New to HERO/Discussion Board

[Khelendros]

Hello, I'm Jeremy

 

I would like to start off by saying thank you for having me on your discussion board and I hope to get to know some of you as players, as far as someone can get to know at least lol. A close friend of mine has introduced me to HERO and wants me to play in his game this upcoming Sunday(not today). I am in the process of gaining the books but wanted to gain the aid of experienced players in making my character since I won't be able to see the GM or the other players till next week to help.

 

From what I've been told it's a 150 point marvel character with 60 points active for a power and 100 points for disadvantages. He said we were medium power I and will build ourselves up over time in the campaign to high powered. I do have a character concept and background I just am wishing for the aid of those who know what they are doing to help me refine him.

 

Basics are that his name is Hugo Williams and he is a computer net worker with a child, age 10. His wife was kidnapped and killed so now he is a widow raising the child on his own. The child doesn't know of his fathers powers which makes it harder for him to keep his secret. Also he is being watched by some origination that knows about "super" people. The world is set more like in the time of X-men one and the world is about to find out. Oh...I forgot to mention he will not kill no matter what. Since the death of his wife he feels no life no matter what they have done should be taken and therefor what take one himself.

 

As for Hugo's powers...I want his main power to be a very strong force field that is easy to maintain, something that protects most forms of attacks. I think they are called PD,ED,Power,Mental. Mainly I want him to be very defensive but can still fight. Basically I don't want my first character to get slapped around and possible die lol and for his second power some ok flight for utility. For my last power to be regeneration kind of like Clare off the Hero TV show. .

 

Anyone who could help me make this guy would be a major help. I thank you all for reading my post and again I look forward to getting to know you and the game HERO.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Well if you want a force field, flight and attacks. This can be done with a simple Telekenisis Elemental Control which is a power framework for closely related powers

 

Like this.

30 Telekenisis: Elemental Control, 60-point powers

30 1) TK Bolt: EB 12d6 (60 Active Points) 6

30 2) TK Field: FF (20 PD/20 ED/10 Mental Defense/10 Power Defense) (60 Active Points) 6

30 3) TK Flight: Flight 24", Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (60 Active Points) 2

[Doc Democracy]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Anyone who could help me make this guy would be a major help. I thank you all for reading my post and again I look forward to getting to know you and the game HERO.

 

Hey Jeremy, welcome to teh boards. You'll find people pretty helpful - you've already got a basic suggestion on how to build your power.

 

As you get to know the game you'll discover that the best thing you can do with a power is have a good idea of what it is and why it works before going to the books to get an idea of how to build it.

 

The Hero system can often get the right effects using more than one set of powers from the book. What you need to know is how the powers work and it is easier to decide the best one to use.

 

Is your character a mutant? Where does the forcefield come from, personal abilities? Gadgets? What about the flight? Is that powered from the same place - can he use his full flight ability at the same time as full force field? Does using these powers at full power make him tired quickly?

 

What about doing damage? How does he do that? A gun? fisticuffs?

 

Why was his wife kidnapped? Who did it? Are they a danger to his child or him? Does this have something to do with his powers?

 

These are the first questions I'd ask you as a GM to explain to me in words, not in game terms. The more we know the more we can help you....

 

 

Doc

[Psybolt]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Welcome Jeremy,

 

I have always been one to stress the character concept more than anything else and it sounds like you have a good start in that area. I personally start by doing the disadvantages, because those are the areas I enjoy roleplaying the most.

 

After that, you need to determine what characteristics you want your character to have. What type of character do you want? Which areas would not be needed for this character. With your example, STR probably can be lower, while your DEX could be higher. It can be anyway that you want though. The system is remarkably flexible.

 

Finally, you can take your remaining points and build your powers and take the skills that your character would have.

 

You have a lot of wonderfully creative people on this site, so take their advise and decide what you want to do. Then make sure you tell us how much you loved the Hero System.

