Introducing player to the HERO System

[Icel]

I successfully convinced my group to let me run an adventure in HERO for them after we'll finish with the current campaign (which isn't ran by me).

Those guys have been playing D&D for many years now, so its a big change.

What I want to know is how to introduce them to the system? How to make it as simple as possible, especially what involved with character creation.

[MisterBaldy]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Your first step...get your players to create their characters "together". Create a cohesiveness from the start.

[BigJackBrass]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

I'd suggest concentrating on running the game in a smooth and easy fashion. Avoid lots of optional rules and details unless you are very confident with them, and let the actual rules take the backseat to the adventure. D&D is a very good system at telling you what you cannot do, whereas a key strength of HERO is that it allows players to create the character they want and then play that character in the manner they desire. Once your players get a taste of that sort of freedom I suspect that they will have trouble going back to a restrictive class and level system, but don't overwhelm them at first. Package Deals are an excellent way of bridging that chasm between character classes and totally free design, since they offer something familiar to D&D players - "I'm playing a Ranger" and so forth - but don't straitjacket the characters, and likewise picking powers from the UNTIL book or spells from the Grimoire instead of creating each one speeds up character generation and simplifies things for the players. Let them dip their toes in the water before showing them how vast the ocean is.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

In my experience, it's a mistake to dump character creation on new Hero players. Nearly all of the complexity of Hero is up front, at chargen. That's where most people who give up on the system do so.

 

Instead, create a couple of dozen different relatively simple characters (no Power Pools, no Killing Attacks), and let each player pick the one they like. Then explain basically what each can do, how skill rolls work, and how attack rolls work. Then run the game!

 

During the game, work with each player to show them how the basic rolls work. The main thing is to leave the complexity for later, and worry about the important stuff -- roll to hit, roll for a skill, how to deal and take damage -- up front. If the newbies have fun, then they'll start asking about how to customize their character, or ask how to make up a new character. Then you can deal with character creation, at a pace that's comfortable for them.

 

This is basically how I run Hero games at conventions, usually with people who have never played Hero games before, and I've had good luck doing it this way.

 

A good place to look for sample PCs is right here on the Hero Games message boards. There's a topic called "The New Circle" with tons of pregenerated PCs in Hero Designer format, so you can customize (and probably simplify) them with a minimum of effort. I'm sure there are other topics with *.hdc files, too, just look around.

 

You might also find it convenient to have handouts for the players, describing the basics of the system. Here is the one that I have used for a number of years (I need to update it to use the simpler combat roll, but I never seem to have the time):

 

http://www.rpglibrary.org/search.php?sfor=hero+system+cheat+sheet

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

and likewise picking powers from the UNTIL book or spells from the Grimoire instead of creating each one speeds up character generation and simplifies things for the players

I don't have any supplement books, just the core (In about a month I'll have star hero, but thats have nothing to do with it).

[MitchellS]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

What I would normally have suggested to you is to take some prefab characters from whatever genre you're going to play and have the players use them for 2-3 sessions. Each session have the players use a different character. Then after the 2-3 sessions everyone has a very good idea of the different character types and the system. Then they can start creating their own characters.

 

Since you're only running a single adventure you might just want to pre-create all the characters and just do something epic. Pick 5-6 legendary characters, write them up, and give one to each player to use for the adventure. Playing some epic adventure which requires Sir Lancelot, Robin Hood, Heracles, Cuchulain, Beowulf, and Aladdin, all brought together by Merlin, might do the trick.

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

I don't think my players would like the idea of not creating their own characters...

[MitchellS]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

That's something only you would know. But imagine the difficulties you have had with character creation, and now imagine 5 other people sitting at a gaming table all having the same difficulties. I've seen more Hero games not begin due to character creation issues than almost any other factor for newbies. I alway feel it's just better to get people playing first, and then if they like the system then can attempt to tackle 5E and the "process."

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

I don't think my players would like the idea of not creating their own characters...

 

As I said, give them a dozen or more to choose from.

 

Otherwise, you'll spend the first week just teaching them how to write up a character. Seriously: you don't go out and drive in city traffic the first time you get behind the wheel of a car. You drive around a parking lot, or on a deserted back road, while you figure out how things work. Hero System is the same way.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

One idea that I've used before with new players might come in handy here...

