Copping out

[GregF]

After realizing that I can't make three interesting/different 50+50 characters even with a random character generator doing half the work for me, I might as well see if there's an easier way to at least get people acquainted with the system so I can get an idea of how to continue or someone else to GM. Are there completely pre-built, ready to run FH (Preferably 4th edition) scenarios anywhere?

[Monolith]

First off, the Fantasy Hero guidelines are 75+75. Those extra 50 points can go a long way toward fleshout out a character. I would not even try to make a descent fantasy character for less than that (especially if they characters can use magic).

 

As far as resources, try:

 

http://hiddenway.tripod.com/hero/

http://www.geocities.com/markdoc.geo/Gaming_stuff/Grimoire/the_ultimate_grimoire.htm

 

There is some good information on both of those sites.

[Victor]

It's all a matter of scale... I'd say the following, while perhaps not the traditional model PC Hero (and not using magic), is quite individual. She was created as a sidekick/DNPC for characters in a 0+25 or 25+25 Fantasy Hero game.

 

Rahessa (AKA 'Hessa)

 

Val	Char	Cost
0	STR	-10
8	DEX	-6
5	CON	-10
5	BODY	-10
7	INT	-3
5	EGO	-10
5	PRE	-5
14	COM	2
1	PD	1
1	ED	0
2	SPD	2
2/10	REC	2
14	END	2
8	STUN	0

4"/5" RUN-40" SWIM-20" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: -51

 

Cost	Power	END
10	Short: +2 with DCV
4	Short: +2 vs. being perceived when trying not to be noticed
3	Bite!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6, Penetrating (+1/2) (15 Active Points); Limited Power No Effect against locations with armor or non-luck based resistant defenses (-1 1/2), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Limited Power Does no body (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4)	1
10	See Tender Spot: Find Weakness 11- (w/ Bite!)
3	Owie all gone!: +8 REC (16 Active Points); Limited Power Only for wounds less than 2 BODY (-2), Limited Power Only for recovering BODY (-2)
3	Natural Eavesdropper: Enhanced Perception (+2 to PER Rolls for Normal Hearing; Telescopic (+1))
1	Come back here!: +1" Running (4"/5" total), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (3 Active Points); Limited Power Only for half-moves (-1)

Powers Cost: 34

 

 

Cost	Skill
0	Acting 8-
0	Climbing 8-
0	Concealment 8-
0	Conversation 8-
0	Deduction 8-
0	Paramedics 8-
0	Persuasion 8-
0	Shadowing 8-
0	Stealth 8-
0	TF: (Everyman skill for Equine), Equines
1	Play: Acrobatics 8-
1	Play: Breakfall 8-
1	Get Into Tight Spaces: Contortionist 8-
1	Curious Hands: Sleight Of Hand 8-
1	Cute Kid: Seduction 8-
2	+1 with Dodge
2	+1 with Bite!
3	+1 PSL vs. Lack of Proper Tools

Skills Cost: 12

 

 

Cost	Talent
3	Cat Naps: Lightsleep
2	Blasé: Resistance to Oratory (2 points)

Talents Cost: 5

 

 

Total Character Cost: 0

 

Val	Disadvantages
15	Physical Limitation: short -- 1m tall, 12.5 kg mass, +2 DCV, +3" KB (All the Time; Slightly Impairing)
0	Normal Characteristic Maxima
15	Age: 10-

Disadvantage Points: 30

 

Base Points: 0

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Background/History: One of the youngest children in the settlement.

Personality/Motivations: Inquisitive and curious, prone to wander off if left unattended for any length of time. Fond of animals, especially big ones.

Quote: "Yeeeee! Gabba moo!"

Powers/Tactics: Runs and hides, or cowers behind someone bigger. Bites when grabbed, or if the opportunity presents itself.

Campaign Use: NPC/DNPC. "Little Timmy", in search of wells to fall into.

Appearance: A very young girl, on the edge of moving from toddler to child.

[GregF]

On power levels: Since one of my problems is writing stuff up, 75+75 is 75 more points worth of things I have to write up, including 25 more points of Disadvantages, which are harder to get quick assistance with.

 

The first link provided has scenarios but no PCs, the second has useful information, which I have plenty of, but not much that can help me actually run something in a short period of time.

 

Is that character supposed to solve my problems, or was it more of a reply to Monolith's thing about power levels?

[Victor]

It was more intended in response to the comments on power levels, but it ought to give a couple of quick scenario ideas too, f'rex';

 

'Hessa discovers a nearby warren of dangerous creatures, makes friends with them in the way that kids and animals often do, and the characters go looking for her. How do they get her out safely? It may be too small for them to crawl in after her, provoking the critters might be messy, and "mama critter" might have temporarily "adopted" 'Hessa as one of her own.

