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Panpiper

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  1. Thanks
    Panpiper got a reaction from unclevlad in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    The shield itself is really easy to hit. The hard part is hitting the man behind the shield, using it for cover.
     
    To your assertion however that the shield is a fragile thing, and easy to penetrate, we'll leave aside that this defies history. Remember that while you are swinging your axe, the other guy is trying to hit you with his sword. If you haul off with a "tree felling" two hand swing intending to penetrate or otherwise break the shield, you are going to be killed before the blow lands. And even if you somehow escape death, what is very likely to happen is that your axe will now be stuck inside the shield. If that happens, you are dead.
     
    Furthermore, you are incorrect about the ease with which they can be penetrated. Shields were basically the equivalent of plywood, with wood grain running in multiple directions. Try hanging  a piece of plywood against from a tree branch and swinging at it with an axe. There is virtually no chance of penetrating it. 'Maybe' if you propped it against a tree trunk so it couldn't move, you could get 'some' sort of penetration, but that would simulate nothing. A man holding a shield is NOT a tree trunk. Hit the shield hard, and the shield will yield a bit, robbing the axe of much of it's impact.
  2. Thanks
    Panpiper got a reaction from Lee in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    I spent many years fighting in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I practiced and was qualified in all weapons (including weapon and shield), but I mostly fought with polearm and two hand sword (what I used was the equivalent of a hand and a half bastard sword, wielded two handed). People wearing shields were by FAR the hardest to hit. There is absolutely no question they got a DCV bonus out of it and it wasn't because they used it to 'actively' block. That's not how shields are actually used.
     
    Hollywood gets shields, or more specifically how shields are used, wrong, all the time. They depict people swinging their shields to intercept attacks. You would do this with a buckler, maybe a small heater, but for serious shields there is no way you could swing that thing around with any real effect without utterly exhausting your strength. Rather what you do is to brace it close to your body and lean the weight so it is centered in your shoulder. You then maneuver yourself around the shield, you do not move the shield! There is of course a bit of movement, such as when you hunch your shoulder in a flinch response to defend against a head strike, but for the most part it stays where it is. This is not incidentally why shields can work in a shield wall.
     
    Oh, and using a shield that way is not at all tiring. That's WHY it is used that way.
  3. Like
    Panpiper got a reaction from Trencher in Panpiper's free for all character archive.   
    Peter Tremain - Stone Molder Mage - Fantasy
     
    A mage ideally suited to constructing elaborate or impossibly fantastic structures out of stone.

    https://www.mediafire.com/file/0gv6mbfvfhyehd0/Stone+Molder+w+Golem.hdc/file
    https://www.mediafire.com/file/w17vzoye4c11kj7/Stone+Molder.pdf/file
     
  4. Like
    Panpiper got a reaction from Trencher in Panpiper's free for all character archive.   
    Brunt - Sheer Brawn Fighter - Fantasy
     
    A monster of a club wielding man, easily mistaken for an ogre, except for his human face. Odd encounter being treated as a slave in a village inn, or keeping it's basement free of vermin.
    Brunt_175.hdc Brunt's Character Sheet.pdf
  5. Like
    Panpiper reacted to Hugh Neilson in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    If a Shield only provides OCV for Blocking, players will not use shields.  They do not want to use their scarce actions to Block.
     
    If a Shield first provided Block as a half-phase non-attack action (a Move action in D&D parlance), or a free action, with larger shields providing OCV bonuses to block, people would use shields, but combat would take longer because there would be more rolls.
     
    To me, the DCV bonus is SFX for action-free blocking in game and a mechanical compromise for playabiity.
  6. Like
    Panpiper got a reaction from Barton in VPP questions   
    Yep, all slots designed and pre-approved by the GM 'before' the game, should be absolutely mandatory. That is certainly a rule I impose on myself if a player.
  7. Like
    Panpiper reacted to dmjalund in VPP questions   
    I would have the player to make builds for his VPP before the game and appraise them.
  8. Like
    Panpiper reacted to Barton in Looking for Champions 6e players   
    Would you be interested in me being the GM and running an on-line Teen Champs game?
  9. Like
    Panpiper reacted to Killer Shrike in Killer Shrikes Magic Systems and my choices   
    I used them all (and others) in a campaign setting back in the day _in theory_ but not all of them actually made an appearance "on camera" so to speak. Many of the example characters are of that setting, actually.
     
    Long story short, it is viable but exercise GM discretion as you go.
     
