Jump to content

The Engineer

HERO Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    62

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by The Engineer

  1. New Hero System Players And Game Masters

    in HERO System Discussion

    Posted

    Re: New Hero System Players And Game Masters

     

    PDF vs Book: I prefer books, but if space/carrying capacity is an issue PDFs work just as well. I don't see the problem here, guys.

     

    Getting people into the hobby: Same way you got into the hobby, most likely. Someone sat down and said "here, let me show you this wondrous hobby of mine. I think you'll enjoy it." then provided a good experience. That last part is the important one, as that's gonna shape the impression.

  2. Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

     

    More form my Hammer Horror / Castlevania flavored game.

     

    Players:

    Danut Coman - Dhampyr vampire slayer

    Dr. Wulfric von Richtofen / Prof. Timothy Hues - Schizo werewolf scientist

    Eve Smithdotter - Dragon-blooded human fire mage

    Victor von Stadt - Occultist Monk

    Rhashida - Recently risen mummy

     

    The session starts with the PCs aboard a train headed to their next destination. Everything seems to be fine, until the plot kicks in...

     

    Dr. Wulfric: "Ve have a problem..."

     

    He gos on to explain the problem being damage to the "train-linky thingies".

     

    As the train seperates, Victor holds on to Rhashida as she uses her wrappings to swing across.

     

    Victor: "I've got a grip!" *gropes boobs*

     

    Once the danger has passed, the good Doctor offers Victor his latest concoction to calm his nerves...

     

    Doctor Wulfric: "Because we're on the express train, I thought I'd call it 'expresso'."

     

    Rhashida uses ancient words to activate her armor...

     

    Rhashida: "It's morphin' time!"

     

    The PCs fight their way through several train cars full of recently risen skeletons (former passengers)

     

    Dr. Wulfric: "Monotonous, isn't it?"

     

    Rhashida, our resident tank, is in need of healing. Our priest/monk steps up to assist.

     

    Victor: "I'm going to walk up and lay hands on her."

    GM: "Again?"

     

    At the head of the train, they find one of the NPCs they'd been after, on the floor completely terror stricken from the ordeal. The Dr. offers her a concoction, and is promptly asked if it's the same one as before.

     

    Wulfric: "No! I added sugar!"

     

    After the train comes to it's inevitable and all too sudden stop, the group comes across a very irate minotaur and a berserk werewolf. The minis for these were obviously male and female respectively, leading to this gem.

     

    Prof. Hues: "I never hit a lady, but I may have to punch a b*tch."

     

    Hilarity ensues as the group decides to kill the bull, and capture the woman.

     

    Danut (OOC): "You're the one who threw a naked werewolf at us."

     

    Victor and the Prof. quickly stun the lycanthrope, tie her up and, using knowledge of alchemy and chemistry, whip up an anesthetic....

     

    Prof. Hues: "I rub her nose in it..." *knocks out the female and slings her over his shoulder*

    Rhashida (OOC): "Don't you know fur is murder?"

  5. Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

     

    Yay! I get to contribute!

     

    Hammer Horror / Castlevania flavored campaign.

     

    Players:

    Danut Coman - Dhampyr vampire slayer

    Dr. Wulfric von Richtofen / Prof. Timothy Hues - Schizo werewolf scientist

    Eve Smithdotter - Dragon-blooded human fire mage

    Victor von Stadt - Occultist Monk

    Rhashida - Recently risen mummy

     

    The mummy has been made aware of her condition...

     

    Dr. Wulfric von Richthofen -- "Apparently you are dead."

    Rhashida -- "Come again?"

    Wulfric (goes out and then comes in again) -- "Apparently you are dead."

     

    On Eve incinerating a second vampire in one hit.

     

    OOC -- "Burn *all* the things!"

     

    Eve's player on Rhashida carrying her sarcophagus strapped to her a' la Gun Grave.

     

    Eve (OOC) -- "I'm going to the drug store to get some Vick's. Stop the coffin."

     

    Some PCs discover that Wulfric/Timothy is a werewolf.

     

    Eve -- "The fact that he didn't try to eat us speaks much in his favor."

     

    On Timothy's shenanigans.

     

    GM -- "Man's best friend my *ss."

     

     

    Rhashida -- "I rolled an 8 on Plot Convenience."

    Victor -- "Do you even have that as a power?"

     

     

    "Can we have a green van?"

    (Stated when Danut's player realized that -- Danut = Fred, Wulfric = Scooby-Doo, Victor = Shaggy, Rhashida = Velma, and Eve = Daphne.)

  6. Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

     

    So, start off by looking at relative combat values (CV vs DCV, in both directions) for opponents, or required skills and target roll unders (#-) for skill based challenges. All 3d6 resolution rolls are on the bell curve so you can easily gauge percentages.

