Help with racial abilities

[Lightbane]

Hello all,

 

I am attempting to convert the races from the Iron Kingdoms setting (uses d20 rules and is a fantasy game so I thought it best to post in the Fantasy Hero section) and I was hoping for some feedback from those more experienced with Hero than I am. I'm just going to list all the abilities that I'd like help with and ideas that I have to simulate this ability, any feedback would be helpful.

 

1) Poison resistance 4, Hero doesn't really have a mechanism already in place to handle partial resistance to poison so I was thinking of using this:

 

+8 body (-1, only to determine damage caused by poison)

Power Defense 6 (-1, only versus effects due to poison)

 

The only problem that I can think of is that this body would have to heal back like normal body wouldn't it? This isn't really all that bad a thing, but a poison will generally run through a person's system faster than it would take to heal the body used to subtract from that damage. I may just rule that it stays static just so that I don't have to pay attention to how fast this body damage is healing as I don't see myself using poisonous creatures very often.

 

2) The goblins of this world can change their skin color to blend into there surroundings giving a bonus of +1 to +4 to hide counting on how much clothing they're wearing. Invisibility with the chameleon (-1/2) and perhaps a variable activation roll based on how much of their body is covered would seem to be in the same spirit as the original d20 ability. What limitation would you apply to a variable activation roll though, especially since if the goblin ran around nude the power would always work (not that I'd let a player do this without repercussions, but I know sooner or later someone might try it). Does any one have a better idea on how to handle this?

 

3) Another race of larger goblins (basically similar to hobgoblins) doesn't suffer from exposure for temperatures between 0-110 degrees Fahrenheit. A group of elves in the setting also have a similar ability, but can withstand cold temperatures up to 40 degrees (Fahrenheit) lower than normal without problems, while suffering problems from heat as 20 degrees higher than normal if they're wearing pretty much any armor. Would this be some form of limited life support intense cold/heat or maybe a change environment that only effects them (possessing modifiers, such as, self-only (-1/2), 0 end (+1/2), persistent (+1/2), and inherent (+1/4))? The change environment seems too pricey to create a weaker version of another cheaper power. Also, a susceptibility seems way too strong to use against the elf for they're weakness against heat, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to try to emulate these abilities otherwise I'll just use normal life support intense heat/cold, as it won't make a huge difference.

 

One last item, in this setting the difference between sorcerers and wizards is actually somewhat important, how would or do you handle the difference between them. If it wasn't part of the setting I would ignore it myself and I still might, but I'd like to hear some ideas.

 

This post has gotten pretty long and jumbled so I'm going to end it here, as I'm fairly certain I can handle the rest. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide me (and your patience in reading this messy post).

[MitchellS]

Re: Help with racial abilities

 

1) You might want to look at Damage Resistance with a Poison Only Limitation.

 

2) Concealment with racial plusses. Concealment +5

 

3) Just use life support cold or high heat with a -1 limitation to represent the minimal extremes.

 

4) I don't know the setting so I can't tell help you with the difference between sorcerers and wizards.

[Lightbane]

Re: Help with racial abilities

 

Thanks for the help MitchellS,

 

1) You meant Damage Reduction right? As poison is usually a NND attack and damage resistance wouldn't do anything against it would it? Damage Reduction is a good idea I never even thought about it.

 

2) Simple solutions are often the best.

 

3) That's pretty much what I was thinking.

 

4) In 3rd edition D&D the only real difference is that sorcerers just learn spells naturally while wizards need to use a spell book to memorize spells for the day, as I'm not really fond of D&D's magic system I'll probably just ignore the difference or down play it.

 

Thanks for all your input and I bow to your expertise in this matter.

[The Hyborian]

Re: Help with racial abilities

 

 

4) I don't know the setting so I can't tell help you with the difference between sorcerers and wizards.

 

 

A gamer that has not been scared by the D&D magic system? Its like meeting the last virgin at woodstock. I almost hate to this to you, but here I go, because Im not sure how you would do this with Hero.