    You might also want to look at the Here There Be Monsters content as I reworked some of those magic systems (and introduced new ones) in that context. 
     
    http://www.killershrike.com/HereThereBeMonsters/Origin_Mystic.aspx
  10. Like
    Panpiper reacted to eepjr24 in Killer Shrikes Magic Systems and my choices   
    I ran an MHI campaign using the magic systems from Here There Be Monsters. It worked pretty well and was balanced for the setting. We ended up with a psychic, a Daemonsouled, a professional / gadgeteer, a professional / sharpshooter and... well the last was an innatus but basically he had spells laid on him by his dead wife to protect him from her enemies. It was a nice mix and played pretty well. 
     
    I have used variations on the Alchemy system and will be using another variation in my new campaign. The base magic system in my new campaign is very loosely based off of Runecrafting but has since morphed into something that would likely not be recognizable from the original. 😃
     
    - E
  11. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to zslane in "Fantasy Hero Complete" or "Fantasy Hero 6th Edition"   
    The Fantasy Hero 6E PDF it is both cheaper and easier to use (than the hardcover). You can search the PDF for things, which is a real plus for books of that size. And since you already have the full game system rules, FH6e is going to give you far more useful material than Fantasy Hero Complete.
  12. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to Hugh Neilson in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    While I was more addressing some comments that they could not see that it was clear making a multiple attack with STR required multiple END costs, if using a shield is neither autofire nor a multiple attack, it would not fall within that exception, so there should not be an additional END cost if the STR is being used for something else.  By default, the only END impact a shield has, absent an attack using it, is the possible impact of encumbrance.
     
    A Block with no Shield does not cost STR-based END.  The passive use of a shield does not even require the attack action needed for a Block, so it seems less strenuous, not more.
  13. Like
    Panpiper got a reaction from Christopher R Taylor in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    That's fine, but my question pertained to wearing a shield. It has absolutely nothing to do with making a multi-attack or autofire HA.
  14. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to eepjr24 in How to build a 'leaky' damage resistance?   
    When looking at costing for limitations I try to figure out how much of the time it will affect the outcome of the attack. Here, I would say that the limitation is more powerful than your opponent buying penetrating on their 3d6 killing attack (on average). So that is a significant amount (22 points), but defenses always cost way less, so a value of half that (and only for the body, so actually a quarter or so) would be in the right range.
     
    Another way to figure is using the limited power chart. I think it is not affecting you more than half the time since you have other armor and it's a window of 5 body. DC's in FH heroic are going to be in the 6-10 range so I think this will come into effect more than 1/4 of the time. I'd say somewhere around a third or 2/5ths of the time seems right, which would put me at a -1/2 limitation. That's around 5 points saved total, which works out to around what I speculated from the amount it would cost to defeat.
     
    If the average DC's will be greater than 6-10 then you can probably bump it down to -1/4 since it will always be used at full in that case.
     
    - E
  15. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to Alcamtar in "Fantasy Hero Complete" or "Fantasy Hero 6th Edition"   
    Both are "official."
     
    Fantasy Hero Complete is the "replacement" for 6E, since 6E went out of print and the market didn't justify another print run of color hardbacks. Additionally, some people preferred the all-in-one format of the original 3E Fantasy Hero or the 4E BBB, and a trimmed-down set of rules might appeal more to modern gamers. At least that's what I understand the reasoning to be. The actual rules are the same between 6E and FHC.
     
    The Complete books are similar in concept to the old Hero System Basic Rulebook. The HSBR omitted some rules to fit it all into one book, and was criticized for omitting enough "essential" rules as to be unsatisfying to play. The Complete books retain the "complete" rules, but reduce the size by stripping explanatory text to a bare minimum, and removing almost all examples.  For example Fantasy Hero Complete contains 11 monsters, 13 spells, 5 potions, one staff, one armor, one ring, one scroll, one sword... the emphasis is on giving one how-to for each category of thing you might build, but leaving it to you to do the actual building. It doesn't present anything resembling "enough common stuff to get you started" and makes no effort to do so. Half the example monsters are weird and unique things you'd use once in a blue moon, if ever.
     
    Fantasy Hero 6E is the opposite, going into great detail on virtually every aspect of fantasy campaign building. Where FHC has old school black and white line art (and not much of it), FH 6e is full color with lavish illustrations and layout. In presentation and content, it is the pinnacle of the Fantasy Hero game line, probably never to be equaled again. Of course the downside is that it is like finding something in an encylopedia. There is a lot of stuff to wade through to find the details. And it still doesn't include magic items, spells, or monsters... those are in add-on books.
     