 

'Hessa might also get captured by a passing band of orcs/barbarians/wood nymphs/whatever, and the PC's have to go negotiate (or otherwise obtain) her release.

 

Or she might just lead them on a merry chase, all in the name of fun... which might be a good prelude to one of the other ideas, in terms of getting used to skill/characteristic rolls and such in a less dangerous setting.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally posted by Monolith

First off, the Fantasy Hero guidelines are 75+75.

 

So? Does that mean people shouldn't ask questions about how to do 50+50 games?

 

If you didn't want to provide some helpful information, why did you post?

[Monolith]

Originally posted by archer

So? Does that mean people shouldn't ask questions about how to do 50+50 games?

I believe his comment was that he could not make 3 interestingly different characters on 50+50. I took that to mean that those point totals did not give him enough room to make unique characters. To that end I suggested that he follow the official guidelines and use 75+75, which allows for a broader range of possibilities.

 

If you didn't want to provide some helpful information, why did you post?

I provided two links. What did you provide? I do not see anything helpful to him in your post on this topic.

[Monolith]

Originally posted by GregF

On power levels: Since one of my problems is writing stuff up, 75+75 is 75 more points worth of things I have to write up, including 25 more points of Disadvantages, which are harder to get quick assistance with.

There is one or two FH character examples provided in the free Genre-By-Genre document which you can download from the Freestuff section of the website. That is really the only "official" information as Fantasy Hero just debutted at Gen Con yesterday. There are character examples in the new book though.

 

If you are just looking for any examples, go to google.com and type in the words: fantasy hero system. You will get a couple of dozen websites that have various FH characters on them. I would also suggest that you go to the HERO Links section above and look and see what FH websites are listed there. There should be some character examples there as well.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally posted by Monolith

I believe his comment was that he could not make 3 interestingly different characters on 50+50. I took that to mean that those point totals did not give him enough room to make unique characters. To that end I suggested that he follow the official guidelines and use 75+75, which allows for a broader range of possibilities.

 

 

I provided two links. What did you provide? I do not see anything helpful to him in your post on this topic.

 

You're right, and I apologize.

 

I've made and played my share of interesting characters on 75+25 in FH1, which is about equivalent to 50+50 nowadays.

 

A technique I use when I need basic characters in a hurry is to take the Competent Normal and add a package deal. It takes some customization, but since the Competent Normal is 50+25, adding a package gets you almost all the way there. You need to customize the 25 points of disads it comes with and add 25 more, but you're already most of the way there, and the combination should leave you with a few extra points to spend.

[GregF]

Let me clarify. The interestingly different thing was mostly because of the way all three of the characters I mostly created managed to wind up with similar sets of disadvantages (25 points worth of psylims I didn't particularly like, a DF, a reputation, a hunted) to even get up to 50 points.

 

I'll have to take a closer look at some of the resources that are out there and see if I can find a party and scenario that can fit together.

[Monolith]

Originally posted by archer

You're right, and I apologize.

No problem. Sometimes we read things that just set us off for some reason. It happens to all of us from time to time. It is probably stress because we are not at Gen Con getting our copies of Fantasy Hero.

[Monolith]

Originally posted by GregF

Let me clarify. The interestingly different thing was mostly because of the way all three of the characters I mostly created managed to wind up with similar sets of disadvantages (25 points worth of psylims I didn't particularly like, a DF, a reputation, a hunted) to even get up to 50 points.

While there are not a huge number of Disadvantages to choose from I have always found them to be enough. While it is true that many players will have Hunteds or Distinctive Features it is how you view and use those Disadvantage which add flavor to the game. Having one character Hunted by the Sheriff of Nottingham and another character Hunted by Thoth Amon, for example, is two very different things even if it is the same value of Hunted Disadvantage. Similarly someone with a Psychological Limitation: Honorable-Code of Chivalry is very different than someone having: Barbarian Honor, once again even though the point totals are the same.

 

I do not know how long you have been playing HERO, but from personal experience I have found that many D&D converts have the most difficult time coming up with Disadvantages. Most players do not have to give that much thought to how they create their characters in D&D, and really just try to base the character's personality off of Characteristic values (low INT means you play him slow, for example) and Class limitations (paladins are honorable, rangers are loners, clerics are righteous, etc). Ideally, if it makes it easier for you in the beginning, do the same thing with the FH characters you create. Make your Barbarian warrior distrustful of magic (DF: Barbarian (Con, Noticed), Psy Lim: Distrusts Magic (Common, Moderate), your Elven Priest flighty but overbearing (Psy Lim: Dislikes Long-Term Goals (Uncom, Moderate), Psy Lim: Must Bend Other's To God's Will (Com, Strong), and your halfling thief outgoing and sneaky (DF: Sneaky demeanor (Easily Con, Noticed), Psy Lim: Distrusts Honesty; Must Always Bend The Truth (Com, Mod).

