Rurouni Kenshin HERO (long)

[Lupus]

Rurouni Kenshin, aka Samurai X (the title under which it was originally distributed in the US), has become something of an obsession for me. I've been trying to convert certain elements over to HERO. The main one of these is an expansion on Analyse.

 

For those who haven't seen the series, Himura Kenshin was an assassin (the best - known as the hitokiri battousai) in the Meiji restoration. He fought for the revoluationaries. Once they gained power, he retired and went a'wandering. He's a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, a style which concentrates on insight into an opponent's technique and the speed and power to exploit any weaknesses.

 

There are a few genre conventions at work here. Combat is largely single-sword, with no armour (although there are notable exceptions, especially among bad guys. One of the good guys, Sano, is almost exclusively an unarmed combatant). Combat techniques are also largely mundane, but with increasing levels of weirness as the series progresses. But there's little in the way of energy blasts or truly amazing things like that. Still, superhuman feats are possible using the proper skill (such as running fast enough to be invisible over short distances, flying with artificial wings, or making a sword burst into flame with... um... oil...)

 

Further, people tend to concentrate on a single style, mastering techniques that get more powerful and more involved as they go up the tree, until the 'succession technique' is mastered - at which point the character is a master of the style and may now pass it on. (As far as I know, the term 'succession technique' for the final secret of the style is only used in relation to two of the arts, however). The succession technique is usually incredibly powerful and jealously guarded. The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu technique is essentially an incredibly powerful and fast draw-and-strike iaijutsu move that is reputedly unblockable - because even if you do block the initial strike, the second one will kill you.

 

Another character, Saito, has a style based around the perfection of a single maneuver (the gatotsu). His moves are all based around this single blow - they alter the direction of attack (so he can charge with explosive energy, or defend, or attack aerial targets). His succession technique, the 'Zero Gatotsu' was powerful enough to slice through a shield and still hurl the target halfway up a wall, pinned to it by the sword.

 

Anyway. One reason these techniques were jealously guarded was because, if anyone figured out how they were done, they could be neutralised. For this, I borrow some terminology from the console game 'Way of the Samurai.' There, if you successfully blocked a combo, then that particular combo from that particular enemy was forevermore ineffective against you - your character would block it automatically without any button presses. It was called 'disabling' a combo. I imagine this as being represented by a Suppress (only for user, must witness technique) with a recover time of years. 'only for user' means that the technique can still be used against others - but is ineffective against the person who used the suppress, until it's been long enough for those specific reflexes to fade.

 

For this genre, I'd rule that normal power defence would be useless against this suppress. However, a specific form of power defence could be bought against it, if the character knew a style that specifically trained for randomness and unpredictability (representing a style that cannot easily be disabled, because each strike is never the same twice).

 

This form of suppress also works best if the techniques are bought with powers - perhaps with a cost-reducing structure similar to spells in Fantasy HERO. Or at full cost. I haven't added up points yet to see what's best. But some concepts from spells could be carried over - such as lots of RSRs, and a skill specifically for each style, thus further encouraging specialisation. In addition, each style coudl have its own 'tree' of abilities (each with prerequisite skill levels), eventually reaching the succession technique.

 

The other aspects of analyse style could probably be covered by combat skill levels (RSR - analyse, or in some cases perhaps deduction). However, I'm also looking for more interesting ways to handle things.

 

It'd be a shame to ignore Find Weakness. So I won't. One possibility is to assume that all masters by lots of Combat Luck to represent their ability to block. Find weakness, therefore, gets past a lot of this. Perhaps a genre rule could be that a critical success with find weakness negates defences entirely. Or perhaps it can attack DCV, or even OCV (making it easier to defend against).

 

Find weakness is opposed by lack of weakness... perhaps lack of weakness could be reduced by Analyse rolls. Therefore, swordsmen usually have to fight a bit before the defences start dropping.

 

I was mainly wanting to share these ideas with others who may be having similar thoughts. Was also interested to see if anyone else has any ideas along these lines. Any thoughts?

[Black Rose]

Re: Rurouni Kenshin HERO (long)

 

Originally posted by Lupus

Rurouni Kenshin, aka Samurai X (the title under which it was originally distributed in the US), has become something of an obsession for me. I've been trying to convert certain elements over to HERO. The main one of these is an expansion on Analyse.

 

Ah, Kenshin. Good stuff. Wish they had never come up with that godawful name, though. "Samurai X"? What the frilly heck were they thinking? -sighs- Ah well.