    FHC is everything you need in one minimalist package, but it's all DIY. FH6E is the ultimate plug-and-play reference, almost no DIY needed.
     
    As others have noted, if you have 6E hardbacks you won't find anything new in FHC except a few examples on how to build stuff, and of course the legendary "how to build a fantasy campaign" essays. But if you have an older edition of Fantasy Hero you already have this stuff.

    Personally I prefer to use FHC, just because it's smaller and easier to find stuff.  I do have a deadtree FH6E but almost never use it, because most of what's in there is not useful for my campaign, and the few things that are useful are hard to find... like a needle in a haystack.  I don't own the 6E grimoire, but the 6E bestiary is useful at least as a starting point.
     
    As far as the 6E rules, I prefer very brief explanations for things like skills or powers, because as an experienced GM I can adjudicate things for myself, and actually prefer not to have to look up some official ruling. (I have a hard time ignoring official rules if they exist.) Also my 6E books were expensive and are irreplaceable, and the spines are already breaking, and I prefer to preserve them as long as possible. I keep them around for looking up picky details or options that are not really covered in FHC, but FHC covers 98% of what I actually need in play. I consider DIY a major selling point of Hero and I'm content with a stripped-down toolkit. Another really nice feature of FHC is a very complete set of reference tables, all presented together on 7 pages in an appendix. All the skills, powers, maneuvers, etc. If you know Hero 6E, these tables are all you need to look up stuff during play.
     
    Hopefully this information is helpful in deciding what will be useful for you.
  16. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to pawsplay in "Fantasy Hero Complete" or "Fantasy Hero 6th Edition"   
    If you already have the 6e books, Fantasy Hero is going to be more instructive. FHC is a cool book and would make a nice gift to a player or someone curious about the system.
  17. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to MrKinister in "Fantasy Hero Complete" or "Fantasy Hero 6th Edition"   
    Here's my take on those two books (I own Champions Complete, Fantasy Hero Complete, Vol 1, Vol 2, and Fantasy Hero):
     
    Fantasy Hero Complete attempts to become a very concise "full system" book, in that it presents all the Hero System rules, in a deeply condensed form, along with suggestions for campaigns, spell systems, bestiaries, equipment, and some slight mentions on world-building. However, the primary focus of Fantasy Hero Complete is to present the Hero System rules in concise form, and does not go into great depth on all other related subjects. This book, however, is sufficient to become familiar with the rules and begin play with minimal fuss (world-building aside). This is a fine book for "players".
     
    Fantasy Hero Complete: 194 pages of 'hero system rules', 55 pages of 'source'.
     
     
    Fantasy Hero 6th Edition is a "Genre Book". It is intended to "expand the toolkit", as it were, that Hero System was designed to be. It explains the idea of Fantasy and how to apply it to the Hero System, 6th Edition. It talks about game mechanics and adaptations suitable for the genre, the various types and concepts that may be called "Fantasy", ideas and suggestions on how to build fantasy worlds: fantasy professions, fantasy spells systems, fantasy armor, weapons, and equipment, fantasy religions, fantasy races, fantasy societies, etc. It is a "fantasy world building" book that specifically deals with Hero System. It does not repeat the system rules. You can find those in Volume 1: Character Creation and Volume 2: Combat and Adventuring. You are going to need those if you actually want to learn the Hero System should you only have Fantasy Hero. This book is excellent for "GMs" and "World Builders".
    [Edit: as a side note, while Fantasy Hero does a great job of providing ideas for spell systems, it does present a meager set of examples. For more complete spells systems, you ought to take a look at the Grimoire publications.]
     
    Fantasy Hero, 6th Edition: 480 pages of pure 'genre/source', no repetition of system rules.
     
     
    Personally, I find that Vol 1 and Vol 2 have more of a full explanation of ideas, with many examples and discourse on how things work. They are very wordy, but offer greater depth. They are my preferred source. I would use the "Complete" books as "reference sheets" for players, especially if they are new to the system, or want to take something home to bite into, without spending the money to acquire the original volumes.
     
    Panpiper, if you already have Vol 1 and Vol 2, Fantasy Hero Complete will not give you anything more. You will get more out of Fantasy Hero, 6th Edition.
  18. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to archer in "Fantasy Hero Complete" or "Fantasy Hero 6th Edition"   
    I own neither product.
     
