Foxx!

Re: Putting extra "oomph" into a spell

Michael Hopcroft!

For a year I have been experimenting with a way to let mages push spells. So far there have been no big problems that couldn’t be settled.

1: Decide how many AP you want to push.

2: Make an EGO roll.

3: Take 5 AP of Side Effects for every 5 AP in the push.

If you make the EGO roll, you push the spell. If you don’t, you still take the Side Effects.

The Side Effects are decided by the GM. The player cannot know in advance what is going to happen, but the Side Effects should be related to the spell. There is no defence or way to avoid the Side Effects.

Players rarely push because they don’t know what the Side Effects will be, and they take the Side Effects even if the push doesn’t succeed. The more you push, the more you get hurt. If a mage pushes too often, start using Side Effects with long lasting effects: Transform, Drain with reduced recovery rate, etc. Less damaging Side Effects are also interesting: Cosmetic Transform, COM Drain, Disadvantages, etc.

Another option I am trying is letting players have +1 OCV, or +1 to the skill roll if they have one, in place of 5 AP. A mage can push for 20 AP and use 10 AP to get +2 OCV and 10 AP to add 2 DC.

Cheers!

Re: what makes a "demon" a "demon"?

Michael Hopcroft!

Demons in Japan are like dragons in Europe. They are powerful, magical creatures who live apart from humans. They are wild and dangerous, but they are not evil. They are a race of people who have super powers and use them selfishly. Like Susano says, there are Oni in Buddhist hells, but they just punish bad people. Their goal isn’t to be evil, they don’t try to corrupt people, and they’re not fighting a war against good. It’s probably better to think of them as trolls, ogres, or giants.

In stories, they are often put into the role of the bad guy. They take over castles, kidnap, steal, kill, etc. But they are no different than Vikings. Many times they are neutral but dangerous agents who are a way of introducing magic or magic items into a story. The hero is captured by Oni but escapes by using a magic item he steals from them, and the Oni never bother to take it back. I’ve never heard of good Oni, but sometimes they do good things in return for service. Some Oni give magic help or magic items to people who make good food, good sake alcohol, or even liven up one of their parties. However, usually such service is demanded by force at the start. In Akita, there is a legend of Namahage Oni. They go round at New Years and collect bad children as food, but ignore good people.

It’s interesting that the purely evil demons I can think of are all humans who turned into demons. Gaki in are humans who turned into demons because of their greed, and they mindlessly attack and eat anything living, sometimes each other. Yasha, at least according to one story, is a woman who turned into a demon from grudge she held against people because no one would help her when she and her child were homeless.

Cheers!

Re: Things I'd like to see more of in fantasy gaming

I'd like for PCs to pay proper levels of respect to the law' date=' nobility, upper class, etc[/b']

 

This has been a frequent "problem" in both games that I have run and been a player in, and it has always bothered me. Admittedly, this is largely on the GM for not setting the tone properly. I think a lot of the behavior I don't like from players concerning this stems from years of not having to take the in-game social heirarchy seriously, so it's not entirely their fault.

 

I'd like to see PCs do things like not make eye contact king, and at least go to one knee (if not prostrate themselves) in his presence, if they ever see him at all. I'd like for them to treat him like the powerful figure that he is. I'd like them to fear angering him, cheerish opportunities to make him happy, and generally treat him the way kings get treated in fantasy literature. I'd also like them to have to do similar things with Dukes, Barons, Lords, Chancellors, Regents, or whoever is in a station above that of the PCs.

 

I'm am completely willing to admit that this falls on the GM to enforce, and it probably wouldn't take to much forethought to make it happen. I just have had lots of experiences where it didn't, and I think it would have been way cooler if everyone would have acted a bit more like I think they should, which is to say like in the novels. I can only think of a few gamers I've ever played with that would have considered going down on their knees because the royal carriage was going by. And I'm pretty sure the ramifications for not doing so could be horrific. But if the GM doesn't make bad things happen, then the players have nothing to fear.

