 
  either of them without using the Blast.
  REQuIRES A SKIll ROll
  Here are some additional options and rules for 
  Requires A Roll.
  luCK AS A REQuIRED ROll
  Instead of using a Skill or similar ability, a 
  character could define his Required Roll as a Luck 
  roll. If one level of Luck is required to use a power, 
  that’s a base -1 Limitation; two levels is a -1½, 
  and three or more levels a -2. This is an unmodi-
  fied roll, not subject to Active Point penalties or 
  similar modifiers, and only has to be made once 
  (when activating the power). Characters can apply 
  other appropriate Requires A Roll value modi-
  fiers to alter the base value of a Required Luck Roll 
  Limitation.
  PROPORTIOnAl RESulT
  As a variant on Requires A Roll, a character 
  can also define how much of a power he can use 
  depending on how well he succeeds with the 
  roll. The more power he can use, the greater the 
  alteration in the Limitation’s value, as shown in the 
  accompanying table. The amount of power listed 
  is a guideline; the GM can adjust it to suit specific 
  powers, make sure characters can get whole 
  dice of effect for each point a roll succeeds by, or 
  the like.
  4
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Four 
  145
  Example: The Harbinger of Justice wants to buy 
  some extra Combat Skill Levels with Firearms 
  that depend on how well he succeeds with a 
  Required Shooting Tricks Roll. He buys +6 with 
  Firearms (30 Active Points) with the Limitation 
  Requires A Shooting Tricks Roll (Proportional 
  (33%; -¾). If he makes his roll exactly, he can 
  use +2 CSLs; if he makes it by 1, he can use +4 
  CSLs; if he makes it by 2 or more, he can use all 
  +6 CSLs.
  PROPORTIOnAl 
  RESulT TABlE
  value
  amount of power usable
  1 more Limitation
  Character can use up to one-
  tenth (10%) Active Points’ worth 
  of the power if the roll succeeds 
  exactly, plus up to another one-
  tenth Active Points’ worth per 
  point the roll succeeds by
  ½ more Limitation
  Character can use up to one-
  fifth (20%) Active Points’ worth 
  of the power if the roll succeeds 
  exactly, plus up to another one-
  fifth Active Points’ worth per 
  point the roll succeeds by
  ¼ more Limitation
  Character can use up to one-
  third (33%) Active Points’ worth 
  of the power if the roll succeeds 
  exactly, plus up to another one-
  third Active Points’ worth per 
  point the roll succeeds by
  note: Regardless of how well a Required Roll succeeds 
  by, a character cannot use more Active Points’ worth 
  of a power than he’s paid for.
  EnHAnCED SuCCESS 
  Related to the Proportional variant for 
  Requires A Roll is the possibility of Enhanced 
  Success. This means that the power functions at 
  full power if the roll succeeds exactly, and gains in 
  power if the roll succeeds by more.
  For ¼ less limitation, the power gains +5% 
  Active Points for every point the roll succeeds by, 
  to a maximum of +25%.
  For ½ less limitation, the power gains +10% 
  Active Points for every point the roll succeeds by, 
  to a maximum of +50%.
  For 1 less limitation, the power gains +20% 
  Active Points for every point the roll succeeds by, 
  to a maximum of +100%.
  REDuCED EFFECT FOR FAIluRE 
  Another possible option for Requires A Roll is 
  for the GM to allow the power to function even if 
  the character fails the roll, but at a reduced effect.
  For ¼ less limitation, if the Required Roll fails 
  the power still works, but at only 25% (one-
  fourth) of its Active Points.
  For ½ less limitation, if the Required Roll fails 
  the power still works, but at only 50% (one-half) 
  of its Active Points.
  For 1 less limitation, if the Required Roll fails the 
  power still works, but at only 75% (three-fourths) 
  of its Active Points.
  SElF Only
  If a Power that normally requires an Attack 
  Action and/or an Attack Roll to use has the Self 
  Only Limitation, it still requires an Attack Action 
  to use (and also an Attack Roll, though the GM 
  can waive that if desired).
  SIDE EFFECTS
  One common Side Effect for many powers 
  is Drain. For example, failing a Magic roll when 
  casting a spell may daze, fatigue, or even hurt a 
  wizard (Drain STUN, END, and BODY, respec-
  tively). There are no hard-and-fast rules for how 
  long the Drain’s effects should last; as usual, it’s up 
  to the GM to decide if a Limitation is sufficiently 
  restrictive to justify its value. In some cases the 
  standard 5 Character Points/ Turn rate works fine; 
  in other cases the GM may want a slower return 
  rate. Since delaying the return rate increases the 
  Active Points of a Drain, and the Active Points in 
  the Side Effect determine its value, in some cases 
  the player may want to delay the return rate to get 
  a higher Limitation value.
  Sometimes a character wants to have several 
  powers that all have the same Side Effect (for 
  example, because the same Focus generates all 
  the powers, or all the powers are learned from a 
  common source). Typically as long as using any 
  power can trigger the Side Effect, every power that 
  could possibly do so gets the Limitation. However, 
  the GM’s well within his rights to forbid this if the 
  character isn’t any more hindered or restricted 
  by having the single Focus (or whatever) provide 
  multiple abilities. For example, suppose a set of 
  gloves provides Resistant Protection and Life 
  Support and are so bulky they impose a -3 on all 
  DEX-Based Rolls. Because both of those powers 
  are Persistent, having both active at once doesn’t 
  restrict the character any more than just having 
  one of them active would. Therefore the GM 
  might rule that only one of the powers (chosen by 
  the player) could take Side Effects.
  4
  
  146 n power Modifiers 
  hero system 6th edition
  4
  
  Chapter Five
  CoMPliCations
  
  148 n Complications 
  hero system 6th edition
  COmPlICATIOnS
  H
  ere are some additional options, rules, or 
  variants for various Complications. 
  ACCIDEnTAl CHAnGE
  In some campaigns the GM may want to 
  expand some aspects of Accidental Change using 
  the optional rules in the accompanying Expanded 
  Accidental Change table. This would be most 
  appropriate for games where most or all characters 
  have this Complication, such as a campaign where 
  all the PCs are werewolves.
  First, some forms of Accidental Change may 
  require more than a Phase’s worth of exposure to 
  the phenomenon or event that triggers the change. 
  Under the standard rules, a character rolls his 
  Accidental Change every Phase, but for a lesser 
  Complication value a character can define a longer 
  initial exposure and time between rolls.
  Second, some Accidental Changes may not 
  occur right away; instead, the character changes 
  slowly but surely (which may give him time to 
  get to a place where no one can see him change, 
  or potential victims the chance to escape). As a 
  default, the change takes place immediately. For a 
  lesser Complication value, the character lengthens 
  the time it takes to change. The change begins as 
  soon as he fails his Accidental Change roll. If the 
  character is removed from the phenomenon or 
  event that triggers the change during the change 
  period, he may make another Accidental Change 
  roll. If he fails that roll, the change stops — he’s 
  brought himself under control. (If the character 
  Always changes, he has no chance to fail to 
  change: once something triggers the change, it 
  inevitably occurs after the defined time period 
  passes.)
  OTHER RulES
  If a character has several possible forms, with 
  the GM’s permission he can choose Accidental 
  Change more than once to define different 
  circumstances that will trigger a change to 
  different forms. Alternately, the GM may simply 
  require him to increase the frequency with which 
  Accidental Change occurs.
  Nothing in the rules for Accidental Change 
  requires the character perceive (or be able to 
  perceive) the triggering effect for the Change. It’s 
  all a question of how the trigger is defined, which 
  affects the frequency of the Complication. “During 
  the full moon” is a more frequent condition than 
  “when the character perceives the full moon,” 
  for example. The former condition is much more 
  common, and would affect a character who is, for 
  example, underground or temporarily blinded; the 
  latter condition only affects a character who actu-
  ally perceives the moon with a Targeting Sense.
  EXPAnDED 
  ACCIDEnTAl CHAnGE
  Cost
  Circumstances
  5
  Uncommon Circumstance
  10
  Common Circumstance
  15
  Very Common Circumstances
  Cost
  Chance to Change
  +0
  Infrequently (8-)
  +5
  Frequently (11-)
  +10
  Very Frequently (14-)
  +15
  Always
  Cost
  Length of exposure required
  -0
  Segment or less
  -5
  Extra Phase
  -10
  1 Turn
  -15
  1 Minute
  ...and so on down the Time Chart
  Cost
  time required to Change
  -0
  Immediately (as soon as roll is failed)
  -5
  Character’s next Phase after roll is failed
  -10
  1 Turn after roll is failed
  -15
  1 Minute after roll is failed
  ...and so on down the Time Chart
  As always, the minimum value of Accidental Change is 0; 
  it cannot cost a character points.
  5
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Five 
  149
  DISTInCTIvE FEATuRES
  Here are some additional guidelines to make 
  it easier for the GM to determine the effect of 
  Distinctive Features.
  At the +0 points level, Noticed and Recogniz-
  able, the Distinctive Feature makes the character 
  stand out from the crowd in unpleasant or incon-
  venient ways. He suffers a -1 penalty on Interac-
  tion Skill rolls that could be affected by his appear-
  ance, and characters receive a +1 to INT Rolls to 
  remember and describe his appearance later on. 
  If a character perceiving him has a Psychological 
  Complication pertaining to his appearance (such 
  as Racist or Hatred Of Orcs), the perceiver receives 
  a further -1 to his EGO Roll to resist giving in to 
  that Psychological Complication.
  At the +5 points level, Always Noticed and 
  Causes Major Reaction or Prejudice, the Distinc-
  tive Feature begins to cause significant problems 
  for the character; he stands out in ways that make 
  most people uncomfortable — if not anxious, 
  afraid, or stressed somehow. He suffers a -2 
  penalty on Interaction Skill rolls that could be 
  affected by his appearance, and characters receive 
  a +2 to INT Rolls to remember and describe his 
  appearance later on. If a character perceiving 
  him has a Psychological Complication pertaining 
  to his appearance (such as Racist or Hatred Of 
  Orcs), the perceiver receives a further -2 to his 
  EGO Roll to resist giving in to that Psychological 
  Complication.
  At the +10 points level, Causes Extreme Reac-
  tion, the Distinctive Feature evokes major negative 
  reactions in other people. The most common is 
  abject fear, but loathing, disgust, hatred, and lust 
  are just a few of the other possible reactions. He 
  suffers a -3 penalty on Interaction Skill rolls that 
  could be affected by his appearance, and charac-
  ters receive a +3 to INT Rolls to remember and 
  describe his appearance later on. If a character 
  perceiving him has a Psychological Complication 
  pertaining to his appearance (such as Racist or 
  Hatred Of Orcs), the perceiver receives a further -3 
  to his EGO Roll to resist giving in to that Psycho-
  logical Complication (or may, at the GM’s option, 
  automatically fail the EGO Roll).
  At the GM’s option, some Distinctive Features, 
  such as causing abject fear, might provide corre-
  sponding bonuses (instead of penalties) to certain 
  uses of some Interaction Skills, primarily Inter-
  rogation. If a character is displeasing or terrifying 
  to be around, a victim may provide information 
  sooner to make him leave! If this occurs frequently 
  in the game, the GM may want to require the 
  character to pay Character Points for a Striking 
  Appearance Talent to represent the bonus — while 
  a Complication can occasionally help a character 
  out in minor ways, it shouldn’t benefit him on a 
  regular basis.
  “POSITIvE” FEATuRES
  Most Distinctive Features are ones people 
  would automatically regard as negatives — a 
  frightening appearance, extreme hideousness, 
  extensive scarring, a repulsive body odor, an aura 
  of evil. Some are “neutrals,” such as wearing a 
  uniform, radiating a mystic aura, or having an 
  “ego signature”: they inconvenience the character, 
  but they’re not automatically regarded as “bad” per 
  se by everyone. (In fact, some, like membership in 
  the military, may be regarded positively by many 
  members of society.)
  A few Distinctive Features are attributes that 
  would normally be regarded as “good” or “posi-
  tive” ones. The most common of these is Extreme 
  Beauty, but other characters might have uncon-
  cealable auras of holiness, an alluring scent, or the 
  like. When a character wants a “positive” Distinc-
  tive Feature, you need to do two things. First, you 
  have to define what’s so restrictive or inconvenient 
  about this “positive” feature that it’s a justifi-
  able choice as a Complication. For example, an 
  Extremely Beautiful woman might have to put up 
  with men constantly hitting on her, other women 
  suffering intense jealousy of her, people not paying 
  attention to her because they think she’s a “ditzy 
  blonde,” and so forth. Someone with an “aura of 
  holiness” may constantly attract people desiring 
  healing or blessings who get in his way. If the 
  effects don’t seem that disadvantageous, the GM 
  should reduce the value of the Distinctive Feature 
  appropriately.
  Second, you should define, and if necessary pay 
  Character Points for, any positive effects this posi-
  tive feature has. For example, no matter how many 
  annoying lounge lizards Extreme Beauty attracts, 
  it has plenty of advantages, too. A character who 
  wants to take this as a Distinctive Feature should 
  probably pay for at least a couple levels of Striking 
  Appearance. If a positive effect has very little 
  game effect, the GM might not require a character 
  to pay for it — but once again, a Complication 
  shouldn’t help a character on a regular basis.
  SOCIAl COmPlICATIOn: mInORITy
  Distinctive Features interacts in some ways 
  with Social Complication, particularly Social 
  Complication: Minority. Both affect how other 
  characters view the character, and both tend to 
  alter Interaction Skill rolls in some ways. The 
  main difference between the two of them lies in 
  the word Distinctive in Distinctive Features. A 
  character who’s a member of a minority is distinc-
  tive among the majority crowd, but not necessarily 
  distinctive among his own people or immediately 
  recognizable or describable by someone else 
  (“All those Chinese look alike to me”). On the 
  other hand, a character with Distinctive Features 
  isn’t necessarily a member of a minority, nor 
  discriminated against because of his race or other 
  attributes, but he’s definitely memorable, easily 
  described in some ways, and liable to stand out 
  even in a crowd of like people.
  5
  
  150 n Complications 
  hero system 6th edition
  In some campaigns, the GM might want to 
  consider a +0 Reaction level, Feature makes char-
  acter Stand Out. This means he’s easy to recognize 
  and describe (+1 to INT Rolls), but doesn’t neces-
  sarily suffer any penalties to Interaction Rolls due 
  to his appearance. This would be appropriate for 
  games in which one character really stands out 
  (e.g., a Masai warrior PC in a game set in 1870s 
  Hong Kong; a character who’s one of the few four-
  armed Catavalans on Earth) but isn’t necessarily 
  restricted by his appearance beyond being remem-
  bered. If there’s nothing about the character that’s 
  memorable — he’s Masai or Catavalan, but doesn’t 
  stand out in a group of them — then he’s probably 
  not entitled to a Distinctive Features Complica-
  tion at all. Remember, just “looking different” isn’t 
  disadvantageous; the character has to suffer some 
  hindrance because of his appearance on a fairly 
  frequent basis to qualify for Matching Complica-
  tion points.
  EnRAGED/BERSERK
  Despite this Complication’s name, you can 
  use it to reflect things other than anger — panic, 
  enthusiasm, conditioned reflexes, triggered lunacy, 
  or any other way a character could lose control of 
  himself for a period of time. It could even serve as 
  a form of extreme “Psychological Complication” 
  in which the Enraged roll takes the place of the 
  EGO Roll used to resist giving in to one’s compul-
  sions. It all depends on how you structure the 
  Complication and roleplay the character.  Some 
  possible examples include:
  Distraction:  When the character encounters 
  the triggering situation or phenomenon and his 
  “Enraged” roll succeeds, he immediately stops 
  what he’s doing and begins paying obsessive atten-
  tion to it. For example, a were-magpie character 
  might be Distracted by shiny objects.
  Hypnotized:  When the character encounters 
  the triggering situation or phenomenon and his 
  “Enraged” roll succeeds, he immediately stops 
  what he’s doing and just stares at it, “hypnotized” 
  by it somehow. Typically this leaves him vulner-
  able to attack (½ DCV).
  Panic:  The character immediately flees at top 
  speed (or cowers helplessly) when he encounters 
  the triggering situation or phenomenon and his 
  “Enraged” roll succeeds. For example, a horse 
  not trained for combat might Panic when Injured 
  (typically Uncommon or Common, depending on 
  the campaign) or when Confronted By Dangerous 
  Animals (such as a rattlesnake, bear, or cougar) 
  (typically Uncommon).
  Weirdness:  Instead of going Berserk, the 
  character “goes bizarre” when he encounters the 
  triggering situation or phenomenon — if the roll 
  succeeds, he begins acting in a highly unusual and 
  totally inappropriate manner. The player chooses 
  what his character does, but it’s subject to the 
  GM’s approval; Weirdness actions can’t help the 
  character in any way, and should usually hinder 
  him (for example, by exposing him to attack).
  HunTED
  Here’s some more information and guidelines 
  on Hunted:
  POWER lEvEl
  One of the key factors for determining a Hunt-
  ed’s value is how powerful the Hunted is compared 
  to the character: More, As, or Less Powerful. It’s up 
  to the GM to determine how a potential Hunted 
  stacks up against a Player Character, but here are 
  some guidelines to consider.
  First and foremost, look at the Total Points 
  the two characters are built on. Typically the 
  character with the most Total Points is the most 
  powerful, provided there’s at least 30 Total Points’ 
  difference between them (anything less than 
  that means they’re of more or less equal power). 
  However, you should look beyond the Total Points 
  to what they’re spent on. A “normal” built on 600 
  Total Points that are mostly spent on business 
  Skills, Contacts, and the like may not be nearly as 
  powerful as a superhero built on 400 Total Points, 
  regardless of the points disparity.
  But the analysis doesn’t end there. You also 
  need to consider the nature of the campaign 
  and how the two characters tend to “fight” one 
  another. In a campaign focused on actual physical 
  combat, non-combat abilities may not help a 
  Hunter very much, and so can be ignored for 
  purposes of determining his power level. On 
  the other hand, in a campaign involving a lot of 
  character interaction and social mechanisms for 
  affecting character’s lives, a businessman with 600 
  Total Points’ worth of Contacts, Skills, and Favors 
  may be able to make a superhero’s life sheer, living 
  hell even if he can’t possibly stand up to him in a 
  fistfight. Thus, in a modern-day campaign where 
  there are lots of social mechanisms (government, 
  the courts, mass media, public opinion polls...) 
  which a Hunter can use against a PC, many (if not 
  most) Hunters with Non-Combat Influence (see 
  below) count as More Powerful.
  The issue of power levels also comes up when 
  an individual PC takes a group — such as the 
  police, VIPER, the US Army, Eurostar, or the 
  Thieves’ Guild — as his Hunted. In this case, you 
  typically consider the character as an individual 
  (even if he belongs to a similar organization, a 
  superteam, or the like), since the Hunted is most 
  likely to attack him as an individual. The PC’s 
  organization may help him strike back, and even 
  offer him some protection from the Hunted, but 
  there are too many ways for a Hunted to affect 
  him regardless of who his friends/employers are. 
  Therefore an “organization Hunted” almost always 
  qualifies as More Powerful.
  5
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Five 
  151
  nOn-COmBAT InFluEnCE
  As mentioned above, one important factor in 
  ranking a Hunted’s power level is whether he has 
  Extensive Non-Combat Influence. It’s up to the 
  GM to decide whether a Hunter has “NCI”; here 
  are some issues he should consider in making the 
  determination:
  
  n is the Hunter an individual or a group? A 
  group is far more likely to have NCI, though a 
  particularly wealthy or powerful individual can 
  certainly have NCI.
  
  n is the Hunter a branch of a government, 
  such as a law enforcement organization, an 
  espionage agency, a military unit, or the like? 
  Almost by definition, government-related 
  Hunters tend to have NCI. Law enforcement 
  organizations — the police, the FBI, the DEA, 
  the City Guard, the Galactic Patrol, and so on 
  — almost always have NCI (though they may 
  also suffer from Limited Geographical Area 
  based on their defined jurisdiction).
  
  n how rich is the Hunter? It’s hard to have NCI 
  without money (though not impossible). 
  Anyone with the Wealthy or Filthy Rich levels 
  of Money can bring a lot of pressure to bear 
  on a PC just by hiring private detectives and 
  mercenaries, bribing public officials to audit 
  him, and so on.
  
  n how socially well-connected is the Hunter? 
  A Hunter with lots of Contacts and Favors, a 
  good High Society roll, and the like may be 
  able to use his “friends in high places” against 
  a PC.
  
  n if the Hunter has access to (or even control 
  over some part of) the mass media in a 
  modern-day campaign, that usually gives 
  him NCI. Few things in modern society are 
  as potent as being able to manipulate what 
  people “know” from watching TV. The same 
  might hold true in, for example, a Fantasy Hero 
  campaign where an evil wizard can use subtle 
  spells to influence an entire population.
  SuSCEPTIBIlITy
  If a character has a Susceptibility that affects 
  him on each of his Phases, he can reduce the 
  amount of times it affects him by voluntarily 
  lowering his SPD, just like he can slow down the 
  rate at which he drowns, unless the GM rules 
  otherwise for some reason.
  vulnERABIlITy
  Many characters take Vulnerabilities. The 
  classic example is a Vulnerability to a substance 
  or energy type that’s the “opposite” of the one 
  the character uses/controls (such as a Fire-based 
  character being Vulnerable to Ice/Cold or Water 
  powers). Similarly, beings with energy bodies 
  often take Vulnerabilities to attacks that pierce or 
  disrupt their “energy matrix” (or the like), since 
  that causes them greater harm than an ordinary 
  wound (for example, the Champions villain Pulsar 
  is Vulnerable to Physical Killing Attacks). But 
  those are just two examples; the range of possible 
  applications for Vulnerability is enormous.
  Vulnerability is particularly appropriate for 
  Comic Book Superheroes campaigns, since 
  superpowered characters are exposed to so many 
  more powers than characters in other genres. The 
  table on APG 152-53 lists suggested Frequencies 
  for various special effects, energy types, Powers, 
  and the like for the “typical” Champions campaign 
  (including the Champions Universe setting). 
  The GM should review this list, then modify it 
  to reflect his perspective and predictions on how 
  common these elements are in his campaign, add 
  to it and continue to change it as the campaign 
  develops, and regularly make it available to your 
  players.
  Note that the frequency of a Vulnerability may 
  also depend on common campaign knowledge. 
  Silver-Based Attacks are typically Uncommon. But 
  if they’re widely known to be especially effective 
  against werewolves, a werewolf character could 
  justify labelling them as “Common” for Vulner-
  ability purposes, since most of his enemies know 
  to use them against him.
  5
  
  152 n Complications 
  hero system 6th edition
  special effect(s)
  Frequency
  Acid Attacks
  Uncommon
  Air/Wind Attacks
  Uncommon
  Attacks (All), Physical/Normal
  Very Common
  Biological Attacks
  Uncommon
  Blasters (same as Particle Beam Attacks)
  Very Common
  Bullets
  Very Common
  Celestial/Solar Attacks
  Uncommon
  Chaos/Entropy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Chemical Attacks (same as Gas/Poison)
  Common
  Chemical Attacks, Air-Based
  Uncommon
  Cold/Ice Attacks
  Uncommon
  Cyberkinesis Attacks
  Uncommon
  Darkness Attacks
  Uncommon
  Dimensional Manipulation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Earth + Fire + Water Attacks
  Very Common
  Earth/Stone Attacks
  Uncommon
  Electrical + Magnetic Attacks
  Very Common
  Electrical Attacks
  Very Common
  Electromagnetic Pulses
  Uncommon
  Electromagnetic Radiation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Energy Attacks (All)
  Very Common
  Explosives
  Very Common
  Fiery Explosions
  Uncommon
  Fire Attacks
  Common
  Fire Attacks + Heat Attacks
  Common
  Force Attacks
  Uncommon
  Gas + Poison Attacks (same as Chemical)
  Common
  Gas Attacks
  Common
  Gravity Attacks
  Uncommon
  Gravity Attacks + Magnetic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Heat Attacks
  Uncommon
  Heat Attacks + Fire Attacks
  Common
  High-Tech Attacks
  Very Common
  Holy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Ice/Cold Attacks
  Uncommon
  Ice/Cold Attacks + Water Attacks 
  Common
  Iron Attacks + Steel Attacks
  Very Common
  Kinetic Energy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Life Force Attacks
  Uncommon
  Light-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Magic, all types
  Common
  Magic, specific type
  Uncommon
  Magnetic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Magnetic Attacks + Gravity Attacks
  Uncommon
  Matter Manipulation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Melee Attacks, Physical/Normal
  Very Common
  Mental Powers, generally
  Common
  Particle Beam Attacks (same as Blasters)
  Very Common
  Physical Attacks (All)
  Very Common
  Plasma Beams
  Uncommon
  special effect(s)
  Frequency
  Pleasurable Attacks
  Uncommon
  Poisons
  Uncommon
  Radiation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Shadow Attacks
  Uncommon
  Silver-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Solar/Celestial Attacks
  Uncommon
  Sonic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Spirit Attacks
  Uncommon
  Stone/Earth Attacks
  Uncommon
  Technology Attacks
  Very Common
  Telekinetic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Time Attacks
  Uncommon
  Undead or Unholy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Vibration Attacks
  Uncommon
  Water Attacks
  Uncommon
  Water Attacks + Cold Attacks
  Common
  Wind/Air Attacks
  Uncommon
  Wood-Based + Silver-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Wood-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Special Situations
      Ambushes + Treacherous Attacks
  Very Common
      Attacks When Obviously Outclassed
  Common
  Electrically grounded
      If a Flyer
  Very Common
      If a Non-Flyer
  Common
  Falling/Knockback Damage
      If a Normal Character
  Very Common
      If a Predominantly High-Altitude Character
  Common
  Struck in HTH Combat
  Very Common
  Specific Powers/game Mechanics
      Armor Piercing Attacks
  Common
      Affects Desolidified Attacks
  Uncommon
      Blast
  Very Common
      Dispel
  Uncommon
      Drains
  Common
      Entangles, standard
  Common
      Entangles, EGO-Based (Mental Paralysis)
  Uncommon
      Flash Attacks, Sight Group
  Common
      Flash Attacks, all Sense Groups
  Very Common
      Images, Sight Group
  Uncommon
      Images, all Sense Groups
  Uncommon
      Killing Attacks, Energy
  Very Common
      Killing Attacks, Physical
  Very Common
      Mental Blast
  Common
      Mental Illusions
  Uncommon
      Mind Control
  Common
      Mind Scan
  Uncommon
      Presence Attacks, generally
  Very Common
      Presence Attacks From Desirable Opponents
  Common
      Transform
  Uncommon
  vulnERABIlITy FREQuEnCy TABlE
  5
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Five 
  153
  special effect(s)
  Frequency
  Acid Attacks
  Rare
  Air/Wind Attacks
  Uncommon
  Attacks (All), Physical/Normal
  Extremely Common
  Biological Attacks
  Rare
  Blasters (same as Particle Beam Attacks)
  Extremely Common
  Bullets
  Extremely Common
  Celestial/Solar Attacks
  Rare
  Chaos/Entropy Attacks
  Rare
  Chemical Attacks (same as Gas/Poison)
  Common
  Chemical Attacks, Air-Based
  Uncommon
  Cold/Ice Attacks
  Common
  Cyberkinesis Attacks
  Uncommon
  Darkness Attacks
  Uncommon
  Dimensional Manipulation Attacks
  Rare
  Earth + Fire + Water Attacks
  Very Common
  Earth/Stone Attacks
  Common
  Electrical + Magnetic Attacks
  Very Common
  Electrical Attacks
  Very Common
  Electromagnetic Pulses
  Uncommon
  Electromagnetic Radiation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Energy Attacks (All)
  Extremely Common
  Explosives
  Very Common
  Fiery Explosions
  Uncommon
  Fire Attacks
  Common
  Fire Attacks + Heat Attacks
  Common
  Force Attacks
  Uncommon
  Gas + Poison Attacks (same as Chemical)
  Common
  Gas Attacks
  Common
  Gravity Attacks
  Uncommon
  Gravity Attacks + Magnetic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Heat Attacks
  Uncommon
  Heat Attacks + Fire Attacks
  Common
  High-Tech Attacks
  Extremely Common
  Holy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Ice/Cold Attacks
  Common
  Ice/Cold Attacks + Water Attacks 
  Common
  Iron Attacks + Steel Attacks
  Very Common
  Kinetic Energy Attacks
  Rare
  Life Force Attacks
  Rare
  Light-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Magic, all types
  Very Common
  Magic, specific type
  Uncommon
  Magnetic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Magnetic Attacks + Gravity Attacks
  Uncommon
  Matter Manipulation Attacks
  Rare
  Melee Attacks, Physical/Normal
  Extremely Common
  Mental Powers, generally
  Common
  Particle Beam Attacks (same as Blasters)
  Extremely Common
  Physical Attacks (All)
  Extremely Common
  Plasma Beams
  Uncommon
  special effect(s)
  Frequency
  Pleasurable Attacks
  Uncommon
  Poisons
  Common
  Radiation Attacks
  Uncommon
  Shadow Attacks
  Uncommon
  Silver-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Solar/Celestial Attacks
  Rare
  Sonic Attacks
  Uncommon
  Spirit Attacks
  Rare
  Stone/Earth Attacks
  Common
  Technology Attacks
  Very Common
  Telekinetic Attacks
  Common
  Time Attacks
  Rare
  Undead or Unholy Attacks
  Uncommon
  Vibration Attacks
  Uncommon
  Water Attacks
  Uncommon
  Water Attacks + Cold Attacks
  Common
  Wind/Air Attacks
  Uncommon
  Wood-Based + Silver-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Wood-Based Attacks
  Uncommon
  Special Situations
      Ambushes + Treacherous Attacks
  Very Common
      Attacks When Obviously Outclassed
  Common
  Electrically grounded
      If a Flyer
  Extremely Common
      If a Non-Flyer
  Very Common
  Falling/Knockback Damage
      If a Normal Character
  Extremely Common
      If a Predominantly High-Altitude Character
  Common
  Struck in HTH Combat
  Extremely Common
  Specific Powers/game Mechanics
      Armor Piercing Attacks
  Common
      Affects Desolidified Attacks
  Rare
      Blast
  Extremely Common
      Dispel
  Uncommon
      Drains
  Common
      Entangles, standard
  Very Common
      Entangles, EGO-Based (Mental Paralysis)
  Uncommon
      Flash Attacks, Sight Group
  Very Common
      Flash Attacks, all Sense Groups
  Extremely Common
      Images, Sight Group
  Common
      Images, all Sense Groups
  Common
      Killing Attacks, Energy
  Extremely Common
      Killing Attacks, Physical
  Extremely Common
      Mental Blast
  Common
      Mental Illusions
  Uncommon
      Mind Control
  Common
      Mind Scan
  Uncommon
      Presence Attacks, generally
  Extremely Common
      Presence Attacks From Desirable Opponents
  Common
      Transform
  Uncommon
  OPTIOnAl vulnERABIlITy FREQuEnCy TABlE
  5
  