    The description and reviews for FH Complete here might be useful if no one comes with any better advice over the next few days.
     
    https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/145469/Fantasy-Hero-Complete
  19. Like
    Panpiper got a reaction from Ninja-Bear in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    Found the specific rule: Page 41 of the first rulebook:

    "Using STR costs END — 1 END per 10 points
    of STR used in most cases (as an optional rule,
    some Heroic campaigns charge 1 END per 5 STR
    used, due to the prevalence of armed combat in
    those genres). However, a character only has to
    pay the END cost for his STR once per Phase,
    regardless of how many different ways he uses it in
    a single Phase."
  20. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to dmjalund in Does it cost endurance to wear a shield?   
    i remember a rule saying you only have to pay END for STR once in a phase, no matter what you are doing
  21. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to unclevlad in Would this character wash with most GMs?   
    I agree that if the resurrection takes years, that's purely plot device and not worth charging points.  You're out of the game, almost certainly permanently.
     
    Arcane Shield:  I personally seriously dislike piling on limitations.  You've got Gestures (both hands), Incants, and Perceivable.  If nothing else, the Perceivable is pointless;  using the power is already blatantly obvious, unless you're saying that the runes float around her ALL the time.  Also note:  you don't get much of a price break
     
    Will Force:  Ehhh....this one feels very cheesy to me.  What's the goal here?  When the basic power is just 1 END to begin with, piling on a massive Increased END cost is rather munchkin.  It's kinda like (in 6E) 3" of teleport with 10,000 km MegaScale...you're getting a ton for next to no cost.  Here it seems to be getting something that won't be used regularly (since it's Costs END every phase) but a LOT for next to nothing.  
     
    Not Entirely of this World:  doesn't stop 1 BODY isn't worth anything, IMO, not when the defense is that small.  Also, the limitation almost never comes into play on the mental def and power def;  it'd have to be AVAD, Does Body.  Alternately, what's the order of the defenses?  Because when the Arcane Shield is up, your defenses BEFORE NEotW are at 16, with 8 Resistant.
     
    Variable Limitations is extremely easy to abuse.  Full Phase covers everything as you note...and given the terrible Dex on the character, it doesn't much matter.  Just means you can't take a half move.  If all options are on the table, then it's way overvalued here.  The first -1/4 is cutting off a BIG chunk...18 points here.  (BTW:  variable limitations on an MP with 6 slots simply screams for a VPP.  Always need a 1/2 limit?  Pool size 41, control cost 62.  Always need a 1 limit?  Pool size 31.  Requires a Skill Roll can be a common modifier on the MP or VPP.)  You can get at least some VPP-only limitation for Magical Powers.  Play around with it;  it can be cheaper.  
     
    Languages...I personally don't ever charge for literate.  Especially with the hieroglyphics, as that is by definition NOT spoken.  That'll save you 4 points.
     
    KS's seem redundant;  how is The Secret Teachings different from The Occult?  Maybe that's in the writeup.
     
    The complications are heavily overlapped.  Distinctive, the social comp, the psych comp.  The psych comp to a degree cancels the vulnerability...and the vulnerability isn't doing damage.  Being vulnerable to seduction is a Psych Comp.  Flip side:  the two susceptibilities IMO make that Neg Rep a LOT!!!! worse, or at least will make them worse over time, because they'll absolutely lock in the perception of being an unholy creature of the night.
     
     
     
     
  22. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to Lord Liaden in Would this character wash with most GMs?   
    Hmm... I see your concern.
     
    As a GM, my biggest problem would be with the Arcane Shield. Don't get me wrong, I've allowed Damage Reduction which Costs END into Compound Powers and Power Frameworks -- heck, I've used it myself on occasion. But both Physical and Energy DR in a Compound Power with multiple other types of Defense which don't normally cost END feels a little too munchkiny. I would prefer that the DR be replaced with more PD/ED so it at least is consistent.
     
    The Incipient Lich construct strikes me as more in the realm of plot device or Radiation Accident, since by the text the character would not receive any benefit from it for years after death, effectively taking her out of the campaign. I wouldn't require points to be paid for that, just agreement with the player that we would act on it if and when the campaign gets to that point.
     
    I would wonder why the character "must always appear aloof, distant and mysterious," and would want to know how you see this impacting her life enough to count as a Complication.
     
