House Rules (5th Edition)

=Champions Mush 2.0 House Rules Files=

This is not the master version. It is a copy maintained on the wiki for easy searching, browsing, and commenting. The master version is maintained in a PDF file.

Uncontrolled and Zero Endurance
Combinations of Uncontrolled and Reduced or Zero Endurance advantages will get the double <> treatment during character approval review. These are not prohibited in general but will be examined extremely carefully for all possible effects on game balance. Attack powers may not have this combination of Advantages.

Area of Effect
The Area of an Area Effect attack depends on the number of Active Points in the Power excluding the AoE Advantage.

Costs Endurance Only To Activate
This advantage will usually be restricted to body-affecting Powers such as Growth, Density Increase, Desolidification, Shapeshift, and Shrinking, and more rarely in combination with Uncontrolled to produce effects that require no further character involvement and are not under the character's control after being initiated. Powers bought with this advantage cannot have the Increased Endurance or Costs Endurance Limitations, although such Limitations can be applied to the Advantage cost itself.

Damage Shield
This Advantage costs +3/4 on our MUSH. You do not have to buy Continuous for the base Power in order to take the Damage Shield Advantage. For an additional +1/4 Advantage the Damage Shield will do damage when you successfully attack an opponent with a HTH attack. If a defender with Damage Shield BLOCKS then the attacker will take the damage from the Damage Shield, unless the Special Effect of the defender's Block does not involve physical contact between attacker and defender.

Delayed Effect
Characters may only prepare ONE version of a Power that is set using this Advantage (if you have 10 Powers all on Delayed Effect, then each could be stored once, for a total of 10 stored Powers).

Does BODY
This Advantage is discouraged and will be scrutinised closely for game balance. This Advantage will mostly be limited to scary villains.

Hex Effect
The Area of Effect advantage for 1 Hex, also known as Hex Effect, has an altered cost of +3/4 on our MUSH. The Accurate option on Hex Area of Effect is not allowed. You cannot take the Hex Area of Effect advantage on a Power if the power would only affect a 1" radius if bought with AoE Radius. In such a case you must buy the AoE Radius Advantage instead.

Megascale
This advantage will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. The Megascale Advantage cannot be taken on the Swinging, Gliding, or Tunneling Movement Powers. The Megascale Scaleback option is in use.

Naked Advantages
These will be scrutinised carefully for game balance.

No Normal Defense
Characters are usually allowed to have only one type of NND attack. They may purchase more than one NND but all their NND attacks should have the same set of "defenses". So a character could, for example, have a Sonic pistol (Energy blast with NND) and a Sonic Grenade (AoE EB with NND) but not usually any other NND attacks that have a different set of defenses to those of the two previous attacks.

Transdimensional
This is strongly discouraged and will be scrutinised very carefully for game balance.

Trigger
Trigger is a  Advantage. Any Powers with this Advantage will be very carefully reviewed. Triggers that reset automatically, or reset within zero time, are likely to be rejected. Also note that unless the base Power has been bought as Invisible a set Power on a Trigger will be visible.

Uncontrolled
Attack powers cannot have both the Uncontrolled and Zero Endurance or Costs Endurance Only To Activate advantage. Combinations of Uncontrolled and Reduced or Zero Endurance Advantages will be scrutinised very carefully.

Usable on Others (Usable As Attack)
The Usable On Others (UOO) and Usable As Attack (UAA) advantages will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. UAA on Movement Powers cannot be combined with Megascale movement. An attacker must make a OCV against DCV attack roll on each action Phase to maintain a UAA Movement Power on an opponent.

Introduction
Player characters are built on a total of 350pts or less. They have 250pts base and can take up to another 100pts of disadvantages. All characters must take a minimum of 50pts of disadvantages. If you are wondering why we insist that all characters must take at least some disadvantages, just think how boring Superman would be without that susceptibility to Kryponite.

The following individual topics contribute to your overall character balance rating:
 * DC - Maximum damage or other offensive effect.
 * CV - Average chance to hit and be hit in combat.
 * SPD - Your character's Speed characteristic.
 * DEF - Calculated average effectiveness of defenses.

Other factors that can contribute to overall balance include:
 * CHA - General level of Characteristics.
 * Powers - Other Powers (besides offensive Powers).
 * Skills - Skill and Skill Levels (besides CV).

Active Points Balance
The Active Point (AP) cap for all offensive combat Powers is 62pts.

This will allow a 12D6 attack, a 10D6 attack with 1/4 Advantage, or a 8D6 attack with a 1/2 Advantage. Note that some powers also have a minimum purchase Base Points requirement. See Minimum Costs.

With defensive powers such as Armor and Force Field, etc., no AP cap applies. A character's total defense is limited by the balance rules however. See the table.

There is no specific AP cap on non-combat powers, but if the AP of a power is over 75pts the Approval reviewers will check to see if the power risks unbalancing the game. This may result in an extended time to complete the approval process.

Whenever a power's effect is added to by something else, the cap applies to the total AP cost of everything that adds together. For example, the AP cap for HKA applies to (HKA+STR) if you can add STR to it.

You can exceed the starting cap for Characteristics and Powers by one Active Point for every 10XP you've earned, providing it is consistent with your character concept. Characteristics and Powers that are under the starting maximum can be increased by spending XP at any time, with due attention to keeping overall balance unchanged.

Characteristics Balance
Starting characters cannot exceed the following CHA maxima:

Most Characteristics are also effectively capped by the balance rules. See Table Balance.

If you buy Advantages on a CHA then the AP caps for Powers will apply to the adjusted CHA cost. See Exceeding Caps Balance. Otherwise the Power AP caps do not apply to Characteristics.

For caps on Movement Powers see Movement.

