HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

[Chris Goodwin]

I was about to start a thread, then thought I might look for one. Found it, here. Nevertheless, I thought I'd start a new one so as to have a clean slate. Here's a short compilation of good stuff from the other thread:

 

• If using the Hit Location chart, for Attack Rolls everyone rolls two sets of 3d6 of different colors. One color is always the attack roll, the other is always the location.
  
• If not using Hit Locations, for Killing Attack damage roll one differently colored die from the rest; that one is your StunX die.
  
• For combat, use OCV + 11 as your basic "to hit" target number. The amount by which you roll under this value is the maximum DCV you hit.
  
• Alternately, use the flipped-over combat roll. OCV + 3d6 - 10 = DCV hit. (Make sure everyone at the table is doing it the same way, or at least knows which way they're doing it.)
  
• For fistfuls of dice, group by 10's where possible. (5 and 5, 6 and 4, 6 3 1, etc.)
  
• For counting the BODY, put 6's over here, 1's over there, and everything else in a group near the 6's. Ignore the 1's, count how many 6's and double that, add 1 for each of the other dice. (Remember not to ignore the 1's for STUN, though.)
  

 

 

There are probably other good ones on that thread also; I haven't made an exhaustive list.

 

Some additions of my own:

 

• Pay attention, especially during infodumps and combat. This is a matter of respect for the other people at the table and their time.
  
• Don't be afraid to call for a 5 minute break for the group every once in a while, to stretch the legs, use the bathroom, and so forth.
  
• Don't be afraid to call for a 15 minute break before combat starts.
  
• Eliminate distractions. Don't play in a room with a TV on (or, ideally, at all). Laptops, tablets, phones, etc. are put away during play. (If you have to take a call or look something up on Google it's ok; the point is to stop people fiddling with their gadgets when they should be playing. But put it away when you're done.)
  
• When it's your Phase, if you're not sure what you're going to do, delay. If someone else doesn't, then give them a reasonable amount of time (a 5-count, maybe) to figure out, then they delay.
  
• Social hour. Set the meet time an hour or so before you plan to actually start playing; this lets people chat, catch up, snack, get their gadget-fiddling out of their system, etc.
  
• If using tactical mapping, get a cheap or old yard or meter stick. Make obvious markings at 8m/4", 16m/8", 32m, 64m, and so on, until you run out of space. Mark these with the range modifiers for those distances. (For a little extra work, paint the whole thing flat white, then apply an alternate color to every other range category, to make them even more obvious.)
  
• Do something similar for your character's half- and full-moves.
  

 

Please feel free to add your own to this thread... every so often I will (or someone else can) compile the additions into a document or this post.

[teh bunneh]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

For characters with AoE attacks, make a template out of cardstock that's the size of your AoE. That way, you're not trying to count hexes/inches/meters every time you use it. Just lay the template out on the battlefield to see how big it is and who's caught in it.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

For characters with AoE attacks' date=' make a template out of cardstock that's the size of your AoE. That way, you're not trying to count hexes/inches/meters every time you use it. Just lay the template out on the battlefield to see how big it is and who's caught in it.[/quote']This is a good idea... just keep in mind that you'll be making it at a particular scale, and it won't work if the map is on a different scale. So if your game's maps are always at the same scale, no worries. Or if they're always at one of two or three scales, you might want to make multiple templates...

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

(This one's mostly for GMs.) To minimize unnecessary dice rolling, and to combat inflation of Skill Rolls, consider when asking for Skill Rolls is really needed. Often, simply having the Skill should be sufficient for success in ordinary circumstances. Players who know they'll always have to roll it, or (worse) often have penalties to it, are more likely to jack up the Skill Roll.