    I'd prefer "Secretly pines for love" be a Psychological Complication rather than a Vulnerability to Seduction. I get what you're trying to achieve, but in most cases it's going to come into play as part of role-playing, or a modifier to Charm or Persuasion or the like. OTOH I'd be willing to consider a separate Vulnerability to Seduction-type Presence Attacks, since that mechanic would fit better with Vulnerability.
  23. Like
    Panpiper reacted to Spence in Is it wrong to power game?   
    I was answering the within the topic.  Not the entirety of what a Powergamer is.
     
    I can though. 
     
    Min/Maxers and every other type of player are usually just trying to make the best PC they can within the bounds of the game the agreed to play.  They are not trying to get over on the GM or other players just to be p*icks.  They are just having fun.  Min/Maxers can be problematic if there is only one of them in a geme, not because they are bad, but because they can put all the other players at disadvantage and even get them killed off if the GM doesn't handle the difference in character ability well.
     
    Powergamers are entirely different.  They are the people that go out of their way to break games and screw with the other players.  They agree to a game and then purposely misunderstand and constantly try to inject things that may appear in a rulebook, but goes against the theme or world build.
    They also constantly cry about how they are "only being efficient" or how they are "being railroaded" when neither even apply.  They are called powergamers because they only care about controlling the entire game.  To force the game from what it is to one that they want.   As players they are the toxic entity we call Powergamers and as GM's they are the actual types that really do railroad their players.  Though they usually don't actually like to GM.  Sadly, like most scumbags they have gotten many people associate Powergamer with Min/Maxer and as few other terms as well.  Some people even call themselves powergamers with out realizing why they suddenly can't find a game.
     
    Fortunately, most people do not encounter them.  If you play at a FLGS they can be recognized as the people that hang out but can never actually get into a game because none of the GM will run for them.   They only play when there is a "open" store game.   My FLGS actually had one of their League tables set up specifically for them so they wouldn't ruin other tables, especially those with new players trying out D&D.
     
     
  24. Like
    Panpiper reacted to Thia Halmades in Is it wrong to power game?   
    This is one of those topics, having GM’d almost weekly for the better part of 30 years, that I could go on about and still not have established my thesis. So instead of doing that, I’ll answer the question posed. Bear in mind, this is my answer, and I’m not poisoning the well by reading other people’s responses, which are no doubt many and varied.
     
    To a certain level, I expect it, and certainly I’m all for optimization. When optimization turns to cheese, I get annoyed. And when I offer a compromise and get an argument, I get flustered. And when the point gets pressed — and pressed. And pressed, I just start lashing out. 
     
    Make a build. Make a case. Present your case. Accept the outcome and let the GM do their thing.
  25. Thanks
    Panpiper reacted to eepjr24 in Maps for tabletop or VTT   
    Just sharing some information that others might like to have. I have been getting into cartography more lately and as a result have come across some resources that can be used for different genre's of HERO in VTT platforms. Note that these are useful in many different genres. If you need some maps for upcoming games, here are some places to look:
     
    Cartographers Guild Battle Maps section: (also check the Finished Maps section)
    https://www.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57
     
    I like some of these, specifically:
    https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=48412&p=428065#post428065
    https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=48398&p=428000#post428000
    https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=48323&page=2&p=427855#post427855
     
    Deviant Arts: (warning: quite a bit of NSFW content here if you are not careful)
    https://www.deviantart.com
     
    and specific ones:
    https://www.deviantart.com/jcarlhenderson/favourites/57508884/rpg-encounter-maps
    https://www.deviantart.com/jcarlhenderson/favourites/57509128/fantasy-cartography
    https://www.deviantart.com/sapiento/art/Encounter-Map-Fallen-Statues-245055258
    https://www.deviantart.com/torstan/art/The-Low-River-Map-Pack-172684106
     
     
    Venatus Maps: (has paid and free content)
    The free encounter maps below also have all the pieces to build multiple maps for free. And even the paid stuff is good quality and low cost.
    https://www.venatusmaps.com/product-page/example-maps
     
    2-Minute Tabletop: (has free and paid content, similar to Venatus in cost)
    https://2minutetabletop.com/product-category/free/
     
    DM's Guild: (has free, pay what you want and paid content, link below is free/pwyw)
    https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?keywords=encounter+++free&x=0&y=0&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto=
     
    Drivethru RPG (lots of cross here with DM Guild, may be a mirror or run by same people)
    https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?keywords=free+encounter&x=0&y=0&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto=
     
    Drop any that you like below and enjoy the maps.
     
    - E
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