39 point me

[lynnlefey]

Every year at Halloween, I run a one-shot horror game where the players play themselves in some horrid event. Last year, it was run in the d20 system, and this year, it'll be in the Hero system. I just wrote myself up, and found to my dissappointment that I am built on 39 points.

 

It should be a fun game. Has anyone else ever done this?

[Robyn]

Re: 39 point me

 

I just wrote myself up, and found to my dissappointment that I am built on 39 points.

 

It should be a fun game. Has anyone else ever done this?

 

I've seen it done in GURPS, and I'd be surprised if you're only 39 points. Add in the Knowledge skills you never think of, from school.

[Narratio]

Re: 39 point me

 

Area Knowledge skills, if you've done any travelling or odd facts gained from surfing the Discovery/ Animal Planet / History channel could go towards Knowledge pts.

 

My group did it under 3rd edition and averaged around 45pts with generosity.

[Evil Steve]

Re: 39 point me

 

I tried this once and found it very depressing.

 

Timelords actually developed a system to do just this. It works pretty good, but its still depressing

[Old Man]

Re: 39 point me

 

I've done this on several occasions. My point totals were always very low, but they are higher now that I bought off nearsighted. Anyway, the best ways to increase your Hero point totals in real life are to take up weightlifting and earn a black belt in some martial art.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: 39 point me

 

Funny, but the last time I tried to stat myself out I was really quite expensive.

 

But then again I have a lot of odd skills, and a lifelong obsession with learning how to do things that I've learned about in books and RPG's

[Ranxerox]

Re: 39 point me

 

I did this back when I was a teen and I think that I came out between 40 and 50 points.

 

The depressing thing is that I know that I would come out to fewer points now. As a teenager I was into Tae Kwon Do, and could claim 3 MA manuevers. Also my DEX, CON, and Speed were better back in the day.

 

Since then I have picked up a few skills and have increased my PRE. However, it doesn't balance out the points that I lost by letting my MA skills slip away.

 

On the bright side, I have bought off all the disadvantages that I had as a teen (poor, nearsighted, and shy). So at least I can feel that i have made some progress.

[tgrandjean]

Re: 39 point me

 

*chuckles* Yep, I've come out rather low also.

However just to note most of the time those random skills that you've (meaning most everyone) managed to pick up are probably only Familiarities. I usually allow only areas that you've spent significant time on learning.... a couple of years of college... etc.... to be bought as KS... and seldom more than -9... Extra time does wonders for skill penalties....

However, unlike characters you can certainly possess a few manuevers that still total less than 10pts as a 'martial art'. I'd say I have only 'fast strike' and 'martial block' as manuevers w/weapon elements clubs, swords... but that's it...

[lynnlefey]

Re: 39 point me

 

My method of determining if someone had a skill was 'can you make money at it'? This usually means college level skill in it, or having done it for a living for a few years.

 

It's funny, because in our group, one player ended up costing 97 points (which I had my doubts about) and another was 14 points. Knowing for certain that you can only pick 50 pounds over your head gets you a LOT of points back. LOL

 

Still, doing these games I always find fun, watching players face unspeakable horros, and honestly being scared. heh heh.

[Matt Frisbee]

Re: 39 point me

 

I've only tried to play myself in two game systems -- Villains & Vigilantes (I don't remember the character) and Chill. I'm sure I wouldn't make an inspired Hero System character, especially these days, now that I'm 20 years older than I was back when I ran those characters...

 

Matt "Whadda-ya-mean-'Negative-Point-Value-Man'?" Frisbee

[Badger]

Re: 39 point me

 

Hmm, between me and high school.

 

In high school I had slightly more DEX, SPD. But I can still move good when motivated. My STR is better now. I've bought off my DF (pimple filled face) course I now have a slightly arthritic left shoulder from my high school pitching days that acts up really bad on really rainy days. Back to physical issues. My CON and END are shot. I could still run almost as fast as 10 years ago. But not long after I get up to speed I am gasping for breath.

[OddHat]

Re: 39 point me

 

Well, my COM these days is much lower than it was in my college years. My STR is higher, as is my PD. CON may be higher. I've lost some running, and my END is probably down. INT is probably lower, but I have a longer Skill list, some Contacts, a few Perks, and more disads than I like to think about.