  154 n Complications 
  hero system 6th edition
  OTHER vulnERABIlITy RulES
  A character may have two or more Vulner-
  abilities that are affected by a single attack — for 
  example, a character who’s Vulnerable to Ice/
  Cold and Vulnerable to Magic could get hit by 
  a Frost Bolt Spell. In that situation, multiply the 
  larger multiplier by the smaller multiplier to get 
  an overall multiplier. Thus, two x1.5 multipliers 
  become a x2.25 multiplier, a x1.5 and x2 become 
  a x3 multiplier, and two x2 multipliers become a 
  x4 multiplier.
  If a character has a Vulnerability to both the 
  STUN and BODY of a particular special effect 
  or type of attack, and is hit by a Killing Attack 
  that exploits the Vulnerability, first determine the 
  BODY and STUN of the Killing Attack normally. 
  After that’s done, apply the Vulnerability multi-
  plier. For example, suppose a character who’s 
  Vulnerable to Fire (2 x STUN and 2 x BODY) is 
  hit by a fire RKA 3d6 (a fireball). The attacker rolls 
  his damage, getting 10 BODY and a x4 STUN 
  Multiplier for 40 STUN. The Vulnerability now 
  applies, doubling that to 20 BODY and 80 STUN.
  In campaigns that use the Hit Location rules, 
  apply both the Vulnerability modifier and the 
  Hit Location modifier before taking the target’s 
  defenses into account. For example, a character 
  hit in the Head with a Killing Attack to which he 
  had a 2 x STUN Vulnerability would apply the x5 
  STUN Multiplier for the Head location, and then 
  the x2 Vulnerability modifier.
  If a character is Vulnerable to the effects of 
  Entangles, multiply the BODY rolled for the 
  Entangle. The PD/ED of the Entangle is not 
  affected.
  If a target is Vulnerable to a type of attack (but 
  not to Mental Powers) and is affected by a Mental 
  Illusion that does damage by creating an Illusion 
  of that type of attack, the Vulnerability applies to 
  increase the damage.
  Vulnerability damage multipliers do not apply 
  to damage from Susceptibilities, Dependences, or 
  other Complications involving the same power/
  special effect.
  EXPAnDED vulnERABIlITy
  For some campaigns, the three categories of 
  frequency — Uncommon, Common, and Very 
  Common — may not offer enough options. The 
  accompanying Optional Vulnerability Table on 
  APG 153 and Optional Vulnerability Frequency 
  Table present an expanded, five-category system 
  for Vulnerability. Under this system, characters 
  tend to get more points for Vulnerability than they 
  do with the standard rules.
  InCREASED mulTIPlES 
  At the GM’s option, a character can take a 
  Vulnerability that’s even more dangerous than 
  normal — one that does x3, x4, or more damage. 
  For each additional point of multiple above x2 
  (x3, x4, x5, x6, and so forth), multiply the base 
  value of the Vulnerability by that number (thus, 
  a Common Vulnerability with a x3 multiplier is 
  worth 30 points, one with x5 is worth 50 points, 
  and so on).
  EXPAnDED EFFECTS FOR vulnERABIlITy
  The standard Vulnerability rules increase the 
  damage done by, or other direct effect of, a given 
  attack. For example, they multiply the damage of 
  a Blast or RKA, the amount of “blindness” caused 
  by Flash, and the BODY of Entangles. At the GM’s 
  option, characters can define their Vulnerability as 
  having some effect other than increasing damage, 
  as described in the accompanying text box. The 
  GM can also devise other Vulnerability effects 
  appropriate to specific characters, if desired.
  vARIABlE COmPlICATIOn
  At the GM’s option, some characters might be 
  allowed to take Variable Complication, a “floating 
  Complication” the character can change. Usually 
  this is most appropriate for characters who can 
  change forms, states of being, or the like.
  To buy Variable Complication, the character 
  chooses a point total. He must choose one or 
  more Complications worth twice that amount. 
  For example, if a character has a 20-point Variable 
  Complication, he must have 40 points’ worth of 
  Complications. Changing Complications requires 
  1 Turn, unless the GM rules otherwise.
  The Complications chosen for Variable 
  Complications must be ones that actually hinder, 
  restrict, or complicate the life of the character. In 
  other words, they should be Complications that 
  could have an immediate and significant impact 
  on the character, not ones that probably won’t 
  come into play during the (potentially short) 
  time they affect him. Physical Complications, 
  Susceptibilities, and Vulnerabilities are all good 
  candidates, whereas Dependent NPCs, Hunteds, 
  Negative Reputations, and Rivalries usually aren’t. 
  The GM determines which Complications are 
  valid selections for Variable Complication based 
  on the nature of the character’s powers, how long 
  he tends to keep them, and so forth.
  OPTIOnAl 
  vulnERABIlITy TABlE
  value
  the attack is
  5
  Rare
  10
  Uncommon
  15
  Common (a group of Uncommon attacks, or a 
  single Common attack)
  20
  Very Common (a group of Common attacks)
  25
  Extremely Common (a group of Very Common 
  and Common attacks)
  value
  vulnerability Multiplier
  +0
  x1½ (Target takes 1½x damage)
  x2
  x2 (Target takes 2x damage)
  5
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter Five 
  155
  Head Over Heels For Fire: Vulnerability: 2 x 
  STUN from Fire/Heat (Common), Double Knock-
  back (+½). Total value: 30 points.
  I Just Want your magic Sword: Hunted: Prince 
  Valderon (Very Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) (30 “Active Points”); OAF (Valderon just 
  wants the character’s sword, not the character; -1). 
  Total value: 15 points.
  my Arms Are Energy Constructs: Physical 
  Complication: No Arms/Hands (All The Time, 
  Fully Impairing) (35 “Active Points”); Only 
  Applies In Intense Magnetic Fields (-2). Total 
  value: 12 points.
  Poorly-Insulated Powered Armor: Vulnerability: 
  2 x STUN from Electricity (Common); Only In 
  Alternate Identity (when wearing the armor; -¼). 
  Total value: 16 points.
  Stalked By A Shadow-Demon: Hunted: a shadow-
  demon (Very Frequently, As Pow, Kill) (20 “Active 
  Points”); Only Applies At Night Or When Char-
  acter’s In Darkness/Shadow (-1). Total value: 10 
  points.
  Stunning Killing Damage: Vulnerability: 2 x 
  BODY from Physical Killing Attacks (Very 
  Common), +2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+½). 
  Total value: 45 points.
  x1½ value
  
  n Character is always ½ DCV against the 
  defined attack type (or 0 DCV, if his DCV is 
  also being halved by some other factor)
  
  n Character recovers from negative Adjustment 
  Power at one step down the Time Chart (e.g., 
  5 Character Points per Minute for a typical 
  5-per-Turn power)
  
  n Character suffers a Drain of some 
  non-damage-related Characteristic with half 
  the Active Points of the attack
  
  n Character suffers a Flash of an appropriate 
  Sense Group with half the Active Points of 
  the attack
  
  n Character suffers an Entangle of the same 
  special effect with half the Active Points of 
  the attack
  
  n Character suffers x1½ Knockback (minimum 
  of 4m) from the attack
  
  n Character is automatically Stunned by the 
  attack regardless of the amount of STUN 
  damage he actually takes
  
  n Character automatically suffers a “run away 
  in fear” Presence Attack of (Active Points in 
  attack/10)d6
  
  n Any BODY damage taken from this attack is 
  automatically considered Impairing
  
  n Character suffers the damage from the attack 
  again on his next Phase
  x2 value
  
  n Character is always 0 DCV against the 
  defined attack type
  
  n Character recovers from negative Adjustment 
  Power at two steps down the Time Chart (e.g., 
  5 Character Points per 5 Minutes for a typical 
  5-per-Turn power)
  
  n Character suffers a Drain of some 
  non-damage-related Characteristic with the 
  same Active Points of the attack
  
  n Character suffers a Flash of an appropriate 
  Sense Group with the same Active Points of 
  the attack
  
  n Character suffers an Entangle of the same 
  special effect with the same Active Points of 
  the attack
  
  n Character suffers x2 Knockback (minimum of 
  8m) from the attack
  
  n Character is automatically Knocked Out by 
  the attack (reduced to 0 STUN) regardless of 
  the amount of STUN damage rolled
  
  n Character automatically suffers a “run away 
  in fear” Presence Attack of (Active Points in 
  attack/5)d6
  
  n Any BODY damage taken from this attack is 
  automatically considered Disabling
  
  n Character suffers the damage from the attack 
  again on his next two Phases
  EXPAnDED vulnERABIlITy EFFECTS
  POWER mODIFIERS FOR 
  COmPlICATIOnS 
  At the GM’s option, characters can take 
  Advantages or Limitations for a Complication. An 
  Advantage makes a Complication more harmful 
  to a character, and thus increases its value (the 
  amount of Matching Complication points he gets 
  for it); a Limitation makes it less harmful, and thus 
  worth less to him.
  The GM has to approve all Power Modifiers for 
  Complications to ensure that they’re reasonable, 
  balanced, and fair. Many Power Modifier-Compli-
  cation combinations simply don’t make sense and 
  can quickly be rejected on that basis. Others may 
  be perfectly appropriate for the campaign and help 
  make a character more fun to play.
  Some examples of possible Advantages and 
  Limitations for Complications include:
  Curse Of The night: Unluck 3d6 (15 “Active 
  Points”); Only Applies At Night (-1). Total value: 
  8 points.
  Greater Effect From Drains: Vulnerability: 2 x 
  Effect from Drains (Common), Delayed Return 
  Rate (lost points return at 5 per Minute; +1). Total 
  value: 40 points.
  5
  
  156 n Complications 
  hero system 6th edition
  Of course, not all restrictions on a Compli-
  cation may merit a Limitation. In some cases 
  the GM can handle the situation by adjusting 
  the frequency. (For Complications that don’t 
  have a varying frequency, like Unluck, assume 
  their “frequency” is “All The Time,” and then 
  decrease the cost by reducing their “frequency.”) 
  For example, if a Hunted only exists at night (like 
  the shadow-demon example above), the GM 
  might deal with that by adjusting the frequency 
  to Infrequently and keeping the special effect of 
  the Complication in mind when he wants to use 
  it. Similarly, the I Just Want Your Magic Sword 
  Hunted could be done by changing the “Harshly 
  Punish” (-0) modifier to “Take Something From 
  Character” (-10 points).
  5
  
  Chapter Six
  CoMBat and 
  adVentUrinG
  
  158 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  EnTERInG 
  COmBAT
  H
  ere are some expanded rules, optional 
  rules, and additional information about 
  organizing combat sequences. 
  OPTIOnAl SPEED 
  SySTEmS
  Some HERO System gamers consider the 
  SPD Chart a little frustrating. It creates a level 
  of predictability that makes it easy for “power 
  gamers” and rulesmongers to exploit the system in 
  ways that may diminish the fun of the game, and it 
  tends to introduce an element of “sameness” into 
  every combat. If that’s the case in your campaign, 
  you may want to change the way SPD and Actions 
  work. Several options are discussed below.
  ROllED SPEED
  One variant for the SPD Chart that gets rid 
  of at least some of the predictability mentioned 
  above is to have characters roll to see if they get a 
  Phase in each Segment. If the roll succeeds, they 
  get a Phase, in the normal order of DEXs.
  The main issue with this system is how to roll. 
  The GM needs to evaluate the possible methods 
  carefully to ensure balance within his group. Some 
  possibilities include:
  1. get a twelve-sided die (d12). Each Segment 
  every character rolls a d12; characters who roll 
  less than or equal to their SPD get a Phase on that 
  Segment. On the average, that should give each 
  character the same number of Phases per Turn 
  that he normally gets... but they won’t occur in 
  predefined Segments.
  You could substitute 2d6-1 instead of 1d12, but 
  the bell curve that results from rolling two dice 
  means characters will get far fewer actions than 
  normal (or have to spend a lot more points on 
  SPD).
  The benefit to this method is that it eliminates 
  predictability. The drawback is that it does such a 
  good job of eliminating predictability that it may 
  leave a character action-less for a long period of 
  time. If a player happens to get a string of unlucky 
  rolls, his character just has to stand there, unable 
  to do anything, which may not make much sense 
  and certainly leaves the player feeling frustrated.
  2. at the beginning of each turn, each character rolls 
  1d6 and adds his spd, to a maximum of 12. This 
  indicates the number of Phases the character gets 
  in that Turn. The GM may assign those Phases to 
  the Segments indicated by the SPD of the same 
  number, or use some other method of allocation 
  (see below).
  The benefit to this method is that it creates 
  variability; a character can never be sure how 
  many Phases he’ll have (though he knows that 
  at a minimum it’s his SPD +1). However, it also 
  causes several potential problems. First, it gives all 
  characters +1 SPD or more, which isn’t unbal-
  anced (everyone gets it, after all) but can slow the 
  game down. Second, sometimes a relatively slow 
  character may get more actions than a relatively 
  fast character — in fact, in a game where the slow 
  and fast characters aren’t separated by more than a 
  point or two of SPD, this could happen frequently. 
  That result may not be very satisfactory; it may 
  mean the dice are more important than the SPD 
  the character paid for. The same “the dice are 
  better than the SPD” problem can result in Heroic 
  games with characters who have low average SPDs 
  (3-4).
  3. each segment, every character rolls 2d6-1 and 
  adds it to his spd. If he gets a 12 or better, he gets 
  a Phase that Segment. Characters with SPD 12 
  thus automatically get a Phase every Segment, and 
  characters with SPDs of 9 or above will usually 
  get one every Phase thanks to the bell curve of the 
  2d6 roll.
  The benefit to this system is that it should 
  allow every character roughly the same number of 
  Phases per Turn, but not in predefined Segments. 
  The drawback is that it tends to give some char-
  acters more Phases than normal, which may slow 
  down combat.
  One drawback all of these methods have is that 
  they increase the time it takes to run a combat. 
  They add in some extra die rolling and number-
  tracking in place of the SPD Chart’s relative ease 
  of use.
  vARIABlE PHASES
  Instead of changing the number of Phases a 
  character has, you can change which Segments 
  they occur in.
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  159
  The easiest way to do this is to declare that 
  all characters get a number of Phases per Turn 
  equal to their SPDs — but they can use those 
  Phases in any Segments they wish. For example, a 
  SPD 5 character could choose to take his Phases 
  on Segments 2, 3, 7, 9, and 12 during one Turn, 
  and on Segments 2, 4, 5, 10, and 12 the next 
  Turn. To keep characters from abusing this rule 
  (by, for example, acting in Segments 1-4, then in 
  Segment 5 using Martial Dodge with all Combat 
  Skill Levels in DCV), the GM may require 
  characters with SPDs below 7 to skip at least one 
  Segment between Phases (really low SPDs, such as 
  2-3, may have to skip two or more Segments).
  Another possibility is to use the same distribu-
  tion pattern for a character’s Phases, but randomly 
  determine which Segment they start on. At the 
  beginning of each Turn, every character rolls 
  ½d6; the number rolled indicates the Segment 
  the character’s Phases begin on. For example, if 
  a SPD 5 character rolled a 1, his Phases would 
  occur on 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 — the same pattern as 
  SPD 5, but on different Segments. In some cases 
  the GM may need to alter the distribution pattern 
  to ensure every character gets his full number of 
  Phases per Turn.
  COunTDOWn
  In a “countdown” system for initiative, each 
  character has a certain number of initiative dice; 
  the faster the character, the more dice. At the 
  beginning of a combat round, all characters roll 
  their initiative dice. Starting with the highest 
  number rolled, the GM counts down to 0. Each 
  character gets one action on his highest number 
  rolled, and another action every X steps below 
  that. Thus, the higher the number a character rolls, 
  the more times he gets to act in that round.
  To simulate this sort of initiative in the HERO 
  System, you need to do two things: (a) decide 
  how many dice to roll, and how characters buy 
  them, and (b) how to count down (i.e., how many 
  points to subtract between actions). For example, 
  perhaps characters roll a number of initiative dice 
  equal to their SPD, and then you subtract 4 points 
  between actions. That would yield a number of 
  actions per Turn roughly equal to the character’s 
  SPD, but with the possibility of sometimes going 
  more or fewer times. If you wanted to allow more 
  actions, you could reduce the subtractor; to allow 
  fewer actions, increase it.
  Example: Andy decides to use a “countdown” 
  system for initiative in his Champions game. 
  Every character rolls dice equal to his SPD to get 
  an “action total.” A character gets a Phase on 
  his action total, then gets one more Phase every 
  4 points below that. A character can Hold his 
  Action to a later point in the countdown, but 
  must use it before his next number comes up. If 
  two character have a Phase on the same number, 
  the one with the highest DEX goes first; if DEXs 
  are tied, highest INT goes first; if INTs are tied, 
  the highest PRE goes first; if PREs are tied, neither 
  character gets an action because Andy is now 
  incredibly annoyed at both of them.
  At the start of a battle, Defender (SPD 5) and 
  Ankylosaur (SPD 4) roll initiative dice. Defender 
  rolls 5d6 and gets 16; Ankylosaur rolls 4d6 and gets 
  19. Ankylosaur clearly has the upper hand in this 
  battle in terms of initiative!
  The combat starts on 19, and Ankylosaur gets 
  an action. He also acts in 15, 11, 7, and 3 — he 
  gets one more action than he could expect on the 
  average since he rolled well. On the other hand, 
  Defender goes in 16, 12, 8, and 4, so he doesn’t act 
  quite as often as he normally would.
  OBTAInInG EXTRA PHASES
  Many gamers like the SPD Chart as a concept, 
  but find it somewhat rigid and inflexible in a rules 
  system that otherwise has a high degree of flex-
  ibility and customizability. They want to provide 
  an option for characters to take extra Phases, or 
  move their Phases to different Segments, at the 
  cost of some penalty.
  One such system focuses on CV. A character 
  can move a Phase down the SPD Chart (i.e., take 
  his Phase earlier) for a -1 CV penalty per Segment 
  (this applies to both OCV and DCV). The penalty 
  lasts until the character skips a future Phase (i.e., 
  does nothing, not even taking a Recovery). If a 
  character takes multiple Phases early, the penalties 
  are cumulative, and he must skip one Phase per 
  penalty to remove the penalties.
  Example: A character with SPD 5 decides he 
  wants to take his Phase in Segment 5 in Segment 
  4 instead. He does so, suffering a -1 CV penalty. 
  He keeps that penalty until he skips one of his 
  Phases (in Segment 8, 10, or 12, or one the next 
  Turn). If he decides to take his Segment 8 Phase 
  in Segment 6, he suffers another -2 CV penalty 
  for a total of -3 CV. He skips his Phase in Segment 
  10, which reduces the penalty to -2.
  A character can still Abort to a defensive action 
  using the normal rules. This has no effect on CV, 
  but of course forces the character to do nothing in 
  his next Phase.
  On the other hand, at the GM’s option a char-
  acter who delays his Phase by one Segment gets 
  a +1 CV bonus per Segment delayed. This is not 
  the same as Holding an Action. Holding gains no 
  such bonus, but lets the character act whenever he 
  wants to or a specified condition occurs; a delayed 
  Phase can only be taken on a future Segment at 
  the character’s DEX in the initiative order.
  Additionally, a character may take extra Phases 
  if he wants to, but the penalty is more severe: -3 
  CV per extra Phase. If a character takes multiple 
  extra Phases, the penalties are cumulative; extra 
  Phase penalties are also cumulative with early 
  Phase penalties. Characters cannot remove this 
  penalty; it lasts until the combat ends or the GM 
  decides it vanishes.
  Example: Continuing the example from above, 
  after skipping his normal Phase in Segment 10, 
  the character decides he needs to take an extra 
  Phase in Segment 11. This adds -3 to his CV 
  penalty, for a total of -5 (remember, he eliminated 
  one -1 penalty by skipping his Phase in Segment 
  10). Good luck!
  6
  
