Rules FAQ - Hero Games Company

TH 

HERO SYSTEM 6 EDITION 

RULES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Last updated 09/09/2010

CHARACTERISTICS 

Page 40 — General Rules 

Q: What’s the perceivability of Characteristics? 

A: Characteristics aren’t “Obvious” in the same way that a Blast is, but for purposes of buying 

Power Modifiers such as Invisible Power Effects and Perceivable, they are considered Obvious. 

Q: Do all Advantages on Characteristics have to be naked Advantages? 

A: This is a situation where I think it’s safe to rely on gamers’ general common sense. (Famous 

last words. ;) ) Nearly all Advantages on Characteristics are naked Advantages, but the GM can 

make exceptions if desired (though in most cases it’s a meaningless distinction). Obviously the 

Resistant Advantage is always in effect in nearly all cases, so thinking of it as a naked Advantage 

in the usual way doesn’t really make much sense. 

Q: If a campaign uses Characteristic Maxima rules for STR or movement, is the END cost for 

those abilities based on what the character would pay without the doubling, or on the full “Active 

Points” he paid including those that are doubled by surpassing the Maximum? 

A: The default rule is that you calculate the END cost as if the character had paid the normal 

cost for the ability — it’s not really very fair to charge extra END just because of a campaign 

defining/balancing rule that increases the cost (though there are exceptions — powers that pay 

extra for Autofire also pay extra END, typically). But the GM can certainly decide to do 

otherwise if he prefers. ;) 

Page 45 — Speed 

Q: Can a character voluntarily reduce his SPD for only one thing (such as paying END for an 

Uncontrolled power)? 

A: A character cannot voluntarily reduce his SPD for just one thing (in your example, for 

Uncontrolled, so he only has to pay END twice per Turn) — if he reduces his SPD that reduction 

applies across the board. In the case of Uncontrolled specifically, reducing SPD to reduce the 

number of times END has to be paid “locks in” the SPD reduction; until the power runs out of 

END the character must stay at SPD 2 (or whatever he lowered his SPD to).

SKILLS 

Page 55 — Skill Rolls 

Q: Is it legal to have a Skill (be it the Power Skill, or any other) based on a Characteristic other 

than STR, DEX, CON, INT, EGO, or PRE? 

A: The GM can certainly permit anything he wants. However, generally speaking, I think it’s 

doubtful that a Skill Roll based on anything other than the Characteristics that have 

Characteristic Rolls — STR, DEX, CON, INT, EGO, and PRE — would be legitimate (if for no 

other reason than it seriously affects how the Skill Roll’s calculated). I certainly would never put 

a Skill Roll based on any other Characteristic on an ability in a published book (or if I felt that 

was appropriate, I would be sure to explain exactly what I was doing and why). 

Page 66 — Breakfall 

Q: If a Move Through attempt misses, and the attacker is about to slam into a wall, can he use 

Breakfall to reduce the impact damage? 

A: No. 

Page 84 — Penalty Skill Levels 

Q: Do Encumbrance PSLs offset the movement penalty imposed by Encumbrance? 

A: No. You can buy such an ability as +Running (or whatever) with the Limitation Only To 

Offset The Encumbrance Penalty (-2). 

Q: Can a character use Penalty Skill levels to counter the cumlative -2 OCV penalty for 

performing multiple Blocks, or does that require Combat Skill Levels? 

A: The cumlative -2 OCV penalty for performing multiple Blocks cannot be reduced or 

eliminated with Penalty Skill Levels; doing that requires Combat Skill Levels. 

Page 92 — Two-Weapon Fighting 

Q: If a character doesn’t have Two-Weapon Fighting, is there any rule stopping him from 

making an attack with the “Combined Attack” rule under Multiple Attack with two different 

weapons? How would having TWF help with this? 

A: Combined Attack specifically says it’s for powers or similar abilities, and not for 

Combat/Martial Maneuvers — and using a weapon is typically a Strike Combat Maneuver, or

some Martial Maneuver. So a character making two weapon-based attacks is using Multiple 

Attack in its standard form, and thus derives some benefit from negating OCV penalties. 

Q: When a character uses Two-Weapon Fighting with HTH weapons, do you have to add the 

STR Minimums of both weapons together to determine if he suffers any penalties? 

A: No, you don’t have to add the STR Minima together or anything like that. The STR 

Minimum for each weapon applies to that weapon. As stated on 6E2 77, “Unless noted 

otherwise, the standard rules for Adding Damage (6E2 99-102) apply to Multiple Attack. Any 

method used to add damage applies equally and in full to all attacks in the Multiple Attack that it 

can affect; it doesn’t have to be “divided” among the various attacks.”

PERKS

TALENTS 

Page 110 — Combat Luck 

Q: Does Combat Luck still apply to a character who’s been Grabbed? 

A: As a default, yes, Combat Luck still applies to a character who’s Grabbed... but as always the 

final call’s up to the GM. 

Page 113 — Deadly Blow 

Q: Is Deadly Blow subject to any rules that restrict increasing damage to just doubling the base 

damage of the attack? 

A: That question doesn’t really apply any more, given the changes to the Adding Damage rules. 

If the GM wants to invoke a doubling damage cap as a house rule, or if he’s using STR 

Minimum/Real Weapon which typically impose that as a requirement regardless, then Deadly 

Blow is subject to that restriction given the way it’s built. 

Page 116 — Weaponmaster 

Q: Is Weaponmaster subject to any rules that restrict increasing damage to just doubling the base 

damage of the attack? 

A: That question doesn’t really apply any more, given the changes to the Adding Damage rules. 

If the GM wants to invoke a doubling damage cap as a house rule, or if he’s using STR 

Minimum/Real Weapon which typically impose that as a requirement regardless, then 

Weaponmaster is subject to that restriction given the way it’s built.

POWERS 


Q: If a character has a Power like Flash, Drain, or Dispel with the Advantage Does Knockback, 

and the target lacks the Sense or ability the Power affects, does the target still take Knockback? 

A: No. As noted on APG 54, an Adjustment Power with a secondary effect (such as Does 

Knockback, which is specifically cited) doesn’t have that secondary effect if the target doesn’t 

have the Characteristic/Power/whatever that the Adjustment Power affects. For example, a Drain 

Blast, Does Knockback, if used against a target with no Blast attack, has no effect at all — it 

doesn’t cause Knockback. 

Generally speaking, this reasoning extends to other powers, including Dispel (which is 

similar to Adjustment Powers in many ways), Flash, and the like. If the target cannot be affected 

by the power because he lacks what it targets (e.g., a blind person hit with a Sight Group Flash; a 

person without Flight hit with Dispel Flight), then the secondary effect (such as Does 

Knockback) also cannot apply. Note, however, that having a lot of defense against an attack (e.g., 

enough Sight Group Flash Defense to totally block a Flash) or being temporarily immune to a 

power (e.g., a character being protected from Sight Group Flashes because he was just affected 

by one and is now temporarily blind) does not qualify as “cannot be affected” — as used above, 

that term generally means it’s impossible for the character ever to be affected, not just 

temporarily impossible. 

As always, the GM should apply these rules with an eye toward common sense, dramatic 

sense, special effects, and game balance. 

Q: If a character Pushes a Constant power (or a power with the Advantage Costs END To 

Maintain), does he have to pay the Pushed END cost each Phase as well as the standard cost, or 

only when he activates the power? 

A: If a character wants to Push a Constant power, he must pay the extra END cost for Pushing 

every Phase that he wants the Push effect to enhance the Constant power in addition to the 

power’s standard END cost to maintain. If the Constant power only costs END to maintain, a 

character who wants to maintain a Pushed effect must pay the END cost for Pushing every Phase. 

Page 124 — Sensing Powers And Special Effects 

Q: What’s the perceivability of a Skill used as a Power? 

A: A Skill bought as a Power is considered Obvious in the same sense that Body-Affecting 

Powers and Size Powers are (i.e., they don’t typically produce a visible glow or anything like 

that, but their effect on the user, target, and so on is Obvious). Of course, if common sense 

dictates otherwise for a particular Skill (e.g., Stealth as a Power would be useless if it were 

Obvious), the GM can easily make a ruling.

Q: If a Power is Obvious when in use (like Body-Affecting Powers are), what’s the 

perceivability of granting that Power to someone via Usable On Others? 

A: The granting of such powers to another person via Usable On Others is Obvious. 

Page 135 — Adjustment Powers 

Q: 6E1 137 discusses how to apply and track multiple Adjustment Powers against a single 

target. How does making, say, a Drain Constant or Autofire affect this? Could a character have 

the ability to Heal multiple Adjustment Power effects at once? 

A: Each time a Constant Drain damages a target, that counts as a “separate” Drain effect, though 

that’s really only relevant if the GM’s using the optional method. 