 

Simple things like that can help fill-up seemingly similar Disadvantage values but still add a lot of distinctness to the characters in question.

[Chris Goodwin]

The Master Lists of Physical, Psychological, and Social Limitations can be found at http://www.globalguardians.com/master%20lists/ This should provide plenty of good ideas.

[AnotherSkip]

aonther option to flesh out your characters would be to swipe th GURPS Quirks (a maximum of five near pointless disadvantages only worth 1 point apiece) examples would be things like 'hates the Color Pink", "Won't sing", "makes faces in combat" etc... for inconsequential flavoring.

 

Secondly occasionally take some of the "less desirous" disadvantages, Age, Berzerk, accidental change (even if it is from a 50+50 to a 0+25 character that is still a big disadvantage)

a Dwarf with a dependancy to alcohol is a classic but one susceptible would be a riot.

 

a DNPC squire or spear carrier would be acceptible, but what about DNPC Desmene? (I.E. land that you are responsible to)

 

 

How about some bad reputations?

 

and a few watched (mostly friendly people that are interfereing)

How about these?

Rep: Dirty, Greedy or Slovenly, or Sol lim: Dirty or Unseemly

Sol Lim:Contractual Obligation or Merchant

Psy Lims: Quests for Knowlege or Inscrutible or Bookworm.

or Dark Secret or Phisical Lim: lost digits from frostbite or Rep:Arcane Researcher

 

5, Sol Lim: Seen as Crazy or Traveling Tinkerer or Balmy

5, Distinctive Features: Strange/Odd equipment or Dirty(from experiements blowing up in face).

You are one of the people pushing the edges in concepts and designs, considered Crazy or a crack pot by others you do however make interesting subject matter wherever you go whether you succeed or fail....

 

5, Reputation: Annoying Artist or Performs wonderfully or Expensive,

10, Psy Lim (Minor, Infrequent): Overconfident or Overcritical or Dedicated to Art or Manic depressive or Manical or Depressive

An Artist by any other name would be just as brillant. Hardened by a lifetime spent in the pursuit of art, you understand the importance of being friendly with everyone while not presenting your back (or, more importantly, your Patons back) to anyone.

 

10, Sol lim: Brainless Fighter or Too Dangerous to Trust.

 

Rivalry, Professional: Other Mountaineers.

 

10, Psy Lim or Sol Lim: Obligation to Former Mentor,

 

10, Psy Lim: Bored Easily, Unfulfilled, Easily Distracted or Dark Secret.

10, Reputation: Dilleante or Annoying or Distinctive Features: Stylish or Sol Lim: Social Engagements or Considered Annoying.

Useless social butterfly prettyboy fop. What more needs to be said?

 

10, Psy Lim: Distracted(by the weather)

 

10, Reputation: Gambler or Sol Lim: Famous or In Debt

10, Psy Lim: Gambling Addict or Dark Secret or Despises Cheaters.

Whether an addict or a person merely seeking to pass the intolerable hours away in a life filled with leisure this is a person dedicated to the pursuit of gambling and the pursuit of all things chancy.

 

_____________________________________________________

Common Fighter

1, WF: one class of Common meleee weapons (Blades, Polearms ect..) or one class of Common missile weapons (Bows, Javelins etc...)

1, Teamwork 8-

1, KS: Basic Sanitation 8-

1, KS: Opposition 8-

1, KS: Own Millitary 8-

1, KS: Curses(as in how to get yelled at)

Typical Disadvantages:

10, DF:Millitary Uniform, Commoner.

10, Psy Lim: Subject to Orders, Freebooter, or Common Thug.

 

This is an average ordinary fighter, poorly trained and essentially a conscript who barely knows which end of his weapon to hold.

 

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or my favorite: Dark Secret points that you are not sure you know where they came from........

[GregF]

The thing is that I'm working with the sheets that come out of a random generator (The one here ) that pretty much comes up with more than enough spending of points and leaves most everything else up to the user- its backstories are just a series of bullet points that seem pretty generic, and in its current incarnation, all it gives for most disadvantages is "Psychological Limitation- Common Strong- 20 points". From there, I have problems coming up with a backstory that fits and gives me enough stuff to come up with disadvantages.

