Installations include heroic headquarters, villainous lairs, and the many places where heroes and villains might clash. Whether it’s an underground cave, the top floors of a skyscraper, a satellite in orbit, or a base on the Moon, many heroes and villains maintain their own secret (or not so secret) headquarters. Teams may even pool their equipment points to have an installation they share, with the Gamemaster’s approval. A character can even have multiple bases of operation (see Alternate Installation later in this section). This is more common for villains, who have back-up plans and secret bases they can retreat to when their plans are defeated. If a character’s headquarters is destroyed, the character can choose to rebuild it or build a new installation with different features using the same equipment points. Supervillains often go through a succession of different lairs.
An installation is a permanent, fixed structure of some sort. The simplest installation may be a stone cottage or tower, while highly advanced installations can be orbiting satellites or vast underground complexes. The term installation covers all types of permanent structures, whether they are used as headquarters, lairs, or what have you.
The key descriptors of an installation are permanent and fixed. A tent or other temporary shelter is more equipment than an installation, while something capable of moving under its own power (rather than drifting on currents or in a fixed orbit) is a vehicle rather than an installation . Installations may be moved from place to place but this is usually an involved process, rather than the mobility of a vehicle.
Unlike more complex items like vehicles, installations have fairly few traits: just their size (starting at small), Toughness (starting at rank 6) and whatever Features or powers the installation is given. Note that installation size is measured on a separate scale, given on the Installation Size Categories table. The installation’s total cost (in equipment points) is based on its traits:
Installations and Power Level[]
Like vehicles and other gadgets and equipment, installations are limited by the series’ power level, or have their power level determined by their traits (for installations used solely by non-player characters). Gamemasters may wish to limit an installation’s power level to that of the NPC who owns or uses it, but this is not strictly necessary; a PL8 mad scientist could well have a PL12 installation, for example. As with most NPC power levels, it is merely a guideline and tool for the Gamemaster. Since they have no active defenses, installations may have Toughness ranks up to twice the power level, effectively trading off their “defense” entirely
Installations and Environments[]
Also like vehicles, installations are assumed to provide suitable life-support conditions for their inhabitants at no additional point cost. This is usually Earth-normal atmosphere, pressure, temperature, and gravity, regardless of where the installation is located (particularly important for things like orbiting satellites, moon-bases, and deep-sea installations, to name a few). Problems with an installation’s life-support systems can range from a nuisance (like the air conditioning going out on a hot day) to a serious complication (like the air recycling system failing on a space station)! Immunity to other effects generally requires a Feature for the installation, and an installation’s self-sustained environment does not generally prevent changes to the environment within the installation, such as someone capable of manipulating the temperature, atmosphere, etc. At the GM’s option, use of the installation’s environmental systems may be able to counter some of these effects (“I’ll use the ventilation fans to clear out this gas!”). See Countering Effects, substituting the installation’s power level for an effect rank for the countering check.
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It is common for heroes, at least, to share an installation as a common “home base” and most hero teams will have a headquarters of some kind, even if only to hold meetings and train, if not to interact with the public. Occasionally villain teams will also share an installation, although it more often belongs to the villain team’s leader or organizer. The same is true of villainous organizations, which make extensive use of installations controlled by the organization itself. A truly shared installation divides its equipment point cost amongst all of the characters who have access to and use it. Generally, each character contributes 1 or more ranks of the Equipment advantage towards the cost of the installation. Characters who leave the team permanently regain any contributed Equipment ranks and may apply them elsewhere. The deficit is either covered by new characters joining the team or by the Gamemaster applying future character point awards towards making up the difference.
