Player characters are built with 100 points. You may gain an additional
100 points by taking disadvantages. No more than 50 points of disadvantages may
come from any one category. Each character will have up to 50 points of
disadvantages due to the effects of the XSWAT package deal, more on this later.
You are always allowed to take more than 100 total points of Disadvantages but
you only get points for the first 100 points. You can add a custom adder (in
this case a negative value) to bring down the normal value of a particular
Disadvantage if you need to.
Character’s who enter the game later in the campaign will get bonus
building points equal the average EP of all existing characters divided by two
or equal to lowest EP total minus 5, whichever is less.
The Normal Characteristic Maxima
disadvantage is applicable to this game and it is worth 20 points. Aside from
Cyborgs and Clades most characters can probably use this as a convenient way to
gain disadvantage points. Of course you are not required to take it and may
have ideas for disadvantages that better fit your character concept. If you
choose to play a non-Clave or non-Cyborg and decide to get your disadvantage
points elsewhere; it is probably be a good idea to voluntarily follow the
Normal Characteristic Maxima.
Below are listed a set of maximas that all starting player-characters must follow. However please note that it
is possible to be granted certain exceptions to the limits below if it is
deemed appropriate and within character rational by the GM. You must
have express GM permission to exceed any of the following limits.
OCV: No starting
character can generate an OCV of greater than 9. This includes the bonuses
generated by skill levels but not combat maneuvers. This does not include
equipment bonuses.
DCV: A starting
character’s maximum DCV cannot exceed 11. This includes the bonuses generated
by skill levels, but not those generated by combat maneuvers or equipment bonuses.
(Equipment that grants bonuses to DCV is rare).
Characteristics: Character can start the game with no more than 75 points spend on their
characteristics. Although Cyborg characters have a way around this since they
can buy increased attributes as powers. In addition a clade character can spend
up to 85 points on starting characteristics to reflect the effects of genetic
engineering. It may be possible to
buy up characteristics with XP later, subject to GM approval. Points spent on
the COM characteristic do not count toward this limit.
The Dexterity Rebate:
In an effort to discourage people from going Dexterity crazy at the onset of
the game and to encourage those whose strengths ought to lie elsewhere I
present the Dexterity rebate. It works like this: for each point below 20 your
character’s starting Dexterity score is you gain some bonus XP which can be
used to improve the other abilities of your character. See the chart below to
see how this works.
|
Dexterity Score |
Bonus XP Award |
|
Dexterity Score |
Bonus XP Award |
|
20 or more |
0 |
|
16 |
8 |
|
19 |
2 |
|
15 |
9 |
|
18 |
4 |
|
14 or less |
10 |
|
17 |
6 |
|
|
|
There is no rebate for having a starting
Dexterity score of 20 or more and no added benefit for having a dexterity score
below 14. (It is not very likely that someone who completes XSWAT academy would
be below dexterity 14 anyway.) Note, that the concept for this house rule was
originally put forth by Randy Madden.
Damage Classes for Attacks: No starting character can generate more than 10 DCs
with an attack. The 10 DC can be exceeded in melee by using the move through maneuver and any attack can
exceed 10 DC through pushing.
Active Point Limits: No power can exceed 75 Active Points. This does mean that a 10 DC attack can have
up to a +½ Advantage applied to it as long as the attack does not exceed
10 DC. See page 404 of the HERO System 5th
Edition Revised to how advantages can count as increasing the DC of an attack.
To make this concept more clear the list on the following page indicates which
advantages increase the effective DC and attack and which do not in this
campaign. Since starting characters will be in the 200 to 210 point range I
will be very surprised if many players try to afford an attack this expensive.
I look upon it as something to strive for with XP.
Defenses: Standard defenses are allowed to be up to 20 PD & 20 ED, thought
unless you are a wizard with a defensive spell, an Esper with a telekinetic force
wall, a cyborg with dermal armor, or some other exotic excuse it may be
difficult to rationalize such a high defense. Expect the GM to very interested
in the how’s and why’s of your characters defenses. Combat Luck can be bought
at the normal 3PD/3ED level. Your issued XSWAT armored uniform is pretty
substantial.
