*IMPORTANT* Heavy Weapons and Heavy Armor

Hey folks, I wanted to take a moment to point out something for everyone. In the game there are weapons and armor that are considered to be "Heavy". The important thing about this is that only a Heavy Weapon can effect Heavy Armor. Period. You have a handgun with 1,000 Armor Piercing rounds and your target has 2 points of heavy armor? Oh well, handguns aren't heavy weapons.

I was briefly considering house ruling no Heavy Armor or Weapons but as I was researching it I found valid points that it is important to the balance of the game. It signifies massive amounts of armor used on tanks and other fortified structures and vehicles as well as the massive rounds and explosives used, without the Heavy concept handguns could take down tanks just by shooting through their armor (with a skilled enough shooter, good rounds, etc.)

Now you maybe thinking "that's cool but I didn't design my character to go around punching tanks." which is perfectly fine and if you don't feel like many changes after this that is perfectly fine. But here is the thing, 1 point of the Armor super power gives you 2 points of armor, 4 more points for the Heavy Armor modifier and you have a 5 point power before any negative modifiers that makes someone immune to all damage that isn't heavy. And that's before giving it any negative modifiers or taking more ranks for more armor. I can easily build a 10 PP Villain/Hero that is untouchable by normal attacks but can easily deal out damage in return. Generally things like Heavy Armored vehicles will have weaknesses that you can use called shots on to bypass the Heavy armor and still do damage but for the Armor power unless you take the Partial Protection negative modifier the armor is seamless.

"But that's absurd!" I hear a fictional person respond. It is and it isn't. You see on the flip side both the Melee Attack and Ranged Attack super powers can take the Heavy Weapon modifier for 1 measly point. Just 1. A simple 3 point power (2 for 1 rank of attack power + 1 for Heavy Attack modifier), again before any negative modifiers, instantly gives you a fighting chance against Heavy Armor. Making it a Heavy Weapon attack doesn't make it more deadly or anything like that, it just means you can effect Heavy Armor characters, vehicles, or structures. So for the two currently approved characters if you care to make any modifications to account for this I am completely fine with that. People still creating characters I advise keeping this in mind.

It's maybe something I'll level my ranged attack up into. I'm fine not being the guy that tanks an RPG or shoots a tank in half. Captain America doesn't use the 'heavy' modifier, and it's good enough for him.

That's fair and a valid option. I just realized while making my own character that I could build a 10 PP character that without extra equipment both you and Vaughns characters only option would be to run away from them or come up with an extremely risky plan to push him off a roof without getting hit or something.

I am actually designing my character to go around punching tanks. By which I mean that I'm probably taking both the Heavy Weapon mod on Melee Attack and Heavy Armor. I figure my guy will be vulnerable enough when he's not in stone form and the world probably has at least a few super-strong bruisers, villains with high-powered lasers, and dudes with mech suits, so it didn't seem overpowered to me. I'm giving up 4 points of armor to make it heavy armor anyway.

I don't think I'll change anything for that. I'm fine with what Fear has now, and I don't think he would be the sort to have that much protection about him.

Also, unless I'm missing something, Fear could just Mind Control villains with Heavy Armor as long as they're not also Fearless, and Shade has plenty of ways out of the fight even if he can't take them on directly.

Yeah, I think it's the nature of this kind of game where you can build a 15pp silver bullet for pretty much anyone. It sounds like our team will be plenty diverse where we cover each others backs.

I am also creating a Heavy character and that's how I came across this. Both Tim and Vaughns characters have ways of handling Heavy Type situations, I just wanted to bring it up now so there is no "What do you mean nothing I can do effects this person". Fearless is only a 2 point power and would not be silly for several high level or spooky low level characters to have. And shotguns are not considered Heavy Weapons.
I can easily get 2 points of Heavy armor down to a 3 point power so it may crop up a lot to avoid the whole "why didn't the police just stop this shitty low tier villain" Well because he can only be touched by an RPG that's why.

Because it's going to come up at some point I have also been looking into how things like getting hit by a car work. Nothing I've found in the rulebooks or online seems to indicate that being hit by a car is considered a Heavy Weapon attack, I am fine with that because from what I see grenades are also not considered Heavy Weapons.

However what I'm considering is that if the vehicle has Heavy Armor or is otherwise reinforced or built for ramming and the driver is specifically making a ramming attack I would then consider it a Heavy Weapon attack.

So a soccer moms van just crumples when it hits things but a an Armored SWAT truck or a Plow can really pack a punch.

Anyone see any problems with this or care to weigh in?

Sounds good to me?

I'mma trust the GM to handle it appropriately as it comes up.