High Plains Hero

[Old Man]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

There are openings for the game at Hero Central... But' date=' you may be required to renounce your Ascended brethren, Tyrant![/quote']

 

Really? I can't find it.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I need to see if I can find some of my old Western Hero character writeups... I had some good 'uns.

 

My favorite was Jake Callahan, Arizona Ranger.

 

I got a lot of mileage out of western ballads for character ideas.

 

Marty Robbins inspired a LOT of writeups.

[Kaeto]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I would want to run the man in black: Paladin.

 

"Have gun Will travel

Wire Paladin

San Fransisco"

[Savinien]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

Really? I can't find it.

 

I forgot it hasn't been added to the campaign listing, yet. PM me your email and I'll get you in touch with the GM, or PM Mastermind from this thread. He's running the game.

[Old Man]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I'm in, or at least I will be as soon as I can get HD to work.

[Old Man]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I don't see it on Hero Cnetral but might be interested in playing. Never played in a Western before, but it sounds cool.

[Edsel]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

Since this is a Western Hero thread I guess I'll post this suggestion here.

 

One of the problems I always had with Western Hero was the way fast-draw duels (Showdowns) were handled. Using standard Hero System rules, if both shooters are ready then the one with the highest DEX goes first. If the DEX scores are tied then a Fast Draw roll would resolve things. I have been thinking of doing something like this:

 

Allow characters to buy Lightning Reflexes with the Limitation Based on Fast Draw skill roll. Of course the modifiers listed on page 40 of Western Hero for Showdowns can also be used. The only thing that gets a little odd is that technically you couldn't make your skill roll until you DEX came up in the sequence. Has anybody else done anything similar?

 

NOTE: The Western Hero book referred to is the one which was published in 1991.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

In a typical showdown, both characters are holding their actions, so who goes first isn't strictly governed by DEX.

[Savinien]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I think it may be full, but regardless, the game is called High Plains Heroes.

 

I think it may sound a bit familiar...

[Ghost Archer]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

I am starting work on my High Plains Hero campaign...which is going to be my setting for Western Hero. I am planning on setting the game in Texas (a few years prior to attack on The Alamo). I am also trying to capture the "Gritty Western" feel of such movies as Catlow' date=' [i']A Fistful Of Dollars[/i], etc.

 

Hate to point something out, if someone else mentioned it kill me, a few years before the Alamo for a Western Hero Campaign? Since the Alamo was in 1836 you might start gathering info on flintlock pistols and Kentucky Long Rifles. Sound more like Frontier Hero to me. And don't forget Col. Bowie's little knife.

[Dauntless]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

If your setting is prior to the battle at the Alamo, you might want to take a careful look at the technology of the time. The battle at the Alamo took place in 1836...before caplock weapons were all that common. In other words, no Colt 45's, and even breech loaders were almost unheard of (there was a breech loading rifle, Hall's rifle, but it would have been quite expensive at the time). Better get used to multiple turn reload times (a good shooter could fire off maybe 2-4 shots a minute).

 

You say the name is High Plains Hero, which conjurs up images of the late 1800's if you ask me. When you have weapons like the aforementioned Colt, or Winchester rifles (or any gun with cartridges for that matter). If you're planning on emulating the movies you mention, I'd suggest no later than having it set in the 1860's, and more likely around the 1880's. A really good game supplement to check out is Gold Rush Games Gunslinger

. Since it uses the Action! system, which is a clouse cousin of the Hero system, it should be pretty easy to extrapolate the numbers.

 

Still though, the pre-Civil War era would be an interesting one. If you make it a little earlier, you could even do a Lewis and Clark style setting. Make it a little later, and you can do a Civil War setting.

[Savinien]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

Crosspost:

 

Western Hero: Our characters are all part of a posse chasing down Kid Richter and his gang. After weeks on the trail we corner the Kid and his gang in a switchback canyon holding an old claim. Gunfight ensues with much fun and excitement. Kid Richter and our gunslinger Ace bandy words.

 

Ace: (We'd finally gunned down the 'bad' preacher running with Ace's gang) "Richter! Yer preacher friend out here looks a might used up... reckon you best come on out peaceful like, else I'm coming in fer ya!"," he calls out."

Richter: "Come on in! Just made some fresh coffee. Apolagize in advance for the mess though. Someone's been shootin' the place up."

Ace: "Well now Ol' son, iff'n there's coffee..."

 

Ace goes gunslinger. He whips around the doorframe after cordially replying to Kid Richte's invitation, pulling the trigger as he crosses the threshold. Ace sees Richter take a hit to the shoulder. It is just enough to throw off the Kid's aim and his bullet whips by Ace. The Kid is unable to bring his other gun to bear while he shakes off the shock of the hit.

 

A look of recognition crosses his face, as Ace stands partially siloutted in the doorway.

 

Richter: "Damnit Ace, I thought we was kindred spirits. Why you gotta shoot me and all?"

 

Ace: "Ya thought wrong..." And guns Kid Richter down.

 

A few minutes later, Ace and Yancy Phillips are limping around and exploring the shack. They found the missing payroll stolen not long ago from Wells Fargo.

 

Ace: "Looks like Richter was keepin' busy, at least... plum fool lied 'bout the coffee though."

[input.jack]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

Anyone else playing a western hero campaign?

