Converting DC to Hero

[Edsel]

I have been doing some work converting Marvel stuff to Hero recently. As a kid I read Marvel and know a lot more about it than DC. However there are several DC character's that intrigue me (Batman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman to name a few). I know that there have been several DC Heroes games published over the years, Mayfair and West End come to mind.

My question is this. Which DC system is easier to convert to Hero? Which of the DC games has the best background information on the characters? I am also interested in the Teen Titans (Cartoon Network gets the blame for that).

My FLGS has used copies of a lot of the Mayfair and West End stuff so which should I look at buying (they're used, they're cheap).

[Southern Cross]

Personally,I preferred the Mayfair DC Heroes RPG to the West End DC Universe RPG,as it seemed to better fit the genre.
I'm including a pdf with this message with some notes for converting from MEGS (the name the Mayfair DC Heroes RPG was given after it lost the DC gaming license) to the Hero System.Hope they help.

[Edsel]

Thanks for the conversion data! I've had one of the local (Oklahoma City) gamers advise me to look at the Mayfair stuff as well. Guess I'll go buy some old books

Thanks, for your help.

[Lord Liaden]

On the Old Forum discussion boards, Morningstar 70 posted some pretty detailed conversion notes to go from the DC Universe/MEGS game to Champions/HERO 4E. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me reposting them here:

DCU MEGS System Conversion to Champions (Morningstar 70)

PHYSIQUE/LIFTING (Pick highest) TO STR
1D = 5 Str 11D = 38 Str 21D = 63 Str 31D = 88 Str
2D = 10 Str 12D = 40 Str 22D = 65 Str 32D = 90 Str
3D = 15 Str 13D = 43 Str 23D = 68 Str 33D = 93 Str
4D = 20 Str 14D = 45 Str 24D = 70 Str 34D = 95 Str
5D = 23 Str 15D = 48 Str 25D = 73 Str 35D = 98 Str
6D = 25 Str 16D = 50 Str 26D = 75 Str 36D = 100 Str
7D = 28 Str 17D = 53 Str 27D = 78 Str 37D = 103 Str
8D = 30 Str 18D = 55 Str 28D = 80 Str 38D = 105 Str
9D = 33 Str 19D = 58 Str 29D = 83 Str 39D = 108 Str
10D = 35 Str 20D = 60 Str 30D = 85 Str 40D = 110 Str

POWERS
DCU Die Code to Active Points
Convert the Die Code of the Power to the number of Dice Normal or appropriate 5 point levels to convert.
Often, many powers will be power frameworks, so a character with 14D in Energy Manipulation will get a Multipower with 70 Points worth of Flash, Energy Blast, Force Wall, Hard-Energy Constructs (Telekinesis), as well as an Elemental Control of 18 points (1/4 Cost of Multipower) for Defenses and Flight, but with no limitation on Flightspeed.
Other powers like Telekinesis or attack powers can have the same "multi-power" granting.

DEFENSES

DCU Die Code
1D = 3 PD/ED 6D = 18 PD/ED 11D = 33 PD/ED
2D = 6 PD/ED 7D = 21 PD/ED 12D = 36 PD/ED
3D = 9 PD/ED 8D = 24 PD/ED 13D = 39 PD/ED
4D = 12 PD/ED 9D = 27 PD/ED 14D = 42 PD/ED
5D = 15 PD/ED 10D = 30 PD/ED 15D = 45 PD/ED

If the Power is Invulnerability, the Power is Automatically Hardened.
If the Defenses are an Armor with an AV, then divide the AV by 3, and that is the resistant PD/ED of the Armor.
All Defenses are in addition to Figured Defenses.


DCU Ref + Coord/2 vs. Dex
1D = 10 6D = 27 11D = 32
2D = 15 7D = 28 12D = 33
3D = 20 8D = 29 13D = 34
4D = 23 9D = 30 14D = 35
5D = 26 10D = 31 15D = 36

DCU Personal Defense Value vs SPD
PDV + 2 = SPD

DCU Physique vs. CON
1D = 10 6D = 22 11D = 32 16D = 42 21D = 52 26D= 62 31D= 72 36D= 82 41D= 92
2D = 13 7D = 24 12D = 34 17D = 44 22D = 54 27D= 64 32D= 74 37D= 84 42D= 94
3D = 15 8D = 26 13D = 36 18D = 46 23D = 56 28D= 66 33D= 76 38D= 86 43D= 96
4D = 18 9D = 28 14D = 38 19D = 48 24D = 58 29D= 68 34D= 78 39D= 88 44D= 98
5D = 20 10D = 30 15D = 40 20D = 50 25D = 60 30D= 70 35D= 80 40D= 90 45D= 100

INT
(As with Ref/Coord Except Replace Know+Per)

EGO
(Use Willpower DieCode with Physique vs. CON Scale)

PRE
(Use highest of Command or Intimidation on the Physique vs. CON scale.)