Each hit from an Autofire Drain counts as a “separate” Drain effect, but since they’re all 

hitting in the same Phase again this is largely irrelevant; they’ll all recover at the same time 

anyway. 

If a character can somehow Heal multiple Drains at once, then that’s what he does — 

Heal X separate Drains, whether those Drains come from distinct attacks, one Constant attack, or 

what have you. 

Q: Regarding Adjustment Powers and Power Frameworks, suppose a character has a 

Multipower with a 60-point reserve and four Fixed slots with 60 Active Points each. Suppose an 

enemy Drains all four slots to 30 Active Points. Can the character now use two slots at once, or 

are they still considered to have “60 Active Points” for purposes of reserve allocation? 

A: Negatively Adjusting a slot in a Power Framework doesn’t change a slot’s Active Point cost 

for purposes of determining how much of the reserve/Pool it uses up. So, to answer your question 

specifically, no, the character can’t use two slots at once; each is still considered to have 60 

Active Points for purposes of determining how much reserve it “occupies.” 

Q: On APG 54 it notes that if an Adjustment Power has a secondary effect (such as the Does 

Knockback Advantage), then the secondary effect doesn't apply if the target doesn't have the 

Characteristic or Power that the Adjustment Power was built to affect. How would this work in 

the case of an Adjustment Power that affects more than one ability simultaneously, and the target 

has some of those abilities and not others? 

A: As long as the target has at least one game element that the Adjustment Power can affect, 

secondary effects (such as Does Knockback) apply, even if the Adjustment Power has only 

partial effect against that game element. 

Q: If a power is bought with varying types of increments (as with Barrier, Change Environment,

and Tunneling, all of which can have different “sections” or “aspects” that characters can buy 

with Character Points), and a character hasn’t bought up one of those increments, can that 

increment be affected with Adjustment Powers? For example, if a character hasn’t increased the 

thickness of his Barrier (leaving it at the default ½ meter), can an Adjustment Power make that 

Barrier thicker? 

A: Yes, provided the GM feels that can be done in a game-balanced fashion and is reasonable in 

light of the special effects involved, but of course any maximums or minimums imposed by the 

power can’t be exceeded. For example, since the minimum thickness of a Barrier is 1/2 meter, a 

character can’t use Drain to make the Barrier thinner. 

Q: Can a character apply an Adjustment Power to an already erected Barrier or Entangle? 

A: In general, no — these are Instant Powers, so a character can’t Adjust them any more than he 

could somehow use an Adjustment Power to make a Blast weaker after it’s already injured 

someone. However, in the case of Instant Powers that cost END to maintain, which in some 

respects thus function like “Constant Powers,” the GM might permit this. For example, in a 

Fantasy Hero campaign, the GM might allow a Dispel Magic spell (Drain Magic 6d6) to affect a 

Wall Of Stone spell built using Barrier, provided the creator of the Wall has to pay END to keep 

it in existence. 

Q: How do Adjustment Powers affect a Linked power? 

A: Adjustment Powers affect a power built with Linked as if it’s two powers. The character 

using the Adjustment Power has to target one of the powers — typically the greater power, 

though it may depend on special effects, the attacker’s knowledge of the target’s powers, and 

other factors. 

For example, let’s suppose a character has a Lightning Bolt Spell (RKA 2d6 + Linked 

Flash 4d6). A character with Drain Magic 3d6, Variable Effect (any one Magic power at a time; 

+1/2), has to choose whether to Drain the RKA or the Flash — he can’t affect both at once. (A 

GM who wants to deal with the additional complication could split the Drain effect between the 

two powers if he wanted to, but that’s not the default rule.) If his power could affect “any two 

Magic powers at once” (Expanded Effect + Variable Effect; +1), then he could Drain both 

powers at the same time. 

The standard rules on the proportionality of Linked powers (6E1 385) still apply. 

Draining a greater power doesn’t affect a character’s ability to use the lesser power at all, and for 

purposes of determining proportionality you determine a power’s “full strength” based on its 

current (Adjusted) cost. Continuing the above example, suppose the RKA 2d6 were Drained 10 

points, making it an RKA 1d6+1. If the character uses the RKA at its current full strength 

(1d6+1), he can still use the full Flash 4d6 even though the RKA is normally an RKA 2d6; if he 

only uses the RKA at half strength, he can only use Flash 2d6.

Page 146 — Defense Powers 

Q: To clarify, in the case of layered defenses (as discussed on APG 61), when should Damage 

Negation be applied? 

A: Typically Damage Negation should be applied first as discussed in 6E1, though there are still 

issues in Steps 1 and 2 on APG 61 that the GM may want to take into account. Special effects 

and all that, dontcha know. ;) 

Q: Could a character buy 1 point of PD or ED with Resistant (+½), or 1 point of Resistant 

Protection defense? If so, what’s the cost? 

A: There’s no provision for that in the standard HERO System rules, but a GM could allow it if 

he wants. In that case, the cost is 2 Character Points, since otherwise the character would get 

something for free by exploiting the rounding rules. 

Q: Can a character purchase the Allocatable Advantage for defenses other than Resistant 

Protection and Barrier, such as Mental Defense or even his natural PD and ED? 

A: No. As indicated by its placement in the rulebook, Allocatable is intended for Resistant 

Protection and Barrier. If the GM wants to allow it for other defenses, that’s up to him, but 

officially you’ll never see that done or suggested in a HERO System book. 

Q: If a character has some defenses that are Impenetrable and some that are not (as discussed on 

6E1 147), how do you determine whether Impenetrable “cancels out” Penetrating (and thus that 

the damage applies to the character normally), or the Penetrating attack has its standard 

(Advantaged) effect? 

A: If a character who has some Impenetrable defenses and some defenses that are not 

Impenetrable is hit with a Penetrating attack, compare the average BODY for the Penetrating 

attack to the Impenetrable defenses. (In the case of Drains and the like, count the “Normal 

Damage BODY” for these purposes, unless it’s a Drain BODY, in which case determine the 

average in the standard mathematical way.) If the average BODY exceeds the Impenetrable 

defenses, the Impenetrable is “overcome” and the Penetrating attack has its standard 

(Advantaged) effect. If the average BODY is less than or equal to the Impenetrable defenses, the 

Impenetrable “negates” the Penetrating and the attack applies to the target’s defenses in its 

standard (non-Advantaged) way. 

Example: Protector has 20 PD (non-Advantaged). He also has Resistant Protection (10 

PD/10 ED), Impenetrable. He’s hit with an RKA 2½d6, Penetrating bullet. The average 

BODY for that RKA would be 8.75 (2.5d6 x 3.5). That’s less than 10 PD, so Impenetrable 

applies and the Penetrating effect is negated. 

Later, Protector’s slashed with a magic sword (HKA 4d6, Penetrating). The average BODY on 

this attack is 14. That’s more than 10 PD, so the Impenetrable doesn’t apply; the attack has its

usual Penetrating effect. 

Q: Does the minimum damage incurred because an attack is Penetrating count as “exceeding” an 

Ablative defense for lowering the Required Roll? 

A: Yes. 

Page 148 — Mental Powers 

Q: If the target of a Cumulative Mental Power has Mental Defense, does the Mental Defense 

reduce the maximum result the attacker can achieve? 

A: No. The defense against a Cumulative attack doesn’t reduce the maximum possible 

accumulated total, it simply makes it take longer to achieve that total by reducing each Effect 

Roll, as described in the rulebook. 

Page 155 — Movement Powers 

Q: If a character buys Running with Usable As Flight (+¼), can he just stand still in mid-air and 

take a Recovery? 

A: No, because as stated on 6E1 227, a character has to pay a minimum of 1 END to hover. 

Q: Since the Position Shift Adder for Movement Powers doesn’t require that a character actually 

move any distance (as specified on 6E1 157), does it still function if the Movement Power it’s 

bought for has been reduced to 0m in some way? 

A: No. 

Page 165 — Absorption 

Q: Does Autofire have any effect when applied to Absorption? 

A: No — since dice aren’t involved, Autofire is meaningless for Absorption. If you want to 

simulate the effect, just buy more Absorption. 

Q: If a character uses the Defensive Absorption option, and has already Absorbed up to his 

maximum, does the defense still work?

A: No — if the character can’t Absorb (for whatever reason, including having reached his 

maximum), Defensive Absorption doesn’t provide any defense against attacks. 

Q: Suppose a character has Absorption 10 BODY (to STUN), Only Restores To Starting Values. 

He’s down 5 STUN. He’s hit with an attack from which he Absorbs 10 STUN. What happens? 

A: His STUN increases by 5; the remaining points of Absorption are “lost” because they can’t 

increase STUN beyond its starting total. The character cannot Absorb any further this Segment. 

Page 167 — Aid (and Boost) 

Q: Since Boost is in effect a “Constant” power, does it continue to apply to the target, again and 

again, until its maximum effect is reached? 