[McCoy]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Hello, I'm Jeremy

 

I would like to start off by saying thank you for having me on your discussion board and I hope to get to know some of you as players, as far as someone can get to know at least lol. A close friend of mine has introduced me to HERO and wants me to play in his game this upcoming Sunday(not today). I am in the process of gaining the books but wanted to gain the aid of experienced players in making my character since I won't be able to see the GM or the other players till next week to help.

Nice to meet you Jeremy. Welcome to the boards. I think you'll find people here helpful.

 

From what I've been told it's a 150 point marvel character with 60 points active for a power and 100 points for disadvantages. He said we were medium power I and will build ourselves up over time in the campaign to high powered. I do have a character concept and background I just am wishing for the aid of those who know what they are doing to help me refine him.

 

Basics are that his name is Hugo Williams and he is a computer net worker with a child, age 10. His wife was kidnapped and killed so now he is a widow raising the child on his own. The child doesn't know of his fathers powers which makes it harder for him to keep his secret. Also he is being watched by some origination that knows about "super" people. The world is set more like in the time of X-men one and the world is about to find out. Oh...I forgot to mention he will not kill no matter what. Since the death of his wife he feels no life no matter what they have done should be taken and therefor what take one himself.

These are your disadvantages, which you can take to offset the cost of more powers. (Advantages and limitations apply to powers, disadvantages to characters. Yes, it might have been less confusing to switch the meaning of limitations and disadvantages, but the terminology goes back to the begining of the game.) Your GM has said you may take up to 100 points in disadvantages.

Hugo Williams and he is a computer net worker with a child, age 10. His wife was kidnapped and killed so now he is a widow raising the child on his own.

The child is a Dependent Non Player Character, or DNPC (We use acronyms and abbriviations a lot, probably because there is more information on a Champions character sheet than many other Role Playing Games (RPG's)). Being ten years old I'm assuming he is built on fewer points than a normal person (incompent), and has no useful skills to aid his father's crimefighting. Being a single parent, I'm assuming that the DNPC will be affecting the character more than half the time, so we have her acctivate on a 14-. That he doesn't know about Dad's double life is worth 5 pooints. So Hugo's first disad, DNPC, incompent, 14-, for 30 points.

The child doesn't know of his fathers powers which makes it harder for him to keep his secret.

That brings us to Secret Identity (Secret ID), a social limitation worth 15 points.

Also he is being watched by some origination that knows about "super" people.

This is called a Hunted, and this one needs to be discussed with your GM. The point cost will depend on such things as how large to organization is, how often they show up, and what they will do to Hugo if they catch him.

he will not kill no matter what.

This is Code Against Killing (CvK), a psychological limitation worth 20 points.

 

So if we assume tyour Hunted is worth 20 points (about average), you need another 15 points in disads.

 

Val Disadvantages

30 Dependent NPC: 14- (Incompetent; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID)

15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Frequently, Major)

20 Hunted: 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Common, Total)

 

 

Disadvantage Points: 85

 

Does he take extra damage from some form of attack? Does he blame himself for his wife's death or seek to bring her killers to justice? Does he limp, stutter, detect as a mutant, or is he just plain unlucky? Any of those can be the basis for another disad.

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Thank you all for the replies so far.

 

To start this isn't the entire background but just a short blurb about it. Hugo is a 27 year old computer net worker with a 7 year old daughter. His wife was kidnapped and killed by a man during a botched robbery and he blames himself for it. They had a fight that night and that is why she went to the store. He has nightmares about it all the time that are hard to wake up from due to being a heavy sleeper. It's the death of his wife that lead him to his views on no killing and that no one deserves to die(kinda reverse in that he doesn't have vengeance). It was around the age of 20 that he learned he had powers when a group of others approached him, lead by Dr Vision(Think of P.Xavier and his school) and was taught how to control and expand his power. Basically he takes work trips to the school so that he doesn't have to worry his daughter.