  160 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  At the GM’s option, all penalties may disap-
  pear when the Turn ends. This could encourage 
  character to add or advance Phases late in the 
  Turn, though, so consider this rule carefully before 
  implementing it.
  Of course, CV isn’t the only thing a system like 
  this could penalize. The rule could instead impose 
  a DEX reduction (say, -2 DEX per early Phase or 
  -4 per extra Phase), for example. The GM may 
  also want to include other restrictions, such as not 
  allowing the use of Optional Combat Maneuvers 
  or Multiple Attack on early or extra Phases.
  The GM should examine carefully any Skill 
  Levels (of any type) bought to counteract the 
  early/extra Phase penalties. The proper way for 
  a character to obtain more Phases with points is 
  to buy more SPD, not to eliminate the early/extra 
  Phase penalties.
  RElATED RulES CHAnGES
  If you change the way SPD works, you may 
  need to change the way some other rules work. 
  For example, you may want to eliminate the 
  Post-Segment 12 Recovery, or change the way the 
  points gained/removed by use of an Adjustment 
  Power fade/return. As with any other major new 
  rule introduced into the game, be prepared to 
  change or abandon it if it proves unworkable.
  THE TImE CHART
  The standard Time Chart on 6E2 18 works 
  well for most campaigns. However, based on the 
  nature of the campaign or the GM’s preferences, 
  a different method for keeping track of time 
  increments in the game may be desireable. The 
  accompanying table lists several examples (though 
  of course the GM can come up with another one 
  on his own if he prefers). The first column is the 
  standard Time Chart.
  Option 1 is the one from 6E2 18, a more 
  mathematically-regular version where each step 
  down the chart is five times the previous step 
  (with some slight rounding here and there). That 
  leads to longer gaps between steps, particularly at 
  the lower end of the chart, which may work well 
  for campaigns that cover long timeframes.
  Option 2 is a Time Chart designed to follow 
  the standard HERO System mathematical progres-
  sion (1, 2, 4, 8, and so on). This makes it easy 
  to learn and remember, and also increases the 
  granularity. However, with this Time Chart it can 
  become expensive to create really long-lasting 
  effects.
  Options 3 and 4 are two more combat-oriented, 
  high-granularity approaches. They emphasize the 
  fact that in many cases, what matters is time in 
  combat, not long periods of time out of combat. 
  As with Option 2, they make it expensive to buy 
  powers with long-lasting effects.
  If you adopt one of the alternate Time Charts 
  for your campaign, you may need to make other 
  changes in the game. For example, the fade/return 
  rate for Adjustment Powers, the rate at which 
  characters recover from Transform, and the speed 
  at which characters heal BODY naturally or via 
  Regeneration could all be affected.
  SEGmEnTED 
  mOvEmEnT 
  As mentioned on 6E2 27, some types of move-
  ment (such as falling and other “uncontrolled” 
  movement) work better when they’re calculated 
  on a Segment-by-Segment basis. But in some 
  campaigns, the GM may prefer to do this for all 
  forms of movement. This can significantly change 
  the dynamics of the game, and often slows down 
  play, but if you think Segmented Movement would 
  suit your campaign, use the following rules.
  To determine a character’s per-Segment move-
  ment rate, first you multiply his meters of Combat 
  Movement and Noncombat Movement with a 
  given type of movement by his SPD. That tells you 
  his “movement per Turn.”
  OPTIOnAl TImE CHARTS
  standard
  option 1
  option 2
  option 3
  option 4
  1
  1 Segment
  1 Segment
  1 Segment
  1 Segment
  1 Segment 
  2
  1 Phase
  1 Phase
  1 Phase
  3 Segments
  4 Segments
  3
  1 Turn
  1 Turn
  1 Turn
  6 Segments
  8 Segments
  4
  1 Minute
  1 Minute
  1 Minute
  1 Turn
  16 Segments
  5
  5 Minutes
  5 Minutes
  2 Minutes
  2 Turns
  30 Segments
  6
  20 Minutes
  25 Minutes
  4 Minutes
  1 Minute
  1 Minute
  7
  1 Hour
  2 Hours
  8 Minutes
  3 Minutes
  2 Minutes
  8
  6 Hours
  10 Hours
  15 Minutes
  6 Minutes 
  5 Minutes
  9
  1 Day
  2 Days
  30 Minutes
  10 Minutes
  10 Minutes
  10
  1 Week
  10 Days
  1 Hour
  30 Minutes
  30 Minutes
  11
  1 Month
  7 Weeks
  2 Hours
  90 Minutes
  1 Hour
  12
  1 Season 
  (3 Months)
  8 Months
  4 Hours
  4 Hours
  2 Hours
  13
  1 Year
  3 Years
  8 Hours
  12 Hours
  5 Hours
  14
  5 Years
  15 Years
  16 Hours
  1 Day
  10 Hours
  15
  25 Years
  75 Years
  32 Hours
  3 Days
  1 Day
  16
  1 Century
  375 Years
  64 Hours
  1 Week
  2 Days
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  161
  Example: Skylark has Flight 50m, x16 
  Noncombat, and SPD 8. That means his 
  Combat Movement per Turn is (50m x 8 =) 
  400m and his Noncombat Movement per Turn 
  is ((50 x 16) x 8 =)6,400m.
  The Verdict has Running 14m and Swinging 
  20m (both with a standard x2 Noncombat); he’s 
  SPD 4. That means his Combat/Noncombat 
  Running per Turn is 56m/112m, and his 
  Combat/Noncombat Swinging is 80m/160m.
  Second, you divide the character’s per-Turn 
  movement rates by 12. This tells you how far he 
  can move in a Segment. Always round down to 
  the nearest whole number; standard HERO System 
  rounding rules do not apply. (Alternately, the 
  GM can allow a character to use his “remainder” 
  meters of movement during Segments when the 
  character has a standard Phase.)
  Example: Skylark has 400m/6,400m of per-
  Turn movement with his Flight. That means his 
  Combat and Noncombat Movement per Segment 
  are (400m/12 =) 33m and (6,400/12 =) 533m.
  The Verdict has 56m/112m of Running per 
  Turn; that equals 4m/9m per Segment. With his 
  Swinging (80m/160m), he can move 6m/13m per 
  Segment.
  mOvEmEnT PHASES
  With the Segmented Movement system, ignore 
  a character’s SPD for purposes of movement. 
  Every Segment every character gets a Movement 
  Phase. This is in addition to his standard Phase, if 
  he has one in a Segment; in either case the Move-
  ment Phase occurs when his DEX comes up in the 
  Segment, just like a standard Phase. Unless he’s 
  making a movement-based attack (such as a Move 
  By, Move Through, or Strafe), a character must use 
  his Movement Phase before he uses his standard 
  Phase. If he takes any non-movement actions, 
  even Zero-Phase Actions to activate non-Move-
  ment Powers, with his standard Phase he loses his 
  Movement Phase that Segment.
  On a Movement Phase, a character can 
  move up to his full meters of movement, and 
  can accelerate or decelerate as desired. This has 
  whatever standard effect it has on the character’s 
  other actions and abilities, based on the rules. 
  For example, if a character moves at Noncombat 
  Movement velocity, he’s at 0 OCV, ½ DCV if he 
  attacks (or is attacked).
  Moving on a Movement Phase has no affect 
  on a character’s ability to use his standard Phase’s 
  Actions, if he has a standard Phase in the same 
  Segment. Even if a character makes a Full Move 
  on his Movement Phase in a Segment when he has 
  a standard Phase, he still gets his full Phase’s worth 
  of Actions in his standard Phase; for example, 
  he could perform an Attack Action. However, in 
  campaigns using the Segmented Movement rules, 
  characters cannot move (neither Half Moves nor 
  Full Moves) as a standard Phase Action.
  To make a movement-based attack (such as a 
  Move By, Move Through, or Strafe) in his standard 
  Phase, a character must “hold” his Movement 
  Phase and use it “simultaneously” with his stan-
  dard Attack Action. The damage or other effect 
  depends on the character’s purchased meters of 
  movement, not how far he can move in a Segment. 
  For example, if a character has bought Running 
  30m (leading to a per-Segment velocity of 10m 
  due to his SPD 4), he adds +5d6 damage to a Move 
  Through, not the +1d6 he’d get from 10m.
  If a character Aborts to a defensive action 
  in a Segment in which he doesn’t have a Phase, 
  he cannot also move in that Segment unless the 
  movement is part of the defensive action (such 
  as performing a Dive For Cover). If the character 
  has already taken his Movement Phase in that 
  Segment, he cannot Abort.
  A character operating a Vehicle that’s using 
  per-Segment movement can make control rolls, 
  accelerate/decelerate, and the like in any Segment, 
  even if he doesn’t have a standard Phase. In effect 
  operating the Vehicle takes the place of his Move-
  ment Phase.
  DECOuPlInG mOvEmEnT AnD SPEED
  If you want to go even further with this 
  concept, you can “decouple” SPD and movement 
  altogether. Characters get a Movement Phase 
  every Segment as described above, but they buy 
  Movement Powers differently.
  All characters start the game with Running 2m 
  per Segment, Leaping 1m per Segment, and Swim-
  ming 1m per Segment. They buy increases to these 
  forms of Movement, and other Movement Powers, 
  in per-Segment increments. This costs two times 
  the Character Points as Movement Powers using 
  the standard rules. Thus, Flight costs 2 Char-
  acter Points for 1m per Segment, Running costs 
  2 Character Points for every +1m per Segment, 
  Leaping costs 1 Character Point for every +1m per 
  Segment, and so on. The damage or other effect of 
  a movement-based attack (such as a Move By or 
  Move Through) derives from the character’s per-
  Segment velocity.
  6
  
  162 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  FIGHTInG
  T
  he following additional, optional, and 
  expanded rules apply to calculating 
  Combat Values, making Attack Rolls, and 
  related matters.
  ATTACK ROllS
  The standard HERO System Attack Roll adds 
  11 to character’s OCV. This means that if the 
  attacker’s OCV equals the target’s DCV, he has 
  a 63% chance to hit — considerably better than 
  average (see 6E2 281 for how differences in the 
  two numbers change the odds). For GMs who 
  want things a little more “realistic,” but not too 
  “realistic,” consider changing the 11 to a 10. With 
  10 as the adder, an attacker has a 50% chance to 
  hit an evenly-matched defender, which may work 
  better for some campaigns.
  HAlvInG COmBAT vAluE
  Many actions, such as moving at Noncombat 
  velocity, can halve a character’s OCV or DCV, 
  or even reduce it to zero. Since this reduction 
  is applied as the last step of the OCV and DCV 
  Checklists (6E2 36-37), it can in effect eliminate 
  or reduce the effect of other things that alter CVs, 
  such as the Range Modifier.
  If the GM wants to compensate for this in his 
  campaign, he can divide CV modifiers into two 
  types: External and Internal. External modifiers 
  are those distinct from the character himself, such 
  as the Range Modifier, the Target Size modifier, 
  the modifier for attacking an Area, and the like. 
  Internal modifiers are those that depend on the 
  character and his voluntary actions, such as modi-
  fiers from various Combat Maneuvers or using 
  Noncombat Movement. Internal modifiers apply 
  before halving CV or reducing it to 0, in the order 
  indicated by the CV Checklists. External modifiers 
  apply after halving CV or reducing it to 0 (if there’s 
  some significance to which one applies first, use 
  the standard Checklist order as a guideline). In 
  this case, the GM may want to change the rules so 
  that characters can have negative DCVs, with the 
  “negative” becoming a bonus to an attacker’s OCV 
  and the target then being treated as DCV 0.
  THE RAnGE mODIFIER
  For campaigns featuring fights that occur 
  on really large battlefields, the accompanying 
  Extended Range Modifier Table provides a quick 
  reference for looking up Range Modifiers for vast 
  distances.
  COmBAT mODIFIERS
  AREA OF EFFECT ATTACKS
  Using an Area Of Effect attack against an adja-
  cent target point means the target point has DCV 
  0 instead of DCV 3. “Adjacent” means within 
  2m of the target when he begins or launches the 
  attack. Unless the GM permits it, a character 
  cannot buy Area Of Effect as an Advantage for his 
  STR and then use it on other areas (such as the 
  target point at the end of a Move By/Through, or 
  areas reached with Stretching) at DCV 0 — those 
  target points have DCV 3 against his attack, since 
  they’re not “adjacent” to him when he begins the 
  attack.
  BOunCInG An ATTACK
  As stated in the rules, typically a character uses 
  one Combat Skill Level with an attack for each 
  Bounce he performs. However, some characters 
  may want to be skilled with Bouncing An Attack 
  in general, regardless of the type of attack used. 
  At the GM’s option, characters can buy 3-point 
  Combat Skill Levels with Bouncing An Attack. 
  These CSLs don’t increase a character’s OCV at 
  all; they simply allow him to Bounce any of his 
  Ranged attacks.
  COORDInATED ATTACK
  If two characters with Autofire attacks make 
  their Teamwork rolls to coordinate their attacks, 
  the two first hits add together and are applied 
  to defenses as usual for Coordination, the two 
  second hits add together and are applied to 
  defenses as usual for Coordination, and so on 
  until one person’s number of hits runs out and the 
  other’s are applied by themselves (if that happens 
  at all).
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  163
  range Modifier
  distance
  KM
  notes
  -0
  Up to 8m
  —
  4-lane highway width, height of 2 average building stories or an elevator
  -2
  9-16m
  —
  -4
  17-32m
  —
  -6
  33-64m
  —
  -8
  65-125m
  —
  91m is the length of a football field
  -10
  126-250m
  0.25 km
  An average city block is 160m; the Washington Monument is 169m tall; Seattle’s Space 
  Needle is 184m tall
  -12
  251-500m
  0.5 km
  The speed of sound in air is approximately 344m/second; te Eiffel Tower is 324m tall; 
  Chicago’s Sears Tower is 444m tall
  -14
  501-1,000m
  1 km
  Elevation of the lowest clouds (1 km)
  -16
  1,001-2000m
  2 km
  -18
  2,001-4,000m
  4km
  Average depth of Earth’s oceans
  -20
  4,001-6,000m
  8 km
  Mt. Everest is 8,848m tall
  -22
  8,001-16,000m
  16 km
  11-20 km/sec is Earth’s escape velocity
  -24
  16,001-32,000m
  32 km
  Elevation of the highest clouds
  -26
  32,001-64,000m
  64 km
  Diameter of the Chicago city limits
  -28
  64,001-125,000m
  125 km
  Diameter of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
  -30
  125,001-250,000m
  250 km
  Grand Canyon is approximately 349 km long
  -32
  250,001-500,000m
  500 km
  North-south length of England and Scotland
  -34
  500,001-1 mil m
  1,000 km
  640 km is thermosphere (atmosphere) boundaries, FTL permitted
  -36
  1.1-2 mil m
  2,000 km
  -38
  2.1-4 mil m
  4,000 km
  Diameter of the Moon; the continental US has a “diameter of approximately 4,600 km
  -40
  4.1-8 mil m
  8,000 km
  North-south length of Africa
  -42
  8.1-16 mil m
  16,000 km
  The Earth is 12,740 km in diameter
  -44
  16.1-32 mil m
  32,000 km
  Geosynchronous orbit of Earth
  -46
  32.1-64 mil m
  64,000 km
  Earth’s circumference is 40,038 km
  -48
  64.1-125 mil m
  125,000 km
  Diameter of Saturn or Jupiter
  -50
  125.1-250 mil m
  250,000 km
  -52
  250.1-500 mil m
  500,000 km
  The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792 km/sec (299,792,458 m); distance from 
  Earth to the Moon (404 million m)
  -54
  500.1-1 bil m
  1 mil km
  -56
  1.1 bil-2 bil m
  2 mil km
  Diameter of the Sun
  -58
  2.1-4 bil m
  4 mil km
  -60
  4.1-8 bil m
  8 mil km
  -62
  8.1-16 bil m
  16 mil km
  -64
  16.1-32 bil m
  32 mil km
  -66
  32.1-64 bil m
  64 mil km
  -68
  64.1-125 bil m
  125 mil km
  The distance from the Earth to the Sun (1 Astronomical Unit, or AU) is 150 million km
  -70
  125.1-250 bil m
  250 mil km
  2 AUs
  -72
  250.1-500 bil m
  500 mil km
  4 AUs
  -74
  500.1-1 tril m
  1 bil km
  8 AUs; Uranis is 6.7 AUs from the Sun
  -76
  1.1-2 tril m
  2 bil km
  16 AUs
  -78
  2.1-4 tril m
  4 bil km
  32 AUs; Pluto is 25 AUs from the Sun
  -80
  4.1-8 tril m
  8 bil km
  64 AUs; the Oort cloud (on the edge of the Solar System) is 65 AUs from the Sun
  -82
  8.1-16 tril m
  16 bil km
  125 AUs
  -84
  16.1-32 tril m
  32 bil km
  250 AUs
  -86
  32.1-64 tril m
  64 bil km
  500 AUs
  -88
  64.1-125 tril m
  125 bil km
  1,000 AUs
  -90
  125.1-250 tril m
  250 bil km
  2,000 AUs
  -92
  250.1-500 tril m
  500 bil km
  4,000 AUs
  -94
  500.1-1 quad m
  1 tril km
  8,000 AUs
  -96
  1.1-2 quad m
  2 tril km
  16,000 AUs
  -98
  2.1-4 quad m
  4 tril km
  32,000 AUs
  -100
  4.1-8 quad m
  8 tril km
  64,000 AUs; 1 light-year is 63,072 AUs
  -102
  8.1-16 quad m
  16 tril km
  125,000 AUs, or 2 light-years
  -104
  16.1-32 quad m
  32 tril km
  250,000 AUs; the distance from Sol to Alpha Centauri (the nearest star) is 270,000 AUs
  -106
  32.1-64 quad m
  64 tril km
  500,000 AUs, or 8 light-years
  -108
  64.1-125quad m
  125 tril km
  1 million AUs, or 16 light-years
  -110
  125.1-250 quad m
  250 tril km
  2 million AUs, or 32 light-years
  -112
  250.1-500 quad m
  500 tril km
  4 million AUs, or 64 light-years
  -114
  500.1-1 quin m
  1 quad km
  8 million AUs, or 125 light-years
  -116
  1.1-2 quin m
  2 quad km
  16 million AUs, or 250 light-years
  To obtain the distance in miles, multiply kilometers by 0.6214.
  mil: Million • bil: Billion • tril: Trillion • quad: Quadrillion • quin: Quintillion
  EXTEnDED RAnGE mODIFIER TABlE
  6
  
  164 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  enhanCeMent
  At the GM’s option, characters can use an 
  expanded form of Coordinated Attacks known 
  as Enhancement. This Combat Modifier takes 
  advantage of the fact that certain types of attacks 
  (primarily energy-based ones) complement, or 
  enhance, one another.
  To use Enhancement, two (or more) charac-
  ters must each be using a type of energy (or other 
  attack) that is somehow related to or complemen-
  tary with the type the other uses. It’s up to the GM 
  to decide which types of energy are “related to” 
  other types; here are a few examples of types that 
  are usually considered “related”:
  
  n Any type of energy relates to itself
  
  n Electricity, Electromagnetic Energy, Light, 
  Magnetism, and Radiation all relate to each 
  other
  
  n Magnetism and Gravity
  
  n Sonic and Vibration
  
  n Magnetism relates to Ice/Cold, but not 
  vice-versa (Ice/Cold can be used to Enhance 
  Magnetism, but Magnetism cannot Enhance 
  Ice/Cold) (the same may apply to Electricity 
  and Ice/Cold)
  Depending on the nature of the GM’s setting, 
  other “related” energy types may be obvious. For 
  example, in a Fantasy setting where Shadow and 
  Ice magic are considered “evil,” Darkness, Ice/
  Cold, and Unholy attacks may all relate to one 
  another. On the other hand, some types of energy 
  are “opposites” and never relate to one another, 
  like Fire/Heat and Ice/Cold, Fire/Heat and Water, 
  and Darkness and Light.
  If the GM determines that the two attack types 
  are sufficiently “related,” the two characters can 
  try to gain an Enhancement bonus. To begin with, 
  Enhancement works just like an ordinary Coor-
  dinated attack — the characters involved have 
  to act on the same DEX in the same Phase, must 
  succeed with Teamwork Skill rolls, and so forth. 
  If all that applies (if they successfully Coordinate, 
  in other words), then each of them must make an 
  appropriate Power Skill roll. If both rolls succeed, 
  they have successfully made an Enhanced attack. 
  What occurs here is that the two attack types work 
  together constructively, sort of like two ocean 
  waves traveling in the same direction coming 
  together to form one larger wave.
  An Enhanced attack multiplies the damage 
  caused by the larger of the two powers (the one 
  with the most Active Points or most dice, which-
  ever the characters involved prefer) by 50% — for 
  example, it makes an 8d6 attack do 12d6 damage. 
  (This effect is instead of, not in addition to, 
  Coordinated Attack bonuses; characters using 
  Enhancement do not also get a Coordinated attack 
  as well.) The smaller attack doesn’t damage the 
  target at all; its power went into Enhancing the 
  larger attack. The attack has the same energy type/
  special effect as the larger attack.
  Characters can only use Enhancement with the 
  same sorts of attacks they can Coordinate with — 
  attacks that do STUN damage. The GM may, at 
  his discretion, allow Enhancement of other types 
  of effects (for example, using a Sonic attack to 
  enhance a Vibration-based Drain DEX defined as 
  inducing vertigo), but if so he may wish to reduce 
  the bonus provided by Enhancement or impose 
  penalties on the rolls involved to represent the 
  difficulty of the task.
  Enhancement can only be used with Autofire 
  attacks if all attacks involved are Autofire attacks 
  (though they don’t have to have or use the same 
  number of “shots”). The characters only have to 
  make one Teamwork roll to “Coordinate,” but 
  they have to make a separate Power Skill roll for 
  each shot used; if either of them miss on any shot, 
  they cannot try to Enhance any later shots in that 
  sequence (though they could try to Enhance their 
  attacks again in a later Phase). The damage bonus 
  applies to each shot successfully Enhanced.
  Enhancement only works with Area Of Effect 
  attacks if all attacks involved have that Advantage 
  and all cover areas at least as large as the area 
  covered by the “larger” power (the one that gets 
  Enhanced). The Enhancement bonus only applies 
  to the area covered by the larger power, and the 
  smaller power used to Enhance it doesn’t cause 
  any damage beyond its boundaries if the smaller 
  power covers a larger area.
  EnvIROnmEnTAl COnDITIOnS
  Here’s some additional information about some 
  Environmental Conditions.
  CLiMBing Ladders
  A character can climb a ladder at the rate of 4m 
  per Phase; standard Combat Modifiers for effect 
  on CV, DCs, and the like apply (see 6E2 47). At the 
  GM’s option, a character who makes a Climbing 
  or PS: Use Ladders roll by 3 or more can increase 
  the rate to 6m per Phase.
  CrouChing and CraWLing
  Crouching and crawling do not, per se, increase 
  a character’s DCV or affect his OCV. They may 
  make it easier for him to get Behind Cover while 
  still moving, or make it more likely that he gets 
  knocked Prone by an attack, but those are separate 
  Combat Modifiers.
  Unless the GM rules otherwise, a character can 
  only crawl at one-sixth of his standard Running 
  rate (e.g., 2m for a character with the ordinary 
  Running 12m), and can only move at a crouch at 
  one-third of his standard Running rate.
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  165
  SPREADInG
  A character cannot Spread a Ranged attack 
  when performing a Called Shot using the Hit 
  Location rules.
  Characters may not Spread non-damaging or 
  non-harmful “attacks” or Powers, such as Aid.
  speCiFiC poWers
  The rules on 6E2 49-50 rulebook explain how 
  to Spread most attacks. Here are some supplemen-
  tary rules for some unusual Ranged attacks.
  Drain: Use the Drain, MBlast column on the 
  Damage Class Table (6E2 97) to determine how a 
  Drain loses “Damage Classes” when Spread.
  Entangle: When Spread, an Entangle loses 1 
  BODY and 1 PD/1 ED per +1 OCV or +1m radius 
  Area filled. If the GM is willing to accept a little 
  complication, the character can subtract 1 BODY 
  or 1 PD/1 ED, alternating, from the Entangle for 
  each +1 OCV or +1m Area.
  Flash: When Spread, a Flash (of any type) loses 
  1d6 of effect for every +1 OCV or +1m radius 
  Area filled.
  Transform: On the Damage Class Table, use the 
  Killing Damage column for Severe Transforms, the 
  Drain, MBlast column for Major Transforms, and 
  the Normal Damage column for Minor Trans-
  forms (and for Cosmetic Transforms, unless you 
  want to take the time to calculate a new column 
  for the table).
  spreading strength
  Typically Spreading is restricted to Ranged 
  attacks; it gives them a benefit that STR lacks, 
  to balance STR’s general utility. However, some 
  some GMs may prefer to let characters Spread 
  their STR as a way of representing an “arm sweep,” 
  massive fists, or the like. In this case, the character 
  may only Spread for one 1m Area (unless he has 
  Stretching or some other ability the GM believes 
  justifies a broader Spread).
  Additionally, in some cases the GM might let 
  a character use the Spreading rules for his STR 
  to reflect how he picks up large objects and uses 
  them as “clubs” to hit people in HTH Combat, 
  instead of the Objects As Weapons rules (6E2 
  173). In this case, the character has to Spread for 
  Area, not OCV, and the size of the Area Spread 
  must equal the “footprint” of the object.
  Example: Grond decides to smash the Cham-
  pions with a school bus. A bus measures 10m 
  x 5m x 5m. Therefore Grond must Spread for a 
  footprint 10m long by 5m wide. That means he 
  loses 10 Damage Classes from his attack and only 
  does (90-50) 40 STR worth of damage — 8d6. On 
  the other hand, he’s hit all five of the Champions 
  at once!
  6
  
  166 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  COmBAT AnD 
  mARTIAl mAnEuvERS
  T
  he following additional, optional, and 
  expanded rules apply to Combat and 
  Martial Maneuvers. 
  BlAZInG AWAy
  A character may use this Combat Maneuver to 
  “blaze away” with a Ranged attack, firing as often 
  as he can (up to the maximum amount of END or 
  Charges he has available). It’s most appropriate for 
  Heroic campaigns, but can be used in Superheroic 
  games as well.
  When Blazing Away, the character makes 
  one Attack Roll for each attack fired, but he hits 
  his target only if he rolls a 3 (he cannot improve 
  this number with Combat Skill Levels, Combat 
  Modifiers, or any other method). He must expend 
  END or Charges for each attack. He may use an 
  Autofire attack to Blaze Away, but still hits only if a 
  3 is rolled, and can only hit with one attack out of 
  each “burst” fired. The GM may want to restrict an 
  attacker using Blazing Away to 4-5 shots to reduce 
  the amount of die rolling involved.
  Blazing Away counts as an “extremely violent 
  action” for purposes of making a Presence Attack.
  Example: Firefight notices a large group of thugs 
  rushing up to see what happened to their boss 
  (whom he just shot with his pistol). He runs 
  forward (a Half Move) and Blazes Away over 
  their heads with 5 shots. He realizes he has little 
  chance of hitting them, but hopes to make a 
  Presence Attack to scare them away, using his 
  extremely violent action to get a bonus.
  When Blazing Away, a character must specify 
  in advance how many shots he wishes to make. 
  He’s not allowed to make them one-by-one, seeing 
  if each one hits before deciding whether to launch 
  additional shots.
  Using an Area Of Effect attack or the like 
  doesn’t change the effects of Blazing Away — a 
  character can still only hurt the target if he rolls 
  a 3 on his Attack Roll. The missed Area-affecting 
  attacks can’t harm his enemy.
  Usually a character cannot use an attack 
  with the Extra Time Limitation to Blaze Away. 
  However, the GM should consider the nature of 
  the Limitation and the special effects involved. For 
  example, if the Limitation only applies to acti-
  vating the power the first time, but not thereafter, 
  a character might be able to Blaze Away with it 
  after it’s been activated.
  At the GM’s option, characters can Blaze Away 
  with HTH attacks by making a series of wild, 
  violent punches, kicks, slashes, or the like.
  BlOCK
  With the GM’s permission a character can 
  make multiple Blocks to protect someone else, 
  using the standard multiple Block penalty in addi-
  tion to the flat -2 OCV penalty for Blocking for 
  another character.
  With the GM’s permission, a character is 
  allowed to Block for himself and for someone 
  else, in whatever order, as part of the same overall 
  chain of multiple Blocks, provided he doesn’t have 
  to move to Block for the other character. Thus, he 
  could start out Blocking for himself, then Block 
  for another character, then go back to Blocking 
  for himself, all as part of the same Action/chain of 
  Blocks.
  Assuming the GM wants to allow a character 
  to perform multiple Blocks for someone else, and 
  then allow that character to Block for himself 
  before some intervening cause would eliminate 
  the cumulative OCV penalty for performing the 
  multiple Blocks, the OCV penalty incurred for 
  Blocking for the other person applies to the char-
  acter’s effort to Block for himself. The same applies 
  if the character Blocks for himself and is then 
  allowed to Block for another person.
  For example, suppose Yeung Li has OCV 14. 
  He Blocks one attack against himself at -0 OCV 
  (20). He Blocks another attack against himself 
  so he’s at -2 OCV (12). Then he wants to Block 
  three attacks being made against his companion 
  Yumiko. Those Blocks are at -4, -6, and -8 OCV, 
  plus the additional -2 OCV for Blocking for 
  someone else (8, 6, 4) respectively. If he then 
  wants to Block another attack against himself, that 
  will be at -10 OCV (4).
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  167
  mIXInG HAnD-TO-HAnD AnD RAnGED BlOCKS
  Under the standard rules, characters cannot 
  combine a Block of a HTH Combat attack with 
  a Block of a Ranged attack as part of the same 
  sequences of Blocks. With the GM’s permission, 
  this rule doesn’t apply — characters can mix the 
  two types of Blocks freely. However, this entails 
  a -2 OCV penalty, which accrues on the first 
  attempt to Block an attack that’s different from the 
  ones the character’s been Blocking. For example, 
  if a character Blocks two HTH Combat attacks, 
  he’s at -0 OCV for the first, then -2 OCV for the 
  second. If he then tries to Block a Ranged attack, 
  he’s at -6 OCV: -4 OCV for his third Block, plus 
  another -2 for now trying to Block a different type 
  of attack.
  BlOCKS COmBInED WITH OTHER ElEmEnTS
  Some Martial Maneuvers, such as Defensive 
  Throw and Grappling Block, combine Block with 
  other Martial Maneuver elements such as Grab or 
  Throw. Since these maneuvers have an offensive 
  or aggressive aspect to them, a character cannot 
  Abort to them (even if he wants to use just the 
  Block part of the maneuver).
  DISARm By 
  This optional new Combat Maneuver allows 
  a character to move past someone and Disarm 
  that person, in effect combining some aspects of 
  Move By with Disarm. It requires at least a Half 
  Move, and can be performed with a Full Move if 
  desired. It imposes a -4 penalty on OCV and a -2 
  on DCV. If the Attack Roll succeeds, the character 
  engages in a STR Versus STR Roll Contest to see 
  if he Disarms the target, and his velocity divided 
  by 5 adds to his STR (not his STR dice) only for 
  purposes of succeeding with the Disarm. Other-
  wise, standard rules for Disarm apply. In partic-
  ular, remember that a Disarmed object goes flying 
  1d6+1 meters in the direction of the strike — the 
  character does not get to take it away and keep it 
  (that requires a Grab By).
  At the GM’s option, a character performing 
  a Disarm By can make a Sleight Of Hand roll 
  to replace the Disarmed object with some other 
  object he’s already holding.
  Characters may not perform Disarm Bys or 
  Grab Bys with Extra-Dimensional Movement, 
  FTL Travel, Teleportation, any MegaScaled form 
  of movement, or Telekinesis. However, they may 
  perform them at Noncombat Movement speeds 
  with other forms of movement (though this means 
  the character has a base OCV of 0).
  DIvE FOR COvER
  Ordinarily a character can only Dive For Cover 
  himself, he can’t take someone else along with 
  him. However, the GM may permit this if desired. 
  In this case, the character can do either of the 
  following:
  
  n Dive For Cover from where he’s standing, 
  taking someone who’s in the same or an adja-
  cent Area with him. He suffers a -2 penalty to 
  the DEX Roll for each person he carries along 
  (in addition to the standard penalty based on 
  distance moved).
  
  n move up to someone and Dive For Cover 
  from that point. In this case the standard DEX 
  Roll penalty depends on the entire amount of 
  meters moved (not just the “dive” from where 
  the rescuee was located), and the character 
  suffers an additional -2 penalty to the DEX Roll 
  for each person he carries along. Unless the 
  GM rules otherwise, the character could Dive 
  For Cover this way with multiple people that 
  he picks up either in groups or one at a time 
  along his movement path.
  In either case, the GM may restrict how many 
  people a character can carry based on his STR, 
  available limbs, or other factors. If the character 
  fails his DEX Roll, he and everyone he’s carrying 
  suffer the negative effects. When he lands, he and 
  everyone he’s carrying are considered “prone,” and 
  are subject to all other rules governing Dive For 
  Cover unless the GM rules otherwise.
  GRAB
  Here are some additional rules and options 
  for Grab.
  Options For Grab
  As indicated in 6E2, after performing a Grab, in 
  that same Segment a character can only Squeeze, 
  Slam, or Throw the target as an immediate attack; 
  he can’t use any other maneuvers or attacks unless 
  the GM or some other rule permits it.
  At the GM’s option, besides Squeezing, Slam-
  ming, or Throwing a Grabbed victim, characters 
  can do any one of the following immediately after 
  performing a Grab in that same Segment without 
  the need for an additional Attack Roll. They can 
  also perform them when they have Phases in later 
  Segments (or, if appropriate, if they want to Abort 
  to them), but they must first succeed with an 
  Attack Roll, just like with Squeezing, Slamming, 
  or Throwing in later Segments. These options are 
  most appropriate for martial arts campaigns and 
  the like.
  
  n Grab and Block
  
  n Grab and Control
  
  n Grab and Redirect
  
  n Grab and Shove
  A character can only use one of these addi-
  tional functions in a Phase (just like he can’t both 
  Squeeze and Throw a victim). Having Grabbed a 
  target, the character cannot Block and Redirect in 
  the same Phase, or Block and Throw, or any other 
  combination.
  REDEFInInG 
  BlOCK
  the basic Block 
  maneuver allows the 
  character to avoid all 
  damage from a hth 
  Combat attack and 
  then go first in the next 
  phase if both combat-
  ants have their next 
  phase in common. if 
  the gM prefers, he can 
  redefine Block slightly to 
  allow different combat 
  dynamics. here are 
  some suggestions along 
  these lines:
  1. a Block deflects all 
  damage from an attack, 
  but does not let the 
  Blocker go first in the 
  next phase. this sort 
  of Block is sometimes 
  referred to as an “active 
  dodge.”
  2. a Block deflects half 
  of the damage from an 
  attack, and allows the 
  Blocker to go first in the 
  next phase.
  3. a Block deflects 
  half of the 
  damage from an 
  attack, and does 
  not allow the 
  Blocker to go first in 
  the next phase.
  4. a Block deflects all 
  of the damage from one 
  attack only, and provides 
  its dCv bonus against 
  all other attacks that 
  phase. in other words, 
  characters cannot use 
  Block to avoid succes-
  sive attacks in the same 
  phase, though they get 
  the dCv bonus from the 
  maneuver.
  6
  
  168 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  GRAB AnD BlOCK
  With this combination, a character Grabs 
  someone — and then, at any time while the Grab 
  is still in effect, Blocks an incoming attack with the 
  Grabbed character’s body. (This is a particularly 
  popular maneuver among villains, who are fond of 
  using it with captured DNPCs and other inno-
  cents.) To do this, he performs the Grab normally. 
  If the Grabbed character doesn’t immediately 
  escape, the Grabber can perform a Block with 
  his body. Roll the Block maneuver (or Martial 
  Block maneuver) at a -2 to OCV (this replaces 
  the normal ½ OCV the Grabber has against 
  other targets). If it succeeds, the Grabber has 
  Blocked the attack; the Grabbed character takes 
  the damage of the incoming attack. You can only 
  Block this way once per Phase, unlike ordinary 
  Blocks.
  If a character has Combat Skill Levels with 
  Grab, he cannot apply them to the OCV of the 
  Block of a Grab-and-Block combination.
  GRAB AnD COnTROl
  When a character Grabs someone, he can 
  also attempt to Control that person, meaning 
  turn the victim so he cannot attack the character 
  as easily. To do this, he and the victim both roll 
  their STR dice and count the BODY. (If this is 
  immediately after he Grabbed the victim and the 
  victim’s Phase hasn’t yet come up, the victim can 
  only use his Casual STR.) If the character rolls at 
  least 2 BODY more than the victim, he can turn 
  the victim so the victim cannot strike him this 
  Segment. (Of course, this may be useless if the 
  victim has Stretching, an Indirect attack, or some 
  other ability that counteracts the Control.) To 
  maintain Control, the character must win another 
  STR versus STR contest whenever the victim tries 
  to break free.
  Grab and Control is a good way to subdue 
  someone a character wishes to speak to but not 
  hurt; it does the victim no harm and gives the 
  character a Phase or two to speak. A character can 
  also use Grab and Control to force someone to the 
  ground without hurting him (to force him to the 
  ground and do STR damage to him in the process, 
  Grab and Slam him).
  GRAB AnD REDIRECT
  Redirect follows a Grab of someone’s weapon. 
  If a character Grabs a weapon, he may engage in 
  a STR Versus STR Roll to attack with it. Both he 
  and the victim roll their STR dice and count the 
  BODY. If the character succeeds (i.e., the BODY 
  he rolled equals or exceeds the victim’s BODY 
  roll), he can attack the weapon’s wielder or another 
  character within HTH Combat distance (i.e., 1m, 
  unless the weapon extends Reach).
  If the campaign uses the STR Minimum rules, 
  they apply to Redirect attacks. If the character’s 
  STR isn’t sufficient to use the weapon, he suffers 
  the usual OCV and/or damage penalty. If his STR 
  equals or exceeds the weapon’s STR Minimum, 
  he suffers no OCV penalty, but he only does 
  the weapon’s base damage. Since the wielder of 
  the weapon struggles against him, the character 
  doesn’t get to use any of his STR which exceeds 
  the weapon’s STR Minimum to increase the 
  damage done by the weapon.
  Characters can use Grab-and-Redirect with 
  Ranged attacks, assuming appropriate special 
  effects (such a maneuver might work very well 
  with a gun, less well or not at all with a bow or 
  throwing knife). Characters cannot apply Range 
  Skill Levels with a Redirect, though.
  If a character has Combat Skill Levels with 
  Grab, he cannot apply them to the OCV of, or 
  damage caused with, the Redirect of a Grab-and-
  Redirect combination. Nor can he apply Extra 
  DCs to increase the damage of that maneuver.
  GRAB AnD SHOvE
  Once a character has Grabbed someone, he 
  may attempt to Shove the victim backwards. He 
  makes a STR Versus STR Roll. If he succeeds, he 
  may shove the victim back a maximum of 2m. He 
  moves with the victim and continues to hold on to 
  him as he does so.
  A character may perform this option even after 
  he’s performed a Half Move and Grab/Shove. For 
  example, a character with Running 14m moves 
  7m forward and Grabs his target successfully. He 
  can now elect to Shove his target back 2m, even 
  though, at Phase’s end, he’s moved a total of 10m 
  (more than his Half Move) and still performed 
  an attack.
  Shoving does no damage to a target unless he’s 
  shoved into a surface such as a wall; in that case, 
  he takes the character’s STR damage. A STR 18 
  character shoving a target into a wall will do 3½d6 
  Normal Damage to that target. If the campaign 
  uses Hit Locations, this is just generalized damage.
  FuRTHER OPTIOnS
  The GM may allow other optional “uses” for 
  Grab as a Multiple Attack. For example, a large 
  monster could Grab-and-Squeeze a character with 
  its mouth and also use its fangs (an HKA) as part 
  of a Multiple Attack.
  move Throw
  A Move Throw is a form of Grab and Throw 
  that lets a character pick up a target, move with 
  it, and then let it go or throw it so it slams into a 
  wall, the ground, another character, or the like 
  and takes damage. The damage depends on the 
  character’s velocity more than his STR.
  To perform a Move Slam, a character must 
  first Grab a target (standard Grab rules apply, 
  including CV penalties). Then on a later Phase 
  (not necessarily his very next Phase, just any 
  Phase in which the character still has the target 
  Grabbed), he moves with the victim and Throws 
  him into something. Typically this is a wall, 
  vehicle, tree, or other reasonably solid vertical 
  structure, not just the ground, but it depends 
  on the direction the character moves. The target 
  could even be another character (see Characters 
  As Weapons, 6E2 124, for rules for this).
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  169
  In most cases the character moves to within 
  4m of what he’s Throwing the target into and then 
  “throws” or drops the target into it. In this case 
  penalties for balance and aerodynamicity do not 
  apply. If the character wants to Throw the target a 
  greater distance than 4m, use the Throwing Table 
  (6E2 81) to see if he can do so; in that case penal-
  ties for Throwing an unbalanced and/or unaero-
  dynamic object may apply, as may the Range 
  Modifier.
  To Move Throw a target, the character must 
  succeed with an Attack Roll. If the roll succeeds, 
  the target takes ((STR/2) + (velocity/6)) in d6 of 
  Normal Damage and end up at the location occu-
  pied by the object he was Thrown into. (The GM 
  may convert this to the equivalent DCs of Killing 
  Damage if what the target’s Slammed against is 
  sharp, jagged, or the like.) If the roll fails, the 
  target takes no damage at all and is in the location 
  his attacker occupied when he made the Attack 
  Roll or the location occupied by the object he was 
  supposed to hit, whichever he prefers. Whether 
  the Attack Roll succeeds or fails, the character no 
  longer has a hold on the target — the Grab has 
  ended. To perform another Move Throw on the 
  target, the character has to Grab the target again 
  and start moving.
  At the GM’s option, a character can perform a 
  Move Slam instead of a Move Throw. This means 
  he Slams a Grabbed target into a vertical object as 
  he moves past it, doing ((STR/2) + (velocity/6)) 
  in d6 of Normal Damage to the target but still 
  retaining his hold on the target. He could even 
  Move Slam a target into multiple vertical objects 
  (such as a row of fence posts) as a Multiple Attack.
  HAymAKER
  If a character wants to Haymaker an attack 
  that takes Extra Time, the Extra Time begins 
  “running” when he announces that he’s beginning 
  a Haymaker with it. All Haymaker conditions 
  apply for the entire length of the Extra Time, plus 
  one Segment. The Haymaker finally occurs at the 
  very end of the Segment after the Extra Time has 
  fully run.
  A character can Haymaker an Area Of Effect 
  attack, but if anyone who’s in the target area moves 
  while the character is “winding up,” the Haymaker 
  fails, unless the GM rules otherwise.
  If a character Haymakers a Constant attack, 
  the +4 DCs from the Haymaker only apply during 
  the initial attack. The damage thereafter is based 
  on the standard effect for the power. The GM can 
  determine how to reduce the damage, but in the 
  case of a Normal Damage attack like a Blast typi-
  cally what he should do is remove the four dice 
  with the highest numbers on them.
  If an attack being Haymakered doesn’t 
  normally require an Attack Action, Haymakering 
  it automatically makes it take an Extra Segment to 
  execute.
  HuRRy
  This Optional Combat Maneuver, which is 
  similar to Hipshot, provides a character with a 
  way to raise his DEX for purposes of going first in 
  a Phase, but at the expense of rushing his attack 
  (and thus having a worse chance to hit). Charac-
  ters may use Hurry with other Combat or Martial 
  Maneuvers (though in most cases they simply use 
  it with Strike).
  To use Hurry, a character declares at the begin-
  ning of a Segment in which he has a Phase that he 
  will Hurry his next Action. He rolls 1d6 and adds 
  the result to his DEX only for purposes of acting 
  earlier in the Phase. When the DEX count gets to 
  his effective DEX, he acts.
  Normally, a character should declare he’s 
  Hurrying at the beginning of a Segment in which 
  he has a Phase. If the character waits to declare 
  that he’ll Hurry until after the DEX count has 
  begun, and his effective DEX while Hurrying 
  would exceed the DEX of characters who have 
  already acted, the Hurrying character doesn’t 
  retroactively get to act before they did — Actions 
  already taken are taken, and the character simply 
  gets to act right away.
  While Hurrying, the character is at -2 OCV, -2 
  DCV, and -2 on all Skill and Characteristic Rolls. 
  DEX gained from Hurrying doesn’t add to Skill 
  Rolls or Characteristic Rolls.
  Example: Firefight (DEX 20) declares at the 
  beginning of the Phase that he will Hurry. He 
  rolls 1d6 and get a 5. His effective DEX for taking 
  an Action is now a 25. When the DEX count 
  reaches 25, he can act, but will be at -2 on his CV 
  and Skill and Characteristic Rolls.
  Suppose Firefight declares after the GM has 
  begun the DEX count that he will Hurry. He rolls 
  1d6 and get a 5. His effective DEX for taking 
  an Action is now a 25. However, the GM has 
  already counted down past DEX 24 and 23, and 
  characters with those DEXs have acted. Firefight 
  doesn’t get to act before those characters, but he 
  may now act. He is at -2 on his CV and Skill and 
  Characteristic Rolls.
  Generally, a character should only attempt 
  relatively simple actions while Hurrying. Many 
  normally automatic actions become difficult if 
  a character Hurries. The GM should feel free to 
  require DEX Rolls, Skill Rolls, or any other appro-
  priate roll to determine if a character can properly 
  perform an Action while Hurrying (or, alternately, 
  impose a penalty on the action attempted).
  Like Hipshot, Hurry typically can only be used 
  to make attacks, unless the GM rules otherwise. 
  The GM should be more willing to grant excep-
  tions for Hurry, since it involves things like Skill 
  Roll and Characteristic Roll penalties.
  6
  
  170 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  InTERFEREnCE
  Interference is a new Optional Combat 
  Maneuver that the GM can allow in the campaign. 
  It’s primarily intended for energy powers and 
  similar abilities, but the GM can allow charac-
  ters with other types of attacks to use it as well 
  in appropriate circumstances. It’s based on the 
  fact that certain energy types can “counteract” 
  each other in ways energy projectors can exploit. 
  What occurs here is that the two energy types 
  interact negatively, sort of like two ocean waves 
  crashing together and destroying or weakening 
  one another.
  To use Interference, a character must have two 
  things:
  1. An Action available. Typically this means 
  he’s Held his Action in anticipation of using 
  Interference, but at the GM’s option a character 
  can Abort to Interfere. (The GM can even allow 
  a character to Abort to Interfere with an attack 
  directed at someone other than himself, if that 
  seems appropriate and properly heroic.)
  2. A Ranged attack power that (a) is a non-
  Mental Power that directly causes damage, such 
  as Blast, RKA, Drain, or Telekinesis, and (b) is 
  of a type of energy that’s related to the attack the 
  character wants to interfere with. “Related” in this 
  situation means that the two powers have the same 
  energy type (i.e., both are Sonic attacks, both are 
  Fire/Heat attacks) or are conceptually opposed to 
  or opposites of each other (e.g., Fire/Heat and Ice/
  Cold, Darkness and Light, Fire/Heat and Water). 
  At the GM’s option, characters can use Interfer-
  ence with powers that are not so closely “related”; 
  use the definition provided under Coordinated 
  Attack: Enhancement, above, as a guideline. The 
  GM has the final say about whether one attack can 
  be used to Interfere with another.
  To use Interference, a character must make an 
  Attack Roll that pits his OCV against the OCV of 
  the character using the power he wants to Inter-
  fere with (similar to Block). The character suffers 
  a -2 OCV penalty and -2 DCV penalty for using 
  the Maneuver. If the roll succeeds, the character’s 
  power has Interfered with the other power — their 
  “harmonics” or “frequencies” or “wavelengths” 
  interact in ways that diminish the other power, 
  or their opposed forces simply cancel each other 
  out. The character using the other power subtracts 
  the Active Points of the Interfering power from 
  the Active Points of his power. If the result is 0 or 
  less, his attack is totally Interfered with and does 
  no damage; if the result is higher than 0, he can 
  still try to hit his intended target, but his attack 
  only has Active Points equal to the result. (The 
  GM may rule that there’s a certain minimum of 
  effect, such as 1d6, regardless of the results of 
  Interference.)
  An attack used to Interfere does not have to 
  be based on the same power (i.e., a character can 
  counter a Blast with an RKA or Telekinesis, he 
  doesn’t have to use another Blast). However, the 
  GM may impose penalties on the Attack Roll if he 
  feels the powers are significantly different (such as 
  an RKA trying to interfere with an NND Blast or 
  Drain STUN).
  It’s not necessary for two powers to have the 
  same Advantages for them to Interfere with one 
  another. An ordinary, un-Advantaged, attack 
  can Interfere with one that is an Area Of Effect, 
  Autofire, NND, No Range Modifier, or what have 
  you. However, the GM may impose penalties on 
  the Attack Roll if he feels the Advantages on either 
  power make it significantly different from the 
  other.
  mulTIPlE ATTACK
  The Multiple Attack rules specifically state that 
  characters cannot use defensive maneuvers or 
  Actions (such as Block or Deflection) as part of 
  a Multiple Attack, nor make a Multiple “Attack” 
  that consists of nothing but defensive actions. 
  However, the GM may choose to ignore this rule, 
  allowing characters to freely mix offensive and 
  defensive Actions as part of a Multiple Attack. 
  This imposes an additional -2 OCV penalty on all 
  the Attack Rolls in the Multiple Attack — and of 
  course, since it’s a Multiple Attack the character’s 
  DCV is halved, which may negate or diminish the 
  effectiveness of any defensive Actions involved.
  SHOvE
  A character can use Shove on multiple targets 
  in two ways. The first is to Shove one target into 
  another. Use the Characters As Weapons (6E2 124) 
  for Throwing one character into another for this.
  The second is to perform a Shove againt several 
  targets simultaneously — for example, when a 
  character’s holding a staff, several thugs grab it, 
  and he Shoves all of them off of him. (This counts 
  as a single attack, not a Multiple Attack, unless 
  the GM rules otherwise.) In this sort of unusual 
  situation, the Shoving character uses his STR (plus 
  any bonus STR from a Martial Maneuver that 
  enhances Shove, if applicable). Use the “Combined 
  STR” rule on 6E1 41 to determine the “group STR” 
  of the targets for the purpose of resisting a Shove.
  Example: Three thugs attack Cheng Fei, a 
  practitioner of Tai Ch’i Ch’uan. Cheng gets his 
  forearm between himself and the three thugs as 
  they try to knock him down, so he decides to push 
  them away from him, using his Martial Shove 
  maneuver; he has STR 40 for this purpose. The 
  thugs have STRs of 10, 15, and 10. Their lifting 
  capacities are 100, 200, and 100 kilograms, 
  respectively, for a total of 400 kg. This equals STR 
  20 for purposes of resisting Shove. Cheng rolls 9 
  BODY on his dice, the thugs roll 3 on theirs, so 
  they’re thrown back 4” from their intended target!
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  171
  SuSTAInED ATTACK
  This new Optional Combat Maneuver allows a 
  character to temporarily convert an Instant attack 
  (such as an ordinary Blast, RKA, or Drain) into a 
  Constant attack. The attack only does 75% of its 
  standard damage (calculated as 75% of the Active 
  Points in the power), but it costs its full END 
  cost every Phase that it’s used. (If the power uses 
  Charges, it uses its ordinary number of Charges 
  every Phase it’s in use.) Unless the GM rules 
  otherwise, characters cannot Push a power while 
  it’s used to perform a Sustained Attack.
  A Sustained Attack imposes a -2 OCV penalty 
  and -2 DCV penalty. The OCV penalty only 
  applies when he makes the Attack Roll; the -2 
  DCV penalty remains in effect as long as he main-
  tains the Sustained Attack.
  Using Sustained Attack requires a Full Phase 
  Action each Phase that it’s maintained. Since that 
  means the character cannot move, if his target 
  moves beyond the Range of his power or breaks 
  Line Of Sight by moving behind a large object (or 
  the like), the Sustained Attack immediately stops.
  A character has to declare that he’s performing 
  a Sustained Attack before he ever uses the attack. 
  He can’t make an ordinary, Instant, attack in one 
  Phase and then declare in his next Phase that he 
  wants to “convert” it into a Sustained Attack.
  Example: Helios has a Blast 12d6 that he wants 
  to use as a Sustained Attack. As a Sustained 
  Attack it does only Blast 9d6 damage (based on 
  45 Active Points, 75% of the 60 Active Points in 
  the power). However, it still costs him 6 END 
  per Phase to use. He suffers a -2 OCV penalty 
  on his Attack Roll, and he’s at -2 DCV as long as 
  he keeps making the Sustained Attack. He has to 
  spend a Full Phase making the attack, and a Full 
  Phase every Phase thereafter to maintain it.
  THROW
  Here are some additional rules and options for 
  Throw.
  If a character applies the Area Of Effect Advan-
  tage to a Throw maneuver, the weight limit for 
  Throws applies per target, not over the entire area.
  RESISTInG THROWS
  Throws, and Martial Maneuvers built with 
  the Target Falls Element, typically cause damage 
  by hurling the target to the ground, but some do 
  damage primarily from the impact that knocks 
  the target down. A Power that allows the character 
  to resist being Thrown sometimes also prevents 
  him from taking damage from the maneuver. This 
  works as follows.
  If the maneuver is one where the attacker’s 
  impact knocks the target to the ground (such as 
  Flying Tackle and some Killing Throws), the target 
  who uses Powers to resist being Thrown still takes 
  full damage.
  If the maneuver is one where the attacker 
  knocks the target’s feet from under him (such as 
  Legsweep and Takedown), the target who uses 
  Powers to resist being Thrown takes only half 
  damage from the maneuver.
  If the maneuver is one where the attacker 
  levers, unbalances, or redirects the target into 
  hitting the ground, and all the damage comes 
  from the impact with the ground (maneuvers such 
  as most uses of Throw, Grappling Throw, Martial 
  Throw, and Sacrifice Throw), the target who uses 
  Powers to resist being Thrown takes no damage 
  from the maneuver.
  KnoCKBaCK resistanCe
  If a character has any Knockback Resistance 
  and is prepared to use it (i.e., is not attacked from 
  Surprise), he doesn’t fall when struck by Throw 
  maneuvers where the attacker’s impact knocks the 
  target to the ground (such as Flying Tackle and 
  some Killing Throws). However, all other Throw 
  maneuvers work normally on him.
  stretChing; shape shiFt
  Throws may not work on characters with 
  malleable bodies — a character with Stretching, 
  and some forms of Shape Shift, simply manipu-
  lates or “moves” his body so the attacker cannot 
  get leverage to throw him. The GM should adjudi-
  cate this effect on a case-by-case basis.
  DAmAGE FROm THROWS
  If the GM wants more detailed rules for the 
  effects of Throws, the damage a character takes 
  from a Throw depends in part on the surface he 
  lands on. The surface also modifies the Break-
  fall roll the character can make to only take half 
  damage (see accompanying table). These penal-
  ties are cumulative; an extremely hard, uneven 
  surface (say, a sidewalk with a lot of broken bricks 
  and trash lying around) adds +4d6 damage and 
  imposes a -4 to the target’s Breakfall roll.
  Remember that the Breakfall roll to halve the 
  damage taken from a fall also suffers a penalty of 
  -1 per 2d6 of damage the Throw does. Neither that 
  modifier nor the ones described in this chart apply 
  to a Breakfall roll made simply to stand up without 
  taking a Half Phase.
  THROW mODIFIERS TABlE
  surface
  damage
  Breakfall
  Hardness
  Soft (water, a cushion or mat, extremely soft earth)
  —
  -0 - +1
  Average (carpeted floor, average earth or sand)
  +1d6
  -1
  Hard (wooden or tile floor, packed earth)
  +2d6
  -2
  Extremely Hard (cement or asphalt, metal)
  +3d6
  -3
  Evenness
  Smooth or even surface (floor, most sidewalks)
  —
  -0
  Sloped surface (hillside, ramp)
  —
  -0 to -1
  Bumpy, uneven surface; cluttered surface (stairs, 
  trash-strewn alley, rocky ground)
  +1d6
  -1
  6
  
  172 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  DAmAGE &  
  OTHER COmBAT EFFECTS
  H
  ere are some additional or optional rules 
  regarding damage and its effects. 
  EFFECTS OF DAmAGE
  Here are some additional rules for Stunning 
  and Knockback.
  STunnInG
  Increasing a character’s STUN via Healing 
  (or any other method) can bring him back from 
  unconsciousness, but technically it can’t alter 
  the effect of being Stunned. However, at the 
  GM’s option, if (a) the STUN lost to an attack 
  is completely restored via Healing, and (b) one 
  additional die of Healing STUN (or Simplified 
  Healing) is applied to “eliminate being Stunned,” 
  another character could remove the effect of being 
  Stunned from a character.
  If a character has been Presence Attacked to 
  the point where he can only take a Half Phase 
  Action, and later in that same Segment, but before 
  he gets to take his Half Phase Action, he’s Stunned, 
  he can recover from being Stunned by using his 
  Half Phase Action. If a character recovers from 
  being Stunned, and someone Presence Attacks 
  him later in that same Segment to the point where 
  he can only take a Half Phase Action, the char-
  acter only performs a Half Phase in his next full 
  Phase.
  If a character is Stunned, and takes enough 
  damage to be Stunned again before he gets to 
  recover from being Stunned, he doesn’t have to 
  recover twice. He was already Stunned, so he can’t 
  really be “Stunned more”; one recovery from being 
  Stunned takes care of both.
  If a character is Stunned by a Constant attack, 
  he can recover from being Stunned if he has a 
  Phase in a Segment in which his attacker does not 
  (and therefore in which he doesn’t take damage 
  from the Constant attack).
  If a character recovers from being Stunned 
  before the end of the Segment (i.e., he was 
  Stunned before his Phase occurred in that 
  Segment, then used his Phase to become 
  un-Stunned), his Constant Powers don’t stop 
  working at the end of the Segment — he recovered 
  in time to “keep them going.”
  KnOCKBACK
  If a character is Knocked Back and hits nothing 
  — he’s Knocked Back upward into the air, or is 
  far up in the air and Knocked Back a few meters 
  downward — he doesn’t take any KB damage.
  HIT lOCATIOnS
  Here are some additional rules regarding Hit 
  Locations and Placed Shots.
  HIT lOCATIOnS AnD BARRIERS
  If the Hit Location rules are in use, and an 
  attacker fires at a target who’s protected by a 
  Barrier, an ordinary wall, or some other obstacle, 
  here’s how you resolve the damage if the attack 
  penetrates the obstacle and affects the target.
  For Killing Attacks, do this:
  1. First, find out if the KA does enough BODY to 
  penetrate the Barrier. If not, the issue of the STUN 
  is moot.
  2. if the Ka gets through the Barrier, subtract the 
  Barrier’s defenses from the BODY done.
  3. apply the remaining Body to the target normally 
  using the hit Location rules, and calculate STUN 
  from it.
  For a normal Damage attack, subtract the Barri-
  er’s defenses (and the character’s other defenses) 
  from the STUN rolled, then apply the NSTUN 
  multiplier to the STUN damage the character 
  actually takes after defenses.
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  173
  HIT lOCATIOnS AnD vulnERABIlITy
  The Vulnerability Complication interacts with 
  the Hit Location rules as follows:
  For Killing Damage, do the following:
  1. roll 3d6 to determine where the attack hit.
  2. roll the damage dice to determine how much 
  Body the attack does.
  3. use the stunx multiplier to determine how much 
  stun the attack does.
  3a. if the target has a vulnerability that increases 
  the stun damage, apply it at this stage, after 
  applying the STUNx multiplier. Then subtract 
  the target’s appropriate defenses to determine 
  how much STUN damage he takes.
  3b. if the target has applicable damage reduc-
  tion, it now applies (after defenses are applied) 
  to reduce the STUN damage.
  4. if the target has a vulnerability that increases 
  the Body damage, apply it at this stage, before 
  applying defenses. Then subtract the target’s 
  appropriate Resistant Defenses to determine how 
  much BODY damage he takes. Then apply the Hit 
  Location’s BODYx modifier to the BODY damage 
  that gets past his defenses (if any).
  4a. if the target has applicable damage reduc-
  tion, it now applies to reduce the BODY 
  damage.
  For normal Damage, do the following:
  1. roll 3d6 to determine where the attack hit.
  2. roll the damage dice to determine how much 
  stun the attack does.
  3. if the target has a vulnerability that increases 
  the stun damage, apply it at this stage, before 
  applying defenses. Then subtract the target’s 
  appropriate defenses to determine how much 
  STUN damage he takes. Then apply the Hit Loca-
  tion’s N STUN modifier to the STUN damage that 
  gets past his defenses (if any).
  3a. if the target has applicable damage reduc-
  tion, it now applies (after defenses are applied) 
  to reduce the STUN damage.
  4. determine the normal damage Body the attack 
  does by the usual method. If the target has a 
  Vulnerability that increases the BODY damage, 
  apply it at this stage, before applying defenses. 
  Then subtract the target’s appropriate defenses to 
  determine how much BODY damage he takes. 
  Then apply the Hit Location’s BODYx modifier to 
  the BODY damage that gets past his defenses (if 
  any).
  4a. if the target has applicable damage reduc-
  tion, it now applies (after defenses are applied) 
  to reduce the BODY damage.
  EXPAnDInG THE HIT lOCATIOn CHART
  The accompanying text box lists some optional 
  “new” Hit Locations. These are provided only 
  for targeting purposes; they don’t change the Hit 
  Location chart itself.
  ADDITIOnAl HIT lOCATIOnS
  Location
  stunx
  n stun
  Bodyx
  to hit
  Finger
  x1
  x½
  x¼
  -8
  Eye*
  x5
  x2
  x2½
  -12
  Knee/Elbow
  x2
  x1
  x½
  -7
  Spine†
  x3
  x1
  x1
  -7
  Neck/Throat‡
  x5
  x1
  x2
  -9
  notes:
  *: In many cases, even well-protected characters have 
  little or no eye protection.
  †: A hit to the spine from which the target takes BODY 
  usually results in some sort of paralysis; the extent 
  and duration of the paralysis depends on the wound. 
  A character can only target the spine from behind.
  ‡: A hit to the throat usually causes loss of voice or 
  similar problems in addition to any other damage it 
  causes.
  ADJuSTABlE HIT lOCATIOnS 
  As an optional rule for campaigns that use 
  the Hit Location rules, the GM can allow char-
  acters to adjust the location they rolled by up to 
  1 point (not one step, one point) up or down the 
  Hit Location chart for each 1 point by which they 
  make their Attack Rolls. In other words, an Attack 
  Roll that succeeds by a large margin has a greater 
  chance to hit a vulnerable spot, thus reflecting the 
  degree of the character’s success.
  Example: Renegade shoots at a bank robber. He 
  succeeds by 3. Then he rolls on the Hit Location 
  Table and gets an 11 — the Chest. Using this 
  optional rule, he can adjust the 11 up or down 
  by up to 1 point for each point he made the roll 
  by (i.e., three points). So, he could take it up the 
  chart to 10 (still the Chest), 9 (Shoulders), or 
  8 (Arms), or down the chart to 12 (Stomach), 
  13 (Vitals), or 14 (Thighs). He decides to go for 
  the “good shot” and adjusts to 13 (Vitals) for the 
  deadliest possible wound he can inflict.
  A character cannot adjust to a Hit Location 
  that he can’t perceive with a Targeting Sense or 
  that’s blocked from his line of fire by Behind 
  Cover or the like.
  InCREASInG KIllInG DAmAGE 
  WITH HIT lOCATIOnS
  Some HERO System GMs are concerned that 
  Killing Damage weapons don’t put victims down 
  with even the spotty regularity of real-world 
  weapons. The HERO System simulates dramatic, 
  heroic action. That means characters can take a 
  lot of damage and keep going. You can use the 
  Impairing/Disabling rules to get around this, but 
  those rules are a little complicated. Or you could 
  change all the DCs for weapons, which takes time 
  and effort.
  6
  
  174 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  As a simpler option for more “realistic” 
  campaigns, try this instead: double the BODYx 
  Column of the Hit Location Chart for Killing 
  Damage attacks. With this approach, the Head 
  and Vital locations have a BODYx multiple of x4, 
  instead of x2, with Killing Damage only (Normal 
  Damage would still use x2). Hands, Arms, Legs 
  and Feet would be x1 instead of x½, and Shoul-
  ders, Chest, Stomach, and Thighs would be x2 
  instead of x1. This makes Killing Damage weapons 
  much more fearsome.
  HIT lOCATIOnS FOR mEnTAl POWERS
  Mental Powers do not use the Hit Location 
  rules. However, in a psionics-oriented campaign, 
  the GM might come up with a “Mental Hit Loca-
  tions Table” representing different areas of the 
  mind and how Mental Powers work against them. 
  The accompanying text box provides one possible 
  example.
  mEnTAl HIT lOCATIOn TABlE
  3d6 roll
  Location
  stunx
  effect+
  to hit
  3-5
  Cerebellum
  x1½
  +15
  -8 OMCV
  6-9
  Temporal 
  Lobe
  x0.75
  -5
  +1 OMCV
  10-11
  Parietal 
  Lobe
  x1
  +0
  -3 OMCV
  12-14
  Frontal 
  Lobe
  x1¼
  +10
  -6 OMCV
  15-18
  Occipital 
  Lobe
  x0.5
  -10
  +2 OMCV
  STunx: Multiply the STUN damage rolled on a Mental 
  Blast (or similar mental attack) by this amount. (If the 
  Mental Blast does BODY, the GM may want to apply 
  the multiplier to the BODY as well.)
  Effect+: Add this amount to the Effect Roll of a 
  continuing-effect Mental Power like Mind Control or 
  Mental Illusions.
  RECOvERy AnD 
  EnDuRAnCE
  The Post-Segment 12 Recovery is not perceiv-
  able. In the event a character were somehow 
  to take damage during the Post-Segment 12 
  Recovery, that would occur immediately after he 
  actually “takes” the Recovery and gets lost/used 
  STUN and END back. A character can choose not 
  to take a Post-Segment 12 Recovery if he doesn’t 
  want to for some reason.
  A character can Push a power that has the 
  Advantage Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+¼), 
  at the standard cost for Pushing (and subject 
  to the usual rules for Pushing). The cost for 
  Pushing must be paid every Phase that the Push 
  is maintained. For example, if a character Pushes 
  his Darkness to get +2m Radius, he pays 10 END 
  every Phase that he wants to maintain that extra 
  +2m, even if his Darkness has Costs Endurance 
  Only To Activate.
  COnTESTS OF POWER
  A Contest Of Power can occur whenever two 
  characters attack each other with some form of 
  Ranged attack they can maintain over time (in 
  other words, attacks with Charges or physical 
  weapons may not work). A Contest Of Power can 
  only occur in a one-on-one duel, or at an appro-
  priately dramatic moment; it’s too complex and 
  time-consuming for regular combat use.
  Use the following steps to determine the 
  outcome of a Contest Of Power:
  1. one character (“the attacker”) launches a ranged 
  attack at another (“the defender”). This attack can 
  be a Blast, a Ranged Killing Attack, or even such 
  powers as Mental Blast or Telekinesis. The GM 
  determines what Ranged attacks can be used, if 
  necessary; typically they’re attacks that directly 
  cause damage in some way.
  2. the defender, who must have an action available, 
  decides if he wants to counter the attack with one 
  of his own. The Defender can Abort to a Contest 
  of Power only if he has a Phase in this Segment 
  but his DEX has not yet occurred in the initiative 
  order. The Defender cannot use any power with 
  a longer Extra Time Limitation than the one the 
  Attacker uses.
  3. unless the gM rules otherwise, a defender can 
  only counter an incoming attack if his attack has 
  a related special effect. “Related” means the two 
  attacks have either similar energy types/special 
  effects (such as Fire/Heat and Light, Magic and 
  nearly anything, or Magnetism and Electricity) or 
  opposing energy types/special effects (a Light-
  based attack versus a Darkness-based one, or Fire/
  Heat versus Ice/Cold or Water). The attacks used 
  do not have to be based on the same power (i.e., 
  a character can counter a Blast with an RKA or 
  Telekinesis, he doesn’t have to use another Blast). 
  However, it usually isn’t possible for a character 
  to counter an Mental Blast without having mental 
  powers of his own. The special effects of an attack 
  should determine if and how it can be contested.
  In some cases the GM may decide that it’s 
  cinematic and fun to let two characters engage in 
  a Contest Of Power even if they don’t meet the 
  above qualifications. In that case any two powers 
  suffice, regardless of their special effects.
  4. once both characters have declared their attacks, 
  they make their attack rolls (including all modi-
  fiers for Combat skill Levels, spreading, and the 
  like). The Attacker has to roll to hit the Defender’s 
  DCV, while the Defender has to roll to hit the 
  Attacker’s current OCV. If they both miss, there 
  are no further effects. If one hits and the other 
  misses, determine damage as normal. If both hit, 
  the Contest of Power has begun. Since they both 
  performed an attack this Phase, neither character 
  may take further actions.
  6
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter six 
  175
  5. once the Contest begins the point of impact 
  for the two attacks is midway between the two 
  participants (i.e., if two characters 36m apart enter 
  into a Contest Of Power, the starting point for the 
  contest is 18m from each character). Alternately, 
  the GM can place the point of impact closer to the 
  character who made his Attack Roll by the least; 
  subtract how much he made his roll by from how 
  much the other character made his roll by, and 
  move the impact point 2m per point closer to the 
  “lesser” character. (But even using this method, 
  typically the impact point moves no more than 
  halfway the distance to the character who made 
  his roll by the least, regardless of the numbers.)
  Characters involved in a Contest Of Power are 
  at ½ DCV due to strain and concentration and 
  cannot move, even if the Contest Of Power takes 
  more than one Phase. If a third character attacks 
  one (or both) of the participants in a Contest Of 
  Power, he may disrupt the Contest. If he does 
  damage to a participant, but doesn’t Stun him, 
  Knock him Out, or do Knockback to him, the 
  Contest continues as normal. If he Stuns him or 
  Knocks him Out, the other participant’s attack 
  in the Contest automatically succeeds and hits 
  the Stunned/Knocked Out character. (It doesn’t 
  Coordinate with or otherwise add to the attack 
  that disrupted the Contest.) If he does Knockback 
  to a participant, the Contest ends without either 
  character damaging his opponent.
  If a character moves through the beams of 
  energy or other effects of the Contest Of Power, 
  he takes damage from both effects and the 
  Contest ends.
  6. to determine the outcome of a Contest of power, 
  each character rolls his dice of damage and counts 
  the Body in the usual manner for the type of attack 
  used. The character with the higher BODY wins 
  this Phase. The winner subtracts the loser’s BODY 
  total from his own, and then moves the point of 
  impact that amount times 2m toward the loser’s 
  location. (Alternately, the GM can have the 
  characters use Knockback done instead of BODY 
  rolled.) The GM can restrict the number of meters 
  the impact point can move in a given Phase if he 
  sees fit; this can draw out the Contest and make 
  it a bit more tense in some situations. Various 
  Advantages and Limitations can affect this die roll; 
  see below.
  6a. effect of advantages:
  Advantages not listed have no special applica-
  tion in a Contest Of Power.
  Area Of Effect: An Area Of Effect attack cannot 
  be opposed in a Contest Of Power, unless the 
  opposing attack also has the Area Of Effect 
  Advantage. If a character uses an Area Of Effect 
  attack to contest a normal attack, determine the 
  results normally, but add +1 BODY for every 2m 
  of Radius/Cone/Line.
  Autofire: An Autofire attack adds +1 BODY to the 
  Contest result for every shot that hits.
  Constant: See Step 8 below.
  Double Knockback: Double Knockback increases 
  the number of DCs in an attack (and thus the 
  number of dice rolled for damage) by 75% for 
  purposes of a Contest Of Power.
  Indirect: Generally, attacks with this Advantage 
  cannot be opposed, or be used to oppose, in 
  Contests Of Power, but the GM may allow it if the 
  special effects and the situation are appropriate.
  6b. effect of Limitations:
  Limitations not listed have no special applica-
  tion in a Contest Of Power.
  Beam, no Knockback: Characters cannot use 
  attacks with these Limitations in a Contest Of 
  Power. If used, they automatically fail.
  Reduced By Range: An attack with this Limita-
  tion subtracts damage dice based on the distance 
  between the character and the point of impact 
  before rolling for the result of a Contest Of Power.
  COnTEST OF POWER 
  EXAmPlES
  Blastron the Battler (DEX 26, SPD 6) is 
  fighting his adversary Chiller (DEX 26, SPD 5). 
  Chiller unleashes a Blast12d6 based on Ice/
  Cold energy. Blastron, not to be outdone, 
  responds with a Blast 14d6 based on Fire/Heat. 
  Both succeed with Attack Rolls. The Contest Of 
  Power has begun!
  Since the two warriors are standing 20m 
  apart, the impact point is 10m away from either 
  character. At this point both characters roll 
  their dice. Chiller rolls only 10 BODY, while 
  Blastron rolls 15 BODY. Blastron wins, and 
  the impact point moves10m towards Chiller, 
  hitting him.
  Now, assume both Blastron and Chiller 
  had Blast 12d6 instead. Starting on Phase 12, 
  Chiller rolls 12 BODY, while Blastron rolls 14. 
  The impact point moves 4m towards Chiller. 
  On Segment 2, Blastron’s Phase, the impact 
  point moves 2m closer to Chiller, while on 
  Chiller’s Phase in Segment 3, it moves 2m 
  towards Blastron. On Blastron’s Phase in 
  Segment 4, it moves 2m back towards Chiller, 
  while on Chiller’s Phase 5 it moves 2m back 
  towards Blastron. Finally, on Blastron’s Phase 
  in Segment 6, it moves 2m towards Chiller, and 
  on Segment 8 Chiller and Blastron roll again, 
  since they both have a Phase. Blastron rolls 12 
  BODY, while Chiller gets only 9 BODY. The 
  impact point moves 6m towards Chiller, and 
  on Blastron’s Segment 10 his blast hits him, at 
  which point he decides he’d rather not be in 
  any more examples.
  6
  
  176 n Combat and adventuring 
  hero system 6th edition
  7. if the point of impact moves to a character’s 
  location, his attack is overwhelmed. His oppo-
  nent’s attack automatically hits him, with damage 
  determined normally. If the impact point remains 
  somewhere between the two characters, they are 
  in a stalemate and the Contest continues on the 
  next Phase.
  If at any point the BODY total for one blast is 
  twice or more that of the other, the attack with 
  the higher BODY total instantly overwhelms 
  the other and goes on to hit its intended target 
  automatically.
  8. if the initial Contest of power ends in a stalemate, 
  then the Contest continues. Characters roll on any 
  Segment in which they both have an Action Phase, 
  at the DEX of the character who moves first in 
  that Segment (including Lightning Reflexes). If 
  only one character has a Phase during a Segment, 
  he automatically moves the Contest point 2m 
  towards his opponent without rolling. An attack 
  with the Constant Advantage moves the Contest 
  point 2m towards an opponent every Segment 
  the opponent doesn’t have a Phase (this 2m is not 
  cumulative with the 2m obtained in Phases only 
  the character has.)
  Characters must spend END to keep the 
  Contest Of Power going, but each of them spends 
  this END only on his opponent’s Phases. Character 
  can Push their attacks if they wish, and can spend 
  STUN as END if needed. A character can end a 
  Contest Of Power voluntarily at anytime, either 
  by accepting the attack or by executing a Dive For 
  Cover on his Phase.
  lEAvInG FOOTPRInTS 
  In COnCRETE
  The crushing rules (6E2 125) allow you to 
  determine how much damage heavy characters (or 
  objects) do to surfaces like the ground, a street, 
  or the floor of a building by walking on them, if 
  you want to (most GMs don’t bother; it’s time-
  consuming and often not much fun). This includes 
  any heavy character, whether his heaviness 
  comes from Density Increase, Growth, a Physical 
  Complication, the special effects of a power, or the 
  like. All you have to do is apply crushing damage 
  to the surface and interpret the results in light of 
  the situation. You may even want to increase the 
  character’s weight for these purpose to represent 
  the fact that it’s all concentrated into one relatively 
  small footprint.
  As a quick approximation, compare the 
  number of dice of crushing damage the character 
  can do to the PD of the surface. For every two dice 
  beyond the PD (round up), each step the character 
  takes sinks 1 inch into the ground. At the GM’s 
  option, this may slow a character down consider-
  ably — subtract 2m of Running (or other ground-
  based Movement Power) for every two inches the 
  character sinks into the ground (but leave him a 
  minimum 2m Running).
  Example: With his Density Increase activated, 
  Blackstar weighs 400,000 kilograms, meaning he 
  does 24d6 crushing damage. When walking on 
  stone (PD 5), he sinks ((24-5)/2=) 10 inches into 
  the ground — up to his calves! Normally he runs 
  at 12m per Phase, but when he’s sinking so deep 
  into the ground with every step, he’s reduced to 
  2m per Phase.
  PuSHBACK 
  Pushback is a character’s ability to shove an 
  opponent away from him with an attack. In some 
  cases he does this to put some space between 
  himself and his foe, but sometimes it has other 
  advantages (such as slamming an opponent into a 
  wall or knocking him off a roof).
  To use Pushback, a character trades damage 
  for the possibility of doing additional Knockback. 
  The player declares his desire to have his character 
  make a Pushback attack instead of a regular attack. 
  If the attack hits, the player decides how much 
  damage to trade off. For every 1 DC sacrificed, the 
  attack does +2 BODY solely for purposes of calcu-
  lating Knockback. Visually, the character may use 
  an attack to “throw” an opponent away from him, 
  or project ch’i into an enemy to force him away.
  Example: Two karateka, Maeda and Egami, are 
  fighting on a bridge over a deep gorge. Maeda 
  Throws Egami, injuring him and putting him 
  near the edge of the bridge. Egami decides to fake 
  a serious injury rather than get to his feet and 
  risk being knocked off of the bridge by Maeda’s 
  next attack. He makes his Acting roll by 3; Maeda 
  misses his PER Roll and falls into Egami’s trap. 
  Maeda leaps at Egami, planning to knock him 
  off the edge. Egami tries a Pushback attack to 
  move Maeda far enough away from him that he 
  can get up and move away from the edge before 
  Maeda’s next attack. He uses his 10d6 side kick 
  and decides to sacrifice 5 DC for +10 BODY for 
  Knockback purposes. He hits Maeda and rolls 
  5d6 for damage: 17 STUN and 5 BODY. For 
  purposes of Knockback, this means 15 BODY. 
  The Knockback roll comes up 9, and Maeda goes 
  flying back 12m. The GM explains that Egami got 
  his foot in the pit of Maeda’s stomach and shoved 
  him away. Unfortunately for Maeda, the bridge is 
  only 8m wide....
  The GM should only adopt this rule only if it’s 
  appropriate and useful in the campaign. In some 
  games it may have the effect of making the Shove 
  Combat Maneuver and the Double Knockback 
  Advantage effectively useless.
  6
  
  Chapter Seven
  the enVironMent
  
  178 n the environment 
  hero system 6th edition
  THE 
  EnvIROnmEnT
  H
  ere are some additional, expanded, 
  or optional rules pertaining to the 
  environment. 
  OPTIOnAl vElOCITy 
  DAmAGE
  This system presents more complicated, and 
  thus optional, rules for determining damage based 
  on velocity. This primarily means falling, but it 
  also includes Move Bys, Move Throughs, and the 
  damage done to or by a thrown object.
  This system is useful for gamers who (a) would 
  prefer a more “realistic” system for determining 
  velocity damage (as compared to, for example, 
  the simplified system used to determine falling 
  damage), and/or (b) find that Move Bys and Move 
  Throughs do so much damage that they unbalance 
  the campaign.
  velocity Factor
  The key to the Optional Velocity Damage 
  system is a character’s Velocity Factor (“VF”), a 
  number derived from his velocity in meters trav-
  eled per Turn. It indicates the effect of his velocity 
  in damage calculations. Velocity Factor, and thus 
  velocity damage, increases geometrically, rather 
  than arithmetically as it does in the standard 
  system. Thus, characters gain much less damage 
  for velocity when performing Move Throughs 
  and Move Bys using these rules. To determine a 
  character’s VF in a given Phase, use the Velocity 
  Factor Table.
  Example: Defender has SPD 5 and Flight 50m. 
  This means he can travel 250m per Turn, giving 
  him a VF of 6. In Phase 8, he needs to move 
  quickly, so he accelerates to Noncombat Move-
  ment (Flight 100m). For that one Phase, his VF 
  increases to 8, since at the rate of 100m per Phase 
  he travels 500m per Turn. 
  vElOCITy FACTOR TABlE
  Meters/turn
  velocity 
  Factor
  Mph
  1-8m
  0
  1
  9-12m
  0
  2
  13-16m
  0
  3
  17-24m
  1
  4
  25-32m
  1
  6
  33-48m
  1
  9
  49-64m
  2
  12
  65-96m
  3
  18
  99-128m
  4
  24
  129-192m
  5
  36
  193-256m
  6
  48
  257-384m
  7
  72
  385-500m
  8
  93
  501-750m
  9
  140
  751-1,000m
  10
  186
  1,001-1,500m
  11
  280
  1,500-2,000m
  12
  372
  2,001-3,000m
  13
  560
  3,001-4,000m
  14
  688 (about Mach 1)
  4,001-6,000m
  15
  6,001-8,000m
  16
  8,001-12,000m
  17
  2,237 (Mach 3+)
  12,001-16,000m
  18
  16,001-24,000m
  19
  24,001-32,000m
  20
  7
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter seven 
  179
  Controlled And 
  uncontrolled velocity
  Movement in the Optional Velocity Damage 
  system is Controlled or Uncontrolled. Controlled 
  movement means the character (or object) moves 
  under its own guidance when attempting to hit 
  or ram the target, so it’s prepared for the impact. 
  Uncontrolled movement means the character (or 
  object) is not under its own control or prepared 
  for the impact; this includes falling damage and 
  damage from being thrown.
  velocity Damage
  The Velocity Damage Table summarizes 
  information concerning the various Maneuvers 
  and other situations in which velocity modifies 
  damage.
  vElOCITy DAmAGE TABlE
  action
  oCv
  dCv
  damage/effect
  Falling
  +0
  +0
  (MASS + (VF)d6) x2
  Grab By
  -3
  -4
  Move By and Grab 
  object, +(VF)d6 to STR
  Move By
  -2
  -2
  STR/2 + (VF)d6
  Move Through
  -(VF)
  -3
  STR + (VF)d6
  Throw
  +0
  +0
  Varies
  FAllInG
  Under the Optional Velocity Damage system, 
  falling is a form of Uncontrolled movement. 
  Calculate the damage as if the character performs 
  an Uncontrolled Move Through on the object he 
  impacts and does no Knockback (i.e., the char-
  acter and the object he hits both take full damage) 
  — and then double it. Substitute the character’s 
  mass for his STR for purposes of determining 
  damage: figure out what STR is needed to lift 
  the character (for example, 10 STR for a normal 
  human of 100 kilograms mass) and use that to 
  calculate the Move Through damage.
  Example: Ironclad has been thrown off of a tall 
  building by one of his enemies. He is falling, and 
  will reach terminal velocity (60m/Segment, or 
  720m/Turn) before he hits the ground. Ironclad 
  has bought Density Increase and weighs 6,400 
  kilograms. It requires a 40 STR to lift him, so 
  when he hits the ground he’ll take ((8d6 [damage 
  from STR] + 9d6 [VF]) x 2) = 34d6 of Normal 
  Damage. Ouch!
  The Optional Falling Table provides rough 
  guidelines for how far a character will fall, and 
  how fast, in Earth gravity.
  mOvE By; mOvE THROuGH; GRAB By
  Move By and Move Through are forms of 
  Controlled movement in which a character moves 
  past someone and strikes them (Move By) or 
  deliberately runs into (“rams”) another character 
  or an object (Move Through). They work as they 
  do under the standard rules, but the damage done 
  depends on the character’s VF, not his meters of 
  movement.
  Grab By is a form of Controlled movement 
  in which the character moves past someone and 
  Grabs an object from him. It works as it does 
  under the standard rules, but the bonus to the 
  character’s STR derives from his VF, not his 
  meters of movement.
  THROW
  A Throw is a form of Uncontrolled movement 
  in which a character or object is propelled at 
  another character or object by the Thrower’s STR.
  If a character throws an object at a target, 
  standard rules for throwing objects and for the 
  size and shape of an impromptu weapon apply. 
  Of course, if the object in question is defined as a 
  power (for example, a Throwing Knife bought as 
  an HKA 1d6, Ranged), it does the damage bought 
  for it, not damage based on its PD+BODY and the 
  thrower’s STR.
  If a character throws another character, the 
  Optional Velocity Damage system comes into play. 
  The Thrown character is performing an Uncon-
  trolled Move Through on whatever he hits, and 
  automatically takes full damage. However, the 
  Thrower’s STR is halved for purposes of calcu-
  lating damage, and the OCV and DCV modifiers 
  for a Throw are not based on those for a Move 
  Through.
  To determine the VF for such a throw, consult 
  the Throwing Table to determine how far the 
  thrower could throw the victim in a Phase. 
  Multiply that number by 12 to determine a 
  velocity per Turn, then consult the Velocity Factor 
  Table above to get a VF. If the object is unbal-
  anced, subtract -1 from the VF; if it is non-aerody-
  namic, subtract -1 from the VF.
  OPTIOnAl FAllInG TABlE
  segment
  velocity/ 
  segment
  vF
  distance 
  Fallen
  notes
  1
  10m
  4
  4m
  2nd story
  2
  20m
  6
  20m
  6th story
  3
  30m
  7
  44m
  13th story
  4
  40m
  8
  80m
  22nd story
  5
  50m
  9
  124m
  33rd story
  6
  60m
  9
  180m
  50th story
  7
  60m
  9
  240m
  65th story
  7
  
