Buy the ability to use weapons, armor, shields, etc. (mostly for fantasy)

[prestidigitator]

So I'm probably going to run another fantasy campaign in the near future.  Frankly I find all the hand-waving that does things like giving characters the ability to use magic by buying a Skill or three, plus reducing the cost of spells like some kind of equipment thing, really arbitrary and terrible.  You might as well not use the Hero System at all at that point.

 

So rather than giving those who are able to use magic some kind of big, arbitrary Character Point subsidies, I'm thinking of doing the opposite: make characters buy the ability to use weapons, armor, and shields.  This means I am also fundamentally changing how weapons work.  Honestly I think it's more in line with the philosophy of the system.  Rather than somehow embodying the actual Attack Powers, weapons simply become a necessary focus (and special effects) for using them (and limit the amount of your Attack Power you can use), although there's a little tweaking in that they can add some e.g. Advantages and instead of buying the base Attack Power with some kind of Variable Advantage, I essentially just apply the weapon Advantage to the Attack Power in reverse (e.g. change the number of points per DC).  So I guess you could say some weapons include Naked Advantages of a sort.  This could also apply to non-fantasy genres; it's just not what I'm really focused on at the moment.

 

To make this somewhat simpler for my players (who are not very familiar with Hero and don't want to "do a lot of math" and all that) I am also introducing Damage Points, which are basically the Base Points you would spend on the Attack Power or on Str (5 Damage Points per DC for an unadvantaged attack).  It just makes it easier (IMO) to say 5 DPs normally equate to 1 DC, but more can be required based on the type of weapon.

 

Anyway, the attachments (rules document and tables) are what all of this looks like so far.  Feedback welcome.  You all have permission to use, modify, and redistribute the contents according to CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

 

* Rules: fantasyRulesForSemiHeroicCombatAbilityPurchase_v1.0_1.pdf

* Tables: fantasyRulesForSemiHeroicCombatAbilityPurchase_v1.0_2.pdf

[Hyper-Man]

Seems like an awful lot of work that will invalidate a significant chunk of whatever edition of published HTH rules you are using.  I would rather start simple and slowly try to encourage players to learn the published rules rather than try to coddle to their math adverse attitudes.

 

HM

[Cantriped]

This doesn't seem any simpler at all. If the main issue is just the point imbalance created by 'Martials' getting Free Normal Equipment that 'Casters' do not... there are much simpler solutions than extensive toolkitting. If the issue is just your players inability (or unwillingness) to use a calculator, there isn't a rules solution to stupid or lazy.

 

The simplest solution to the problems created by the Heroic Equipment rules are not to use them. Just run Superheroic Fantasy instead. If everybody pays points for everything regardless of special effect, than there is no possibility of Martial/Caster Disparity causing an imbalance.

 

You could also give a look at the Resource Point rules, they allow a GM to give the players lots of loot, while still restricting the amount of CP worth of equipment characters begin the scenario with.

 

In addendum to, or separate from the above advice, you could write a few items up for spellcasters so that everyone has equal opportunities for Free Normal Equipment (by stretching the definition of 'normal' to include a great many minor magical items). For example, a Wand of Magic Missile (which requires the appropriate WF, and might have Charges Which Never Recover).