A: No. 

Q: Since Boost is in effect a “Constant” power, if it can affect both the reserve and all slots of a 

Multipower, can it maintain that effect even if the character switches slots in the Multipower 

regardless of the standard rules for Multipowers and Adjustment Powers? 

A: No. 

Page 169 — Barrier 

Q: Can a character who creates a Barrier make it disappear at will? 

A: If a Barrier costs END to maintain, it will vanish if the character stops paying END for 

whatever reason. Other than that, a Barrier is a physical object — a character can’t simply 

“dismiss” it or define it as “I can make it go away whenever I want.” It has to be destroyed, 

eroded by the passage of time, or what have you. Special effects may play a part — a Wall Of Ice 

would melt in the hot summer sun, whereas a Wall Of Iron wouldn’t — but that’s a matter best 

left to the GM, common sense, and dramatic sense. If a character wants to be able to dismiss a 

Barrier at will, he needs to apply the Dismissable Adder from APG 81. 

Q: Can Barrier have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: Barrier can cost END to maintain; if the character stops paying END, the Barrier collapses in 

total at the end of that Segment. Paying an END maintenance cost does not in any way cause the 

Barrier to “heal” itself or the like.

Q: What type of Action is required to use Barrier? 

A: Activating Barrier requires an Attack Action, since an Attack Roll may be required (it still 

requires an Attack Action even if no roll’s required because the Barrier’s not created at Range). 

This includes “patching” the damage to repair an existing Barrier, or englobing someone. 

However, a character can Abort to create a Barrier as a purely defensive Action, unless the GM 

rules otherwise. 

Q: Can a character Link Telekinesis to a mobile Barrier to give the Barrier “force” to move 

things? 

A: Yes. 

Q: Just to clarify, if a Barrier has the Counteracts Indirect Advantage, does that prevent Indirect 

attacks from either side from passing through it, or just attacks from one side? 

A: If a Barrier has the Counteracts Indirect Advantage, Indirect attacks made from either side of 

the Barrier cannot pass through it. 









Q: Can a Barrier be used to englobe a flying character, since Barriers have to be anchored? 

A: Per 6E1 171, “globes” created with Barrier aren’t anchored the way ordinary Barrier globes 

are. Therefore, barring a Limitation that would prevent it, or a GM ruling to the same effect, they 

can be used against flying characters. 

Page 174 — Change Environment 

Q: APG 82 has rules for using Change Environment to add Limitations to a power. Is that to a 

single power, or all of the target’s powers? If the former, is there a way to expand the effect?

A: It’s only on a single power. By default it can only be a single power, but if the GM wanted to 

adapt the Expanded Effect and/or Variable Effect Advantages from Adjustment Powers for CE, 

that’s certainly within his power. 

Q: If a character has a Change Environment power with the Long-Lasting Adder in a Power 

Framework, does the power continue to function if he switches the Framework to another slot? 

A: That’s up to the GM. For the sort of typical non-combat effects that Long-Lasting is most 

appropriate for — things like cleaning up a room instantly, making flowers bloom, mild 

alterations of the weather, and so on — there’s probably no reason for the GM not to let the 

effect continue after the Change Environment slot is deactivated. For Change Environment 

powers intended to be combat-effective, generally characters should use Uncontrolled, 

Continuing Charges, or some other standard method of making them last once the slot is 

changed; Long-Lasting shouldn’t have that effect. 

Page 178 — Characteristics 

Q: What’s the perceivability of Characteristics? 

A: Characteristics aren’t “Obvious” in the same way that a Blast is, but for purposes of buying 

Power Modifiers such as Invisible Power Effects and Perceivable, they are considered Obvious. 

Page 179 — Clairsentience 

Q: Do Sense Modifiers purchased specifically for Clairsentience cost END, as Clairsentience 

itself does? 

Since Sense Modifiers are technically “Special Powers,” do the Sense Modifiers have to 

be purchased outside of any Power Framework the Clairsentience itself is purchased in? 

A: First question: yes. The END cost of Clairsentience is based on its total Active Points, just 

like usual, which of course includes any Sense Modifiers. 

Second question: no. It’s all one Clairsentience power, and thus a Standard 

Power/Sensory Power, not some bizarre Frankensteinian hybrid of Power categories. ;) 

Page 182 — Clinging 

Q: If a character uses Clinging, does the surface he Clings to have to be able to support his 

weight? 

A: While I’m all in favor of chucking “realism” out the window when it interferes with dramatic 

sense and fun, we need to apply a little common sense from time to time to maintain the

verisimilitude of even the most fantastical genres. That being the case, clearly a surface has to be 

able to support a character’s weight before he can Cling to it, or else he’ll simply fall through, 

tear part of it off, or what have you. A character who wants to be able to Cling to even the 

lightest, most fragile surfaces should buy some Flight that’s Linked to his Clinging to represent 

how he keeps his weight from affecting the surface. 

Q: Does Clinging automatically activate in appropriate situations? 

A: Clinging is a Power, and is thus subject to the rules on activating Powers. It would certainly 

be possible for a character to activate his Clinging before Grabbing someone, but unless the 

GM’s feeling generous a character can’t activate Clinging (or any other Power) after ending his 

Phase with an attack (such as a Grab), absent some other rule to the contrary (such as using 

Trigger). On the other hand, if a character Swings up to the side of a building and wants to Cling 

to it, common and dramatic sense dictate that the GM should let him do so even if it’s the end of 

the character’s Phase and he can’t technically activate any more powers. 

Q: Can a character use Clinging to maintain a hold on someone he Throws? 

A: No. Per 6E2, Throwing a victim requires the character to let him go; using Clinging doesn’t 

change this. However, note the difference between a Slam and a Throw (6E2 62). 

Q: If a character has Stretching and Clinging, can he do “Multiple Cling-Bys” by Stretching his 

arm past multiple targets? 

A: Generally no, because hitting someone while Stretching would require an Attack Roll, and 

succeeding with the first such roll would end the character’s Phase. It would be possible to hit 

(and thus Cling to) several targets via a Multiple Attack, though. 

Page 187 — Deflection 

Q: Can a character apply No Range Modifier to Deflection? What about Area Of Effect 

(Accurate)? 

A: Characters can apply No Range Modifier to Deflection. Characters cannot apply Area Of 

Effect (Accurate) to Deflection. 

Q: Does the -2 OCV penalty for Blocking for another person apply when a character uses 

Deflection to Block a Ranged attack aimed at another person? 

A: Yes, that penalty still applies. As noted on 6E1 187, Deflection lets a character use the rules

for Blocking Ranged attacks at Range. As noted on 6E2 59, the standard rules for Block apply to 

Blocking Ranged attacks, unless the rules note otherwise or the GM makes a different ruling. The 

-2 penalty for Blocking attacks made against another person is a standard Block rule, and 

therefore applies to Deflection. 

Page 190 — Desolidification 

Q: If a character is Desolidified and has a Damage Shield, and someone with an Affects 

Desolidified attack hits him with that attack in HTH Combat, does the Damage Shield affect the 

attacker? 

A: No — the character still needs Affects Physical World on the Damage Shield if he wants to 

hurt the solid attacker. 

Q: If a character has Desolidification with the Doesn’t Protect Against Damage Limitation, can 

he Reflect Ranged attacks made against him? 

A: Yes, assuming the attack’s Reflectable under the standard rules for that power, but the GM’s 

free to rule otherwise if he foresees a game balance, dramatic sense, or special effects problem. 

Q: If a character wants to use Images while Desolidified, does he have to apply the Affects 

Physical World Advantage to the Images? 

A: Yes. Regardless of what Sense Groups an Image does or doesn’t affect, if a Desolidified 

character wants solid characters to perceive and be affected by his Images, the Images power 

must have the Affects Physical World (+2) Advantage. Without that Advantage he could still 

create the Images, but they’d obviously be “Desolidified” to anyone who perceived them and thus 

incapable of causing any harm or having any effect. 

Q: If a character uses a Constant Power on a target, and the character then becomes Desolidified, 

does the Constant Power continue to affect the target? 

A: No. Once a character Desolidifies, any Constant Powers he’s maintaining cease to affect the 

physical world at that time. If he wanted to, he could continue paying END to keep them 

functioning so that they would start to affect the target again when he (the character) becomes 

solid again (thus saving himself the need to use another Attack Action and succeed with another 

Attack Roll), but as long as he’s Desolidified, a character cannot affect the physical world. 

However, note that the “lingering” effects of Instant Powers don’t vanish just because the 

character who created them Desolidifies. Examples including continuing-effect Mental Powers 

(see 6E1 191) and Entangles.

Q: Does a character with Desolidification need to buy his PRE with the Affects Physical World 

Advantage to be able to make Presence Attacks against solid targets while Desolidified? 