Combat Values Balance
Your character's CV rating is the average of their DCV and their OCV (or ECV if their largest attack is a Mental power).

Add relevant combat skill levels (CSL) to your DCV and your OCV/ECV before calculating the average value. If a CSL can be used for either DCV or OCV add it to OCV. When a CSL provides only a very limited bonus (for example a DCV CSL only against grabs) do not include it.

Do include the Martial Arts manoeuvre modifiers for your most powerful attack if your character employs Martial Arts (this should be the manoeuvre that determined your DC rating).

Include DCV and OCV modifiers due to powers such as Growth and Shrinking, etc.

If your character can attack while undetectable by normal sight using Darkness or Invisibility, etc, has one or more Area of Effect attacks, or can affect opponents by powers such as Change Environment, your character’s CV level may be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the reviewers. As a basic rule assume AT LEAST a +1 to your calculated CV figure.

Damage Balance
Your character’s DC is calculated as the AP/5 or number of Damage Classes in the character’s most powerful attack, using whichever is the highest figure.

You need not normally include additional damage due to combat manoeuvres like Haymaker, Move Through, Move By, or Pushing, unless the character is designed to use those manoeuvres as their regular attack (for example, speedsters often depend on Move Through or Move By for their damage).

You should include the additional damage from Martial Arts manoeuvres like Offensive Strike and Martial Arts Damage Classes, etc. For powers to which STR contributes (like HTH attack and HKA) add the AP of your applicable STR.

If you have a group of attack powers that can be fired together in one attack add their active points/DC's when calculating your DC rating.

Defense Balance
Your character’s DEF is calculated as follows: average your total PD and ED. It does not matter if this is resistant or hardened: only the PD and ED totals count. Include PD and ED from powers such as Growth and Density Increase.

If your character has taken damage reduction (DR) then add half the AP of the normal DR at that level to your PD or ED, depending on the type of DR, before calculating the average.

Damage Reduction applied to your character's own special effect (SFX), such as a fire based hero with Damage Reduction only against fire, doesn't add to your DEF rating AS LONG AS it only counts against a minority of attacks.

If your character has taken Mental Defense (MD) add a quarter, rounding down, of your total MD to the PD and ED average.

Special defenses such as Flash Defense, Power Defense, Lack of Weakness, Force Walls, etc., do not count towards a character’s DEF rating.

Example: Iron Boy has 8PD/6ED in Characteristics, 5PD/5ED Armor, a 10PD Force Field, 25% Normal PD Damage Reduction and 50% Resistant ED Damage Reduction, and a Mental Defense of 10. Total PD is 8 + 5 + 10 + (10/2) = 28 <<25% DR cost is 10AP>>. Total ED is 6 + 5 + (20/2) = 21 <<50% DR cost is 20AP>>. Average of PD and ED is (28 + 21) / 2 = 24 <>. Add 1/4 of Mental Defense 24 + (10/4) = 26 <>. So Iron Boy has an 'High' level DEF figure of 26. Approval reviewers may also take into account unusually high values of STUN and CON Characteristics when considering your character’s DEF rating calculation. What is viewed as unusual depends on the character concept. A Brick character with 60+ STUN isn’t unusual. A Martial Artist character with 60+ STUN is. When this is done it will be on a case-by-case basis.

Exceeding Caps Balance
You can exceed the starting cap for Characteristics and Powers by one Active Point for every 10XP you've earned, providing it is consistent with your character concept. Characteristics and Powers that are under the starting maximum can be increased by spending XP at anytime, with due attention to keeping overall balance unchanged.

This applies separately for each Characteristic and Power. For example, suppose you start out with both END and STUN at max, and then earn 10 Experience Points. You can now submit a powerup in which both END and STUN are raised by 1 AP, if you wish.

You can also improve your overall Balance rating by bumping up one category by one level for every 50XP you've earned. (This is entirely independent of exceeding AP caps.)

Characters built with lower Characteristics and Powers can usually be balanced out with a good set of Skills. The background and character concept must be sound and well explained. Having a good concept and BG will work in your favor during Approval.

Guide Balance
The "classic" archetypes would be:

The basic rule of thumb is that you should have not more than three medium categories and a high, or equivalent, for a starting characters. See Table Balance below for more detail on what is equivalent.

Reviews Balance
When we review a character for approval we look for several things. First, the character must be legally built within the rules and house rules. Secondly, the character must be built within theme. With our intentionally loose theme this should not be difficult to achieve. Thirdly, we look for a unifying theme behind the powers and abilities, something to convince us that this character is an organic entity who can grow and develop in roleplay and not just a collection of random skills and powers.

We consider the character balance, both within the character between defense, attacks, movement, etc., and between the character and other characters that have been approved. To be approved the new character should be neither too weak to play a significant role with existing characters, nor so powerful that the new character will completely overshadow all existing characters.

Skills Balance
There are no caps on Skill rolls: you can buy a skill at 20- or whatever you wish. However any skill bought up three or more levels above your base characteristic roll ought to be explained in your character’s background.

A roll of 18 will always fail no matter what your skill level. However, a skill level of 20- lets you succeed on roll of 17 even at with a -3 penalty.

Combat Skill Levels are included in the calculation of CV for your character’s balance requirements.

You must spend 15pts or more on non-combat Skills. These can include useful adventuring Skills such as Stealth or Security Systems; however, a minimum of 5pts must be spent on Background Skills. Perhaps you can take a Professional Skill (PS) in an occupational skill and also a KS in some kind of hobby skill?

Special Balance Rules
You may have noticed that the AP Cap for powers means that there is no way to achieve Ultra level in the DC category with a starting character. This is intentional.

Approval reviewers have been instructed to reject any characters whom have the following combinations of powers:
 * Invisibility with higher than Medium Damage.
 * Invisibility with Mental Attacks.
 * Desolidification with Affects Real World attacks.

