Photon1966

Re: Two-Weapon Fighting The problem I face more is how to make this really kewl elements work with in the game. It for me seems to too often fall to a numbers game. Players make sure dex is such that when halved they end with a .5 and round in players favour. I have one player who uses and spent the points for it because it suits his character but how to bring it into the game with out making it a whole issue of numbers. I like the idea of an exra different action, so the player can hold back a block with his off hand but how do others find players uses these. For the most part he uses it to julliann fries the bad guys. so for not exactly on the same subject.

Why I ask this is in my campaign a player has decided to play a dwarf and the player is an economics kinda guy. To give you a brief background the dwarves make Renown Steel, which is superior to common steel that humans make. Basiclly it is iether +1 to hit, more body, harder, nicer looking or combination. So yes expensive but valuable as well. Human weapons and the like work fine, basic rules from the book, dwarven ones just better in subtle ways. Now I also have dwarves in the shipping industry as the campaign takes place amongst numerous islands. They make great ships and hard workers. But what do they gain, ie the dwarves. Money, bah..., dwarves do not need human money, they can do well on their own. One idea I had was spices. Humans sell them exotic sea and land spices that don't grow in the mountain homes of the dwarves. Sure the few coastal clans have them but its the mountain mines that produce all that lovely steel. But this didn't seem to satisfy the player. Now the Elves have never traded with iether in any significant way, but in the campaign I had already established a tradtion of humans and dwarves trading, exchanging etc. For the most part it was aplot device to get the metals the human needed for their on going wars and allow for many dwarves in the campaign and their items popping up as treasure so often. But now that I think about it what are the dwarves getting out of this deal? Any thoughts or ideas, iether concerning dwarves or other racial trade policies would be welcomed. Thanks in advance.

Re: Fantasy coinage Coins can be a lot of fun and used as props but really they are a minor element in the overall campaign. Most players don't care what there made of just what can they get for them and how much they weigh them down. In my own game I used names of Birds for the coins names, and just kept a simple 10:1 progression. I have tried other progressions but it just seemed to confuse the players and didn't seem to really add anything to the game. but nameing them various Birds or Bird like creatures did. It tied into th ehistory of the country and though players haven't been too active to wonder why birds it is just one of many obviouse campaign elements and hooks in the game which the players may investigate to learn more about the over all campaign. The coins are as follows: Crows are the lowest then Hawks Falcons are the most common, sorta a D&D G.P. Eagles and then Griffons I introduced an Elven coin that elves use for trade and it's more like a credit note, but when used up the magic within dies and dries up. The dwarves also have a Coin called the Dwarven Dragon which comes with and with out gems. But both Elves and Dwarves barter more then they use coins in my game but that helps to differentiate them from humans. Many elves won't even accept coins as they see no value in them. Just some ideas along the same train of thought.

When you push something, like Strength, you make an Ego roll and if I understand it correctly, you get 5 points + 1 point per point you made the Ego roll by. For example if your Ego roll is 12< and you roll 12, then you get +5 STR and costs 5 END. If you had rolled 8 then you'd get +9STR and costs 9 END. Can you choose not to use all the Pushed STR( or whatever you pushed) to keep the END cost a little lower like getting an 8 roll but only using 6 of the STR? Also do you allow some one to maintain the pushed value over time? For Example +8 STR at phase 4, then phase 8 wants to keep the +8 STR so spends another 8END plus his attack, and even into phase 12. Sure this does generate alot of LTE, which we do use in my game. It seems to work but just wondering what others do? Thanks

We have a lizard man character just added to the party. He bought his 1/2d6 HKA as restrainable though the fantasy hero book doesn't give them this. He felt if he couldn't used it if he was entangled. But I felt that this was more a special effect as sometimes I can see him using the claws but say a magical goo spell spell then he couldn't swing his arms to claw just like if he had a sword. But he really felt that he should have restrainable but I felt not but just wondered how others have treated natural/innate. Just thinkiing now maybe if it was inherent. He felt his claws were just so sharp that they'd tear into an entangle unless they specifically tied him up by binding his limbs. thanks again

