IKerensky Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Hello, I am looking for a Super Heroes RPG ( and playing Champions Online ), so I come to the site. But I must confess I am a bit overwhelmed by the number of books and the lack of precise description of the gaming system on the site. Also there is a new edition release wich complicate a bit. I am fairly used to complex gaming systema but this ones remember me of ASL by the use of a lot of abbs. Could someone please point me out/explain me : 1- A quick explanation of the gaming systema : percentile, skills check, template ? 2- What are the books I need to start a Super-Heroes/Champions campaign ? 3- Are some of the books avaliable in french ? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? 1) The system is a point buy, if you wish you can do templates, if you wish you can skip templates... 2) You will probably "need" only the two core 6th edition books for now. Champions will be released later this year I think. But you can get a lot worked on just by getting the main books. 3) I don't think any of the books are in any other languages, but I could be wrong there. Here is a review of the first book 6e1 (or whatever it's called at this point)http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/14/14500.phtml. Most everyone around here is very friendly, ask away, and I'm sure you'll get plenty of answers that are better than what I gave you. The Hero system is fairly wide open, there is a lot you can do with it, so sometimes the answer is more of a question of what you wish to put into it. So there are templates, or not... there are prebuilt powers, or not.... It's a good system, on top of all that also. There is also the basic hand book, it should be coming out very soon, so you'll be able to get into it without the headache of learning two very large books of information, just until you get it down, then you can move on to the more in depth stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? here is a fair amount of reviews of the books. http://www.rpg.net/reviews/search-review.phtml?productLine=HERO+System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Hello, I am looking for a Super Heroes RPG ( and playing Champions Online ), so I come to the site. But I must confess I am a bit overwhelmed by the number of books and the lack of precise description of the gaming system on the site. Also there is a new edition release wich complicate a bit. I am fairly used to complex gaming systema but this ones remember me of ASL by the use of a lot of abbs. Could someone please point me out/explain me : 1- A quick explanation of the gaming system : percentile, skills check, template ? 2- What are the books I need to start a Super-Heroes/Champions campaign ? 3- Are some of the books avaliable in french ? Thanks. 1- Point based, build anything you can conceive of system. The system uses a 3d6 roll low Skill based system for everything. Basically it's skill vs skill. Quite easy. 2- You Need just the core rulebooks. I recommend picking up the new 6e rules. You will need both the Character Generation (Book 1) and Combat and Adventuring (book 2). I would also recommend the purchase of the computerized Character Generator "Hero Designer" it makes character generation much easier (though you can still build using paper and calculator) The superhero Genre book Champions is a nice optional purchase, but I would advise waiting for later this year for the revised version. Also a Campaign Book Champions Universe (Based on the New MMO Champions Online) will be available later this year too. It isn't needed, but can give you some pregenerated characters, and a world to play in. You only need the 2 rule books. the rest is just nice gravy. 3- I don't thing that 6e is available in French yet. I imagine that if translations are in the works they will be available later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legendsmiths Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? To avoid being overwhelmed, wait for the Basic Rulebook. It will be the perfect way to get in and learn the game without having to manage the weight of over 25 years of game play and development. I have the current incarnation of that book, Sidekick, and have used it to teach people the game many times. It is a great way to start, and full of options. Once you know that, getting the main rulebook will simply expand what you know. The Basic Rulebook isn't a simplification of the rules so much as focusing on the fundamental elements of the game - any character you make is fully 100% compatible with the full rules, and all of the mechanics and such in the Basic Rulebook are the same. That's where I would start. When I first started playing, way back with Champions I, there were far fewer options in the game than are to be found in the Basic Rulebook and that was fine for years of play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legendsmiths Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Also, welcome to the boards. We try to be as friendly and helpful as possible here, so as you are learning the system we can help quite a bit (review your characters, give advice, etc.). Oh, the Basic Rulebook isn't done yet but if you are really anxious and can find Hero System Sidekick somewhere that would be a good start. I am a big fan of 6th edition, so if you can be patient the Basic Rulebook is right around the corner. Also, take a look here: http://www.herogames.com/freeStuff.htm?category=Hero+5th+Edition+Documents The Intro document and 2 page combat summary are a good start. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKerensky Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Thanks you all for the information. I understand the new Champions is coming... in the interim, any supplement you suggest would be a good buy ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legendsmiths Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? I would suggest SideKick https://www.herogames.com/browse.htm?keywords=sidekick&categoryID=220000&releaseDate=-1&available=Y&book=Y&pdf=Y&characterPack=Y&multiBook=Y&other=Y&damaged=Y PDF, Book, or Both. The Basic Rulebook will be similar, but with 6th Edition rules. The rules changes aren't that significant to someone that hasn't played before, so if you use Sidekick you won't be confused when you get into 6th edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmakaze Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? 3- Are some of the books available in french ? As far as I know, none of the basic rulebooks are available in anything other than English. However, I'm pretty sure there are a few folks around here who speak some French if you need help on any specific points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKerensky Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Trouble isn't as much for me than for my players whom have demonstrated a large resistance to english written text Hopefully I can manage without them having to consult the book on their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Thanks you all for the information. I understand the new Champions is coming... in the interim, any supplement you suggest would be a good buy ? If you would like to know more about the world that Champions Online is set in, I recommend picking up Champions Universe. Although it's for the previous (Fifth) edition of the Hero System, only a small part of the book is actually game stats, so you don't need to know HERO to use it. The majority of it is background information on all elements of the Champions Universe, and as far as releases by Cryptic Studios show so far, Champions Online is staying pretty faithful to the information covered in that book. Other volumes available now cover particular elements of the setting in more detail, but this is the best one-stop overview. And as you can see from that link, the PDF of the book is fairly inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkham Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? With CO being available in French, I wonder if Mr. Long might utilize their translators to get French versions of the books done... That'd be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? With CO being available in French, I wonder if Mr. Long might utilize their translators to get French versions of the books done... That'd be cool. Different company. Video game Localization folk probably wouldn't be the best people to translate a rules book. It would probably take either DOJ/Hero hiring someone to do it or for them to find a company to licence the translation to (that other company taking the risks, and possible losses or gains). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? If you get Sidekick, and then move on to the 6th edition, it probably won't be too confusing, but there is one big thing you should know: The 5th edition, including Sidekick, uses "Figured Characteristics." That is, you spend points to buy a Characteristic, like Constitution, and then there is a secondary Characteristic, like Endurance, that has a number based on your Constitution. Then you can spend more points, if you wish, to raise Endurance even higher than the free points of it you get for having a high Constitution. 6th edition did away with that; you don't get any free points in one Characteristic for buying up another Characteristic. Lucius Alexander The palindromedary notes that here in America we just celebrated Constitution Day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKerensky Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? With CO being available in French, I wonder if Mr. Long might utilize their translators to get French versions of the books done... That'd be cool. I would totaly advice against this... Even if the CO translation is decent, there is many many things badly translated, from subtle difference ( a boat and a ship ) to jokes and film reference the translator didn't get. I several times translated parts or novels and rulesbook and it is a tedious and heavy work. Especially when the author like to use synonyms of the same verb that dont exist in french... Translation is really an "exercice de style" when you try to keep the initial tone and writing style. Even translating 1 or 2 pages a day it is still a years work ( not counting edition ). Of course, if I could get paid to do so ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
input.jack Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Welcome aboard the Hero Forum! I dont have anything useful to add. But I wanted to say "Hi" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Re: Potential new player... where to start ? Killershrike's General Hero - HERO System http://www.killershrike.com/GeneralHero/HEROSystem.aspx Rules explanations for noobs. Hero System - Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_System Not as good. QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.