If your character has Invisibility and High damage but cannot be invisible and attack at the same time that should be fine. The same holds for Invisibility and Mental attacks. Having Desolidification and any damaging attack that can be used to affect others while desolid (the Affects Real World advantage) will not be allowed.

The reason for this rule is that these power combinations can lead to imbalance in the game. So please consider these things before applying.

Here are some other unbalancing things that will be carefully reviewed and probably rejected. If you must include them in your character concept for some reason, take care to limit their unbalancing effect somehow, and expect your application to be delayed while we talk about whether to make an exception in your case. indirect attacks, or invisibility coupled with ranged invisible effect attacks, and many others.
 * Adjustment powers that can potentially increase your DAM, CV, SPD or DEF, or those of your allies, above their initial ratings.
 * Power combinations that allow you to attack with impunity. For example, targeting senses that work through walls coupled with
 * More than one NND attack with different defenses.
 * More than one special defense. (exclude Mental Def and Life Support)
 * BOECV Entangle, STUN Suppress, BODY Suppress. We find these don't work well in a MUSH-based game. We may allow them in very exceptional cases but don't count on it.

Speed Balance
Your SPD rating is simply your character's SPD.

When one or two characters have SPDs significantly higher than the other characters in a scene, it is ESPECIALLY important that they be able to respond quickly when their action phase rolls around: otherwise everyone is sitting around waiting for those characters to act and combat scenes become exceptionally frustrating for other players. Before creating a high SPD character please give some thought to how you are going to handle this situation courteously.

Table Balance
a If either CV or SPD is taken at an Ultra level then neither DC nor DEF can be at a level higher than Medium, with starting characters.

b The Mega and Extreme levels (and Ultra level in the DC category) can only be taken in Powerups using Experience Points gained in play. Talk to Admin when your character has 50+ Experience Points.

An overall balance rating of one High and three Mediums ''or the equivalent'' is normally acceptable. To raise one category a level you must lower another category by a level to compensate. For example, to get High in two categories you must have at least one Low.

More generally: the sum of the numbers given in the "Rank" column for each of the four categories (DC, CV, DEF and SPD) should be +1 or less, for a legal starting character.

If, for example, you have a 50 AP Force Field and a 50 AP Energy Blast in a 50 AP Multi-Power, you don't necessarily have a balance rating with DEF and DC both high. Instead you have two balance ratings: one with DEF high, and one with DC high. That's because you can't have both high at the same time. In these cases each rating is evaluated independently and none of them can exceed the limits above.

Most categories have a range of values at each level. If you take the top value in several ranges that may be considered as equivalent to taking a higher level in one of those categories when we review your character for Approval. The Weak level is not considered to be a range for this purpose.

You can bring up your overall Balance rating by bumping up one category by one level for every 50XP you've earned.

Introduction
You don't have the option of whether your character is going to play out his Disadvantages; he *must*, or else that Disadvantage is not worth any points. If you fail to play out a Disadvantage, you will be required to delete the Disadvantage from your character sheet immediately, and the points you had gotten from the Disadvantage will be lost, permanently, from your sheet.

You can have no more than 40 points in any one Disadvantages category. Thus, you can have two 20 point Psychological Limitations, but then that's it for the Psych Lim Disadvantage. All other Disadvantage points must come from elsewhere.

You must take at least 50pts of disadvantages for your character. We enforce this rule because characters without any disadvantages can be boring to play, and roleplay with, and because disadvantages are such a wonderful hook for GMs to get your character involved.

Code versus Killing
At the Moderate level this is an Everyman Disadvantage. Everyone in his or her right mind is reluctant to kill. Only murderers, stone cold psychopaths or weirdos don't mind killing other sentient beings. This is, again, an Everyman Disadvantage. Thus, you get 0 points for it. If you want to get points for a CVK it must be at the Strong or Total level. Furthermore, the standard to which heroes are held to is higher than that for normal people such as police officers, etc. The general assumption is that with great power comes a responsibility to employ it in a non-lethal that may be impossible for someone without heroic abilities. Take them in alive!

Dependant Non Player Character (DNPC)
A dependent non-player character must be a single specific individual or a group or organization. The DNPC cannot be a 'flavor of the month' type. A stable static group of individuals is ok.

Distinctive Features
The home city of the MUSH, Colonial Bay, has a large population of metahumans and aliens. It takes something truly distinctive to stand out in such circumstances. Costumes do not count as Distinctive Features, nor do accents. If a character has a Distinctive Feature at the Major Effort or Not Concealable level the character may not have a Secret Identity. Multiple distinctive features within the same sense group result in one disadvantage.

Hunted
We strongly recommend that Hunters should be groups or organizations. Having a solitary Hunter leads to potential complications. Either the Hunter must escape every time when captured or you'll be faced with buying the Disadvantage off at some point. It is highly illogical for individuals to escape from jail once a week in order to hunt you.

Public Identity
This is a Social Limitation that is common enough for us to give it a standard house build. Public Identity is a Social Limitation. You can also create variants of the disadvantage, such as public to a certain group, etc., using the rulebook version of Social Limitation.

A character with a Public Identity is a famous public figure and will be known and recognized almost everywhere he goes. Such a person has no possible underground or secret identity and authorities, the press, and his enemies can usually find him. Other people will also know more about him, and can often take advantage of known Disadvantages (DNPC for example) more easily.

Public Identity is worth 10pts as a Disadvantage.

Rivalry
This disadvantage is a rivalry you have with a SPECIFIC individual. If your character feels rivalry towards a group it's more of a Psych Lim and should be written as such. You must SPECIFY the individual. You MUST also get permission from the PC's player if you have a Rivalry with a PC. Rivalry is a two way street. It is worth less points if the other person does not know of the rivalry.

