Which are the optional bits?

[DrFaust]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

As for Adjustment Powers' date=' no question that they can be one of the more complex Power categories to run. One approach that can help with that is to use the optional Standard Effect rule to make every die of an Adjustment Power do a set amount of effect rather than roll for it randomly. That makes it much easier to keep track of how much things are increased or decreased.[/quote']

 

But what about when you've got to calculate how a character's power changes as the effect fades?

 

If you've got a PC whose Drain fades at 5 points per turn, and he Drains three different characters over the course of the battle, you've got to figure out individually just what five points is relative to each power the PC drained. Is it a whole die, half a die, or one inch or three?

 

It's not good for speediness.

[Herolover]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply.

 

I think you are getting to worried about all the rules. HERO is a tool kit and therefore has a LOT of rules. However, most of them you never ever need to worry about unless they just happen to come up in play.

 

Take your question on Adjustment powers for example. Do any of your characters have any Adjustment powers? If not why are you worried about them? A lot of the powers, and really some of the other sections of the books, have a lot of rules that only come into effect in certain times.

 

Here is what you really need to know"

1) How to make a character. Not necessarily what all the powers do in detail, but get a feel for them. Energy Blast does normal damage. Entangle traps someone, Summon well...summons something.

 

When you players have one of these powers or you need to use it, then is the time to read the details of the power.

 

2) Basic Power rules. Realize this again has a lot of things that only come up in certain situations, but is still a decent overview.

 

3) Combat. Especially the sections on actions, aborting, and Multiple Power Attacks.

 

Once again realize that many of these sections have rules that only come into play in certain situation.

 

For example I have been playing HERO for 20+ years and have really been heavy into it for the last 10. I am GMing a Fantasy campaign and one of my players had a spell that used Multiform. It has the limitation Personality Loss. I had no idea what it was till I went and read.

 

There are a great many things like that in HERO and it can be daunting. Just don't worry about it. Run the game and pick it up as you go.

[DrFaust]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

Take your question on Adjustment powers for example. Do any of your characters have any Adjustment powers? If not why are you worried about them? A lot of the powers' date=' and really some of the other sections of the books, have a lot of rules that only come into effect in certain times.[/quote']

 

Well, at the moment there are no players nor characters. I just think it's a pertinent question from a "how easily can one adjudicate this game's rules on the fly?" vantage.

 

There are a great many things like that in HERO and it can be daunting. Just don't worry about it. Run the game and pick it up as you go.

 

Since I last posted, I finished going through the latter half of the book again. I see it's not nearly as complex as I thought.

 

Adjustment powers still niggle at me, though. I can just imagine someone's going to sit down and say, "I want to play someone who drains people's powers!"

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

Well, do you ever use a computer during your game? There are a couple of good software programs that you might find useful to keep track of some of the HERO complexities in-game:

 

Hero Helper is fully compatible with the current ruleset and Hero Designer. There is a price to buy, but you can download a free demo.

 

Hero Combat Simulator isn't quite as up-to-date ruleswise, but in many ways it's even more flexible, and free.

[Herolover]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

I understand what your getting at. Yes, Adjustment powers are one of those things that can get to be a real headache. Rules on the fly...well...how exact do you want to be? I find that many HERO players, even me sometimes, get caught up way to much in the crunchyness of the game. When I GM I usually try to make a quick ruling that gets the point across and them move on with the game. Later, after the game, will look up in the rules to see how close I got to being right.

 

Lets take your adjustment power question as an example. Normally I know next to nothing about adjustment powers. Then a player makes a character with a Drain attack. Then I go read the section on generic Adjustments, read the Drain rules, and then if I feel like it I read the FAQ on Drain and Adjustments. I usually take some quick and dirty notes.

 

Now, at least I have an idea on what is going on. When I make an adventure I keep in mind that the player has a drain attack and usually have some info ready.

 

However, lets just say that I am caught completely off guard. I just look at the ability that was drained an portion the loss out. For example of someone drains a 16d6 AP, AE EB. Well that is 200 active ponts. 200/16 = 12.5 points per d6 (round in favor of the PC). So, if my PC drains 35 points from this power I know that he drained around 3d6.

 

Once you play and now the powers a lot of this just becomes second nature. It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds.

[zornwil]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

True, but I was clarifying what I thought was a misunderstanding. And it wouldn't be totally fair to the player who did have a concept of "Run not fly" that he's paying the same cost as the flyer for less effect. Some players that would annoy, others it wouldn't. Think of it this way. You get a cost break for limiting a power. With the advantage of no Turn Mode, Running is inferior to Flight in just about every way. By the spirit of the rules, I think it should thus be somewhat cheaper (Or Flight more expensive) or you might find people are coming up with more Flying Speedsters than Flash type speedsters. Points do effect character choices much of the time. Of course its just a suggestion and doesn't apply to all players. I've seen people take "Limitations' in games where they have no effect what so ever just for character concept, but that has been fairly rare in my experience.

 

Edit: If it works better, make my statement "There's little reason to get Flight intead of Running."

Just as a brief comment, I think that in beginner/mid-level games in particular, nobody's going to bring it up or care. I didn't deal with turn modes at all for a long time, and until having experienced players it never occurred to anyone this was remotely an issue, nor was there a sense of imbalance.

 

I only bring this up to illustrate the point that the degree to which throwing out rules matter is the degree to which it creates a serious/notable imbalance and the degree to which players are aware/care.

 

Which is why I view most rules as "optional" in a sense, even though I couldn't say precisely where to draw that line.

[Blue]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

It's all optional. Once you buy it, Steve & Darren don't bust down your door and enforce the rules.

 

(At least not since that Gygax v. The Baltimore Templar Brigade case ruling)

[zornwil]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

It's all optional. Once you buy it, Steve & Darren don't bust down your door and enforce the rules.

 

(At least not since that Gygax v. The Baltimore Templar Brigade case ruling)

Don't listen to him!

 

And let me state for the record I was a fool not to abandon -1/3" long ago! A FOOL!!! Don't be a fool!

[lemming]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

Don't listen to him!

 

And let me state for the record I was a fool not to abandon -1/3" long ago! A FOOL!!! Don't be a fool!

Hey! Wait a minute! Have I been counting my range mods differently lately?

[zornwil]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

Hey! Wait a minute! Have I been counting my range mods differently lately?

Nah, it was just a cheesey joke, no cause for alarm, continue on with -1/3".

 

Pssssst, DOJ, he's the one, it's him, all him! I told you I'd lead you to him!

[pinecone]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

So I just bought 5ER. I'd read through 5th before, but this is my very own copy, to read and annotate. And I'm trying to figure out which are the optional bits.

 

I mean, f'rex, how crucial are turn modes? I could very easily just say, "Okay, everyone maneuvers equally well, regardless of their velocity." That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

I haven't read the thread so I may be repeating others...and you may not like the answer, but...All of it, every stinking thing....even using D6's..... Take what you want, change what you want, it's all good. But I'd warn most anyone to try it as is first, it's been around a long time. And changing things Might cause unwanted issues to arise.....

[zornwil]

Re: Which are the optional bits?

 

I haven't read the thread so I may be repeating others...and you may not like the answer' date=' but...All of it, every stinking thing....even using D6's..... Take what you want, change what you want, it's all good. But I'd warn most anyone to try it as is first, it's been around a long time. And changing things Might cause unwanted issues to arise.....[/quote']

I take it you mean except for the parts in the book overtly labelled as "optional" or "stop" or similarly caveated. Just to be clear.

 

(PS - even though you're wrong! )