 

For his powers, and the first idea was an amazing but I wasn't looking for telekinesis(Thank you Corven_Ren) . His power in my mind are derived from spirit energy(life force or celestial force). He uses his personal life's essence or spirit to produce a force field that greatly aids him in defense. He can when the force field is up fly and only when it's up and the last power is that I can use my spirit energy to regenerate others and give them back limbs but nothing as amazing as bring back the dead unless I was to sacrifice my own life. I had self regeneration but it didn't really make sense with my concept. When this "Spirit Form" is up his skin is surrounded by this blue/white halo of energy that trails around him when he moves or flies.

 

Physically he looks healthy and built like batman or superman of the comics and his eyes have a faint blue/white glow about them.

 

As for his vulnerability I was thinking of it being like he takes more from negative energy attacks or life draining abilities. Kind of like how undead are affected by positive energy I'm affected by negative energy.

 

 

Sorry for not giving more information in my first message. I hope this all helps.

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Hrmmm I just had a huge reply but it didn't post so I'll write it again and hope it doesn't come in twice.

 

I'll start with a little blurb about his background. Hugo is a 27 year old man with a 7 year old daughter. For a job he is a net worker working with computers. His wife was kidnapped and killed during a botched robbery and he blames himself since the reason she went out that night is they had a fight. Hugo still has nightmares about his wifes death since he blames himself and due to the fact that he is a heavy sleeper it's hard to wake up from them. Around the age of 20 is when he learned he had powers. A group of people approached him lead by a man called Dr. Vision (His abilities are fake/real illusions and making things seem normal when they aren't. Example: A group of hero's vs villain's get into a fight off in a field. He can make it look to outside watchers that there is nothing going on in that field or if something gets blown up he can make it look as if nature did it. He also can do a few things in combat but his roll is utility and in my background is to act like a Professor Xavier character running a school.) Since learning of his powers Hugo takes "work trips" to the school to learn and train for a month at a time once a year. This way his daughter never has to find out about him and have to go through any hardships that could come with that knowledge. Physically he looks handsome and built kinda like batman or superman in the comics but is above a human since he is special. Nothing crazy but maybe two times that of a normal human and the only real defining feature is that his eyes have a faint blue-white glow to them(explained later)

 

Okay so onto his powers. I would like to thank all of you who gave ideas. They were all very good but I should have wrote what my ideas were to start with and for that I apologize. I'll start off by saying that the GM said since this is the marvel world but it's time line is like the X-Men 1 movie and that it's also like the ultimate comics? He said something like Mr. Fantastic and them haven't been formed yet or just were formed and it's the new world they created. So we can play anything we want as far as backgrounds(mutant, science, alien etc). His powers are based off spirit energy or life energy/celestial energy. When he activates his forcefield his skin is surrounded by a blue/white halo of his personal spirits/life's energy. When his "Spirit Form" is active he can also fly but only when the force field is up. When he walks or flies he leaves a trail of blue-white energy. I had wanted him to have regeneration but it really doesn't make sense so instead I changed the concept to that he can regenerate others by transferring his own life's energy into them restoring health and limbs. He can't do anything as fantastic as raise the dead but he can if he sacrifices himself in the process.

 

Sorry for not being more detailed in my first message so I hope this helps. I'm a huge fan of backgrounds first in my D&D games and I really don't care if he isn't the strongest or maxed out because I'm about the story. Even though this game will have lost of fighting I'm also wanting to be mainly defensive and utility with a minor bit of fighting if none at all really.

 

 

 

EDIT!!: I almost forgot to mention that the source of his power comes from a piece of crystal that comes from the heavens. Basically a celestial charge crystal that gives the owner various powers when melded into the body where it burrows itself near the heart. When he uses the powers of the crystal he gains a Spirit Form(Celestial Body) and when in that form can use his powers. Kinda like how Colossus transforms into his Heroic Identity.

[JmOz]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Hrmmm I just had a huge reply but it didn't post so I'll write it again and hope it doesn't come in twice.

