djkester Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Hey all, with all the changes threads and stuff i wanted to add some more regular news. I am now getting ready for the kick off to my new Fantasy Hero Campaign. I have been working on the campaign guidelines and world definition a lot (based on some past ideas) Last night we met to work on the players' characters. The goal of the night was to help people begin to explore how they can express their ideas in terms of the system. I have been telling them for months (during my current DnD campaign) that Hero System is going to open up the doors on character creation. They have really embraced the ideas al be it with a bit of speculation. So last night they came with their ideas and we went through the campaign's house rules. They have come up with the following ideas for me to help them with: 1. A 3' tall automaton created by a clock work mechanic 2. An especially short Kobold (even for Kobolds) trap master 3. A Dwarven circus acrobat martial artist thief 4. A Storm Wizard probably a human. 5. Aquatic Elven Wizard There is still one more player to get into the mix. But none of these folks are current Hero System folks. I hope that this campaign helps them understand its value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamstreamer Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Good luck! Looks like you have quite the eclectic mix, though it appears that most are tied to a rather "small" theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Yeah, these guys like to be small and hard to find. I need to have my wife give them a group name. She is great at coming up with names for stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolon Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report The problem with the 3' tall automaton is historically they can do the equivalent of one short computer program before they need to be reset with a new sequence of events. What will you be using or how is the player justifying more than that? Automaton are not player characters in my view but I would be interested in how you plan to incorporate them. Are you thinking of androids like Star Wars or an android like Data? Anything would be likely to be considered a product of a demon and be destroyed in the world I have used. Is this a follower or object of a party member? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Typist Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report No problem with "automation" PCs whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report One of my players played an automaton character in the Steampunk game I ran a couple years ago. He had some interesting powers and complications as a result of his unique nature. But it was never a problem in-game. We did not use the automaton rules for him, though -- he was a fully sentient being, built as a regular character, just with some unique powers, skills, and comps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report This is turning into a great conversation. Thank you all for your input. Here is what I"m currently thinking of proposing to the player. His character is actually a "magical brain" created by some long dead experimental magic user (which fits very well into my world.) The body he currently have was created by a master mind of mechanical operations using technology that has leaked into the world from another realm (if you are interested you can read this here. its #4 on the list). I think i will use the computer rules pretty much directly for this. His body will be controlled by him. But the body will effectively be an automaton. In terms of the world. There is not a lot places or people who can repair this body. One idea they have is that the Kobold trap master will be a mechanic who can repair him. The only problem with this scheme is that the trap master (while very smart) doesn't have the plans nor the knowledge to design such a creature. So likely this body will need to "evolve" or "devolve" over time as its repaired. The hardest part for me is balancing this character with other characters who'm in this world have access to equipement they buy with money instead of points. So I am going to spend some time studying the rules to and playing with the math to determine how I want the player to pay for this body to be handled. My current thinking is that everything in the computer should be paid for with points and that the computer will need a summoning or other pool of points to pay for the Body. Then the actual body he uses would be paid for by a combination of money based on a point value he has in his summoning. The only question will be how to balance the point cost of the summoning against the value of weapons and armor a normal character would get for free. Assuming that any familiarities, combat levels, and skills to use equipment would be paid for as part of the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowsoul Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Couldn't you buy the body as a vehicle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report That is another option, yes. I'll likely try various options. Thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report One of my players played an automaton character in the Steampunk game I ran a couple years ago. He had some interesting powers and complications as a result of his unique nature. But it was never a problem in-game. We did not use the automaton rules for him' date=' though -- he was a fully sentient being, built as a regular character, just with some unique powers, skills, and comps.[/quote'] I would suggest this option too as it would be easier than either the automation or even the vehicles rules. One thing, it will help you in running the game, (I believe that you said that all the players are new to the system?) since the robot or the vehicle approach adds additional rules to play (and for just one character.