FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

It's an incunabulum.

*Google*

 

...Wow, you're ooold!

[ghost-angel]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

And another point that seems to interest many folx -- "Heroic Talents" or whatever you want to call 'em.

 

What I've done in 6E FH is this: I've taken the existing "New Talents" section from 5E FH and greatly expanded it by drawing in stuff from The Valdorian Age (and also put the "Fighting Tricks" concept from VA into Chapter Three), Tuala Morn, HSMA, other sources, and my own wacky ideas. Although these abilities are specifically referred to as Talents, I've formatted them in what's become our usual method for such things, as seen in (f'rex), DC, PH, and HSMA -- a title, a summary block, a description, the game information, and where appropriate some options. If I have an illustrative quote from Fantasy literature (as I often do), I've moved those into the sidebars here since there's no header to put them under like there is elsewhere in the book.

 

So, hopefully you'll all enjoy this stuff and find it a useful addition to FH.

 

Because it's a long week here in my world - I'm going to ask the obviously dumb question - did you also divide down the Talents to "Appropriate for High Fantasy/Low Fantasy/Etc..." or at least label them as such? Because that'd be wicked cool if you did.

[The Main Man]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Even though it's not truly relevant to the thread, a "Book of Magic Systems" could be a "grimoire" at the same time, with all of the mentioned spells having modifications for each magic system.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

did you also divide down the Talents to "Appropriate for High Fantasy/Low Fantasy/Etc..." or at least label them as such? Because that'd be wicked cool if you did.

 

No, I did not. I don't think that would be particularly meaningful or helpful, since nearly all of them are, in my opinion, appropriate for nearly all types of Fantasy. There are a couple that represent mystic abilities (e.g., Turn Undead), but I think people can figure out for themselves that those aren't necessary/valid in some campaigns (e.g., ones that don't have any undead). Most of them are weapons tricks and other such "stunts" that are applicable from the lowest of Low Fantasy to the highest of High Fantasy.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Even though it's not truly relevant to the thread, a "Book of Magic Systems" could be a "grimoire" at the same time, with all of the mentioned spells having modifications for each magic system.

 

No, it couldn't. First, it would be too big; second, we'll already have THE HERO SYSTEM GRIMOIRE to call upon. The book I envision would present magic systems, then draw upon the HSG to provide spells and show how to tailor them for the system, if necessary. It would include new spells only where needed for specific unusual systems, such as Valdorian Age magic.

[mattingly]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Well' date=' AAMOF, one of the new ones I created already is essentially Skill-based, and the Low Fantasy/S&S one I'm about to start working on is, too, in a different way. And depending on how you define "Skill-based," I think a couple of the existing ones qualify to some degree.[/quote']

I'd be interested in a skill-based low fantasy subsetting where just about the only magic is alchemical in nature. The perfect setting for mad scientist wizards.

[Vondy]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

(a) a system specifically designed for Low Fantasy/S&S games with minimal magic' date='[/quote']

 

Happiness.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

On the magic system front specifically (since that seems to interest many folx):

 

--I've already added one, a really neat one that I think many of you will like and adopt/adapt in some fashion, that riffs off a suggestion that was sort of tossed out there in one paragraph of the 5E FH text (and that's still in the 6E FH text, of course)

 

--I've already added one that's an adaptation/genericization of the Tuala Morn magic system, which I think works really well for many campaigns

 

--I am considering adding some more, depending on how much time I have. In fact, I had to make a list of potential ones, since I had so many ideas! The two most likely at this point are (a) a system specifically designed for Low Fantasy/S&S games with minimal magic, and ( a sort of "psionics"-based system loosely inspired by Kurtz's Deryni novels. One that I've rejected is what you might call a "spell tree"/spell prerequisite system; I really wanted to do one, but it would simply take too much of my time, too much of Fred's time, and too much page space, so it ain't happenin'.

 

This is what I would like to see the most....more ideas for adapting HERO to different types of magic systems.

 

One of these days we'll probably do a "Book Of Magic Systems" that collects all the ones we've published between two covers (and updates/expands them as needed), so maybe some of the rejected/non-feasible ideas will find their way into that tome.

 

THIS. I would purchase such a book immediately without even flipping through first. I was actually planning to suggest this very thing to you in this thread. Good to know you guys are thinking about this sort of thing. Along the same lines, you could produce multiple Fantasy Hero Grimoire's, each one focusing on spells built for one or two specific magic systems detailed in the HERO SYSTEM MAGIC book...

[FreeDice]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Late to the party, so most of my requests are hopefully minor.

 

 

1. Start with the info in FH.

2. Then, periodically insert meaningless and gratuitous sex scenes into your campaign.

3. Finally, seemingly at random kill off one Player Character per week.

 

That'll simulate SI&F pretty well.

 

Don't forget incestuous sex.

 

I'm going to say, maybe some bits on.... call it "City Fantasy" to differentiate it from Urban Fantasy. Running games primarily in a fantasy city environment.

 

Maybe something on how to run a game where all of the PCs are of one primary archetype. All rogues, or all warriors, or all wizards. Or have a similar connection -- all are members of a particular holy order, though one may be a healer, one may be a fiery preacher, and one may be a paladin.

 

With the appearance of Ptolus, City Fantasy might be nice. I'm sure Steve already has a paragraph about Mega-Dungeons, but maybe flesh that out as well?

 

I like FH5e for the most part' date=' but I was really disappointed in the large-scale combat system. It would be great if large-scale combat that works as well as small-scale combat was something that FH6E could do.[/quote']

 

I'd say yes to this, except:

 

My impression is that updated mass combat rules aren't going to be in the new FH at all' date=' but reserved for an entire separate book, with a multi-genre treatment, at some as-yet-undetermined future date.[/quote']

 

I would KILL for this.