 

I'll start with a little blurb about his background. Hugo is a 27 year old man with a 7 year old daughter. For a job he is a net worker working with computers. His wife was kidnapped and killed during a botched robbery and he blames himself since the reason she went out that night is they had a fight. Hugo still has nightmares about his wifes death since he blames himself and due to the fact that he is a heavy sleeper it's hard to wake up from them. Around the age of 20 is when he learned he had powers. A group of people approached him lead by a man called Dr. Vision (His abilities are fake/real illusions and making things seem normal when they aren't. Example: A group of hero's vs villain's get into a fight off in a field. He can make it look to outside watchers that there is nothing going on in that field or if something gets blown up he can make it look as if nature did it. He also can do a few things in combat but his roll is utility and in my background is to act like a Professor Xavier character running a school.) Since learning of his powers Hugo takes "work trips" to the school to learn and train for a month at a time once a year. This way his daughter never has to find out about him and have to go through any hardships that could come with that knowledge. Physically he looks handsome and built kinda like batman or superman in the comics but is above a human since he is special. Nothing crazy but maybe two times that of a normal human and the only real defining feature is that his eyes have a faint blue-white glow to them(explained later)

 

Okay so onto his powers. I would like to thank all of you who gave ideas. They were all very good but I should have wrote what my ideas were to start with and for that I apologize. I'll start off by saying that the GM said since this is the marvel world but it's time line is like the X-Men 1 movie and that it's also like the ultimate comics? He said something like Mr. Fantastic and them haven't been formed yet or just were formed and it's the new world they created. So we can play anything we want as far as backgrounds(mutant, science, alien etc). His powers are based off spirit energy or life energy/celestial energy. When he activates his forcefield his skin is surrounded by a blue/white halo of his personal spirits/life's energy. When his "Spirit Form" is active he can also fly but only when the force field is up. When he walks or flies he leaves a trail of blue-white energy. I had wanted him to have regeneration but it really doesn't make sense so instead I changed the concept to that he can regenerate others by transferring his own life's energy into them restoring health and limbs. He can't do anything as fantastic as raise the dead but he can if he sacrifices himself in the process.

 

Sorry for not being more detailed in my first message so I hope this helps. I'm a huge fan of backgrounds first in my D&D games and I really don't care if he isn't the strongest or maxed out because I'm about the story. Even though this game will have lost of fighting I'm also wanting to be mainly defensive and utility with a minor bit of fighting if none at all really.

 

Well that sounds like it begs a Ch'i power source, as for regen, it might not make sense but self healing might make sense...give me some time and I can have a rough idea on tuesday for you

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Not so much chi as holy or celestial spirits. Like I'm using positive energy as a cleric does.

[clsage]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Greetings and welcome !

 

Something I've found over time is that, in addition to the system

books there are some other great sources out there, even if just

to get your 'Hero creative juices' going. Some that I go back

to time and again.....

 

First is the Surbrooks Stuff website character archive at:

 

http://surbrook.devermore.net/index/archive.html

 

There are a wide selection of character sheets running a wide range

of power levels and types. Deinately a resource with browsing on at

least a semi-regular basis.

 

Next is The Great Net Book of Real Heroes at:

 

http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/

 

This is an A-Z list of character sheets which consists of player

generated versions of famous and not so famous characters from

comics mostly, with some film and TV added in.

 

Third is Matt's Champions Page at:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/mathew/champions.html

 

This is a compilation of all sorts of character sheets which are

built almost exclusively on 250 points (100 base + 150 disads)

and was (as far as I know) originally inspired in part by the old

'250 point project', a website for which can be found at:

 

http://project250.tripod.com/

 

The idea of the project was an effort to make character sheets for

classic comic characters and bring them all in under the 250 point

mark.

