IKerensky

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression Yep, I was more implying on information about what it is to gamemaster Hero than general RPG. Right now the only information we got is : Here this is a tool box, if you have question go to the website and you will get plenty of unofficial answer on how to use what. For an universal system I found it weird not to have guideline on creating things... just examples (and not many of living things). You are basically enforced to buy a campaign setting to get any closer information on how to play the game, and even then they are outdated (old edition) and not so complete (no introductory scenario, no real step by step example about creating NPCs, monsters, tools...). Also one of the weirdest thing is that, for a system supposed to be designed for effect, how complicate it is to design the simplest effect. Even something like a Torchlight is a multipower and require nearly a full page of explanation. Also Monsters Stats are far too complete, usually RPG can describe opposition in a few stats lines, here there is so many thing to device before starting that this is overwhelming... The tentation to use standard/generic rating rather than spent too much time compute exact things is strong. In fact, the more I think about Hero, the less I think it is a rules heavy, complicated games. The rules are so complicated, intricated and subject to GM ruling/balancing/choice that I think that in fine, there is no other rule than the GM hunch on what should and could work and how. Aren't anyone even remotely shocked that a player CANT create a character only by using the rulesbook without having to have all his decisions double checked by the gamemaster ? ( amount of stats, DC level, OCV/DCV/SPEED check, X factor, choice of powers, limitation avaliable or not... ). Usually in a game with rules, the only thing that need to be checked is the honor system on the rolls, the rules are here as guidelines and safeguards, here the rules are speedbumps and X-crossing... weird...

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ? Well Batman's Belt... And every other Utility Belt... Could we conceive that they are NOT powers, just like every other mundane objects and weapons that use Powers to describe their effects but are not powers. Remove the Gadgeteer VPP, Batman just have access to a lot of ressource points to build gadgets and he have a power that able him to teleport the needed gadget to his belt. Even if that is not what happen physically that is definitely the cinematic result : the gadget needed just manage to be in his belt and not in his bat-vault. After all if we design powers by effect that is the true effect of his power : bring to him the gadget he need when he need it. On a related note, we commonly say that the B-man happen to always have just the right tool for the right task.. is it really true ? or isn't it that he happen to be creative enough to bring with him enough tools so he can slightly adjust one to the situation ? Perhaps there IS another tool that is PERFECTLY suited to the situation but that he happen not to have bring with him so he had to rely on slightly inferior product. As far as I know when fighting Scarecrow he usually bring with him antidotes or such, when he meet him by accident he had to rely on breathing apparatus at best.

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression As a newbie I can tell you that the Basic Rulebook isn't enough to start with. Sure there is plenty of things in it (perhaps too much in fact) but it is just a downsize of the full rules.. in lenght and example and the removal of some powers. There is not enough things in it to create a campaign without massive effort and NO INITIATION SCENARIO. Also there are plenty of holes : like the weapons being cut/paste from the full rules wich make the shotgun cost differently for the same game effect (weird), or the Area of effect: Beam wich mean a weapon can hit anything on a line from 0 range to his maximum range targeting a 3 DCV (ground?) ? Character generation take far too much book space, gamemastering isn't really explained, neither is explained what is a RPG and how you have to conduct a campaign... 90 pages on 130 are about character creation, 20 about combat... that doesnt leave a lot of space for usefull information about anything else... As it is Basic Rulebook is just a costly preview of full rules... not useless, but a bit redundant and definitely not a starter book.

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ?

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ? No rulebook avaliable at work, but I guess I will simply add the Ranged advantage. VPP would be the only kind of Multipower avaliable, simply because they are so damn specific. Even then a lot of them wouldn't qualify as true VPP ( Green Lantern by example is only a Telekinsis and Bareer, everything else is related on the SFx of thoses 2 powers ).

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ? Cuting everything by 2 sound a bit too much... Especially because now Character that didn't used a Powerpool (there ought to be some) got a freebee... I will try to play with a new limitation instead : Part of a Multipower Pool -1 : The Power is treated as a part of a Powerpool with other power sharing the limitation... with a possibility to group the powers in different pools. This way the thematic Pool can still be used, but there is no real incentive to abuse them for every character... There is some testing needed anyway...

Re: Multipower are so common, why not just cut every cost by 2 ? And what about the player that have a collection of MP ? that certainly make him less suceptible to drain and still be able to use Multiple Power attack... To take back my example of the 3 80pts MP, just put an attack power in each one of the MP. Lets imagine a guys with 4 60pts MP ( or 65 pts.. ) each one is an element, Fire, Water, Earth, Air. Each one have at least several attacks, several movement, a defense, some increase in sense, a trick power too... You will need several drain to remove him from his 4 MPs and he have very large attack and defense option even Multiple Power Attacks... and all his powers were buyed dirt cheap.