INSTALLATION TRAIT COST[]
TRAIT |
STARTING VALUE |
EQUIPMENT COST |
---|---|---|
Size |
Small |
1 point per size category |
Toughness |
6 |
1 point per +2 Toughness ranks |
Features |
— |
1 point per feature |
Powers |
— |
Power cost |
INSTALLATION ARCHETYPES[]
STRUCTURE |
SIZE |
TOUGHNESS |
BASE COST |
---|---|---|---|
Apartment (1 BR) |
Diminutive |
4 |
–4 |
Cottage |
Tiny |
6 |
–1 |
Townhouse/Brownstone |
Tiny |
6 |
–1 |
House |
Small |
6 |
0 |
Warehouse |
Medium |
6 |
1 |
Large Warehouse |
Large |
6 |
2 |
Mansion |
Large |
6 |
2 |
Cavern |
Large |
8 |
4 |
Cave complex |
Huge |
8 |
5 |
Castle |
Huge |
8 |
5 |
Skyscraper (4–6 floors) |
Large |
8 |
4 |
Skyscraper (whole building) |
Gargantuan |
8 |
6 |
Estate (includes Grounds) |
Large (Colossal) |
6 |
3 |
Village |
Colossal |
6 |
5 |
Complex (interconnected structures) |
Colossal |
8 |
7 |
Complex (massive) |
Awesome |
8 |
8 |
Satellite |
Gargantuan |
10 |
8 |
STRUCTURE SIZE CATEGORIES[]
STRUCTURE SIZE |
COST |
EXAMPLES |
---|---|---|
Awesome |
6 |
Small town, sprawling installation |
Colossal |
5 |
City block, private estate |
Gargantuan |
4 |
Skyscraper |
Huge |
3 |
Castle |
Large |
2 |
Mansion, cave complex |
Medium |
1 |
Warehouse |
Small |
0 |
House |
Tiny |
-1 |
Townhouse |
Diminutive |
-2 |
Apartment |
Fine |
-3 |
Loft |
Miniscule |
-4 |
Room |
A structure’s size is measured similarly to that of a vehicle, and gives a general idea of the overall space it occupies and how much space is available inside it. See Table: Structure Size Categories for guidelines. An installation starts out at Small size for 0 points. Each increase in size category costs 1 point, each decrease in size category gives you an additional point to spend elsewhere on your installation, although you’re not going to have a lot of room for extras!
An installation’ Toughness indicates the strength of its structural materials, particularly its outer structure (walls, ceiling, etc.). A structure starts out with Toughness 6 for 0 points. +2 Toughness costs 1 equipment point.
Some features refer to an installation’ power level. For player characters, this is the power level of the series overall. For non-player characters, particularly villains, this is the base-owner’s effective power level, or whatever power level the GM wishes to set, using the series power level as a guideline.
As with vehicles and other forms of equipment, characters may have multiple installations as Alternate Effects of each other (Alternate Headquarters). This is based on the same concept of diminishing returns as other Alternate Effects: an extra installation is not “worth” as much as having the initial one, since the successive installations are more likely used as backups, or provide the feature of having a convenient home-base in different geographic locations.
In the event that a character has more than one installation, such as hidden bases scattered around the world, the others are treated as Alternate Equipment: the character pays the points for the most expensive HQ, then 1 equipment point for each additional installation of the same or lesser cost. The extra installations are largely a convenience (for heroes visiting other areas) and insurance against the loss of any one HQ.
The only exception to the Alternate Installation guideline is a shared installation (previously), the characters sharing the installation all contribute to its cost and pay for any personal installation separately. the installation. As such, they shouldn’t be considered all-purpose Minions of the occupant(s). A base’s personnel may help defend it in case of attack, but they’re not going to go out on missions or otherwise assist outside of their duties. This feature simply ensures there’s someone taking care of the place while the owner isn’t at home.
A team of heroes most often has a headquarters they all share. In this case, the team members may divide up the equipment point cost of the installation among them however they wish, usually as evenly as possible. Given the equipment point costs of most HQs, team members rarely have to devote more than a single rank of the Equipment advantage to their installation, an any excess points may also cover things like team vehicles and equipment (commlinks, for example).
