Star Wars Hero - General "The Force" power

[Mencelus]

For the last few months my group and I have been playing Star Wars using Dogs in the Vineyard. Great system, since traits are very fluid and all, but after a few sessions we've found some holes in it for our style of play (not truck-drive-though holes, but big enough to annoy). In any case, we've been bantering over a system change and I thought, hmm, HERO...

Now, I'd like to give them the same sort of "freedom to do little Force tricks" that we had with DitV before, while also letting them define the big ticket powers, like telekenisis.

Here's my idea - the players can "call on the Force" to do self-only physical activities, things like run faster, be a bit stronger, increase their chance to hit (say, by increasing their dex or something). Things like that.

I want the PCs to have this ability, so I thought about using Aid with the variable advantage.

Or Luck? Let each dice equal an "upped stat" for a scene?

Thoughts?

(for the others powers, they'd be standard HERO system way).

[Sgt_Pedro]

Aid with the Variable Effect (Any Characteristic, one at a time) (+1/4)

Sounds about perfect for what you're looking for.

[Diamond Spear]

Aid with the Variable Effect (Any Characteristic, one at a time) (+1/4)

Sounds about perfect for what you're looking for.

That would be my suggestion as well.

[Maur]

Or one could use D6 Space and the Metaphysics abilities...

[caris]

Well, you could define what "Force Tricks" can do. "+1 OCV", "+3 inches Running", etc. Aid is great when you want the results to vary each time, when you want a set effect each time, it is usually simpler to just buy the bonus straight out.

Are you planning on having the players pay points for the minor Force powers?

[Mencelus]

Well, you could define what "Force Tricks" can do. "+1 OCV", "+3 inches Running", etc. Aid is great when you want the results to vary each time, when you want a set effect each time, it is usually simpler to just buy the bonus straight out.

Are you planning on having the players pay points for the minor Force powers?

Basically. But they won't know that since I'll be making characters this first time around.

My plan is to create the various powers, with this main one as a given, and then let them mix and match the others within a certain point range. With points left over, we'll determine skills, stats, and maybe bump up (or lower) the strength of their powers.

[Sean Waters]

How about overall skill levels?

Add in a few limitations for flavour - you might want to require a moment's concentration or make them cost END, or have a limited number of charges, or whatever.

How does that work then?

Well, with overall skill levels you are better at pretty much everything you turn your hand to, and that includes pushing your abilities*.

So, overall skill levels allow you to be a bit stronger, better in combat and all. Sounds about what you are looking for

*You could even have a special pushing house rule - roll EGO to be able to push by up to 10 points, at a cost of 10 END-(the amount you made the roll by). So Jedi Masters with their huge Ego rolls and substantial Force Skill levels can more routinely push without worrying about END quite so much.

[Mencelus]

How about overall skill levels?

Add in a few limitations for flavour - you might want to require a moment's concentration or make them cost END, or have a limited number of charges, or whatever.

How does that work then?

Well, with overall skill levels you are better at pretty much everything you turn your hand to, and that includes pushing your abilities*.

So, overall skill levels allow you to be a bit stronger, better in combat and all. Sounds about what you are looking for

*You could even have a special pushing house rule - roll EGO to be able to push by up to 10 points, at a cost of 10 END-(the amount you made the roll by). So Jedi Masters with their huge Ego rolls and substantial Force Skill levels can more routinely push without worrying about END quite so much.

Oh, I like this very much! Yes, overall skill levels with the EGO pushing rule you just gave. Very nice.

Now, I'm a bit of a noob to HERO (not to gaming, just HERO), but what do you mean by Overall skill level? IS there a special entry for this somewhere in HERO (I've got the 5th edition revised). It sounds like just what I wanted though...

[JmOz]

Oh, I like this very much! Yes, overall skill levels with the EGO pushing rule you just gave. Very nice.

Now, I'm a bit of a noob to HERO (not to gaming, just HERO), but what do you mean by Overall skill level? IS there a special entry for this somewhere in HERO (I've got the 5th edition revised). It sounds like just what I wanted though...

I beleive you can find it in skills under skill levels, they are also sometimes called 10 point skill levels

[Sgt_Pedro]

The only problem is Overall Skill Levels don't do anything for Running or Jumping. Nor STR or anything else you might want in a generic Force push. Aiding your physical Characteristics includes OCV (in DEX), plus Running, Leaping, Lifting, etc...

[KevinL]

Small Variable power pool for The Force special effect powers would do the trick, like 20 to 30 point pool at most.

[Mencelus]

Then it looks like I'm back to the Aid thing. I like this mechanically better than a small VPP (remember, I'm still new to actually USING HERO). When I get more experienced, maybe I'll push the players to use it.

Or, let me do this another way - mechanically, how would this VPP look? Let's say we keep it small - 20 points max (so they can do things like buy a few inches of Leap, an extra bit if strength, etc). Would someone write that up so I can get an idea of how it looks? Thanks all.

[Sean Waters]

The only problem is Overall Skill Levels don't do anything for Running or Jumping. Nor STR or anything else you might want in a generic Force push. Aiding your physical Characteristics includes OCV (in DEX), plus Running, Leaping, Lifting, etc...

Oh but they DO, Sergeant: they improve your chance of pushing, which means you can increase your strength by up to 10 points, running by up to 5", leap by up to 2" (through strength) or up to 10" (if you have leaping as a power).

This allows extraordinary feats but still within the bounds of something like a 'force universe reality'.

They also add directly to OCV or DCV, although they cannot be used (normally) for characteristics and powers that do not cost END, there is a slightly sneaky way around that you may wish to adopt:

2 'Basic Force Powers' multipower (3 point pool, all slots cost END (-1/2))
1 +1 DEX (costs END, no figured)
1 +1 CON (costs END, no figured)
1 +1 PRE (costs END)

For a 5 point expenditure, you now have a small pool of characteristics that can add to your normal characteristics and allow those normally 'unpushable' characteristics to be pushed. Of course, with GM permission you do not even need the multipower.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Oh but they DO, Sergeant: they improve your chance of pushing, which means you can increase your strength by up to 10 points, running by up to 5", leap by up to 2" (through strength) or up to 10" (if you have leaping as a power).

This allows extraordinary feats but still within the bounds of something like a 'force universe reality'.

They also add directly to OCV or DCV, although they cannot be used (normally) for characteristics and powers that do not cost END, there is a slightly sneaky way around that you may wish to adopt:

2 'Basic Force Powers' multipower (3 point pool, all slots cost END (-1/2))
1 +1 DEX (costs END, no figured)
1 +1 CON (costs END, no figured)
1 +1 PRE (costs END)

For a 5 point expenditure, you now have a small pool of characteristics that can add to your normal characteristics and allow those normally 'unpushable' characteristics to be pushed. Of course, with GM permission you do not even need the multipower.

All this sounds like a convoluted way of just saying:

Aid xd6 (Any Characteristic, one at a time; +1/4)

He does mention simplicity. Adding a MP for CHARs just to allow them to be pushed is flexing the rules a bit more than necessary IMO.

[Nevenall]

You could also use the Power skill to simulate Force Tricks. In that scenario the Jedi develops a, probably EGO based, skill that they can roll to use low active point powers that they have not specifically bought.

In my opinion, running and jumping are Core Force powers that most every Jedi would buy.

Also, here is a link to the version of the Force that I used in my Star Wars campaign.