| Following are rules describing a new Power
Framework for the HERO System called a "Threshold Scale". |
|
Threshold Scale
 |
| Cost: |
1 Character Point per 5 Points of Capacity. Slots in the Framework
are bought as normal Powers, but have a Threshold Limitation
applied to them based upon a variety of options. |
|
| A character with a Threshold Scale has one or more Powers
that have a potential magnitude that is achieved by building up a charge via exposure to
a defined circumstance or stimuli, or some other concept by which the
character must accumulate up to a maximum effect. |
| Typically the Powers in a Threshold Scale share a
common special effect, such as "rage", "chi", "energy absorption", "rapid
adaptation", and so on. This allows a character to create a selection of
powers and effects that are conjoined to a common motivating force. |
|
Buying a Threshold Scale |
| A Threshold Scale is defined in terms of a point
Capacity that represents the maximum number of points that it can aggregate or charge up to; a character pays 1
Character Point per 5 points of Capacity in a Threshold Scale. Thus a Threshold
Scale with a Capacity of 50 points costs 10 Character Points, for example.
|
| A Threshold Scale has 0 points in its
natural state, but exposure to a single defined circumstance, called a
Condition, causes it to
accumulate points up to its Capacity. At any
given time a Threshold Scale will have an accumulated total of between 0
points and its purchased Capacity. |
| CONDITION |
| The Condition that causes a Threshold Scale
to accumulate a charge (up to its Capacity) must be defined. When a
Condition is satisfied, the Threshold Scale gains points based upon the
Severity of the stimuli that satisfied the Condition. The Severities of
stimuli and the number of points generated by them are explained in the
below Condition Severity table. |
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
CONDITION SEVERITY |
| Mild |
10 |
Marginal or weak
stimuli; if a Power then 15 AP or less* |
| Moderate |
20 |
Average or typical stimuli; if a Power then 45 AP or
less* |
| Strong |
30 |
Powerful or unusually
potent stimuli; if a Power then 60 AP or less* |
| Intense |
40 |
Very high magnitude or focused stimuli; if a Power then
75 AP or less* |
| Extreme |
50 |
Absurdly high or
focused stimuli; if a Power then 90+ AP or less* |
| NOTE: A GM might prefer to use less
than 10 point increments; for example if a stimuli is between Mild and
Moderate, a GM might indicate that 15 points are accumulated rather than
10. In this event it is recommended that 5 point increments be used for
ease of bookkeeping when tracking FADE rates. |
| * AP guidelines are
based on an assumption of 60 AP caps on Powers; in campaigns without AP
caps the GM should adjust the scale as appropriate to their campaign. |
|
| Thus if a character that had a Threshold Scale
with a defined Condition of "When Affected By Electricity Damage" were to stick a
fork in a light socket they would get a Mild stimuli and add 10 to their
Threshold Scale. However if they were to get hit by a natural lightning bolt they would get
a Strong stimuli and add 30 to their Threshold Scale, for example. |
| By default the Frequency of the Condition
that causes a Threshold Scale to accumulate points towards its Capacity is
assumed to be Uncommon. What constitutes an Uncommon Condition will vary by
campaign, but generally circumstances that would not seem out of the
ordinary when they occur or are present, but are not so common that they are
seen or present a majority of the time. As a general rule of thumb things
that would normally be worth around a -1/4 Limitation if taken as a Limited
Power are generally equivalent to an Uncommon Condition. |
| FADE |
| By default a Threshold Scale's accumulated
points FADE at a rate of 5 points per Turn, similar to most Adjustment
Powers and Absorption. |
| Thus if a character had a Threshold Scale
and had accumulated 30 points in it, at the end of the Turn 5 points FADE
away leaving the character with 25 points in their Threshold Scale. |
|
Buying
Powers |
| A character that has one or more Threshold
Scales can opt to have one or more of their Powers use a particular
Threshold Scale by taking a
Threshold Limitation on them, the value of which varies as explained below. |
| There are three different varieties of
Power slots used with
Threshold Scales: Actualized, Interim, and Surge slots. A Threshold Scale
can support all three types of slots in any combination; thus a
character might have one of each type of slot, several Surge slots and one
Actualized slot, or any other combination desired. |
| ACTUALIZED SLOTS |
| A Power that only works when the Threshold
Scale is at or above a given level is called an Actualized slot. A Power in
an Actualized slot takes a Limitation based upon what level the Threshold
Scale must be at or above for the Power to be used. |
| The Limitation value for a
Power to be made into an Actualized slot is rated as a cumulative -1/4 for
every 10 points the Power requires the Threshold Scale to be at in order to
function.