Equipment Allowance: In keeping with the nature of this game we will not
be using Resource Pools, instead as XSWAT personnel the characters will have
access to a wide variety of XSWAT issued equipment. There will be a standard
load out of gear issued to officers for use during their patrols and missions
and additional equipment may be requested. Requests for non-standard gear will
be handles in-game through role-play and the will of the GM.
|
Advantages That Do Increase DC |
Advantages That Do Not Increase DC |
|
Area of Effect |
Affects Desolid |
|
Armor Piercing |
Autofire |
|
Attack Verses
Limited Defense |
Based on ECV
(against normal defenses) |
|
Based on ECV
(against mental defense) |
Charges |
|
Continuous |
Damage Shield |
|
Does BODY |
Delayed Effect |
|
Double KB |
Difficult to
Dispel |
|
Explosion |
Hole In The
Middle |
|
No Normal Defense |
Indirect |
|
Penetrating |
Inherent |
|
Sticky |
Invisible Power
Effects |
|
Trigger |
Persistent |
|
Uncontrolled |
Personal Immunity |
|
Usable As An
Attack |
Range Advantages |
|
Variable
Advantage (if the used advantage is in this list) |
Ranged Reduced END Cost |
|
|
Time Delay |
|
|
Transdimensional |
|
|
Usable On Others |
|
|
Variable Special
Effects |
Acting, 8-
AK or CK of Player’s Choice, 8-
Climbing, 8-
Computer Programming, 8-
Concealment, 8-
Deduction, 8-
KS: Players Choice, 11-
KS: Players Choice, 8-
Language, Native tongue, idiomatic w/literacy
Paramedics, 8-
Persuasion, 8-
PS: Player’s Choice, 11-
Shadowing, 8-
Stealth, 8-
TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
|
Cost |
Skill/Perk |
|
1 |
Bureaucratics, 8- (REQUIRED) |
|
2 |
CK: Angelus, 11- |
|
3 |
Criminology (INT-based) |
|
2 |
KS: Criminal Law & Procedure, 11-
(REQUIRED) |
|
1 |
KS: Entities, 8- (REQUIRED) |
|
1 |
KS: The Occult World, 8- |
|
3 |
Streetwise (PRE-based) |
|
2 |
TF: Bike (choose air or ground?), Spinner
(Aircar) |
|
2 |
WF: Handguns, MASER Pistols,
Tonfa/Nightstick/Stunstick (REQUIRED) |
|
|
|
|
3 |
Fringe Benefit: XSWAT Police Powers
(REQUIRED) |
|
2 |
Fringe Benefit: Concealed Weapon Permit (REQUIRED) |
|
|
|
|
22 |
Point
Cost for Skills and Perks |
|
|
|
|
Cost |
Disadvantage |
|
5 |
Distinctive Features: XSWAT Uniform (easily
concealed) |
|
15 |
Hunted: Shadow Entities, 8- (More Powerful) |
|
10 |
Watched: XSWAT, 8- (More Powerful, NCI) |
|
5 |
Reputation: XSWAT Officer, 8- (not “normal,” heavily involved w/ bizarre
cases & monsters) |
|
15 |
Social Limitation: Subject to orders &
on-call 24/7 (Frequent, Major) |
|
|
|
|
50 |
Points
in Disadvantages |
Computer Programming: The
expanded rules for Computer Programming will be used as outlined in the Ultimate Skill. AIs exist but are not
common in public use. The powered armor used by XSWAT feature a limited AI
on-board computer. Legal AI designs in Angelus are required to have heavy
safeguards and fail safes. There has never been a case of a rouge AI in
Angelus, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen one day.
Fast
Draw: Remember that you must specify what category of weapons your fast draw
skill applies to. This is based on Weapon Familiarity groups. Large weapons
incur a penalty to the Fast Draw roll based upon the size of the weapon.
KS: Entities: (or Shadow Entities): No starting character can buy this above an 8 or less for a starting character. The XSWAT package gives a starting character an 8 or less but if you buy the Skill Enhancer Scholar Hero Designer will try to raise this to an 11 or less (you’ll have to force it to be a Familiarity only).
Systems
Operation: The expanded rules for Systems Operation will be used as outlined in
the Ultimate Skill. Basic, everyday
functions (using a communicator, simple computer operations, using tactical radio)
do not require the character to have Systems Operation.