 

First thing, Lupus; get in touch with Nu Soard Graphite. He has limited computer time (at a library, IIRC), but he is a huge Rurouni Kenshin fan, and has done a lot of work on creating interesting and setting-appropriate moves. A combination of his way of doing the "advanced techniques" and the Martial Arts Multipower would be the most fluid martial art system you could ask for in Hero.

 

For those who haven't seen the series, Himura Kenshin was an assassin (the best - known as the hitokiri battousai) in the Meiji restoration. He fought for the revoluationaries. Once they gained power, he retired and went a'wandering. He's a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, a style which concentrates on insight into an opponent's technique and the speed and power to exploit any weaknesses.

 

There are a few genre conventions at work here. Combat is largely single-sword, with no armour (although there are notable exceptions, especially among bad guys. One of the good guys, Sano, is almost exclusively an unarmed combatant). Combat techniques are also largely mundane, but with increasing levels of weirness as the series progresses. But there's little in the way of energy blasts or truly amazing things like that. Still, superhuman feats are possible using the proper skill (such as running fast enough to be invisible over short distances, flying with artificial wings, or making a sword burst into flame with... um... oil...)

 

Further, people tend to concentrate on a single style, mastering techniques that get more powerful and more involved as they go up the tree, until the 'succession technique' is mastered - at which point the character is a master of the style and may now pass it on. (As far as I know, the term 'succession technique' for the final secret of the style is only used in relation to two of the arts, however). The succession technique is usually incredibly powerful and jealously guarded. The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu technique is essentially an incredibly powerful and fast draw-and-strike iaijutsu move that is reputedly unblockable - because even if you do block the initial strike, the second one will kill you.

 

Another character, Saito, has a style based around the perfection of a single maneuver (the gatotsu). His moves are all based around this single blow - they alter the direction of attack (so he can charge with explosive energy, or defend, or attack aerial targets). His succession technique, the 'Zero Gatotsu' was powerful enough to slice through a shield and still hurl the target halfway up a wall, pinned to it by the sword.

 

Anyway. One reason these techniques were jealously guarded was because, if anyone figured out how they were done, they could be neutralised. For this, I borrow some terminology from the console game 'Way of the Samurai.' There, if you successfully blocked a combo, then that particular combo from that particular enemy was forevermore ineffective against you - your character would block it automatically without any button presses. It was called 'disabling' a combo. I imagine this as being represented by a Suppress (only for user, must witness technique) with a recover time of years. 'only for user' means that the technique can still be used against others - but is ineffective against the person who used the suppress, until it's been long enough for those specific reflexes to fade.

 

For this genre, I'd rule that normal power defence would be useless against this suppress. However, a specific form of power defence could be bought against it, if the character knew a style that specifically trained for randomness and unpredictability (representing a style that cannot easily be disabled, because each strike is never the same twice).

 

This form of suppress also works best if the techniques are bought with powers - perhaps with a cost-reducing structure similar to spells in Fantasy HERO. Or at full cost. I haven't added up points yet to see what's best. But some concepts from spells could be carried over - such as lots of RSRs, and a skill specifically for each style, thus further encouraging specialisation. In addition, each style coudl have its own 'tree' of abilities (each with prerequisite skill levels), eventually reaching the succession technique.

 

Mmm. Bo. -nods sagely- Martial Art Multipower. Try it. Love it. Use it always.

 

Seriously, the MAMP lets you have all the regular moves you'd buy (blocks, dodges, strikes, disarms, etc.) at around the same price (the most expensive standard maneuver in UMA comes to around 40 AP, I think), plus, since they're already in a MP, you don't get soaked for points when you start adding the heavy-duty moves. NSG likes to have a lot of CSLs to throw back and forth, plus his attacks are almost always RSR: Sleight of Hand or Fastdraw, representing the deceptive and quick moves that he prefers. Granted, your list of MP slots gets pretty long, but that's not so bad.

 

Somewhat OT, but I'd also recommend that you use two character sheets - one with all the mechanics written out, letting you play with the nuts and bolts, and a simpler one, with only the necessary info on it.

 

Forex, instead of having a character with 20 STR and:

 

Ultimate Strike DC +4: HA +8d6 (plus STR) (40 Base Points); Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), (60 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) (40 Real Points). Plus Combat Skill Level (OCV +3; +6 points and DCV +3; +9 points = +15 points).