Secret Identity
This is a Social Limitation that is common enough for us to give it a standard house build. You can use Secret Identity as a Social limitation. You can also create variants of the Disadvantage, such as having your character's identity known to a group, etc., using the rulebook Social Limitation.

A character with a Secret Identity has a private persona that is completely divorced and separate from his public hero persona. He leads the life of a normal person, with a job, friends, house, kids, etc., some of the time, but at other times (during a crisis, etc.), he leads the life of a superhero.

Characters can reveal their "secret" identity to a FEW team mates and other heroes without endangering the Disadvantage.

Secret Identity is worth 15pts as a disadvantage.

Note: Secret Identity isn't about keeping everyone from knowing your true identity. In fact most of the super heroes with secret identities in comics have at least a handful of people who know who's behind the mask. For Spider-Man, Mary Jane, Daredevil, and at least a handful of others know that he's Peter Parker. In my mind, Secret Identity is about keeping one's true identity secret from villains and the general public.

As for the question of discovering the Secret Identities of other players through the use of senses and other IC information, I think that the discovery is best worked out between the players involved. If a player does not wish his or her character’s Secret Identity to be discovered and they do nothing overtly to reveal it then it will remain a secret. Secret Identities can be lost though an action by the owning player but not from the use of a special sense, such as discriminatory scent, etc.

Unluck
The Unluck Disadvantage is limited to a maximum of 3D6.

Elemental Controls
These must have a tight unifying Special Effect.

Zero Endurance Powers, such as Life Support, Armor, etc., are allowed in ECs provided those Powers are suitable for the EC's Special Effect.

Racial ECs will be evaluated on an individual basis with preference for ECs that seem to meet the spirit of the idea of an EC as a single ability with multiple uses and application. Wind, Fire, Telekinesis, Elasticity are some examples of acceptable unifying Special Effects for an EC.

Multipowers
Each Power in an MP must have a loosely related Special Effect. The Multipower Reserve is not AP capped; however no Power in the Multipower can exceed any AP cap applicable to the Power. This allows a character to have a Multipower with more than one Power active. Powers with charges in a MP slot take a one step reduction in the value of the Limitation (e.g., 16 charges at +0 becomes 12 charges if in a MP slot).

Variable Power Pool
Each power in an Variable Power Pool must have a loosely related Special Effect. Characters with Variable Power Pools must create a list of the Powers they wish to use within the VPP. GMs may allow such characters to create new Powers within the VPP during a scene but this is entirely at the GM's discretion and very rare. Note that after character generation each additional Power in the VPP counts as part of a powerup.

Special Powers -may- be allowed in a VPP subject to a good Special Effect. This is usually allowed only for Gadget Pools. Slots in a VPP may be taken at a lesser point value within the approved maximum. This is like a mutable slot in a Multipower. If all slots must be taken at full point value that is a -1/4 limitation on the Control Cost.

Introduction
The primary source for campaign rules is the Hero System 5th Edition Revised rulebook produced by DOJ and authored by Steven S Long. We recommend that you purchase a copy of the rulebook. Playing on this MUSH without possessing a copy of the rulebook may be difficult. Errata for the rulebook and rules clarifications can be found on the Hero Games website: http://www.herogames.com/SupportFAQs/supportfaqsherogames.htm

Our House Rules are specific to this MUSH and override original game rules published elsewhere.

Advantaged Strength
If your STR has Advantages on it, HA and HKA need not have the same Advantages to benefit from addition of STR. However, if those Powers don't you may not get any benefit from the Advantage when you use the HA or HKA, depending on the Advantage.

Example: given 20 STR at Zero END (30ap) + 3d6 HA (9ap), a 7d6 Strike costs 1 END -- you get a benefit from the Zero-END STR. But given 20 STR Armor Piercing + 3d6 HA, you get 7d6 Normal... no benefit from the Armor Piercing. (Of course, you can choose not to use the HA, for 4d6 Armor Piercing.)

Calculating DCV
The listing is on page 245 of 5ER. Halving DCVs is the last part of calculating the DCV and they do not stack. A DCV can never go below zero. For example, if someone gets Stunned and Knocked Back at the same time, they do not halve their DCV twice. It is just applied once.

Characteristics
There is no limit to the number of Primary Characteristics a character may lower but only ONE (1) Figured Characteristic may be lowered. No Characteristic may be lowered below 5 in this manner. Because we want to encourage individuality and not hyper-efficiency, no more than three of the eight primary stats can end in 3 or 8, which are usually the most cost-efficient values.

Fast Draw
If two or more characters with Held Actions wish to use them at the same time a character with the Fast Draw skill will automatically go first if the character is using an attack the Fast Draw is applicable to. If two or more of the characters have Fast Draw they roll skill checks to determine the order of Actions.

Flight
Turning off Flight will result in a fall from the height the character was at when Flight was turned off. Breakfall can be used to avoid taking damage and having to spend a Half Move standing up. Landing from Flight is a Half Move action. Landing can be combined with a Half Move as a single Half Action. Flying characters who take KB must make a Breakfall roll or lose a Half Action to re-orient themselves.

Half Move OCV Penalty
Attackers do not suffer a -1 OCV penalty for making a Half move before they attack. This is as per the 5th edition rulebook but old-time players may need a reminder. This was changed back in the 4th edition as I recollect.

Hand To Hand Attack
We treat this as an attack to which STR contributes. STR contributes 1 DC to the attack for every N points of STR you wish to add, where N is the AP cost per DC of the HA power.

Example: If the HA has the Armor Piercing advantage (+1/2 advantage) then adding 1D6 (1DC) to the HA attack requires 7 STR. (5 * 1 1/2) Additional damage from strength may not increase the damage to greater than twice the base attack damage.

