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		Absolute Characteristic Maxima (ACM)
		      (Version 1.0 2001-03-17)
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   The Normal Characterisitic Maxima (NCM) is a well established, but 
often disputed, part of the HERO System. The core idea of it is a good
one, but it doesn't go far enough towards establishing a solid 
benchmark limit for heroic 'normal' humans.

   The rules say that you can exceed the NCM of 20 if you pay x2 points,
but there isn't an explicit limit on how much more you can exceed this 
by without having 'superpowers'. Yet, logically, there must be some 
absolute point where you need 'super-powers' to go beyond.

   To supplement the NCM, I have an "Absolute Characteristic Maximum" 
(ACM) to represent the highest value a characteristic may be bought to, 
according to their genetic potential (no matter how many points are
expended). Anything above the ACM can only be achieved via superpowers, 
mutations, genetic and/or magic enhancements, etc.). I.E., ACM is the 
absolute maximum human potential while still remaining truly 'human'.

   Given that the across-the-board NCM (for all primary CHAs) is 20, 
then what should the "ACM" be for non-supers? Well, from the various 
books, it seems like 30 is the ACM for normal human characters who 
have no reason beyond good/lucky genetics and intense training. 

   This makes sense to me and it has an appealing symmetry, as it is 
+10 over the NCM, which is +10 over the 'normal' score. Thus, the 
ACM of 30 is 1.5x as much as the NCM of 20.

	----	------------	------------	------------
	CHA	   Normal	     NCM	     ACM
		(Base Value)	(Normal Max)	(Heroic Max)
	----	------------	------------	------------
	STR	10		20		30
	DEX	10		20		30
	CON	10		20		30
	BODY	10		20		30
	INT	10		20		30
	EGO	10		20		30
	PRE	10		20		30
	COM	10		20		30
	----	------------	------------	------------
	PD	 2		 8		12
	ED	 2		 8		12
	SPD	 2		 4		 6
	REC	 4		10		15
	END	20		50		75
	STUN	20		50		75
	----	------------	------------	------------

   For other races besides the baseline human, a simple additive bonus, 
or penalty, is used -- i.e., they have the same bonus (relative to 
humans) to their Base Characterisitic as they have to their NCM and 
their ACM. E.G., If they have +3 DEX and -2 CON, they would have: a 
Base DEX of 13 (10+3), a base CON of 8 (10-2); an NCM DEX of 23 (20+3), 
an NCM CON of 18 (20-2); an ACM DEX of 33 (30+3), and an ACM CON of 28 
(30-2).

--
Jason Verbitsky
mailto:hierax@hierax.com
http://www.hierax.com/hero/house/acm.txt