The flash power says segments for how long it will effect the target. so I roll a 2(d6) flash get a 4 and 5 and that means 2 segements. Well if this goes off in segement 4 so the target is blind in 4 and 5 then he is fine. This seems REALLY weak. even at a cost of 5pts per die. What have others done? We were thinking of making it affect phases of the target rather then segments. I believe that was how it used to be but I think the cost was 10 points / d6. Thanks for any help

Re: Cool to the touch disadvantage...Thoughts? Thanks alot guys. Your points make a lot of sense and I'll definently discuss them with the player to see how he wants to handle the whole thing. I have to agree the disadvantage should be Distictive features and I like the idea of allowing him to buy some extra Presence for fear effects like intimidating people or interrogating them. Again thanks alot for the thoughts and ideas. I have gamed looong time, but just getting back to hero after long time d20 gaming. It's always good to get other people perspective on things and make me go Hmmm...thats something I hadn't thought of...Kewl! Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Hello all This is for a Fantasy Hero game Low on the Magic but magic is still around. He has inate magical abilities of shadow, subtle ones, not overt. What do you think of this as a disadvantage for one of my players. He wanted to have a touch which was disturbing, odd, cool/cold. A drain damage shield was just too expensive and he didn't really see it as an attack just like the feel of it. I thought to make it a physical limitation. Occurs only when touched by someone, or they make a Perception roll at -5 plus range modifier. If they do touch him or make the roll they would have have a -3 to all Interaction rolls involving him. He would just wierd/scare/bother them. Now with a 9+STR/5 roll and 1 LTE he could supress the effect for a scene. So people touching him would have to make the PER Roll at -5 to notice and not noticable at range. A scene is from Story teller lasts a varied amount of time but basically one encounter is general rule of thumb. Total Limitation 10pts. Should it be more? I don't think less, but thought is this only slightly impairing? Thoughts appreciated

Re: Waterspout Spell: -21 to Water Magic Roll? Well there are a few options available to players and GM's. first off lower the RSR (-1/2) which is -1/10 active to (-1/4) for -1/20 or even (0) for no penalty at all. Use the spell costs 3pts skill idea from FH. We played with that idea though and seems to work well. Idefinently use materials and place and situation and even Role Playing to give the player a plus to skills. I make these items and materials part of the treasure of my campaign world. ie Fire Rock Mountains a quasi volcanic mountanous area, hot, lava wolfs, you get the idea. Well the party aquired a crystal from the fire Rock mountains. This rock provides a flat +1 to fire spells, and a mage can tap into it's power for an Aid to Fire spells. I put charges on the aid for game balance. Now if the player also say takes extra time or says his character is grabbing a hot coal to fuel his spell I'll add more pluses, possible +3 if I have him take a Body from the Hot coal or at least some stun. In my game I have tried to structure teh spells so teh better you make the roll the better or options you can apply, so my players are always looking for creeative ways to grab a +1 or +2. That way now not only is there a game mechanic reason for this rock but it also supports role playing and exploration of my world, or simple continuity as several fire related things have been found or heard of by the party all from the Fire Rock Mountains.

Re: New talents for Fantasy Hero Pain tolerance An elven archer has seriously hurt his hand. He is finding it hard to shoot and the wound resists what magic they have to heal it. They have wrapped it up but it still stings every time he goes to use it. So he is learning to live with the pain. I use the FH wound penalties that as you take Body your going to have a general minus to things till your felling better. He is at -2 level right now. Also had this hand wound impaired him this Talent could also help with the -3 OCV that he might have had. Or even used when having to pull out that burning rock from the fire, etc. +1 Overall Level (Only to cancel Pain penalty (-1)) Real Cost 5pts, Active 10 pts. Its expensive but this elf has taken alot of punishment and kept on going. Would also work for the hulking Barbarian or Monk like characters. It also only comes into play if you use rules about pain or the like in your FH game. I do so it will be something my players use.