Transport Familiarity: Remember that if you buy Combat Piloting or
Combat Driving you will get one transport familiarity for free. Hero Designer
should automatically adjust the costs of your Transport Familiarities. XSWATs
common mode of transport is the Spinner (or Aircar) and Combat Piloting would
apply to it.
Mecha exist at this time in the form of Powered Armor, similar to the
Landmates in the Appleseed OVAs[3].
My current intention is to build these as vehicles, anthropomorphic mecha if
you want to buy the proper Transport Familiarity. However, unless your
character is specifically designed as a Powered Armor Jock, it is not really
that common that the characters will be running around in Landmates. The XSWAT
power armor design is known as the Blue Steel Special.
Weaponsmith: The expanded rules from the Ultimate Skill
will be used. You MASER Pistol is an energy weapon.
Weapon Familiarity: If you want to be able to operate the weapons
mounted on a vehicle (for instance an XSWAT spinner or power armor) you will
need to proper weapon familiarity. It costs 1 point to buy a weapon familiarity
with a specific vehicle mounted weapons. For 2 points you can buy a group
familiarity with all weapons on a particular type of vehicle. For example, WF:
Vehicle (mecha) costs 2 points and would buy you familiarity with all weapons
mounted on mecha. Also please note that power armor are mecha.
Even if you follow all of the guidelines above the GM reserves the right
of review and can disallow any character build. In these cases I will provide
reasons for my disapproval, enumerate required changes, and/or make suggestions
to better assimilate the character into the campaign setting.
Rule 2: A roll of an 18 is a critical fumble. Something unusually bad will happen. A roll of a 3 is a critical success. Something unusually good will happen. In combat, a 3 on the attack roll indicates that the attack will do the maximum amount of damage possible.
Rule 3: Knockback and superheroic Endurance + damage addition are in effect.
Rule 4: Every 20 STUN from a single attack (after defenses) = 1 BODY of additional damage.
Rule 5: Combat Luck stacks with any other defenses, which is why there is a limit of 3 PD & 3 ED on it. Combat Luck counts as Hardened defense.
Rule 6: The Piercing rules from page 96 of Dark Champions will be used in this campaign with the following modification in regard to how it interacts with hardened defenses: Each level of Hardened Defenses negates 3-Points of Piercing.
Rule 7: Combining Armor, see page 34 for how this works.
Rule 8: Any attack that hits its target and rolls triples on the to-hit roll, will hit a piece of equipment being carried or worn by the target.
Rule 9: Any Force Wall or Force Field generated by using magic or through the use of esper abilities will count as having the Hardened advantage for free. This specific instance of Hardening will negate any amount of Piercing.
Flying Dodge: If a character aborts to the Flying Dodge and uses it in place of a Dive for Cover the character must make a normal dive for cover roll. The Flying Dodge maneuver cannot be used out of combat. In other words characters should not use Flying Dodge to enter a room on the off-chance that an enemy might be there. When you perform a Flying Dodge you have to move at least one hex. The GM may disallow any use of Flying Dodge that he considers an abuse of the rules.
Paramedics: A successful Paramedics roll will heal 1 point of BODY damage on a victim. In the event of multiple separate wounds the point healed is assumed to come from the highest BODY wound. In case of a tie, the person using the skill gets to determine which wound receives the healing.
16 C-60 Variable Maser Gun: Multipower, 40-point reserve; 12 Charges (+0) all slots Beam (-1/4), all slots OAF (-1)1u 1) Basic Setting: RKA 1 1/2d6; Beam (-1/4), OAF (-1)1u 2) Creature Setting: RKA 2 1/2d6; Beam (-1/4), OAF (-1), Requires 2 Charges per Use (-1 1/4)3 C-60 Variable Maser Gun Inherent Accuracy: +1 OCV, +1 Range Modifier; OAF (-1)21 Total Cost
The Dragon Heavy Maser Gun is
a hefty, high-power weapon specifically designed to battle the various extraordinary
threats to Angelus's survival. Designed for use by combat cyborgs and power
armored units, the Dragon is too heavy and awkward for normal humans to
operate. A STR of 21 or higher is required to use the Dragon without penalty.