 

Does anyone know of any RPG books that cover things like this? Explain something like how a particular king likes to be addressed, or how his "subjects" are expected to act in his presence? I'm sure I could come up with some stuff if I bothered, but I have more money than time these days...

The BBB had a small section in the back about dealing with superheroes who don't respect the law. I think you can modify that to a Fantasy world. However, be careful not to force a genre. Some players just won't care.

One way to deal with this is give nobles high PRE with extra PRE for being in THEIR court surrounded by THEIR subjects. When you are told to bow, you bow.

Another method is just to say that the players go down on one knee, and see if anyone refuses.

You can use punishment for bad manners, but rewarding good manners is also effective. Players who show proper respect can gain a Favour/Contact perk, a free stay at the castle, or even a gift.

Cheers!

Re: MultiMagic in FH

While I'm thinking of it. How has everyone created their world maps? I have no idea where to start, and that is the next thing I would like to tackle.

Rapier!

Here are two threads that might help.

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=696&highlight=world

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9640&highlight=world

Usually I use a real map. Libraries have atlases and maps you can photocopy, and some, espcecially university ones, have old maps. You can change names, cut off parts of land, add mountains, and so on. A few times I drew an original map, and once I got a nice map idea from seeing a group of clouds.

If you want to add realism, don't show the players the map. Make a bad drawing and give them that.

Cheers!

Re: MultiMagic in FH

Rapier!

I’ve always let players make original SFX as different magic systems, and it’s been good. In fact, it is a feature I use to attract people to Hero.

The only difficulty I can recall is that you may need to think about how magic systems are grouped for things like Drains, Vulnerabilities, and so on. Is each magic system a different SFX group?

Cheers!

Re: Things I'd like to see more of in fantasy gaming

Players should be able to separate their culture and morality from the campaign's

 

PCs always seem to feel like modern people thrown into a quasi medieval world. They are against slavery, class distinction and privelege, unjust laws, and rarely have a truly pious fear and respect for their deities unless they're of the bolt-hurling stick-their-nose-in-your-business type.

 

If you are playing in an Ancient Rome analog, slavery and brutality are normal ways of life. You might try to personaly avoid being crucified on the Via Flaminia, but you're not going to start a revolt over it. It won't even occur to you.

 

If you are playing in a medieval England analog, you're going to realize that nobles have one justice and you've got another. Yeah, it's not equal, but people aren't equal. Life isn't fair.

 

I've tried to run a barbaric morality in my Savage Earth campaign, but the players constantly see injustice and wrong-headed social values where the NPCs see "the way things are".

 

Keith "I'd be more eloquent, but Im developing a splitting headache" Curtis

EXACTLY!

Re: Trebuchet Challenge

Very cool!

Very cool. Need to send this to Trebuchet

At first, I thought Trebuchet was the person posting this.

Cheers!

Re: Things I'd like to see more of in fantasy gaming

This is a great topic. I agree with you that in most fantasy worlds information travels slowly and changes quickly. Most people rarely or never leave their home village.

I’m most concerned with how much characters know of things in the outside world. It’s nice for players to encounter things that defy their expectations but they shouldn’t be just silly. As a player, I enjoy anything that breaks the standard routine of dealing with things.

As an example, in a recent campaign, we were looking for some famous magic books, but we couldn’t find them. Later, we realised that the ‘books’ were some gems we found. When you held a gem up to your eye, you could see one ‘page’ of writing. Another example is having a switch open a door far off in another room, not one nearby. I also like monsters that don’t meet expectations without becoming silly.

On the other hand, some players don’t want to bother with needing skills to deal and speak with other races. I can understand that.

Cheers!

Re: Best Soundtrack for your FH sessions?

TkdGuy!

Thank you. I'll investigate those.

Cheers!

Re: Best Soundtrack for your FH sessions?

