Dr Archeville

Sooo... Barnum is really a mutant hyper-intelligent three-year-old?

Sooo... Barnum is really a mutant hyper-intelligent three-year-old?

Well, this is the guideline I go by, based on my experiences with the somewhat similar HERO System (5th Edition). Say you have Detect Mind. On it's own, it'd let you perceive the presence & general location of another mind, and a vague "intensity" of the mind (whether it's stronger or weaker than yours, and whether or not it's engaged in intense mental activity of some sort). It would not automatically let you know whether that mind possesses any mental powers, though knowing the "intensity" of the mind may give a clue. Acute lets you know whose mind it is (if you already knew the mind/person beforehand), and definitely lets you know if it has psionic powers of any sort. Analytical lets you know exactly what psionic powers the mind has (and the approximate power point total, +/- 20%) and the mind's Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores (+/- 20%). It's the "look at the character sheet" level of detecting. No version of Detect Mind would let you know of any mental Complications (like phobias) or Drawbacks, even with Acute or Analytical. Now, keep in mind Aura Reading (as given in UP) consists of three separate super-senses, so you'd need to get Acute or Analytical (or whatever) for each one separately. (Or pay double and get them for the entire Mental sense type.) I'd say that Detect Mood would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is experiencing a mood/has emotions ("Robot Sense... tingling!"), and if so if they're more or less intense than the mood you're currently feeling. It'd probably be limited to detecting the single most powerful mood the target's feeling. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Detect Mood, you can detect all the moods a person is feeling at the time (if detecting confusion and anger in someone, you might guess that target has been recently betrayed by someone). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Detect Mood, you can detect not only all the moods a person is feeling at the time, but also get a general sense of at whom those moods are directed (confusion towards husband + anger towards sister ma lead you to = her husband cheated on her with her own sister). It might also let you gauge a target's Charisma score, as above. I'd say that Detect Physical Condition would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is a) a physical/corporeal thing and healthier or sicker than you. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Detect Physical Condition, you could detect the general presence of illnesses (presence of tumors) or body-altering compounds (drugs or poisons) or other injuries (bullets, lacerations, etc.). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Detect Mood, you can detect exactly what drugs or poisons are in a person (or, rather, exactly what those substances are doing to the person, though not where they came from), or exactly where a bullet is lodged or a tumor is located. It might also let you gauge a target's Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score, as above. I'd say that Psychic Awareness would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is a) using psychic powers or is under the influence of a psychic power. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Psychic Awareness, you could detect who used the power affecting the viewed target ("This is obviously the work of Professor Psion!"). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Psychic Awareness, you could detect exactly what the psychic effect is ("Jeeves, when did you get Mind Control 15?"), and the effects power point cost (as above). The above are my own ramblings. I have no power on this board. (Yet )

Well, this is the guideline I go by, based on my experiences with the somewhat similar HERO System (5th Edition). Say you have Detect Mind. On it's own, it'd let you perceive the presence & general location of another mind, and a vague "intensity" of the mind (whether it's stronger or weaker than yours, and whether or not it's engaged in intense mental activity of some sort). It would not automatically let you know whether that mind possesses any mental powers, though knowing the "intensity" of the mind may give a clue. Acute lets you know whose mind it is (if you already knew the mind/person beforehand), and definitely lets you know if it has psionic powers of any sort. Analytical lets you know exactly what psionic powers the mind has (and the approximate power point total, +/- 20%) and the mind's Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores (+/- 20%). It's the "look at the character sheet" level of detecting. No version of Detect Mind would let you know of any mental Complications (like phobias) or Drawbacks, even with Acute or Analytical. Now, keep in mind Aura Reading (as given in UP) consists of three separate super-senses, so you'd need to get Acute or Analytical (or whatever) for each one separately. (Or pay double and get them for the entire Mental sense type.) I'd say that Detect Mood would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is experiencing a mood/has emotions ("Robot Sense... tingling!"), and if so if they're more or less intense than the mood you're currently feeling. It'd probably be limited to detecting the single most powerful mood the target's feeling. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Detect Mood, you can detect all the moods a person is feeling at the time (if detecting confusion and anger in someone, you might guess that target has been recently betrayed by someone). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Detect Mood, you can detect not only all the moods a person is feeling at the time, but also get a general sense of at whom those moods are directed (confusion towards husband + anger towards sister ma lead you to = her husband cheated on her with her own sister). It might also let you gauge a target's Charisma score, as above. I'd say that Detect Physical Condition would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is a) a physical/corporeal thing and healthier or sicker than you. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Detect Physical Condition, you could detect the general presence of illnesses (presence of tumors) or body-altering compounds (drugs or poisons) or other injuries (bullets, lacerations, etc.). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Detect Mood, you can detect exactly what drugs or poisons are in a person (or, rather, exactly what those substances are doing to the person, though not where they came from), or exactly where a bullet is lodged or a tumor is located. It might also let you gauge a target's Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score, as above. I'd say that Psychic Awareness would [*:ysqxpoxg]At default, tell you if a viewed person is a) using psychic powers or is under the influence of a psychic power. [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Psychic Awareness, you could detect who used the power affecting the viewed target ("This is obviously the work of Professor Psion!"). [*:ysqxpoxg]With Acute Analytical Psychic Awareness, you could detect exactly what the psychic effect is ("Jeeves, when did you get Mind Control 15?"), and the effects power point cost (as above). The above are my own ramblings. I have no power on this board. (Yet )

A non-humanoid party-goer?

A non-humanoid party-goer?

Archeville steps outside and flags a cab down. Once everyone's in, he tells the driver to take them to Midnight Hour in Riverside.

Archeville steps outside and flags a cab down. Once everyone's in, he tells the driver to take them to Midnight Hour in Riverside.

Today's Order of the Stick has a touching tribute.

Today's Order of the Stick has a touching tribute.

Ernest Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of TSR, Inc., passed away today. Cause of death is unknown, though he did suffer two strokes in 2004 and was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm (a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta). Lots of discussion at the Kenzer & Co. and Troll Lord Games board. Jolly R. Blackburn, creator of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strip, received an e-mail from a mutual friend confirming it today.

Ernest Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons and co-founder of TSR, Inc., passed away today. Cause of death is unknown, though he did suffer two strokes in 2004 and was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal aortic aneurysm (a localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta). Lots of discussion at the Kenzer & Co. and Troll Lord Games board. Jolly R. Blackburn, creator of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic strip, received an e-mail from a mutual friend confirming it today.

Fine by me In fact... Dryad would be a perfect villain for Archeville to face right now.... muah hah hah....

Fine by me In fact... Dryad would be a perfect villain for Archeville to face right now.... muah hah hah....

I know Variable Powers tend to get axed here, and Gadgets has never been approved. However, one thing I'd eventually like Doktor Archeville to have are a set of ultra-tech goggles/a tricorder-like thing, which seems like it could most easily be done via a Variable power.* Normally, a Hard to Lose Gadget costs 7pp/rank. But, that's the "any combination of traits" level of Variable Power (8pp/rank), with -1 for being a Hard to Lose Device. Reducing it to "multiple traits of a particular type (powers of a particular type or descriptor)" -- in this case the Sensory type -- would reduce it from 8pp/rank to 6pp/rank (and to 5pp/rank for being a Hard to Lose Device, or 4pp/rank for being an Easy to Lose one). However, "Sensory Powers" covers quite a bit: Communication, Comprehend, Concealment, Confuse, Dazzle, Emotion Control, ESP, Illusion, Mind Control, Mind Reading, Obscure, and Super-Senses. However, all but two of those -- Comprehend and Super-Senses -- are active powers, so I'm thinking that limiting it further to "only passive Sensory powers" would be worth another -1/rank, bringing the cost of the Omni-Goggles to 4pp/rank (or 3pp/rank for the easy-to-lose Tricorder model). (Comprehend function puts subtitles for everyone's speech as text at the bottom of the screen, like subbed anime ) Does the math look right on this? More importantly, would something like this be allowed? * There's actually one other form of Gadgets I'm hoping Doc can get someday, for the HQ he eventually makes. HQs can have powers, so I got to thinking that Gadgets would be the perfect way to represent the dozens of experimental and half-finished devices he'd have lying around his HQ (especially in his laboratory). Since they'd be bought via the HQ feature, they'd have one big built-in flaw: they can only be used while actually inside the HQ, a situation I'd predict wouldn't come up in most adventures. Would something like this be allowed?

I know Variable Powers tend to get axed here, and Gadgets has never been approved. However, one thing I'd eventually like Doktor Archeville to have are a set of ultra-tech goggles/a tricorder-like thing, which seems like it could most easily be done via a Variable power.* Normally, a Hard to Lose Gadget costs 7pp/rank. But, that's the "any combination of traits" level of Variable Power (8pp/rank), with -1 for being a Hard to Lose Device. Reducing it to "multiple traits of a particular type (powers of a particular type or descriptor)" -- in this case the Sensory type -- would reduce it from 8pp/rank to 6pp/rank (and to 5pp/rank for being a Hard to Lose Device, or 4pp/rank for being an Easy to Lose one). However, "Sensory Powers" covers quite a bit: Communication, Comprehend, Concealment, Confuse, Dazzle, Emotion Control, ESP, Illusion, Mind Control, Mind Reading, Obscure, and Super-Senses. However, all but two of those -- Comprehend and Super-Senses -- are active powers, so I'm thinking that limiting it further to "only passive Sensory powers" would be worth another -1/rank, bringing the cost of the Omni-Goggles to 4pp/rank (or 3pp/rank for the easy-to-lose Tricorder model). (Comprehend function puts subtitles for everyone's speech as text at the bottom of the screen, like subbed anime ) Does the math look right on this? More importantly, would something like this be allowed? * There's actually one other form of Gadgets I'm hoping Doc can get someday, for the HQ he eventually makes. HQs can have powers, so I got to thinking that Gadgets would be the perfect way to represent the dozens of experimental and half-finished devices he'd have lying around his HQ (especially in his laboratory). Since they'd be bought via the HQ feature, they'd have one big built-in flaw: they can only be used while actually inside the HQ, a situation I'd predict wouldn't come up in most adventures. Would something like this be allowed?