Go with the other posters suggestions about using prefab characters, run a smaple game with them, as suggested...

Here's the twist....

Let them know that these characters will be prominent NPC's and potential allies in your future campaign, that way when the real game comes along, they will have at least a bit of backgrund knowledge and attachment to a GM controlled group, who you could also use as occsional stand in's for certain types of plots, like the dreaded "Someones character has been captured and we have to go rescue him" storyline.

[Beetle]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

If you don't mind doing alot of work yourself, you could try this method. Have your players tell you what they want, and you do the actual stating out of the characters. That's how my first Champions character was created. This method works best if you can take time outside of the regular gaming session to do it, otherwise you'll chew up a whole evening doing characters.

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

One idea that I've used before with new players might come in handy here...

Go with the other posters suggestions about using prefab characters, run a smaple game with them, as suggested...

Here's the twist....

Let them know that these characters will be prominent NPC's and potential allies in your future campaign, that way when the real game comes along, they will have at least a bit of backgrund knowledge and attachment to a GM controlled group, who you could also use as occsional stand in's for certain types of plots, like the dreaded "Someones character has been captured and we have to go rescue him" storyline.

As I said on my first post, this is only going to be a single adventure, not a full campaign, so this won't work.

Seriously: you don't go out and drive in city traffic the first time you get behind the wheel of a car. You drive around a parking lot, or on a deserted back road, while you figure out how things work. Hero System is the same way.

In Israel, in my first driving lesson I already got to drove in town...

 

I think what I'll do is make some character and pot the as examples. If the player will want to customize the character- they can. They can even start new ones. That way I'll cover all options.

[DreadDomain]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

If you don't mind doing alot of work yourself' date=' you could try this method. Have your players tell you what they want, and you do the actual stating out of the characters. That's how my first Champions character was created. This method works best if you can take time outside of the regular gaming session to do it, otherwise you'll chew up a whole evening doing characters.[/quote']

 

Actually, even if we are playing Hero for 15 years and are very comfortable with it, this is exactly the method we used for our ongoing Champions campaign. We all decided together what were the basic concepts for our characters (so they would fit together) and then we individualy wrote them in plain french. Some wrote them in one page, others in a dozen with a lot of details about background. The GM then created them in Hero. Finally, every player had the chance to revise them with the GM to tweak them to their liking. While the last step might not be possible with newbies, you could just keep an extra 50 points so that you can add stuff you forgot as the game progress.

[TheEmerged]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

RE: Player's might not like having their characters created. Perhaps you could allow them to create *the character* -- say, a 75/75 or 100/50 without super powers -- and then you finish the character with mystery powers & limitations. This will mean the first session or so will focus on them discovering their abilities without them having to deal with the nitty-gritty of power construction yet.

[Gadodel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

I hand out my spare copies of Sidekick. Then, I let them sift through a pile of pregenerated characters. Then, I play a session or two with those characters. Only when everyone feels comfortable with how HERO works do I bring up the subject of making new, individualized characters.

 

Course, any player who is ready to skip to the last step; I sit down and help them make the kind of character they want....

[atlascott]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

The simple, unassailable fact is that there is NO easy way to introduce new players to the HERO system, and that is the biggest problem we curently have.

 

That said, HIDE the big rulebook and ONLY use Sidekick. Discuss character conception FIRST. If nonsuperhero, then make sure you have put together racial/profession packager deals, which is the easiest way to do it.

 

But there is no easy way to make HERO system characters with novices to the system.

[atlascott]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

For better advice, can you let us know what genre you will be playing? Modern? Super hero? Star Hero? Old West?

 

Making characters is MUCH EASIER the less maigcal/special effect-y/super powered characters are.

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Ok, some answers:

a. As I said before, I don't have any other book beside 5RE Core (And my players already saw it so hiding it isn't an option).

b. We are going to play Fantasy, probably sticking with the D&D setting, Forgotten Realms.

c. After talking with a frind of my who have much expriance with HERO (he is the owner of the The Ogmios Project), I decided going with character based on 75+75 pt.

d. I decided to build some stereotype characters. The players then can: 1) play with those characters, 2) customize them or 3) build new ones.

