Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

[Melkor]

Hey folks,

 

I am trying to introduce two long-term AD&D/D&D 3rd players to the HERO system via Fantasy Hero.

 

Both seemed a bit intimidated by the size of the 5th Edition revised Rulebook and Fantasy HERO, so I was wondering if I could run a campaign with Fantasy HERO and just sidekick.

 

If so, what am I going to be missing out on ?

 

Thanks.

[AliceTheOwl]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

As I understand it, Sidekick leaves out Damage Reduction and some of the other more complicated Powers. (I'm sure someone else can give you a more complete list.) It's a pared-down version of the rules. So long as you never need the rules or the options in 5ER, it's quite possible to run a game with just Sidekick.

 

However, if you don't already have a copy and your players require a hard copy to read, that'll involve either a chunk of change at the printer's, or taking the whip to your own printer. They're not currently printing any copies, sadly.

 

Technically, you CAN play without anyone ever picking up a rulebook at all. It'll involve a lot of stopping in the middle of a game to explain a rule, building characters for them and teaching the basics before even starting the game, but it is possible. The people who game with my husband and I don't know the rules, and I've only now given them a printout of Sidekick to look over. Josh and I explained combat to them during our first game together, ran a very simple one at that, and he built their characters for them on Hero Designer.

 

They, too, are D&D converts who were just desperate to get in a game, any game. They're intimidated by the very large rules set of Hero, so we're introducing it to them slowly, as we play.

[John Desmarais]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Hey folks,

 

I am trying to introduce two long-term AD&D/D&D 3rd players to the HERO system via Fantasy Hero.

 

Both seemed a bit intimidated by the size of the 5th Edition revised Rulebook and Fantasy HERO, so I was wondering if I could run a campaign with Fantasy HERO and just sidekick.

 

If so, what am I going to be missing out on ?

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, but...

 

Actually, I'm a big fan of this concept. I think for most genres (outside of Superheroes) Sidekick is pretty darn near perfect.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Also, keep in mind that just because your players may only have Sidekick, doesn't mean you can't use the whole rules set for the game. If one of their characters learns a spell (or whatever) that uses rules that are only in the main book, then they might want to learn how just those rules work.

 

In fact, if your ultimate goal (other than simply having fun, of course) is to convert them to being Hero fans, you'd probably want to go this route anyway. Gotta give 'em a little taste of what they're missing out on so they eventually get curious enough to try the whole system.

[caris]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Both seemed a bit intimidated by the size of the 5th Edition revised Rulebook and Fantasy HERO' date=' so I was wondering if I could run a campaign with Fantasy HERO and just sidekick.[/quote']

 

Given what Alice has just said, do you have a copy of Sidekick?

 

If you have a copy of Sidekick, I say go for it. Most of what you are missing is extra detail and examples of the concepts. There might be some issues with Talents in Fantasy Hero using Powers not in Sidekick, but that should be something you can deal with.

 

If you do not own a copy of Sidekick already, you may be better off by just having them read just some of the core sections. For example have them skip Powers, Power Modifiers, Power Advantages, Power Limitations, Power Frameworks, all optional rules that you are not using, the equipment section (just hand them the equipment lists for your campaign and explain any concepts that aren't covered in the sections you have them read), and the sections obviously intended for the GM. That is another thing you can to make things a little less intimidating for them. Point out that the core book is sort of a combination of Player's Handbook, DM's Guide and a selection of optional rules that would be in other books in D&D.

[Melkor]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

I bought a PDF copy of Sidekick from the online store, and I have both the HERO 5th and HERO 5th Revised books.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

If you have all those books plus Fantasy HERO, I'd say you're pretty much set.

 

I agree with Derek; the players don't need to have access to the core Fifth rulebook or FH to play, as long as you have them. SK has more than enough stuff to keep beginning players happy, and anything that they want to do that's not covered in the smaller book, you can provide them with from the big one.

 

FH itself is really more for the GM than the players, aside from things like character archetype Package Deals, weapons, or pregen spells, which you can also just let them look at when and if they need them.

 

If you think that even Sidekick would be too much for them to start, how about copying some of the introductory documents here on the "Free Stuff" part of the website and handing them out? That would give them the basics.

[Heroman]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

I guess related to that, if they only had sidekick and you wanted to make things easy for them, are there issues with sharing the FH templates (in example, having a HTML page describing the different packages, maybe sample CHAR builds, or even a PHP which allows em to click a CHAR setup, a class, and additional skills?

I guess the question is about what is allowed to be reprinted...

[gojira]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Here's some of the relavent links from the free stuff section:

 

Two page combat summary:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/freedocs/Two-Page%20Combat%20Summary.pdf

 

Hero Genre by Genre (maybe printout the Fantasy section):

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/freedocs/HSGBG%20Final.pdf

 

Specificly for Fantasy theres:

Turakian Age Gods:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/freedocs/TA%20Gods.pdf

 

Westerlands Calander:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/freedocs/Westerlands%20Calendar.pdf

 

Fantasy Magic System Form:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/writeups/FHMagicSystem.pdf

 

Fantays Hero Spell Form:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/writeups/FHSpellTemplate(Editable).pdf

 

There's also lots of character sheets available, more than the basic forms in your books:

http://herogames.com/FreeStuff/csheets.htm

 

 

There's probably more, I just did a quick run through.

[gamerz123]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Hey folks,

 

I am trying to introduce two long-term AD&D/D&D 3rd players to the HERO system via Fantasy Hero.

 

Both seemed a bit intimidated by the size of the 5th Edition revised Rulebook and Fantasy HERO, so I was wondering if I could run a campaign with Fantasy HERO and just sidekick.

 

If so, what am I going to be missing out on ?

 

Thanks.

 

I agree with Derek's assessment of using Sidekick and only adding the more advanced complete rules as necessary (Such as using the Hit Locations rules only when players want to do called shots.)

 

My suggestion for people used to the D&D system (Borrowed directly from GamePhil's convention Fantasy Hero game he ran at KublaCon in 2005) :

Use Charges for spells and ignore the Endurance rules for a little while (tell your players that you are doing so.) Once they get used to the Speed-Segment-Phase system and how maneuvers operate within the OCV/DCV system, then give them some spells that use Endurance and start implementing Endurance with everyone.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

Sidekick is good for pretty much everthing.

 

Except stopping bullets and bludgeoning people with. For that you'll need to upgrade to 5ER. Oh, and a few optional and expanded rules.....

[Talon]

Re: Sidekick (only) with Fantasy ?

 

I'm sure it will work fine -- I ran a Fantasy game without Fantasy Hero (just the main rulebook), and if Sidekick existed at the time I could have used just that with no problem whatsoever.