Nearly all is in the title. The more I check PC build (less NPCs but some still), the more I notice the omnipresence of Multipower Pool. For Movement, for Combat, for Defense. You can basically put all the player powers into 1 single Multipower Pool or play with 2-3 different. I understand the limitation of 1 active power per pool at a time, but by having access to several pool you can easily go around that. The trick is that a player with 3 80pts PP or 4 60pts PP will be far more versatile and efficient than a player with 240 powers points. If that is so easy to use the PP and the only limit is the GM decision (cheers one more thing to decide everytime a character is build, is it balanced, is it not ? and this one ? and this one ? ), why not simply remove the Power Pools powers ( except the Gadgeteer Belt wich will become a new Power all by itself ) and cut by half the price of all and every powers and use Link and a Doesn't Work with X Power limitation. Or put a limitation on the number of Power Pool a character can have, let say 1 or 2, not more.

Re: new to hero, looking for some guidance Err, doesnt that mean the character have to choose if he want to swim fast or if he want to be able to breath underwater. It is still possible, but sound a bit weird.

Re: new to hero, looking for some guidance Just a comment : Buy the Bestiary... even if the stats are in 5th edition that is definitely not so a big deal and it will come very handy to have stats of all and every animal your character can turn into without having to create them during the game.

Re: Ranged attacks while engaged in melee Interesting stats... Except that Legolas is a Tolkien elf, even if from Mirkwood... STR should be in the 15-18 range, CON and BODY in the 20 area too and he have an quasi-immunity to disease and very strong poison resistance. He also have the Incredible Balance Talent. Tolkien's elves are stronger and healthier than human their size (even if usually they are taller too) and Legolas have King blood...

Re: How would you build this? So basically the very same effect could cost from +78 to -20 pts... How did you people sort this out ??? oO

Re: Ranged attacks while engaged in melee It's all come down to what you put into the "Real weapon" limitation. For me, shooting a bow in close combat is totally out of question, same as using that bow as an alternative melee weapon than expecting to shoot again with it. For me, that are real weapon limitation. Now in "Tolkien meet John Woo's" Legolas character that is a different things, this guy's bow is definitely not behaving like a real weapon, I am pretty sure it is so easy to use in battle that it doesnt even qualify for the two hands restriction... They emphases too much on the bow-fu, on the point you wonder why does he actually wear dual long-knives.. that's just hollywood rubish and definitely not "cool" on my book. Nobody is expected to be able to use a bow at melee range and survive. The trick is that in a game with archers and melee fighters both groups cant have at it. The Archers will want to ambush and fire from afar, the melee will want to close in and have fun without getting too much friendly fired on. So there is a need for balance and devicing a way for bowmen to shoot while in melee range is a necessity. I would say that it deserve a massive penalty to DCV AND OCV because there is just no way you can aim efficiently whith someone in the way to chop your head off..

Re: And 6e print books start to arrive Well, still didn't receive anything yet... that start to get very very long, unusual even from the states. Perhaps the trouble is USPS... perhaps European Customs or France Postal Delivery, dont know... but it start to be a very long wait.. and I am beginning to think the books wont show up in the end...

Re: Beginner suggestion for a free download That is the reason why I suggested using a generic scenario (usable in Fantasy, Hero, Dark Hero and SciFi Hero), such as the ones I provided, then adding several "kit" with different stats for heros, opposition and traps depending on the setting you want to play the story in. One scenario, one stat sheet by campaign setting. Of course the designing of heroes and opposition is where the knowledge of experienced sytem user is the more required.

Re: Game Master Lament I think your error was to assign them homework... that doesnt sound like fun. A lot of players even didn't like reading rules... I guess making it a more casual, relaxed evening while you all see the film together while drinking, eating, having fun than discussing what they would like to play as character in this setting would have worked far much better.