|
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
ACTUALIZED LIMITATIONS |
| -1/4 |
Threshold Scale (10)
and higher |
| -1/2 |
Threshold Scale (20) and higher |
| -3/4 |
Threshold Scale (30)
and higher |
| -1 |
Threshold Scale (40) and higher |
| -1
1/4 |
Threshold Scale (50)
and higher |
| ... |
etc |
|
| Thus if a Power required a Threshold Scale
of 80+ to function, it would take a -2 Limitation. |
| As long as the Threshold Scale the slot belongs to is
at or above the indicated points an Actualized slot may be used in the
normal fashion for that Power; but as soon as the Threshold Scale FADEs
below the necessary points the Power turns off immediately and cannot be
reactivated until the Threshold Scale is again at or above the required
point level. |
| EXAMPLE: A player creates a Power to be used
as an Actualized slot in a Threshold Scale Power Framework. The Power
requires the Threshold Scale to have at least 20 points in it to work, and
thus a -1/2 Limitation is applied to the Power. As long as the character's
Threshold Scale is at or above 20 points the Power may be used normally;
however the Power cannot be used (and shuts off if in use) if the Threshold
Scale is at 1 to 19 points. This is annotated as: Threshold (Actualized
(20); -1/2). |
| INTERIM SLOTS |
| A Power that only works when the Threshold
Scale is
at (not above) a specific point band is called an Interim slot. For purposes of an
Interim slot a Threshold Scale is looked at in 10 point band increments, so
a Interim slot that required 30 points would be usable
while the Threshold Scale was between 30 and 39 points. |
| The Limitation value for a
Power to be made into an Interim slot is rated as a cumulative -1/2 for
every 10 points the Power requires the Threshold Scale to be at in order to
function.
|
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
INTERIM LIMITATIONS |
| -1/2 |
Threshold Scale (10) |
| -1 |
Threshold Scale (20) |
| -1
1/2 |
Threshold Scale (30) |
| -2 |
Threshold Scale (40) |
| -2
1/2 |
Threshold Scale (50) |
| ... |
etc |
|
| Thus if a Power required a
Threshold Scale of 80-99 to function it would take a -4 Limitation. |
| OTHER MODIFIERS |
| -1/2 |
Interim point band is
at terminus of Threshold Scale |
| -1/4 |
Each additional 10 point band |
|
| However, an Interim slot
that occupies the terminus of the Threshold Scale is reduced by -1/2 due
to the increased likelihood that the Scale will hover in that area in
practice. For instance, in a Threshold Scale with 50 Capacity, the
Limitation value for an Interim slot that required Interim (40) or
Interim (50) would be reduced by -1/2. |
EXAMPLE: A player creates a Power to be used
as an Interim slot in a Threshold Scale Power Framework. The Power requires
the Threshold Scale to be between 30 and 39 points to work, and thus a -1 1/2
Limitation is applied to the Power. As long as the character's Threshold
Scale is between 30 and 39 points the Power may be used normally; however
the Power cannot be used (and shuts off if in use) if the Threshold Scale is
at 1 to 29 points or 40+ points. This is annotated as: Threshold (Interim
(30); -1 1/2). |
|
| As long as the Threshold
Scale the slot belongs to is at the precise point band indicated, the
Interim slot may be used in the normal fashion for that Power; but as
soon as the Threshold Scale FADEs above or below the necessary point
band the Power turns off immediately and cannot be reactivated until the
Threshold Scale is again within the specified 10 point band. |
| EXAMPLE 1: A player creates a Power to be used
as an Interim slot in a Threshold Scale Power Framework. The Power requires
the Threshold Scale to be between 30 to 49 points to work and thus a -1 1/4
Limitation is applied to the Power. As long as the character's Threshold
Scale is between 30 and 49 points the Power may be used normally; however
the Power cannot be used (and shuts off if in use) if the Threshold Scale is
at 1 to 29 points or 50+ points. This is annotated as: Threshold (Interim
(30,40); -1 1/4). |
| EXAMPLE 2: A player creates a Power to be used
as an Interim slot in a Threshold Scale Power Framework. The Power requires
the Threshold Scale to be between 30 to 39 points or between 60 to 99 points to work and thus a -1/2
Limitation is applied to the Power. As long as the character's Threshold
