Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

[quozaxx]

I've wanted to ask this question ever since 5th edition made some major changes and became 6th edition.

 

Is buying 6th Edition worth the money?

 

I do realize that there are a lot of Powers/skills/talents/etc that haven't changed at all.

But I also realize that all the new books and any books to come out in the future will be based on the new 6th Editions.

 

So this is an opinion. Please let me know if you actually HAVE 6th edition, or if it is just a casual opinion. I have the 6th edition and have played both 5th and 6th edition games now, but wanted to see what other people think.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Personalloy, no game book is worth the money unless you intend to use it in some way.

 

If you are looking to get a different gaming experience but to continue playing HERO then I think 6th edition is worth it - it is as expensive as any other game system. If you are looking for new experiences then it is definitely not - better to look for a different system. That is how you get substantially different gaming experiences that you might bring back to a HERO based game at a later date.

 

I have recently enjoyed playing a game based on the FATE system that I think has some nice concepts not present in HERO. I have also enjoyed playing Runequest that is not likely to give me anything to bring back to HERO.

 

I have bought 6th edition but I have not really used it in anger yet. I like to have as many HERO resources around me because I think many games I play in future will be heavily based around the HERO system rules but will incorporate a lot of things I have brought from elsewhere.

 

So for me, not yet paid off in monetary terms but I wanted it. :-)

 

 

Doc

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I didn't think so, but it was simply a matter of not liking most of the changes made from 5e to 6e, and they were too integral to houserule (the big one being the removal of figured characteristics).

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I haven't played any RPG's of any kind in over a year now and I'm not sure when my job schedule will normalize to the point where I can even look for a game group of any kind much less HERO.

 

With that said, I have ~80% of the 5th line and I've purchased 6e1&2, APG, Martial Arts and Champions. I like them all. Of all the changes so far, the biggest positive one is the adjustment to the VPP construction rules which now separates the cost and tracking of maximum active points of individual powers vs. maximum real points of all active powers. I also like Damage Negation and the general ideas behind the changes to all the other defensive powers (Resistant Defense, Barrier, etc..). The layout and presentation of everything seems nicer and possibly easier to access for newbies (always an important consideration when trying to get new players).

 

When finances and time to game gets better I fully intend to buy more new books.

[Escafarc]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

So far I like the changes so I would say it's worth it.

[Spence]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I have 6th and while I don't like some of the changes, there was nothing so major as to 'break' the system.

 

If you have a closed gaming group of regulars, then it might not be worth upgrading. But if you don't then upgrading to 6th is not too much a leap and makes it easier to find players. Most gamers I know prefer rules they can actually get.

[Tasha]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I own 6e and nearly everything that has been published for 6e. Having played both a short Superheroic Campaign and now a longer Fantasy campaign with the rules, I think that they are a net positive. I have a couple of minor rules quibbles, but I am still a huge fan of the biggest changes. I think that killing figured characeristics was a good thing. Anything that allows players to better make the characters that they were envisioning is a great thing. Now players don't have to feel as driven by the rules and point budgets to take primary characteristics that aren't part of their conception.

 

The books are pretty, and very durable and heavy. The core books are ones that are designed to last for quite awhile. Fred's layouts are easy on the eyes, and make reading the rules a joy. There is tons of art throughout the books (the increase in type size and amount of new art is what caused most of the page count increase). The rules are clearer even in cases where there was no net change to the rule, the examples and wording changed slightly to allow for greater comprehension of the rule(s).

 

The Advanced Player Guide has a nice collection of optional rules. Things that didn't really fit in the core rules. My upcoming Steampunk Western campaign is going to use the Resource points from this book for equipment and magical spells.

 

I can't wait till Star Hero ships. Though I am REALLY excited about the Hero System Equipment guide. IMHO that book can't come fast enough. Hell, I wish it was coming out before the Champions Villains books.

 

To summarize, Hero System 6e is worth the money IMHO.

[Markdoc]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I'm still running 5th (because we are 5 years into an ongoing game, and I don't feel like doing a bunch of conversions). However, I've bought 6th and plan to convert the next game I run over to it: the current game should finish within the next 6 months. On the whole, I'd say it's a solid buy and presentation is light-years ahead of the old 5th lines.

 

cheers, Mark

[Egyptoid]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

OP: you just walked into a Ford dealership, and asked if this here Expedition is a good value...

[Fearghus]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I own the books and have read them over. Not quite cover to cover, but enough that I have a firm grasp of the differences. I like most of the changes I have read. There are a few things I am not crazy about but I understand the reason for them. I am considering when I do get around to playing adding back in the Find Weakness power. Like what was said above the loss of calculated characteristics doesn't sit well with me, but reducing the cost of characteristics overall has helped to balance that.

 

Overall I approve of the new rules. Like previous editions they are more of a refinement rather than a redo. because Steve had the foundation of previous editions and was simply correcting perceived problems rather that trying to reinvent the wheel I think it is overall a better game than 5th edition.