A: No, a Desolidified character can make Presence Attacks against solid characters without the 

need for any special Advantage, unless the GM rules otherwise for some reason. However, in 

regard to Presence Attacks involving threats, intimidation, and the like, in most cases the target 

will be aware of the fact that the character making the Presence Attack is Desolidified, and unless 

he’s also aware of abilities the character has that would make it possible for him to harm or affect 

the target, the GM should impose severe penalties on the Presence Attack — so severe, in fact, as 

to virtually negate it, unless the attacker’s clever enough to find a way around that in how he 

states his threat. 

Page 193 — Dispel 

Q: Can Dispel have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: No. 

Page 195 — Drain (and Suppress) 

Q: Since Suppress is in effect a “Constant” power, does it continue to apply to the target, again 

and again, until its maximum effect is reached? 

A: No. 

Page 198 — Duplication 

Q: When calculating the average damage when Duplicates recombine, do you base this on the 

number of Duplicates created at that time, or the maximum possible number of Duplicates? 

A: On the number of Duplicates created. 

Page 207 — Enhanced Senses 

Q: If a character has a Dimensional sense (let’s say, that lets him perceive the Astral Plane), if 

he’s in the plane(s) he can perceive can he perceive his home dimension from there? 

A: No; he either needs two Dimensional senses, or has to more broadly define the group of 

dimensions his Dimensional applies to.

Page 215 — Entangle 

Q: Can Entangle have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: Yes. If the character stops paying END, the Entangle collapses in total at the end of that 

Segment, freeing anyone captured. Paying an END maintenance cost does not in any way cause 

the Entangle to “heal” itself or the like. 









Q: What abilities can a character use to break out of an Entangle? 

A: Strength, obviously, is an innate ability that can be used to break out of an Entangle (unless 

it’s bought as a Mental Paralysis). Whether an HA can add its dice to STR for purposes of 

breaking out of an Entangle is ultimately up to the GM and may depend on the various special 

effects involved, but typically the default answer is “Yes, it can be.” The same applies to HKAs. 

(Caveat: the rule about an Entangle preventing the use of Accessible Foci may come into play if 

the HA/HKA is defined as a weapon of some sort.) 

Page 225 — Faster-Than-Light Travel 

Q: Since FTL Travel is bought as distance traveled per real-time value, rather than per Phase, 

how much END does it cost if you apply the Costs Endurance (-½) Limitation to it? 

A: It costs END every Phase it’s used, just like any other power that costs END; you can use the 

Long-Term END rules to determine the effect over long periods of time if desired. If the GM 

thinks the standard END cost isn’t going to be very restrictive (because the character’s not going 

to use the ability in combat, or has so much END or REC that the cost is meaningless), then he 

should disallow the Limitation or assign it a value of -0.

Page 226 — Flash 

Q: Can Flash have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: Yes. If the character stops paying END, the Flash effect stops working in total at the end of 

that Segment, allowing the victim to perceive again. Paying an END maintenance cost does not 

in any way cause the Flash to keep functioning beyond its rolled duration. 

Page 229 — Growth 

Q: If a character has both Growth (or is defined as being permanently large) and a Damage 

Shield, does he need to buy up the Area Of Effect (Surface) to match his size, or can he just stick 

with the usual +¼ for ordinary human size? 

A: If a character is larger than normal, or can become larger than normal by using Growth, and 

he wants to have a Damage Shield that covers his entire body, he needs to buy the Area Of Effect 

(Surface) to cover his entire size; otherwise the Damage Shield only covers part of his body. 

Page 231 — Hand-To-Hand Attack 

Q: If a character has an HA, can he perform a Multiple Attack with one or more Martial 

Maneuvers and add the HA damage to both of them? 

A: Yes, he can. He pays the END cost for both the STR used and the HA for each attack. 

Q: Could a character buy an HA, AVAD to add damage to a Nerve Strike, and if so would his 

STR add to the HA damage? 

A: Assuming the GM would allow you to buy an HA AVAD to add to Nerve Strike damage in 

the first place, no, you can’t also add STR. By definition you can’t use STR to improve a Nerve 

Strike. That makes improving Nerve Strike damage with an HA dubious at best (since HA adds 

to STR, it doesn’t stand on its own), and improving it with actual STR, even indirectly via HA, 

illegal under the rules. 

Page 232 — Healing 

Q: Can a character use Healing to counteract the effects of Drain/Suppress? 

A: As noted on 6E 232, Healing can be used to restore Characteristics or Powers that “have been 

lost or reduced by any cause.” That would certainly include Adjustment Powers. ;)

Page 236 — Images 

Q: If a character wants to use Images while Desolidified, does he have to apply the Affects 

Physical World Advantage to the Images? 

A: Yes. Regardless of what Sense Groups an Image does or doesn’t affect, if a Desolidified 

character wants solid characters to perceive and be affected by his Images, the Images power 

must have the Affects Physical World (+2) Advantage. Without that Advantage he could still 

create the Images, but they’d obviously be “Desolidified” to anyone who perceived them and thus 

incapable of causing any harm or having any effect. 

Page 239 — Invisibility 

Q: If a character has Invisiblity (Mental Group), Persistent, and turns it off so an ally can Mind 

Link with him, does turning the Invisibility back on sever the Link? 

A: No, no more so than being Invisible to the Hearing Group prevents a character from talking. 

However, just like an Invisible to Hearing character talking, using a Mind Link while Invisible to 

the Mental Sense Group may effectively negate the Invisibility. Just having the Mind Link active 

and ready for use doesn’t do this, but receiving or transmitting a mental communication does. 

Page 248 — Mental Illusions 

Q: How does it affect Mental Illusions if an illusion is created that would affect a sense that the 

target lacks? 

A: Nothing in the description of Mental Illusions overcomes any lack of Senses on the part of 

the target. Given that Mental Illusions are entirely “in the head” of the target, it would be 

possible for a character deliberately to create one that could be “perceived” with a Sense the 

target didn’t have, but in many (if not all) situations that’s likely to make the target suspect 

trickery. 

Q: If you use the optional rule on APG 107 that allows a Mental Illusion to perform a Presence 

Attack, with the maximum points of effect being equal to the Mental Illusions Effect Roll 

achieved, does that Effect Roll include the +10 points required to perform a Presence Attack? 

A: Yes. 

Page 253 — Mind Control 

Q: If a character’s being Mind Controlled, what effect does a Presence Attack to “Snap out of it, 

you’re being Mind Controlled!” or the like have on him?

A: Treat this as “helping a victim break free,” as discussed on 6E1 257. 

Page 258 — Mind Link 

Q: If a character has Invisiblity (Mental Group), Persistent, and turns it off so an ally can Mind 

Link with him, does turning the Invisibility back on sever the Link? 

A: No, no more so than being Invisible to the Hearing Group prevents a character from talking. 

However, just like an Invisible to Hearing character talking, using a Mind Link while Invisible to 

the Mental Sense Group may effectively negate the Invisibility. Just having the Mind Link active 

and ready for use doesn’t do this, but receiving or transmitting a mental communication does. 

Q: Can a character be “forced” to accept a Mind Link? 

A: As stated in the rules, Mind Link requires a “receptive (willing)” mind — so the “target” has 

to know about and accept the Link. By definition that means the “attacker” (or “sender”) knows 

as well. I suppose he could take a Limitation that he didn’t, but I have a hard time seeing that as 

being worth anything since he’ll know as soon as communication starts. 

Q: Is a Mind Link perceivable when not in use? 

A: As long as a Mind Link is “open” for communication, it can be perceived with Mental 

Awareness, whether it’s actively being used to communicate or not at that particular moment. 

Buying Invisible Power Effects for the power would change that, of course, but being Invisible to 

the Mental Sense Group would not (any more than being Invisible to the Hearing Group prevents 

other people from overhearing your conversations). 

Q: Suppose a person with Mental Awareness observes a person who is the receiver of a Mind 

Link, but the sender is not immediately in view. Can the observer tell which direction the Link 

comes from, and possibly triangulate the location of the sender as the receiver moves around? Is 

there a standard Advantage or Adder to Mental Awareness that would make this possible? 

A: As discussed on APG 95, Mental Awareness allows a character to perceive the “connection” 

between the character generating the Mind Link and the character Linked to him. That includes 

being able to identify who’s generating the Mind Link and who’s just in the Link, unless the GM 

rules otherwise based on special effects or other reasons. As to what other information a 

character may be able to derive by perceiving the connection, I leave that to the cleverness of the 

player and the discretion of the ever-sagacious GM. ;)

Page 272 — Reflection 

Q: If a character has Desolidification with the Doesn’t Protect Against Damage Limitation, can 

he Reflect Ranged attacks made against him? 