[megaplayboy]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

During combat, have each player with a pending action write down their action on a postit note or 3x5 card, and give it to you when their phase comes up. If they don't give you a card or declare an action within a minute, put them "on hold"(i.e., "okay, you're holding your action"). Let them raise their hand when they're ready to declare their action. If they ask you what's going on, answer them the first time they ask, require a PER roll the second time before telling them, and tell them nothing(and penalize them an experience point) if they have the temerity to ask a third time. Nothing more annoying than players who don't pay attention because "my phase isn't up yet". It bogs down gameplay to have them re-orient themselves, dither and take 5-10 minutes to take their action.

Set a house rule--no rule disputes during combat. If you disagree with a ruling, and believe the GM's interpretation is incorrect, cite the rule within 1 minute, or wait until after the session is over to discuss it with them.

If people promptly declare their actions and don't argue about rule interpretations during combat, you can get through combat sessions much more swiftly and smoothly.

[Manic Typist]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Regarding the marked meterstick- Same as the AoE templates, plus you might need two if you're swapping between 5E and 6E...

[Christopher]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

for the GM:

Summarize the action. At least once per Turn. Better once per segment anyone(PC/NPC) had a phase in or otherwise acted (because of Haymakers or other delayed segment actions).

This helps with all still knowing what happened and allows you a more cinematic description of what happened.

 

Double so in large battles or Play by Post.

 

 

In play by post:

Since you will post less than the players, summarize the results of all their actions (including out of combat). If there is any thread system (like on Herocentral), start a new thread with each summary.

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

For characters with AoE attacks' date=' make a template out of cardstock that's the size of your AoE. That way, you're not trying to count hexes/inches/meters every time you use it. Just lay the template out on the battlefield to see how big it is and who's caught in it.[/quote']

 

Don't forget that Games Workshop makes some nice templates for their Warhammer 40k. Of course if you use a different size-it won't work. We also use those aqarium stones from the dollar store to show many different effects too.

 

 

For goons, any combat levels are put into offense, and I don't piddle around with switching levels, blocking or dodging. They are there to get a whooping!

 

 

For building characters with martial arts, I stick with the generic martial arts style manuevers. I know off the top off my head what a martial strike does, martial throw,and etc. As much as I like some of the other options,(and some are more "realistic"), it helps me to flow faster. Now as a player, I will ask the GM if im allowed to use certain options, and I also have the option marked as to what book and page, if the rule comes up in game. And most importantly, i'm willing to let the GM overrule or modify said ability in play for the games benefit.

[concord]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

• For counting the BODY, put 6's over here, 1's over there, and everything else in a group near the 6's. Ignore the 1's, count how many 6's and double that, add 1 for each of the other dice. (Remember not to ignore the 1's for STUN, though.)

 

Here is how we do BODY:

 

Results on ten dice: 6,6,6,5,4,5,3,2,1,1

 

Sixes count as up: 3 Sixes = 3 up

Ones count as down: 2 Ones = 2 down

 

Net Result = 1 up

 

Add/Subtract Net to number of dice rolled

 

10 dice rolled + 1 up = 11 Body

[Tasha]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

For counting damage on normal Dice. First I group the dice in sets that make up 10 pips. I then count the groups of 10 and add the remainder dice. For body, i group 6s and 1's together. The 6's remaining is counted as extra body added to the base amount of dice thrown to get total body done. if there are just 1's remaining those are subtracted from the amount of dice rolled to get total body done.

 

For GM's

Make all of your Speed Charts before the Game. This saves tons of time fixing stuff. Also leave an empty line between entries, JIC someone changes Dex or SPD or you forget someone and need to add them to the chart.

[GoldenAge]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Set a house rule--no rule disputes during combat.

This is an important one, though I believe the temporary rule interpretation should lean in the player's direction until post-combat verification.

[Tasha]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Set a house rule--no rule disputes during combat. If you disagree with a ruling, and believe the GM's interpretation is incorrect, cite the rule within 1 minute, or wait until after the session is over to discuss it with them.