 

I could probably be written up fairly well on 50 (25+25) points, maybe less.

[bigdamnhero]

Re: 39 point me

 

Yeah, I ran a (short-lived) campaign like this ~20 years ago in college. But we were all in the Army at the time, so we actually had some fairly decent skills. Tho as has been said, a lot of them were just Familiarities. Don't remember what the point totals came out at.

 

It would be fairly depressing to stat myself out today.

[Cancer]

Re: 39 point me

 

I read the title of this thread and tried to figure out what sort of thing "39 point" was a euphemism for.

[Robyn]

Re: 39 point me

 

You know, if we all posted our point totals to this thread, we could have the basis for redefining the "average normal" point totals in HERO!

 

. . . except . . .

 

There is that one little problem.

 

Gamers don't count as "normal people".

[lynnlefey]

Re: 39 point me

 

There's the other problem that Gamers often have either an over or under inflated sense of self. No kidding. My group, all adults, ranged from 14 to 97 points when they were allowed to stat themelves.

 

I think psychologist ought to require folks to stat themselves out as a theraputic tool.

[Air Pirate]

Re: 39 point me

 

I think psychologist ought to require folks to stat themselves out as a theraputic tool.

Or the person to the left of you. Man, I always hated those exercises!

 

That said, I always found this fun to do with any game system. But as some of the replies above show, you would definately need to set some benchmarks for characteristics and some base rules so everyone starts on the same page.

 

 

 

Though loved they might be by their moms and dads

loved by their captains never

the slightest misdeeds would have these cads

CONDEMNED TO THE CHAINS FOREVER!

[Gummibear]

Re: 39 point me

 

I have to agree about the familiarity statement. Take all those skills you think you have and turn 95% of them into familiarities.

 

(/rant)

I've had this argument with several people but here's just one example.

Someone comes out of highschool that has taken two biology classes. So they give themselves an int based KS for bio? No way-that would give the average person an 11- and for those self-inflated types (as also mentioned) a 12-. So what this means is that any question about biology that person now has a professional level at. Um-nope. Maybe a KS called HighSchool Biology. Even college a couple college level courses won't give you above a familiarity.

"It looks like a bird of some kind"

"Well I have Biology on an 11- since I took a class in college."

"....so you want me to tell you the Kingdom, Phylum, all that? Eating habits mating rituals, et al?"

"Of course, I just made my roll by three since I rolled an eight. I must have really looked at this part of the book a lot."

"Um-no. Its a bird that you think might have be a wetland bird. It eats what the text book inserts for most avians-so grubs and insects."

 

For the most part most folks in RL can be built for about 15-30 points. Anyone that goes over that is not being truthful.

Everyman skills take up the majority of our RL character sheets. And they're all free.

MA? Ok so some might have a blackbelt so they now have 3-5 manuvers. But did they study other elements of the MA? Do they know the history? Did their sensei teach them about other arts? Um-probably not so another - nope. This is the rule not the exception before everyone starts to tune up and say "my sensei did." I don't think too many people are going to be able to honestly say that the majority of blackbelts are taught this rigorously.

Stats. Anybody that comes up with stats above 15 you can give a might BS to. And that better be the only stat they have above 11.

For the most part the average person has stats that are 10s and 12s, maybe if they're lucky a 13. They have a PS (which is free btw) that they can do as a profession. This might be a "freebie" 11-. The average person doesn't have any perks that are above and beyond the standard "free" perks (car, house, friends) so nothing there. Talents? Ambi-maybe. Most of the others? Again-nope. (but I'm just naturally quick so I have lightning reflexes- )

Powers-none that I'm aware of. maybe some extra running. The guy who sees really well in the dark? Maybe an extra level of perception. Specialists like guys that can catch arrows? Well they wouldn't be average now would they?

We overwhelmingly are unbalanced characters whose character sheets are dramatically in the negative due to disads. So, my .45c - anybody that brings you a character sheet of themselves that has a point total anything over 45 you can give an outright BS to and anything over 30 is highly suspect.

 

grrrrr. Can you tell I've had this discussion before?

(/rant)

 

Whew-I feel better now.