I have lots of Medieval and Renaissance music CDs, as well as classical music. Unfortunately, my friends don't care much for period music, so I use sound scores from Conan, Gladiator, and Return of the Jedi. I also use the Big O score and some oldies when I run my noir campaign.

 

I agree that Myst has a great soundtrack. I also recommend Arcanum and Heroes of Might and Magic IV as good soundtracks.

Cheers. Can you tell some names of the Medieval CDs you have?

I found some nice Medieval stuff for download at very reasonable prices on http://www.magnatune.com/' date=' so for those of you who [b']do[/b] get to use that for their groups...

 

As for soundtracks, Gladiator is very good, and so is Troy.

Thank you. It's a helpful site.

Re: Best Soundtrack for your FH sessions?

Heroes!

I can suggest 2 CDs.

1. soundtracks for Myst and Riven by Robin Miller

2. Cathedral Oceans vol. 1 + 2 by John Foxx

They are background music with no melody, but they help create a mysterious fantasy atmosphere. BUT Sunset Rising on Cathedral Oceans is really moving if you listen to it loudly. Cathedral Oceans was made to be background music for a cathedral. If you buy it, be sure to get 1+2, because originally only volume 1 was released.

This site has some sound samples if you want to listen.

Myst

Cathedral Oceans 1+2

Say, can anyone recommend some CDs of authentic European medieval music? Not medieval music fused with modern music, and not Celtic folk music.

Cheers!

Re: Medieval taverns

Great site!

Re: slots with different limitations

Heroes!

Thank you for the advice. The more I think about it, the more it seems like too much trouble. Fixing every slot ruins the fun of having Variable Limitations anyway. Besides, it sounds like putting 0 END and Costs END on the same power.

I’m going to go with just Variable Limitations on the reserve. If someone wants fixed limitations on a slot, that will just be part of the conditions of the Variable Limitations.

Cheers!

Re: slots with different limitations

Hyper-Man!

For example, the magic MP has -1/2 Variable Limitations. You need -1 Limitations any time it is used.

Slot 1 has a Flight spell and the limitations will always be OAF 'staff' (-1).

Slot 2 has a Light Beam spell and the limitations will always be Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), and x2 END (-1/2).

Slot 3 has a Magic Barrier (Force Wall) spell and the limiations will always be Concentration 0 DCV (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), and Incantations (-1/4).

I agree with you about Charges. I wouldn't allow it in this case.

Cheers!

Heroes!

For a fantasy campaign, I want to make a magic MP that has different limitations on each slot but still gets a limitation on the whole. I thought, “Sorry, all slots must have the same limitations, or you can put them on the slots only.†However, I realised that you can do it with Variable Limitations. If the whole MP has Variable Limitations, each slot can have different limitations each time you use it so long as the limitation totals are the same. The limitation total must be x2 the limitation value.

Here is the question. Should the limitation value increase if the limitations for each slot are set when the slot is bought? If so, what is a good value?

I feel like I’m just excited with a new idea. Let me know if it’s just bollocks.

Cheers!

Re: Fate systems

Blue Rose also has a system of action cards. There are 12 cards, each with a different action:

Gain +2d to one roll

One NPC goes somewhere you want

One NPC is delayed for one phase

You sudden have a useful item that could be around

and others.

Every scene, each player takes 2 cards blindly, and at the end of the scene, all cards are returned. It's an interesting system, but I prefer not to use it. Too often it feels like characters are saved by cards, not their own abilities.

Cheers!

Re: Fate systems

Scott Bennie recently posted his Luck Pool system and Luck-based Talents, greatly expanding on the optional uses for Luck dice given in FREd.

 

For something more freeform and closer to the "fate" mechanics in other games, I'd suggest checking out the optional Action Points! for Armless Tiger Man's pulp campaign, "Thrilling True Tales." You can also see a direct adaption of Inspiration Points and Dramatic Editing from White Wolf's Adventure! game into HERO System.