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report I suggest that the trap master have inventor and mechanics skill. These he could use to roll to help fix the automaton. Just because he doesnt know how to build one from scratch, doesnt mean he cant figure out how to fix what is broken, or at be able to jury-rig. And you know maybe one of the first adventure is looking for a scroll/techbook on automation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report @Ninja-Bear, That is exactly the idea the player of the Kobold Trap Master had as well. They are both pretty excited. For others. I agree totally it would much simpler to craft the character using the normal character development rules but with unique powers skills and comps. Honestly speaking that is what the Automaton rules are. Normal character develpoment with with unique powers and comps. The question I am working through is which method gives the best feel, best understanding by the player, and the most fun in the game time. Likely i'll build this character three of four different ways to see how it pans out. being a software engineer I love this sort of thing so for me this is hours of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report If you're having fun with it (and the players are too), then game on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report @djkester- I think I posted somewhere a dwarven martial arts style on the boards. If your interested and can't find it, I could look in gaming blackhole, aka my basement for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report @djkester- I think I posted somewhere a dwarven martial arts style on the boards. If your interested and can't find it' date=' I could look in gaming blackhole, aka my basement for it.[/quote'] There is one in the HSMA book as well. Its pretty cool. I wonder if Steve borrowed it. If you open a portal and get at i'd love to see it. I'll hunt for it here as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Djkester its under oriental dwarf martial arts posts -wish I knew how to link it : ( . look at post #9 is the Badger style, the cost for moutain stance is wrong as it should only be 5pts. I said that I was looking to do the boar style next, which I never did but I have some idea in my head what I was thinking of. The boar was more of a spear/polearm art aimed at using the weapon's length as an advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Hey all, things are progressing along nicely. The fifth player and I met tonight and he's going to create an Aquatic Elf possessed by a wind elemental. With the possession he was forced to come above the waves as he can no longer breath water. Forcing him from the life he has known and loved. The Aquatic Elves are a tribal people living a fairly peaceful hunter gatherer life below the waves where the dangers are mortal and less magical. In recent history he's spent time serving on a pirate ship where his control of the winds made him a valuable asset. He's going to have a mix of martial and magical abilities channeled from the Wind elemental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report I suggest that the trap master have inventor and mechanics skill. These he could use to roll to help fix the automaton. Just because he doesnt know how to build one from scratch' date=' doesnt mean he cant figure out how to fix what is broken, or at be able to jury-rig. And you know maybe one of the first adventure is looking for a scroll/techbook on automation?[/quote'] One of the things I like to do when starting the game is ask each of the players to explain why they want to be in the same team as two of the other players - reasons why they would risk their lives and reputations. There is no need for links to be reciprocal and I forbid this linkage to be circular between three players unless we only have three players. This means that the backgrounds of the players ties them together as a team and ensures I do not have to put effort into keeping them together. This sounds heaven made for one such link. The fact that the kobold cannot properly repair to begin with should add to some of the drama and give the automaton character access to complications. So. Would you have the automaton REC limited to recover only STUN? BODY damage would have to be 'repaired' with the potential loss of functionality if damaged? If the kobold repairs damage then the roll he makes determines how good a job. The BODY is restored but some function or other gains a burn-out roll. It is jury-rigged and may fail under stress. This burn out may get worse until they gain access to proper repairs. This could be fun for some time until the kobold learns better repair skills and, at some point, the player may buy off the REC limitation meaning that they have found a way of engaging the self-maintenance components of the mechanical body... This is a really interesting character idea....I may steal it for a game some point in the future. Thank you. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolon Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report I previously ran a "Data" character using Hero System rules in a Rifts world scenario. The passage through the Rift caused much of my abilities to be temporarily be shut off or unable to access or having to be bought with experience. We substituted the medical skills for mechanical and I was able to self repair most systems, fix injuries. I was also using complications and disadvantages of this secret and how I would be considered an evil machine by parts of society. How you explain this technology is important for role playing and backstory? It can also create some interesting plot elements for you as the GM. Remember, you are not really creating this for real but for the co-operative storyline of your game. Work with the players to give you better storylines, plots and character hooks rather than trying to get too technical. Point balance is important as if you ignore it, you are ignoring the fun of other players for your "star". The group needs to feel like a group in order to co-operate or you might end up with a player versus player game with betrayal and backstabbing. It is fantasy hero so anytime you run into a problem with the "tech", it becomes powerful magic of some sort, demonic, death, ancient or godly. The enjoyment of ALL players is most important over storyline or things. The stories retold should be of what happened rather than what things they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djkester Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Re: Character Creation Session report Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate all the support. We have worked out most of a build for the Goblin hunting automaton. It looks like there is a potential desire to build him bodies from various other technologies (mechanical) or magical means (golems). So going the AI and Automaton route with some small tweeks to keep balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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