 

A lot of what I'd seen so far would be more helpful if I were working from my own ideas, so I wouldn't be constrained by what's prebuilt. My problem there seems to be spending points. The one time I tried that and got anything close to completion, I still had 29 points left unspent and 5-10 points short in disads.

[AnotherSkip]

ahh coming up with a backstory is part of the difficulty?

 

not much I or anyone else can do with that in many ways.

 

also the Trimera Webpage you are using is IIRC 4th, and is based off of the Heroes of Legend books by Paul Jaques, which in and of itself is very generic, it has to be if you are going to cover the entire spectrum of events possible in a fantasy game....

 

your best bet would be to build a character then use the random generator to generate a character then liblerally steal from the random character to fill in any gaps....

[NuSoardGraphite]

My suggestion would be to stop relying on Random Generators.

 

However, I am heavily biased against Random Generation for my RPG's so feel free to ignore my advice...

[Monolith]

Originally posted by GregF

From there, I have problems coming up with a backstory that fits and gives me enough stuff to come up with disadvantages.

There is not a lot that we can do to help you come up with an origin/backstory. That is the point where your creativity comes in. When you understand the backstory, you then understand the motivations and disadvantages that a character would have. For my own games I generally tell the players to try and come up with the basic backstory first, and then build the character around that. If the characters you are making have a personality and a life then the Disadvantages just fall into place.

[rayoman]

GregF, here is something that may help you.

 

Shem Whistleblower:

Things have always obsessed Shem. Anything that looked shiny and may have been valuable has always caused Shem to want to acquire the item. It didn't matter to Shem that the thing might have belonged to someone else he knew that he just wanted the thing. Shem was not evil or bad he was just covetous to a higher degree than normal people.

 

Shem would always do what was right, if he could some how profit from it. He would do a task for free if the task involved ways for him to find valuable things along the way. However, with his cousin Rosalynd tagging along he had to ditch her and her goody ways if he tried to take something that wasn't his.

 

Shem doesn't like to fight, but if he has to then he will put himself into a position so that he may attack with the target unawares.

 

 

Rosalynd Windsong:

Nature always keeps reminding Rosalynd that there are greater things to be motivated by than money or things. If one just listens to Nature then one would understand how the world works.

 

Rosie's mindset is very different from her cousin Shem's. Rosie tries to do the right thing no matter what. Her methods might not always be desirous, or thought out too well, but the simple fact is that she tries to do the right thing. if doing the right thing makes her money or fame then she will gladly accept it. if doing the right thing doesn't garner her fame or fortune then she will still do it.

 

She promised her grandfather that she would watch over Shem so that he would not dishonor the family name. She intends to fulfill that promise.

 

Rosalynd will not back down from a fight. That is not to say that she enjoys fighting. if she can avoid it she will, but if she can't then she jumps in feet first. In combat, Rosalynd is rash and impulsive.

 

Katrina Silverblade:

Evil must be eradicated and the only way to eradicate it is to crush it in battle. This is the creedo that Katrina swore to a long time ago. By accepting the responsibility to eradicated evil her Deity has given her some wonderous powers to help her in her crusade.

 

Katrina is the classic Knight in shining armor. She will charge into battle on top her divine steed, blowing her horn and heavy lance held stout to punish her target.

 

Joshua Tansden:

Joshua is the consumate goody two-shoes. Nothing he does or tries to do has the hint of selfishness. He is to a fault a good person, if such a thing could be said. Joshua would give his last penny if he thought doing so would help, but just a single person. It is ironic that he would chose to serve a Deity of Retribution.

 

Evil beware when Joshua sees evil taking advantage of anyone because the evil doer will be repaid in spades.

 

 

GregF, is this helpful. These are some of the characters act in my DnD campaign. The info provided should be able to garner you 50 pts worth of disadvantages. Here is what professions they are:

 

Shem: The classic Thief.

Rosalynd: Ranger extraordinare.

Katrina: Paladin of a Deity of Battle

Joshua: Cleric of a Deity of Retribution.

[Markdoc]

Here's a couple of suggestions:

 

here's a link to my semi-random FH character generator, with examples of how I use it to overcome GM's block

 

http://www.geocities.com/markdoc.geo/Gaming_stuff/lifepath/character_generator1.htm

 

It does not automatically generate characters for you, but walks you through generating a hopefully coherent series of powers and suggests a very rough backstory.

 

Secondly, two links with a mess o' FH characters - many of which are templates for generic NPCs. Often I swipe one of these as the starting point for a specific NPC and just add in some extra powers/ideas.

 

http://www.geocities.com/markdoc.geo/Gaming_stuff/Sengoku/npc.html

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/markdoc/gothick_empires/ge_npcs.htm

 

cheers, Mark