Compiled list of H5E modifications and edits [Archive]

chiralman

May 29th, '04, 06:57 PM

Steve,
Having been out of gaming for a few years, I finally got around to ordering H5E last week and just now I was reading about the upcoming revised edition. Now, yes, I'm way late for just now ordering H5E so I accept the condescending look that you might be giving me... however, when the next edition comes out will there be a list of changes made from the currently available edition?

Is there a current downloadable list of methods and edits available?

Many thanks, and keep up the excellent work. Its fantastic to see the Hero Website alive and well... especially after tolerating years of inactivity from the former residents. You and your team have really revived this excellent product and I thank you for that.

Steve Long

May 29th, '04, 07:11 PM

I've moved this to "Discussion" since it's not a rules question and others may have useful info. ;)

Thanx for the kind words! Don't worry, no condescending looks given around here. :hex:

We maintain an errata file and a Rules FAQ that you can find here on the website, but we don't have any sort of a list of changes from 4th Edition or anything like that. I think a couple of fans have lists of their own that they'd probably be willing to share with you. ;)

I don't have any plans to maintain a list of changes from 5E to 5ER. Even allowing for the fact that it's a revision and not a new edition, keeping track of every little thing I incorporate from the Rules FAQ or rewrite for clarity just isn't worth it -- it's an enormous drain on my time for a project that I already have too little time to work on. I'd rather spend that time double- and triple-checking things, adding useful sidebars, and so on.

TheEmerged

May 30th, '04, 09:54 AM

I think a couple of fans have lists of their own that they'd probably be willing to share with you.

Holy Excuse-for-a-link, Sidekick boy!

HERO System 4th to 5th Edition Summary & Commentary (http://theemerged.blogspot.com/HERO425.htm). No popups or ads, in fact I pay to keep the ads off of it.

If it's a little vaguier than you hoped, please understand that it's designed to help people without allowing them to use the list instead of purchasing 5th Edition. I tried to be as specific as possible under that mandate.

Feel free to ask any particular questions or comments. In particular I'm debating whether or not to add some of the "new adders" from products released under 5th Edition.

Lord Liaden

May 30th, '04, 10:28 AM

I highly recommend TheEmerged's website linked to above - very thorough and useful summary of the 4E to 5E changes. However, chiralman is also justly concerned about additions/clarifications to the rules which have been made to 5E in the FAQ and subsequently-published books, some of which will be incorporated in 5ER. For that there is help available. :)

Last year our own Talon generously compiled a summary list of points from the FAQ and posted them here to the boards. This seems like a good time and place to repost them. They may not have all the very latest info, but as far as I can tell most of the significant rulings had been made by the time this was put up; much of the subsequent FAQ has been fine points of interpretation.

Take it away, Talon:

---------------------------------------

Inspired by a thread on the Champions board, I went through the FAQ and pulled out stuff that I thought was above the level of interpretation -- new Adders, restrictions on powers that might not have been clear in FREd, etc.
This is *my* interpretation of what's most valuable or useful. This is not an official company interpretation and has not been reviewed or approved by Mr. Long.
Obviously, everything in here is subject to change, as the FAQ evolves. My intent is to update this as the FAQ changes, but for the most up to date info, check the FAQ.
Some of the names for the Modifiers, Adders, etc. are made up – the FAQ doesn't give a name, just a rule.

FAQ Summary, July 8 2003

Combat Skill Levels:

There are several specific rulings on what can and cannot be purchased with CSLs (2 and 3 point CSLs in particular). [FAQ, Skills, CSLs]
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Built-In Powers:

Limitations on “built-in” powers (such as Running) do not
use the total value, even if it applies to that Running as well as
any additional Running purchased. [FAQ, Powers, General Issues]

Area of Effect Powers:

Options listed under the “Area of Effect” Advantage (such as Cone or Selective) can be applied to inherently AOE powers at the GM's option. [FAQ, Powers, General Issues; FAQ, Advantages and Add-Ons, Area of Effect]

Alterable Size: +5 Adder for any AOE power. Allows the character to alter the size as a Zero Phase action (unless the Power has Extra Time and/or Concentration) once per Phase. Optional (requires GM permission). [FAQ, Powers, General Issues]

Moveable: (Stop Sign) +1 Advantage for any AOE power. Allows the character to move an AOE power, potentially affecting everything that the power contacts as it moves. Power has No Range (even if it previously had Range); Ranged can be purchased if desired. Exact rate of movement left up to GM. Optional (requires GM permission and clarification). [FAQ, Powers, General Issues]

Mental Powers:

Mental powers with Reduced Endurance: 0 END still require END to prevent deterioration. [FAQ, Powers, Mental Powers]

Sense-Affecting Powers:

Sense-Affecting Powers (such as Darkness and Images) with Autofire require the additional +1 Advantage. (Included because some official writeups apparently do not have the additional +1.) [FAQ, Powers, Sense-Affecting Powers]

Change Environment:

Only one type of effect is allowed per purchase of Change Environment unless the GM rules otherwise. [FAQ, Powers, Change Environment] An adder to bypass this is listed in The UNTIL Superpowers Database, page 251.

Varying Combat Effects: +10 Adder for Change Environment. Allows the character to change the combat effect of the Change Environment to any other effect of equal or lesser value. [FAQ, Powers, Change Environment] Listed in The UNTIL Superpowers Database, page 251.

