Rules FAQ - Hero Games Company

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