I like the Action Points! They are simple. Even one point is helpful. And they bring a cinematic feel. I like how the uses are labelled by quotes instead of game terms.

I’m trying out a Hero version of Dream And Hope Points from Blue Rose.

Everyone gets 10 points per gaming session. You can use 1 point to:

1: add/subtract 1 to a 3d roll.

2: add/subtract 1DC to N damage (including mental powers and the like)

3: add/subtract 1 BODY to K damage (including Flash and the like)

You can use them to change any roll, even an NPC’s attack. If you want to use points after the roll, you pay double. You recover 1 point when the scene changes, and you can gain points for good role playing, a good joke, or something else remarkable.

Blue Rose also gives bonuses if all the dice have the same number: all 3s, etc. I’m thinking of using this in HERO too.

Cheers!

Re: traps skill

Looks like you've got a good system. For what it's worth' date=' I can definitely see the INT aspect, as much or more than the DEX, of setting and disarming traps, but complimentary rolls let both play a part in-game.[/quote']

Captain Obvious!

 

Thank you for the feedback. It's reassuring.

 

Cheers!

Heroes!

The skill for setting and disarming traps is Security Systems. It's an INT skill. However, in a fantasy world, most traps are mechanisms that rely on DEX to set and disarm. I allow characters to use Sleight Of Hand or a DEX roll as a complementary skill to Traps. How do you deal with this situation?

Cheers!

Re: Prefab for Herbs and Poisons

Traxx!

Sorry, this is not about the topic, but your avatar looks really NICE! I think the frame makes a big difference.

Cheers!

Re: How would you create a Wish?

How about this...

 

199

Wish: Major Transform 1d6 (Anything into Anything, Healed by GM Option, which can change from use to use based on the nature of the wishes), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Affects Desolidified (Any form of Desolidification; +1/2), Variable Healing Method (+1/2), Variable Special Effects (Any SFX; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Improved Target Group (+1), Area Of Effect (17" Radius; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1), Penetrating (x2; +1), Transdimensional (Any Dimension; +1), Continuous (+1), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1), MegaScale (1" = 10,000 km; +1 1/4), Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), Non-Standard Attack Power (+1)

0

Derek!

Something I really like about this is that someone with enough Power Defence is going to be unaffected. If someone rewrites history, there will be a few people who still remember how it was.

Cheers!

Re: How would you create a Wish?

I would tend to see a wish as a plot device' date=' not as something that has a point cost (which implies that a player can buy it, too).[/quote']

 

I'm with the "Plot Device" opinion. Main reason is that the actual results of the wish are up to the GM anyway, regardless of what was asked for, so it may as well be a plot device.

 

Still, a very nice build on the wish.

 

I was thinking it was some kind of cosmic pool only for a transform power, megascale, and 1 use ever. But I never did any number crunching.

 

Despite my earlier post, I too am with the Plot Device group. Whenever I use wishes, they are granted by NPCs of great power: faeries, gods, etc.

 

Cheers!

Re: How would you create a Wish?

Heroes!

On p. 267 of Fantasy Hero there is a Grant Wish spell which uses Extra Dimensional Movement: to a dimension where things are as you wish.

http://herogame.dans.cust.servlets.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13461

You also can check the Fantasy Hero board to see how others do it. I recall the discussion coming up a few times.

Cheers!

Re: body shield

Heroes!

Thank you for the ideas.

Hyper-Man's idea reminded me of the Injury rules: A limb can take only 1/3 of the character's total BODY. Does that sound like a good BODY for defence?

I'm also going to use Dr. Furious' idea of giving limited coverage because a body shiled doesn't cover a person as well as armour. I think a body shield the same size as the user covers areas 6-14. How does that sound?

Cheers

Heroes!

When you use a human as a shield, what kind of protection do you get? Do you get the shield’s full BODY and DEF until it is destroyed?

Cheers