d20 conversion to/from Hero System

[eward]

Any suggestions on converting d20 material to Hero System?

[Sean Waters]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

Yes, as far as the mechanics go, you'll note the average of a d20 and 3d6 roll is 10.5, so just use the d20 system as is: in combat, add 10 to DCV and roll high not low and add to OCV. Makes far more sense than the somewhat arcane mechanic we use at present. Do the same with skills then you can just port combat and other skills straight over.

 

You can reverse engineer the DEX from the combat adds (if in d20 you have +6 to hit then your DEX has to be at most 18, and it is probably less with some skill levels.

 

As for converting characters I'm sure our Lord of the Links can point you at somewhere they've already done all the legwork.

[Tom Carman]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

On skill rolls:

 

The "average" Hero roll is 11-, and the system is set up so that average stats will get that "average" roll: 9 + stat/5 = 11 when the stat is near 10. To convert to a roll-over system, 10+ is equal to 11-. I find it convenient to retain "stat/5" as a "stat bonus". The revised characteristic roll becomes 3d6+bonus. With the average bonus (from average stats) being 2, raise your target number for standard success from 10+ to 12+.

 

Stat-based rolls for a base skill are 3d6+bonus. For skills with a flat 11- base, use a flat bonus of 2. For Familiarity rolls, the bonus is -1.

 

So, roll 3d6, add stat bonus and levels, subtract penalties, to "beat 12".

[Lord Liaden]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

Because there are so many variants of D20, there's a limit to how much general guidelines you can apply. TRL and TC have made a good start on those. Beyond that it becomes a matter of dealing with each individual game.

 

For example, here are detailed notes on converting almost all elements of Dungeons and Dragons (Characteristics, classes, races, spells etc.) into HERO System:

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/SystemConversion.shtml

 

These notes will help you convert character stats from Star Wars D20 into HERO:

http://www.hierax.com/hero/star/wars/

 

There are a number of cases in which HERO fans have converted material from a given game into this system just by building to match the effect from the source material, without a precise conversion matrix. If you have a specific game in mind we might be able to hook you up.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

As for converting characters I'm sure our Lord of the Links can point you at somewhere they've already done all the legwork.

 

I appreciate the compliment to my rep, of course, but I hope I'm not causing you guys to become dependent on me for linkage. What if I'm in an accident and rendered unable to type?

[Herolover]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

I appreciate the compliment to my rep' date=' of course, but I hope I'm not causing you guys to become dependent on me for linkage. What if I'm in an accident and rendered unable to type? [/quote']

 

We will expect you to get a speech recognition program

[Sean Waters]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

I appreciate the compliment to my rep' date=' of course, but I hope I'm not causing you guys to become dependent on me for linkage. What if I'm in an accident and rendered unable to type? [/quote']

 

We'll come round and badger you to get over it and if you can't get over it we'll train the badgers to type.

[tancred]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

What if I'm in an accident and rendered unable to type?

 

Like good Herophiles, oh Lord of the Links, we will pool our points and buy you whatever equipment proves necessary.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

I've tinkered with quite a few Hero to-and-from d20 conversions, and unless you have a particular reason to be really retentive about it, mostly worry about getting the 'feel' of the character right, since somethings won't translate smoothly, and some things just don't translate at all due to the mechanics.

 

For example ... d20 has a mechanic called Attack Of Opportunity. For the non-d20-literate folks, it basically means that anybody armed near you gets a free swing at you if you perform an action that affects your concentration or makes you lower your guard. Hero doesn't have anything like it, unless you wanted to take a limitation on certain powers, so AoO-based feats like Combat Casting and Combat Reflexes don't need to translate over.

 

Similarly, d20 operates with absolutes. You can be absolutely immune to certain attack forms; Magic Missiles strike with 100 percent accuracy. Not something HERO does ... there's almost always a way out. Even if you buy +10 levels as part of the Magic Missile, you can always roll an 18.

 

The thing I'm most trying to get right is skill translations. Most of the skills are easily converted, but figuring out what d20 rank becomes what Hero roll is the tricky part.

[eward]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

Thank you for all your efforts. I have so much material in the d20 system, but much perfer the hero system mechanics. I would certainly buy any product of that nature.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: d20 conversion to/from Hero System

 

Thank you for all your efforts. I have so much material in the d20 system' date=' but much perfer the hero system mechanics. I would certainly buy any product of that nature.[/quote']

Actually, d20 is so similar to the HERO System that it is actually very easy to convert material from one to the other.

 

Some elements of d20 are very metagame oriented, like abilities that basically allow a character to ignore or override rules, or interact with rules specific to the game mechanic (like AoO), and they dont convert over cleanly or at all, but in those cases you can simply posit an alternative ability that accomplishes similar results in the HERO System.

 

Ive done a bit of work on how to convert both AD&D 2e and D&D 3e to the HERO System; you can find that material at http://www.FantasyHERO.com under "Conversion Documents".