Re: Taking the plunge into Fantasy Hero ... help! I too have recently started a game in 5th. I have played before, enjoyed it alot, did other games but came back to FH. Number one read FH book. I know that will be a task, it's BIG, but there are just so many little things to add to a game and stuff they have thought about and rules for those things. Make sure though that your players are clear on what your using rule wise. One player has a Elf Archer type but he had only looked at the main book not FH. I pointedout to him in FH shooting bow puts you at 1/2 DCV. He bristled a bit but realized it fit the genre. But there have been a few other times with same elf where he read the Main book and didn't realize the changes I was using from FH. Now in the slow times, when he isn't involved he has the FH book open skimming/reading. Magic is hard. I am running a High Fantasy game but on a scale of 1-10 it's a 1 or 2. I have started to think maybe I should say I am running a Low Fantasy 9 or 10. What ever your setting though magic is a huge ball of wax! With you just starting out you might stick with the premade one of Turakian. Nothing wrong with it, just wasn't the flavour I was exactly looking for. Optional rules aboud. I liked the one persons comment about trying a different one every few weeks to see what you like. We use location hits, and impair/disabling, bleeding, Long Term Endurance. It DOES complicate things, but we have all played Hero before, as well as many other games so just keep a spare cue card for each player to keep track so they don't kill their sheets with writing and erasing. Character concept is a must. My campaign all takes place at sea or various islands they travel too. This made most players make sure they could swim, and climb, and some picked up PS:Sailor and worked that into their backgrounds. But first was the general stroy of them and history of how they got here. Then we applied disadvantages before doing anything else. Then they made characters. I noticed, since the first couple of adventures were combat heavy sided every one began boosting PD, END, CSL, etc. Unless thats were you want to go make sure to make the advenutes varied. One of the great things about hero is the skills. Make them USEFUL! Otherwisa they will never buy them. Acrobatics and Analyze have direct combat things. But the Social skills are or should be just as important. Plus don't forget the INT ones and all the KS. Put stuff in the adventures and ask for those skills. Maybe only one or two have them. But if the players see that those skills amke a difference they will start to buy them. Experience is a tough one. 1-2 is good a session. But starting off I am a bit more giving, a lot more free about did players Role play etc. Because really every one at the staart is just trying things out. Also allow for some minor tweaking. The our dwarf diplomat character likes to no more LOVES to chat with people. Sometimes though the game needs to move on, or it's something we can do on line between games. So I swiped Gather Information from D20 and made it 3/2 PRE based skill. Thus she can talk and gain valuable info with out slowing the game too much in a busy port. But we didn't have that skill when we first made the character. But it made so much sense that she would have that skill. So I let her have it right then and there but the next 3 exp she gained had to go to pay that skill off before anything else. Thus game mechanically she was kept balance and storywise she worked even better. It's late here so I'll finish off buy saying Hero is great but it's strength can be it's greatest weakness. Have in your own mind what you want to run/play and make the game fit that vison.

Hello there I was reading the magic rules in FH and one idea they mentioned that intrigued me was the use of INT min for spells like STR Min for weapons. Now I know the ones from the main rule book I looked them up. But I recall in 4th it was something like -1/2 STR Min=active/3 and -1/4 active/2 or something like that. I can't seem to find my 4th edition stuff handy so I thought I'd ask here. Also has any one used this idea for their spells? It seems like a neat idea but I'm not positive it fits all my spell guilds but I thought I might use if for a few of them. But I thought the STR MIN thing was a bit different then whats in 5th, which seems ok, but just thought I'd try something different. Thanks

