So how do i do this?

[Hollywood Ghost]

This is gonna sound CRAZY.

I'm 23, have never played a role playing game before, always wanted to, always loved superheros. Found myself 5 of the original first edition "champions" books at about 3 dollars per. So i bought them, got them home, showed them to my friends and everyone is into the ideal of playing an RPG..

 

THe thing is, none of us ever have.

Can anyone tell me about the first edition? i'll eventually graduate to the fifth edition but i just want to know if in general this system is user friendly.

I have been reading through the books and it seems fairly straight forward, but there is alot of math.

 

Are there any tips anyone can give me?

Is there anything in particular i should keep in mind when learning/playing this game? would it make more sense to ditch the oldschool version of the game and just go buy the fifth edition?

[Dust Raven]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

I've never read the rules for 1st edition, but I have for second. I'm not sure what the differences are.

 

From what I remember, 2nd was fairly simple and straight forward. There's not really a lot of math. Most of the math done is repetitive and involves the same numbers over and over. There really isn't any more than any other system, though if you are new to role-playing that doesn't mean much.

 

My best advice for a group of players, all entirely new to role-playing, would simply be to start playing. When you hit a snag, post a question. If you find that you are having fun, run out and by Hero System Fifth Edition, or Sidekick (which is kinda like a "beginners" version of the main book).

[Hollywood Ghost]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

If you find that you are having fun' date=' run out and by [i']Hero System Fifth Edition[/i], or Sidekick (which is kinda like a "beginners" version of the main book).

 

thanks, thats a really good idea.

I'm glad that they have a beginers version.

[Dust Raven]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Oh....and welcome to the Hero System!

 

(Silly me, forgetting my manners like that)

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

I strongly second the recommendation to pick up Sidekick.

 

I also suggest the UNTIL Superpowers Database and perhaps the fifth edition Champions book.

 

If you don't want to shell out that kind of dinero then Sidekick should be good, and the stuff on running superhero games, campaigning, etc., in the older books is all just as applicable to fifth edition rules as it was back in the day.

[McCoy]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

IIRC I found the 1st and 2nd explanations of the Elemental Control power framework difficult to understand. Look online for examples until it becomes clear. Otherwise, it's user friendly.

 

Math can be a bit daunting. Hero Designer makes that invisible and is a good investment.

 

Play a couple of games, and if you're having fun get Sidekick.

[dbsousa]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

My best advice to you is to find a Gamemaster who is willing to run an adventure for you. Try the "Player Finder" section. I think you will learn the game much quicker if you have a "mentor"...

[McCoy]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Oh, one simplification you may want to adapt from later editions is reduced END.

 

IIRC 1st edition, each 1/4 advantage cut the END cost in half, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc. Currently a 1/4 advantage cuts END cost in half, for 1/2, you get 0 END cost. A lot simpler.

[TheEmerged]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

I would strongly recommend Sidekick as your first purchase -- it's better to start easy. If you find you like it (which you probably will ) move up to Fifth Edition and the UNTIL Super Powers Database. I could also recommend HERO Designer if you want a (very good) shortcut for character creation.

 

And as others said, if you have questions don't be shy about asking them here. You will find these boards quite newbie friendly -- we have to be

 

One other point: don't be surprised if you get varying answers to the questions -- HERO's diversity means there's more than one way to handle just about everything...

[The Horror]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Don't worry if it takes ages to design characters at first. Hero/Champions is quite intense in the character creation side, but it gets much much easier with practise. The advantage the system has over most others out there is that for a little bit more effort on the outset, you get absolute freedom of design for your characters and games. Plus after having a play with Hero, everything else will seem easy!

 

I'm sure you'll have a blast with it.

 

Start off by designing characters, or even just using some premade ones from the books you have. Then sit the players down and go through the rules very briefly. If they don't get it at first then don't worry, it all becomes clear during play anyway. After that start playing. If you are running the game, then come up with some sort of classic comic book plot and let the players work their way through it. Keep it vague, and let the players help you build a story.

 

If you want tips on how to run RPGs, there are plenty to be found online. My favourite hint is to use descriptions in lots of three. If you describe a police officer for example, describe three things about him using any and all physical senses you can.

 

Eg: The police officer approaches you. His uniform looks like it hasn't been washed in a while, and the gel in his slick black hair glistens under the sun. He taps his chubby fingers on the hilt of his gun, and speaks: "So what do we have here then?"

 

Really handy method to use for describing rooms and scenery, as well as important characters you want the players to remember.

 

 

The Horror

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Don't worry if it takes ages to design characters at first. Hero/Champions is quite intense in the character creation side' date=' but it gets much much easier with practise.[/quote']

 

When I first started playing Champions, I started off by playing pre-made characters. I was new to the system, and it was completely different from anything I had played before. Getting straight into playing without having to hassle with chargen made things much easier for me. After I got familiar with the system and how things worked in practice, I had a much better foundation for digging into the system and making up characters exactly to my specifications.

 

Maybe that would work for you, maybe it wouldn't. Different people like different things.

[Dust Raven]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Playing premade characters (usually written up by my GM at the time, but published character work just as well) is how I got my start playing too. I makes it easier for a player to learn (and even a GM I suppose). I didn't have to worry about the cost of anything, just how it interacted with what everyone else was doing when I used it. Once I got an idea on what stuff did, I took a look at the rulebook and read up on it to fill out the gaps. Once I figured out the relationship between STR and EB everything else was rather simple.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Welcome aboard, Hollywood Ghost! Judging by your name and avatar, I think you'll fit into this place quite well.

 

While those very early editions of Champions are probably a good introduction to the principle of roleplaying for someone with no experience of role-playing games at all, on balance I'd suggest that it would be better long-term for you and your group to get into Fifth Edition sooner, rather than focus too much on the early editions of the game. Support materials fully compatible with that early stuff are hard to find nowadays, and the system has evolved dramatically (and in some areas almost unrecognizably) over the last two decades. Moreover, modern HERO is just a great deal clearer, better balanced and more versatile than it was in its beginning as Champions.

 

I agree that HERO System Sidekick would be the best overall gateway to learning HERO. It was specially designed to teach it to newcomers, and while it's a little short of the flexibility of the fully-optioned 5E rules it's still a complete playable game in itself. At least 90% of what's in the supplements published for 5E by Hero Games would be fully usable with SK alone.

 

I can also suggest some online resources here on the website that can help you get up to speed. This link to the section of the FAQs entitled Working With The HERO System will answer some of the basic questions about how to approach it. I also recommend downloading the free PDF documents from the first three links on this page from the "Free Stuff" section of the website. They'll give you a good intro to some of the fundamental mechanics of the game, and guidelines on how to use it to play in various genres.

 

Anything else you need to know, please feel free to come back and ask. We're all knowledgeable, creative, friendly and helpful, and above all modest.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: So how do i do this?

 

Ill concur with the "get Sidekick" and "use pregenerated PCs" suggestions.

 

 

Also, Ive got to say it, an entire group learning how to play an RPG using the HERO System is like a bunch of people that dont know how to swim all jumping into the deep end.

 

The HERO System is one of the more complicated and "heavy" game systems out there.

 

However, Sidekick does a good job simplifying, and the payoff is worth the overhead in my opinion.

 

 

For a first time supers GM, I must heavily recommend the 5th Edition Champions Genre book. It doesnt really contain any rules, instead it contains a host of tips on running supers games written by one of the industry giants, Aaron Allston. It also contains a team of starting characters which also happen to be the iconic characters of the default superhero setting, the Champions! and some villains as well.

 

Good luck!