How to create a 'Lay On Hands'

[Tywyll]

I've been asked about two abilities and how Hero might handled them.

The first is a Paladin's Lay on Hands. Its a healing pool that a character has a certain amount of points in. However, he spends those points exactly how he wants (ie. he can spend 1 point each on a bunch of dying peasants to save them, or spend all 30 points in the pool to heal a wounded companion). I realize this sort of approaches the idea of an 'absolute' effect, but I was curious if there was anyway to give a player that sort of total control?

A mana system based around the character's mental ability. Spell effects typically cost END. Is there a way to create the equivalent of "End" (similar to an END reserve I guess) but have it be somehow related to, say, one's Ego or Int rather than their physical ability? I realize an END pool could simulate this, but they were really looking for something tied to the character's stats.

[Steve Long]

1. See FH, page 71, possibly combined with some permutation of Endurance Reserve and/or the Standard Effect Rule or Absolute Effect Rule.

2. See FH, pages 221-22.

[badger3k]

I use a standard limit variation. My base ability is:

Lay on Hands:
Healing 2d6, simplified, standard effects (2 Body/6 Stun). 10 active. Limited to max healing per day (not per target) (4 Body, 12 Stun max) (-1). 5 real points.

The way I use it, each die gives 1 body and 3 stun, and I take the max limit from the maximum that could be rolled (2 body and 6 stun). The limitation means that the character can only heal a total of 4/12 per day, not per character/wound/whatever.

Increase the ability for a higher max healing (4d6 would make it 8/24). Using the simplified option makes it an easy way to do straight numbers (as opposed to being random and have a possibility of 0 body being healed).

Other than that, Steves FH references are good for the rest (I haven't done anything that way yet). I use "circles" for the End reserve for spells (1st circle is a 10 End/3 Rec per 6 hrs reserve, to 10th circle with 100 End and 25 Rec per 6 hrs).

[Tywyll]

Sadly Steve, I don't have the new FH book, only the old one. I only have the 5th ed Hero System book. I is po'

[badger3k]

For mana based on ego, just make another figured characteristic (mana, psi strength, will, whatever you want to call it), base it off Ego x 2, with the same cost as End. Mental Recovery would start at Ego/5, with the same cost as Rec.

That, or just use an Endurance reserve, perhaps with the base cost free, that uses Ego x2 (or whatever you want to use) as the base. Although the End reserve is pretty cheap as it is IMO.

Another use of the "lay on hands" is similar to mine but uses charges - it can only be used so many times per day. I went with the limitation since, if the caster only needs to heal 2d6 instead of 4, with the charges version a charge is used even though its not at max power. My version allows more uses with a similar maximum (roughly speaking).

I'd recommend getting FH if you can - it's worth the cost if you want to run a fantasy campaign. Sell plasma! (hey I did, and if my job situation stays as it is, I may have to once more).