Killershrike, I summon thee...

[Alcamtar]

I was browsing Killershrike's website and noticed that he apparently allows up to six levels of combat luck (for 150 pt. characters), and that it is cumulative with armor and spells. And also multiple levels of Deadly Blow. That's just.... wow.

So KS, that's around what, 24+ rPD? And a greatsword combined with a couple levels of deadly blow is 4d6K. That sounds more like He-Man than the typical fantasy RPG fare... I mean that's competitive with tank armor, and sword blows like mortar rounds. Just how powerful are the characters in your games? What are DCs and defense like in your games? Also after reading through your vancian spell list, it seems that spells are far less effective than this. (which isn't a bad thing, I like to see warriors really shine.)

(Anyone is of course welcome to respond, not just KS. I'm working out campaign guidelines... and after reading KS's site, wondering if I need any! :nonp:)

[Captain Obvious]

I would take that to mean up to 6 rPD/rED.

[Killer Shrike]

Yes, if the character wants to spend the points. Note that is MODIFIED combat luck, meaning it has some further limitations on it (at least -1/2).


MAX (150 pt character): Combat Luck (18 PD/18 ED) (36 Active Points); Custom Modifier (-1/2)


Thats 24 Real Cost, 1/6th of a starting character and also pretty limited. Of course, its kind of a sucker bait; no one has ever actually wanted to spend that many points on such an ability in practice ;). In reality most starting characters don't take any or at most one level of unlimited. The most I've ever seen a starting character take was Fyrclian (http://www.killershrike.com/SanDora/Campaign/NineArrows_PCs_Fyrclian.aspx) who took four levels of modified combat luck when starting at 150 points, and eventually raised it to five levels over the course of several hundred XP points.


The thing to keep in mind is that there is an opportunity cost involved, CL is unreliable to begin with, your paying points for def in a campaign where most people get their DEF from gear that doesn't cost character points, and of course anything more than you need is just a waste. However, for some character concepts CL works great and I'll let a player have it if they want to pay for it; its not like I can't find a way to challenge their character regardless.


Feel free to set you own limits; I set the bar lower in some settings where I allow CL and bother to set caps -- like in MetaCyber (http://www.killershrike.com/MetaCyber/MetaCyberCharacters_Origins.aspx) for instance I classify CL (and Deadly Blow) as a "Super Skill", and characters have Super Skill limits by Origin-- Adepts can have 1 Super Skill / 75 points, Tubers can have 1 Super Skills / 150 points, and Ampers and Metas can't have any Super Skills.

{shrugs} It really doesn't matter one way or the other if you set a cap higher, lower, or don't have one at all. It all depends on your preferences and the needs / feel of a particular setting. I find it useful to put a minor cap on it for High Fantasy, but the cap on Deadly Blow is much more important IMO.


Oh, also, its Killer Shrike not killershrike ;)

[Killer Shrike]

So KS, that's around what, 24+ rPD? And a greatsword combined with a couple levels of deadly blow is 4d6K. That sounds more like He-Man than the typical fantasy RPG fare... I mean that's competitive with tank armor, and sword blows like mortar rounds. Just how powerful are the characters in your games? What are DCs and defense like in your games? Also after reading through your vancian spell list, it seems that spells are far less effective than this. (which isn't a bad thing, I like to see warriors really shine.)


A) Its called HIGH FANTASY HERO for a reason.

B) Characters in my typical High Fantasy campaign range from 150 to 500+ points depending on how salty they are. Here are various Fantasy characters (http://www.killershrike.com/CharacterMaster/CharacterGenreList.aspx?genre=fantasy) collected from around the site.

C) DC's and defenses vary by power level of the focus PC's

D) The Vancian Spell List belongs to just one of about 20 something magic systems on the site. That particular magic system may or may not be in use in any particular HF campaign I run. That being said, it goes up to 150 Active Points so if you think it's "less effective" than a mere 6 levels of CL then I would suggest you aren't looking deep enough.