All other wielders suffer a -3 OCV when firing the Dragon.
22 C-90 "Dragon" Heavy Maser: RKA 3 1/2d6, Area of Effect: 1 Hex (+1/2); 3 Charges (-1 1/4), OAF (-1), STR Minimum (21; -1) plus +2 Range Modifier; OAF (-1)
The XSWAT Stunstick is a
combination nightstick and cattle prod. It can also be used as a normal
nightstick. The Stunstick works quite well on humans, but is of little help
against supernatural creatures.
6 XSWAT Stunstick—Stick: HA +2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)29 XSWAT Stunstick—Stun: EB 8d6, NND (defense is insulated ED or non-human nervous system; +1); OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-1/4), No Range (-1/2)35 Total Cost
The XSWAT bodysuit is
composed of nanofiber carbon rods that stiffen upon impact to spread out the
force of any blow. The suit can be worn comfortably under any clothing and may
be worn inside the confines of a Power Armor cockpit.
1 XSWAT Nanofiber Bodysuit: Armor (1 PD/1 ED); Activation Roll 12- or Locations 7-16 (-3/4), IIF (-1/4), Real Armor (-1/4)
This is the standard XSWAT
uniform jacket. Made from puncture and tear resistant armored fabric, the
jacket has long sleeves and comes down to the wearer's knees. The jacket is of
limited use against crushing impacts (½ DEF), and may not be worn in the
confines of a Power Armor cockpit.
4 XSWAT Armored Jacket: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); Activation Roll 11- or Locations 8-14 (-1), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4)
This full-length coat is worn
in situations where officers must wear a dress uniform but at the same time
acknowledge a potentially hazardous environment. There is an unarmored version
of this coat in black used for official functions. The coat is of limited use
against crushing impacts (½ DEF), and may not be worn in the confines of
a Power Armor cockpit.
5 XSWAT Armored Dress Coat: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); Activation Roll 12- or Locations 7-16 (-3/4), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4)
The boots are made from
white, knee-high leather. The sole is reinforced and a rigid plate is locked
over the front of the leg, providing protection from bullets, edged weapons,
and clawed limbs. As a variant, characters could use similar armor on their
forearms. Used in hand-to-hand combat, these boots add +1d6 or Normal Damage to
kicks and legsweeps.
5 XSWAT Field Boots—Armor Plate: Armor (5 PD/5 ED); Activation Roll 9- or Locations 15-18 (-1 1/2), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4)3 XSWAT Field Boots—Putting the Boot In: HA +1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OIF (-1/2), Hand-to-Hand Attack (-1/2)8 Total Cost
Notes: XSWAT Vambraces
are as follows: Armor (5 PD/5 ED); Activation Roll 8- or Locations 6-7
(-2), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4) plus HA +1d6, Reduced Endurance (0
END; +1/2); OIF (-1/2), Hand-to-Hand Attack (-1/2), for a total cost of 7
points.
This is a long, knee to
thigh-length cloak with a hood. It is worn by XSWAT officers, members of the
Angelus PD, and normal civilians. XSWAT and APD cloaks are made from flexible
armored cloth with reinforced pauldrons
and a gorget of armor plate.
9 XSWAT Cloak: Armor (3 PD/3 ED), Hardened (+1/4); Activation Roll 15- or most Locations depending on angle (-1/4), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4) plus Armor (+1 PD/+1 ED), Hardened (+1/4); Activation Roll 11- or Locations 9-14 (activation only required for frontal attacks; -1/2), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4) plus Armor (+2 PD/+2 ED), Hardened (+1/4); Activation Roll 8- or Locations 8-9 (-2), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4)
Notes: For purposes of combining armor, the Cloak is treated
as DEF 6 (for the shoulder plates and gorget). Due to the special nature of the
cloak's protection, armor layered under the cloak retains its full defensive
value (rather than being reduced to ½ value as normal).
The clamshell armor is an interlocking breastplate and backplate connected at the shoulder pauldrons and locked in on either side. The clamshell is rigid armor and provides top-of-the-line protection for dangerous situations. The clamshell may not be worn inside the confines of Power Armor. Clamshells are all but immune to small arms fire but can be penetrated by heavy weapons or special ammunition.
