Guest Kolava Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Hi, my friends and I are converting from the d20 system over to the Hero System. We've decided that we really like the system, but we haven't managed to find firm ground on which to stand... The system is very flexible...too flexible, even. We don't know where to start as far as building a setting or genre... The players understand the basics of the rules, and have constructed thier characters, but even this step did not go smoothly. Each player needed to be guided individualy by myself, the person who is currently the most rules-fluent. Each seemed to be leaning towards a different genre...and worst of all I fear that thier statistics are chunky and forced. Do you have any advice to us, perhaps a pointer on which genres work best with the Hero System (I'm aware that any are possible) I've noticed the obvious super-hero tendancies, but our group doesn't really go for that, though we've never tried. We might like it, but wouln't it be difficult for the GM to run a campaign when they're only experience has been with the more guided d20 system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koshka Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 If everyone's coming up with a character from a different genre, you could run a wild time travel adventure tying all of them together .... Seriously, you all need to agree on a genre. Once you do, run out and get the appropriate genre book -- Champions for superheroes, Star Hero for science fiction, Ninja Hero for martial arts action, or Fantasy Hero for, you guessed it, fantasy. (If you have a good used game section at the local game store, you can tap other genres that the new guard hasn't covered yet -- personally, I think Hero does a great job at pulp.) There's GMing information in each genre book that would help you get a game setting assembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schir1964 Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Crystal Room Setting This is a GM aid to help create a Genesis Scenario (where normal characters obtain thier powers). There are some guidelines to help with character creation. You might want to try this, since it will give all the characters a common origin. However, the real benefit I see in this setting for you, is that you have your players create normal (non-super) characters with full backgrounds. It gives each of them something in your world to reference on before having any powers. They'll get to play these normals in your world and can used to skill rolls and the like before the "Event" happens that causes them to have powers. If you are at interested in this, just email me directly at schir1964@netzero.net (do not use the Herogames Mail utility) and I'll email you the documents I created for this. It even comes with pics for the Crystal Room and suggestions on what the GM can do. - Christopher Mullins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kolava Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Thank you for the input, but I'm not really a fan of the "normals" who become "supers" sort of thing. Is there any way to run a superheroic campaign without having a transition that is very obviously a throwback to the fourcolor days? (no one in my group reads comics anyhow, including myself) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Originally posted by Kolava Thank you for the input, but I'm not really a fan of the "normals" who become "supers" sort of thing. Is there any way to run a superheroic campaign without having a transition that is very obviously a throwback to the fourcolor days? (no one in my group reads comics anyhow, including myself) 1. Make up your own superhero genre (I like 4 Color). 2. Try the old, "You're the first people with superpowers approach." 3. Run a themed superpowers game. Example: supernatural superpowered characters a la Buffy, Highlander, etc. 4. Read Wildcards novels and steal liberally for an extremely different approach to superbeings. One novel ought to do the trick. Your average gamer can kill a novel in one duty-free day. I would suggest you try to build around something you are reasonably familiar with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theron Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 Superhumans without comic-book genre trappings: The Matrix The One Most Wuxia films (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, The Bride With White Hair, too many more to mention) Tons of anime stuff (Dragonball Z, Inuyasha, Slayers, Akira...too much to mention again) Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel White Wolf's Exalted fantasy setting Unbreakable The Crow Equilibrium I can go on, but it's a start... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 You should find some help from "The HERO System Genre by Genre," a free PDF file available on this website which gives guidelines on how to simulate a wide variety of genres and subgenres using the HERO System, and provides sample characters for each genre, as well as some prebuilt magic spells, sci-fi technology, and various other examples. You can download the file via this link: http://www.herogames.com/FreeStuff/freedocs/HSGBG%20Final.pdf For a more in-depth treatment, I concur with Koshka's suggestion of seeking out one of Hero Games's genre books for a guide to using the system for the genre you choose. For superheroes for example, Champions describes the conventions of the various superheroic subgenres (Golden Age, Silver Age, street-level supers, four-color vs. graphic novel, and more) and how to simulate them using the system; provides example super powers, bases, vehicles, and heroes and villains; and even has a random super generator which you can use to quickly "roll up" a character or use as a template to speed up character creation. Star HERO and Fantasy HERO are equally useful for sci-fi and fantasy games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syberdwarf2 Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 The first question you should be asking, IMHO, is what genre are they used to playing? Stick with that unless they say they want something different. If 3e is there thing, go with Fantasy HERO, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kolava Posted October 2, 2003 Report Share Posted October 2, 2003 Theron--very good line of thought, I was considering the same things. As for the link, I'll check it out. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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