Haymakers
This is a somewhat contentious issue. Haymakers have been a part of the rules since the conception of the game. But 5th edition has made radical changes to the Haymaker rules. We’re going with the 5th edition book version with the proviso that GMs may prohibit Haymakers that are just too silly to accept. Also note that in our campaign you can Haymaker out of combat. That official prohibition is just insane.

Held Actions
Characters cannot take more than one Action in a Segment. However if a character has a Held Action and keeps it Held until the character's next Phase, the character can use the Held Action at any time in the Segment before the character's Dexterity. This will count as the character's Action for his current Phase as well as using up the Held Action.

Killing Attack (HTH)
Adding STR to a HKA cannot do more than double the base damage. So a 1D6+1 HKA can be increased to 2.5D6 with STR but no more. Strength contributes 1D6 to the attack for every N points of STR you wish to add, where N is the AP cost per 1D6 of the HKA Power. Example: If the HKA has the Armor Piercing Advantage then 22 points of STR will add 1D6 to the HKA.

Knockback
The only Optional Effect of Damage in use is Knockback. The remaining Optional Effects, Wounding, Hit Locations, Impairing, Disabling, and Knockdown, are not in use.

Mind Control
The target of Mind Control will ALWAYS get an attempt to break free of Mind Control before he is able to act on the command, no matter what the circumstance or timing of the Mind Control attempt.

Movement
Combat Movement is limited to a maximum of 30". There is no limit for Non-combat movement. We do not use Turn Mode for movement. Neither do we use the half-distance-when-climbing options for movement. If a character with UAA (Usable As Attack) on a Movement Power uses that to slam an opponent into wall the damage will be equal to a Move Through of the same velocity with a zero Strength (the opponent can add their Strength if they wish to), which is 1D6 per 3" velocity.

Multiple Attackers
The Multiple Attackers penalty on a victim's DCV is limited to a maximum of -2 DCV: superhero characters should be able to handle large numbers of henchmen and thugs. Use of the Multiple Attackers penalty in a scene is optional; the GM may ignore the penalty if desired.

Multiple Power Attacks
These are not allowed. If a character wants to use two or more powers in a single attack the character should buy the powers as Linked. The DC and AP of Linked Powers is calculated as the sum of each individual Power.

Optional Combat Maneuvers
The optional Combat Maneuvers of Blazing Away, Hip-Shot, and Hurry, Snap Shot, and Suppression Fire are not in use.

Paramedics
The optional rule that requires a character to make Paramedics roll at minus 1 for every two BODY an injured individual is below zero BODY is not in use. A successful base paramedics roll will prevent a character from bleeding. We want live heroes not dead ones.

Pushing
Pushing Powers should not be done as a matter of course. Characters should only Push Powers when the situation is serious enough to justify it. A character can push by 5pts in such a situation without having to make an EGO roll. If a character wishes to push by more than 5pts they can try to make an EGO roll and if successful may push by 10pts plus an additional 1pt for each point the character made the EGO roll. A GM in a scene may restrict a character from Pushing or may allow a character to Push by more than the normal limit or without needing an EGO roll.

Rapid fire
This is not in use. Characters should buy Autofire instead.

Sweep
The Sweep maneuver is allowed against multiple targets only. It cannot be used to attack a single target multiple times. Sorry, Wasp, no more flying in circles battering opponents into pulp.

Introduction
Limitations make a Power cheaper because the Power is less useful than normal. If a Limitation cuts the Power's cost in half, we would expect the Power to be half as effective as a normal Power -- it only works half the time, at least reliably. The Approval Reviewers will examine your character's Limitations carefully. Limitations that are perceived as being thinly veiled excuses to decrease the cost of a Power while not decreasing its commensurate effectiveness will NOT be allowed. You have been warned.

Always On
Before a Power can have the Always On Limitation it must be bought to Zero END and Persistent with Advantages if not naturally so. There must be a negative effect to having a Power Always On before the Limitation is worth points. If you want a Power to be Always On but there is no negative consequence you may take the Limitation at -0.

Charges
Charges inside a Multipower get 1 step less of a Limitation than normal. Thus, instead of 8 charges being worth a +1/2 Limitation, when placed in a slot inside a Multipower, 8 Charges would be worth a +1/4 Limitation. Charges may normally not be used inside a Variable Power Pool. If you want to take Charges as a Limitation, you must place the ENTIRE pool on Charges. Boostable Charges are not in use.

Focus
A Breakable Focus has a DEF and BODY equal to the Active Points in the Focus divided by five (5). If a Focus provides defense, such as armor, the DEF of the Focus is the higher of its own or the defence that it provides. A Focus that provides defenses to the character is hit by (and risks being damaged by) every attack even if Inaccessible. There is another house rule on Foci you should also read: Objects of Opportunity.

Increased Endurance Cost
This cannot be taken on Powers that have the Only Costs Endurance to Activate Advantage. The Limitation can be taken on the Advantage if you're willing to work through the complex maths involved, i.e., the Limitation will reduce the cost of the Advantage but not the cost of the base Power.

Independent
The Independent Limitation is not in use.

Objects of Opportunity
These are considered to be OIF (denoted on a character sheet as OOIF). They act like an OAF for game mechanics; however since there are many objects of opportunity available, the cost is the same as OIF. Objects of opportunity can also be Inobvious. These are considered as IIF (denoted on the character sheet as OIIF). The GM determines if there are Objects of Opportunity available if the character loses his initial object.

E.g. Armstrong can use large poles as a weapon. They are treated like an OAF game-wise because the weapon can be removed from him; however it is also an Object of Opportunity because trees, lamp-posts, etc., can simulate that type of weapon and are found all over the city. So on his sheet, Armstrong has that focused Power listed as OOIF.

