M&M Questions

[username12]

Hi everyone!

I am trying to learn the 3e M&M system and, having not played any of the earlier editions, I've got a few questions.

1. Grenades: When throwing a grenade, it has a burst area of effect and automatically hits all targets in the area. All targets must make a Dodge check to see if they avoid damage. Correct?

So what about missing? i see character builds online that have attack bonues for grenade attacks. If it automatically hits everything in the area, why have an attack bonus? And what happens if you roll a 1 on the attack roll?

A frag grenade has a burst radius of 30 ft. a hero could throw that anywhere within his throwing range (strength rank - mass rank) and subject all targets within 30 ft to a Dodge check or take full damage? Or is there a chance that he can "miss" and not get the grenade within 30 of the targets?

I may have other questions, but that's all for now.

Thanks!

[username12]

I thought I had it figured out, then I saw this:

Perception and Area effects do not require attack checks, they automatically affect a given target or area (see the Area extra in Powers). Because of this, these attacks cannot score critical hits or misses, nor do modifiers affecting the attack check—including various maneuvers—affect them.

Sooo... why do grenades have a critical rating of 15 (http://www.d20herosrd.com/7-gadgets-gear)

I thought that was because if you roll a 15 or higher, and that's enough to hit the target area, (see my question above), then it would be a critical, and the DC to resist damage would go up 5 points (toughness DC 25) (15 base damage +5 grenade +5 critical). If you roll below 15, you probably still hit the area, unless you roll a 1. so a roll of 2 -14 means the targets still have to save, but the toughness check is DC 20 (15 base +5 grenade).

That makes sense, I guess. But it doesn't fit with, "Area effects do not require attack checks, they automatically affect a given target or area (see the Area extra in Powers). Because of this, these attacks cannot score critical hits or misses, "

So, WTF???

Are grenades just Dodge DC 15; fail = toughness check against DC 20 damge, Pass = toughness check against DC 17 damage?

or is there a chance to miss and a chance to do critical damage with a grenade?

[Beleriphon]

Hi everyone!

I am trying to learn the 3e M&M system and, having not played any of the earlier editions, I've got a few questions.

1. Grenades: When throwing a grenade, it has a burst area of effect and automatically hits all targets in the area. All targets must make a Dodge check to see if they avoid damage. Correct?

They make a resistance check in 3E to see if they take half damage. Evasion provides a +2/+5 bonus on said check if the character has one or two ranks in the advantage.


So what about missing? i see character builds online that have attack bonues for grenade attacks. If it automatically hits everything in the area, why have an attack bonus? And what happens if you roll a 1 on the attack roll?

Nothing. The attack roll is likely an error. If the character is built in HeroLab is will automatically apply and attack bonus line in some instances even if there shouldn't be one.


A frag grenade has a burst radius of 30 ft. a hero could throw that anywhere within his throwing range (strength rank - mass rank) and subject all targets within 30 ft to a Dodge check or take full damage? Or is there a chance that he can "miss" and not get the grenade within 30 of the targets?

I may have other questions, but that's all for now.

Thanks!

In theory the damage rank of the effect determines the range increments of the attack, although functionally you're method of using strength and the Rank & Measure table works better.

The other thing to look out for is something like this: Ranged Damage 10 (Burst 7). That attack gets an attack roll to hit a specific target with Damage 10 and then each target in the burst gets the resistance check for half damage at rank 7.


I thought I had it figured out, then I saw this:

Perception and Area effects do not require attack checks, they automatically affect a given target or area (see the Area extra in Powers). Because of this, these attacks cannot score critical hits or misses, nor do modifiers affecting the attack check—including various maneuvers—affect them.

That is correct.


Sooo... why do grenades have a critical rating of 15 (http://www.d20herosrd.com/7-gadgets-gear)

That link's table for explosives lists a Critical rating but it should be a Resistance DC column instead. I just checked my copy of the 3E Heroes Handbook.


I thought that was because if you roll a 15 or higher, and that's enough to hit the target area, (see my question above), then it would be a critical, and the DC to resist damage would go up 5 points (toughness DC 25) (15 base damage +5 grenade +5 critical). If you roll below 15, you probably still hit the area, unless you roll a 1. so a roll of 2 -14 means the targets still have to save, but the toughness check is DC 20 (15 base +5 grenade).

The Resistance DC is going to be 10+Rank for non-damage effects or 15+Rank for damage effects/


Are grenades just Dodge DC 15; fail = toughness check against DC 20 damge, Pass = toughness check against DC 17 damage?

or is there a chance to miss and a chance to do critical damage with a grenade?

Its DC 20 with a failed resistance check or DC 17 with a successful check.

[username12]

Thanks.

now can someone please explain WTF is going on with vehicle prices. I just bought the Delux Heroes Handbook, hoping that there would be some corrections or clarifications to what I was seeing online, but there isn't.

According to the Delux Hero's Handbook, updated Sept 17 2013 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/116671/Mutants-%26-Masterminds-Deluxe-Heros-Handbook?term=delux+her), these are some of the costs:

Car 10
armored car 8

Car 10
Limosine 6

Motorcycle 10
Semi 9

Car 10
Cruise ship 10

Submarine 30
Tank 65

WTF!!!????

I'm pretty sure a cruise ship costs more than a car! And a motorcycle is more expensive than a limo?? Military submarines are cheaper than tanks??? How does that make any sense at all???

[Grod_The_Giant]

Are these equipment point costs, or converted costs for the optional wealth system? If the latter, I can't help you. If the former... equipment points aren't money, they're how many power points the vehicle's stuff costs. There should be a table of "Vehicle Trait Costs." It's based on the vehicle's movement effect (speed, flight, whatever), +1/size category, +1 per point of Strength, Toughness, or Defense above the base for its size, plus features and powers.

In the case of a tank verses a submarine, the tank has Impervious armor (12 points), a cannon (26 points), and a machine gun (24 points). The submarine just has torpedoes (21 points).

If it helps, you can also think about use. In the average game, a tank or a car is going to be useful in a lot more situations than a submarine or cruise ship.

[Beleriphon]

As Grod notes the vehicle costs are in Equipment Points and they are based on what abilities, weapons, speed and other factors that the vehicle possesses.