[Fearghus]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

OP: you just walked into a Ford dealership' date=' and asked if this here Expedition is a good value...[/quote']

 

Actually he walked into a Ford dealership and asked if the expedition is a good value compared to his existing expedition. I get the impression the OP is already a hero gamer. He is simply asking for an opinion on the new edition.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I had some trepidation over a few of the rules changes in 6e (Figured CHA esp.) but I have to say that overall the changes were solid and well thought out. IMHO it is much better than 5e, which was pretty darn good to begin with. I probably wouldn't bother converting an existing 5e campaign to 6e, and I would even borrow unconverted 5e characters for NPCs a 6e game (because I have limited time), but if starting up a new campaign I would definitely recommend the latest edition.

[The Main Man]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I have the two core books so far and I like 'em. In my conversion experiences, 6e has presented more new nuances than removed old ones from 5e. I was unsure about decoupled Figured CHAR until I converted and/or outright made some new characters. Personally, I felt more freedom in the process than with Figured CHAR.

 

Presentation is superb as others mentioned, and the rules have simplified in many places by removing many exceptions (e.g. Killing Attacks versus Normal Attacks). They also have lots of "Toolkitting" text boxes that present more options that diverge from the standard rules (basically like Mutants & Masterminds's "Under The Hood" text boxes) and they should get any GM's creative juices flowing.

 

So I fully endorse 6e. Just make sure that you will have a group to play it with of course.

[RexMundi]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Well worth the money. While I have a few quibbles here and there (I HATE glossy pages for example), it's a vast improvement. There's been tons of comparrisons as to why already so I won't bore folks with those, but here's a simple reason. 5th Ed days, I could scrape together maybe three folks to play solidly here in d20 Damnation Alley. 6e though, I've got, A solid main campaign with a good 8 (And more trying to squeeze in) people that go out of THEIR way to schedule for gaming, and 2 side campaigns as well, not to mention my Play by Mail/Email stuff being made even more solid, by the better mechanics, and the presentation of the books themselves has gone a long way both here and in my over seas care packages. In short, New Folks, pick up the game far far far faster, and the play is smoother. The fact I've been able to scrape together a lot of "Game" out of the worst possible RPG conditions, has made the coin worth it.

 

~Rex

[Nevenall]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Yes, 6th edition is worth it. The books and rules are of excellent quality, but you should buy them, and tell all your friends to buy them, because that is what makes it possible for there to be a 6th edition to buy. Assuming you have the budget for it of course.

[RexMundi]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

As far as budgets go, a lot of my players get by just fine on the Basic Book for now, and sponge off the Twin Towers of 6e when they need a touch more depth. That was a great marketing option by the way.

 

When I sent off my care packages, the GM over there in the Fox Hole got the two Core books, and an AHP, and then I tossed in 6 Basic books for him to pass out. Last letter I got from the wonderful Afgan Country side, was full of multiple thankyous, and piles of "Where can I mail Order the rest of the books?" So if folks out in foxholes getting shot at feel like taking the time to hunt down purchasing options, it's worth the money.

 

~Rex

[John Desmarais]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

My current players have opted to stick with 5th Edition, so I guess for me the answer would be "no, not worth the money" - but I bought it anyway so that I'd be familiar with it when they were ready and so I'd understand what people are talking about.

 

That said, if I were starting up a new game with players who weren't committed to 5th edition there wouldn't even be a question as to what edition I would use (6th).

[casualplayer]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

You can still do everything you could in 5th, and more. Pure win.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Well, 5th Edition was not so broken as to obviously need replacement. However, 6e is a definite upgrade.

[The Main Man]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Well' date=' 5th Edition was not so broken as to obviously need replacement. However, 6e is a definite upgrade.[/quote']

I agree with this notion. I like 6e, but it's not like I coil back in revulsion and hiss when someone proposes a 5e game.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Well' date=' 5th Edition was not so broken as to obviously need replacement.[/quote']

Nor was 4th Edition, nor probably any edition before it. But new editions do offer their own enhancements.

[Greywind]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

In this case, more weight when you need to flatten something.

[Fearghus]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

Nor was 4th Edition' date=' nor probably any edition before it. But new editions do offer their own enhancements.[/quote']

 

With HERO each new edition has been an evolution of the rules and not a sweeping change. I prefer it this way. lets face it. There are 5th ed books that are still valid and with very little effort can easily be converted to 6th. I think this is by design. each edition is essentially a really long play test for the one to come.

[JmOz]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

RE: 4th edition

 

It had also been out of print for well over a decade, a new edition was needed for a couple of reasons, one being that having been so long out of print it would have cost a similar amount to reprint 4th, and to make people stand up and notice the relaunch.

[Escafarc]

Re: Is 6th Edtion worth the money?

 

I still use 1E material with very little trouble converting to 6th.