 

You would have:

 

Ultimate Strike DC +4: OCV +3, DCV +3; 12d6 HA.

 

Helps keep the distracting info on the page to a minimum. And when you're playing character with lots of nifty moves, you need that.

 

The other aspects of analyse style could probably be covered by combat skill levels (RSR - analyse, or in some cases perhaps deduction). However, I'm also looking for more interesting ways to handle things.

 

It'd be a shame to ignore Find Weakness. So I won't. One possibility is to assume that all masters by lots of Combat Luck to represent their ability to block. Find weakness, therefore, gets past a lot of this. Perhaps a genre rule could be that a critical success with find weakness negates defences entirely. Or perhaps it can attack DCV, or even OCV (making it easier to defend against).

 

Find weakness is opposed by lack of weakness... perhaps lack of weakness could be reduced by Analyse rolls. Therefore, swordsmen usually have to fight a bit before the defences start dropping.

 

I was mainly wanting to share these ideas with others who may be having similar thoughts. Was also interested to see if anyone else has any ideas along these lines. Any thoughts?

 

Analyse Style rolls act as complimentary skills to your Find Weakness, possibly only on a 2/1 basis to avoid getting too extreme. Don't forget to let the PCs get some idea of their opponent's skill and preferred strategies. If they discern that Michimoto Taki tends to start out weak and light, lulling his opponent into overconfidence, then whips out the Reamyou Sanrio technique, they can be prepared.

[Lupus]

Re: Re: Rurouni Kenshin HERO (long)

 

Originally posted by Black Rose

Ah, Kenshin. Good stuff. Wish they had never come up with that godawful name, though. "Samurai X"? What the frilly heck were they thinking? -sighs- Ah well.

Yeah, seriously. Though, I've noticed that the DVDs of the OVA and movie have reversable covers (at least, the ones out now in Australia do). So I have 'em as Rurouni Kenshin, anyway. But that may have been put in by the local distributors... group called Madman. No idea if they distribute in the US too.

 

First thing, Lupus; get in touch with Nu Soard Graphite. He has limited computer time (at a library, IIRC), but he is a huge Rurouni Kenshin fan, and has done a lot of work on creating interesting and setting-appropriate moves. A combination of his way of doing the "advanced techniques" and the Martial Arts Multipower would be the most fluid martial art system you could ask for in Hero.

Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for his posts. See if he puts anything in here.

 

Mmm. Bo. -nods sagely- Martial Art Multipower. Try it. Love it. Use it always.

 

Seriously, the MAMP lets you have all the regular moves you'd buy (blocks, dodges, strikes, disarms, etc.) at around the same price (the most expensive standard maneuver in UMA comes to around 40 AP, I think), plus, since they're already in a MP, you don't get soaked for points when you start adding the heavy-duty moves. NSG likes to have a lot of CSLs to throw back and forth, plus his attacks are almost always RSR: Sleight of Hand or Fastdraw, representing the deceptive and quick moves that he prefers. Granted, your list of MP slots gets pretty long, but that's not so bad.

*noddles* Sounds good here, too. Guess you could also toss in 'invisible power effects, requires an opposed roll' for certain powers, such as Saito's counter-strikes (damage shield, perhaps?)

 

Somewhat OT, but I'd also recommend that you use two character sheets - one with all the mechanics written out, letting you play with the nuts and bolts, and a simpler one, with only the necessary info on it.

:snip:

Helps keep the distracting info on the page to a minimum. And when you're playing character with lots of nifty moves, you need that.

Ohhhh, definitely. I already use this for spells in Fantasy HERO. Stat blocks for powers can be somewhat obfuscational, and not necessarily conducive to play.

 

Analyse Style rolls act as complimentary skills to your Find Weakness, possibly only on a 2/1 basis to avoid getting too extreme. Don't forget to let the PCs get some idea of their opponent's skill and preferred strategies. If they discern that Michimoto Taki tends to start out weak and light, lulling his opponent into overconfidence, then whips out the Reamyou Sanrio technique, they can be prepared.

More stuff I can use! This kind of stuff should be covered by the style disadvantage... genre rule, rather than statted power/weakness. It's genre rules like that that are most difficult to work out, since they don't use typical HERO power/advantage/limitation/framework mechanics.

[Markdoc]

My approach for the "technique is no longer effective against that foe" is to allow characters to buy levels in DCV defined as "only against style X" (-1) or "only against maneuver X" (-2)

 

In your case, since the bonus is in between the two, I would suggest "Only against learned maneuvers" for may -1 1/2 with the proviso that the ability fades over time.

