ghost-angel Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 I wonder if we need a thread of which supliments are most used by people. I would be curious to see what everyone else considers 'indispensible'. I'm curious too... So I'm starting this thread. The question has two parts really, Which core books (the Ultimate Series or other basic Hero Book) do you use the most. And which of the genre books do you use the most (this one is obviously skewed towards favorite genres and games played) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Easy... Required Books: FrED and The Ultimate Martial Artist. Everything else is optional but expediant to one degree or another. Books I like to have around regardles of Genre The Ultimate Mentalist (4th Ed) Dark Champions and one or two of the following - USPD, USPD II, FHG, and FHG II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellS Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books As a Champions GM I'd consider Villainy Amok, Conquerors, Killers & Crooks, and Champions Worldwide indispensable. VA because of the 1,000s of potential plot and campaign/adventure ideas and CKC and CWW because of all the premade characters which make the GM's job much easier. The Ultimate Martial Artist is probably the next most useful book, IMO. If I were new to Champions I'd also add USPD I and II to the list. I think each genre follows the same criteria: A book of ideas [Fantasy Hero], books of things to fight [bestiary, MMM, AB1 & AB2], books to make your life easier [uG1 & UGII]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Books I have out, regardless of the genre: 5er Ultimate Martial Artist Hero Bestiary For a Champs game: CKC USPDB For a Fantasy game: MMM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted May 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books For my part: 5ER Combat Handbook Hero Bestiary are my most refered to books. for Supers: USPD (1 or 2) The basic Genre books for any other Genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I would add Sidekick...for new players it is indispensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted May 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I'm mostly interested in what some of the verteran (and new) players currently find indespensable, not so much what we might reccomend to new players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike W Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I always have the base book and UMA out. After that, it largely depends on what universe I'm running in. I've got a great collection of villain books from 4th which I like to adapt characters from, but sometimes we play in a combined Marvel/DC universe(in which case I don't need the villain books). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabluey Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Quite frankly, 5ER is pretty much the only book I find indespensible. When I'm doing the planning for a session or during play, it's pretty much the only one I will always have with me. Others I find frequently useful: Equipment Guide, Fantasy Hero (when doing Fantasy), CKC (for Champs), Combat Handbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books For the longest time, all I had was FRED and the U. Martial Artist. Does someone want to tell me again what, exactly, is in the "Combat Handbook" and what makes it "indispensible?" I should be getting....let's see, the Bestiary, and either Dark Champions or Fantasy Hero, this weekend. Hey, can I claim http://www.herogames.com/forums as indispensible? Lucius Alexander And an indispensible palindromedary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concord Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I carry 5th edition and 5th revised to our Champions sessions... The rest of my books sit on a shelf next to my computer and are referenced periodically... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutsleeve Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books My vote would be Hero Designer. But if were talking about books strictly id say UMA and Hero System Beastiary the provide neutral content that can be used in all kinds of settings. UMA provides martial arts and the rules for using them in neat ways. Hero System Beastiary give you tons of animals and there arent many genres or setting where you cant throw in an animal or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Well, obviously, I use the rulebook first and foremost. After that, there is not any single book that I use with any kind of serious frequency. Sometimes I hit UMA and sometimes the Bestiary and at times CKC or something but after that specific use it goes back on the shelf. My books are mostly a reference library and are used specifically for that purpose, reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioKAOS Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I play in a game and GM another game in HERO {superheroic levels} currently. All I own from the current Edition is 5ER. I would have liked the combat maneuver building guidelines in there, but besides that I think it has everything I need. The books I enjoy looking at most are UMA and USPD I and II, they are filled with great ideas, sparks for me to create flame with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted May 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books For the longest time, all I had was FRED and the U. Martial Artist. Does someone want to tell me again what, exactly, is in the "Combat Handbook" and what makes it "indispensible?" The Combat Handbook has all the combat rules, maneuvers and options from pretty much everything to date. All the underwater rules from Hidden Lands, all the Martial Maneuvers, Optional Rules, the rules in Fantasy Hero, all the Combat Stuff right in one small volume. the only thing it does not have are the Martial Maneuver Creation Rules which, to date, are found only in UMA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Roughly in order (exact order may vary by mood) 5ER (FREd or the BBB will also work here, I suppose) Ultimate Martial Artist Bestiary Ultimate Vehicle TUV Sourcebook Ultimate Brick (for weights of different stuff and building-falling-down rules) Villainy Amok (for fire...hmm hmm hmm...fire...fire Fire FIRE!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodstone Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books These are the books I almost always have with me in my backpack, and probably the order that they are referenced: 5ER USPD Ultimate Brick UMA USPDII Ultimate Metamorph Bestiary I will be adding the Ultimate Speedster to that stack soon... so very soon! For genre books, it's a toss up between DC and CU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shike019 Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books I actually only own three books, 5er, UMA, and fantasy Hero. I just got fantasy hero, but I have a feeling TUS will be more referenced than UMA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Like several people here I own at least one copy of every 5th Edition book that has been published to date. I still have a lot of the pre-5th Edition stuff as well. That being said, the only indespensible books are 5ER and the Ultimate Martial Artist. If you have these two books you can run anything with a little effort. Books I'd really like to have around: Dark Champions, Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, etc. the genre books. The Fantasy Grimoire I & II are useful as are the UNTIL Superpower Database I & II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books The Combat Handbook has all the combat rules, maneuvers and options from pretty much everything to date. All the underwater rules from Hidden Lands, all the Martial Maneuvers, Optional Rules, the rules in Fantasy Hero, all the Combat Stuff right in one small volume. the only thing it does not have are the Martial Maneuver Creation Rules which, to date, are found only in UMA. *Lucius Alexander scratches his head in puzzlement* Now...WHY would they leave those out?? Lucius Alexander The palindromedary asks "why ask why?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teflon Billy Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books *Lucius Alexander scratches his head in puzzlement* Now...WHY would they leave those out?? Lucius Alexander The palindromedary asks "why ask why?" Possibly, unlike for the other books, that is a key selling point for people to buy the UMA, so they wan't to keep it in there so as to not canibalize sales. TB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erkenfresh Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books Possibly, unlike for the other books, that is a key selling point for people to buy the UMA, so they wan't to keep it in there so as to not canibalize sales. TB Yep, Captain Obvious has the right answer. I'd have to say 5ER, Terran Empires, then Spacer's Toolkit, then on occasion the Beastiary. Of course, I'm running a Terran Empires campaign. If I switch to Fantasy Hero, then 5ER, FH, and MMM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Mhoram Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books 5er of course. Ultimate Martial Artist. Combat Handbook. After that it just sort of depends. Ultimate Metamorph has gotten a good workout with us, as has the Ultimate Vehicle (for SF games). Villany Amok and CKC are the two most important for a Champs game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shike019 Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Re: Indispensable Books if that were the case, you'd think they would re-print the UMA. But, alas, they do not have a new print run for UMA on the schedule. See this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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