Any idea when Book 1 (char. creation) will be back in stock?

[ihollaway]

Just that.  Thank you.

[IndianaJoe3]

Hero Games will not be printing another run. Your options are either a PDF or a print-on-demand copy from DrivethruRPG.

[Sketchpad]

And just in case you needed a link @ihollaway please see below.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/64072/HERO-System-6th-Edition-Character-Creation?manufacturers_id=115&filters=0_0_0_44294_0

[MareNovum]

I've been reading the forums and it's made me miss playing all over again. With that in mind, I was hoping to get some of my local friends interested in playing.

 

I began on 1st ed, and followed the game thru to 4th ed, which is still my favorite as they continued to iron out wrinkles each time. I haven't played since then, but I've decided if starting players it's easiest/best (imo) to start them on the most current edition, which is 6th ed. What book(s) would they need to buy at a bare minimum to play 6th ed? I have a local bookstore that I patronize where I can probably get them ordered, or through my local game store(s). I don't want to tell folks they'd need to buy three books and spend $60+ to take up a new game that, frankly, isn't being played as widely as it should be (again, imo). I saw the posting about ordering it on drivethruRPG or as a PDF, but I do prefer the feeling of paper in my hand.

 

What books should they have? I'll use my old modules and stuff and update/convert them as needed: and, of course, I have a hex map, dice and tons of minis.

[Jhamin]

The nice thing about Hero is that it mostly fits into one book.

If you are a new player and are joining a Supers game, you need Champions Complete.  That's it.

If you are running a Supers Game, I'd go with
- Champions Complete (For the rules and the Genre Breakdown and some sample characters)
- Champions Villains Vol 1-3 (For bad guys to fight)

Optional but highly recommended:
- Hero System Martial Arts (Dramatically expands the martial arts rules.  If your heroes are the Thing or Iron Man you don't care.  If your heroes are Daredevil, Captain America, or Iron Fist this book is the best)
- Champions Powers (example powers to speed up character building.  Nothing here you couldn't make on your own, but having the example can speed up a lot of character builds and hep new player wrap their heads around the game)
- Hero System book of Templates (These are fully built stats for a bunch of classic comic book characters with names filed off.  Excellent to get you going, excellent to help new players wrap their heads around the game, but once again nothing you can't do yourself.  It just saves time)

After that there are some optional things

- Champions 6ed (Sets up the Super Genre. There is an abbreviated version in Champs Complete, but more is often good)
- Champions Universe 6ed (sets up the world, you can get half of what you need from the villain books & I'm not sure if you really need anything more than a city and some baddies at first)

- Hero System 6th Ed books 1 and 2 (*way* more detailed version of the main rules, lots of examples and additional options, but can be overkill for most new players.  Can read like the tax code if your brain doesn't work that way.  It's also getting almost impossible to find physical copies of.  Champs Complete is more than enough for most people)

After that there are several books of deep dives into one of the big bad guys or one of the various organizations of the Champs Universe (Dr. Destroyer, Viper, Etc).  Nice to have, can inspire story lines, but not actually necessary.

[Jhamin]

On 3/22/2021 at 1:46 PM, Sketchpad said:

And just in case you needed a link @ihollaway please see below.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/64072/HERO-System-6th-Edition-Character-Creation?manufacturers_id=115&filters=0_0_0_44294_0

Note that this is for a PDF only.  DriveThrough RPG makes Book 2 available for print on demand but not book 1

[foolishvictor]

A couple of years ago I was able to snag the 6E1 and 6E2 books from eBay brand new at what amounts to their original retail price.  That said, they don't come up often.

 

Since you have a preference for 6E I would also recommend Champions Complete it has everything you need but perhaps not as much as you might want.  It may be difficult to find a new copy however inside it is black and white so a print on demand version should work fine.  I would also recommend getting Champions Powers.  It has a ton of good examples.  (It is nearly twice the size of Champions Complete...)

[DreadDomain]

You probably have all you need in Champions Complete. You have the full rules in there although in a much more concise fashion (think Champions 4th Edition). Personally, as a second book to support it, I like Champions 6e (the genre book). It provides more examples for powers, gadgets, devices, vehicles, etc, discussed various superhero types and eras and such and I find the Superhero Gallery of great value. It's basically 20 classic character templates  from which you can create a wide array of characters. 

[Spence]

On 3/24/2021 at 10:29 AM, Jhamin said:

Note that this is for a PDF only.  DriveThrough RPG makes Book 2 available for print on demand but not book 1

Here it is in paperback

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Hero-System-6th-Character-Creation/dp/1583661204/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UMA8MNOQ16AI&dchild=1&keywords=hero+system+6th+edition&qid=1630954415&sprefix=hero+system%2Caps%2C262&sr=8-1

 

I have purchased the 5th Ed Revised

https://smile.amazon.com/Hero-System-revised-Steven-Long/dp/1583660437/ref=sr_1_2?crid=DFI7FIVBXA3T&dchild=1&keywords=hero+system+5th+edition+revised&qid=1630954582&sprefix=hero+system+5th+edition%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-2

 

And it is a pretty good book.  Maybe not hardback, but a well made book and it has held together well.