E) Yes, I like to provide means for all archetypes to shine, not just magic users.


(Anyone is of course welcome to respond, not just KS. I'm working out campaign guidelines... and after reading KS's site, wondering if I need any! :nonp:)

It depends entirely on what level of play you are interested in running a particular campaign at. You should keep in mind that the resource provided on the site are just that -- general resources intended to be usable for a wide variety of things. It is also aimed specifically at High Fantasy. A lot of it can be down-shifted and still be usable at "lower" levels of Fantasy, but that is not the focus of the site.

It's also important to realize that the material is not tied to and does not reflect any particular setting. It is just raw content.

It also has no assumptions on being used 100% intact. You could use all of it together as one huge body of work, but its designed as a buffet line -- the idea is you take what you want, eat as much of what you take as you like, and leave the rest on the food line for someone else (or a later visit for yourself).

You might want to check out the Campaign Paradigms (http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/campaignParadigms.aspx) document for some discussion on different levels of play, different things that can be configured to "raise" or "lower" a setting, and also the default assumptions I have in place for "High Fantasy" (http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/Paradigms/HighFantasy.aspx).

[Alcamtar]

Thanks. I didn't realize you ran such a variety of games. You apparently stay busy! :thumbup: The sample characters are illuminating, I hadn't seen them.

Great site BTW.

[Killer Shrike]

Thanks. I didn't realize you ran such a variety of games. You apparently stay busy! :thumbup: The sample characters are illuminating, I hadn't seen them.

Great site BTW.
I've had a dry year for gaming, but I've been running stuff with HERO for...18 years, including some really intense years where I was running multiple campaigns at once. Long running, short running, stuff in between. All that content didn't spring forth from my skull Athena-like; it aggregated over the years and entire sections of it have been revised / repackaged as well upon being retasked / extended to do something new with it.

The really crazy thing is its still just a fraction of all the material I've ever written / created -- I have boxes and folders and notebooks full of stuff on paper that's never been typed up.

I really need to get a life. :(

[mayapuppies]

I really need to get a life. :(
Don't you dare!

That would totally upset the balance of the universe...it would be like QM going off to collect daisies instead of resource links, or GA reviewing Vogue!

<shudder>

[LordGhee]

You have a life! A great life! Filled with many worlds and mysteries!

Great site, and great writing.

Lord Ghee

[TheQuestionMan]

Don't you dare!

That would totally upset the balance of the universe...it would be like QM going off to collect daisies instead of resource links, or GA reviewing Vogue!

<shudder>
I prefer Daffodils ;)

Send more please

QM

[jaws]

Lets pick up a collection to get KS a secretary to type up all the goodies! :D
Set a donation link on your site ;) see how it goes :)

A RPG gamer secretary would be thrilled to work on it for peanuts, especially one that goes to school in stead of working.

[Killer Shrike]

Well ok, but only if she's hot and uninhibited.




What?

[jenna010986]

I was browsing Killershrike's website and noticed that he apparently allows up to six levels of combat luck (for 150 pt. characters), and that it is cumulative with armor and spells. And also multiple levels of Deadly Blow. That's just.... wow.

I browse the site too...and its great...
I find this one if anyone interested...:thumbup:

http://marvel.com/universe/Killer_Shrike

[Killer Shrike]

Um...thats a different Killer Shrike.

[Captain Obvious]

I told you once your secret ID got out on the Internet, you'd never be able to control it.

[shadowcat1313]

and even if he runs out of ideas etc... he has other crazy contributors that help keep him busy

[teh bunneh]

Um...thats a different Killer Shrike.

You're trying to tell us that you don't have a titanium spine that allows you to generate bolts of electricity and lift 2000 pounds? :confused:

[Killer Shrike]

You're trying to tell us that you don't have a titanium spine that allows you to generate bolts of electricity and lift 2000 pounds? :confused:

And I can't fly either, sadly enough. With gas prices what they are that alone would be worth its weight in gold. :(