  180 n the environment 
  hero system 6th edition
  Example: Grond (STR 65) wants to throw Lazer 
  (who weighs 200 kg, counting all of the equip-
  ment he’s carrying) into a wall. Since it only 
  requires 15 STR to lift 200 kg, Grond has an 
  extra 50 STR. He is making a Running Throw, so 
  he can throw Lazer 80m. Multiplied by 12, this 
  gives a velocity per Turn of 960m, which means 
  a VF of 10. However, Lazer is unbalanced and 
  nonaerodynamic, so Grond must subtract 2 from 
  the VF, for a total of 8. Thus, if Grond hits the 
  wall with Lazer, Lazer and the wall will take (7d6 
  [13d6 from STR x ½] + 8d6 from VF) = 15d6 
  damage. Lazer will probably break through the 
  wall and keep going.
  DROPPED OBJECTS
  Dropped objects are performing an Uncon-
  trolled Move Through on whatever they hit (such 
  as a hapless PC), but this Move Through cannot 
  be Blocked. Calculate the dice of damage as for 
  Falling. Whoever or whatever is hit with the 
  falling object takes that many dice of damage, to a 
  maximum of the object’s PD+BODY.
  ElECTRICITy
  The use of Electricity as a power has many 
  possible implications and can cause all sorts of 
  secondary effects. As always, the GM can use 
  these, or not, as he sees fit.
  ConduCtivity
  Typically electricity prefers to follow the path 
  of least resistance, which means the path of the 
  most conductive material in the vicinity until 
  something grounds it. In “realistic” terms, a bolt 
  of electricity fired through the air would need 
  a “carrier” trail of ionization to travel down to 
  remain reasonably accurate.
  At the GM’s option, an electricity attack that 
  doesn’t travel directly through highly conduc-
  tive material (such as water or metal) suffers a -1 
  or greater OCV penalty — the more conductive 
  materials that are nearby, the greater the penalty. 
  In this situation, a missed Attack Roll usually 
  means that some feature of the local environment 
  that’s more conductive than the target attracted 
  the Electricity attack and took the damage. Alter-
  nately, the GM can have characters make Activa-
  tion Rolls to use electricity attacks in the presence 
  of lots of highly conductive materials; a failed roll 
  means the attack “grounds” in some object and 
  doesn’t affect the target at all.
  On the other hand, the presence of conductive 
  materials may make it possible for a character to 
  project an electricity attack with an Indirect effect. 
  For example, if the character and his target are 
  both standing on a metal floor or in the same body 
  of water, the character could use his attack so that 
  it strikes from the conductive material, rather than 
  in a “straight line” between himself and his target. 
  Doing this typically requires a successful Power: 
  Electricity Tricks roll, or a roll with a similar 
  Skill, but the GM may allow it automatically if 
  preferred. Characters could also buy this as a 
  Limited naked Indirect Advantage that could apply 
  to any Electricity attack.
  eLeCtriCaL deviCes
  Out of combat (or similar crisis conditions), a 
  character with Electricity powers may be able to 
  turn common electrical devices (such as house-
  hold appliances) on and off simply by touching 
  them (or perhaps even over a range of up to 6m). 
  He cannot use this ability in combat or in any way 
  that has a combat effect; to do that, he has to buy it 
  as a power (see the Cyberkinesis rules on APG 70).
  heat
  Electricity also generates heat. The GM might 
  apply the rules from the Fire section in 6E2 (or 
  below) when an Electricity attack strikes some-
  thing that’s potentially flammable... though even 
  the most intense Electricity power isn’t as hot as 
  a Fire/Heat power with the same Active Points. If 
  appropriate, reduce the roll to see if a flammable 
  object catches on fire by 2 (or more).
  Light
  Electricity is bright, and thus can provide light 
  to a character who can manipulate it. Generally 
  this doesn’t have a real game effect, but in some 
  cases it might provide a +1 Sight PER Roll bonus 
  to counteract modifiers for darkness, shadow, and 
  the like. Similarly, Linking a Sight Group Flash to 
  an Electricity attack is appropriate.
  reCharging
  The presence of so much electricity in 
  the modern world (via outlets, transformers, 
  machinery, and the like) may be useful to 
  Electricity-manipulating characters. For example, 
  perhaps a tired Electricity user, or one preparing 
  for a big battle, could “recharge” himself or gather 
  power from common sources. If he wants to do 
  this frequently, he can model it as various powers 
  (Limited REC for an Endurance Reserve, an Aid 
  that only works in the presence of a source of elec-
  tricity), but if he only does it rarely the GM might 
  allow it with a successful Power: Electricity Tricks 
  roll or the like.
  short-CirCuiting an eLeCtriCity user
  At the GM’s option, there might be ways to 
  “short circuit” an Electricity user to either weaken 
  his powers or prevent him from using them 
  temporarily (probably 1d6 Segments, at the most, 
  but possibly longer if appropriate for dramatic 
  purposes). One way of doing this might be to 
  soak him in water, but that could make it too easy 
  for heroes to take Electricity-using villains out 
  of the fight. Another possiiblity is to think of the 
  Electricity user’s arms and legs as “live wires” — 
  if another character can somehow “cross” them 
  (perhaps by using STR to forcibly Grab both arms 
  and literally cross them), that could play havoc 
  with the Electricity user’s powers.
  7
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter seven 
  181
  FIRE
  For the most part, you can handle the effects of 
  fire via improvisation and, if necessary, the rules 
  on 6E2 150-52. But expanded rules may suggest 
  ways to use fire you hadn’t previously consid-
  ered and make some in-game situations easier to 
  adjudicate. If you like, use the following rules to 
  determine how a fire spreads, burns, and dies out.
  FIRE CHARACTERISTICS
  For purposes of the advanced rules, treat 
  a fire as a sort of character with the following 
  Characteristics:
  BODy: A rough measure of the heat and intensity 
  of a fire. It governs the damage and flammability 
  of the fire. It also determines how easy it is for 
  someone to use Adjustment Powers on a fire to 
  snuff it out (or enhance it).
  You determine a fire’s BODY per 1m radius 
  Area. Take the number of Active Points used to 
  determine the damage done by the fire in a given 
  1m radius Area. Divide that number by 2 to derive 
  the BODY of the fire in that 1m radius Area.
  SIZE: This measures how many 1m radius Areas 
  a fire occupies. Size changes as a fire grows and 
  spreads, is extinguished, dies out in places, and so 
  forth.
  SPEED: A fire’s SPD determines when and how 
  quickly (a) it spreads, and (b) it does damage to 
  someone in the midst of it. All natural fires are 
  SPD 2, but unnatural (supernatural, superpower-
  enhanced, and so forth) fires may burn with 
  higher SPDs. Assume all fires act last in a Phase, 
  after all characters and other effects have acted.
  EnD RESERvE: A fire’s Endurance Reserve 
  measures how much fuel it has. Technically it’s 
  more a “Characteristic” of the local environment 
  than the fire itself. When the Endurance Reserve 
  drops to zero, the fire burns out.
  DAmAGE: A fire’s DAM rating indicates how much 
  Energy Killing Damage the fire does to persons 
  and things within it, or that contact it. In the case 
  of normal, natural fires, the maximum DAM a fire 
  can have is 1½d6 outdoors, 2d6 indoors. Unnat-
  ural or unusual fires can exceed this ceiling.
  FlAmmABIlITy: A fire’s FLAM rating indicates 
  how likely the fire is to spread, as defined by an 
  “Activation Roll.” Certain conditions, such as the 
  presence of highly flammable objects or being 
  downwind, can improve FLAM, as described in 
  the accompanying table.
  HOW FIRES CAuSE DAmAGE
  Generally, you should treat a fire as a Constant 
  Area-affecting attack (see 6E1 127). Thus, a 
  character takes damage from a fire on the Segment 
  when he moves into the fire, and on every Phase 
  the fire has thereafter (as indicated by its SPD). 
  However, unlike with standard Area-affecting 
  attacks, if a character moves through multiple 
  1m radius Areas of a fire in a Segment, he takes 
  damage from each 1m radius Area he moves 
  through (his defenses apply to each one, of 
  course). In effect, each 1m radius Area of a fire is a 
  separate Constant area-affecting attack.
  Fire damage is Killing Damage and Energy 
  damage. Secondary effects, such as smoke, are 
  bought in other ways (see below). Neither fire 
  nor the related effects it causes (such as smoke or 
  superheated metal) do Knockback.
  FIRE BODy, DAmAGE, AnD FlAmmABIlITy
  Body
  damage
  Flammability
  notes
  1
  1 point to ½d6
  9-
  Candle
  2
  1d6 to 1d6+1
  10-
  House Fire
  3
  1½d6 to 2d6
  11-
  Raging House Fire
  4
  2d6+1 to 2½d6
  12-
  5
  3d6 to 3d6+1
  13-
  Chemical Fire
  6
  3½d6 to 4d6
  14-
  Elemental Fire (magic)
  7
  4d6+1 to 4½d6
  15-
  Demonic Fire (magic)
  8
  5d6 to 5d6+1
  16-
  9
  5½d6 to 6d6
  17-
  Plasma Fire
  FlAmmABIlITy mODIFIERS, GEnERAl
  Condition
  Modifier
  Damp conditions
  -1 to -3
  Fire retardant substances present
  -2 to -4
  Extremely combustible 
  materials (e.g., accelerants)
  +5 or more
  Highly combustible materials 
  (e.g., loose papers)
  +2 to +4
  Lots of fuel present
  +1
  Very little fuel present
  -1
  Person setting fire succeeds 
  with a Demolitions roll
  +1 per 2 points roll is made by
  FlAmmABIlITy mODIFIERS, DOWnWInD
  Wind
  Meters per turn
  Wind speed (Mph)
  Modifier
  None
  0m
  0
  -0
  Very Light
  24m to 72m
  4-17
  +1
  Light
  96m to 144m
  18-30
  +1
  Moderate 
  168m to 216m
  31-44
  +2
  Heavy
  240m to 288m
  45-57
  +2
  Very Heavy
  312m to 343m
  58-64
  +3
  Storm Force
  349m or more
  65 or more
  +4
  7
  
  182 n the environment 
  hero system 6th edition
  HOW FIRES SPREAD AnD GROW
  Every time a fire has a Phase, the GM should 
  make a Flammability roll. If the roll succeeds, the 
  fire intensifies and/or spreads.
  All fires begin as a 1 point Killing Attack. 
  When a Flammability check succeeds, increase 
  the fire’s damage by 1 DC (which may change its 
  BODY, DAM, and FLAM). When a fire reaches 
  its maximum possible DAM (as noted above, 
  for natural fires this is is 1½d6 outdoors, 2d6 
  indoors), it starts to spread to adjacent Areas. 
  At the GM’s option, a fire can start to spread 
  earlier instead of gaining DCs; this is particularly 
  appropriate in environments with a lot of easily-
  flammable material.
  For greatest “realism” and accuracy, the GM 
  should make a Flammability check for each 1m 
  radius Area of a fire. However, that can signifi-
  cantly slow down the game. To speed things up, 
  the GM should do one of the following:
  
  n make his rolls in advance so that he knows 
  what happens in the absence of PC action
  
  n make one roll for the entire fire, using the 
  FLAM of the 1m radius Area with the highest 
  BODY. If the roll succeeds, increase the DCs of 
  all 1m radius Area s by 1, and/or have the fire 
  spread appropriately.
  The GM can always dispense with a Flamma-
  bility roll in the interest of common or dramatic 
  sense.
  spreading Fires
  The GM has discretion over which areas a fire 
  spreads into. Generally, fires spread outward from 
  the area where they begin, either (a) along a path 
  of flammable substances, and/or (b) as directed by 
  the wind and air pressure. Because the hot gases in 
  flames rise, fires often spread upward along walls, 
  tree trunks, and the like; upward tends to offer the 
  easiest “path along a flammable substance.”
  When a fire reaches a barrier such as a wall 
  or a door, it stops spreading, but it inflicts its 
  damage on the barrier in each of its Phases. If the 
  fire “reduces” the barrier’s BODY to 0, that 1m 
  radius Area of the barrier catches on fire. The GM 
  should then begin tracking damage to that part of 
  the barrier from being caught on fire. When the 
  BODY of that 1m radius Area of barrier reaches 
  0, it’s burned all the way through, leaving a 1m 
  radius hole.
  HOW FIRES BuRn OuT AnD FADE AWAy
  Technically, each 1m radius Area of a fire 
  should have its own Endurance Reserve, and the 
  fire dies out in that 1m radius Area when that 
  1m radius Area’s Endurance Reserve drops to 
  0. However, that would require a nightmarish 
  amount of bookkeeping, so these rules opt for an 
  easier way. Each overall fire, no matter how large, 
  has a single Endurance Reserve. When it spreads 
  to a new area, it adds the Endurance Reserve of 
  that 1m radius Area to the total reserve. See the 
  accompanying table for suggested Endurance 
  Reserve additions based on the substances in the 
  newly enflamed 1m radius Area.
  Every phase that a fire burns, it has to pay 
  END. The END Cost of a fire equals the base 
  END of the Killing attack, plus 1 END per every 
  doubling in size the fire is over one 1m radius 
  Area (a 2m radius fire is +1 extra END, a 3-4m 
  radius fire is +2 END, 5-8m radius is +3 END, 
  9-16m radius is +4 END, 17-32m radius is +5 
  END, and so on). When the Endurance Reserve 
  of a fire drops to 0, each 1m radius Area has to 
  make a Flammability check every phase to remain 
  ablaze. When all 1m radius Areas are extin-
  guished, the fire is out, though ashes remain.
  EnDuRAnCE RESERvE 
  ADDITIOnS
  substance in 1m radius
  end added
  Accelerant (any amount)
  +50-100
  Brick, concrete, stone
  +0-10
  Brush
  +20-30
  Paper, cardboard
  +60-70
  Wood
      Damp
  +10-20
      Average
  +30-40
      Dry
  +50-60
  “substance in 1m radius” assumes that at least half 
  of the area contains the substance in question, or that 
  the substances is otherwise present in large amounts. 
  (Accelerants such as gas, kerosene, paint thinner, and 
  the like are an exception; any reasonable amount of 
  them qualifies for the modifier.) The GM should adjust 
  the END added based on how much of the substance 
  there is, how flammable he judges it to be, and so forth.
  reFuge in the Midst oF a Fire
  People trapped in a fire may attempt to find a 
  safe place with a PER Roll modified by the thick-
  ness of the smoke (-1 for trace of smoke or a light 
  amount of smoke; -2 for moderate amounts of 
  smoke; -3 for large amounts of smoke). A “safe 
  place” is one that hasn’t caught fire yet, though it’s 
  probably exposed to tremendous heat (see Heat, 
  below).
  Characters who wrap themselves in a wet 
  blanket (or the like) receive +2 ED against the fire.
  7
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter seven 
  183
  SmOKE
  Fire in a confined space creates smoke, which 
  does NND Damage; the defense is Life Support 
  (Self-Contained Breathing). Treat this as a 
  Constant area-affecting attack, but characters 
  caught in a smokey area only take damage once in 
  each of the fire’s Phases, not once per 1m radius 
  Area they move through. The accompanying table 
  indicates the amount of smoke damage.
  It takes a fire time to fill an area with smoke. 
  Assume that one 1m radius Area of fire generates 
  a 1m radius Area of smoke per Turn, with lesser 
  fires filling proportionately smaller volumes.
  SmOKE DAmAGE
  Conditions
  damage
  Confined area
      Trace of smoke
  1 point
      Moderate amount of smoke
  ½d6
      Large amount of smoke
  2d6
  Open area, large amount of 
  smoke
  1 point
  Chemical fire
  +1d6
  HEAT
  As noted above under “Refuge,” even an area 
  that’s not on fire can be harmful if it’s in the midst 
  of a fire — the heat alone can be enough to burn 
  and blister skin, dehydrate and exhaust people, 
  and so forth. A 1m radius Area that’s surrounding 
  by fire by three or more 1m radius Areas that are 
  on fire does one-quarter damage if a character 
  stands in one place, and only half damage if he 
  attempts to move through the fiery area (stan-
  dard rounding rules apply). Characters with Life 
  Support (Safe Environment: Intense Heat) do not 
  suffer this damage.
  OTHER EFFECTS
  Some other possible damaging effects of a fire 
  include:
  Hot metal: Inside a burning building, metal 
  (doorknobs, steel desks, and the like) can become 
  superheated. If touched, superheated metal 
  without protection does 1d6 Normal Damage 
  per DC of the deadliest surrounding fire’s Killing 
  Damage (e.g., metal heated in a normal house fire 
  [1d6 KA, or 3 DCs] inflicts 3d6 Normal Damage). 
  If a character uses something to handle the hot 
  metal (such as a towel or wet rag), it may act as 
  ED against the damage, or in the GM’s option may 
  prevent him from taking any damage at all. If the 
  character has personal Defense Powers (like ED 
  Resistant Protection), they provide their usual 
  protection.
  Spray Of Sparks: When something begins to 
  combust, there’s often a spray of sparks. Anyone 
  caught within 2m of a spark cascade takes 1d6 x 6 
  points of fire Killing Damage.
  RuInS
  Many settings and genres, such as Post-Apoca-
  lyptic and certain types of Fantasy games, feature 
  extensive ruins — cities and other areas men once 
  lived and worked in that were destroyed somehow. 
  Ruins can be a source of supplies, shelter, and even 
  wealth... but they can also harbor enemies and 
  other dangers.
  From a GMing perspective, what you need 
  to know is (a) the condition of a ruin, (b) the 
  dangers (if any) posed by that ruin, and (c) what 
  the characters might find in that ruin. These rules 
  address the first two points, since the contents of 
  ruins vary wildly based on genre, campaign type, 
  and GM preference.
  COnDITIOn OF THE RuInS
  Typically the easiest way to establish the condi-
  tion of a ruin is for you to choose it yourself based 
  on the dramatic needs of the adventure you’re 
  creating. In some cases, though, you might want 
  to determine what state a ruin’s in randomly using 
  the accompanying table. It uses four basic time-
  frames — Immediately After, Years Later, Genera-
  tions Later, and Centuries Later — to indicate 
  when the characters explore the ruin in compar-
  ison to when it was destroyed. Then it establishes 
  four states of ruination:
  Pristine: The building is undamaged, or virtually 
  so. This may mean no one’s ever explored it, so it’s 
  filled with salvage... but security devices and other 
  threats may remain intact and functional.
  minor Damage: The building has suffered minor 
  damage — some cracks here and there, perhaps 
  a few collapsed interior walls — but is basically 
  intact and structurally safe to venture into.
  major Damage: The building’s been damaged to 
  the point where it’s not entirely structurally safe to 
  go into. Every character who ventures inside has 
  to make a Survival (Ruins) roll (or if he doesn’t 
  have that Skill, a DEX Roll at -2). If he succeeds, 
  nothing bad happens to him. If he fails, he suffers 
  a mishap: a rotten floorboard breaks beneath him 
  and he falls; a wall or ceiling collapses on him; or 
  the like. See Dangers Amid The Ruins, below, for 
  suggested rules.
  Severe Damage: The building’s been so badly 
  damaged that going into it means taking your life 
  in your hands. Use the rules for Major Damage, 
  but the Survival (Ruins) roll is at -2 (and the DEX 
  Roll at -4). A failed roll is likely to be even more 
  disadvantageous or dangerous.
  Collapsed: The building has totally collapsed. 
  Getting inside will probably involve using the 
  Contortionist Skill, spelunking, or heavy labor. 
  Once the characters do get “inside,” it’s probably 
  fairly safe (roll as for Major Damage, if appro-
  priate), but the odds of finding usable salvage 
  are slim.
  7
  
  184 n the environment 
  hero system 6th edition
  DAnGER AmID THE RuInS
  A creative GM can come up with all sorts of 
  threats to put in a ruin. Some possibilities include:
  physiCaL dangers
  First and foremost, the ruin itself may pose a 
  danger if the structure’s not safe (i.e., it’s suffered 
  Major or greater damage). Some of the things that 
  could happen to the character include:
  Floor giving way: The floor beneath a character 
  could break. Roll 2d6 and apply the Encumbrance 
  modifier for DEX Rolls. On a 2-6, the character 
  breaks entirely through the floor and falls down 
  to the floor below (if that floor is rotten, he may 
  break through and keep falling, and so on and 
  so on until he reaches the ground). Use the rules 
  for Falling damage, but with a minimum of 2d6 
  to represent the trauma of breaking through 
  the floor. On a 7-12, the character’s foot or leg 
  simply breaks through the floor; he’s trapped and 
  at ½ DCV until he uses a Full Phase Action to free 
  himself. At the GM’s option, a character who may 
  break through a floor can make a DEX Roll, for 
  every point he succeeds by, add +1 to the 2d6 roll.
  Ceiling Collapse: Part or all of a ceiling collapses 
  on the character. He takes 1d6 of d6 of Normal 
  Damage from the impact, and on a 1 on 1d6 is 
  pinned by the debris (he has to make a STR Roll 
  or Contortionist roll [either modified by the GM 
  as appropriate] to get free).
  Wall Collapse: Part or all of a wall collapses on the 
  character. He takes 2d6 of d6 of Normal Damage 
  from the impact, and on a 1-3 on 1d6 is pinned by 
  debris as described above.
  Building Collapse: An entire building might 
  collapse on the PCs if they’re not careful (this 
  is most likely if the building’s already suffered 
  Severe Damage). Everyone in the building takes a 
  minimum of 3d6 of d6 of Normal Damage, and in 
  particularly grim campaigns the GM may simply 
  rule that there are no survivors. Anyone who does 
  survive is almost certainly trapped, as described 
  above.
  other dangers
  Inhabitants: Perhaps the ultimate danger is that 
  an animal, human, mutant, or monster lives in the 
  ruin and will fight to protect its home (or perhaps 
  sees the PCs as prey to be stalked). This implies 
  that the ruins are physically safe, at least for that 
  inhabitant (a small, agile predator may be able to 
  live safely in a ruin that a big, lumbering human 
  would quickly collapse).
  Berserk machines: Security devices, traps, 
  cleaning-bots, spells of warding, and other highly-
  automated “devices” could continue functioning 
  long after a civilization falls... though damage 
  to their parts or programming may affect them. 
  They may regard PCs exploring “their” home as 
  dangerous animals to be exterminated, or perhaps 
  mistake them for their “creators” and get angry 
  when it turns out they’re not.
  live Wires: If a ruin still has electrical current, 
  exposed wiring could deliver a nasty shock to 
  the PCs... especially if their society has long since 
  forgotten what electricity is.
  Pockets Of Gas: Dangerous gasses such as 
  methane can build up in ruins over the years 
  and centuries. If exposed to open flames or other 
  sources of heat they can ignite, causing deadly 
  explosions. More insidiously, an odorless gas 
  might cause the characters to suffocate if they get 
  into an area that has too little oxygen and then 
  can’t get back out.
  Trapping Barriers: Either by causing a collapse 
  or accidentally activating a security device, 
  the heroes may trap themselves inside a ruin! 
  Suddenly thoroughly exploring the place and 
  finding an exit becomes not a luxury or a treasure-
  hunt, but a desperate matter of survival....
  RuInS TABlE
  roll*
  immediately 
  after
  years 
  Later
  generations 
  Later
  Centuries 
  Later
  1-1
  Pristine
  Pristine
  Minor
  Minor
  1-2
  Pristine
  Minor
  Minor
  Minor
  1-3
  Minor
  Minor
  Minor
  Major
  1-4
  Minor
  Minor
  Major
  Major
  1-5
  Minor
  Major
  Major
  Major
  1-6
  Major
  Major
  Major
  Severe
  2-1
  Major
  Major
  Major
  Severe
  2-2
  Major
  Major
  Severe
  Severe
  2-3
  Severe
  Severe
  Severe
  Severe
  2-4
  Severe
  Severe
  Severe
  Collapsed
  2-5
  Severe
  Severe
  Collapsed
  Collapsed
  2-6
  Collapsed
  Collapsed
  Collapsed
  Collapsed
  ModiFiers*
  value
  Circumstance
  +2
  Primarily wooden 
  structure
  -1
  Primarily metal and steel 
  structure
  -2
  Primarily brick or concrete 
  structure
  -1 or more
  A particularly sturdy or 
  well-protected structure
  +1 or more
  A structure that’s flimsy, 
  highly exposed to the 
  elements, or the like
  *: Roll two dice, counting one as 1 (1-3) or 2 (4-6), and the other as a 
  1-6 roll. Modifiers apply to the second die roll. “Negative” ones indi-
  cate a particularly sturdy or well-protected building; “positive” ones 
  buildings that are more susceptible to being damaged or eroded. 
        Note that this table is “dramatically biased” toward leaving 
  structures intact and explorable. “Realistically” there’s a much 
  greater chance that buildings would suffer Major, Severe, or 
  Collapse damage, particularly over long periods of time.
  7
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter seven 
  185
  STARvATIOn
  The basic rules for starvation and dehydration 
  on 6E2 142-43 suffice for most campaigns, but 
  in some games, such as many Post-Apocalyptic 
  settings, you may want some additional details.
  A person engaged in reasonably strenuous 
  activity (i.e., adventuring, or simply trying to 
  survive in the wilderness) ideally should consume 
  a minimum of 3,000 calories per day in warm 
  weather, and 4,000 per day in cold weather (and 
  more is better). The accompanying Food Table 
  lists the calories of some common foods. If a 
  person consumes less than this, he gradually 
  begins to feel the effects of starvation. Compare 
  the amount of calories he gets per day to the 
  desired maximum amount. Add them up day by 
  day until he accumulates “one day” worth of lost 
  nutrition. (If he gets more than the minimum 
  amount one day, subtract that from his “deficit”; 
  if he overeats, he can build up a “reserve” against 
  lack of nutrition the next day, but not any later 
  days.)
  Once he accumulates three days’ worth of no 
  nutrition, he suffers 1d6 Normal Damage (no 
  defense). He Recovers the lost STUN normally, 
  and heals the lost BODY normally as well (but he 
  won’t get his monthly BODY Recovery until the 
  starvation ends). He also loses STR, DEX, and 
  CON at the same rate as BODY (i.e., if you roll 1 
  BODY damage, he also loses 1 STR, 1 DEX, and 
  1 CON), which he Recovers just like lost BODY. 
  Each additional day is another 1d6 Normal 
  Damage (plus loss of STR, DEX, and CON). 
  Once a character reaches 0 BODY from starva-
  tion, he loses an additional 1 BODY per Hour 
  until he dies.
  Example: Badlands Bob is a character in a Low 
  Post-Apocalyptic campaign, and he’s running low 
  on food. On Day 1, he only eats 2,000 calories, 
  two-thirds of the minimum requirement, so he 
  accumulates 8 hours (a third of a day) worth 
  of starvation effect. The same thing happens for 
  eight more days, so at the end of that time he’s 
  accumulated a total of 72 hours (3 days) of star-
  vation and takes 1d6 Normal Damage. The GM 
  rolls a 4, so he loses 4 STUN (which he Recovers 
  normally), 1 BODY, 1 STR, 1 DEX, and 1 CON 
  (all of which he Recovers as he does BODY, on a 
  REC/month basis).
  Bob is rapidly running out of food. The fourth 
  day he only eats 1,000 calories, so he accumulates 
  16 hours of starvation effect. But the next day he 
  gets lucky and bags a deer with his crossbow. He 
  feasts on venison that night, consuming 6,000 
  calories’ worth. Since that’s two days’ worth of 
  the minimum requirement, he feeds himself in 
  full that day, wipes out the 16 hours of starvation 
  effect, and builds up 8 hours of “reserve” pending 
  lack of food the next day — he’ll only need to 
  consume 2,000 calories on the sixth day to get a 
  full day’s nutrition, but the “reserve” has no effect 
  on the seventh or succeeding days.
  Characters who aren’t engaged in strenuous 
  activity can get by on much less food — 1,000 
  calories a day. Adjust the rules accordingly if they 
  begin to suffer from starvation.
  FOOD TABlE
  Food
  Calories
  Bacon (1 slice)
  35-50
  Beef (4 oz.)
  200-365
  Beer (12 oz.)
  72-190
  Candy, candy bar (1)
  240-280
  Candy, hard (1 oz.)
  20-120
  Canned food, chili
  380-700
  Canned food, fruit
  100-400
  Canned food, soup
  240-340
  Canned food, vegetables
  180-380
  Clams (4-5)
  88
  Dog food (4 oz. dry)
  375
  Dog food (4 oz. can)
  125-150
  Duck (4 oz.)
  230
  Egg, chicken
  75-100
  Egg, duck
  177
  Fish, freshwater (3-4 oz.)
  100-200
  Fish, saltwater (3-4 oz.)
  200-250
  Fruit (1)
  60-110
  Fruit juice (6 oz.)
  70-100
  Ham (4 oz.)
  210-310
  Insects (4 oz.)
  120-613
  Liquor (1-2.5 oz.)
  80-170
  Mutton or lamb (4 oz.)
  220-400
  Opossum (4 oz.)
  245
  Pork (4 oz.)
  140-200
  Rabbit (4 oz.)
  124
  Ration pack*
  1,200
  Sausage (4 oz.)
  320-480
  Soft drink/soda (12 oz.)
  155
  Trail mix (1 cup)
  700
  Tuna (1 can)
  150
  Vegetable (1)
  70-120
  Venison (4 oz.)
  128
  *: A US Army MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) or similar pre-
  packaged, preserved meal.
  7
  
