Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

my compliments susano this thread can help newcomers to hero/champions get the hang of it

 

Thanks.

[Majin72]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

So... I guess this will be my first post on these forums, heh.

 

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to build the Human Torch and Kyo Kusanagi (King of Fighters)?

 

I'm specifically having problems trying to figure out Johnny's complete immunity to heat and fire because it doesn't seem to be the Absorption power due to him not getting any stronger from absorbing it. It also doesn't seem to be the Life Support power because it is actually nullifying the damage that someone normally would receive, which is something that Life Support doesn't do.

 

Oh yeah... and I'm a complete newb with this stuff. I also get the unenviable task of teaching it to the folks I recruited to play it with... as a first time GM, no less.

 

I'd appreciate all the help I can get.

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

You might want to start new threads for these.

 

Ask about Kyo Kusanagi on the "Other Genres" board. As for Human Torch, I'd recommend 30 ED Armor (with Only Versus Fire for -1/2), and Damage Reduction 3/4, Resistant (also with "Only Versus Fire" -1/2) and state "He's immune to fire".

[Egyptoid]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

I have a golden rule for conversions: always award the least amount of poitns or characteristic needed to do what they are shown doing. I think it's kind of implicit in the guide' date=' but your viewpoint might be slightly different. [/quote']

 

yes but remember ARTISTIC LICENSE.

 

on dragonball z, sometimes, if a martial artist misses his blow,

and hits the ground next to his intended target,

then his boot splits the earth open and a chasm forms.

 

Its only martial arts, and yet some would build 800 point characters

capable of destroying the town, saying "its just based on what was shown on TV"

[OddHat]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

yes but remember ARTISTIC LICENSE.

 

on dragonball z, sometimes, if a martial artist misses his blow,

and hits the ground next to his intended target,

then his boot splits the earth open and a chasm forms.

 

Its only martial arts, and yet some would build 800 point characters

capable of destroying the town, saying "its just based on what was shown on TV"

 

On the other hand, Son Goku is based on the Monkey King, a character from folklore who was capable of destroying cities.

 

Different viewers are going to have very different interpretations of what, exactly, they're viewing. That's something I try to keep in mind when doing adaptations; that not everyone will agree on, well, anything.

 

Also, the "just" in "martial arts" is going to vary a hell of a lot depending on genre and setting.

[nexus]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

On the other hand, Son Goku is based on the Monkey King, a character from folklore who was capable of destroying cities.

 

Different viewers are going to have very different interpretations of what, exactly, they're viewing. That's something I try to keep in mind when doing adaptations; that not everyone will agree on, well, anything.

 

Also, the "just" in "martial arts" is going to vary a hell of a lot depending on genre and setting.

 

This is true. Goku (and others on that show) regularly tear through armored vehicles and battle robots like their made out of tissue paper and spun sugar and destroy mountain ranges (if not planets). There maybe some dramatic license involved but the side effects of their battles aren't totally blown out of proportion, IMO.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

to helpfully dissect this topic well perhaps one should answer this question first:

 

in this hypothetical campaign where we're adapting fictional characters

such as the DBZ gang, are they being translated into the Hero System

for use as PC's, NPC's or Villains ?

 

If PCs:

perhaps one ought to ignore the artistic flourishes or legendary side-effects

and build a simulation, "merely" a flashy martial artist.

 

If NPCs:

go all out, cave in mountains, whatever, enjoy, its your campaign.

Who cares about the puny player characters or their roles on the team.

after all, if the DBZ gang is on the table, the story must be about them, right?

 

If as Villains:

then they ought to be defeatable, if only just barely, and again

one ought to tone down the artistic flourishes or legendary side-effects

into campaign level powers, with grandiose SFX.

 

compare these two statements:

 

He karate-chopped Mount Fuji, and now its a spelunking site.

OR

When he karate-chopped my chest, it felt like he caved me in completely

 

which one is describing damage ? which one is describing special effects ?

Its useful to know the difference between them,

and the difference between 250, 350, 750, and 1150 points.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

On the other hand, for genres like DB, it's a Fragile World and yes, a karate chop to Mt. Fuji kills it, but not another character because Mt. Fuji has x10 Damage From Super Saiyan Attacks (as does most of the planet).

 

It's just as important to realize the MetaEffects of the Genre as it is to realize the Character when translating to game stats. Goku doesn't ness. need an attack big enough to crush a mountain based on it's normal stats if the mountain comes with a vulnerability.

[OddHat]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

to helpfully dissect this topic well perhaps one should answer this question first:

 

in this hypothetical campaign where we're adapting fictional characters

such as the DBZ gang, are they being translated into the Hero System

for use as PC's, NPC's or Villains ?

 

I'd say the trick before you did that would be determining the ground rules and power level of the Hero System game you're running. I've run games with PCs who couldn't do much more than their players, up to PCs who could smash star ships. The version of Son Goku I'd use in a 25+25 Historical game is not the same version I'd use when running a full power Dragonball Z campaign.

 

For adaptations, I generally stick to modeling what the character can do in his own stories, and then adjust the final write up for a particular campaign.

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

For adaptations' date=' I generally stick to modeling what the character can do in his own stories, and then adjust the final write up for a particular campaign.[/quote']

 

This is how I do it. I look at what the character did in his environment, not how will the character relate to other settings.

[Matt the Bruins]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

One of my pet peeves with character adaptations is something touched on by the Jedi discussion above: the use of Variable Power Pools to represent anyone who has a number of feats or stunts with fairly straightforward powers and enhanced characteristics. In my mind, that sort of versatility should be reserved for cosmic-type characters, skilled sorcerers, and genius inventors with the ability to jury-rig amazing technology without the need for extensive development and construction time in a lab (Brainiac 5 as opposed to Will Magnus).

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

Odds are, this will be updated for 6th Edition. It won't be a lot of work, but I'd like to change terminology and talk a bit about dealing with 6E changes..

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

Odds are' date=' this will be updated for 6th Edition. It won't be a lot of work, but I'd like to change terminology and talk a bit about dealing with 6E changes..[/quote']

 

How long a process do you think it will be to translate many of the writeups on your page to 6e, or do you plan a separate section for 6e writeups (at least until 6e's been out for a year or so)?

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

How long a process do you think it will be to translate many of the writeups on your page to 6e' date=' or do you plan a separate section for 6e writeups (at least until 6e's been out for a year or so)?[/quote']

 

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to translate things to 6E whole hog. I'll probably do what I do now, simply add them to the various sections and let the reader figure out what version they are looking at. There are 4E character sheets on my page (IIRC) that were submitted long ago by fans. I don't feel right in editing them so I'll leave them. Considering the time it took to update everything to 5E (18 months +) I really don't want to do that for 6E.

[Marcus Impudite]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

Just downloaded the PDF from your site. Thanks for posting this, as someone who'll still be using 5th Edition Revised for years to come, this'll definately come in handy.

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

Just downloaded the PDF from your site. Thanks for posting this' date=' as someone who'll still be using 5th Edition Revised for years to come, this'll definately come in handy.[/quote']

 

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Susano]

Re: Susano's Guide to Adapting Fictional Characters to HERO

 

I intend to update this to 6th Edition. Probably after I get the hard copy editions and read through them.