A: Yes, ssuming the attack’s Reflectable under the standard rules for that power, but the GM’s 

free to rule otherwise if he foresees a game balance, dramatic sense, or special effects problem. 

Q: If a character has Reflection that applies to a Ranged attack, does he still suffer penalties for 

trying to Block/Reflect that attack barehanded, if the GM would otherwise apply such penalties? 

A: Typically, yes, those penalties still apply. Just because a character’s bought Reflection 

doesn’t necessarily mean it changes any of the standard rules pertaining to Blocking Ranged 

attacks. However, a GM could certainly rule that it did, in light of special effects or what have 

you. Or he could allow a character to buy appropriate Penalty Skill Levels (or the like) to negate 

the penalties. 

Q: Can a character use Ranged Martial Maneuvers with a Reflected attack? 

A: Not under the standard rules — all Reflection does is allow the character to Reflect the attack 

made against him; he can’t change that attack or make any other use out of it. However, the GM 

could certainly allow this sort of thing if he wanted; it might be a fun option for a high-powered, 

over-the-top action sort of campaign. 

Page 275 — Resistant Protection 

Q: If a character’s buying a Resistant Protection power with multiple types of defense in it, is the 

cost figured by: 

1. Adding all of the defenses together, then multiplying by 3/2? 

2. Taking each defense as a separate Power, figuring its particular cost, then adding together at 

the end? 

3. Something else? 

A: The first method. 

Q: Could a character buy 1 point of PD or ED with Resistant (+½), or 1 point of Resistant 

Protection defense? If so, what’s the cost? 

A: There’s no provision for that in the standard HERO System rules, but a GM could allow it if 

he wants. In that case, the cost is 2 Character Points, since otherwise the character would get 

something for free by exploiting the rounding rules.

Q: Can a character purchase the Allocatable Advantage for defenses other than Resistant 

Protection and Barrier, such as Mental Defense or even his natural PD and ED? 

A: No. As indicated by its placement in the rulebook, Allocatable is intended for Resistant 

Protection and Barrier. If the GM wants to allow it for other defenses, that’s up to him, but 

officially you’ll never see that done or suggested in a HERO System book. 

Q: How does Allocatable interact with Variable Advantage? 

A: If a character has Variable Advantage on Resistant Protection or Barrier, and uses it to make 

give that Power the Advantage Allocatable, if he switches the Variable Advantage to some other 

Advantage the Allocatable ceases to apply and the PD/ED of the Power “switch back” to the 

amounts at which they were purchased. 

Page 283 — Skills 

Q: What’s the perceivability of a Skill used as a Power? 

A: A Skill bought as a Power is considered Obvious in the same sense that Body-Affecting 

Powers and Size Powers are (i.e., they don’t typically produce a visible glow or anything like 

that, but their effect on the user, target, and so on is Obvious). Of course, if common sense 

dictates otherwise for a particular Skill (e.g., Stealth as a Power would be useless if it were 

Obvious), the GM can easily make a ruling. 

Q: If a character wants to buy Martial Arts with a Limitation, as described on 6E1 283, how 

should he do that? 

A: He should buy each Martial Maneuver individually, applying the Limitation to reduce its 

cost. 

Page 287 — Summon 

Q: Can Summon have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: Yes. If the character stops paying END, the Summoned being vanishes/is freed from 

control/returns home/whatever at the end of that Segment. Paying an END maintenance cost does 

not in any way increase the effectiveness of, or improve, a Summon power.

Page 293 — Takes No STUN 

Q: How does Takes No STUN affect the PD/ED gained from Density Increase or Growth? 

A: If a character has Growth or Density Increase and the Automaton Power Takes No STUN, 

divide the extra points of PD/ED gained from DI or Growth by 3. 

Page 294 — Telekinesis 

Q: If a character has Combat Skill Levels with his Martial Arts (or All HTH Combat), and has 

bought the ability to perform his Martial Maneuvers with his Telekinesis, can he apply the CSLs 

to the telekinetic Martial Maneuver attacks? 

A: Unless the GM prefers otherwise, a character cannot use Combat Skill Levels with regular 

Martial Arts or All HTH Combat when attacking with a Martial Maneuver via Telekinesis. 

Combat Skill Levels bought specifically for Telekinetic Martial Maneuver Attacks, or at the 

GM’s option with Ranged Martial Arts or All Ranged Attacks, could be. 

Q: For purposes of the Adding Damage rules, would Telekinesis (STR 40), which costs 60 

Active Points, have 8 DCs or 12 DCs? 

A: As written, and for the sake of consistency, the standard rule applies, making it 12 DCs. 

However, from a gameplay standpoint, I think many GMs would be perfectly comfortable ruling 

that it’s only 8 DCs. If you analogize Telekinesis to “STR with the Ranged Advantage,” and note 

that Ranged (+½) generally isn’t considered to be an Advantage that “directly affects how the 

victim takes damage,” from a practical perspective it works just fine as “8 DCs.” 

Page 297 — Telepathy 

Q: If a character uses Telepathy on a target to search for specific memories or other information, 

does the target know what facts are being sought? 

A: No. A target who’s attacked with Telepathy knows that he’s being attacked with Telepathy 

(unless, of course, the attacker declares and achieves the +20 Effect Roll modifier to hide it, or 

the Telepathy has the right form of Invisible Power Effects). He does not know what facts, if any, 

the attacker is looking for and/or has found. 

Page 300 — Teleportation 

Q: Since a Gate has Area Of Effect (Radius), is it spherical? 

A: No. It’s a two-dimensional “disk” like you’d expect a Gate to be, and anyone or anything 

that’s going to go through it has to be small enough to fit through it. Through of course you could

use a larger Radius to make Gates for bigger people. 

Q: How many people can use a Gate at once? 

A: A Gate has to be bought with some form of Usable On Others -- either Usable By Other or 

Usable Simultaneously (most often the latter). The value of the Advantage defines how many 

people can use the Gate at once; it’s certainly possible (though rare) for someone to make a Gate 

that thousands of people could go through at a time (though that would require the Gate to be 

pretty large and to be able to handle a lot of Increased Mass). 

Q: Does the mass restriction on a Gate apply per person/object going through the Gate, or 

overall per Segment? 

A: The mass for a Gate defines the mass of any given person or object that can move through the 

Gate. It’s not a per-Segment restriction, it’s a per-person (or object) restriction. 

Q: If a character is using Noncombat Teleportation and is Stunned or Knocked Out before his 

extra Phase occurs, does he still Teleport when the Phase occurs? 

A: No. 

Page 303 — Transform 

Q: Can Transform have the Costs Endurance (to maintain) Limitation? 

A: Yes. If the character stops paying END, the Transform effect stops working in total at the end 

of that Segment and the victim un-Transforms back into whatever shape/function he had before 

he was Transformed. Paying an END maintenance cost does not in any way increase the 

effectiveness of, or improve, a Transform power, nor allow it to keep working beyond the point 

at which the “heals back” condition is satisfied. 

Page 309 — Tunneling 

Q: Does Tunneling do BODY damage to objects? For example, if a character Tunnels through 

walls in a building, can the building take enough damage that it falls down? 

A: For game purposes, Tunneling does no BODY damage to substances or objects Tunneled 

through, unless and until the GM wants to invoke common or dramatic sense. It’s a Movement 

Power, not an attack, and shouldn’t be used as an attack.

POWER ADVANTAGES 

Page 147 — Hardened 

Q: I don’t quite understand what it means about having to Harden all your defense. Does that 

mean if you want one of a character’s defense to be Hardened, *all* of them must be Hardened? 

A: As stated in the rules, “A given defense must be all Hardened, or it’s not Hardened at all. A 

character can, however, have some defenses that are Hardened, and others that are not.” “A given 

defense” does not mean “all uses of X Defense Power.” It means you can’t have a defensive 

ability defined as Y points of defense and only Harden Z% of them -- you must Harden 100% of 

them. But it’s perfectly OK to buy two different defensive abilities, even ones built with the same 

Power, and Harden only one of them, as in the example you provided. 

Page 314 — Naked Advantages 

Q: How do Adjustment Powers apply to naked Advantages? 

A: As stated on 6E1 315, naked Advantages are treated as flat-cost powers for purposes of 

Adjustment Powers. That covers both positive and negative Adjustment Powers, though in the 

former case I expect the GM might want to exercise some oversight and judgment to prevent the 

situation from becoming a game-slowing nuisance of constant recalculations. 

Q: Do all Advantages on Characteristics have to be naked Advantages? 

A: This is a situation where I think it’s safe to rely on gamers’ general common sense. (Famous 

last words. ;) ) Nearly all Advantages on Characteristics are naked Advantages, but the GM can 

make exceptions if desired (though in most cases it’s a meaningless distinction). Obviously the 

Resistant Advantage is always in effect in nearly all cases, so thinking of it as a naked Advantage 

in the usual way doesn’t really make much sense. 

