Jump to content

Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies


Steve Long

Recommended Posts

A Statement Of Purpose: As we build up to the release of 6E, I thought it would be fun to showcase something in the 6E rules that I think HERO fans will particularly like or find useful. The Sixth Edition Showcases won’t be lengthy or detail-filled, but hopefully they’ll whet your appetite for 6E. I plan to post one a week, though not necessarily on the same day each week.

 

Naturally, you’re welcome to discuss each Showcase to your heart’s content — praise it, complain about it, whatever you like. However, generally speaking, I’m not going to participate in the conversation or answer any questions. I’ll say pretty much all I want to say in each Showcase post. ;)

 

So, on to today’s Showcase! (This will be the last one before the book goes on sale on August 19.) The subject:

 

APG Goodies

 

OK, I’m kinda cheating here. ;) This Showcase isn’t exactly about 6E itself, but about one of the books we’ll publish very shortly thereafter: the HERO System Advanced Player’s Guide, which has all sorts of advanced, optional, and expanded rules that I think are worth having in print but don’t need to be in the core rulebook. It includes some all-new stuff, some stuff reprinted from the Ultimate series (updated for 6E, of course!), and lots of other great material. If it proves successful, perhaps this will be the start of a new line of books for “rules wonks.” ;)

 

Anyhow, here’s a brief list of just some of the neat new stuff you’ll find within the APG’s covers:

 

—rules for “attacks versus alternate Characteristics,” so you could create, say, an Entangle that works against INT instead of STR or a Transform based on PRE rather than BODY

 

—a new Mental Power, Possession, that allows a character to completely take over another character, including access to the target’s senses and memories

 

—expanded rules for Skills, including Skill Combinations, base times for performing Skills, and details on Skill modifiers

 

—a new optional form of Desolidification, Projection, that lets a character project some part of his “self” outside of his body (such as in the classic “astral projection” sort of ability)

 

—all sorts of additional and optional information about Mental Powers

 

—a new Power, Chucking, for when you need to throw large amounts of worked or unworked wood at your foes. While admittedly somewhat more special effects-specific than the typical HERO System Power, it’s a lot of fun and absolutely crucial for creating certain rodent-based characters.

 

—detailed rules for cyberkinesis (mentally or remotely operating electronics and machinery)

 

—expanded options for Change Environment that allow you to use it to create Suffocation effects, Stun a target without removing STUN damage, and remove or impose Advantages, Limitations, and Complications

 

—lots of new optional forms of Area Of Effect

 

—an optional form of Vulnerability that lets you choose harmful effects other than “take more damage”

 

—new and expanded rules for combat and adventuring, including Time Chart options, rules for Segmented Movement, and new Combat Modifiers and Combat Maneuvers

 

 

So there you have it — just a few of the fun things you’ll find in the APG, and proof that the Sixth Edition awesomeness doesn’t end with the 6E core rulebooks. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 131
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

—a new Mental Power' date=' [i']Possession,[/i] that allows a character to completely take over another character, including access to the target’s senses and memories

 

This power, BTW, should finally allow you to create characters like Parasite or Rogue without spending jillions of points or throwing around toxic amounts of handwavium. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

quote"

—a new Power, Chucking, for when you need to throw large amounts of worked or unworked wood at your foes. While admittedly somewhat more special effects-specific than the typical HERO System Power, it’s a lot of fun and absolutely crucial for creating certain rodent-based characters.

 

Critical new skill for Barton, he actually does run rodent based characters!!!

Thanks Steve for the respect to us players who play rat and other rodent based characters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

—rules for “attacks versus alternate Characteristics,”

 

THANK YOU!

 

an Entangle that works against INT instead of STR

 

I've been wanting and official way to do this for a while. Even suggested it in the 6th ed forums. It's awesome to hear that you've addressed this.

 

Hey what do you know. I *CAN* rep Steve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

Here's how the typical SETAC conversations would go:

 

Steve: I have this idea. Here's some draft text.

everyone else: I like this part, I don't think that part will work, here's a suggestion on how to fix it.

Chris Goodwin: Hey, I like that, and here's 500 other ideas that logically stem from it and are really cool.

Steve: ::looks for a large hammer with which to beat on Chris:: Let's save those for the APG.

 

It's a little known fact that APG actually stands for "Chris, enough already!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Spiting Mad

 

Yes' date=' yes, it all sounds so grand. But I have to ask, "Why in another book?"[/quote']Count yourself lucky, llama... If it was me that had committed my life, fortune, and sacred honor to the HERO System instead of Steve, and I was the one calling the shots, there'd probably be two or three APGs scheduled for release early in the 6E life cycle. And not even because of having more stuff... just because I would have pulled that much more stuff from the core rules... :eg:

 

I would err on the side of brevity, and provide expanded material elsewhere. Steve errs on the side of inclusivity. Don't get on him... he's on your side. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

 

—a new Mental Power, Possession, that allows a character to completely take over another character, including access to the target’s senses and memories

 

—a new optional form of Desolidification, Projection, that lets a character project some part of his “self” outside of his body (such as in the classic “astral projection” sort of ability)

 

—an optional form of Vulnerability that lets you choose harmful effects other than “take more damage”

 

 

These three right here are happy indeed. The others are, too. But these three things have been "missing" from the system for too long. Kudos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

A big question for me a this point, and I don't know if this is the place for it, but (yah I know, "should Wolf really be saying "but" after that?") will the Hero Designer for 6e be updating for the APG?

 

Due to the amount of work needed for the HD, I can see this being rather tedious for Simon (but not beyond him, oh the great work he does on all the HD goodness, wait I got a little something on my nose... ). And yet I'm torn because of the usefulness of some of those things, to what I'd want built... ya know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Sixth Edition Showcase #8: APG Goodies

 

I'm not so sure about the rest of that stuff, but I'm glad to see that the HERO System finally has an elegant solution for Chucking. For a system that could reputedly do anything, it was getting kind of embarrassing with earlier editions to have to concede that the game had no creditable answer to the classic "wood chuck" problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...