Only In Hero Identity
This will now be allowed however there will need to be some difficulty or time delay in changing from SID to HID. OHID usually cannot be combined with Public ID.

Introduction
Perks are useful privileges and contacts that a character has special access to. Unlike Skills, Perks can be transitory. Characters can gain or lose Perks during the course of game play. This must be adjudicated during game play by a staff GM, and during Experience spending by the approval reviewers. Although the Hero System has multiple Perks we only allow some of them and some of those allowed are restricted:


 * Access
 * Anonymity
 * Bases *
 * Computers *
 * Computer Link
 * Contact
 * Deep Cover
 * Follower
 * Fringe Benefit
 * Money
 * Reputation
 * Vehicles *

Starred (*) items have significant additional information listed.

Access, Computer Link, Contacts, Favours, and Security Clearance Fringe Benefits will be scrutinised carefully for game balance.

Characters should be capable of dealing with challenges using their own Skills and Powers. Perquisites add atmosphere to a game but will not be allowed at a level that will tend to overshadow a character or hero team’s own abilities.

The Licence to Kill fringe benefit is prohibited.

Oh, yes, Head of a major State is right out! If you really want your character to be the King of Lesser Molvaria that's fine. President of the US is a no-go.

Bases
Characters who purchase this Perk have a Base. Bases should supplement a character at most, and must not be a substitute for him. Bases providing living accommodation, including Life Support, communication facilities, and enough armor to remain relatively intact when bad guys call around are fine. Bases can house computers and have laboratories (giving bonuses to knowledge/science/etc. skills. Bases can have defensive weaponry. Because a Base is immobile there is more leeway in Base design than Vehicle design.

Several characters can band together to buy a Base. If they do the points put into the Base are permanently committed. If one or more players later leaves the team that has the Base he will not gain the points back.

Bases will need a sheet created for them. Speak to staff first. There is a degree of time and effort required to create a base sheet and it's best to get outline approval in advance before spending that time and effort.

Computers
Characters who purchase this Perk have a computer. Computers should supplement a character at most, and must not be a substitute for her own Skills. Approval reviewers will look at computers carefully. Computers aren't intelligent; if you want an Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can act independently of the character you should buy it as a Follower.

Computers will need a sheet created for them. Speak to staff first. There is a degree of time and effort required to create a sheet and it's best to get outline approval in advance before spending that time and effort.

Contacts
This Perk is restricted in our game. Characters should solve the problems they face with their own Skills and Abilities, not depend on Contacts or Followers to do so. Rather than set hard and fast rules on what Contacts are allowed, approval reviewers will examine each Contact on a case-by-case basis. The general rule of thumb is that contacts may provide helpful support and resources, but must not "tread on the toes" of any PC. The game is about players, not NPCs.

Followers
Characters should be capable of solving the problems they face with their own skills and abilities, not depend on Followers to do so.

Followers are restricted to a maximum of 150 Base Points and up to 100 points of Disadvantages. Followers are created and paid for like characters, with Characteristics, Skills, Powers, etc. The cost is 1 Character Point per 5pts in the Follower (excluding Disadvantage points). Followers are by default normal people and may not get points for the NCM Disadvantage.

Detailed sheets for each Follower will be required. We restrict the number of Followers to two or less because handling any more than that number is difficult and slows play down for everyone.

Rather than set hard and fast rules on what Followers are allowed, approval reviewers will examine each on a case-by-case basis. The general rule of thumb is that Followers may provide helpful support and resources and some assistance in combat, but must not "tread on the toes" of any PC. The game is about players, not NPCs.

Wealth
A character's income is assumed to be middle-class, which is an income of $75,000 or less a year. This costs 0pts. Characters may take the Poor or Destitute Disadvantages. They may buy the Well Off and Wealthy Perquisites on a scale of 1 to 10 points as detailed in the sidebar on p.59 of 5ER.

Vehicles
Characters who purchase this Perk have a vehicle with some special capabilities. Vehicles should supplement a character at most, and must not be a substitute for him. Vehicles providing movement ability with enough armor to remain in one piece are fine. If the vehicle has any weapons or can provide or increase Skills the approval reviewers will be looking carefully at it, and will reject any Vehicles that provide Skills and/or Powers that should come from a character.

Vehicles will need a sheet created for them. Speak to staff first.

There is a degree of time and effort required to create a vehicle sheet and it's best to get outline approval in advance before spending time and effort.

You don’t have to buy this Perk to have a standard commercially available vehicle for a character assuming sufficient in-game wealth. A car, hoverbike, yacht, executive private jet, etc, can be assumed.

Introduction
Powers can be bought with the Standard Effect option, that is, die rolls are assumed to be all 3s. Using the Standard Effect option is all or nothing. Either every die is assumed to be a 3 or all dice must be rolled.

Buying the Cumulative Advantage on Mental Powers is allowed but will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. So will all combinations of Invisible Power Effects or Desolidification with Mental Powers.

The Body Altering powers such as Growth, Shrinking, Density Increase, etc., can have the Always On Limitation if they are bought with Zero Endurance and Persistent Advantages. (See Always On.)

Powers that are bought as Persistent in Multipower slots do not continue to work if you change slots. For example, if you have Shapeshift or Density Increase in an MP slot, you use it and then decide to use another power in the MP frame, then you lose the DI or Shapeshift.

Some Powers have a minimum cost. The minimum cost is the number of Base Points in the Power before Advantages. (See Minimum Costs.)

Absorption and Aid
These will be scrutinised carefully for their effect on game balance. In particular the effects that these powers can have on the Active Points of defences and damage classes will be considered during character approval not only for the character that has these powers but also for possible effects on other characters who participate in the same scenes.

