Excited about the system but totally unfamiliar

[Dspin0212]

Hey everyone,

I have recently purchased the new 6th edition Character creation and combat guide. I am a long time RPer in D&D and White wolf systems, but have never played hero. I understand the core mechanics but must admit I am daunted by all the options. Im worried that my players will be lost making characters since none of them have ever used a point buy system. are there any character creation guides out there that run people through the basics, or any prebuilt archetypes i can use to get an idea of what i should be doing for badguys?

[Beast]

you may want to get the basic rules
it has a more condensed version of the rules with about 90% of the powers,skills,perks and talents of the big books
it is a lot less daunting

[ghost-angel]

Welcome to Hero.

The 6E Villain books aren't out yet, but you can pick up some of the 5th Edition ones for a little bit of guidance if you want.
Superhero Villains: Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks. Arcane Adversaries. Evil Unleashed. Villains, Vandals, And Vermin.
Fantasy: Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. Nobles, Knights, And Necromancers.
Sci-Fi/Star Hero: Scourges Of The Galaxy
Modern/Dark Champions: Predators
Pulp: Masterminds And Madmen.

Those all have a good number of NPCs in them. And while a few things may be different, you will get a good general idea of basics like Attack Levels, Defenses, and other assorted aspects.

The number of choices is sometimes daunting to long time players too. Don't worry about it. If you have any questions come ask us here - you'll probably get an answer or fifteen pretty quick (and then we'll devolve into arguing with ourselves over it - you can ignore that or grab a donut and join the fray).

What genre were you thinking of starting off with? We could point you too a number of other resources that can help you along for pretty much anything. And make up the rest.

[Dspin0212]

im looking to run a superhero game but a little underpowered than the 400 points. im looking to have a more X-men kind of feel where everyone has one power and thats their forte as apposed to like DC comics with iconically powerful heroes.

[Panpiper]

What I might suggest is to get together with your players and ask them, without even referring to the rules, what sort of characters they would want to play. Write down in a few lines each, the essence of their character concepts. Then come onto this forum and post the character concepts and ask people if there is anyone who would care to design a set of X-men like characters at a 'Dark Champions' power level based on those conceptions. I am quite certain a few people would post their ideas, likely even complete builds.

Take your pick of those posted builds and start playing with them. Don't worry about designing your own characters at first, just learn to play those that were posted. Allow your players over time to make changes to their characters, selling back a bit of one thing to buy something else, as they get comfortable with their characters and the system. It's a lot easier to get started in the system using characters someone else has prebuilt than trying to learn enough to build them on your own before ever playing.

Perhaps even after a couple of months playing, once everyone has gotten comfortable enough that they 'could' build their own characters from scratch, have your characters innocently walk into an interdimensional-transmogrification device and get knocked unconscious at the end of the game session. Tell the players that they can design completely new characters if they like for the next week,, keeping all their XP earned, or simply redesign the characters they've got now, their choice. You as the GM can also redesign your world as well, because more than the characters may have changed when that device got triggered.

[Dspin0212]

thats a really good idea. thanx i will do that....

[Dspin0212]

so far I have one player that wants to play a sword wielding martial artist with scientifically augmented reflexes and tons of skills.

another player wants to play a gravity controller who's power is the ability to create and control singularities (teleportation, flight, blast, telekineses, etc)

Another player wants to play a shapeshifter that can turn into any animal including other humans.

[Panpiper]

I recommend posting an introduction to yourself, your situation and your gaming group to the 'champions' forum itself; http://www.herogames.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/5-Champions

Ask for people's help there, and you'll get much more response I expect. Specify that you are looking for a low powered group ment to play in a "Dark Champions: Animated Series" level game, similar to early X-men, and you are looking at 300 point characters (my advice).

[Dspin0212]

I recommend posting an introduction to yourself, your situation and your gaming group to the 'champions' forum itself; http://www.herogames.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/5-Champions

Ask for people's help there, and you'll get much more response I expect. Specify that you are looking for a low powered group ment to play in a "Dark Champions: Animated Series" level game, similar to early X-men, and you are looking at 300 point characters (my advice).
ive tried several time to post in the champions forum, but my threads dont seem to be showing up even though it says im posting

[Matt Holck]

one way to not have the point system overwhelm is to reduce the amount of points one can spend
I recommend 210 point builds

[Panpiper]

one way to not have the point system overwhelm is to reduce the amount of points one can spend
I recommend 210 point builds
I agree, but that depends to some degree on what game you wish to play. Some of the characters mentioned, namely...

