Aspiring GM Ideas

[ianmc]

I'm wondering if I could get some very basic advice as I think about trying to create a new Fantasy world to game in.

 

I'm working on the magic system (which I will probably solicit advice on later) and I am thinking that I will try to keep it low-medium powered.

 

I would like to offer the players a second way to acquire special skills (powers) which are not magical. Think D&D 'feats'. My question is how to leave this somewhat open-ended (allowing the players to design what they want) without it replacing the magic system.

 

As an example, let's say a player wants his barbarian warrior to have the ability go into a rage, increasing his speed and strength. It seems silly to make this a magical power (requiring Magic Rolls, etc.), but if I just rule something like this is ok, what's to prevent the next player to say that he wants a 'inherent ability' that allows him to shoot fire from his eyes, or grow to an enormous size, etc.

 

So, my question is, do I:

(A) Let the players come up with ideas and accept/reject based on a case by case basis

( Set a limit on how many points a player can spend (per ability and in total)

© Leave the ability idea alone but come up with some great benefit for becoming a mage (instead of a non-mage with a long list of special 'abilities')

 

Anyone have some input?

[Vanguard00]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

So, my question is, do I:

(A) Let the players come up with ideas and accept/reject based on a case by case basis

Yep. You almost have to since there's no way you could possibly out-think the player trying to get a cool and unusual non-magical ability. They'll always be able to come up with something for which you didn't plan.

( Set a limit on how many points a player can spend (per ability and in total)

Yes, but I'd leave this loose. Again, case by case as some abilities can be more expensive than others but just as cool.

© Leave the ability idea alone but come up with some great benefit for becoming a mage (instead of a non-mage with a long list of special 'abilities')

Definitel promote an in-game reason why they shouldn't have too many (if any) "special" abilities. Maybe it's a sign of the Devil, or possession, or elven blood, or something crazy.

 

My opinion is to make these new abilities Talents. Bezerk, precognition, animal empathy, dream walking...all good ideas that could have good non-magical reasons for existing, and are extremely rare in folks and maybe extremely rare only in certain races. For example, only the rare barbarian of the North can purchase Bezerk. Only those with some elven blood in their past can purchase precognition, only those who have been 'touched' by [insert God/dess of Earth or similar being here] can have animal empathy. Each talent might come with a suitable disad, as well (Bezerk causes negative reputation, animal empathy causes social outcast, etc).

 

Just some ideas.

[Vanguard00]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

By the way, welcome to the forums

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

Pretty much everything in HERO has to be looked at on a case-by-case basis anyways. Let your players know the possibility, maybe give some examples, and go from there.

 

And remember mages could get these sorts of abilities too, and would be able to justify the more unusual ones (flame from eyes, growth) as magic-based effects.

 

Also, these "inherent abilities" can be part of what make characters interesting. Maybe a character's father was a giant, who left his child enchanted to be at normal human size so they could get along as normal in a human world. The character has learned of their parentage and is now able to switch from normal to giant-sized. Or another has a knack for magic, even though they aren't a mage themselves, and can naturally detect magic as well as having some extra defenses vs. magic. Neat character background bits, if you're willing to allow a little more looseness into character creation - which is one of the strenghts of HERO, after all compared to straight class-based systems. If you want to make a Dwarven ex-pirate who was blessed by the Ocean god and can now breathe underwater, and has picked up a few spells along the way, you can do it very easily in HERO.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

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[Nolgroth]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

I would like to offer the players a second way to acquire special skills (powers) which are not magical. Think D&D 'feats'. My question is how to leave this somewhat open-ended (allowing the players to design what they want) without it replacing the magic system.

 

As an example, let's say a player wants his barbarian warrior to have the ability go into a rage, increasing his speed and strength. It seems silly to make this a magical power (requiring Magic Rolls, etc.), but if I just rule something like this is ok, what's to prevent the next player to say that he wants a 'inherent ability' that allows him to shoot fire from his eyes, or grow to an enormous size, etc.

(Bold mine.) I've always been a strong proponent of the GM ruling which abilities are allowed and which ones aren't. If you think Feat-like abilities such as Animal Empathy and Berserk are okay, but more overtly magical powers are not, then you are the final arbiter.

 

So, my question is, do I:

(A) Let the players come up with ideas and accept/reject based on a case by case basis

( Set a limit on how many points a player can spend (per ability and in total)

© Leave the ability idea alone but come up with some great benefit for becoming a mage (instead of a non-mage with a long list of special 'abilities')

 

Anyone have some input?

I would say A is the best option with C being a pretty reasonable one too. B is okay, but costs tend to vary so I think I would define B in number of dice or amount of bonus to Skills or whatever rather than a strict Active or Real cost.

 

I would definitely come up with a list of "Feats" that would represent the campaign norm. I am not too familiar with D20, but as I recall, a huge majority of them could be represented by either Talents or Skills. One of the benefits of purchasing Fantasy HERO is that it has a lot of Talents that represent the feel of D20 Feats.

 

At any rate, once you establish a baseline for what a Feat is, then new ones can be designed as long as they fit within the general concept and power level of the existing Feats. For example, you may develop a Feat called Elemental Adept. In game terms, it adds a small Skill Roll bonus and maybe a 1 or 2 Dice Aid to Elemental spells. You may more sharply define it as Air, Earth, Fire or Water spells only. Later on, one of your players wants to run a necromaner character. He then asks if he can make up a Necromancy Adept Feat with the exact same mechanics as the elemental version, only for Necromancy spells. Since you've already come up with the benchmark for something like that, all should be good. On the other hand, if he wants to buy a power called Death Touch and make it more like a superhero power, you already know that this level of power was never intended for these simple Feats.

 

Hope this wasn't too rambling and provides some help.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

As an example' date=' let's say a player wants his barbarian warrior to have the ability go into a rage, increasing his speed and strength. It seems silly to make this a magical power (requiring Magic Rolls, etc.), but if I just rule something like this is ok, what's to prevent the next player to say that he wants a 'inherent ability' that allows him to shoot fire from his eyes, or grow to an enormous size, etc.[/quote']

 

The same thing that prevents unreasonably powered spells - GM judgement calls. I would include in the "house rule" the comment that such inherent abilities will generally be more likely to be rejected the closer they get to looking likje "superpowers".

 

I would "(A) Let the players come up with ideas and accept/reject based on a case by case basis".

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

Judging the players' ideas on a case-by-case basis is the best way to handle this, although a GM created list of possible talents/feats/what-have-you should help them get an idea of what is acceptable and what is pushing the boundaries.

[Old Man]

Re: Aspiring GM Ideas

 

I think you can find everything you are looking for in the Fantasy Hero book and on Killer Shrikes website.