12 XSWAT Cerasteel Clamshell Carapace Armor: Armor (11 PD/11 ED); Activation Roll 11- or Locations 9-13 (-1), OIF (-1/2), Real Armor (-1/4)
Generally, there are two
types of armor: "hard" armor (including all rigid armor such as the
clamshell carapace, the XSWAT boots, and the shoulder plates of the cloak) and
"soft" armor (the nanofiber bodysuit, jacket, and coat all fall under
this classification). Hard armor prevents damage by absorbing the impact of a
blow and preventing the impact from penetrating the body. Soft armor spreads
the force of the impact out and reduces the effects of the blow by taking down
the force-per-square-inch.
For a character to derive any
benefit from layered armor, the outer layer of armor must have a DEF equal to
or greater than the inner layer of armor. If this is so, then the character may
apply 1/2 of the DEF of the inner layer of armor to find his total DEF vs.
Attacks.
Example: Jama is wearing Heavy Formfitting Body Armor (DEF 6, locations
7-17—why Jama is wearing military-issue protection is a question for another
time!), and over that the XSWAT Clamshell Armor (DEF 11, locations 9-13). Since
the Clamshell Armor has a DEF greater than her Heavy Body Armor, she can add
1/2 of the Body Armor's 6 DEF to the Clamshell Armor's DEF of 11, giving her a
total DEF of 14 in locations 9-13.
When using this rule, common sense must be applied to
the question of what armor can be worn with other types of armor. Coats and
Jackets go over Vests, Clamshell Armor fits easily over Formfitting Body Armor
(but is too bulky to be worn with anything else), and nothing can be worn in
combination with any form of Heavy Armor (not listed here).
XSWAT issued armor is very protective, however the complex make up of overlapping armor can make determining your armor protection on any one specific location a bit tricky. The chart on page 33 is aimed at making it easier. The chart assumes that a character is wearing the standard XSWAT issue armor: a nanofiber bodysuit, armored jacket, cloak, field boots and vambraces. In the following table numbers in blue italics indicate hardened armor. Note that the cloak includes a hood that will provide greater coverage if used at the expense of Perception. If the hood is used the character gains 3 DEF for area 5 (all around) and area 4 (rear only). The trade off is that the character will suffer a -2 Hearing Perception penalty and their sight group Perception will be narrowed to a 120° arc.
In cases where the
character is hit by an Energy Blast or other “whole body” form of attack an
activation roll is used to determine armor protection. For simplicity sake the
table to the right is used whether such an attack originated from in front of
or behind the character being hit.
|
Activation Roll |
|
|
Die Roll |
Effective DEF |
|
6- |
11 |
|
7-8 |
10 |
|
9-14 |
9 |
|
15 |
8 |
|
16+ |
2 |
|
Die Roll |
Hit Location |
Nanofiber Bodysuit |
Armored Jacket |
Field Boots |
Vambraces |
Cloak |
Total |
Die Roll |
||||
|
Gorget (front only) |
Pauldrons |
Overall |
||||||||||
|
Front |
Rear |
Front |
Rear |
|||||||||
|
3 |
neck |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
4 |
face/head |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
5 |
head |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
6 |
hands |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
5 |
6 |
|
7 |
forearms |
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
7 |
|
8 |
upper arms |
1 |
4 |
|
|
|
2 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
|
9 |
shoulders |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
|
10 |
chest |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
|
11 |
chest |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
11 |
|
12 |
stomach |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
12 |
|
13 |
vitals |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
13 |
|
14 |
thighs |
1 |
4 |
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
14 |
|
15 |
upper leg |
1 |
|
5 |
|
|
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
15 |
|
16 |
lower leg |
1 |
|
5 |
|
|
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
16 |
|
17 |
feet |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
5 |
17 |
|
18 |
feet |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
5 |
18 |
All XSWAT armor has the Real Armor Limitation, this means that the armor will only provide half its normal protection verses falling damage and that the armor is subject to other realistic drawbacks: For example, if your character is knocked into the ocean the armor will quickly become soaked and present a real drowning hazard. If your armor is soiled it should be cleaned because certain types of dirt and grime (if left untreated) may harm the integrity of the armor. Your armor is also clearly XSWAT issue; it comes in only one style and color and will quickly identify who you are.