Scale is between 30 and 39 or 60 and 99 points the Power may be used
normally; however the Power cannot be used (and shuts off if in use) if the
Threshold Scale is at 1 to 29, 40-59, or 100+ points. This is annotated as: Threshold (Interim
(30,60,70,80,90); -1/2). |
|
| The point band in which an Interim slot is
functional can be widened; every extra ten point increment that the slot
remains functional in reduces the Limitation value by -1/4. The bands do not
have to be sequential but the Limitation value is based on the lowest point
band. Thus if an Interim slot required a Threshold Scale of 20-49 it would
be a -1/2 Limitation, while an Interim slot that required a Threshold Scale
of 20 or 40 or 60 would also be a -1/2 Limitation, but an Interim slot that
required a Threshold Scale of 30 or 50 would be a -1 1/4 Limitation. |
|
| SURGE SLOTS |
| A Power that uses a Threshold Scale that always works,
but has an affect in direct correlation to the current number of points in
the
Threshold Scale is called a Surge Slot. A Surge Slot functions similar to a
linked Power; the functionality of the slot is at 100% effect when the
Threshold Scale they use is at 100% Capacity, and proportionately less in
evenly rounded increments when the Pool is at less than full Capacity.
|
| The Limitation value for a
Power to be made into an Surge slot is a cumulative -1/4 for every full 50
points of Capacity in the Threshold Scale that the slot uses.
|
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
SURGE LIMITATIONS |
| -1/4 |
Threshold Scale 50
Capacity and under |
| -1/2 |
Threshold Scale 100 Capacity and under |
| -3/4 |
Threshold Scale 150
Capacity and under |
| -1 |
Threshold Scale 200 Capacity and under |
| ... |
etc |
|
| Thus if a character had a Threshold
Scale with 50 Capacity then all of that character's Surge slots in
that Threshold Scale would take a -1/4 Limitation, while al the slots in a
100 Capacity Threshold Scale would take a -1/2 Limitation.
|
| EXAMPLE: A player creates a Power to be used
as a Surge slot in a Threshold Scale Power Framework. The Threshold Scale
has a Capacity of 90, and thus the Power takes a -1/4 Limitation. This is
annotated as: Threshold (Surge; -1/4). |
|
ADVANTAGES ON THRESHOLD SCALES |
| Standard Advantages are not applicable to
the Capacity of a Threshold Scale, however, there are a few Advantages
specific to a Threshold Scale that control general behavior as follows: |
| CONDITIONS |
| By default the Frequency of
the Condition that causes a Threshold Scale to accumulate points towards its
Capacity is assumed to be "Uncommon". However this can be modified.
|
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
FREQUENCY MODIFIERS |
| -1 |
Rare Condition |
| -1/2 |
Very Uncommon Condition |
| n/a |
Uncommon Condition |
| +1/2 |
Common Condition |
| +1 |
Very Common Condition |
|
| A "Common" Condition requires a +1/2
Advantage, and a "Very Common" Condition requires a +1 Advantage. Conversely
if a Condition is "Very Uncommon" then a character may take a -1/2
Limitation on the cost of their Threshold Scale; if the Condition is "Rare"
then a character may take a -1 Limitation instead. |
| By default a Threshold Scale
has one Condition that causes accumulation of points towards their Capacity; this can be
extended by taking an Advantage for each additional Condition however.
|
|
THRESHOLD SCALE
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS ADVANTAGE* |
| +1/2 |
Additional Rare
Condition |
| +3/4 |
Additional Very Uncommon Condition |
| +1 |
Additional Uncommon
Condition |
| +1 1/4 |
Additional Common Condition |
| +1
1/2 |
Additional Very Common
Condition |
|
* This Advantage may be taken multiple times |
|
| If a Threshold has multiple Conditions that
cause it's Capacity to aggregate then each additional Condition is a +1
Advantage modified up or down in 1/4 increments based upon the frequency of
the extra Condition starting from "Uncommon". Thus an additional Rare
Condition on a Threshold Scale would be a +1/2 Advantage, while an
additional Very Common Condition would be +1 1/2 Advantage. The most common
Condition must be used for the original Condition; additional Conditions
must be of at least equal or less frequency than the most common Condition. |
| NOTE: A given Condition could be "Common" in one
campaign and "Rare" in another, like "exposure to Chi Powers" for instance.
