THartman Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 After attending Nuke-Con and chatting a bit with Steve Long and a couple of current Champions Players, I've decided to get back in. I'm not terribly familiar with what changes have been made from 4th Edition to 5th (and I'm going to get 5ER when it's out.) So I'm wondering what people consider to be must-have books these days, beyond the rulebook. I'm also wondering how well 4th Ed source material will work with 5th (so it's a two part question.) For the record, still have my blue book, Fantasy Hero, Ninja Hero, Dark Champions, Mystic Masters, Classic Enemies and Alien Enemies. -Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Get the Until Superpowers Database. And the HeroDesigner Software Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackCobra Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? If you plan on doing anything with animals (companions, alternate forms, summonings, etc) in a Superhero settings or are planning to run Fantasy Hero, the Bestiary is essential. I found the UNTIL Superpowers Database to be really handy, especially for getting power and/or character ideas and helping the lest Hero-system savvy folks up-and-running. Sidekick, if you have players who aren't that familiar with the rules. Fantasy Hero, if you're going to run a fantasy game. The Grimoire is cool, and is good for some ideas, but it's largely high-end magics. Really, I haven't been dissappointed with any of my Hero Games purchases -- I've found uses for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? If you're running a superhero game that deals with any magical themes, Mystic World is a must-have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackjack Posted October 4, 2004 Report Share Posted October 4, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? I cannot agree more about the usefulness of the Super Powers Database and the Bestiary. They're "must haves." If you can get it, _definitely_ get the Ultimate Martial Artist. This is a "must have" regardless of what genre you will be playing. It greatly expands and enhances the hand-to-hand and martial arts combat rules, with some (IMHO) _necessary_ explanations and clarifications. I also find the Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks (the 5th Ed version of Classic Enemies) absolutely invaluable. You'll find some old 'friends' there, updated to the new edition, and LOTS of great new baddies. A "must have" for a Champions campaign. You won't be disappointed by any of the books HERO produces. I haven't seen any that I couldn't recommend. However, since most of us aren't made of money, I'd prioritize as follows: FREd or FREd-R (and Sidekick for those new to HERO) Ultimate Martial Artist the Superpowers Database Conquerors... then everything else, as your game and tastes require. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Hi, Todd ::waves:: There really weren't that many changes between 4th and 5th editions, so you could still use your 4th edition books. I'll agree on the UNTIL Superpowers Database being a must-buy if you're running supers, though. Lots of inspiration for new characters (or new players trying to come up with a character), and you can also use it as examples of how the powers that were tweaked work now. You already have several of the villains from Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks in your 4th edition books, but I'd get it anyway. It's still fun to write up a character with paper, pencil, and rulebook; but Hero Designer is a godsend for anyone who needs to write up/mathcheck lots of characters. I was just at The Game Shoppe in Bellevue this morning for my copy of DEMON, and IIRC they still had a copy of Ultimate Martial Artist on the shelf. That one's going out of print, so I'd grab it while you can. I'd add the UNTIL sourcebook, but then I'm in that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? If you can ... snag a copy of the Ultimate Martial Artist while ya can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Welcome, THartman! Perhaps you'd like to take a look at a summary of the changes from 4th to 5th Edition: http://theemerged.blogspot.com/HERO425.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THartman Posted October 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Yikes. That's quite a list (of changes). I think there's quite a lot of new stuff for me to get used to. Oh well. Guess I'll figure it out eventually. -T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Relax, no need to panic. While there are a bunch of little details that have changed, the major differences are really pretty few. Mostly 5E merely clarified grey areas and expanded the available options. 4E stuff is still about 90% compatible with the new rules. TheEmerged is just a very thorough man. His commentary on the changes also takes up quite a bit of that document, although it's definitely interesting and illuminating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgaptte Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? Easy. Get them all! ;D Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. MID-Nite Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 Re: Must-Have Books of 2004? I'd say must haves are the Hero system rulebook and the Hero Beastiary. Then whatever genre book pertaining to what your playing. For superheroes, Conquerers, Killers, and Crooks and the Until Database are pretty much must haves. Everything else is buyer discretion, though much of it is VERY good. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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