What is in a name?

I realize I haven't posted in a while. Real life has been a chaotic ride lately. Hopefully this will change in the coming days/weeks.

Now, the reason for this post: I realize that I haven't discussed Mutants and Masterminds since I found Jeff Moore's HiLo Heroes, and feel the new title is more accurate. So there it is...

TB

HiLo Heroes: Gambit

Though not a 'Big Screen' character as of yet, Gambit has always been one of my favorites. This has probably been the hardest Hero I have attempted to stat up thus far with HiLo Heroes...

Identity
Hero Name: Gambit
Civilian Name: Remy Etienne LeBeau
Professional Career: Thief (To Hit / H)
Hobby Career: Gambler (Move / H)
Charge: Rogue

Notes
Abandoned at birth in New Orleans, Remy was taken in by a set of thieves and later became a member of the X-Men and even portrayed Death incarnate...

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [X] Bold  [  ] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers:
To Hit Die:  [X] High (B) [  ] Low (C)  [  ] Weak
    Targeting Powers: Rapid Fire +1 
Evade Die:  [  ] High (C)  [X] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers:
    Fantastic Attack Powers: Energy Blast +1
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [  ] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [X] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Armor +1

Stats
TL: 1 
Life: 11 
Training: Super Agility (To Hit +1)
Doubles: 0

HiLo Heroes: More Fantasy

Identity
Hero Name: tae'Shedeth (Beloved for Time Eternal) 
Civilian Name: Shedeth the Sly
Professional Career: Rogue (Quick Career, Move / H)
Hobby Career: Alchemy (Cautious Career, Evade / H)
Charge: Duin (Sister of the Crescent Moon)

Notes
Shedeth's sister, Duin, had gone missing many moons ago. Shedeth's sole purpose in life is to find the cult that ensnared her sister's weak mind and make them pay. In her travels she gets by, by stealing what she needs and acquiring information the same way.

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [X] Logical  [  ] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [X] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers: Fleet of Elven Foot +1
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [X] Low (C)  [X] Weak
    Targeting Powers: Backstab +1
Evade Die:  [X] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers: Daggers +1
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [X] High (L)  [  ] Low (I)  [  ] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [  ] High (I)  [X] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Armor (Leather) +1

Stats
TL: 2
Life: 12 
Training: Crippling Strike (-1 Opponent Move Die w/ successful mundane damage blow)
Doubles: 0

HiLo Heroes: Fantasy

Just musing at the moment..

Identity
Hero Name: Duererl Thohig (Dark Father of the Noble Garrison)
Civilian Name: Duer the Dwarf
Professional Career: Noble (Politician) (To Hit / H)
Hobby Career: Stone Mason (Artist) (Block Fan / H)
Charge: Ordin Reiral (Cunning Blacksmith of Vermin Birthplace)

Notes
Duer was born the third son of the house of Noble Garrison. As a child he was befriended by an urchin, Ordin, who was a down on his luck blacksmith. Duer took him in and in return Ordin cast him a fine suit of Chainmail and a vicious axe. Not likely to ascend to the throne, and politics being his least preferred method of dealing with issues, Duer followed his adventurer's heart...

Template
Build:  [  ] Quick  [X] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [X] Bold  [  ] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [  ] High (Q)  [X] Low (P)  [X] Weak
    Movement Powers:
To Hit Die:  [X] High (B) [  ] Low (C)  [  ] Weak
    Targeting Powers:
Evade Die:  [  ] High (C)  [X] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (add +1):  [X] High (P)  [  ] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers: Blade (Two-Handed Axe) +2
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [  ] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Armor +2 (Chainmail), Invulnerability +1

Stats
TL: 3
Life: 18
Training: Martial Dodge (Evade +1)
Doubles: 0

This just might have some merit! Easily removed 'gear' such as the axe may end up costing half, which would make Duer TL:2 if I decide to try the house rule for Nullifying Powers and reducing an opponent's abilities as an option instead of their life everytime.

TB

HiLo Heroes: Template

Figured I needed a quick template for characters to put on the blog:

Identity
Hero Name:
Civilian Name:
Professional Career:
Hobby Career:
Charge:

Notes

Template
Build:  [  ] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [  ] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [  ] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [  ] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers:
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [  ] Low (C)  [  ] Weak
    Targeting Powers:
Evade Die:  [  ] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [  ] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers:
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [  ] Low (I)  [  ] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [  ] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers:

Stats
TL:
Life:
Training:
Doubles:



Did I miss anything?


TB

HiLo Heroes: Countering / Nullifying Power

I haven't had time to play-test HiLo Heroes yet, but my tinker's brain can not stop processing its goodness.

I spoke briefly about an idea a few posts back. Conceptually I see a Countering or Nullifying Power as one that takes success to work, and rather than doing damage, degrades the target in other ways.

For example; this Spider-man has the following Powers for his Temperament...

Temperament: Cautious (LOW To Hit, HIGH Evade)
    Evade Powers: Danger Sense +1, Acrobatics +1
    To Hit Powers: Rapid Fire (Web Shooters) +1

Spidey seldom does physical damage to his opponents on the big-screen. To represent this, I see him more as a disarming type. To that end, I have thought that a To Hit Power: Disarm (Web Shooters) +1 would look rather snazzy for my interpretation of him.


The Power: Disarm could work with either the Temperament or the Build Abilities. A Temperament Power for ranged attacks and a Build (most likely best for Powerful Templates) for a hand-to-hand attack. Either way a successful damage dealing attack could strip the target of their weapon. (Limited - to a Mundane Damage producing 'power' such as firearms.) The opponent would lose their +1 for that Mundane Damage power rather than take physical damage. The target might be able to get that +1 back if they could re-arm themselves.

I could see this working for a 'Snare' where the targets Move bonuses is removed or even resulting in penalties if they don't have a Move Power...

TB

HiLo Heroes: Alternate Training Rules

A quick thought on alternate 'Training' rules that I thought I would put down in a post, so I didn't forget...

By default Powers in Training become full fledged powers once X number of doubles are rolled. Powers in Training can, by default, be use once per session as if the character had full use of that power...

How about allowing players to fuel their Power in Training when doubles are rolled? If a player rolls doubles, they can either; save the double and count it towards permanently obtaining the Power in Training (as the RAW already state), or they can spend that double and use that power then and there. Spending the double to power the Power in Training effectively uses up the double's effect and it is not counted toward advancement (experience).

Thoughts?

TB