 

A wizard:

 

A wizard has a book of spells that he knows. Each day he studies his spellbook and prepares a set number of spells. This prepared spell list must specify both which spells he can cast that day and how many times each spell can be cast. (i.e. Sleep x2, Magic Missle x1, etc.) The number of spells he can chose depends on how experienced he is. (in d20 terms his character level). The more experienced , the more spells he gets, and the higher level spells he gets. (for example, a level 5 Wizard will get 3 first, 2 second, and 1 third level spells each day, with a possible bonus to those numbers based on stats.) The wizard must wait until he reaches level 7 to cast 4th level spells, etc.

 

Sorcerers:

 

No spellbook. They "know" a small number of spell, and this number increases as they increase in charcter level. They also have a spells per day cap based on charcter level, but instead preparing spells ahead of time they can cast any spell on their list of a given level as they have "slots" available. So if a Sorcerer of a given level can cast 5 1st level spells per day they can chose any 5 they know, and chose "on the fly" as they go through their day. They get slighty more spells per day than a wizard, but advance to the higher level spells slightly slower. Also, the main rub is that they have a more limited spell list. Wizards can potentially know dozens, perhaps hundreds of spells, as many as they can find/buy/steal/research. Sorcerers have a more intrinsic magic, its a talent rather than a science. They only know a few spells of each level, but can chose within those freely as they need, up to their casting limits for the day.

 

So, does anyone know how to simulate this, or has it already been writen up somewhere? (Hint Hint link)

 

T. H.

[MitchellS]

Re: Help with racial abilities

 

Thanks for the help MitchellS,

 

1) You meant Damage Reduction right? As poison is usually a NND attack and damage resistance wouldn't do anything against it would it? Damage Reduction is a good idea I never even thought about it.

 

2) Simple solutions are often the best.

 

3) That's pretty much what I was thinking.

 

4) In 3rd edition D&D the only real difference is that sorcerers just learn spells naturally while wizards need to use a spell book to memorize spells for the day, as I'm not really fond of D&D's magic system I'll probably just ignore the difference or down play it.

 

Thanks for all your input and I bow to your expertise in this matter.

Ok that was my bad. I was assuming the Iron Kingdoms had some specific types of Sorcerers and Wizards different from standard D&D.

 

How you choose to handle sorcerers and wizards depends on how you choose to handle magic in your game. If you're going to emulate the d20 system then I'd go with the following:

 

Wizards get VPPs to represent the number of spells they are allowed per day. The also must take the Can Only Be Changed In A Given Circumstance [reading spellbook] limitation. The player assigns the spells to the VPP and gives it a charges limitation depending on how many times the particular spell can be used per day.

 

Sorcerers get a Multipower with charges represent the number of spells they are allowed per day. Each slot is a different spell and they can pick from any slot until all of their charges are used up.

 

I personally don't care to emulate the d20 magic system. The strength of the Hero System is that you can step away from the mold and do something unique. I'd be more inclined to have sorcerers create spells which require a lower RSR penalty [-1/20] and possibly a variable limitation to represent the unfocused aspects of the magic [they need to come up with limitations on the fly]. The wizards would have more structured spells which might always require a staff/wand/rod and lengthy incantations. I'd perhaps give wizards the full phase limitation to represent the controlled feel of their casting.

 

Sorcerer: RSR [-1/20]: -1/4, Variable Limitation [-1/2]: -1/4, Incantations: -1/4, Gestures: -1/4, Side Effect: -1/2, Visible: -1/4

 

Wizard: RSR: -1/2, OAF: -1, Concentration: -1/4

 

And yes, I meant damage reduction, and it can be used on AVLD and NND attacks.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Help with racial abilities

 

Well, you could build each level of spells as a multipower, giving each multipower a number of charges equal to the number of spells of that level that the caster can use per day. Personally, I don't like the D&D magic system enough to go to this length to emulate it.

 

I would suggest giving the wizard spells a -1/4 limitation to the effect that the wizard must study for a certain period of time per day to use magic. Or maybe give wizards the Dependence disadvantage, with Activation rolls on all magic if the daily study routine isn't adhered to.

 

On the other hand, I'd make sorceror magic cost Extra END, at least x2. Maybe give it no Required Skill Roll, but I could see that one going either way.

 

You could do more to flavor the different styles of magic, but even leaving it at this level will make the two seem quite different.

 

Edit: it looks like MitchellS has lots of good ideas too. And we coincidentally both used the word "emulate".