  186 n the environment 
  hero system 6th edition
  WATER
  Water is even more important than food — a 
  person can live days or weeks without enough 
  food, but dies of dehydration in about two to three 
  days. At a minimum an active individual needs 2 
  liters of water per day, but that rises to as much as 
  3.5 liters per hour in hot areas such as deserts and 
  tropical regions. The GM should set a daily water 
  consumption requirement figure for the PCs based 
  on temperature and activity level.
  The same rules apply for dehydration as for 
  starvation (using the different figures for water 
  consumption, of course), with some important 
  exceptions. First, dehydration only does STUN 
  and BODY damage. Second, after a character has 
  had no water for one day (or has accumulated 24 
  hours’ worth of dehydration effect), you roll the 
  1d6 Normal Damage. Thereafter, unless he drinks 
  enough water to make up for the deficit, keep 
  rolling 1d6 damage ever 6 Hours, not every day.
  7
  
  Chapter eight
  eqUiPMent
  
  188 n equipment 
  hero system 6th edition
  EQuIPmEnT
  H
  ere are some additional or optional rules 
  regarding different types of equipment. 
  COmPuTERS
  As noted on 6E2 183, Computers don’t come 
  with standard Senses; they’re typically “hooked 
  into” the sensors of a Vehicle or Base and use 
  them instead. If a Computer is bought as part of 
  a Vehicle or Base, and is “hooked into” the Senses 
  possessed by the Vehicle/Base via a Program (typi-
  cally one phrased as “Monitor Sensor Systems, 
  Report Anomalies” or the like), the Computer 
  gets to use the Vehicle’s/Base’s Senses “for free,” 
  without having to also pay for those Senses as part 
  of its own character sheet. In the case of a Vehicle/
  Base that only has Clairsentience, that provides 
  the Computer with the basic Sense for all Sense 
  Groups covered by the Clairsentience (such as 
  Normal Sight for the Sight Group).
  vEHIClES:  
  OPTIOnAl nOn-mAPPED 
  vEHIClE COmBAT
  It is not always best to play out vehicular 
  combat on a map — Vehicles move extremely 
  quickly, and are often “off the map” in only a 
  matter of Segments. Similarly, it can be extremely 
  tedious to manage a running chase between two 
  Vehicles with a map.
  A GM who wants to simplify combat can keep 
  track of the distance between the two Vehicles. To 
  do this, he needs to know the MAX, or the total 
  distance a Vehicle could cover in a Turn.
  MAX = Vehicle’s SPD x Maximum Noncombat Movement
  A driver can change the distance between 
  the Vehicles or lose a pursuer by succeeding in a 
  Combat Driving Versus Combat Driving contest. 
  (Substitute “pilot,” “Combat Piloting,” and other 
  appropriate terminology throughout this section 
  as needed, or vice-versa, based on the type of 
  vehicles involved.) Two examples of non-mapped 
  Vehicle combat, Dogfight Combat and Intercept 
  Combat (for use with Vehicle combats which take 
  place in three dimensions, such as aerial, space, or 
  submarine combat), follow.
  Dogfight Combat
  Whenever Vehicles are at close range, the GM 
  can use Dogfight Combat. Vehicles can enter a 
  Dogfight whenever the range between them is less 
  than their combined MAX.
  A “dogfight” is a pilot’s term to describe close-
  in air combat where the planes circle like fighting 
  dogs trying to snap at each other’s backs. Dogfight 
  Combat simplifies all of the combat maneuvering 
  of two circling opponents down to several die 
  rolls. Vehicles fighting at long range while moving 
  at Noncombat Movement speeds use the rules for 
  Intercept Combat (see below).
  You conduct dogfights in full Turns; each 
  dogfight Turn equals one full Turn on the ground. 
  All you need to keep track of in a dogfight is the 
  number of Turns needed to Escape (discussed 
  later), each Vehicle’s current velocity, and, most 
  important, the relative positions of the Vehicles. 
  There are four different positions in a dogfight: 
  neutral, head on, side on, and tail chase.
  When a dogfight starts, the GM can set the 
  initial position of all the Vehicles, or determine it 
  randomly. During a dogfight, each player rolls his 
  Combat Piloting roll. If no pilot’s roll succeeds, 
  the Vehicles are in a neutral position and the next 
  Turn begins.
  If at least one pilot succeeds with his roll, 
  the pilot who succeeded by the greater amount 
  becomes the attacker. Subtract the amount the 
  other pilot made his roll by (this can be negative) 
  from the amount the attacker made his roll by. 
  This number gives you the relative positions of 
  the aircraft from the Dogfight Table. Each pilot’s 
  roll is modified by several factors, listed on the 
  Dogfighting Piloting Roll Modifiers table.
  The Dogfight Table assumes both Vehicles can 
  only fire in their front 180 degree arc. The GM 
  should make special allowances for Vehicles that 
  can attack to the rear or side. Also, in a head-on 
  position, the attacker may elect to fire, in which 
  case the defender gets to fire back at him that 
  Turn. Alternately, the attacker may elect to evade, 
  in which case neither pilot gets to fire that Turn.
  8
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter eight 
  189
  The most important part of a dogfight is 
  shooting the other Vehicle down. Use the normal 
  combat rules, but determine range by the Vehicles’ 
  velocities, and apply special Attack Roll modifiers 
  (see the Gunnery Modifiers Table) to represent the 
  high speed fleeting shots which are available in a 
  dogfight.
  Each position in Dogfight Combat has an OCV 
  modifier and a range between targets figured as a 
  multiple of the attacking Vehicle’s current velocity. 
  To find the range, multiply the attacking Vehicle’s 
  current velocity by the number listed in the Range 
  column of the Gunnery Modifiers Table, relative 
  to the position. The Gunnery Modifiers Table also 
  lists any special OCV modifiers for either side.
  lEAvInG A DOGFIGHT
  There are several ways out of a Dogfight. If 
  both pilots break off, the Dogfight ends. If one 
  pilot wishes to break off and the other doesn’t, it’s 
  more complicated. The pilot who wants to leave 
  must execute one or more Escapes.
  Cover of some kind can normally be found, 
  even in an aerial battle. Clouds, the sun, large 
  trees, or friendly fire can all help a pilot lose his 
  pursuer. In space, ducking into the nearest meteor 
  swarm or asteroid field is always a good move; 
  in a submarine battle, captains may be able to 
  use thermal differentials and other underwater 
  phenomena to hide from an enemy’s sonar.
  Before the Dogfight begins, the GM should 
  determine how many Turns of Escape are neces-
  sary for a Vehicle to leave the Dogfight. The more 
  cluttered the battlefield, the fewer Escapes needed. 
  If the GM doesn’t want to decide, he can roll 1d6 
  and use that as the number of Escapes necessary 
  to break off combat.
  A pilot executes an Escape by declaring 
  “Escape” before the Turn begins. Both pilots roll 
  normally. If the Escaping pilot wins the roll or 
  has a tie, he has successfully made one Escape. If 
  the other pilot wins, combat proceeds normally. 
  If the Escaping pilot has a higher current velocity, 
  he gets credit for an Escape even if he lost the roll. 
  Losing doesn’t force the pilot to take a minus on 
  his Combat Piloting roll next Turn, and has no 
  effect on the fire directed at him.
  After the pilot executes his required number 
  of Escapes, the Dogfight ends. Depending on the 
  situation, the fight may move on to an Intercept 
  Combat. The number of Escapes a pilot has 
  executed is cumulative; that is, a pilot may execute 
  an Escape early in the fight, and then execute 
  another Escape later in the fight and have credit 
  for two Escapes.
  DOGFIGHTInG PIlOTInG ROll mODIFIERS
  Bonus
  Condition
  +1
  To attacker’s roll, if the number of attackers  
  outnumber the defenders.
  +1
  To attacker’s roll, for every 2x the attackers  
  outnumber the defenders.
  +1
  If your Vehicle’s current velocity is faster than 
  your opponent’s Vehicle’s current velocity.
  +1
  For every 2x your Vehicle’s current speed is faster 
  than your opponent’s Vehicle’s current speed.
  +1
  If you were the attacker in a side on position last Turn
  +2
  If you were the attacker in a tail chase last Turn
  +1
  If you Surprise your opponent
  -2
  If you attempt to Escape
  -2
  If the other pilot has successfully executed an Escape
  DOGFIGHT TABlE
  attacker - defender
  relative position
  +0 to +1
  Both Vehicles neutral; neither may fire.
  +2 to +3
  Both Vehicles are head on; both may fire once.
  +4 to +5
  Attacker faces Defender’s side; both may fire once.
  +6 or +7
  Attacker is tail chasing the Defender. Attacker may 
  fire once.
  +8 or more 
  Attacker is tail chasing the Defender. Attacker may 
  fire as many times as he has SPD.
  GunnERy mODIFIERS TABlE
  relative position
  attacker’s 
  oCv Modifier
  defender’s 
  oCv Modifier
  range
  Head on
  -2
  -4
  x1
  Side on
  -4
  -4
  x2
  Tail chase +6, +7
  -4*
  -4*
  x2
  Tail chase +8
  -4*
  -4*
  x1
  Tail chase +9 or more
  -0
  -4*
  x½
  *Guns mounted to the rear, or with 360 degree field of fire, may fire at an 
  attacker in a tail chase.
  8
  
  190 n equipment 
  hero system 6th edition
  Intercept Combat
  Use Intercept Combat only when two Vehicles 
  are at long range. Intercept Combat is executed 
  in full Turns. You must keep track of range, target 
  position, and target velocity in Intercept Combat.
  There are two conditions where Vehicles may 
  be in Intercept Combat. First, two Vehicles flying 
  at each other but still at a range greater than their 
  combined MAX can engage in Intercept Combat. 
  Second, two Vehicles may engage in Intercept 
  Combat after Escaping from a Dogfight; in that 
  case, the range starts at the Vehicles’ combined 
  velocities. 
  Intercept Combat starts by defining the range 
  between targets. The quality of the sensory equip-
  ment (radar, sonar, long-range sensors, and so 
  forth) carried on the Vehicles determines the 
  range at which Intercept Combat begins (or ends). 
  So long as the Vehicles could theoretically perceive 
  each other they are within range, and if one wishes 
  to fight, they are in Intercept Combat.
  Next the GM must define the Vehicles’ Intercept 
  Velocities. Positive Intercept Velocities represent 
  moving towards the enemy, negative Intercept 
  Velocities represent moving away from the enemy. 
  The Vehicle’s Intercept Velocity is equal to plus or 
  minus its MAX (see below).
  To conduct Intercept Combat, follow these steps:
  1. declare maneuver (Close, jink, or disengage). 
  Close means to fly towards the enemy, Jink means 
  to circle or maneuver to deny the enemy a shot, 
  and Disengage means to fly away from the enemy. 
  The Intercept Velocity of a closing Vehicle is equal 
  to its MAX, the Intercept Velocity of a jinking 
  Vehicle is 0, and the Intercept Velocity of a disen-
  gaging Vehicle is minus its MAX.
  2. determine the facing of the vehicles. Each Vehi-
  cle’s maneuver determines which face he shows to 
  the enemy. Closing Vehicles show their front to 
  the enemy. Disengaging Vehicles show their rear 
  to the enemy. Jinking Vehicles roll on the Jinking 
  Facing Table to determine their facing.
  3. determine range between enemy vehicles. 
  Subtract each Vehicle’s Intercept Velocity from 
  the Range. Remember that subtracting a negative 
  number is equal to adding. If the range becomes 
  negative the Vehicles have passed. Multiply the 
  range by -1 to make it positive again.
  4. Make attack rolls. Each player can fire any or all 
  of his weapons once per Turn (a player must make 
  a separate Attack Roll for each weapon unless his 
  character uses a Multiple Attack). Be sure to check 
  the maximum range of a weapon to see if the 
  enemy is in range.
  5. repeat steps 1-4 until both vehicles break off, or 
  the vehicles are out of sensory range.
  A Vehicle may only attack if it is showing 
  its front or side to the enemy. If the Vehicle is 
  showing its side it takes a -4 OCV because of the 
  difficulty of the shot. This assumes the Vehicle can 
  only fire in the front 180 degrees. The GM must 
  make allowances for Vehicles that can fire to the 
  rear.
  Unless the Vehicles have very special weapons 
  with long ranges the GM may normally dispense 
  with Intercept Combat and go right into 
  Dogfighting. If a Vehicle is specially equipped for 
  long range combat it can use Intercept Combat to 
  take advantage of its weapons.
  WEAPOnS: 
  CHARACTERISTIC 
  mInImumS
  6E2 199 discusses the STR Minimum rule for 
  weapons, which comes into play frequently in 
  Heroic campaigns that involve a lot of weapons 
  use, such as many Fantasy Hero and Dark Cham-
  pions games. If appropriate to the campaign, the 
  GM can expand that concept to Characteristic 
  Minimum and use it for other types of abilities.
  A Characteristic Minimum is suitable for 
  any type of power characters get “for free” (i.e., 
  without having to spend Character Points on 
  them) where the ability to use a power is governed 
  by a Characteristic as well as some sort of Skill. 
  An example would be spells in some Fantasy Hero 
  campaigns. The GM could set up the magic system 
  so that characters don’t pay Character Points for 
  spells; they get them “for free” after buying certain 
  Skills and/or Perks. However, the more powerful 
  the spell, the more mentally acute a character has 
  to be to learn and cast it properly — spells have an 
  INT Minimum. If the character doesn’t meet the 
  INT Minimum for a spell, he suffers Magic roll 
  penalties, OCV penalties, or whatever other draw-
  back the GM builds into the system. Similarly, in a 
  “Psionic Wars” campaign, mental powers might be 
  free, but require an EGO Minimum.
  JInKInG FACInG 
  TABlE
  roll 1d6
  Facing
  1-2
  Front
  3-4
  Side
  5-6
  Rear
  8
  
  volume 2: Combat and adventuring n Chapter eight 
  191
  RESOuRCE 
  POInTS
  C
  haracters in the movies, novels, television 
  shows, and comic books that influence 
  and inspire HERO System campaigns 
  often go through weapons, equipment, 
  and other resources at a rapid pace. They acquire, 
  use, and lose weapons, cars, and other gear within 
  the space of a single story. They come into large 
  amounts of money, then spend or lose it just as 
  quickly. During the course of a mission, they 
  might call on many different Contacts and friends, 
  only to have those characters die during that 
  adventure... or, if they live, never come into the 
  character’s story again.
  This sort of give-and-take is difficult to 
  simulate in gaming, where characters are used 
  to acquiring resources and getting to use them 
  whenever they want thereafter. And in the HERO 
  System, where characters typically pay Character 
  Points for their resources, it can be even trickier, 
  since characters rightly expect to receive full and 
  constant value for what they buy.
  The rules for equipment in Heroic genres — 
  that characters don’t pay Character Points for 
  equipment, they buy it or otherwise acquire it 
  “for free” in the game — are designed in part to 
  simulate this effect. However, they often come 
  with their own difficulties. When characters can 
  have more or less whatever they want “for free,” it 
  becomes problematic for many GMs to deny them 
  anything — particularly when they buy the Skills, 
  Perks, and Talents needed to build or acquire the 
  gear on their own. Furthermore, the equipment 
  rules don’t cover other resources that Heroic char-
  acters often use, such as Contacts. A character still 
  has to pay Character Points for such things, which 
  often becomes a frustrating exercise in trying to 
  predict what sort of friends he’ll need to call on 
  throughout his adventuring career.
  The Resource Point rules are intended to mini-
  mize these problems by creating a distinct pool 
  of “points” a character can use to “buy” weapons, 
  equipment, Vehicles, Bases, Contacts, and other 
  more or less “fungible” resources that can easily 
  change (i.e., be lost, used up, or used temporarily) 
  during the course of an adventure or campaign. 
  That way they don’t have to spend precious 
  Character Points on a resource they may rarely 
  (if ever) use. At the same time, since the GM has 
  some control over the amount of Resource Points 
  the PCs have and how they allocate them, he can 
  prevent them from arming themselves to the teeth 
  and driving around in tanks just because they 
  don’t have to pay Character Points for their gear.
  The Resource Points rules are strictly optional. 
  If the GM doesn’t want to use them, he doesn’t 
  have to; if he wants to change them or re-arrange 
  them, he’s welcome to. The purpose of Resource 
  Points is to help the GM manage his campaign 
  better while maintaining the players’ freedom 
  to create and play their characters in ways that 
  simulate the campaign’s genre better — so if they 
  don’t do that for you, rework them until they do, 
  or don’t use them.
  The examples, Perks, and other information in 
  this section primarily refer to modern-day games, 
  which is where Resource Points rules are likely to 
  see the most use. But that’s not a restriction; they 
  also work well in historical games, Fantasy games, 
  and the like. Just substitute “Wand of Fireballs” for 
  “machine gun” and you’re good to go.
  RESOuRCE POInTS 
  BASICS
  A character’s Resource Points are divided into 
  four categories:
  
  n Equipment Points
  
  n Vehicle/Base Points
  
  n Follower/Contact Points
  
  n Miscellaneous Points
  The text below describes each category and 
  what characters can buy with the Resource Points 
  assigned to it. Characters may not substitute 
  points in one category for points in another; for 
  example, a character cannot choose to spend 
  some (or all ) of his Follower/Contact Points on 
  equipment — he has to spend them on Contacts 
  or Followers, or nothing at all. Characters may not 
  sell back unused Resource Points in any category.
  8
  
  192 n equipment 
  hero system 6th edition
  STARTInG RESOuRCE POInTS
  The GM must decide how many Resource 
  Points he wants characters to start the campaign 
  with. The more points he assigns to each category, 
  the more resources the character will have to 
  choose from in that category, and the more he can 
  have “active” at one time.
  Typically characters have more Equipment 
  Points than any other type of Resource Points — 
  that’s the category in which they’re most likely 
  to need to buy expensive things and to carry a 
  lot of that resource at once. Miscellaneous Points 
  tend to be the rarest, since they represent the least 
  common things characters use (and in some ways 
  the things most likely to unbalance the game).
  In a typical modern-day Heroic campaign, 
  characters are built with the following starting 
  Resource Points:
  
  n 60 Equipment Points
  
  n 10 Vehicle/Base Points
  
  n 5 Follower/Contact Points
  
  n 0 Miscellaneous Points
  PuRCHASInG mORE RESOuRCE POInTS
  The campaign default amount of Resource 
  Points may not be enough for some characters, 
  such as a heavily-armed vigilante, a scientist who 
  wants to have lots of gadgets, or an expert driver 
  who needs lots of different cars. Characters may 
  purchase more Equipment, Vehicle/Base, and 
  Follower/Contact Points with Character Points, 
  at the cost indicated in the accompanying table. 
  Characters may not purchase Miscellaneous 
  Points; they can only get these from the GM.
  Characters may not “trade in” Resource Points 
  for Character Points. They may choose not to use 
  their Resource Points, or any particular category 
  of Resource Points, but they get nothing in 
  exchange. Similarly, they may choose to use only 
  some of the points in a Resource Points category, 
  but that just means the points go to waste (tempo-
  rarily or permanently).
  As the campaign progresses, characters can 
  get more Resource Points in either or both of two 
  ways. First, they can spend Experience Points to 
  buy them, as described above. Second, the GM 
  can give out Resource Points at the end of an 
  adventure, in place of or in addition to Experience 
  Points. For example, after a particularly successful 
  adventure, the GM might grant each character 
  3 Experience Points, 2 Equipment Points, and 
  1 Vehicle/Base Point. The amount and type of 
  points given out are up to the GM, and may vary 
  from character to character depending upon each 
  character’s performance during the scenario. 
  The amount of Resource Points awarded does not 
  depend on the amount of equipment, Contacts, 
  and other resources the characters acquire during 
  the scenario. Characters may walk away from a 
  game with a wagon full of swords, axes, maces, 
  shields, and armor, but still get only 2 Equip-
  ment Points, or they may lose a crate of guns but 
  be awarded 4 Equipment Points for their clever 
  actions.
  Characters generally cannot lose Resource 
  Points. The only exception to this rule is if a char-
  acter spends Resource Points on unique items (see 
  below).
  PuRCHASInG THInGS WITH RESOuRCE POInTS
  Characters use Resource Points to “buy” equip-
  ment, Vehicles, Contacts, and the like for them-
  selves during an adventure. The cost of something 
  in Resource Points equals its cost in Real Points. 
  For example, if a character wants a machine gun 
  (90 Active Points, 36 Real Points), that requires 36 
  of his Equipment Points.
  Where appropriate, characters may spend 
  Resource Points using the 5-point Doubling Rule 
  (6E2 181). For example, if the character described 
  above wanted two machine guns, he’d allocate 
  36 Equipment Points for the first machine gun, 
  then 5 more Equipment Points for the second 
  using the “5 points doubling” rule, for a total of 41 
  Equipment Points. The GM may forbid this if he 
  considers it unbalancing or troublesome.
  Kit and arMory
  When a character uses Resource Points 
  (particularly Equipment Points), he must distin-
  guish between his Kit (the equipment, Followers, 
  Vehicles, and so on that he currently carries, uses, 
  or “has active”) and his Armory (the total amount 
  of equipment, Followers, Vehicles, and so on that 
  he has to choose from). Characters usually have 
  more resources than they can carry or use at one 
  time, so they have to choose which ones they 
  want to have available to them during a particular 
  adventure (or part of an adventure). A character’s 
  Armory is usually much larger than his Kit, since 
  he acquires resources he can use during the course 
  of the campaign. 
  A character’s Kit equals the total amount of 
  Resource Points he has in any given category. For 
  example, if a character has 60 Equipment Points, 
  then his Kit equals 60 points — he can have up to 
  60 Real Points’ worth of weapons and equipment 
  with him (or easily accessible) at any one time. A 
  character keeps his Kit with him during an adven-
  ture (or has it nearby).
  RESOuRCE POInT COSTS
  type of resource point
  Cost
  Equipment Points
  1 Character Point for 5 Equipment Points
  Vehicle/Base Points
  1 Character Point for 2 Vehicle/Base Points
  Follower/Contact Points
  1 Character Point for 2 Follower/Contact Points
  Miscellaneous Points
  Not allowed
  8
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter eight 
  193
  A character’s Armory is the overall amount 
  of a resource the character has to choose from 
  when determining what he takes in his Kit. It’s 
  not necessarily defined by any set point total; 
  depending on what he does during the campaign, 
  a character could acquire an Armory with literally 
  thousands of Resource Points’ worth of resources. 
  A character usually stores his Armory in a Base or 
  other safe location.
  Example: Crimesmasher’s Equipment Points 
  Armory, which he keeps in his secret headquar-
  ters, consists of the following: 100 throwing blades 
  (10 Real Points apiece), three grappling hooks 
  (10 Real Points apiece), five billy clubs (5 Real 
  Points apiece), ten throwing stars (10 Real Points 
  apiece), a parabolic microphone (6 Real Points), a 
  survival knife (13 Real Points), 16 assorted hand-
  guns (ranging from 8-28 Real Points apiece), two 
  assault rifles (35 Real Points apiece), several suits 
  of body armor (ranging from 3 to 15 Real Points 
  each), and various other miscellanous pieces of 
  equipment. He only has 60 Equipment Points to 
  spend, giving him a 60-point Kit. That means he 
  can’t take his entire Armory with him when he 
  goes on patrol — he has to choose 60 Real Points’ 
  worth of equipment to carry. He chooses the para-
  bolic mike (6 Real Points), 16 throwing blades (30 
  Real Points), the survival knife (13 Real Points), 
  and a handgun (11 Real Points).
  A character’s Kit may vary from adventure to 
  adventure. He might even change it during the 
  course of an adventure, if he has the chance to visit 
  his Armory and switch his Resource Points.
  At the beginning of the campaign, each 
  character has an Armory in each Resource 
  Points category equal to 1.5 times the number 
  of Resource Points in that category. Characters 
  should determine the contents of their Armory 
  (subject to GM permission) before the game 
  begins. After the campaign begins, there’s no limit 
  on the size of a character’s Armory, nor do charac-
  ters have to maintain a Kit:Armory ratio of 1:1.5. 
  After the game begins, a character can put any 
  equipment, Vehicles, Bases, Followers, or Contacts 
  he acquires into the Armory of the appropriate 
  category of Resource Points, and loses things from 
  his various Armories as they’re destroyed, used 
  up, killed, or stolen. Thus, a character’s Armories 
  change during the course of the campaign as he 
  acquires new resources (weapons looted from his 
  defeated enemies, Contacts among new people he 
  meets, Vehicles he builds, and the like) or loses 
  them (his enemies capture him and take away 
  some of his guns, an enemy blows up his armored 
  Cadillac, the Dark Lord’s minions murder one of 
  his Contacts, and so forth).
  The distinction between Kit and Armory 
  becomes crucial when characters lose items or 
  use up expendable items. If a character puts an 
  assault rifle in his Kit at the start of an adventure, 
  and during the course of the adventure he loses 
  the rifle, he does not lose any Equipment Points, 
  nor are the points in his Kit reduced. However, 
  his Armory has suffered a loss — he no longer has 
  that assault rifle to choose from when allocating 
  points for his Kit. (His Kit for the current adven-
  ture now has a number of “unspent” points that 
  were formerly used to buy the assault rifle, and he 
  can replace the assault rifle with something else 
  obtained from his Armory.) If the character wants 
  to have an assault rifle available, he has to acquire 
  another one (by looting bodies, theft, purchase, 
  building it himself, or however else the GM allows 
  him to get one). A character’s need or desire 
  to replace the lost contents of his Armory can 
  provide a lot of opportunities for roleplaying, and 
  may suggest many adventures to the GM.
  Example: Crimesmasher is a character in a 
  “costumed vigilantes” campaign. Characters 
  in this campaign start with 60 Equipment 
  Points. Before the game begins, Crimesmasher 
  may define 90 points’ worth of equipment (his 
  Armory) that he has to choose from when filling 
  his Kit. He chooses a handgun (20 Real Points), 
  an assault rifle (35 Real Points), a suit of body 
  armor (12 Real Points), a survival knife (13 Real 
  Points), a parabolic microphone (6 Real Points), 
  Advanced Lockpicking Tools (2 Real Points), and 
  an Advanced Criminalistics Kit (2 Real Points). 
  His starting Armory is now filled.
  During the course of Crimesmasher’s early 
  adventures, he loses his assault rifle and his 
  lockpicking tools when one of his enemies takes 
  them away from him. But he also acquires several 
  pistols and shotguns (taken from street thugs he 
  defeated), a couple sets of handcuffs, two more 
  suits of body armor, an arsenal of throwing 
  blades and knives confiscated from his enemy 
  Razor, a small fire extinguisher, and a waffle 
  iron. His Armory is now much larger than it was 
  before, though he can still only choose 60 Real 
  Points’ worth of equipment for his Kit for any 
  particular adventure. He can’t choose the assault 
  rifle or the lockpicking tools anymore (since he 
  lost them), but he has a lot more options now 
  than he did before.
  RESTRICTIOnS On RESOuRCE POInTS
  The GM must decide what restrictions, if 
  any, he wants to place on the use of Resource 
  Points. For example, he might want to establish 
  a campaign ground rule that a character cannot 
  have a weapon with more Active Points than two 
  times (2x) his number of Equipment Points, or a 
  Vehicle built on more than twice the starting Total 
  Points for characters in the campaign.
  Kit size restriCtions
  Another possible restriction is to limit the size 
  of a character’s Kit based on the type of adventure 
  being run. For instance, Military Action charac-
  ters typically can’t take as much equipment when 
  they’re attending a formal ball as they can when 
  they’re assaulting a guerrilla camp in the jungle. 
  Depending on the circumstances, the GM can 
  decrease (or increase) the size of the characters’ 
  Kit temporarily.
  8
  