 

Here's a thought -- dealing with races that are inherently better than humans.

 

I can deal with them in combat, but it might change character dynamics, and I'd like one or two short suggestions to address that.

 

Ahhh' date=' I got one. Cumulative Healing. Some way to mimic D&D clerics' healing spells. With a note that as long as it's not usable at will (in other words, if it's Limited to a few times a day, long casting times, rare Focus, etc.) it's probably not particularly unbalancing.[/quote']

 

YES PLEASE. I run the HERO System pretty much as-is, out of the box, but whenever I run fantasy campaigns, I have to hack this in every time.

 

Speaking of Final Fantasy' date=' it would be nice to mention pushing genre boundaries. For example, in the FF games, you see swordsmen, lancers (guys with spears), and riflemen with muzzleloaders. Also airships and strange steampunk or magical tech. This also shows up in Iron Kingdoms/Warmachine, and really made for (IMO) an interesting setting. Even GW's Warhammer has some of that, with gunner armed with matchlocks and the dwarves with steam tanks and cannon.[/quote']

 

I think as the classic sources of fantasy drift further from Tolkien with time (see: Black Company, Final Fantasy, China Mieville), gaming has to keep up, and one or two thoughts on this might be nice.

 

It would also amuse me to see examples of Hero doing things well that other game systems do poorly. "Multiclassed" characters' date=' wide ranges of skills, light fighters, really unusual races, etc.[/quote']

 

This, I think, would be invaluable to new players. Helping them while at the same time selling the System. Also, reminders to us veterans on how to show off the System to new players from D&D.

 

How about some rules for running a "Superheroic Level" fantasy game instead of the standard "Heroic Level"

 

I think the slow push in D&D toward Epic Level Campaigns, akin to, say, the protagonists in Robert Jordan's works toward the end of the books, would make this a very valuable addition.

 

But FH and SH are my two favorite books to date, so Steve, whatever you're doing, keep doing it.

[torchwolf]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

On the original topic; after reading this thread through, getting hints of what's going to be in FH, and browsing the FH for 5ER, it's getting really hard to come up with something else to suggest for inclusion.

 

The book I envision would present magic systems' date='[/i'] then draw upon the HSG to provide spells and show how to tailor them for the system, if necessary. It would include new spells only where needed for specific unusual systems, such as Valdorian Age magic.

Maximum number of magic systems in minimum space required. Perfect.

 

Valdorian Age spells always grossed me out in a very nice inspirational way, very quirky stuff. Licking demons.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

you could produce multiple Fantasy Hero Grimoire's, each one focusing on spells built for one or two specific magic systems detailed in the HERO SYSTEM MAGIC book...

 

That is, to put it mildly, highly unlikely. We're going to produce one massive HERO System Grimoire, and if I ever do a Big Book o' Magic Systems, it will refer back to HSG extensively I'm sure. Multiple Grimoires will just confuse folx and make more work for me.

[Odraude]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

That is' date=' to put it mildly, highly unlikely. We're going to produce one massive [i']HERO System Grimoire,[/i] and if I ever do a Big Book o' Magic Systems, it will refer back to HSG extensively I'm sure. Multiple Grimoires will just confuse folx and make more work for me.

 

Sweet. I love spell books

 

 

Don't forget incestuous sex.

 

wat?

[Susano]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

That is' date=' to put it mildly, highly unlikely. We're going to produce one massive [i']HERO System Grimoire,[/i] and if I ever do a Big Book o' Magic Systems, it will refer back to HSG extensively I'm sure. Multiple Grimoires will just confuse folx and make more work for me.

 

Just as long as you retain the killer joke, I'll be fine.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I make no promises. I put two jokes into the HSB, that may have used up my humor allotment for the year.

[Odraude]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Idk, i dont think anything can beat throwing badger in the core rules

[Susano]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I make no promises. I put two jokes into the HSB' date=' that may have used up my humor allotment for the year.[/quote']

 

I guess we'll have to get the HSB and figure those out on our own, won't we?

 

Then again... I got to use "Fat Panda Defense" in HSMA.

[The Main Man]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I think that a grimoire that presents different magic systems and how to apply different spells to it would be the most efficient way.

 

For example, let's say that it used a variant of the Turakian magic system for its standard, but it presented the Valdorian and Tuala Morn magic systems as well, explaining how they work and providing optional modifications for each spell to conform to the alternate magic systems.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I guess we'll have to get the HSB and figure those out on our own, won't we?

 

A-yup. One will be pretty easy, I expect; the other's fairly obscure.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

OK, I'm done!

 

FH is now in layout, and thus in the hands of the inimitable Fred. Though I am going to get as much done on the ToC and Index as I can before I turn to HSS and then CV, to save much-needed time later in June. And I'll go on reading Fantasy, looking for more and better quotes to squeeze in there.

 

Before I sent it in I did go ahead and add that "mind-magic" system I'd thought about (no pun intended ). It's a pretty straightforward, simple thing, but hopefully you'll enjoy it.

 

As always, much thanx for your suggestions and input!

[Old Man]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Wow, that seemed really fast even for you, Steve.

[Nolgroth]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

OK' date=' I'm done! [/quote'] No WAIT! I forgot a suggestion.

 

FH is now in layout, and thus in the hands of the inimitable Fred.

Awesome news. Looking forward to the final product.

[Steve Long]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Wow, that seemed really fast even for you, Steve.

 

Some projects take less time than anticipated, some take more. If it were easier for me to predict which was which, Darren would probably sleep easier.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Congratulations, and have fun storming the castle!

[Susano]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Congratulations' date=' and have fun storming the castle! [/quote']

 

Think he'll make it?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: FANTASY HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Think he'll make it?

It'd take a miracle.