Q: If an Advantage is Limited, but not the power it affects, does it have to be a naked 

Advantage? 

A: Yes — an Advantage that has a Limitation that doesn’t apply to the power the Advantage 

affects is pretty much a textbook example of a naked Advantage. 

Page 318 — ACV 

Q: If a character has a power bought with ACV such that it uses OMCV in place of OCV, can he 

or should he use his EGO instead of DEX to determine when his Phase occurs in the Segment (as 

usual for Mental Combat, see 6E2 39)?

A: If a power fits the “Simulating Mental Powers” guidelines on 6E1 326 and the GM declares 

that it’s treated as a “Mental Power,” then you should use the character’s EGO, not his DEX, to 

determine when his Phase occurs in a Segment. Otherwise, use his DEX as usual. 

Page 321 — Area Of Effect (including Damage Shield) 

Q: If a character has both Growth (or is defined as being permanently large) and a Damage 

Shield, does he need to buy up the Area Of Effect (Surface) to match his size, or can he just stick 

with the usual +¼ for ordinary human size? 

A: If a character is larger than normal, or can become larger than normal by using Growth, and 

he wants to have a Damage Shield that covers his entire body, he needs to buy the Area Of Effect 

(Surface) to cover his entire size; otherwise the Damage Shield only covers part of his body. 

Page 325 — AVAD 

Q: If a power takes AVAD as a Limitation (such as a Drain that works against PD), is Does 

BODY (+1) still required to make the attack do BODY damage? 

A: Yes. 

Q: If a character buys a Damage Over Time ability that has the AVAD Advantage, does he have 

to pay for the “defense only applies once” modifier to Damage Over Time’s value? 

A: Yes. 

Page 327 — Autofire 

Q: If a character has a naked Autofire Advantage, when he uses the Advantage with a power 

does he pay END for the Advantage just once, or does he have to pay the END once per shot 

fired (like he would if the Advantage were not naked)? 

A: When a naked Autofire Advantage is used, the character using it pays END for the naked 

Advantage once per shot fired. 

So, for example, suppose a character fires three shots of a 30 Active Point power with a naked 

Autofire (+½) Advantage, the character pays ((3 x 3) + (3 x 1) =) 12 END. 

Page 328 — Cumulative

Q: If the target of a Cumulative Mental Power has Mental Defense, does the Mental Defense 

reduce the maximum result the attacker can achieve? 

A: No. The defense against a Cumulative attack doesn’t reduce the maximum possible 

accumulated total, it simply makes it take longer to achieve that total by reducing each Effect 

Roll, as described in the rulebook. 

Q: If multiple attackers have the same Cumulative power, do the amounts they roll combine? 

A: No. Each Cumulative attack is a separate thing and accumulates its points separately. 

Allowing characters to Coordinate to add them together might make for an interesting rule in 

some campaigns, but given that it’s far more likely to be used by the GM against the PCs than by 

the PCs on their enemies, I suspect most players wouldn’t be in favor. ;) 

Page 328 — Damage Over Time 

Q: If a character buys a Damage Over Time ability that has the AVAD Advantage, does he have 

to pay for the “defense only applies once” modifier to Damage Over Time’s value? 

A: Yes. 

Q: Can a character buy Damage Over Time for a non-damaging attack, such as an Entangle or 

Flash, and if so what’s the effect? 

A: That’s up to the GM. The rules on 6E1 328 specifically refer to DoT being applied to powers 

rd 

that “do damage,” even in its discussion of looking beyond Blast and KA. Long ago (3 Edition, 

IIRC), there was briefly an Advantage like this specifically for Entangle that let an Entangle keep 

getting stronger the longer it lasted... and again IIRC, it was pretty quickly removed when it 

became apparent how abusive it could be. But that’s why we have GMs, to evaluate these sort of 

unusual issues. ;) 

Page 333 — Does Knockback 

Q: If a character has a Power like Flash, Drain, or Dispel with the Advantage Does Knockback, 

and the target lacks the Sense or ability the Power affects, does the target still take Knockback? 

A: No. As noted on APG 54, an Adjustment Power with a secondary effect (such as Does 

Knockback, which is specifically cited) doesn’t have that secondary effect if the target doesn’t 

have the Characteristic/Power/whatever that the Adjustment Power affects. For example, a Drain 

Blast, Does Knockback, if used against a target with no Blast attack, has no effect at all — it 

doesn’t cause Knockback.

Generally speaking, this reasoning extends to other powers, including Dispel (which is 

similar to Adjustment Powers in many ways), Flash, and the like. If the target cannot be affected 

by the power because he lacks what it targets (e.g., a blind person hit with a Sight Group Flash; a 

person without Flight hit with Dispel Flight), then the secondary effect (such as Does 

Knockback) also cannot apply. Note, however, that having a lot of defense against an attack (e.g., 

enough Sight Group Flash Defense to totally block a Flash) or being temporarily immune to a 

power (e.g., a character being protected from Sight Group Flashes because he was just affected 

by one and is now temporarily blind) does not qualify as “cannot be affected” — as used above, 

that term generally means it’s impossible for the character ever to be affected, not just 

temporarily impossible. 

As always, the GM should apply these rules with an eye toward common sense, dramatic 

sense, special effects, and game balance. 

Page 147 — Impenetrable 



the damage applies to the character normally), or the Penetrating attack has its standard 
















this attack is 14. That’s more than 10 PD, so the Impenetrable doesn’t apply; the attack has its 


Page 343 — Penetrating 



the damage applies to the character normally), or the Penetrating attack has its standard
















this attack is 14. That’s more than 10 PD, so the Impenetrable doesn’t apply; the attack has its 




A: Yes. 

Page 334 — Persistent 

Q: How does Persistent interact with Costs Endurance and Costs Endurance Only To Activate? 

A: There are two situations involved here. 

The first is Powers that are Persistent by default, such as Mental Defense. By definition they 

don’t normally cost END to use. If any form of the Costs Endurance Limitation is applied to 

them, they become Constant, per 6E1 128, 374. 

The second is Powers that are Constant and are made Persistent by application of the 

Persistent Advantage (6E1 334). Typically these Powers are bought with Reduced Endurance (0 

END; +½), but that’s not mandatory (the statement to the contrary on 6E1 345 should have been 

altered in editing). What is mandatory is that the Power has to fall into one of these categories: 

—costs 0 END 

—costs END to maintain (either naturally, or via application of a Limitation) 

A Persistent Power cannot simply cost END to activate (either via an Advantage or a Limitation).

It’s either got to cost 0 END, or cost END to maintain. Any implication to the contrary under 

Time Limit should be ignored as erroneous. 

Page 343 — Personal Immunity 

Q: Can a character buy Personal Immunity to another character’s power as a naked Advantage? 

A: Generally, no — it’s Personal Immunity, after all, not just Immunity. But the GM could 

allow this if he wanted to. 

Page 345 — Reduced Endurance/Costs END Only To Activate 

Q: How does Persistent interact with Costs Endurance and Costs Endurance Only To Activate? 

A: There are two situations involved here. 

The first is Powers that are Persistent by default, such as Mental Defense. By definition they 

don’t normally cost END to use. If any form of the Costs Endurance Limitation is applied to 

them, they become Constant, per 6E1 128, 374. 

The second is Powers that are Constant and are made Persistent by application of the 

Persistent Advantage (6E1 334). Typically these Powers are bought with Reduced Endurance (0 

END; +½), but that’s not mandatory (the statement to the contrary on 6E1 345 should have been 

altered in editing). What is mandatory is that the Power has to fall into one of these categories: 

—costs 0 END 

—costs END to maintain (either naturally, or via application of a Limitation) 

A Persistent Power cannot simply cost END to activate (either via an Advantage or a Limitation). 

It’s either got to cost 0 END, or cost END to maintain. Any implication to the contrary under 

Time Limit should be ignored as erroneous. 

Page 349 — Trigger 

Q: If a character has a Triggered ability where it takes a Full Phase Action to reset the Trigger, 

once that Trigger is set can he use it as a normal power? 

A: Once a Trigger is set, using a Triggered power is governed by the rules on 6E1 350, which 

state that activating a Trigger is usually a Zero Phase Action. The time required to reset a Trigger 

does not affect the time required to activate a Trigger; those are two separate things. 

Q: If a character has a Triggered ability (regardless of how long it takes to set the Trigger), can 

he use it as a “normal” ability without setting the Trigger (for example, if it’s an attack, by taking

an Attack Action to use it)? 

A: No. As noted on 6E1 316, Advantages are generally mandatory, so a Triggered power should 

only be activated/used via its Trigger, not “normally.” 

Page 352 — Uncontrolled 

Q: Can a character voluntarily reduce his SPD for purposes of determining when he has to pay 

END for an Uncontrolled power? 