  194 n equipment 
  hero system 6th edition
  Example: Steve decides to establish three 
  categories of “Kit size” for his game. The basic 
  size is Standard Gunwear, which is the amount 
  of equipment the characters typically carry on 
  an adventure, when patrolling the streets, and 
  so forth. It equals 1 x Kit. For situations where 
  they’re undercover or can’t carry a lot of gear, 
  they have to use Casual Gunwear — 0.5 x Kit, 
  and the Kit cannot include any item with a PER 
  Mod greater than +2 unless he gives special 
  permission. For missions where the PCs know 
  they’re heading into combat (or other dangerous 
  situations), they can have Formal Gunwear: 1.25 
  x Kit.
  RESOuRCE POInT POOlS
  There are four categories of Resource Points: 
  Equipment Points; Vehicle/Base Points; Follower/
  Contact Points; and Miscellaneous Points.
  EQuIPmEnT POInTS
  The most common, and probably most impor-
  tant, category of Resource Points is Equipment 
  Points, which characters use to purchase weapons, 
  body armor, gadgets, and other devices. A char-
  acter usually has more points in his Equipment 
  Point pool than in any other category of Resource 
  Points.
  When building equipment for their Equipment 
  Points pools, characters can apply appropriate 
  Limitations (including Focus, obviously) to reduce 
  the Real Point cost of the items.
  types oF eQuipMent avaiLaBLe
  The types of equipment normally available to 
  characters is limited, based on their experience 
  and their adventures. At base level, characters 
  may only allocate Equipment Points for Standard 
  equipment, meaning any items an ordinary, law-
  abiding citizen could acquire without too much 
  difficulty. This category is still fairly broad — ordi-
  nary citizens can obtain powerful hunting rifles, 
  some types of body armor, high-caliber handguns, 
  simple espionage devices, early-generation night-
  vision equipment, and a lot of other gear — but it 
  prevents a character from purchasing law enforce-
  ment or military equipment such as submachine 
  guns, grenades, and advanced body armors.
  If a character wants to be able to allocate 
  Equipment Points to better types of equipment, he 
  must buy the Perk Improved Equipment Avail-
  ability. Here’s what’s available for different Perk 
  values in a modern-day campaign:
  Street-level Equipment (3 points): This Perk 
  gives the character access to various types of law 
  enforcement equipment and military small arms, 
  such as submachine guns and assault rifles, and 
  to other low-level military equipment, but not to 
  heavy equipment such as machine guns or anti-
  tank rockets.
  military Equipment (5 points): This Perk gives the 
  character some access to heavy weapons, such as 
  machine guns and some types of grenades, and all 
  types of body armor.
  ImPROvED EQuIPmEnT AvAIlABIlITy CHART
  Category of perk
  Weapons
  vehicles
  Body armor
  Miscellaneous
  Standard (free)
  Those available to civilians 
  — handguns, hunting 
  rifles and shotguns
  Those available to civilians — 
  stock automobiles, motorcycles, 
  helicopters, and the like
  Up to PD/ED 6
  Anything easily available 
  to civilians without a 
  license or permit 
  Street Level (3 points)
  Military small arms — 
  submachine guns, assault 
  rifles, and the like
  Minor military vehicles (such as 
  Humvees); highly customized 
  civilian vehicles (e.g., Indy cars, 
  armored cars), armored cars. 
  Typically limited to 7 PD/ED.
  Up to PD/ED 11 
  Anything requiring a 
  license or permit to 
  purchase (e.g., some 
  surveillance equipment 
  and lockpicking 
  equipment)
  Military (5 points)
  Military heavy weapons 
  — machine guns, 
  grenades, and the like
  Any vehicle with built-in 
  weapons or gadgetry — 
  James Bond’s cars, Humvees 
  with guns, vigilante cycles. 
  Typically limited to 12 PD/ED.
  Any type of 
  body armor
  Generation 3 nightvision 
  equipment
  Advanced Military (10 points)
  All military weapons 
  — anti-tank rockets, 
  missiles, and the like
  Full military vehicles — 
  tanks, Apache helicopters, 
  nuclear submarines, space 
  shuttles, and the like
  8
  
  advanced player’s guide n Chapter eight 
  195
  Advanced military Equipment (10 points): This 
  Perk gives the character access to the full range of 
  military equipment, including anti-tank rockets, 
  flamethrowers, any type of grenade, and so forth.
  The accompanying Improved Equipment Avail-
  ability Chart offers some guidelines regarding 
  what characters can purchase when they buy the 
  Perk. But of course, just having the Perk doesn’t 
  guarantee a character access to such equipment — 
  paying for Advanced Military Equipment doesn’t 
  mean the character can walk right into the local 
  U.S. Army armory and take anything he wants. 
  Characters still have to acquire the weapons and 
  gear for their Equipment Point pools in the usual 
  ways. The Perk is just a game rule that restricts 
  access for game balance purposes.
  Regardless of what level of the Perk a character 
  has (if any), he can always have in his Armory and 
  allocate Equipment Points to an item he acquires 
  during game play (such as a machine gun he 
  obtains from a defeated enemy). The Equipment 
  Point rules do not prevent a character from using 
  equipment acquired in a game session during that 
  game session only, even if he can’t fit it into his Kit. 
  However, in later game sessions, if he wants to use 
  such “found equipment,” he has to include it in 
  his Kit.
  Usually characters obtain equipment for their 
  Armories in the usual ways: purchase it; steal it; 
  take it; from defeated enemies; make it using their 
  own Skills; hire a skilled craftsman to make it; 
  and so forth. To prevent game balance problems, 
  the GM may want to forbid characters to make 
  their own weapons and gear unless they have 
  not only the appropriate general Skills (such as 
  Weaponsmith, and perhaps Inventor), but one or 
  more appropriate PSs or other Skills related to the 
  specific item in question.
  uniQue iteMs
  Generally, a character should not include 
  unique items, such as a one-of-a-kind gun he 
  designed himself, in his Equipment Point Armory 
  or Kit — he should spend Character Points on 
  such items. Similarly, a character may not want 
  buy his “signature” items (such as a distinctive 
  type of throwing blade or other weapon) through 
  his Resource Points; he should spend Character 
  Points on those items, so he can’t permanently lose 
  them. If a character spends Resource Points on 
  a unique item of some sort, and loses or uses up 
  that item, he loses the Resource Points used to buy 
  that item permanently. The GM defines exactly 
  what qualifies as a “unique” item for purposes 
  of this rule. For example, if a character wants to 
  use a lot of big, fancy guns that he built himself 
  and that look really impressive, but which are 
  no more effective (in game terms) than ordinary 
  firearms, the guns probably aren’t “unique.” But 
  if they do extra damage or have other features 
  not commonly available on guns, the GM might 
  consider them “unique.”
  vEHIClE/BASE POInTS
  Vehicle/Base Points are the second most 
  common type of Resource Points. Because many 
  Vehicles and Bases are more or less “unique,” 
  the rules about losing Resource Points spent 
  on unique equipment generally don’t apply to 
  Vehicle/Base Points. However, at the GM’s option, 
  a character who builds a truly unique Vehicle or 
  Base still may lose all or some of the points used to 
  buy it if it is destroyed.
  Characters’ ability to purchase military vehicles 
  and/or armed and armored vehicles is restricted 
  by the Improved Equipment Availability Perk.
  FOllOWER/COnTACT POInTS
  Follower/Contact Points are relatively rare. 
  Most characters will never have a large number of 
  them.
  Many adventure fiction characters seem to have 
  dozens of Contacts who appear for one adventure 
  here or there, functioning as a sort of “plot device” 
  for that particular scenario. That Contact may 
  never show up again, but for that one adventure, 
  he’s vital. Follower/Contact Points allow GMs and 
  characters to create this sort of Contact without 
  having to devote Character Points to him perma-
  nently. They also allow a character to claim to have 
  a large number of Followers without devoting 
  a substantial portion of his Character Points to 
  purchasing them.
  A character’s Follower/Contact Armory 
  consists of all the Followers and Contacts he 
  knows and/or controls (in a general sense). His 
  Follower/Contact Kit is the Followers or Contacts 
  he wishes to have access to that adventure. A 
  Follower or Contact in the Armory but not the 
  Kit may not be used or encountered in the current 
  scenario — he is, for whatever reason, unavailable.
  Contacts in a character’s Kit are not automati-
  cally available to him — he must still make his 
  Contact Roll to determine whether he can locate 
  the Contact and/or whether the Contact can be of 
  any help to him. If a particular Contact is integral 
  to a particular scenario, the GM may require a 
  character to take that Contact or Follower as part 
  of his Kit for that scenario.
  Because each Follower or Contact is, in 
  essence, “unique,” the rule about losing Equip-
  ment Points devoted to unique items doesn’t 
  apply to Follower/Contact Points. If the character 
  loses a Follower or Contact because of his own 
  stupidity or incompetence, the GM may rule that 
  he loses the Follower/Contact Points devoted 
  to that person permanently. Otherwise, the GM 
  should let the character replace a lost Follower or 
  Contact, though this may take a long time and 
  involve a lot of roleplaying.
  Characters may not buy the Well-Connected 
  Skill Enhancer through their Follower/Contact 
  Points. However, if they buy it with their Char-
  acter Points, it reduces the cost of all Contacts 
  purchased with Resource Points in the usual 
  fashion.
  8
  
  196 n equipment 
  hero system 6th edition
  mISCEllAnEOuS POInTS
  Miscellaneous Points are the rarest form of 
  Resource Points; some characters may never 
  possess any. Characters allocate them to acquire 
  access to Money, certain Fringe Benefits, and other 
  unusual Perks and abilities. The GM determines 
  whether a particular Perk or ability qualifies for 
  Miscellaneous Points.
  The GM should be especially careful about how 
  characters define their Kit and Armory of Miscel-
  laneous Points. It’s not common for characters 
  to suddenly acquire or lose Fringe Benefits, for 
  example; instead, characters should generally 
  define their Kit in one particular way, and leave it 
  that way for long periods of time. In some cases 
  (for example, characters who can disguise them-
  selves and forge credential and licenses), quicker 
  switches may be acceptable.
  8
  
  volume 2: Combat and adventuring n index 
  197
  InDEX
   6E1 
  Hit Locations 
  6E1: 4
  6E2: 4
  Abbreviations: 4
  Absorption (Power): 80
  Accidental Change (Complication): 148
  Accurate Selective (form of Area Of 
  Effect): 134
  Acrobatics (Skill): 34
  Adjustment Powers: 53, 69, 111, 117
  Advanced technology (Skill Modifier): 
  30-31
  Advantages
  Generally: 132
  Removing with Change Environ-
  ment: 82
  Affects Large Targets (Advantage): 98
  Affects Porous (Adder): 123
  Agility (AGI) (optional form of DEX): 12
  Agility Skill modifiers: 28
  Aid (Power): 36, 81
  Alien class of minds: 65
  Alien technology (Skill Modifier): 30-31
  Alienness (Interaction Skill modifier): 28
  All or nothing effect of Mental 
  Powers: 68
  Alter Density (optional Power): 91
  Alternate Combat Value 
  (Advantage): 132
  Always On (Limitation): 81
  Ambidexterity (Talent): 48
  Analyze (Sense Modifier): 95
  Animal class of minds: 65
  Animating objects (option for Teleki-
  nesis): 123
  APG: 4
  Appropriateness (Interaction Skill 
  modifier): 29
  Arcane Defense (optional defense Char-
  acteristic): 13
  Area Of Effect (Combat Modifier): 162
  Area of Effect (Advantage): 76, 133
  Armor (Agility Skill modifier): 28
  Armor Piercing (Advantage): 113, 136
  Attack Powers: 56
  Attack Rolls
  Generally: 162
  As Required Skill Roll: 144
  Attack Versus Alternate Defense 
  (Advantage): 78
  Attacks Against Alternate Characteris-
  tics (Power Modifier): 57
  Autofire (Advantage): 55, 76
  Autofire Skills (Skill): 35
  Background Skills, buying cheaply: 
  45-46
  Backlash (Advantage): 81
  Barrier (Power): 81, 172
  Base (Perk): 47, 111
  Base Times: 19
  Based On CON (variants of this 
  Limitation): 69
  Blast (Power): 81
  Blazing Away: 166
  Block: 166
  Body (Characteristic): 15
  Body-Affecting Powers: 58
  Boost (Power): 81
  Bouncing (use of Acrobatics): 36
  Bouncing An Attack (Combat 
  Modifier): 162
  Breakfall (Skill): 35
  Breakout Rolls: 64
  Bulkiness (Agility Skill modifier): 28
  Bureaucratics (Skill): 35
  Cage (form of Area Of Effect): 134
  Casual Powers and Characteristics: 
  52-53
  Change Environment (Power): 82
  Characteristic Maxima: 16
  Characteristics: 5-16
  Characteristics (Power), Adjusting: 54
  Charges (Limitation): 55, 142
  Charges, STR and: 7
  Clairsentience (Power): 83
  Classes of minds: 65
  Clinging (Power): 86
  Collateral damage caused by large 
  characters: 99
  Combat: 157-76
  Combat conditions (Skill modifier): 24
  Combat Maneuvers: 166
  Combat Modifiers: 162
  Combat Skill Levels (Skill): 36, 69
  Combining: 58
  Complementary Skills: 18
  Complications
  Generally: 147-56
  Imposing with Change Environ-
  ment: 82
  Compound Powers, Adjusting: 53
  Computers: 188
  Concentration (Limitation): 143
  Conforming (form of Area Of 
  Effect): 134
  Conserved Charges: 143
  Constant (Advantage): 103
  Contact (Perk): 47
  Contests of Power: 174
  Contortionist (Skill): 96
  Coordinated Attack (Combat 
  Modifier): 162
  Cramming (Skill): 36
  Crawling: 164
  Crouching: 164
  Cumulative (Advantage): 102, 123
  Cumulative Mental Powers: 70
  Cyberkinesis: 70
  Cyberkinetic Telekinesis: 71-72
  Damage and Other Combat Effects: 172
  Damage Negation (Power): 86, 110
  Damage Over Time (Advantage): 55
  Damage Reduction (Power): 87, 110
  Damage Shield (Advantage): 76, 133
  Damage to subject (Skill modifier): 24
  Deadly Sprayfire (Skill): 37
  Deduction (Skill): 37
  Deep Mental Shift (Adder): 115
  Defense Maneuver (Skill): 38
  Defense Powers: 61
  Defenses (Characteristics): 12
  Defensive Attack (Skill): 38
  Deflection (Power): 88
  Degrees of Complementariness: 18
  Delayed Effect (Advantage): 137
  Delayed Endurance Cost 
  (Advantage): 140
  Delayed Recovery (Advantage): 99
  Delayed Use (Limitation): 144
  Density Increase (Power): 88
  Desolidification (Power): 76, 90
  Deterioration (Limitation): 144
  Dexterity (Characteristic): 12, 52
  Dice, half: 56
  Differentiating damage: 56
  Disarm by: 167
  Dismissable (Adder): 81
  Dispel (Power): 36, 93
  Distinctive Features (Complication): 149
  Dive for Cover: 167
  Dogfight Combat: 188
  Drain (Power): 15, 86, 94
  Dreams, Clairsentience through: 85
  Duration of Powers: 52
  Ease of task (Skill modifier): 23
  Effects of Damage: 172
  Electricity: 180
  Encumbrance (Agility Skill modifier): 28
  Endurance: 174
  Endurance cost
  Defense Powers, based on damage 
  taken: 62
  Powers: 52
  Skills: 18
  STR: 6-7
  Endurance Reserve (Power): 76, 94
  Energy, affecting with Telekinesis or 
  Transform: 122, 128
  Enhanced Messages (Adder): 126
  Enhanced Senses (Power): 94
  Enhanced success for Required Skill 
  Rolls: 145
  Enhancement (form of Coordinated 
  Attack): 164
  Enraged/Berserk (Complication): 150
  Entangle (Power): 36, 57, 86, 96
  Entering Combat: 158
  Environment: 177-86
  Environmental Conditions (Combat 
  Modifier): 164
  Equipment
  Generally: 187-96
  Skill modifier: 25
  Especially effective Advantage combina-
  tions: 132-33
  Expanded STR Table: 8-9
  Expert (optional Skill Enhancer): 45
  Explosion (Advantage): 134
  Extended tasks: 20
  Extensive knowledge (Skill modifier): 24
  Extensive Non-Combat Influence for 
  Hunteds: 151
  Extra Limbs (Power): 99
  Extra Swingline (Adder): 121
  Extra Time (Limitation): 143
  Feedback (Limitation): 109
  Feet, using (Agility Skill modifier): 28
  Fighting: 162
  Fine Manipulation (Adder): 123
  Fine-tuning Movement Powers: 77
  Fire: 181
  Fixed Locations: 127
  Flash (Power): 36, 86, 99
  Focus (Limitation): 143
  Follower (Perk): 47
  Gases
  Affecting with Telekinesis: 122
  Creating with Area Of Effect 
  (Conforming): 135
  Gates: 126
  General conditions (Skill modifier): 24
  Grab: 167
  Growth (Power): 79-80, 99
  Guaranteed Modifier (Adder): 69
  Half dice of Attack Powers: 56
  Halving CV: 162
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (Power): 102
  Hands, not using (Agility Skill 
  modifier): 28
  Hardened (Advantage), partial: 61
  Haymaker: 169
  Healing (Power): 102
  Healing from Absorption: 80
  Heroic Action Points, Luck and: 106
  Hit Locations: 53, 172
  
  198 n index 
  hero system 6th edition
   Human class of minds 
  Willing targets of Mental Powers 
  Human class of minds: 65
  Hunted (Complication): 150
  Hurry: 169
  Hypnosis: 108
  Images (Power): 103
  Immunity (form of Life Support): 104
  Impenetrable (Advantage), partial: 61
  Improved Noncombat Movement 
  (Adder): 78
  Incantations (Limitation): 76
  Increased Acceleration/Deceleration 
  (Adder): 78
  Increased Return Rate (Limitation): 56
  Increased STUN Damage 
  (Advantage): 81
  Incremental STR: 6
  Indirect (Advantage): 103
  Injury (Skill modifier): 25
  Intellect Skill modifiers: 28
  Intelligence (Characteristic): 53
  Interaction Skill modifiers: 28
  Interaction Skills: 32
  Interaction Skills (expanded rules for): 
  32-34
  Intercept Combat: 190
  Interference: 170
  Introduction: 4
  Invisibility (Power): 103
  Invisible Power Effects (Advantage): 
  18, 76
  Irreducible (Advantage): 87
  Knockback: 172
  Ladders, climbing: 164
  Language (Skill): 38
  Large targets, Entangling: 98
  Layered defenses: 61
  Leaping (Power): 104
  Leaving Footprints in Concrete: 176
  Life Support (Power): 104
  Lifting: 7-11
  Lightning Reflexes (Talent): 48
  Limitations
  Generally: 142
  Imposing with Change Environ-
  ment: 82
  Limited Power (Limitation): 144
  Line Of Sight: 63
  Linked (Limitation): 144
  Liquids, affecting with Telekinesis: 122
  Liquids, creating with Area Of Effect 
  (Conforming): 135
  Long-Term Control (Advantage): 108
  Long-Term Flashes 
  99
  Luck (Power)
  Generally: 105
  As Required Skill Roll: 144
  Machine class of minds: 65, 70
  Martial Arts (Skill): 39
  Martial Maneuvers: 166
  Megascale (Advantage): 138
  Mental Awareness (Enhanced Sense): 
  68, 95
  Mental Blast (Power): 106
  Mental Defense (Power): 13, 106
  Mental Illusions (Power): 72, 106
  Mentalist Change Environments: 82
  Mental Powers
  Generally: 63, 76, 80, 85
  Deflecting or Reflecting: 88, 114
  Interaction Skill modifier: 29
  Mental Sense Group: 94
  Mental Shape Shift: 115
  Mental SPD: 14
  Mental tags: 124
  Mental Transforms: 128
  Mental traps: 124
  Microscopic (Sense Modifier): 96
  Mind Control (Power): 72, 107
  Mind Link (Power): 109
  Mind Scan (Power): 73, 110
  Mind Transfer (Limitation): 76
  Mindscapes: 124
  Money (Skill modifier): 26
  Move Throw (form of Grab and attack): 
  168
  Movement
  Casual: 53
  Skill modifier: 26
  Movement Powers: 77
  Movement Skill Levels: 40
  Multiform (Power): 111
  Multiple Attack: 170
  Multiple Special Effects (Advantage): 
  138
  Multipowers, Skills in: 117
  Must Return To Physical Body (Limita-
  tion): 92
  Mystical Defense (optional defense 
  Characteristic): 13
  Negotiating prices and deals (function 
  of Trading): 41
  No Blackout (Advantage): 76
  No Feedback (Advantage): 76
  No Memories (Limitation): 76
  No Range (Limitation): 76
  Non-Combat Influence for Hunteds: 151
  Non-mapped Vehicle combat: 188
  Obsolete technology (Skill Modifier): 
  30-31
  Only Through The Eyes Of Others 
  (Limitation): 85
  Optional Combat Maneuvers, as Martial 
  Arts purchases: 39
  Optional Speed Systems: 158
  Optional Velocity Damage: 178
  Penetrating (Advantage): 139
  Perceivable (Limitation): 77
  Perceiving Mental Powers: 66, 70
  Perceptive Skill Modifiers: 30
  Perks: 47
  Persistent attacks: 56
  Personality Loss (Limitation): 111
  Piercing (Power): 113
  Pilot (optional Skill Enhancer): 45
  Possession (optional new Mental 
  Power): 74
  Power (Skill): 39
  Power Advantages: 132
  Power Defense: 13
  Power Frameworks, Skills in: 117
  Power level of Hunteds: 150
  Power Limitations: 142
  Power Modifiers: 131-46
  Power Modifiers for Complications: 155
  Powers: 51-130
  Precise Sprayfire I and II (Skills): 37
  Precognition: 83
  Presence (Characteristic): 12, 53
  Projection (option for Desolidification): 
  76, 92
  Proportional (Advantage): 139
  Proportional results for Required Skill 
  Rolls: 144
  Psionic surgery: 128
  Psychic impressions: 124
  Psychic messages: 124
  Psychic trauma: 125
  Psychological Complication (Interaction 
  Skill modifier): 29
  Psychometry: 85
  Puppeteering: 122
  Pushback: 176
  Range (Sense Modifier): 96
  Range Modifier: 162-63
  Reaction (REA) (optional form of DEX): 12
  Reactive Entangles: 98
  Realistic STR: 10-12
  Recovery, Adjustment Power return 
  based on: 55
  Recovery: 174
  Reduced Endurance (Advantage): 140
  Reduced failure effect for Required Skill 
  Rolls: 145
  Reference materials (Intellect Skill 
  modifier): 28
  Reflection (Power): 113
  Regeneration (Power): 114
  Removing Limitations temporarily: 142
  Reputation (as Interaction Skill modi-
  fier): 29
  Requires A Skill Roll (Limitation): 144
  Resistance (as Interaction Skill modi-
  fier): 29
  Resistant Protection (Power): 115
  Resource Points: 191
  Retrocognition: 83
  Roleplaying (Skill modifier): 27, 30
  Ruins: 183
  Science Fiction WFs: 44
  Secondary SPD: 15
  Segmented Movement: 160
  Selective Desolidification (Advantage): 90
  Self Only (Limitation): 145
  Sense-Affecting Powers: 78, 85
  Sensory Impressions (Adder): 126
  Shape Shift (Power): 115
  Shove: 170
  Shrinking (Power): 79-80, 116
  Side Effects (Limitation): 145
  Sight Range (form of Area Of Effect): 135
  Size Powers: 79
  Size Templates, additional: 99-101
  Skill Combinations: 18
  Skill Enhancers: 45
  Skill Levels (Skill): 40
  Skill Modifiers: 23
  Skill period (Skill modifier): 26-27
  Skills: 18
  Skills (Power): 117
  Specific Skills: 32
  Speed (Characteristic): 13
  Speed Of Thought (Talent): 48
  Spiritual Defense (optional defense 
  Characteristic): 13
  Spreading (Combat Modifier): 165
  Standard Effect Rule: 53
  Starvation: 185
  Stealthy Skill use (Skill modifier): 24
  Sticky (Advantage): 76
  Strange subject (Skill modifier): 24
  Strength (Characteristic): 6, 165
  Stretching (Power): 117
  Striking Appearance (as Interaction Skill 
  modifier): 29
  Stronger Swingline (Adder): 121
  Stunning: 172
  Stunning (Change Environment 
  effect): 83
  Suffocation (Change Environment 
  effect): 83
  Suppress (Power): 15, 94
  Susceptibility (Complication): 151
  Sustained Attack: 171
  Swimming (Power): 118
  Swinging (Power): 118
  Swinglines: 118
  Talents: 48
  Technological Skill Modifiers: 30
  Technology compatability: 31
  Telekinesis (Power): 36, 121
  Telepathy (Power): 73, 124
  Teleportation (Power): 126
  Throw: 171
  Throwing money at a problem (Skill 
  modifier): 26
  Throwing, realistic: 10
  Time Chart: 27, 160
  Time Limit (Advantage): 141
  Time, taking more or less (Skill 
  modifier): 27
  Tongue, using (Agility Skill modifier): 28
  Tracking (Sense Modifier): 96
  Trading (Skill): 41
  Trail (form of Area Of Effect): 135
  Transform (Power): 36, 58, 73, 86, 127
  Transmit (Sense Modifier): 96
  Transport Familiarity (Skill): 42
  Trigger (Advantage): 103, 109, 137, 141
  True Jack Of All Trades (Talent): 49
  Two-Dimensional (form of Area Of 
  Effect): 136
  Universal Pilot (Talent): 49
  Universal Scholar (Talent): 49
  Universal Scientist (Talent): 49
  Universal Translator (Talent): 48
  Unversal Connections (Talent): 49
  Usable On Others (Advantage): 78, 141
  Variable Advantage (Advantage): 141
  Variable Complication 
  (Complication): 154
  Variable Special Effects (Advantage): 
  55, 111
  Vehicle (Perk): 47, 111
  Vehicle WFs: 44
  Vehicles: 188
  Velocity damage, optional: 178
  Voice Range (form of Area Of 
  Effect): 136
  Vulnerability (Complication): 151, 173
  Weapon Familiarity (Skill): 43
  Weapons: 190
  Weightlifting: 12
  Weird subject (Skill modifier): 24
  Willing targets of Mental Powers: 63
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero Games/6th Edition/DOJHERO 1004 - Hero System 6th - Advanced Players Guide.pdf