[OddHat]

Re: 39 point me

 

I have to agree about the familiarity statement. Take all those skills you think you have and turn 95% of them into familiarities.

[rant snipped]

Whew-I feel better now.

 

I actually agree with the sentiment, but not all the specifics. For myself, I've trained with men who had MAs and PhDs who were dead lifting in the 600+ pound range in competition. One of my players holds two MAs, has been training in Wu Shu kung fu for about 20 years, and is currently doing a short term gig as an interpretter for Jet Li's Wu Shu instructor.

 

The point being, while people do tend to vastly overestimate their own competence, there are weird outliers who do require 50+ points to stat out completely.

 

Of course, a sedentary middle aged Wiccan who works at the 7-11 and plans to go back and finish his BA any year now is unlikely to be one of them.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: 39 point me

 

I actually agree with the sentiment, but not all the specifics. For myself, I've trained with men who had MAs and PhDs who were dead lifting in the 600+ pound range in competition. One of my players holds two MAs, has been training in Wu Shu kung fu for about 20 years, and is currently doing a short term gig as an interpretter for Jet Li's Wu Shu instructor.

 

The point being, while people do tend to vastly overestimate their own competence, there are weird outliers who do require 50+ points to stat out completely.

 

Of course, a sedentary middle aged Wiccan who works at the 7-11 and plans to go back and finish his BA any year now is unlikely to be one of them.

 

I'm also quite inclined to agree with Gummibears overall point, as well as your own. Now I'm thinking that I really need to sit down and point myself out using my "current write up" as it were. Unfortunately I've probably lost most of my actual MA maneuvers due to 5 years of relative disuse

 

Anyone know where I can rustle up a good blank character sheet in postable form I can copy & paste? No HD here, alas... until I'm involved in an active campaign again, its a super low priority for my money.

[OddHat]

Re: 39 point me

 

I'm also quite inclined to agree with Gummibears overall point' date=' as well as your own. Now I'm thinking that I really need to sit down and point myself out using my "current write up" as it were. Unfortunately I've probably lost most of my actual MA maneuvers due to 5 years of relative disuse[/quote']

 

Which is the other side of it. There are many skills and stat levels I once could have honestly claimed that are now long gone. Time's a bitch goddess.

 

Anyone know where I can rustle up a good blank character sheet in postable form I can copy & paste? No HD here, alas... until I'm involved in an active campaign again, its a super low priority for my money.

 

 

 

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

10 STR 0 11- Lift 100.0kg; 2d6

10 DEX 0 11- OCV: 3/DCV: 3

10 CON 0 11-

10 BODY 0 11-

10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11-

10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3

10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6

10 COM 0 11-

 

2 PD 0 Total: 2 PD (0 rPD)

2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED)

2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12

4 REC 0

20 END 0

20 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 0

 

Movement: Running: 6"/12"

Leaping: 2"/4"

Swimming: 2"/4"

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 0

Total Cost: 0

 

25+ Disadvantages

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 0

 

Background/History:

 

Personality/Motivation:

 

Quote:

 

Powers/Tactics:

 

Campaign Use:

 

Appearance:

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: 39 point me

 

Thanks for the blank sheet!

 

I'm confident that many of my PS's are still mostly in place... Last summer, for instance, I went back into technical theater work after a 10+ year hiatus and still knew as much as the technical director. Actually, because we were doing Brigadoonthe specialized knowledge I'd been persuing for most of my adult life was in demand in almost all aspects of the production, especially in props and costumes.

But I'm an exception rather than a rule. I'm also kind of an atavisim, spending way to much time and effort learning skills that I'm NEVER going to have a practical need for unless something odd hapens like the collapse of civilization.

 

Like missile deflection. I can deflect most muscle powered missile weapons, can catch hafted ones, and have won contests for accuracy in throwing javelins.

I also spent YEARS working on my archery. Ditto swordfighting, shooting, axethrowing and other militant type skills.

Why? Cause I'm that kind of gamer geek. I think you'll find that reenactors, wheter the be bcskinners, Cowboy action shooters, Renaissance nuts or SCAdians wil ave a number of "game friendly" skills that inflate point values. Part of it is simply how someone directs a lifetimes worth of luxury time... I can't write HTML or manage a combo attack in Street Fighter, but I can probably do one in R/L, because thats what I was interested in...