 

If a rules issue comes up during combat we bring it up quickly and if the group cannot come to a quick consensus (or quickly find the rule in question) we plow forward. It is appreciated if someone has a rules dispute, that they do the research before they bring it up. If it is really combat changing (ie it changes whether a PC continues on in combat or not) we quickly come to a group consensus while someone tries to find the official rule. We try to come down on the side of the PC over the badguy. Once the rule is found if we have done it wrong we do it the correct way from that time forward. It's just a matter of everyone being willing to allow the GM to make a temporary ruling till we can find the official ruling. We don't often get bogged down in rules arguments.

 

Also all of our players are pretty good about figuring what they are going to do before their action comes up.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Figuring out what you want to do before your character's phase comes up is a biggie. That alone can make combat run pretty smoothly. The dice rolling thing (make multiple rolls simultaneously) also saves time.

 

Here are some tips for GM's as well:

 

Become familiar with the Impairing/Disabling rules. In the context of games with more realistic levels of combat like Fantasy Hero, Sci-fi games and Dark Champions etc, they make a lot of sense. In addition to the added level of realism, they make excellent guidelines on when NPC enemies would likely quit fighting. Unimportant NPC ruffians usually will stop fighting after a significant Impairment. Especially to the Head, Chest or Vitals. They may continue fighting with a leg or arm impairment on a successful ego roll. If they are Disabled, they are done fighting. If the Disabling wound is to the Head, Chest or Vitals, they are dead. No if ands or buts. This takes care of that old Hero Myth that characters are too tough and don't die easily. They do if you use these rules.

 

for players;

Know your powers well. Know how to use them. How the dice mechanics work. How they apply in context to the game. Think about how you can use them in unusual ways. Think about variations on your powers theme and how you can develop your powers as your character advances. Thinking about this ahead of time, writing down your ideas and discussing them with the GM for approval will help your character from becoming stagnant.

[gojira]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

From another thread: when a player's phase is ready, tell the next player "you're next" so they can start thinking about their turn.

 

If a player hems and haws too much when deciding on their turn, tell them "you are holding an action" and move on to the next player. Consider having them make a Dex roll to take the action if their "condition" for holding isn't fairly obvious and straight forward.

[gojira]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

• Alternately, use the flipped-over combat roll. OCV + 3d6 - 10 = DCV hit. (Make sure everyone at the table is doing it the same way, or at least knows which way they're doing it.)
  

 

I liked the slight variation on this, OCV + 3d6 = 10 + DCV hit. I haven't tried it in play, but it sounds like it might be easiest on players.

[teh bunneh]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

I make the combat roll look just like a skill roll on the charsheet. For example, if you've got an OCV 6 their character sheet will look something like:

 

Punch/kick 17-

Then I say, "How much did you make it by?" The player will say, "I rolled at 12, so I made it by 5."

 

If the opponent's DCV is 5 or less, I say, "You sock him right in the jaw! Roll damage!" If their DCV is higher, "Ooh, a valiant swing, but he manages to sidestep away from you and you miss."

 

It works really well with newbies to the system -- I've used this system for years in my convention games, and kids as little as 10 or 11 years old pick it up really quickly. And best of all, there's no real math for the player (except for adding up his dice).

[gojira]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

I make the combat roll look just like a skill roll on the charsheet. For example, if you've got an OCV 6 their character sheet will look something like:

 

Punch/kick 17-

Then I say, "How much did you make it by?" The player will say, "I rolled at 12, so I made it by 5."

 

• For combat, use OCV + 11 as your basic "to hit" target number. The amount by which you roll under this value is the maximum DCV you hit.
  

 

 

These two are the same. OC + 11 --->> OCV 6 + 11 = 17-

 

I hadn't thought about that being "like a skill roll," but it's an excellent point.

[Christopher]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

If the opponent's DCV is 5 or less, I say, "You sock him right in the jaw! Roll damage!" If their DCV is higher, "Ooh, a valiant swing, but he manages to sidestep away from you and you miss."

 

It works really well with newbies to the system -- I've used this system for years in my convention games, and kids as little as 10 or 11 years old pick it up really quickly. And best of all, there's no real math for the player (except for adding up his dice).