This is a simple and light
headset that folds away for easy storage in a pocket when not in use. The A/V
system can be used to make an audio and visual recording of whatever the
officer is seeing. The compact size of the device means that it can only store
up to 1 hour of recordings before the data must be either erased or downloaded.
3 Audio/Video
Recorder: Eidetic Memory, 1
Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 1 Hour (+0); OIF (-1/2), Only Normal Sight and
Hearing (-1/4)
These are simple,
high-quality handcuffs. Theoretically, these restraints are strong enough to
confine a lightweight cyborg.
9 Restraints: Entangle 3d6 (standard effect: 3 BODY), 6 DEF, Takes No Damage From Attacks (-1/2); OAF (-1), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Set Effect (hands/feet only; -1), Does Not Prevent Use Of Accessible Foci (-1), No Range (-1/2), Must Follow Grab Or Target Must Not Resist (-1/2), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), Can Be Escaped Automatically With Modified Lockpicking Or Contortionist Roll (-1/2)
The XSWAT badge, like the
normal police badges also incorporates the radio of the officer. The
badge/radios of XSWAT are highly secure and have a top notch (but not
unbeatable) encryption built-in to them.
11 XSWAT Badge: Radio Perception/Transmission (Radio Group), Concealed (-10
with Radio Perception/Transmission PER Rolls), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting
1 day (+0); OIF (-1/2), Sense Also Affected As Hearing Group (-1/4)
This suit of power armor is considered a Mecha in HERO System rules. In order to pilot this vehicle you will need TF: Anthropomorphic Mecha which costs 1 point. In combat the vehicle can operate by running, by leaping (jump jets) and by using jet thrust and wheels to achieve high velocity (this is bought as flight limited to must remain in contact with a surface). Combat Piloting is needed to effectively maneuver in combat.
The AM-66 carries an enormous GAU-88 20mm Chain Cannon as a rifle. This gun requires a STR minimum of 21 to use. Mounted in the right shoulder is the emitter for a VL-1 Variable Macro-Laser and the left shoulder mounts a G-12 Variable Grenade Launcher. Buying WF: power armor (or mecha) weapons will allow you to operate all of these weapons.
In addition the power armor is equipped with a communications and sensor suite so skills like Systems Operation will no doubt be useful. The Hero Designer file for this vehicle is ready.
First let it be clear that I am no way trying to take credit for this
campaign setting. I borrowed almost the whole thing from the Shadows Angelus
worldbook found on Surbrook’s Stuff[4]
website. Here I will attempt to explain any decisions that I feel merit an
explanation.
According to the rules as written any amount of Hardening negates any amount of Resistant Piercing. I like the Piercing rules since they allow more precision when creating attacks. Standard Armor Piercing is not as good for modeling this since standard AP simply halves the defenses of the target, because of this you end up with odd results that say a .22-caliber bullet with AP will halve the armor of a battleship.
The odd problem you have with Piercing is this: If I buy a canon that does 4d6 RKA with 6-Points of Resistant Piercing and hit a target with 10 DEF covered by a cloak that adds 2 points of hardened Defense, it negates all 6-points of Piercing. This is not very realistic either.
Piercing is an Adder, which means that its cost is added to an attack before any Advantage Multipliers are applied. For instance if you have a 10d6 Energy Blast with 3-Points of Resistant Piercing added the Active cost is 59 (50 for the EB plus 9 for the Piercing). If you apply a +1 Advantage to that attack the cost becomes 118 Active Points, essentially each point of Piercing is now costing you 6 points.
My remedy to this situation is this: Each level of Hardened Defenses negates 3-Points of Resistant Piercing. This is what I have chosen for this particular campaign. In other campaigns, for instance a higer-powered Champions game, the Level of Hardening to Piercing ratio may need to be adjusted upward.
I just happen to have more blue color toner in my printer than any
other color.
[1] Much of the Cyborgs & Cybernetics section was
excerpted from the HERO System sourcebook Kazei
5, written by Micheal Surbrook.
[2] Much of the Esper section was excerpted from the HERO System source book Kazei 5, written by Micheal Surbrook. The following section for sorcerers used a few of the same concepts as well.
[3] OVA: Original Video Animation. An animated movie produced for direct to video sales.