     

    Look at relative actions between two sides...combined Speed totals basically, though a little fudge factor is recommended here as in actual play some actions will likely be "wasted" by either side due to circumstance. If your player group is indecisive or tend to not make their actions count, hedge a bit.

     

    Look at relative damage classes vs average defenses. Hybrid defenses or "special" attacks that have some side effect or edge (like AP, Penetrating) make this a fuzzy comparison, but basic math is still a decent gauge. If opponents really can't hurt your pc's (or vice versa), or if one side does substantially more damage to the other this will obviously slant outcomes.

    I generally compile spreadsheet summaries of the speed, defenses, cv, primary / best attacks, relevant maneuvers, and combat levels for all the PC's in a campaign, including a line for "joe average" or "official recommended levels" for comparison. I compare opponents against this list when planning a standard combat encounter.

     

    My problem with this is that I feel it's a bit vague. For example, when comparing OCV to DCV, at what point does the spread become difficult to nigh-impossible to hit? If I did my math right, these two numbers need to remain within a certain range of each other no matter how high or low powered the campaign is, but it's left up to experience to figure that out.

     

    Assuming a GM's guide were to be made, info like that would be helpful to new people who don't grasp the math involved right away.

  7. Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

     

    While I agree to that statement, the question was what could be done to help integrate new players. Standing in that demographic personally, that is something that I see that is lacking. I've been through numerous other systems that I've not had nearly as much difficulty with in this area. That is at least one area where some documentation could ease the gap.

  9. Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

     

    It doesn't need to be. The next question is, "How do we lower it?" Hero already publishes some aids.

    • Pre-generated monsters (Hero System Bestiary)
    • Pre-generated spells (Hero System Grimoire)
    • Special fighting techniques and combat maneuvers (Hero System Martial Arts)

    However, I can think of other ways to help novice GMs and players.

    • Lists of archetypes, similar to those in the back of Champions. Pick your archetype, a set of stats from table A, skills from table B, tricks or spells from table C, complications from table D, and 90% of the work is done.
    • Lists of magic items.
    • Examples of magic system creation.
    • More fighting tricks/feats, monsters, spells, etc.

     

    As someone who's in dire need of help on a regular basis, I would recommend to the community, not to the company, that someone should write some guides to balancing encounters. I mean something in-depth from a seasoned GM standpoint, and post that on a dedicated webspace so that it doesn't get buried on a forum. I've got some of the premade monsters but it's difficult to tell what would be a challenge and what would be straight up murder.

  11. Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Why I prefer HERO System over Pathfinder/OGL/D&D for fantasy

     

    HERO is really good for when I have a concept that isn't easily covered by something else. However as a rookie GM preparing two campaigns side by side, (one in HERO and one in FantasyCraft,) I have to say that HERO is not the easiest to prep for without extensive experience in it. And as was previously stated, other systems work better for individual flavors.

     

    Now that I think about it, one of the things I think could be improved would be better advice for noobs who want to run a game. There really isn't much advice out there.

  12. Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

     

    I suppose it could be some convoluted scheme by the Auditors of Reality' date=' but if they really want to remove threats to a truly rational universe, surely they should be targeting McGinty?[/quote']

     

    It may be that they'd believe McGinty could at least be contained, if not controlled with sufficient quantities of alcohol.

  14. Very flashy, acrobatic martial arts styles?

    in Champions

    Posted

    Re: Very flashy, acrobatic martial arts styles?

     

    Although not exactly high flying, Drunken Boxing can be rather cinematic. I'll also second everything that tkdguy just said.

     

    Since most fighting styles tend to limit flashy things like acrobatics, Capoeira is probably the best bet.

    There's also Parkour as an option, if you've seen B13.

  18. Character Class Mottos

    in Fantasy Hero

    Posted

    Re: Character Class Mottos

     

    Barbarian: "I speak LOUD and carry a BIGGER stick!"

    Assassin: "Trust me! I got your back!"

    Thief: "If I had a nickel for every dime I've taken.... Oh wait. I do."

    Monk: "My Kung Fu is best."

    Archer: "Caution: I fire into melee."

    Necromancer: "Can't keep a good man down."

  25. Genre-crossover nightmares

    in Other Genres

    Posted

    Re: Genre-crossover nightmares

     

    It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Max: A madcap race across a post-apocalyptic future.

     

    Roadhouse Warrior: A tough bouncer is hired to deal with bandits harassing a small gasoline rich bar.

     

    Mad Max Beyond Thundercats: Mad Max becomes a pawn in a decadent oasis of Thunderan society, and when exiled, becomes the deliverer of a colony of mutants.

×
×
  • Create New...