Could work, as long as no halving of the OCV is in place.

[teh bunneh]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

These two are the same. OC + 11 --->> OCV 6 + 11 = 17-

 

Yep, exactly the same. I just leave all the math off the character sheet -- the player (especially the new player) doesn't need to know the OCV+11-3d6=DCV thing. They just need to know "I made it by 7".

 

I hadn't thought about that being "like a skill roll," but it's an excellent point.

 

Thank you.

[Ice9]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

When I want to run combat more quickly (like for convention games), I have some modifications I use:

* Don't worry about exact counting of squares, just roughly estimate distances.

* Partially-average the effect rolls. For example, you can replace 12d6 with 2d6+35.

* Knockback: Body >7 (or 10 for 3d6), knocked down and slightly back. Don't bother with exact distance or KB damage unless it was a lot.

 

These do have some trade-offs. For example, abstracting distances works best when people have either the same movement speed or significantly different ones. Small differences, like Running 12m vs Running 16m, can get lost.

 

 

General speeding up rules, not just for convention games:

* If you have a VPP, any power must be fully calculated out before the turn you want to use it on.

* In general, if you don't know what you want to do when your turn comes up, go to Delay.

* Don't roll or calculate things that aren't necessary. If an '11' hit your target before (in the same conditions), and you just rolled a '6', stop calculating there. If you just knocked someone back 6m, don't bother rolling the 1.5d6 damage. If you hit a barely-up foe and the GM says they're down before rolling, nobody cares how much overkill you did.

* When using Summon / Duplication, don't make so many that it slows down the game. One summoned thing, or a small group with simple actions, is ok. Summoning a dozen helpers that each make two attacks a round from a variety of options is not ok, regardless of how weak or powerful they are.

[dmjalund]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

These two are the same. OC + 11 --->> OCV 6 + 11 = 17-

 

I hadn't thought about that being "like a skill roll," but it's an excellent point.

can i add DEX/ 5 to my OCV to make it a DEX based skill?

[megaplayboy]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Optimally, I think 1 hour of real time per turn of combat--for a "medium sized" fight(6 vs 6) sounds about right to me. 90% of my fights have ended within 3 turns, I think there were one or two epic fights that lasted 4-5+ turns. If you have a larger-scale fight(15-30 combatants), you really have to streamline a bunch of stuff in order to get a fight that big run in something resembling a reasonable amount of time.

[Sean Waters]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

As GM, use an Excel spread sheet to generate d6 rolls ahead of the game, showing a stun and body total, and print them out. You want a sheet of 1d6, 2d6, 4d6 and 8d6 for most games, and you can then add to get any result (13d6 is one from the 8, one from the 4 and 1 from the 1). If you don't want to bother adding, generate more sheets, for dice up to the usual campaign maximum.

 

A sheet of 3d6 (for skill/hit rolls) is also useful, obviously you don't need body totals on that one. As you use a number, cross it off.

 

You'd be amazed how much it speeds things up and how quickly the players get used to the idea of the GM not rolling.

 

You can even put a 'mean' calculation down the bottom to ensure that each sheet is fair over the course of play, and just hit F9 if it is not.

[Sean Waters]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

Hmm. Gameplay starts at character creation.

 

If you want a more streamlined game, think about that at character creation: don't use activation rolls.

 

If you want quicker combat, restrict defences and stun totals.

 

If you want more interesting combat, require everyone to buy some of their combat ability as skills rather than just OCV or DCV.

[Christopher]

Re: HERO System Tips, Tricks, and Advice

 

can i add DEX/ 5 to my OCV to make it a DEX based skill?

Nope, because DEX does not adds to OCV? It never did in 5E either (OCV wa already derived from DEX after all).

 

What he did was adding his OCV to a 11- base roll (62,5%). 6E2 35 has the list: When OCV and DCV are equal, you hit on a roll of 11-.