 

That means that the technique is not totally ineffective, but it's effectiveness is much reduced if your opponent has (say) +5 DCV against it.

 

That's a good reason to hold your ultimate technique back until you really need it, so that people cannot learn to defend against it: which seems to happen in anime/wuxia a lot.

 

cheers, Mark

[BlackSword]

I have only seen a few shows of Ruroni Kenshin, but reading your post I like the idea of learning techniques/fight school styles as a way to have characters grow.

[mrobitsc]

kenshin stats and ablites?

 

Has anyone actually written up the style? My group is starting a fantasy game and the gm is alowing in some japanese themes. So any ideas how tro do the character would be appriciated.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Oro!

 

Sorry for the late entrance.

 

As Black Rose mentioned, I am indeed a huge fan of Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, it was the primary inspiration for the martial aspects of my Sengoku campaign (Jubei Ninja Chronicles, Yotoden and Yoma were the inspirations for the tone and theme of the game)

 

I have recently been rewatching Kenshin via The Cartoon Network (thanks guys!) and i've recently gotten the hankering to design several of the characters using FREd. My first agenda on the list is the sword-styles of various characters and as soon as I have them worked out, I'll post them when I can.

[mrobitsc]

rurouni kenshin

 

TNuSoardGraphite that would be cool my group is doing a fantasy game and i would like to do a style like kenshin.

Thanks,

Marc

[steriaca]

Kenshin's Sword.

 

Kenshin's sword, the reverse blade Katana (I beleve it has another, shorter name also, but I forgot it), is a curved metal katana with the cutting edge on the inside part of the sword, not the outside. Hear is my rougth outline for it. (And please forgive me if my math is wrong...I don't have FRED in frount of me at the moment).

 

Multipower: Reverse Blade Katana, 60 points, OAF (Reverse Blade Katana, -2): 20 Points.

1) Blunt Edge Strike: Hand To Hand Attack +12d6, Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), OAF (Reverse Blade Katana, -2): 18 Points: 2U.

2) Razor Edge Strike: Hand Killing Attack 2d6, OAF (Reverse Blade Katana, -2): 20 Points: 2U.

 

I hope this helps.

[mrobitsc]

kenshin manuvers

 

Thanks for the info, but what I am really looking for are the actuall manuvers like the dual strike and jumping spin manuver?

[NuSoardGraphite]

The "Reverse-blade Sword" is called a "Sakaba-to" in Kenshin.

 

I believe your write-up to be a bit over powered though. +12D6HA, is equivalent to a 4D6HKA in potential Body damage. With martial bonuses and skill levels, it could be pushed to 24D6 damage (equivalent to an 8D6K attack, or the same damage as a 120mm tank cannon in FREd) Its obvious that Kenshins attacks never do that much damage because he has never killed an opponent after recieving his Sakaba-to.

 

+6D6HA is equivalent to 2D6K, which sounds about right. I'd have his first Sakaba-to (the one he posseses before going to Kyoto) be at +5D6HA/1-1/2D6K. Then after that blade is broken by Souchiro, he gets a new one from a famous swordsmith and that one I would rate at +6D6HA/2D6K.

 

With Kenshin's skill levels and various moves, he could very easily deal out 12D6N which has a very good chance of seiously injuring (or outright killing, if you use the Impairing and Disabling rules) normal people. And many of Kenshin's opponents are very normal. Of course, considering that the Sakaba-to's primary attacks are Normal in nature, Kenshin makes frequent use of the Pulling the Punch optional maneuver...

[mrobitsc]

kenshin manuvers?

 

NuSoardGraphite thanks for the info on the sword what would be the cost for it? If the new sword wasn't reversed what would the cost be foe that? How are the manuvers comming?

[NuSoardGraphite]

I'll figure up the cost and post it tomorrow.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do any work on the maneuvers. I worked 75 hours last week and this is the first weekend I've had off in over 2 weeks to be able to go to the local I-net cafe.

 

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the topic though. Just finished watching the finale to the Kenshin/Shi-shio fight. I totally forgot about the second part of the Amakakeru Ryu no Hiromeki...

 

So, would the vacuum be considered an Entangle or TK?......

[mrobitsc]

kenshin stats

 

Has anyone ever looked at what makes him a great sword master?

[mrobitsc]

kenshin write up

 

Has anyone done a version of kenshin's style at 150 points, is it possible?

Thanks.