A: He can, but a character cannot voluntarily reduce his SPD for just one thing — if he reduces 

his SPD that reduction applies across the board. In the case of Uncontrolled specifically, reducing 

SPD to reduce the number of times END has to be paid “locks in” the SPD reduction; until the 

power runs out of END the character must stay at SPD 2 (or whatever he lowered his SPD to). 

Page 363 — Usable On Others 

Q: If a Power is Obvious when in use (like Body-Affecting Powers are), what’s the 

perceivability of granting that Power to someone via Usable On Others? 

A: The granting of such powers to another person via Usable On Others is Obvious. 

Q: If a character creates a power to grant 20m Running with a “differing modifier” structure, can 

he use it at half power to grant only 10m Running? 

A: No. A power granted through any form of Usable On Others has to be granted in full as 

defined; a character can’t decide to grant only half of it. In the case of a Usable As Attack power 

he could decide not to use all of it on the target if that’s possible (e.g., Teleportation 40m UAA 

used to Teleport someone only 15m), but that’s not the same thing. 

Q: How does a power’s Duration effect how it works when granted to another character via 

Usable On Others? 

A: Whether a power granted to a recipient via UBO or the like is Instant, Constant, or Persistent 

is irrelevant — they all work the same from a UBO perspective. The grantor grants the power. 

Once the power’s granted, the recipient can use it, following the power’s own Duration rules, 

until some condition ends the grant (he surrenders it, the grantor who’s retained control takes it 

back, LOS is required and lost, he’s Knocked Out, or the like). See the bottom right paragraph on 

6E1 355 for further discussion.

Q: 6E1 354 states, “If [the granted power] doesn’t cost END, granting it costs [the grantor] no 

END.” Does this apply to UOO powers built using the “differing modifiers” rules? 

A: Yes. 

Q: Can a Usable On Others power be activated in the same Segment in which it’s granted? 

A: If the recipient of a UOO power is in a position to activate a power (i.e., he has a Zero Phase 

Action coming, or he’s able to Abort to activate a defensive granted ability), then he could 

certainly activate/use the granted power in the same Segment in which it’s granted. 

Q: Since a Usable On Others power has to be activated after being granted, how does that affect 

the use of Usable As Attack powers? 

A: It doesn’t affect them at all. A UAA power is by definition an attack, so it automatically 

affects a target that’s hit with it when it’s used. 

Page 361 — Variable Advantage 

Q: How does Allocatable interact with Variable Advantage? 

A: If a character has Variable Advantage on Resistant Protection or Barrier, and uses it to make 

give that Power the Advantage Allocatable, if he switches the Variable Advantage to some other 

Advantage the Allocatable ceases to apply and the PD/ED of the Power “switch back” to the 

amounts at which they were purchased.

POWER LIMITATIONS 

Page 147 — Ablative 



A: Yes. 

Page 381 — Gestures 

Q: Can a character make a Multiple Attack with two powers that both have Gestures, or both 

have Incantations? 

A: As noted on 6E1 381-82, a character can activate two or more powers with Gestures (or 

Incantations) in the same Phase if they only require Gestures (or Incantations) to activate, so he 

could Multiple Attack with them in that case. If a power requires Gestures (or Incantations) 

throughout or to maintain, that prevents the character from using other powers with Gestures (or 

Incantations) in the same Phase, so that power couldn’t be used in a Multiple Attack with other 

powers that have Gestures (or Incantations). The note on 6E2 73 concerning “mutually 

exclusive” Limitations is referring to the latter situation, not stating that it’s never possible to 

Multiple Attack with two or more powers that have Gestures (or Incantations). 

Page 381 — Incantations 


have Incantations? 









Page 383 — Linked 

Q: How do Adjustment Powers affect a Linked power? 

A: Adjustment Powers affect a power built with Linked as if it’s two powers. The character 

using the Adjustment Power has to target one of the powers — typically the greater power,

though it may depend on special effects, the attacker’s knowledge of the target’s powers, and 

other factors. 

For example, let’s suppose a character has a Lightning Bolt Spell (RKA 2d6 + Linked Flash 

4d6). A character with Drain Magic 3d6, Variable Effect (any one Magic power at a time; +1/2), 

has to choose whether to Drain the RKA or the Flash — he can’t affect both at once. (A GM who 

wants to deal with the additional complication could split the Drain effect between the two 

powers if he wanted to, but that’s not the default rule.) If his power could affect “any two Magic 

powers at once” (Expanded Effect + Variable Effect; +1), then he could Drain both powers at the 

same time. 

The standard rules on the proportionality of Linked powers (6E1 385) still apply. Draining a 

greater power doesn’t affect a character’s ability to use the lesser power at all, and for purposes 

of determining proportionality you determine a power’s “full strength” based on its current 

(Adjusted) cost. Continuing the above example, suppose the RKA 2d6 were Drained 10 points, 

making it an RKA 1d6+1. If the character uses the RKA at its current full strength (1d6+1), he 

can still use the full Flash 4d6 even though the RKA is normally an RKA 2d6; if he only uses the 

RKA at half strength, he can only use Flash 2d6. 

Page 396 — Variable Limitations 

Q: Can a Variable Limitation be used to to “counteract” an Advantage the power has (like 

applying Increased Endurance Cost to a power that has Reduced Endurance (0 END))? 

A: No. A character can’t use Variable Limitation to counteract, negate, nullify, or contradict an 

Advantage that a power has. Nor can a character use Variable Advantage to counteract, negate, 

nullify, or contradict a Limitation that a power has.

POWER FRAMEWORKS 

Page 409 — Variable Power Pool 

Q: When a character applies a Limitation to a VPP, does this reduce the number of points 

available in the pool for powers? 

A: No. The Pool indicates the total amount of Real Points; the Control Cost establishes an upper 

limit on the Active Points in any given power in the VPP. Limiting the Control Cost doesn’t 

change any of that.

COMPLICATIONS 

Page 414 — General Questions 

Q: If a player wants to have a blind character, do the points he gets from selling sight back count 

towards his Complications? 

A: No, no more so than points gained by selling back, say, STR would.

FIGHTING 

Page 21 — Aborting An Action 

Q: If a character’s suffering a DCV penalty based on a previous action, when he Aborts to 

Block, Dodge, or the like, does that remove the DCV penalty? 

A: That’s up to the GM. As noted on 6E2 21, final paragraph right column, allowing characters 

to Abort to eliminate DCV penalties they’ve deliberately subjected themselves to to obtain some 

benefit (the example given being moving at Noncombat speeds) generally shouldn’t be allowed. 

However, if the GM chooses to allow a character to Abort to an action that would eliminate an 

existing DCV penalty (such as to Dodge or Block), the “resetting” of DCV happens immediately 

when the Abort takes place. Otherwise the standard rule about when a penalty disappears applies. 

Pages 45-46 — Encumbrance 

Q: Do Encumbrance PSLs offset the movement penalty imposed by Encumbrance? 

A: No. You can buy such an ability as +Running (or whatever) with the Limitation Only To 

Offset The Encumbrance Penalty (-2).

COMBAT MANEUVERS 


Q: What’s the END cost, if any, for Combat Maneuvers, and is that in addition to the general “1 

END” cost discussed on 6E2 131? 

A: As stated on 6E2 54 (which references 6E2 131), using a Combat Maneuver typically costs 1 

END, plus the END for any STR involved (if the Maneuver uses STR; many of course don’t do 

so directly). 6E2 131 simply states a more general rule that, unless the GM rules otherwise, if an 

action doesn’t specifically use STR or have some other associated END cost, it costs 1 END. 

This isn’t on top of any specified END cost (like the END cost for using a Power); it’s the system 

“default END cost” for trivial Actions and Maneuvers that don’t have some other END cost 

stated. 

Page 57 — Block 

Q: Can a character use Penalty Skill levels to counter the cumlative -2 OCV penalty for 

performing multiple Blocks, or does that require Combat Skill Levels? 

A: The cumlative -2 OCV penalty for performing multiple Blocks cannot be reduced or 

eliminated with Penalty Skill Levels; doing that requires Combat Skill Levels. 

Page 62 — Grab 

Q: How many limbs does the attacker have to use to Grab a target? 

A: Ordinarily it’s assumed a character requires two manipulatory limbs to perform a standard 

Grab. See 6E2 65 regarding Grabs performed with only one hand. 

Q: If a character’s performing a Grab, can he use Foci with the limb(s) that are doing the 

Grabbing? 

A: Generally speaking, a limb being used to perform a Grab can only Grab; the character can’t 

do anything else with it, including using Foci attached to that arm to perform other actions. This 

wouldn’t necessarily prevent a character from using a “passive” ability in an arm-based Focus 

(such as activating his Force-Field Bracers to protect himself, or a Flight Ring so he can fly away 

with the Grabbee), but he certainly can’t make other attacks unless the GM permits this for some 

reason. Even if the GM permits it, he may then consider the Grabbee to be Grabbed as if with 

one hand (see above) by default. 