 

Im working on one right now, as a matter of fact

 

If so' date=' is it more cinematic, or realistic?[/quote']

 

Ive played in a few Western Hero campaigns. The realistic ones are all right....but the cinematic ones are -alot- more fun! Our group tends to favor "realistic cinematic", where characters can do some pretty wild things, but then again, so did some historical figures!

 

Do you allow gun-fu?

 

Im not exactly sure what you mean by "Gun-Fu". We dont allow people to add martial maneuvers to their firearms skills in the setting, but on the other hand we -do- allow some pretty fancy shooting when it comes to allocating Skill Levels. Our campaigns use a house rule that Normal damage is considered "general delivery" unless the attacker specifically aims, but that all Killing attacks use Hit Locations, which are rolled randomly unless the attacker specifically aims. So far, thats worked out well for us

 

Are characters heroic' date=' or higher in starting points?[/quote']

 

This is a tough one for me to answer, because the group I game with apparently gives Players WAY more points than most groups do, but we have fairly low characteristic averages (by comparison) for all our games. The difference is that our characters tend to be -highly- skilled. The reason for this is that most of our game group have been around a bit, and we udnerstand that even "average Joes" have some pretty wide skills. We also dont use Everyman Skills; if you didnt pay for it, you cant do it.

 

But by comparison, Id say our Western characters are pretty high points. We like characters who can do whatever it is that they do -well-. The PCs are, after all, the stars of the "movie" of the game

 

I'd like to see some discussion on the merits of either.

 

Higher-point characters, in general, mean that the typical rowdy or bandit isnt going to be too much of a threat alone. You need groups of them to challenge the PCs. On the other hand, tougher characters also mean that you -can- throw a group at the PCs and expect them to survive. Because there isnt much in the way of "healing magic" in a typical Western game, and Body they take is going to stick with them a while, and we encourage people to take cover, etc. during gun fights. This is another reason why a saloon full of guys all wearing pistols and knives can erupt into a brawl and no one gets seriously hurt; its bad ettiquette to pull iron in a bar fight!

 

Weaker characters allow the GM to run a more realistic game, where a couple of wolves are menacing to the PCs, and a gang of three bandits can frighten a small town. But this tends to not fit what Players expect when you say you want to run a Western. Most Players want the kind of Western action you see in movies like Silverado and High Plains Drifter.

 

Of course, because our Western games are more cinematic, we also include some more exotic elements into them. In the last game I was in, my character faced off against a gang led by a lean, mean gunfighter named Snake-Eyes. Imagine our surprise when we found out that Snake-Eyes was apparently bullet-proof! My character (the Inaidn Scout) had the idea to shoot his shadow, and when I did, he took damage! That character also had a charm that added +1 to DCV.

 

Later we fought a werewolf!

 

It was awesome

 

Do you think it is 'in genre' to make called headshots in the Western genre?

 

Abso-frelling-lutely. Unless youre in a "White Hat" 1950's style Western, where you should be making called shots to shoot guns out of people hands and hats off their heads. (I was in a game where if you shot off a guys hat, the GM said he woudl give up, on the theory that if you could have killed him but didnt, he still should be taken out of the combat, in genre).

 

Where do you limit combat skill or penalty skill levels' date=' or do you?[/quote']

 

We tend to have typical characters clock in with around a 5 or 6 base OCV, generally one or two Overall Skill Levels, and specific levels allowing their primary weapon OCV to be around 10. We may also allow a character some PSLs for specific maneuvers (1-4 PSLs).

 

Hope that helped

[Sketchpad]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

Anyone else playing a western hero campaign?

I have in the past ... both Hero and GURPS really lend to the western genre. I've also ran Deadlands d20 and have been curious about Sidewinder ..

 

If so, is it more cinematic, or realistic?

Cinematic all the way. I find realistic games a bit borish IMHO ...

 

Do you allow gun-fu?

Depends on the concept. I would allow it if it was a phenominal concept, but for the average 'slinger to have it? Nah ... there's no fun in that

 

Are characters heroic, or higher in starting points?

Usually 150 pts (75+75).

 

Do you think it is 'in genre' to make called headshots in the Western genre?

Yup ... especially when you have a chance to snipe the 'Slinger who's called out your friend

 

Where do you limit combat skill or penalty skill levels, or do you?

When first made, I usually limit CSLs/PSLs to about 3 or 4 ... but after the character's made, there's no ceiling.

[Air Pirate]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

With Hero System, I would definitely go cinematic. Sort of along the lines of a John Wayne western or Young Guns.

 

Not wanting to hi-jack (and please let me know, I will remove the following), but this thread is reminding me of a scene in an old western movie I saw a long time ago. For the life of me I cannot remember much about it, except for this scene.

 

It involves a gang of three (outlaws? saddle bums?). One of them has had a case of the clap , and so his companions takes him to local doctor for treatment. They reassure the character that he needs is "a little white pill". Anyway, the patient is ushered into the doctor office and is told to drop his pants. The patient ask "what for? what does this have to do with the a little white pill?" The doctor pulls a long heated silver wire from a stove and informs him that you cure the clap the same way you got it!

 

Switch to a scene of the outside of the doctor's office where one of his buddies is waiting for him. Theres an agonized scream and he staggers out a few moments later and decks his buddie.

 

Does anyone remember this movie and it's name?

[Savinien]

Re: High Plains Hero

 

To all you doubters... I'm not sure if High Plains Hero is cinematic, or realistic. I think I'd lean towards realistic in some aspects and cinematic in others. I'm quite fond of it and believe that if it is cinematic, I don't have as much against that sort of mood as I once did.