So it goes

[OddHat]

Re: 39 point me

 

Thanks for the blank sheet!

 

I'm confident that many of my PS's are still mostly in place... Last summer, for instance, I went back into technical theater work after a 10+ year hiatus and still knew as much as the technical director. Actually, because we were doing Brigadoonthe specialized knowledge I'd been persuing for most of my adult life was in demand in almost all aspects of the production, especially in props and costumes.

But I'm an exception rather than a rule. I'm also kind of an atavisim, spending way to much time and effort learning skills that I'm NEVER going to have a practical need for unless something odd hapens like the collapse of civilization.

 

Like missile deflection. I can deflect most muscle powered missile weapons, can catch hafted ones, and have won contests for accuracy in throwing javelins.

I also spent YEARS working on my archery. Ditto swordfighting, shooting, axethrowing and other militant type skills.

Why? Cause I'm that kind of gamer geek. I think you'll find that reenactors, wheter the be bcskinners, Cowboy action shooters, Renaissance nuts or SCAdians wil ave a number of "game friendly" skills that inflate point values. Part of it is simply how someone directs a lifetimes worth of luxury time... I can't write HTML or manage a combo attack in Street Fighter, but I can probably do one in R/L, because thats what I was interested in...

So it goes

 

 

Yup. I'm about to go over to the power cage in my den and bench press 335 pounds. There is no logical reason for a 36 year old desk worker to waste his time like that, and yet here I am. Gamers pick-up a fair number of bizzare hobbies, many of which are worth points.

[Air Pirate]

Re: 39 point me

 

AmadanNaBriona[/b]]Thanks for the blank sheet!

 

I'm confident that many of my PS's are still mostly in place...

 

Yup. I'm about to go over to the power cage in my den and bench press 335 pounds.

 

Now remember, Amada, to include potential skill modifiers (pg. 28 in the Skills chapter of my rulebook) when deciding your skill levels. And OddHat, how much are you pushing your strength when you press 335 pounds? Be honest now!

 

Seriously, this is what gives the most headaches when I try to stat NPCs myself. Kudos to people like Surbrook. Thats why I think we need a good set of guidelines.

 

You know, I really don't want to try to realistically stat myself now. I think that would be really depressing. Thankfully this is the HERO System!

 

 

Weigh anchor knaves! Hoist skull and bones

nor shed ye any tears

Cause I'll hoist high he who bemoans

the FATE OF THE MUTINEERS!

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: 39 point me

 

Now remember, Amada, to include potential skill modifiers (pg. 28 in the Skills chapter of my rulebook) when deciding your skill levels. And OddHat, how much are you pushing your strength when you press 335 pounds? Be honest now!

 

Seriously, this is what gives the most headaches when I try to stat NPCs myself. Kudos to people like Surbrook. Thats why I think we need a good set of guidelines.

 

You know, I really don't want to try to realistically stat myself now. I think that would be really depressing. Thankfully this is the HERO System!

 

 

I'm not just figuring my STR based on my lifting ability, because I know how the system works... lifting STR is based on how much you can barely get off the ground. I'm going by STR minimum comparisons to various weapons I know I can handle in addition to my best "non-pushed" recent feat of strength... I upended an upright piano by myself. I regularily fight with a bastard sword 2 handed, and can do it with one hand but I'm a bit clumsy with only one. Right-o, so around a 11-12 STR. I can also swing about a greatsword or battle axe without much difficulty, and my prefered handgun is a .44 magnum, so I might knuckle under and either give myself a smidgen of Weapon Strength, or some kind of limited STR to reflect that I am good at applying leverage from my long limbs (I frequently lift and move things that seem to be to heavy for my build because I'm wirey and know how to "lift smart").

I exert a fair bit of force when I fight... I've dislocated a few jaws, busted a couple of ribs and the like, but I mostly rely on shot placement rather than brute force. OK, maybe I still do have a couple of martial manuvers left over... no extra DC's tho, and what was once probably a fast strike or martial strike is now a basic strike.

Uhoh...I'd better stop afore I ramble anymore