Speed Manipulation: Supermobility bonuses
1D = x 4 NCM 6D = x 125 NCM 11D = x 4000 NCM 16D = x 125,000 NCM
2D = x 8 NCM 7D = x 250 NCM 12D = x 8000 NCM 17D = x 250,000 NCM
3D = x 16 NCM 8D = x 500 NCM 13D = x 16000 NCM 18D = x 500,000 NCM
4D = x 32 NCM 9D = x 1000 NCM 14D = x 32000 NCM 19D = x 1,000,000 NCM
5D = x 64 NCM 10D = x 2000 NCM 15D = x 64,000 NCM 20D = x 2,000,000 NCM

Time Scale

1 Phase
1 Turn 1 Level Super Speed 10pts/2D Speed Manipulation
1 Minute 2 Levels Super Speed 20pts/4D Speed Manipulation
5 Min 3 Levels Super Speed 30pts/6D Speed Manipulation
1 Hour 4 Levels Super Speed 40pts/8D Speed Manipulation (Impulse)
5 Hours 5 Levels Super Speed 50pts/10D Speed Manipulation
1 Day 6 Levels Super Speed 60pts/12D Speed Manipulation (Early Barry, starting JLA)
1 Week 7 Levels Super Speed 70pts/14D Speed Manipulation
1 Month 8 Levels Super Speed 80pts/16D Speed Manipulation
1 Season 9 Levels Super Speed 90pts/18D Speed Manipulation (Wally)
1 Year 10 Levels Super Speed 100pts/20D Speed Manipulation

[Lord Liaden]

Should you be interested, John Desmarais has been working on conversion guidelines for the Marvel SAGA RPG on his website.

In addition, Morningstar 70 also posted conversion notes for that system on the Old Forums, which are reproduced below:

Marvel SAGA to Champions Conversion (Morningstar70)

STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
Marvel = Champions (Example)
1 = 3
2 = 5
3 = 8 (Scarlet Witch)
4 = 10 (The Wasp)
5 = 13 (Moondragon, Mandarin)
6 = 15 (Black Widow, The Falcon)
7 = 18
8 = 20 (Wolverine, Hawkeye, Daredevil)
9 = 23 (Black Panther, Deadpool)
10 = 25 (Captain America)
11 = 30 (The Grim Reaper)
12 = 35 (Tigra)
13 = 40 (Luke Cage)
14 = 45 (Spider-Man)
15 = 50 (Venom)
16 = 60 (Iron Man, Rogue)
17 = 70 (She Hulk, Sub Mariner)
18 = 80 (The Thing)
19 = 90 (Thor, Hercules)
20 = 100 (The Hulk, Silver Surfer)
21 = 110
22 = 120 (Red Ronnin, Ymir)
23 = 130
24 = 140 (Surtur, The Destroyer)
25 = 150
26 = 160
27 = 170
28 = 180 (Marvel Godzilla)
29 = 190
30 = 200 (Galactus)

STR to Con
1 = 11
2 = 12
3 = 13
4 = 14
5 = 15
6 = 16
7 = 17
8 = 18
9 = 10
10 = 20
11 = 23
12 = 25
13 = 28
14 = 30
15 = 33
16 = 35
17 = 38
18 = 40
19 = 43
20 = 45

STR to Body
For all values, halve the DC BODY and add the result to 9.
For Example:
The Thing has 18 STR Marvel. 18/2=9+9=18.

AGILITY TO DEXTERITY/Speed
For Values less than 10, add 5 to (Agility Marvel x 2.5). For values greater than 10, subtract 10 from the DEX, and add the result to 30.
For Example:
The Thing has Agility 6. 6 x 2.5 = 15 + 5 = 20.
Captain America has Agility 10. 10 x 2.5 = 25 + 5 = 30.
Spider-Man has Agility 14. 14-10 = 4. 30 + 4 = 34.
Silver Surfer has Agility 20. 20 - 10 = 10. 30 + 10 = 40.