"A shapeshifter that can turn into any animal including other humans."
"A gravity controller who's power is the ability to create and control singularities (teleportation, flight, blast, telekineses, etc)"

...Could not be built with 210 points, at least not with stacking on all sorts of extra limitations on powers. And that would not make the game simpler, rather the contrary.

[Jagged]

I think you have a few options:

1) Be upfront with your players and state outright that because everyone is new to the system (including you) you will review all the characters after you've played with them for a while and accept that minor changes may be made. Or if you are playing supers that characters might have the odd radiation accident ;)

2) Take the opportunity to get your players to design the characters on paper without numbers. Then you build them. Obviously thats more work for you, but is a neat way to show off the flexibility of the system. Plus if you come here people will help. I'd offer but I don't have 6E :)

[bigbywolfe]

so far I have one player that wants to play a sword wielding martial artist with scientifically augmented reflexes and tons of skills.

another player wants to play a gravity controller who's power is the ability to create and control singularities (teleportation, flight, blast, telekineses, etc)

Another player wants to play a shapeshifter that can turn into any animal including other humans.
One concern. You said you wanted to start at a lower power level, but these powers don't sound particularly low powered, nor do they sound like "having one power that is their forte". Just something to think about. (The shapeshift character could get really pricey if he wants "animal powers" with each animal shape he takes)

[Panpiper]

One concern. You said you wanted to start at a lower power level, but these powers don't sound particularly low powered, nor do they sound like "having one power that is their forte". Just something to think about. (The shapeshift character could get really pricey if he wants "animal powers" with each animal shape he takes)
I just built all four of them with 300 points each, and they are effective. The fellow with the singularity control may in fact be over powered. All posted to this thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/76816-new-to-hero-looking-for-some-guidance

I cut my teeth with Hero Games building 225 point super heroes back with the first edition. I guess I'm used to playing with low points.

[Dspin0212]

thanks again man, i really appreciate all your help

[Lucius]

When it comes time to design villains and other challenges, make sure you have the player character sheets in front of you.

Ask questions like

How hard will it be to hit this character? (Look at the heroes' OCV, including levels and martial manuevers)

How hard will it be for this character to hit? (Same thing, in reverse. It's not a credible threat if the villain never hits, but he should miss sometimes)

What happens when this guy hits a hero? (Note for example, will the most fragile hero go down in one blow? If so, do you want your villain that powerful?

What happens when this villain is hit by the sword? By a claw? Run over by an elephant? Picked up and dropped by the gravity master? (Make him defeatable but not a pushover)

Lucius Alexander

What happens when I'm run over by a palindromedary?

[MorpheousXO]

What happens when I'm run over by a palindromedary?

You get accused of double dipping and have to go to the back of the line. ^_^

[bigbywolfe]

I just built all four of them with 300 points each, and they are effective. The fellow with the singularity control may in fact be over powered. All posted to this thread: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/76816-new-to-hero-looking-for-some-guidance

I cut my teeth with Hero Games building 225 point super heroes back with the first edition. I guess I'm used to playing with low points.
While I did mention points on the shapeshifter, I was refering more to power level and tone. When someone says they want a "low powered" game with each character having "one forte" someone who can control "singularities" doesn't really seem to fit that description...at all... Obviously what fits his campaign is entirely up to him as GM, I was just noting a concern that what his players wanted to play sounded different than what he wanted to play.

[Panpiper]

While I did mention points on the shapeshifter, I was refering more to power level and tone. When someone says they want a "low powered" game with each character having "one forte" someone who can control "singularities" doesn't really seem to fit that description...at all... Obviously what fits his campaign is entirely up to him as GM, I was just noting a concern that what his players wanted to play sounded different than what he wanted to play.
Ah, yes, you got me there. It is true, singularity control is hardly a low level power, and the shapeshifter, while perhaps not 'powerful' from a combat perspective could wreak havoc upon a world.