The Aid power cannot have more than two levels of Delayed Return Rate Advantage without prior Staff approval. Talk to us before putting this on your character sheet.

Change Environment
The Long-Lasting Adder for Change Environment is not in use. When a character stops paying Endurance to maintain a Change Environment effect the environmental change does not immediately cease. The effects linger for a period of time consistent with the surrounding environment and the specific environmental change created by the character. Change Environment powers with combat effects are subject to the Active Point Caps.

Clairsentience, Precognition and Retrocognition
All these have the capability of destroying a game master's plot. Thus these will be scrutinised carefully for game balance and roleplaying implications. Clairsentience is not a targeting sense but it may be used to safely set a teleport destination.

Damage Reduction
Characters purchasing Damage Reduction will have this taken into account when determining the game balance effect of their other defences such as natural PD and ED, Armor, Force Fields, etc. (See Defense Balance.)

Density Increase
This power may have the Always On Limitation provided the power is bought with Zero Endurance and Persistent Advantages. In most cases making Density Increase a Physical Limitation and then buying Powers to mimic its effects will be more efficient anyway.

Duplication
A character may purchase a maximum of two duplicates with this Power, thus having a total of 3 forms, the original form and two duplicates. Detailed sheets for each duplicate will be required so the amount of work involved in character creation is significant. We restrict the number of duplicates to two or less because handling any more than that number in a MUSH environment is difficult and slows play down for everyone.

Endurance Reserve
These will need to be justified within the character concept if they are purchased for use by natural, as distinct from focused, powers. Powers that can use an Endurance Reserve may not have the Increased Endurance Limitation.

Enhanced Senses
Characters can purchase a Detect Mind Enhanced Sense but cannot use it to target an opponent with Mental Powers even if they buy Targeting. There is already a power for doing that, which is Mind Scan. Enhanced Senses purchased with Targeting will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. Combinations of Enhanced Senses such as N-Ray Vision and Energy Blasts with the Indirect Advantage, etc., will be scrutinised very carefully for game balance and will probably not be allowed.

Entangle
If an Entangle blocks damage from an attack to an entangled character the damage that gets through is reduced by 3 STUN for each BODY blocked. The Mental Paralysis version of Entangle, a BoECV Entangle, may be allowed but is strongly discouraged. Don’t count on getting it through a approval review. If the target of a mental paralysis has Mental Defense the effectiveness of the BoECV Entangle will be reduced by 1 DEF and 1 BODY for each 10pts of Mental Defense the target has bought (rounding up).

Extra-Dimensional Movement
This is allowed but discouraged. It will be scrutinised very carefully for game balance. The Time Travel version of this power is not allowed. See the many-worlds and elastic-band theories of time travel described in Theme for the reason for this prohibition. Active Time travel is reserved for plot devices and GMs. You may use time travel in a character background as a means of getting into the campaign.

Find Weakness
This will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. A character with this Power should expect a reduction in the allowable DCs for any attacks that can use the Find Weakness. The Analysis skill cannot be used to improve a Find Weakness roll.

Force Wall
An attack that has to break through a Force Wall will lose the Force Wall's defence from its BODY and 3x that value from its STUN. So a character behind a 8PD Force Wall attacked by a 42 STUN 12 BODY attack would be hit by a 18 STUN 4 BODY attack after the Force Wall collapses.

Growth
This may have the Always On Limitation applied to it provided the power is bought with Zero Endurance and Persistent advantages. In most cases making Growth a Physical Limitation and then buying Powers to mimic its effects will be more efficient.

Healing
The Simplified Healing option for the Healing power can be taken. We have reintroduced the Regeneration power from 4th edition so the Regeneration option for Healing is not in use. The Resurrection Adder is not in use. The default reusable time for Healing is one turn. This period cannot be reduced. Maximum effect rules do not apply to one character who is repeatedly healing someone.

Instant Change
This power has been formally dropped from 5th edition rules but is returned to life in CM 2.0. It's a simple straightforward way to achieve the effect without messing around with limited Transforms, etc.

Instant Change is a Special Power that allows the character instantly to change from one identity to another and back again. For 5 Character Points, the character can change into one other set of clothing (and then back to whatever he was wearing when he changed). The character can change into any set of clothes he owns for 10 Character Points. This Power helps your character change from mild-mannered reporter to crimebuster without having to look for that annoyingly hard to find phone booth.

Cost:
 * 5 points to change into one other outfit
 * 10 points to change into any outfit
 * Minimum Cost: 5 points
 * END cost: Costs no END to use (Instant Change is a Special Power)

Mind Scan
This power can be used to determine how many minds are in an area. The area is declared and an attack roll is made by the owner of the Power. If the ECV attack roll would hit a mind that is in the area, allowing for the standard modifiers for the number of minds in that area, the owner of the power is aware of the presence of that mind. The only information gained is the number of minds that have been "touched". Minds, which were not hit by the attack roll, are not detected and no location other than "in the area" is obtained. The One-Way Link Advantage for Mind Scan is not allowed.

Minimum Costs
Some powers have minimum allowed costs in addition to possible Active Point restrictions. For these powers there is a minimum number of Base Points. In other words the active points of the base effect before any Advantages or Adders are included must be equal to or greater than the point totals shown below.
 * Special Defenses 5pts (Such as Flash Def, Mental Def, etc.)
 * Teleport 10pts (5" of Teleport)
 * Energy Blast 10pts (2D6 of Energy Blast)
 * Aid 10pts (1D6 of Aid)

Multiform
Characters purchasing Multiform are limited to a maximum point total of (350 - Multiform cost) in their alternative forms. Characters can buy a maximum of two alternative forms during initial character creation. This gives a total of three forms, the base form and two alternatives. Each form requires a detailed character sheet so the amount of work involved in character creation is significant. We restrict the number of alternative forms to avoid slowing down the character approval process for both the character with Multiform and other characters also waiting in the queue. The character can buy additional alternative forms during powerups with Experience Points gained in play.