INTELLECT TO INTELLIGENCE, WILLPOWER TO EGO/PRESENCE
For values of 12 or less, multiply INT by 1.5 (rounding down), and add 7. For values greater than 12, subtract 12 from INT, multiply by 2.5, and add to 25.
For example:
The Thing has Intellect 6 and Willpower 8. 6 x 1.5 = 9 +7 = 16 Int. 8 x 1.5 = 12 + 7 = 19 Ego and 19 Presence.
Rounded even, Ben Grimm has Int 15, Ego 20, and Pre 20.

SPEED
Add Agility, Intellect, and Willpower, divide the total by 6 and add 1 to the result. Round up or down accordingly. Danger Sense, Martial Arts and Super/Lightning Speed add Danger Sense/5, +2, and Level of Lightning Speed to the final total to be divided by 6.
For example:
The Thing has Agility 6, Intellect 6, and Willpower 8. 6 + 6 + 8 = 20. 20/6 = 3.3 + 1 = 4.
Spider-Man has Agility 14, Intellect 8 and Willpower 10 and Danger Sense 18. 14 + 8 + 10 + 4= 36. 36/6 = 6 + 1 = 7.
The Silver Surfer has Agility 20, Intellect 7, and Willpower 10. 20 + 7 + 10 = 37. 37/6 = 6 + 1 = 7.

POWER RATING TO D6N EQUIVALENT
Marvel = Champions (Example)
1 = 1d6
2 = 2d6
3 = 2 1/2d6
4 = 3d6/1d6K
5 = 3 1/2d6
6 = 4d6
7 = 4 1/2d6
8 = 5d6
9 = 5 1/2d6
10 = 6d6/2d6K (The Vision's Solar Beams, the Wasp's Stings)
11 = 8d6
12 = 9d6/3d6K (Hawkeye's Trick Arrow Multipower)
13 = 10d6 (Storm's Weather Control Multipower)
14 = 11d6 (Cyclops' Optic Blasts)
15 = 12d6/4d6K (Professor X's Telepathy, Scarlet Witch's Reality Warping Multipower)
16 = 13d6 (Dr. Strange's Sorcery Pool, Iron Man's Energy Weapons)
17 = 14d6
18 = 15d6/5d6K (Human Torch's Flame Multipower, Thor's Weather Control)
19 = 18d6/6d6K
20 = 20d6 (Silver Surfer's Power Cosmic Multipower and VPP)

DEFENSE TOTAL TO DEFENSES (ie: STR + x Resistance/Armor or Force Field Raw)
For values of STR (plus Def) of 10 or less, multiply by 1.2. For STR (plus Def) of 11-14, Subtract 10, Multiply by 3, and add to 10. For 15 plus Value, Subtract 10, multiply by 1.5, and add to 22. Every Point of STR or Def over 12 = 3 Points resistant Def.

For Example:

Spider-Man has STR 14 Marvel. He has PD/ED 22, having 6rPD, 6rED due to his high body. (A handgun won't kill him, but will cause injury. Anything heavier, and he's cheesecloth.)
The Thing has STR 18 Marvel, +4 Body Armor and +4 Energy Attack Resistance. He has 40 total PD, and 46 total ED. 30 PD is Resistant, 42 ED is Resistant.

Skills, unless they're combat based are at Attribute level. Combat Skills are +2 Levels, plus either Strength divided by 5 or Power divided by 5. Underlined skills are +4.

[Agent X]

The way I converted Mayfair was 1AP = 5 points of strength because it meshes perfectly with the lifting benchmarks.

So Post-Crisis Superman has a strength of 125!

Dexterity 1AP = Base OCV/DCV as figured by dexterity with a minimum of 1+AP for OCV/DCV on 1 and 2 APs so...
1AP = 2OCV/DCV or 5-7DEX
2AP = 3OCV/DCV or 8-10DEX
3AP = 3OCV/DCV or 8-10DEX
4 = 4OCV/DCV or 11-13 DEX
Beyond DEX AP 10, I just add 20 to the APs of DEX.
AP 10 = 30 DEX
AP 11 = 31
12 = 32

So Batman has a 30 Dexterity

Con and Body are wierd.
Body, I just write down what I like.