Characteristics:

Characteristics bought through a Power Framework automatically get to apply the No Figured Characteristics Limitation. [FAQ, Powers, Characteristics]

Clairsentience:

Note that since the perception point is immobile, by default Clairsentience bought as “through the eyes of others” won't work well if the target is moving. [FAQ, Powers, Clairsentience]

Mobile Perception Point: +5 Adder for Clairsentience. Allows the character to move the perception point at 6” per Phase (x2 per +5 points) in any direction (including in the air and through solid objects). [FAQ, Powers, Clairsentience] Official version listed in Star Hero, page 53.

Multiple Perception Points: +5 Adder for Clairsentience. Allows x2 perception points for each +5 (4 for +10, 8 for +15, etc.); otherwise, Clairsentience can only have a single perception point active at a time. [FAQ, Powers, Clairsentience] Official version listed in Star Hero, page 53.

Duplication:

Simultaneous Follower: +5 Adder for Duplication. Allows the Follower of a Duplicate to appear at the same time as the duplicate is formed. [FAQ, Powers, Duplication]

Rapid Duplication: Advantage for Duplication. For each +1/4, the character can create x2 the number of Duplicates in a Half Phase (+1/4 for 2, +1/2 for 4, etc.). [FAQ, Powers, Duplication]

Energy Blast:

Optional BODY: +1/2 Advantage for Energy Blasts. Allows the character to choose whether or not to do BODY damage. [FAQ, Powers, Energy Blast]

Enhanced Senses:

Only the following Sense Modifiers can be “inherited” from the Sense Group: Discriminatory, Range, Sense, Targeting. Analyze and Increased Arc of Perception cannot be inherited. [FAQ, Powers, Enhanced Senses]

Specific Sense Modifiers included in each sense group:
Hearing: Discriminatory (crude), Range, Sense.
Mental: Range. (Sense is not granted, even though Mental Awareness has it.)
Radio: Range, Sense.
Sight: Discriminatory (crude), Range, Sense, Targeting.
Smell/Taste: Discriminatory (crude), Range, Sense.
Touch: Discriminatory (crude), Sense.
Unusual: (no Sense Modifiers granted)

(In all cases of Discriminatory being granted, the effect is lesser than that described in the book; use the degree of information provided by real-world senses as a guide.)

Dimensional: Sense Modifier. Allows Sense or Sense group to see into a single other dimension. +5 points for one Sense, +10 points for a Sense Group. Expanding the Sense or Sense Group to a related group of dimensions cost +5 points, or to all dimensions for +10 points.

[FAQ, Powers, Enhanced Senses]

Healing:

Decreased Healing Time: Advantage for Healing (not Regeneration). For each +1/4, the character can re-apply Healing one step on the Time Chart faster (starting from the default of 24 hours). [FAQ, Powers, Healing]

Shape Shift:

Makeover: +5 Adder for Shape Shift. Allows the character to alter his COM while Shape Shifting to any value to whatever range of standards the GM has defined for the campaign. [FAQ, Powers, Shape Shift]

Telekinesis:

Affects Porous: +10 Adder for Telekinesis. Allows character to affect liquids; normally, Telekinesis cannot affect liquids or gases. [FAQ, Powers, Telekinesis] Official version listed in The Hero System Bestiary and The UNTIL Superpowers Database.

To affect gases, apply AOE to Telekinesis; the FAQ notes this may be unbalancing and may be altered to a +10 Adder at some point. [FAQ, Powers, Telekinesis]

Megascale:

Scalable: Additional option for Megascale. For +1/4, the character can “scale down” the Megascale measurement, to a minimum of 1 km (or less, with the GM's permission). [FAQ, Advantages and Add-Ons, Megascale] Official version listed in Star Hero and several other supplements.

Charges:

For powers that cost no END with Fuel Charges, the Charges value can never be higher than -0 (even if counting down the Charges table would indicate an Advantage). [FAQ, Limitations, Charges]

Requires # Charges Per Use:
Limitation for powers in a Multipower with Charges that require more than one Charge per use. The value is:

-1/4 for 2 Charges per use;
-1/2 for 3-7 Charges per use;
-3/4 for 8-12 Charges per use;
-1 for 13-17 Charges per use, etc.

This assumes the Multipower has 65 or more Charges in total. For each step up the Charges table, add -1/4 to the above Limitation values.

[FAQ, Limitations, Charges]

Increased Reload Time: Limitation for powers with Charges with clips. If changing clips takes 2 Full Phases, apply a -1/4 Limitation; for each step down the Time Chart, increase the Limitation by -1/4. [FAQ, Limitations, Charges]

Variable Power Pools:

Use Characteristic or Background Skill: +1/4 Advantage on VPP Control Cost. Allows the character to use a Characteristic or Background Skill Roll to change the VPP allocation. [FAQ, Power Frameworks, Variable Power Pools]

chiralman

May 30th, '04, 01:13 PM

Fantastic work guys! Thanks.

Steve
I was also wondering if you had anybody submit any outlines for a Wasteland Hero genre book. The link to my site is in the Other Genres section of your links page (I can't believe its still there... and even more I can't believe the link still works!). But theres still hits o-plenty for the free documents I offer for Wasteland Hero and that means that there's still interest. A lot of work is done, but a there's a lot of work that could still be added and edited.

Just a thought. I can be reached at ronald_miller@hotmail.com. Thank again guys.

Steve Long

May 30th, '04, 04:13 PM

I don't recall if anyone's submitted a proposal for a "Post-Apocalyptic Hero" book or not, really. Unless I accept a proposal, I just file 'em and forget about 'em. ;) At this point I'm a little leery of letting other authors work on genre books; my experience has been that it's much easier if I just write them myself, as long as I think I'm qualified to do so (or can easily become qualified). But I'm certainly willing to read over initial proposals sent to me regardless. :hex: