Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

[memorax300]

Basically I am interested in any house rules that can be used to speed up the Hero System.

 

At the moment my house rules are:

 

-Regular powers do Stun damage only.

 

-Killing attacks do only body damage.

 

-Goons, mooks, guards do not get recoveries and once they are knocked stay that way.

 

-No knockback except in very rare cases if it is an important part of an npc powers.

 

-Powers do not cost end. Not to sure about this one yet.

 

Let me know of any others.

[boomer]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

To speed combat up we used to use a dry erase board where we took electrical tape and a made a grid. Character names by rows......columns...DEX, SPD then phases 1-12.....arrange the characters names by DEX, black out the phases they don't go on.....then put an x when that phase is done.....or put an H for held action.....that type of thing. It worked great....The GM would say....character A your Dex count what do you do....you have 5 seconds to tell me.....sped things up.....he even used it at a Con game and folks were amazed at how quick combat went.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

If you haven't done so already, look up "Nine Ways To Speed Up Combat" in the index of the rulebook. (I don't know which page it's on in Fifth Revised - I have the "unrevised" edition. But it will be listed in the Index.) Some of your suggestions are already there.

 

I find it really helps to preroll a bunch of Attack and Damage rolls for all your NPCs before you get to the gaming table, and list those results. Then as each character's turn comes up you just have to cross the appropriate result off the list rather than rolling for it. If you trust your players you could have them do the same thing.

 

The Standard Effect rule, having each damage die do 3 points rather than rolling for damage, really speeds things up, although it of course eliminates randomness from the damage that characters do.

[austenandrews]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

I've made tables where, if several combatants with the same OCV are attacking a single target, you can resolve large numbers of to-hit rolls with a single roll. Tremendously cuts the time to run battles versus many goons.

 

Using average damage (3.5 per die, round down) speeds things up.

 

In the past I've used a "take 11" rule, where the player can opt for an "average 3d6 roll." Saved a ton of time, especially against mooks, but it did skew the results. In future I'm considering something more like "take 13," which will skew the results much less.

[Lairian]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

I find that giving all NPCs Standard Effect on all their powers (as was mentioned above) cut combat time down by over 50%.

 

This can lead to unsatisfactory results with capital V Villains, as the players immediately in their heads start calculating numbers of hits they can take etc (thus wasting the time saved). Considering changing my definition of Standard Effect when in regards to Villians to [cannon Standard Effect + 3 - 1d6] for this reason.

[austenandrews]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

I find that giving all NPCs Standard Effect on all their powers (as was mentioned above) cut combat time down by over 50%.

 

This can lead to unsatisfactory results with capital V Villains, as the players immediately in their heads start calculating numbers of hits they can take etc (thus wasting the time saved). Considering changing my definition of Standard Effect when in regards to Villians to [cannon Standard Effect + 3 - 1d6] for this reason.

You could calculate a range of Standard Effects - 1/die to 6/die. Then roll 1d6 for damage and use the corresponding value.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

On the damage front, Scott Bennie had what I thought was a great suggestion: with characters throwing large numbers of dice in their attacks, use average damage for all but the last three or four dice, which you roll for. That greatly reduces the counting while still preserving some randomness.

[RDU Neil]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

This is a link to my rough draft House Rules document. Not everything is "time savings" oriented... but if you want to get radical, I find that my Initiative Systems (not using the Speed Chart) tends to make combat flow faster.

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18994&d=1127410907

 

In fact... many of these rules build off of each other organically.

 

Non END cost: See my rules for managing END

 

Pushing: See my rules for pushing

 

No Speed Chart: See my initiative rules, with the implications of no automatic recoveries.

 

Together, these things tend to speed things up for me. (Standard effect dice and keep villains to three powers or less also work.)

 

(edited to put in link... duh... me am smart)

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Asimple one - teach the players to group by 10 on dice.

6s and 4s, two 3s and a two. Once that gets to be habit, counting up stun only takes seconds.

[RDU Neil]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Asimple one - teach the players to group by 10 on dice.

6s and 4s, two 3s and a two. Once that gets to be habit, counting up stun only takes seconds.

 

Good one. Since I've been doing that since 9th grade, I forget that new folks may not think to do it.

 

Also... helping people to figure out how to calculate "to hit" is important. People approach the OCV/DCV calculation differently.

 

Some calculate it every time. 11 + OCV (including modifiers) - "what you roll" is what I hit.

 

Other have the 11 + OCV on their sheet. Subtract what you roll... then add/subtract any modifiers. This really helps some folks. Their character has an 8 CV... so they have 19 written otheir sheet. Subtract 3d6 roll... any mods... "I hit X"

 

Still others do the "Ok... rolled a 12, that is one more than 11, so I hit 1 less DCV than my OCV." (I tend to use this one.)

 

Determining which kind of logic works best for players can help them speed up the hit rolls.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

One surefire method of speeding up combat is to completely omit rolling dice for any reason. Let the plot and GM fancy drive the game. If a character tries to hit a mook/agent/henchman and there is no reason why he'd miss, he hits. If there is no particular reason why a single shot wouldn't take him down, the mook goes down. If there is no particular reason why the mook would ever get up, he stays down. If the players think this is cheesy, give all your mooks 4 overall combat levels and 4 more attack DCs than the player characters have and see if they still prefer to roll dice.

 

For major villains, it might be a good idea to roll some dice, especially for hit probability and sometimes for damage. You can still make use of Standard Effect (or just use the average of the roll, which is a little higher and makes players happy), which reduces the dice rolled.

 

Another, though sometimes umpopular, option is to allow the players to metagame. Let them know that a particular target is at half DCV or has a penalty. Tell them how much STUN a target has left or if they're gonna dodge or block if someone attacks them. This eliminates most of the guesswork in the player's minds, allowing them to make snappier decisions during their Phase.

 

One almost mandatory aid is a combat record sheet. This sheet should list all of the characters involved in the combat (mooks only need a single entry, not an entry for each mook). For each character involved you have their DEX and SPD listed (so you already who acts when), as well as their STUN, END and REC, and likely BODY. The characters' DEF (total and resistant) and any special defenses and senses should be listed as well. It would also be a good idea to list any CSLs each character has. For the NPCs, also list thier primary attack. More detailed sheets also list a character's Vulnerabilities, Susceptibilities, Psych Limits and other Disads that may affect combat. This gives the GM an immediate reference during combat so he can avoid asking question of the players or looking through a dozen character sheets.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Why hasn't anyone mentioned...

 

PRACTICE

 

The more you game with the system, the faster you get. And you also discover your own speed ups that work for your group.

 

All the previous suggestions are also good, of course. We might be able to better help the original poster if he would tell us where the slowdowns are presently happening.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

- Enough sets of multi-colored dice (with a few of each color) that you can differentiate attack/skill dice from effect/damage dice and possibly one for the Stun Multiplier.

 

- Computer with a spreadsheet up so you can track and change Phases on the fly. I use a 2D chart with Speed in one direction, Dex in the other, and the PC and NPC names in the appropriate cells. I resolve ties ahead of time instead of each Phase they come up. If you like you can also place a chart of NPC name/number, Body, Stun, and status (useful for Stunning, Entangles, etc.) next to this so you can have it all in one place.

 

- Ignore End most of the time (if this troubles you, build all characters such that they can last a sufficent amount of time, and then don't bother tracking it in most cases).

 

- Ignore Knockback/Knockdown most of the time; only worry about it when it is dramatically important to do so.

 

- (Possibly; often debated, but I've had luck especially with new players) Go to a roll-high method for attacks and skills.

 

- Search for the numerous other threads in which this has been discussed. If the forums' search feature isn't sufficient, use Google with the term "site:herogames.com" included (don't type the actual quotes for that search term).

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

I've found the "roll high" attack roll is helpful in speeding things up. My players just don't like that 11 for some reason. (I don't mind subtracting 10 though).

[prestidigitator]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

I've found the "roll high" attack roll is helpful in speeding things up. My players just don't like that 11 for some reason. (I don't mind subtracting 10 though).

What I use (in short):

hit = ( roll(3d6) + OCV >= 10 + DCV )

I've detailed a complete method in other posts:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=871801#post871801

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=848617#post848617

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=810356#post810356

[memorax300]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Thank you for your suggestions everybody. While i may not use everything listed in this thread it is very much appreciated.

[Threnody]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Howdy.

 

These are ones I've seen work:

 

You can only buy the cheapest levels in CSL's, PSL's, and SL's. No time's wasted moving levels around, and that's one of the big time wasters.

 

S-Can most or all Optional Combat Maneuvers; even some of the Standard CM's can go. Ignore some of the Combat Modifiers.

 

You have to buy at least 50 points of Martial Arts (less in Heroic-level games). The GM should only let people have MA's if they proved they can do it withouten bogging the game down. Most players with 1 or 2 MA moves either forget they got 'em or what the +/-'s are and waste time lookin' it up.

 

Everything does 3.5/die (round up), less they pay +1/2 Adv. "Random Effect." You can have part your power normal + part with "Random Effect."

[Threnody]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Some more. These have been talked up, but I ain't seen 'em used.

 

Damage is 2d6 divided by 2 and not rounded, times the number of dice (round down if'n needed). Not as fast as a flat 3.5/die, faster than rolling all the dice separate. If'n the attack's got a lot of dice, do 'em in two chunks.

 

STUN multiplier is always 2 2/3. +1 STUN takes that up to 3 1/2, +2 to 4 1/2, so forth.

 

Everybody's got 3 dice of one color, one of a second, and as many of a third as their biggest power. Throw all the dice at once (only as many of the 3rd color as you're using). If the 3d6 say you hit, everything's already out there to count the damage. You skip the 1d6 from the 2nd color if'n you ain't rolling STUN multiplier.

[Robyn]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Use counters. I prefer lots, and lots, of little glass beads (okay, about the size of an M&M). Find different colors for distinction. Use small, transparent plastic tubs and label each with what they are: "Endurance", "Stun", "Body". Move beads into and out of those containers as appropriate. It's easy to tell, at a glance, how much is left to a given person, without knowing exactly how much (well, provided you use the same size tubs, anyway).

 

It'll be less useful in the HERO system than in Feng Shui (where initiative is rolled and added with speed, and each action/attack requires a given number of initiative points to be spent), but if you're using hit locations (and if you're trying to speed up the HERO system, why are you using hit locations?), you can put beads on each spot to indicate the amount of Body left, perhaps with different colors representing different strengths (like the colors in most FPS games: green for maximum health, yellow for injured but lots of health left, orange for mediocre health, red for one or two points).

[BNakagawa]

Re: Seeking suggestions on speeding up the Hero System

 

Asimple one - teach the players to group by 10 on dice.

6s and 4s, two 3s and a two. Once that gets to be habit, counting up stun only takes seconds.

 

Two threes and a two?

 

No wonder why you do so much damage...

 

 

Don't let beginning players have multipowers or vpps.