Con + (BodyAPs + Str AP) x3
At more than 10 combined APs = the total + 20 = Con

So Batman has a 31 Con and Superman would have a 63 Con!

Intelligence like the Dexterity formula using Intelligence

Ego like the Dexterity formula using Will + Mind or Aura + Spirit divided by 2

Presence like the dexterity formula using Influence

Comeliness - model it based on the art

[John Desmarais]

Should you be interested, John Desmarais has been working on conversion guidelines for the Marvel SAGA RPG on his website.

More like I started working on them, and then lost interest in the SAGA system. I never finished it, but I was pretty happy with what I had started.

[Enforcer84]

There's an old adventurers club magazine that converted DC Heroes (MEGS) to Hero.

DC:
STR (<10)
STR X 5
(so Batman's 5 Str becomes 25 in HERO)
STR (>10)
STR x2.5 +25
so Superman's 25 becomes 92.5 or 93...
The other abilities went:
CHAR x 2.5 +5

...that's all I can recall. I thinkk SPD was Initiative/3+2 = HERO Spd

[Agent X]

There's an old adventurers club magazine that converted DC Heroes (MEGS) to Hero.

DC:
STR (<10)
STR X 5
(so Batman's 5 Str becomes 25 in HERO)
STR (>10)
STR x2.5 +25
so Superman's 25 becomes 92.5 or 93...
The other abilities went:
CHAR x 2.5 +5

...that's all I can recall. I thinkk SPD was Initiative/3+2 = HERO Spd

Yeah, but it was a conversion of 1st Edition Mayfair DC. I got the feeling they were concerned with a 250 Strength Superman. With Post-Crisis DC, numbers went down a lot for many of the characters. I don't think Post-Crisis DC Superman has to push hard to pick up an Aircraft Carrier.

[Ghostwise]

I'm including a pdf with this message with some notes for converting from MEGS (the name the Mayfair DC Heroes RPG was given after it lost the DC gaming license) to the Hero System.Hope they help.

Does anybody knows how to contact the author of this anonymous .pdf ?

I'd be interested in putting a copy on the main DC Heroes/MEGS writeups site (www.writeups.org) so it is more accessible to Hero players.

Ta, and sorry for the slight thread necromancy.

[Lord Liaden]

Does anybody knows how to contact the author of this anonymous .pdf ?

I'd be interested in putting a copy on the main DC Heroes/MEGS writeups site (www.writeups.org) so it is more accessible to Hero players.

Ta, and sorry for the slight thread necromancy.

Old threads never die - they just lurk in wait for someone to disturb their crypt...

Well, you can contact the one who attached the .pdf, Southern Cross, by sending him a Private Message. Just click over his username in his post above to get the appropriate menu.

If SC isn't the author, he may at least know how to get in touch with him.

Good luck.

[Kristopher]

Maybe SleepyDrug will stop by...these kinds of convertions are a hobby of his. Although, he tends to convert straight from the comic book source material, as opposed to from a published system.

[Southern Cross]

If I remember rightly,the writer of that anonymous pdf is Derek Hiemforth,a long-standing Hero Games Discussion Board member.
(My apologies for not answering sooner,my home computer's stuck in Safe Mode (better described as Nigh-Useless Mode) and I've had to go to a cybercafe to get internet access).

[Ghostwise]

If I remember rightly,the writer of that anonymous pdf is Derek Hiemforth,a long-standing Hero Games Discussion Board member.

Thank you, guv'nor. I'm PMing him.

(My apologies for not answering sooner,my home computer's stuck in Safe Mode (better described as Nigh-Useless Mode) and I've had to go to a cybercafe to get internet access).

[Derek Hiemforth]

Hey everyone. I am indeed the author of that MEGS-to-HERO document.

However, it was originally written for a private APAzine, and not intended for widespread public distribution. I have no permission from Hero Games to use their IP in it, nor do I have permission from the current owners of the MEGS system to use theirs. I have long since removed it from accessibility at my web site for those reasons, and I was totally unaware that it was "floating around" in circulation.

Also, the doc was written before HERO System 5th Edition came out (and before Blood of Heroes came out for MEGS), so it is not up-to-date. And I have no plans to update it.

Southern Cross (or Ben), if you read this, please remove the link to the document earlier in this thread, as I would prefer not to have it made available here. Likewise, Ghostwise, please do not add the file to www.writeups.org. Thanks!