Q: If the target of a Grab is willing, is already Entangled, or other such circumstances apply,

does that change the CV modifiers for Grabbing him? 

A: As a rules default, no — a Grab is a Grab, regardless of the state of the target. Individual 

GMs are certainly free to adjust things as they see fit to reflect the specifics of a situation; I’m not 

going to try to detail every possibility in the rules. 

Page 67 — Grab By 

Q: In the example on 6E2 68, shouldn’t the evil sorcerer only roll 1½d6 because he can only 

resist with Casual STR? 

A: Technically, yes, a character resisting a Grab By immediately should only get to roll his 

Casual STR to resist (per the rule on 6E2 64). However, there are some different game 

considerations that apply. With a normal Grab, a character’s going to remain Grabbed and will 

have an opportunity to resist using his full STR soon enough. With a Grab By, failure means he 

loses the Focus (or other object) and will not have a chance to resist using his full STR unless he 

chases the other character down and engages in some sort of tug-of-war. That being the case, (a) 

many characters are likely to Abort to use their full STR to resist a Grab By (it’s not precisely a 

“defensive action,” but it’s close enough), and/or (b) in light of the game balance considerations 

involved the GM may allow the victim to use his full STR to resist regardless. 

Page 70 — Move Through 

Q: If a Move Through attempt misses, and the attacker is about to slam into a wall, can he use 

Breakfall to reduce the impact damage? 

A: No. 

Page 73 — Multiple Attack 

Q: If a character makes a Combined Attack, and he uses velocity (from, say, a Move By) to 

increase the damage, does the velocity apply equally to both attacks? 

A: If a character makes a Combined Attack, and he uses velocity (from, say, a Move By) to 

increase the damage, the velocity applies equally to both attacks to increase their damage — 

though many GMs are likely to be wary of such an attack, and may not even permit it since it’s 

too much like adding a Combat Maneuver into a Combined Attack sequence. 


have Incantations?









Q: If a character has an HA, can he perform a Multiple Attack with one or more Martial 

Maneuvers and add the HA damage to both of them? 

A: Yes, he can. He pays the END cost for both the STR used and the HA for each attack. 

Q: Does a Combined Attack (6E2 74) require one or multiple Attack Rolls? 

A: As noted in the rules, a Combined Attack is considered a form of Strike — thus, it only 

requires a single Attack Roll regardless of how many powers are Combined. 

Q: Can a character perform a Multiple Attack that involves a Move By on several targets and 

ends with a Move Through on a final target? 

A: Yes, but any character trying is going to suffer such CV penalties and take so much damage 

as a result that I suspect it often won’t be worth it to try... but it’s your Action to waste if you 

want. ;) 

Page 80 — Throw 

Q: The rule on 6E2 80 regarding the maximum damage done by a Thrown object (object’s 

PD+BODY) seems to be inconsistent with the rule on 6E2 173 (which discusses how an object 

can add to STR damage if it has enough PD+BODY). Which is correct? 

A: Both are; there’s no inconsistency. The rule on 6E2 80 is for Thrown objects; the rule on 6E2 

173 is for using objects in HTH Combat. 

Q: If a character has Martial Throw, and has Combat Skill Levels with his Martial Arts, do those 

CSLs apply when Throwing a Fastball? (Or for that matter, to any Thrown weapon?) 

A: No.

Page 84 — Choke 

Q: Does STR add to the damage done by a Choke? 

A: No.

DAMAGE AND ITS EFFECTS 

Page 103 — Taking Damage 

Q: What’s meant by the minimum damage from injuries rule? Does this add to or increase the 

damage already taken? 

A: It means exactly what it says: the minimum STUN from an attack equals the BODY that gets 

past defenses. So, for example, if after applying defenses a character took 5 STUN, 10 BODY 

from an attack, he actually takes 10 STUN damage, not 5. It’s not a separate thing that adds to 

STUN already taken, it simply defines a “floor,” so to speak.

OTHER COMBAT RULES AND EFFECTS 

Page 131 — Endurance 

Q: If a character Pushes a Constant power (or a power with the Advantage Costs END To 

Maintain), does he have to pay the Pushed END cost each Phase as well as the standard cost, or 

only when he activates the power? 

A: If a character wants to Push a Constant power, he must pay the extra END cost for Pushing 

every Phase that he wants the Push effect to enhance the Constant power in addition to the 

power’s standard END cost to maintain. If the Constant power only costs END to maintain, a 

character who wants to maintain a Pushed effect must pay the END cost for Pushing every Phase.

ENVIRONMENT 

Page 173 — Objects As Weapons 

Q: The rule on 6E2 80 regarding the maximum damage done by a Thrown object (object’s 

PD+BODY) seems to be inconsistent with the rule on 6E2 173 (which discusses how an object 

can add to STR damage if it has enough PD+BODY). Which is correct? 

A: Both are; there’s no inconsistency. The rule on 6E2 80 is for Thrown objects; the rule on 6E2 

173 is for using objects in HTH Combat.

EQUIPMENT 

Page 182 — Automatons 

Q: If an Automaton is a robot or other machine, is it automatically subject to Mental Powers that 

affect the Machine class of minds, even though Automatons are immune to Mental Powers? 

A: No, it is not — immunity is immunity. However, you’ll note that virtually every published 

HERO System robot for 5E or 6E has a Physical Complication that specifically makes them 

vulnerable to Machine-class Mental Powers. You’ll see the same thing with undead creatures, 

who have a Physical Complication allowing Necromancy spells built with Mental Powers to 

affect them. You can extend this same reasoning to other types of Automata as desired. 

Q: Can Automatons have and use Mental Powers? 

A: There’s no rule forbidding Automatons to have and use Mental Powers... though since they 

automatically start with 0 OMCV they may not be very effective with them. Generally speaking, 

of course, special effects dictate that Automatons shouldn’t have Mental Powers, at least not in 

the classic “psionics” sense. 

Page 183 — Computers 

Q: Per the rules, Computers have no innate Senses — they have to buy normal Senses at the 

standard cost or be “hooked into” Senses provided by a Base or Vehicle. Does buying 

Clairsentience for a Base/Vehicle grant the Computer the standard Senses associated with the 

Sense Groups purchased for Clairsentience, or is the Clairsentience useless until they’re bought 

separately? 

A: Since Clairsentience doesn’t ordinarily grant a character Senses he lacks, but only allows him 

to use Senses he already has at “Range,” the same logic should generally apply to other types of 

“characters,” such as Computers. However, in the interest of common sense, dramatic sense, and 

uncluttered character sheets, a GM could certainly rule that being hooked into Clairsentiencebased 

sensors alone would suffice for a Computer. 

Q: If a character buys a Computer (or other piece of equipment not primarily defined as a Focus) 

that provides Combat Skill Levels, does he have to buy the CSLs as Usable On Others so other 

people can use them? 

A: Combat Skill Levels for equipment raise some interesting issues. As discussed in TUV, if a 

Vehicle buys CSLs, those CSLs are used by whoever’s operating the Vehicle (be it a PC, and 

NPC, or a Computer). As discussed in UBA, that also applies to Bases. In both cases this is 

because Vehicles and Bases, even though they have separate character sheets, are essentially 

objects. They can’t really do anything on their own; they have to have some sort of operator. 

However, a Computer is a beast of a different color. It’s self-willed (to a greater or lesser

extent), and thus able to attack in combat (though of course it requires the proper programming to 

actually do so). Therefore, any CSLs (or other Skill Levels) a Computer buys are usable only by 

it. If a Computer wants to be able to provide those CSLs to someone else, they would have to be 

bought with some form of UOO. 

Page 210 — Armor And Shields 

Q: If a character uses his shield to enhance his Block, does it also continue to improve his DCV 

at the same time? 

A: No. Shields provide a DCV bonus, subject to a STR Minimum restriction. The special rules 

for shields provide that if a character Blocks with a shield, he can instead apply the DCV bonus 

as an OCV bonus (since Block of course uses OCV not DCV to determine the defensive effect) 

(see 6E2 211). If a character chooses to use his shield’s bonus for OCV for a Block, obviously he 

can’t also use it for DCV until his next Phase... though of course the Block itself may provide a 

DCV modifier. 

Q: Can a character take the Mass Limitation (5E2 211) on Foci other than armor? 

A: Generally speaking, they shouldn’t; if it were intended for general use it would be in the 

Limitations section of 6E1, not on 6E2 211 in a very specific section of the rules. However, each 

GM can make that call for himself; in some Heroic games where Encumbrance is a major factor 

it may be an intriguing option for Foci other than armor.

Rules FAQ - Hero Games Company

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