Need Help: Skill based Transform

[Darkhope]

I have a fantasy campaign going on and a current PC wants to be a better Weaponsmith. He wants to be so good with his knowledge of making alloys that he can transform base metals into other rarer metals. So I was thinking of this:

 

Secrets of the Smith

2D6 Minor Transform (Extra Time 6 Hours -3 1/2; Concentration 1/2 DCV while working in forge -1/2; OIF Immobile 'Forge and smithing tools' -1 1/2; Requires SS: Metallurgy roll -1/4; Limited Effect 'Only alloys' -1/4; 0 End +1/2; Improved Results 'Various metals' +1/4)

 

Active: 35

Real: 6

 

Just curious if this is how a "Skill based" transform would look like. Any help or thoughts is appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance

[Christopher]

One of the Advanced Player Guides (I think 2) has the power "Object Creation". Lacking it the only way to create raw material or even items is using Transform.

 

However, both have the same hangups:
Be certain you are moddeling the game effect, not the special effect. It is the most common hickup for people new to Hero.

"Being able to summon money" is neither Summon, Transform nor Object Creation. It is the Special Effect for the "Wealth" perk. Game effect is "Wealth". Special Effect is "being able to summon money".

 

Also creating objects (that you can freely lend to others) only work in a game where money bought/looted equipment is the rule - generally heroic level games. In superheroic games where "you pay poitns for gear" is the rule, using any of the above is not a good idea for balance.

 

Wich build is the "right" one to take can change massively based on the campaign you are playing in and what the actually intended game effect is.

[L. Marcus]

If it's a Heroic level Fantasy campaign, I'd just call it a PS: Metallurgy, with a substantial penalty to the roll for rare and difficult alloys.

[Lucius]

I have a fantasy campaign going on and a current PC wants to be a better Weaponsmith. He wants to be so good with his knowledge

of making alloys that he can transform base metals into other rarer metals.

That defines what is arguably THE major goal of Western Alchemy.

 

So I was thinking of this:

 

Secrets of the Smith

2D6 Minor Transform (Extra Time 6 Hours -3 1/2; Concentration 1/2 DCV while working in forge -1/2; OIF Immobile 'Forge and smithing tools' -1 1/2; Requires SS: Metallurgy roll -1/4; Limited Effect 'Only alloys' -1/4; 0 End +1/2; Improved Results 'Various metals' +1/4)

 

Active: 35

Real: 6

 

Just curious if this is how a "Skill based" transform would look like. Any help or thoughts is appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance

What exactly is the goal here? To forge weapons that perform better in combat somehow - more durable, lighter, sharper?

To forge weapons that will sell for a higher price?

To forge weapons from silver and gold that are as effective as weapons of steel?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

No weapon forged against a palindromedary shall prosper

[ghost-angel]

Also, on the mechanical side, what's being affected?

 

Powers bought by Characters?

Equipment that is never paid for?

 

Are things changing Mechanically, or are Special Effects simply changing?

 

For the most part, in your average Fantasy game, making better weapons is simply a better Weaponsmithing Skill Roll, possibly coupled with other skills if you want (like SS: Metallurgy).

[massey]

I have a fantasy campaign going on and a current PC wants to be a better Weaponsmith. He wants to be so good with his knowledge of making alloys that he can transform base metals into other rarer metals. So I was thinking of this:

 

Secrets of the Smith

2D6 Minor Transform (Extra Time 6 Hours -3 1/2; Concentration 1/2 DCV while working in forge -1/2; OIF Immobile 'Forge and smithing tools' -1 1/2; Requires SS: Metallurgy roll -1/4; Limited Effect 'Only alloys' -1/4; 0 End +1/2; Improved Results 'Various metals' +1/4)

 

Active: 35

Real: 6

 

Just curious if this is how a "Skill based" transform would look like. Any help or thoughts is appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance

 

What you have there would work fine, as long as you guys are happy with it.  Sometimes people can overthink things in Hero.

 

But I'll reiterate what other people have said.  Depending upon what the game effect of "making this out of rarer metals" you're going for, there might be an easier way to do it.  Remember that by default, in Hero, a sword being made of a rare element doesn't actually do anything.  You can have a sword made of hamburger meat and it'll still work, because the game system lets you define your powers however you want.  I'll list off a few examples of things you could do.

 

KS: Alchemy.  This presumes that alchemy is a real thing, and people know how to do it. And that there are rules for it (or guidelines anyway) in your campaign.

Weaponsmithing.  A better roll creates a better weapon.  Again, this would be something that you would define how it works in your game.

Wealth.  If the character makes more money because he can sell more valuable items, you might just give him a few points of wealth to represent his successful business.

HKA (above normal sword damage), OAF.  If you intend to have him make really good swords that do a lot more damage, then perhaps he just needs to buy a bigger attack.

 

Again, just being made of a rare element is free in Hero.  It doesn't cost anything extra to have a silver sword or adamantium sword, because those things don't do anything in the basic game rules.  They are for the player and the GM to define.  So making a sword out of a rare element shouldn't cost anything extra, shouldn't need a power at all, until you decide it gives the character extra oomph by being able to do it.

[bigdamnhero]

I have no problem with the power as built, and if that's what the player wants to do then that's fine. And 6 points isn't really that much to worry about. But I agree with previous posters that it depends on what game effect you expect to get out of this. If it's just "I'm such a good smith I can make good swords out of poor metals" then you could just as easily plow those 6 points into +3 Weaponsmith so that they cancel out any penalties for using poor materials. But of course "just as easily" isn't always the goal.