 

Other great tools include Hero Designer 3, which is a great build

helping program available thru the Hero store on the Hero Games

website. And also on the Hero Games website is the weekly chat

that is run by Steve Long, the line developer of Hero Games

products. It's recently moved to Wednesday nights and if there

is a change or cancellation Steve usually posts a note here on the

forums. Definately worth a visit when you can, just for the chance

to catch any new news from Steve regarding upcoming products

and such.

 

Again, welcome.

 

-Carl-

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Thank you very much for those sites and I will review them. Thank you everyone for the help so far. I'm looking forward to getting this character finished and playable. I think my GM will like the fact that we won't have to waist time making me a character when I get there Sunday either.

[JmOz]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Not so much chi as holy or celestial spirits. Like I'm using positive energy as a cleric does.

 

Are you familiar with the Golden Age character Captain Triumph? Here is some info

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Triumph

 

The idea I like is that your characters wife's ghost could be the cause of his powers, just a sugestion

[Sean Waters]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Here's a bare bones character with 25 points left over for skills etc and no disadvantages as yet, that you could use a s a framework. He is strong, but not so strong he can hold up his own in most fights, but can do decent damage with a movethrough using his flight ability.

 

Hope it is of some use.

 

[center][center][/center]
[/center]
[font='Arial Black']Val    Char Cost            Roll            Notes[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   30      STR        20                15-                Lift 1600.0kg; 6d6 [3][/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   23      DEX       39                14-                OCV:  8/DCV:  8[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   23      CON       26                14-[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   12      BODY     4                 11-[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   13      INT          3                 12-           PER Roll 12-[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   11      EGO         2                 11-           ECV:  4[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   15      PRE         5                 12-           PRE Attack:  3d6[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   12      COM       1                 11-[/font]

[font=Times New Roman]8+15    PD           2                                 Total:  8/23 PD (0/15 rPD)[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]8+15    ED           3                                 Total:  8/23 ED (0/15 rED)[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]    3       SPD         0                                 Phases:  4, 8, 12[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   11      REC        0[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   46      END       0[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]   39      STUN      0                 [/font][font='Arial Black']Total Characteristic Cost:  105[/font]

[font=Times New Roman][b]Movement:[/b]                                Running:                                6"/12"[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]                                Flight:                                19"/152"[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]                                Leaping:                                6"/12"[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]                                Swimming:                                2"/4"[/font]

[font='Arial Black']Cost   Powers   END[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]30        [i]Life Energy Mastery:[/i]  Elemental Control, 60-point powers[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]30        1)  Force Field (15 PD/15 ED/6 Mental Defense/6 Power Defense/6 Flash Defense:  Sight Group), Costs END Only To Activate (+¼) (60 Active Points) 5[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]30        2)  Flight 19", x8 Noncombat, Costs END Only To Activate (+¼) (60 Active Points) 5[/font]
[font=Times New Roman]30        3)  Healing Simplified 5 ½d6, Can Heal Limbs (60 Active Points) 6[/font]

[b][font=Times New Roman]Total Powers & Skill Cost:  120[/font][/b]
[b][font='Times New Roman']Total Cost:  225[/font][/b]
[b][/b] 
[b][font='Times New Roman']

[/font][/b]

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Okay, I just got the books and I read through the core book. I've made a version Hugo to the best of my ability. Sorry if I completely mess up but this is my first character I've made for the HERO system.

 

I used ideas that were given and read the links provided to help me come up with the template. Please review and edit and thank you everyone for the aid in this project.

 

I'll be posting the template since I don't know how make it show up.

[Sean Waters]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Okay, I just got the books and I read through the core book. I've made a version Hugo to the best of my ability. Sorry if I completely mess up but this is my first character I've made for the HERO system.

 

I used ideas that were given and read the links provided to help me come up with the template. Please review and edit and thank you everyone for the aid in this project.

 

I'll be posting the template since I don't know how make it show up.

 

 

Yes.

 

Well.

 

I'm speechless.

[robertep]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

All in all I would say nice work but...