I'm pretty sure you can't have Gadgets as an AP of anything anyway, due to Gadgets effectively having the Device flaw on it. (The other PbP M&M game I'm in, Living Supers at EN*World, we had some big issues with a player who wanted two of the APs of the char's massive array to be Devices; questions arose as to what would happen is she lost either of the easy-to-lose Devices [would it lock out all the other powers in the Array or not?].) No Type extra? Well, there goes my idea to eventually have Doktor Archeville have some Expand-O-Bots (action figure-size bots which look like assorted superheroes [i.e., the Archetypes, though all with Con at -- and Immunity 30 (Fort effects) to represent their robotic construction] that grow to life-size and obey his commands). Though it does look like I could do it as, say, Summon Brick, AP Summon Energy (Fire) Controller, AP Summon Martial Artist, AP Summon Speedster, etc. (Come to think of it, it might actually work out cheaper that way.)

I'm pretty sure you can't have Gadgets as an AP of anything anyway, due to Gadgets effectively having the Device flaw on it. (The other PbP M&M game I'm in, Living Supers at EN*World, we had some big issues with a player who wanted two of the APs of the char's massive array to be Devices; questions arose as to what would happen is she lost either of the easy-to-lose Devices [would it lock out all the other powers in the Array or not?].) No Type extra? Well, there goes my idea to eventually have Doktor Archeville have some Expand-O-Bots (action figure-size bots which look like assorted superheroes [i.e., the Archetypes, though all with Con at -- and Immunity 30 (Fort effects) to represent their robotic construction] that grow to life-size and obey his commands). Though it does look like I could do it as, say, Summon Brick, AP Summon Energy (Fire) Controller, AP Summon Martial Artist, AP Summon Speedster, etc. (Come to think of it, it might actually work out cheaper that way.)

And it wasn't most, just two things. 2 really, really big things.....

And it wasn't most, just two things. 2 really, really big things.....

"Ja, und zhere's zhat whole 'primal fear of zhe dark' zhing lodged into most people's psyches," Archeville says off-handedly as he puts his notepad and pencil back into his labcoat pocket. A disconcerted look then flashes across his face, as if he'd just made an error in a mathematical equation (or as if he'd just realized the social faux pas he'd made). "Er, sorry, no offense intended, Keira." "I'm villing to go if you all are. I'm up to seeing vhat manner of night-life zhere is in zhe city, und logic dictates zhat zhe best vay to do so is to make a cursory pass at as many clubs as possible, followed by more zhorough investigations later. I believe zhe cab driver mentioned a jazz club near here, Hot Licks, und I also believe he mentioned a place for zhe 'younger crowd,' near zhe Park in Riverside."

"Ja, und zhere's zhat whole 'primal fear of zhe dark' zhing lodged into most people's psyches," Archeville says off-handedly as he puts his notepad and pencil back into his labcoat pocket. A disconcerted look then flashes across his face, as if he'd just made an error in a mathematical equation (or as if he'd just realized the social faux pas he'd made). "Er, sorry, no offense intended, Keira." "I'm villing to go if you all are. I'm up to seeing vhat manner of night-life zhere is in zhe city, und logic dictates zhat zhe best vay to do so is to make a cursory pass at as many clubs as possible, followed by more zhorough investigations later. I believe zhe cab driver mentioned a jazz club near here, Hot Licks, und I also believe he mentioned a place for zhe 'younger crowd,' near zhe Park in Riverside."

Archeville arches an eyebrow at seeing Keira's shadow-tentacle manipulates a physical object. "Ah, I see your point, Alan. Vell, I trust you'll do zhe right zhing, you zeem to haff a good head on your shoulders. Just remember, when you duck, do so mit your knees, not your back." "So, you two, shall we remain here, or adventure tovards another club?"

Archeville arches an eyebrow at seeing Keira's shadow-tentacle manipulates a physical object. "Ah, I see your point, Alan. Vell, I trust you'll do zhe right zhing, you zeem to haff a good head on your shoulders. Just remember, when you duck, do so mit your knees, not your back." "So, you two, shall we remain here, or adventure tovards another club?"

"Contrary to certain American films, love does mean having to say you're sorry," Archeville replied, this time pausing in his sketching and looking up towards Alan. "If you vant to apologize to her, possibly even get back mit her, you should do so. Vere the two of you not close enough zhat she, at zhe least, deserves an explanation for your disappearance?"