Regeneration
This power has been formally dropped from 5th edition rules but is returned to life in CM 2.0. It's a simple straightforward way to achieve the effect without messing around with limited and advantaged Healing, etc.

Regeneration is a Special Power that allows the character quickly to recover BODY. Normal characters recover their REC in BODY every month. Regeneration allows the character to recover 1 BODY per Turn for every 10 Points spent. Regeneration is automatic and does not require the character consciously to decide to do it. Regeneration heals BODY taken from any form of attack, including Drains and Transforms.

Cost:
 * 10 Character Points for 1 BODY recovered per Turn.
 * +1 BODY Regeneration for +10 points.
 * Regenerate Lost limbs Adder is +5 points.
 * Minimum cost: 10 points
 * Special: +1/4 Limitation per level down the Time Chart
 * END cost: Costs no END to use (Regeneration is a Special Power)

Shrinking
This power may have the Always On Limitation provided the power is bought with Zero Endurance and Persistent advantages.

Skills
With special admin permission, characters may purchase Skills as Powers and with Power Limitations and Advantages. If this occurs, the Skill is usually considered to be the equivalent of a Special Power.

Summon
The Summon power is discouraged and will be scrutinised carefully for game balance. Characters should be capable of dealing with challenges using their own Skills and Powers. Fully detailed sheets will be required for summoned creatures. ALL SUMMONED CREATURES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE STAFF BEFORE USE. This Power will normally only be used as a plot device.

Analyse
Characters can purchase the expanded version of the Analyse skill, described in the last paragraph of the skill description in the rulebook. When used as a Complementary Skill the maximum bonus that can be obtained from the Analyse skill is +4. Characters must buy a skill related to the Analyse skill at the background 11- level or higher. So if a character has Analyse Tactics the character must also have Tactics 11- or better. The Analyse skill may not be used to aid Find Weakness.

Combat Skill Levels
These cannot be used to increase the damage of any attack. Combat Skill Levels at the 5pt level purchased for adding to DCV will provide +1 DCV against both melee and ranged attacks. To obtain +1 DCV against melee and ranged attacks from a Combat Skill Level that has not been purchased specifically for DCV requires the Combat Skill Level to be at the 8pt level.

Computer Programming and Computer Use
The computer programming skill is for characters who wish to either create or amend computer programs or to hack into computer systems. If all that is required is to have the character capable of using commercially available computers, operating systems, and software such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases, etc, you should buy an INT-based Professional Skill of Computer Use.

Everyman skills
These are skills that all characters receive at zero cost:
 * 0 Language: (Your Choice of any one) Native (EM)
 * 0 Transport Familiarity: (Your choice of any one) (EM)
 * 0 Professional Skill: (Your Choice of any one) 11- (EM)
 * 0 Knowledge Skill: (Your Choice of any one) 8- (EM)
 * 0 Area Knowledge: (Your Choice of any one) 8- (EM)
 * 0 Acting 8- (EM)
 * 0 PS: Computer Use 8- (EM)
 * 0 Conversation 8- (EM)
 * 0 Climbing 8- (EM)
 * 0 Paramedics 8- (EM)
 * 0 Stealth 8- (EM)

Everyman Skills are at 8- (except for a Professional Skill which is at 11-) and cannot be improved by Skill Levels. If you wish to have these Skills they must be listed on your sheet. The ‘free’ point for an Everyman Skill does not reduce the cost if you buy the Skill at a higher level.

If your character has a background that precludes a particular Skill you may be allowed to find a suitable replacement for that Skill. E.g. a wheelchair-bound hacker can't climb but can repair her equipment; thus she could have Electronics at 8- as a replacement Everyman Skill.

Interrogation and Questioning
Interrogation now has a companion skill named Questioning. The game effects are identical but questioning does not have the same implicit association of torture and coercion as the Interrogation skill. Thus Questioning is the skill to purchase if your character's method of extracting information is by incisive and probing questions rather than by fists and rubber truncheons.

Languages
The Language Familiarity chart is in use. The option that languages with 0 points of similarity cost an extra point is not in use.

When you purchase a Language skill, you automatically get Literacy with it. For English, if you want your character not to be literate in that language you can take a Disadvantage to reflect that. While there are voice-activated systems in this future world, they are expensive and uncommon. Illiteracy in other languages is not a Disadvantage in the United States.

Negative Combat Skill Levels
This are allowed but discouraged. They will be scrutinised closely for their effects on game balance.

Skill Enhancers
The Scientist, Jack of all Trades, Scholar, and Traveller Skill Enhancers are allowed. Each costs 3 pts, and reduces the cost of appropriate SS, PS, KS, or AK skills by 1 point. Possession of skill enhancers by your character should be explained in your BG.

Skill Limitations and Advantages
With special admin permission, characters may purchase Skills with Power Limitations and Advantages. If this occurs, the Skill is considered to be the equivalent of a Special Power although still listed in the skills section. Skills may NEVER be placed into any sort of Power Framework.

The smallest General Skill Level that can have Limitations and Advantages applied to it is the 5pt Group Skill Level.

The smallest Penalty Skill Level that can have Limitations and Avantages applied to it is the 2pt Group Skill Level.

The smallest Combat Skill Level that Limitations and Advantages can be applied to is the 5pt Skill Level.

Stealth and Concealment
To clarify the relationship between Stealth and Concealment, a character may use Concealment to try to hide from observation while remaining stationary. Stealth must be used to move without being observed. Stealth can also be used to hide from observation while stationary.

Transport Familiarities
Air and Water Vehicles may be purchased as Transport Familiarity groups for 2pts each.