Re: Beginner suggestion for a free download As I want to do my part here is a synopsis that can probably be adapted to any kind of hero game. It was originaly for a Superhero game set in the '50 in France as an introduction for the players One of the significant NPC of one of the player is abducted by the local mob in front of the other players. There is some armed opposition and unexpectancy that make it impossible to avoid the abduction but a tailing could be made. The identity of the abducted can be deducted from element left behind (handbag, papers...) and the player that is alte to the rendez-vous show up to be introduced to thoses that tried to help. The identity of the abductors isn't hard to find as there are famous local mobsters working for the kingpin. The DNPCs was escorted to an abandonned building for interrogation, by the boss and a lieutenant. The Heros arrives just in time (they could have tracked/tailed the abductors or be tipped on the location ) and after a quick battle the mobster flee and they liberate their friend.. YEHAA The reason of the abduction is that the DNPC witnessed the mob convoying cargo from the sewers, strange cargo not in there usual deal (magical, techonological, weaponary...). If the PC investigate, after a few sewer oriented mishap, they discover that the mobs have found a large vault of war material dating from few/some/lots of years ago and were in the process of evacuating it. The previously defeated and on the run lieutenant is there too and he equip and use some of the loot against the heroes. There is a large battle and the heroes win but not before the sewer cave collapse and all the loot and the bad guys is seemingly lost forever...but not for long. Is it generic enough ?

Re: Lame or awesome? Wich mean that, basically you need to design the Super Speed as a VFP Cosmic so you can achieve any effect you desire and will need... Why dont just write on the character sheet : Superspeedster... and be done with all this rules overweight... ---- Awesome: "I dodge bullets, etc." (Missile deflection or force field or armor. SFX: I dodged the bullets, rolled with the "punch", etc.) or, or, or... that at least already 3 different power for the same thing = the guys is so fast he can dodge thing... wouldn't it be nicer if SPD will provide for PD/DCV ?

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression The back cover blub isn't informative enough... It should say : If you are a player all you need is the Character Creation (Volume I), gamemaster would need the rules system included into Combat and Adventuring (Volume II). The aim of a back blurb is to tell you what is in the actual book your are holding, not what is into the two books you are considering buying but only have money for one right now. Afterall, there is 2 of them ? right ? numered volume, right ? doesnt that imply a sequential order of reading or acquiring them or some difference between the two that not make them an automatic bundle ? Being in two volume because it is too costly/cumbersome to print in one BUT needing to be buyed and use as one volume isn't really crystal clear marketing manoeuver. As a player, did I need the Combat And Adventuring or not ? what tell me that on the cover ? arent' my gear/power and weapons into the Combat and Adventuring ? or are they ?

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression Not really, that is how the conversation really go : "How did I make that ?" and the Enlightened ones answer : "You can do it that way, or that way or that way or if you use that other manual page X you can do it that way too. Of course, by the rules you can do it this way but as a GM you have to overrules it for no other reason that it shouldn't be allowed in the first place." HERO is the only systema that I know that care to print rules THEN add signal to tell not to use them... ------ Buying HERO isn't like buying a big bag of possibilities, its like buying a big bag of decisions and rules. Theorically that is similar, in fact that is totally different.

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression Cant agree more about complexity... The rules have achieved a point where in order to be able to adapt to every situation they adapt to none because there is far too much GM decision implied. I know that I am a beginner. But right now I am amazed at the number of decision I had to take as a GM that aren't definitely set in the rules. Of course I understand the philosophy of an open system that dont constraint you. But if this system is that much open there is definitely too many pages of useless rules... An open system should be light on rules and heavy on background and roleplay. "Simulacres" was a open system developped some years ago by a french roleplaying magasine. Basically it simulated any kind of roleplaying environnement with 3-6 stats and 2d6 rolls. In circa 80 pages there was 6 different campaign settings, each with a separate scenario. Perhaps it was too simple... but it feel complete. After buying HERO I feel like I buyed an heap of rules that I have to trim and adjust to the game I want to play and I still need several more books to be able to do so... That is a lot of time to invest and not entirely different to creating a full game from raw... could even be easier and faster to do so in fact...

Hello, as a beginner in the HERO system I would be delighted if there is some short introduction to the system adventure avaliable to download in the free section. The adventure could be pretty basic, but with pre-designed characters, and the stats of NPCs. Ideally the could be one adventure by genre or just one adventure wich can be adapted to any genre by adjusting the NPC/PC used. Eventually, not to slow down the production process, an adventure design competition could be set on thoses forums with experienced gamemasters providing the material. Such a thing would be greatly appreciated by beginner in HERO like myself because : - It will provide with examples of a balanced campaign environnement. - It will provide readily avaliable game to play with my players so I can interest them in the system in the first place. - It will help demonstrate the different setting avaliable, for better than pages of description. - It will help new players play and enjoy the game BEFORE spending hours and hours on reading rules and designing NPC/PC/Power with barely no knowledge on how it really work. Thanks for reading my suggestion.

Re: A Storeowner's First Impression

Re: And 6e print books start to arrive Well, I should have been more specificate obviously... anyone from elsewhere than North/Central America got it ?