As always, the GM is the final arbiter of what commonality applies to a
particular Condition.
|
| DELAYED FADE RATE |
| By default the points accumulated in a
Threshold Scale normally return to zero (i.e. FADE) in increments of 5
points every Turn. This return rate can be cumulatively moved one level down
the Time Chart for a +1/4 Advantage. For example, a Threshold Scale that
loses points at the rate of 5 points per 20 minutes is three levels down the
Time Chart, and thus requires a +3/4 Advantage. |
|
LIMITATIONS ON THRESHOLD SCALES |
| Standard Limitations are not applicable to
the Capacity of a Threshold Scale, however the Frequency Modifiers table
previously given summarizes a Limitation that can be taken on a Threshold
Scale if the Condition allowing accumulation towards Capacity is Very
Uncommon or Rare. Additionally the following Limitations are applicable to
Threshold Scales: |
| DISSIPATED |
| By default the points accumulated in a
Threshold Scale are not reduced by using Powers based on it; the points are
only lost via the FADE rate. However a -1/2 Dissipated Limitation may be
applied the Capacity cost of a Threshold Scale to indicate that each Power
slot in the Threshold Scale reduces the Threshold Scale when it is used by
an amount equal to its Real Cost when it is activated. |
| MITIGATED |
| By default the points accumulated in a
Threshold Scale are
only lost via the FADE rate. However a -1/2 Mitigated Limitation may be
applied the Capacity cost of a Threshold Scale to indicate that exposure to
a defined Mitigating Condition reduces the Threshold Scale by an amount
equivalent to its Severity in the same fashion that exposure to its
Conditions causes the Threshold Scale to accumulate points. |
| The Mitigating Condition must be of
equivalent Frequency to the most common Condition defined for the Threshold
Scale by default. However, if the Mitigating Condition is of a greater
Frequency than the most common Condition on the Threshold Scale then the
value of the Limitation is modified by an addition -1/4 for each level of
Frequency between them. Similarly if the Mitigating Condition is of less
Frequency than the most common Condition on the Threshold Scale then the
Limitation is modified by +1/2 for each level of Frequency between them. |
| Thus if a Threshold Scale has an Uncommon
Condition "Exposed to Heat/Fire", then a matching Mitigating Condition might
be "Exposed to Water"; this would be worth a -1/2 Mitigated Limitation since
the two Conditions are roughly equivalently Frequent. On the other hand if a
Threshold Scale had a Condition of "When in Zero Gravity" that would
be Very Rare in most campaigns, and a Mitigating Condition of "When affected
by Gravity" that would typically be Very Common, a -1 1/2 Mitigated
Limitation would be taken on the Threshold Scale's Capacity. |
| EXAMPLE: The character Anger
Mouse gets stronger, tougher, and faster the more angry he gets; he has a
Threshold Scale with the Uncommon Condition "When insulted or antagonized".