 

Here are a some of the problems in your build that I spotted ,if I may

 

1st The IIF for your Elemental Control(EC) would not be legal in my opinion as this is a part of you now and beside the OIHID(only in hero ID) should cover this quit well

 

2nd i would reduce the commonality of your sleep related disadvantages to common (both of them) unless you tend to sleep more then 8 or so hours a day and or in the nightmares case tend to have them while awake (like flashes and daydreaming) or having theme affect your behavior during your waking hours

 

3rd about your eyes ,do thy glow all the time or only when you are using your powers.if the former then how does he explain it to his daughter or for that matter to anybody ?

 

4th about the use of OIHID according to the RAW(Rules As Written).

For this Limitation to be valid' date=' the character must have some difficulty changing forms-the change must at least a Full Phase, if not longer(during which the character can do nothing else), and/or there must be other difficulties or ways to prevent him from changing identities.[/quote']

 

A power usually cannot take both OIHID and a Focus Limitation.However. you can use OIHID to simulate characters who seem to have a Focus' date=' but somehow never lose it(out of quote-like the shard in your heart) [/quote']

 

5th using the Visible Limitation on some of your powers ,remember that by default almost all powers that require END to use (even if you bought them to 0 END) are visible to at least 3 senses(IIRC) so the Visible Limitation is used for powers that are normally invisible.

 

Sorry for nip picking your character build

and even though it is just a draft I assume that this is what you are looking for in posting your character for review. (At least I wold expect[and wish] that if I were to post a character of mine for review and hope you will answer in kind if and when I will post one)

 

 

Edit: o and as for an export template for posting in forums and such I use this one

[Sean Waters]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

OK, I'm not speechless, but, well, this does look like a...how can I put this delicately...excessively leveraged character.

 

Where to start....you do realise that, with this build, the focus is expendible, which means that you have to replace it after each use?

[gojira]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Is there a viewer for .hdc files? I mean besides Notepad.

[ghost-angel]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Is there a viewer for .hdc files? I mean besides Notepad.

 

Hero Designer.

[Khelendros]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Actually the nitpicking isn't bad at all. This is my first character and was just trying to make him..right? Which I didn't lol.

 

The IIF I was thinking could be something that could be taken away from me if they found about it possible both taking away all my powers and killing me and you have a good point on the sleeping stuff. I just didn't know how to do the disadvantages at all. The eyes glow all the time as long as the crystal is inside of me. So how should I fix his powers? Take out the limitations and lower the values? I was building him a lot like the Colossus builds I was seeing people make for his "Spirit" Form. Is there anyway you could help me fix him. I would understand if that is asking to much of someone but it would help a lot. If all else fails I could just scrap this background and to with my backup and make a shape shifter.

[ghost-angel]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

try Only In Hero ID instead of IIF.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Is there a viewer for .hdc files? I mean besides Notepad.

 

It is possible to save them in the HD vault and display right here on the boards....

 

[gojira]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Cool! That's great to have a copy to look at.

 

Although the vault is HD subscribers only, yes? And a few things look off. Like 15 Strength costing 45 points. Hmm....

[Doc Democracy]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Cool! That's great to have a copy to look at.

 

Although the vault is HD subscribers only, yes? And a few things look off. Like 15 Strength costing 45 points. Hmm....

 

That particular character sheet is set up to add in the characteristics bought as powers so the 45 equals the 5 points spent direct and the +30 STR bought as part of the Spirit Form Enhancement.

 

It is subscribers only, though if you had a HD character to post then you'd be a subscriber or wouldn't need the board to display the character coz you'd have HD to view the file in...

 

 

Doc

[Hyper-Man]

Re: New to HERO/Discussion Board

 

Cool! That's great to have a copy to look at.

 

Although the vault is HD subscribers only, yes? And a few things look off. Like 15 Strength costing 45 points. Hmm....

 

Actually, that's 15 STR costing 5 points and then a total (combined) 45 STR.