[atlascott]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Icel:

 

Your approach is about the most reasonable I think you can arrive at, given that playing stright pre-gens is out. I'd mention that as GM, I'd be very flexible for players who wanted to do s resigned/tweak after the first couple of sessions.

 

Good Luck!

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Icel:

 

Your approach is about the most reasonable I think you can arrive at, given that playing stright pre-gens is out. I'd mention that as GM, I'd be very flexible for players who wanted to do s resigned/tweak after the first couple of sessions.

 

Good Luck!

Thanks!

[SuperKlaus]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Well, heck, if your players want to create their own characters but aren't likely to embrace doing it themselves, do what I do (or plan to). Have them feed you ideas, like "fire-specialist mage" or "two-sword fighter," and then make characters to fit that.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Ok, some answers:

a. As I said before, I don't have any other book beside 5RE Core (And my players already saw it so hiding it isn't an option).

b. We are going to play Fantasy, probably sticking with the D&D setting, Forgotten Realms.

c. After talking with a frind of my who have much expriance with HERO (he is the owner of the The Ogmios Project), I decided going with character based on 75+75 pt.

d. I decided to build some stereotype characters. The players then can: 1) play with those characters, 2) customize them or 3) build new ones.

I am creating a set of rules to convert D&D characters and monsters to Hero. I am toying with the idea of having players create D&D characters and then simply converting the characters for them. I have created a couple of PCs and I have been converting monsters, and it seems to work decently so far (I have done several mock battles and they have approximately correct challenge levels, though a bit of a different feel, between the systems).

 

The only problem is that I haven't tackled magic yet, and I'm not sure how I am going to do that (beyond a very rough framework). I may only do it approximately, but this will create more work at actual conversion time.

 

I'm sorry I don't currently have my rules ready for you in a ready-to-post format. Stay tuned. It may take a couple months, but they will be here eventually.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

here's what my GM did for my first hero game (and it's the best role playing game i ever played in), it was 0+50, and low fantasy-no magic. We fed him ideas for the character, and he helped us make the character sheet. I never had to touch the big black book, and ended up getting a character that pleases me muchly.

 

If they are used to something like DnD, and if you will play in a DnD setting, then it's probably gonna be that each of them has a "class/race" idea in mind already. Use those ideas to help make characters, like if they were a human rouge, then point them to the skills "lockpicking, concealment, and stealth" a decent dex, and a version of "very deadly strike" that works when they are flanking an opponet or surpising them, maybe a version of "danger sense" that only applys to traps, and bamb! instant lvl 3 rouge.

 

The hardest part is understanding BODY. If they think of it like hit points, then they're in for trouble, Hero-System is fairly non-lethal, but it's not like DnD where at lvl 16 you can jump off a mountain and suvive 50-50.

 

I'd suggest Hit Locations, and maybe bleeding for optional rules.

[Icel]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

prestidigitator, there is a reason I don't want to just convert D&D characters to HERO- D&D is a very limiting system, while the basic strength of HERO is the limitless option of character creation, and that is what I want them to see. So even when I creat my stereotype characters I don't take abilities from D&D.

 

Roy_The_Ruthles, those are some good suggestions. I didn't ment to let them use the book anyway, it won't be of any use to them, who haven't read it and don't know whats inside. 0+50 seems way to little, as we all love "cool" characters and action like in the movies.

As I said before, I'm writing a couple of characters to present them with the HERO character creation concept and to speed thing up, but I don't want those characters to be too similar to D&D classes, as mentioned above.

The BODY issue is something I didn't think about, so thank you. Our group tend to rely on Healing a lot, so I hope I can teach them the damage and unjury concept of HERO and that I'll not have to kill them on the first session .

[Citizen Keen]

Re: Introducing player to the HERO System

 

Something I've always found to work is to let the characters make there characters freeform - just have them write a two page description of all things related to their characters, from physical to emotional, combat to background history. Then, make the characters for them, and let them learn the game and spend XP however they want.

 

It works wonders.