First time GMing FH

[JmOz]

starting a FH game, kind of want power levels to be similar to AD&D (2nd) 1st level character, but rapid advancement, what is a good starting point?

[keithcurtis]

For a true First Level feel, I'd start with Competent Normals (50+50).
I'd be pretty lavish with XP at first until they reach Standard Hero Level (75+75, or about 150 points), then I would taper off. I think that would give a good D&D feel.. By that time you should have a better feel for how rapid you want their advancement.

Keith "I hated playing first level" Curtis

[Chris Goodwin]

Try 50+50 or 75+25. As for rapid advancement, give out lots of XPs.

[JmOz]

Originally posted by keithcurtis
For a true First Level feel, I'd start with Competent Normals (50+50).
I'd be pretty lavish with XP at first until they reach Standard Hero Level (75+75, or about 150 points), then I would taper off. I think that would give a good D&D feel.. By that time you should have a better feel for how rapid you want their advancement.

Keith "I hated playing first level" Curtis

The issue is that I am GMing neophytes, this will be at most there second experience with hero, there first being a Western CHAMPIONS (not Western Hero) adventure I did a while ago. They wanted Fantasy, but not D&D (3.5 ticked them off) so it was either Gurps or Hero, and I'm the one who owned both

[Alibear]

I think that 50+50 is too high.

If you make normals/peasants in the 8-10 stat range or 0-level characters a 50/50 character would chew his way through hordes of these guys without too much trouble.

I would reccomend 25+25, you may actually find players specialising in one thing and dropping characteristics etc to pay for it! How many D&D thieves have 15 str? How many D&D magicians have 14 dex?

If you give them on average of 3xps per adventure they'll toughen up real quick.

I think that it depends on how you write up the "monsters"
Do you want starting characters to be warey of a bunch of orcs?

100 point characters are tough!

[Derek Hiemforth]

You have to buy some things in HERO (like Characteristics) that aren't affected by levels in D&D. That is to say, the main thing that separates most 1st level characters from 0-level characters in D&D is that 1st level characters have better ability scores. (In practice, even if they shouldn't in a straight 3d6-six-times theory.)

If I really wanted to capture the flavor of a D&D-style character, I'd probably start the characters with about 40 points that had to be spent on their Characteristics. Then I'd give them another 10-15 points to spend on their first "class" abilities. (A mage's first spell, a warrior's first couple of Weapon Familiarities and maybe a Combat Level, a thief's first couple of thiefly Skills, etc.)

After that, every 10-15 points would equate to another "level," as the mage buys another spell or two, the warrior buys another Combat Level or buys a physical CHA up a little bit, etc.

[mudpyr8]

I agree with both Derek & Alibear.

I build my thugs at 25pts (0 base, 25 disads). This is equiv IMO to a 1st level NPC class in D&D.

I'd say a 1st level char is about 50 pts (25 + 25). That's definitely a budding hero.

3xp per session is about right for a 4-5 hour session. I use a card system to reward good roleplaying on the spot, and they can turn cards in for XP if they want (1 for 1).

75 pts (50 + 25) is about a 3rd level char, right on the 10-15 pts per level.

100 pts (75 + 25 or 50 + 50) is about a 5th to 6th level char and are quite powerful. If you are realistic about your thug monsters (orcs, goblins, etc), they will all be about 25 pts and 100pt chars will surely trounce them.

My campaign has been running a while and the chars are about 115 pts. I still throw double their number of 25pt thugs at them from time to time and it's still a good fight, although they rarely get hurt.

Lower points forces people to focus. The more points you give them, the more likely they are to diversify. Also, experience gets spent differently than base points. Building a 100pt char from the beginning is different from adding 50pts to a 50 pt char over the course of the campaign. I think the latter is far more interesting.

Good luck.

[JmOz]

After listining to everyone I think I am going to compromise, and give a base of 25+75 in disads, then up to 5 XP a sesion, until they are at 75+75, then drop xp to the normal 1-3 I normaly give. My thoughts on it are this, I want the characters to become heroes, as a hero is 75+75 this gives them the ability to grow to that level quickly, I also don't want to drown them in options but want to make sure they have some...

I'm going to write up some "classes" and "races" as package deals to help these guys convert over, and am currently working on the magic system,,,

[AnotherSkip]

Frankly having lost three 150 point heroes to 6 orcs straight out of the 4th FH common orc rules. I think that you guys are waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy off.

the only reason the 4th hero did not die was because he had 10" of movement 4 speed and 60 End.

the Gm is a much better tactician and does not pull punches. All four were wearing light armor and had decent weapons, martial arts, and no magic.


still just be careful.

First combat i would suggest being a hungry dog or two like another poster suggested. THEN decide what they can face combat wise.

[mudpyr8]

Well, the straight FH Orcs are not 25 pt characters, as much as I remember.

At 150 pts you will find yourself in an epic campaign.

If you are considering magic systems, I'll offer mine as an option. We continue to develop and clarify it, but it works real well for the feel we want.

http://www.tekhed.com/hero/wizardserrand.php

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

[mudpyr8]

Oh, 75 disads is quite a bit, especially if you adhere to category limits. If you want 100pt chars I suggest 50 + 50. That is of course unless you want some severely disadvantaged heroes.

[mudpyr8]

As for geing waaaaay off, my party of 5 110-115 pt heroes faced 9 25 pt thugs who spent all their points on combat ability (they were mercs). The fight was interesting, but not terribly difficult.

50-75 pt focused characters can be almost as challenging as 100pt diversified characters. The issue is how many points are spent on combat ability, what are the "x factors" (OCV + Damage Classes), and how relative are they.

A 25 pt thug is easily a 7-8 xfactor (3-4 OCV + 3-4 DC).

A 50-75 pt character can easily have an xfactor of 10-12 which is more or less a DX 15 (OCV 5) guy wielding a greatsword (DC 7), and that WILL be tough.

The GM should always balance the threat, not the points.

[swobeas]

I've just started Gming a Fh campaign with characters based on 125 points and this is not the thing you want to do if you want Ad&d 1st Level.

These three guys took out a the deceiver-demon Katryn from the Western-Shores example scenario: city of demons.

This is no thing 1st Level Ad&d characters can do...

Another tip: be careful with the talent combat luck, because if the characters wear real armor in addition you need a real powerful attack th harm them and what then if the same attack hits the spellcaster.....*squish*

so far,
swobeas

[mudpyr8]

Agreed. Combat Luck can unbalance the game if allowed to the wrong players, at the wrong time.

I allow 1 level when characters are 115+ points, and then an additional 1 level every 25-50 points.

[Old Man]

Wow, I'm starting to think I gave my players too many points (75+50).

Oh well. The funny thing is, one PC is TOUGH, and another is really really weak (can you say 8 CON and 8 BODY?)