However melodious music soothes this savage beast; he has a Mitigating
Condition "When soothing music is heard", which is also Uncommon. One day
the dastardly fiend Stash Twirler makes fun of the diminutive Anger Mouse,
uttering a stream of vituperous mockery (as part of a large PRE attack) that
the GM judges to be Strong, and Anger Mouse's Threshold Scale accumulates 30
points. Anger Mouse proceeds to show Stash the error of his ways, but their
battle carries the two mortal enemies within hearing range of a Church from
which pours the sounds of a choral that the GM declares to be of Moderate
Severity; Anger Mouse's Threshold Scale is reduced by 20 points. Hopefully
Stash will do something to irk him again! |
|
Using
a Threshold Scale |
| Threshold Scales are easy to use; they
primarily exist to provide a metered scale that various Powers can use as a
criteria for their own functioning. A player using a character that has a
Threshold Scale merely needs to keep track of their current Threshold Scale
as it accumulates and FADEs in a fashion that is very similar to playing a
character with the Absorption Power. |
| Following are a couple of sample Power sets
based upon the Threshold Scale Framework. |
| Example 1 RAGE METER:
|
|
Growing Fury: Threshold (50 Pool); Condition 1: When BODY Damage Taken (Common; +1/2)*, Extra
Condition: When Insulted (Uncommon; +1)**; (25 Active Points); Real Cost: 25
|
|
a) Furious Strength +30 STR; Reduced END (0 END; +1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/4),
No Figured Characteristics (-1/2); Real Cost: 26
|
|
b) Furious Aura +30 PRE; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (30); -3/4); Real Cost: 17 |
|
c) Angry Rush +2 HtH levels; (10 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (10); -1/2); Real Cost: 7
|
|
d) Red-out Mental Defense 30; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (40); -1); Real Cost: 15 |
|
e) Beyond Pain Armor 10 PD; (20 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/4);
Real Cost: 16
|
| TOTAL REAL COST: 106 Character
Points |
| * + ** : Commonality for these
Conditions would vary by character, taking into account any relevant
Disadvantages or other abilities. In this case an assumption is in affect
that the character taking these abilities lacks
considerable defenses normally and thus can expect to take BODY damage
somewhat frequently, and lacks any Psychological Disadvantages or Berserks
indicating that they are particularly prone to being insulted. A more
well-defended character that was easily insulted might have the same
Conditions, but with frequencies of Occasional and Very Common respectively
(and also therefore have "When Insulted" as the first Condition, as it would
be the more frequent Condition), for example. |
| Example 2 CHI COLLECTOR:
|
|
Chi Vampire: Threshold (100 Pool); Condition 1: When Near\Exposed to Strong Chi Sources (Common; +1/2)*, Extra
Condition: When Meditating (Occasional; +3/4)**, Delayed FADE Rate (5/Hour; +1); (45 Active Points); Real Cost: 65 |
|
a) Ghostly Journey Desolid (Affected By Chi Powers); Reduced END (0 END; +1/2); (60 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (50); -1 1/4); Real Cost: 27
|
|
b) Chi Aura FF 10 PD 10 ED; (20 Active Points); Threshold (Actualized (10); -1/4); Real Cost: 16 |
|
c) Chi Blast 10d6 EB; Variable Advantage (Must take +1/2 in Advantage; +1) (100 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/2); Real Cost: 66 |
|
d) Taint Chi I Drain PRE 3d6; Ranged (+1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (30); -1 1/2); Real Cost: 18 |
|
e) Taint Chi II Drain INT 3d6; Ranged (+1/2); (45 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (60); -3); Real Cost: 11 |
|
f) Taint Chi III Drain EGO 6d6; Ranged (+1/2); (90 Active Points); Threshold (Interim (90); -4);
Real Cost: 18 |
|
g) Chi Leaping Gliding 30"; (30 Active Points); Threshold (Surge; -1/2);
Real Cost: 20 |
| TOTAL REAL COST: 241 Character
Points |
| * Assumes character is in a Chi
oriented campaign
|
| ** Assumes that while the character might Meditate often, it will only
Occasionally have an impact on events.
|
| Example 3 HERO TOKENS -- ARCHER:
|
|
Archer Token Pool: Threshold (50 Pool); Condition: When doing Heroic
things for a Phase; Common Condition (+1/2); Dissipated (-1/2) ; (15 Active
Points); Real Cost: 10 |
|
a) Precise Shot: Killing Attack - Ranged 4d6+1 (vs. PD) (65 Active
Points); OIF (Bow & Arrow of Opportunity; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4), Threshold
(Actualized (20)) (-1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Extra Time (Full
Phase, -1/2); Real Cost: 20 |
|
b) Bounced Shot: Killing Attack - Ranged 3d6 (vs. PD), Indirect (Same
origin, always fired away from attacker; +1/4) (56 Active Points); OIF (Bow &
Arrow of Opportunity; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4), Required Hands Two-Handed
(-1/2), Threshold (Actualized (20)) (-1/2); Real Cost: 20 |
|
c) Rapid Shot: Killing Attack - Ranged 3d6+1 (vs. PD), Area Of Effect (5"
Any Area; +1), Selective (+1/4) (112 Active Points); OIF (Bow & Arrow of
Opportunity; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4), Threshold (Actualized (30)) (-3/4),
Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Can Be Missile
Deflected (-1/4); Real Cost: 30 |
| TOTAL REAL COST: 80 Character
Points |