How Much for the Entire Country[]
Some characters control far more extensive resources than just a single installation, no matter how large. Billionaire industrialists may have labs, homes, and facilities around the world, while hereditary monarchs (and villainous dictators) can call upon the loyalty and resources of entire nations! Characters from places other than Earth may even rule an entire planet, stellar empire, or dimension! Generally speaking, such considerable resources are best handled as a Benefit advantage, reflecting the character’s wealth and influence. The GM determines the appropriate rank, based on the availability and usefulness of the resources. The standard rules recommend rank 5 for the equivalent of a billionaire; the king of a small nation might be similar, with the ruler of a planet being perhaps rank 7, and higher ranks for even greater influence. Keep in mind that while this benefit gives a character virtually unlimited access to most material resources, there is only so much the character can do with it all at once. If it becomes problematic, the GM is free to intervene or to cite the various responsibilities that come with such a position of power and influence. After all, it’s difficult enough for a billionaire CEO to run off and play hero, to say nothing of the next Emperor of the Andromeda Galaxy!
Villains are another matter, of course, and some do rule over vast territories. As with minions and other resources, a villain’s game traits don’t have to account for things like material wealth and influence unless the GM wants to keep track of it in some fashion. Even then, the villain does not usually have the same difficulties as heroes in managing such resources (one area where ruling with an iron fist is useful).
Installation Features[]
The basic features of installations are listed. Many “Features” are also included as part of the default structure of the installation. These include doors and windows, access passages (hallways, stairs, elevators, etc.), storage (closets, crawlspaces, storerooms, etc.), lighting and connections to utilities (unless the installation has its own Power System) and the necessary environmental systems. If the installation has the Living Space Feature, it is also assumed to have full kitchen and sanitary facilities.
Installation Powers[]
Installations can have power effects as Features. The Effect
Feature gives the installation a power effect at up to its power
level in rank, with roughly twice its power level in character point
value, although the GM is free to adjust this, if desired, including
charging multiple Feature ranks for particularly expensive power
effects (with each additional Feature rank doubling the number of
available character points, but not changing the maximum effect rank
allowed).
Generally, installation powers should be things that focus on the installation itself or its grounds and not extending much beyond. Gamemasters should be cautious about allowing installation powers to have far-reaching use in the series unless they are agreed upon in advance. An example of this is a teleport or portal network, since it effectively gives every character with access to the installation the Teleport power at a substantial rank for virtually no cost! Gamemasters should approve all installation power effects and keep in mind that they are subject to the usual limitations of equipment. Feel free to have them break down at inopportune times, get sabotaged (especially by villainous foes aware of them), or cause other complications (like a teleporter affected by sunspots accidentally sending the heroes to a dangerous parallel Earth, for example).
Other Powers[]
Installations can have a range of other miscellaneous powers, particularly sensory effects representing external or internal sensor systems or equipment capable of performing scans or analysis. The key thing to keep in mind for installation powers is: are they an integral part of the installation, or are they independent gadgets in their own right? For example, a scrying pool in a magical sanctum that provides Remote Sensing is an integral part of the installation (as it cannot be moved and must be used there) whereas a crystal ball that offers the same effect is more of a portable and Removable power, rather than something integral to the sanctum.
Alternate Effects[]
Just as with other power effects, an installation’s powers may have Alternate Effects, usable one at a time (or in combination for Dynamic Alternate Effects). These usually represent “settings” on the installation’s systems, or an allocation of resources like energy or processing power, distributed amongst different systems. Unlike characters, some installation powers might not be best handled as Alternate Effects if they need to be usable all at the same time. An example is weapons: while characters often have arrays of attacks (usable one at a time), an installation may need to be able to use multiple weapons systems all at once to repel attacks from different sides.
References[]
D20 Hero SRD Installations Article- http://www.d20herosrd.com/7-gadgets-gear/installations
Headquarters Template[]
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Location | TBD |
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History[]
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Features[]
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References[]
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