Heroes Unlimited Play By Post?

[Prospero101]

So a Yakuza hitman, a Glaswegian street ganger, and a super genius walk into a pub...

[Atifexe]

To Omnicrat:
With an IQ like that, you may have graduated university with your second doctorate around the time other people your age were graduating high school. =P High IQ offers a skill proficiency bonus of +2% at 16 and +1% per point above that, so an IQ of 32 gives you +18% proficiency in all skills. Your educational background gives you a +30% proficiency in skills you studied, and your power grants an extra +10% to all known Language, Literacy, and Mathematics skills.

To Ix:
As far as stats go, the standard process is roll 3d6, add another d6 if the total is 16, 17, or 18, then add yet another d6 if the first bonus die comes up 6. After all that, you get to add another 4d6+12 to the stat. You've done the 4d6+12 part, so now you get to do the first section if you want to - if you're happy with your character as is, then you certainly don't have to change anything. That said, with lucky rolls you could be looking at a character that can run the 100 meter dash in just over five seconds.

To all:
No one has given their character's (actual) name yet. =P

Skill selection is one of the weak points of this system, in my opinion. In my experience, it can often take two to three times as long as the rest of character creation put together. That said, knowing education levels helps a bit.

Skills fall into two categories: Scholastic skills and Secondary skills. Scholastic skills are the product of the character's area of study, while Secondary skills represent areas of personal interest or study outside of formal education. When selecting Scholastic skills, players choose skill programs, which are groups of related skills.

Prospero, you stated your character had a Bachelor's in Business. Based on this, you get four skill program selections (each with a +20% proficiency bonus), one of which goes to a Business skill program. You also get ten Secondary skill selections.

Available Skill Programs - Click to Expand

• Communications Program
• Computer Program
• Domestic Program
• Electrical Program
• Journalist/Investigation Program
• Language Program
• General Mechanical Program
• Vehicle Mechanical Program
• Medical Assistant Program
• Medical Investigation Program
• Basic Piloting Program
• Physical/Athletic Program
• Science Program
• Technical Program
• Weapon Proficiency: Ancient Program
• Weapon Proficiency: Modern Program
• Survival/Wilderness Program

Based on your character's description, I'm thinking the Computer Program, Language Program,

Omnicrat, a Doctorate also grants four skill program selections, but offers a +30% proficiency bonus. You get ten Secondary skill selections as well.

Available Skill Programs - Click to Expand

All programs listed for Prospero, plus:

• Advanced Piloting Program
• Medical Doctor Program
• Robotics Program

Ix, your character's street schooling works a bit differently. You get a number of narrowed skill selections, plus a couple specific preselected skills. You get eight Secondary skill selections.

The easiest way to figure out skills, so as to avoid posting information from the books in a public forum, is probably going to be to move to private messages. Prospero and Omnicrat, if you would be so kind as to each send me a PM with a couple of skill programs you'd like more information on, I'll respond and we can work out details. Ix, I'll send you a PM in a moment detailing your options, as they're narrower than the others.

[Prospero101]

Message away! Also, Ix, you should roll for your bigger Speed stat. The world record for the 100 meter dash is 9.58 seconds, and I'd LOVE to see a scrawny Scotsman beat it by a country mile.

[Omnicrat]

Decisions, decisions...

If I recall correctly what I would want for my character idea is...
Robotics
General Mechanical
Technical
Electrical

Medical Doctor (if it can be secondary, if not then Medical Assistant)
Computer
Science
Language
Communications
Vehicle Mechanical
Basic Piloting
Weapon Proficiency: Modern
Journalist/Investigation
Domestic

All that look right to you? Like I said, its been a long time since

Also, I was thinking something along the lines of Robert Fitzgerald for a real name for the character. Maybe something like Aperirique for the Hero name.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Having rerolled for speed, Speed is now up to 40. So far as I can tell, that means that through straight running I can cover 200m in 15s, or around 8s for the 100m. So suck it Usain Bolt!

[Prospero101]

I have this hilarious image of some Scottish schoolteacher trying to chase after you, going "YEW! YES, YEW! STAND STILL, LADDIE!"

[My pseudonym is Ix]

To be honest, this is Glasgow. After a while, someone would just get bored and pull a gun.

[Prospero101]

I'm just super excited that I get to use the word "Glaswegian" all the time now.

[Atifexe]

Remember, that running speed is doubled if you're bouncing, and tripled if you're ricocheting down a hallway. =P

[Omnicrat]

Its been a long while since I played this system, but it turns out I DID remember it right and do it wrong .

My primary skill programs are Electrical, Mechanical, Robot, and Science.

The skills are...
Electrical Engineer
Computer Operation
Mechanical Engineer
Locksmith
Computer Programing
Robot Electronics
Robot Mechanics
Advanced Mathematics
Chemistry
Computer Repair
Automotive Mechanics
Weapons Engineer
Aircraft Mechanics
Chemistry: Analytical
Anthropology
Archeology

Unless there is some problem with any of that.

[Prospero101]

So...you're Tony Stark, then? Sounds like fun.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

Also, as a real name, Douglas (Dougie) Ferguson works for me.

[Atifexe]

Oh, I almost forgot! Omnicrat, you get to select two of your skills from the list you posted to be your Areas of Expertise. These skills are exempt from the normal skill cap, able to exceed 100% proficiency. While this doesn't mean you automatically succeed on those rolls, it does mean that if you're working with a penalty, it has to be high enough to reduce your skill below 100 before it actually affects your chance of success. In addition, the skills you select will receive an extra +20% proficiency.

[Prospero101]

My character is Kenji Watanabe. But the name on his passport is Kenji Yamaguchi, and his clients typically know him as Mr. Black.

[Omnicrat]

I think Robot Electronics and Robot Mechanics would be best for those.

[Atifexe]

Sounds good! When you get a chance, Omnicrat, I sent you a PM about secondary skill selections as well.

[Prospero101]

Hey gang, I found a source of Heroes Unlimited PDFs. I get that not everybody is cool with this sort of thing, so I'll just leave the offer on the table. If you want, PM me and I'll get you a link.

[Omnicrat]

Gonna be honest here, no idea how PMing works on this site :/

[Prospero101]

At the bottom of my post there's a button that says "priv. mess." Click that and it'll take you to a screen to send me a message. To view your in box, scroll all the way down to the very bottom of any page on the forum. You'll see something like "X new messages," with X being however many messages you might have. Click that and you'll go to your inbox.

[Atifexe]

Alternatively, if you get email notifications when you receive PMs, they should contain a link that takes you directly to the message. No looking for tiny text on the bottom of the page that way. =)

[Prospero101]

So, we've all made our characters, right? Does that mean we can get started soon?

[Atifexe]

Still waiting on Omnicrat, actually. We're almost there, though.

[Omnicrat]

Did I never submit my secondary skills?

-looks through thread-

Must not have. Don't remember what I picked now... :/

Give me a few hours, sorry.

Actually, given the fan draft, give me a bit more than a few hours. More sorry.

[Atifexe]

I'm still looking to acquire some more players, and at this point they'll be added into the action after we start. If need be, I'll bring them up to speed in their own thread before they join the primary action, and of course, their character creation will not take place in a way that would interfere with the gameplay.

[My pseudonym is Ix]

From my experience of forum RPGs, that's fairly normal. Lotta people don't really take much notice when the idea is first ventured, but as it gets going and they see people enjoying themselves more interest starts coming in.