Re: Speed in FH Well I have found with my own FHLTE to be a real threat, even with one player having a 10 REC. He is 20 STR so Armour isn't too encumbering for him, but he uses full strength, i.e. 4 END an attack, often will push and moves. So your looking at 12/10 so 1 LTE to 2 LTE a round. The other main fighter has MA skills and goes for multiple attacks a round which also quickly builds up the LTE with only a 7 REC. He is even thinking of boosting his SPD to 4, which I haven't promoted as he'll definently exhaust himself fast that way. As far as mages go I don't allow END Reserve. They have to draw from thier own thus insuring LTE for them as well. I have used END Reserve only for Divine and with a slow return rate which I find limits them just fine. The only time I used a Reserve was with a limit of 1 END/ 3 Reserve END (-1/2) I got it from a magizine which had cyclops drawing from a battery but also wanted to simulate he got a bit tired when he used his EB. So I have to say maybe take into account all the options available to you before you muck around with something like SPD chart. Maybe your heroes are just exceptional or have unique blood of heroes which lets them keep going but I have found that with fair use of LTE, sometimes people need two days or more to recover. Perhaps trynig out a number of small battles. I know from a small tomb adventure which had a number of minor adventures , by the time the final adventure/battle came along the main fighter was tapping into his Stun to keep going., which was great for the feel of my game.

Re: Limits on CSL's? General consensus? ArialWe are in fact just discussing this idea in my own campaign. I had come up with the idea to base the purchasing of levels based on the stat that the skill or ability is based on. For every 5 points in that stat you can purchase a level type. For example our warrior with 14 DEX can have a max of two levels of each type. He started off with one 2pt level and has since purchased another. He is also buying a level in HTH as he dowsn't just use the sword. Plus he is purchasing a 5pt DCV level. If he wants to buy a third 2pt level he'll either have to buy up his dex to 15 or pay double the cost. Eventually he'll have the dex 15, and buy 3 2pt levels, 3 5pt HTH levels and at least one or two 5pt DCV levels. I also limits stats to one 20, two 18, the rest 15 before doubling. He took Str 20, Con and Ego 18, the rest 15. I do the same thing for skills. For example Spell skill based off Int of 18 would mean max +3 2pts, +3 3pts fire spells, +3 5pts Elemental, +3 8pt magic spells. I don't allow Overall levels in my campaign as I found them unbalnced for my style of play.

Re: Trinity HERO I just got Star Hero from a friend who wants to run a Si-fi game. I have played Trinity before and I had fun, I have all the books I could get, which I think is all of them. It's an interesting setting but I don't know if my players want to play in that genre or a more gamma world setting. If we do I'll post some stuff once I get it done.

Increased gain with increased skill I have used the same idea with the magick spells in my game. Things like a 12-15d6 lighting bolt but I built it 4d6+1/point of skill roll was made by. It allows for players who take extra time and or use really good ingredients or other factors to max out the spell but in typical situations they are getting around 8d6 which in my fantasy game is a pretty good blast vs ED. I have used it also for things like t-porting and even protective barriers. I'm at work right now so I don't recall the limit exactly but I think I used -1/2 for the extra dice. Another idea I used in the past with supers was the extra END . 4d6 normal + 2d6 at 2x, then 2d6 at 3x, etc but that was a supers game and fantays can sometimes not work the same way. Just a thought though.

Kewl ideas. Thanks! I had totally forgotten about Uncontrolled, and extra time also makes alot of sense. I'll pass these along to the player as I think he'll like them and I know I do as well. This was great thanks for the input and the ideas.

WE played in a game a few years ago and we used a multipower for elves that allowed them to adapt to different environments. It was a 10 point multipower, with each slot costing one. The pool cost 3 character points. An example would be Swimming +4", +1 Stealth, 30 END Battery with a 1 Rec only for swimming, or Forest +2" run, +1 AK Forest, +1 Hearing, +1 w/stealth,track, climb. This allowed elves to adapt to what ever place they happen to be in. Now the problem is this was years ago, I know I got it off iether a web site or from a Hero book but I have no idea. What limits were applied to the 10 point multipower to get it to 3 points? Now as I recall this was something they could just do, no concentration, no time, or gestures or incantations, I don't really recall. Any ideas would be helpful or is this just too powerful an ability to give players? Thanks Again

I have a player who wants to create a spell/ability that allows him to know what is around him. I figured a detect bought as a sense would fi tthe basic idea. His thought was the 10 point detect physical objects with discrimatory and range. What he wants to do is for example touch the water and ask whats over there in the fog, and know that there is a boat over there. Or Ask the earth to see is the chest behind the door, or is there somethin burrowing with in you that is larger then a box, the wind if it hears a battle going on, or someone talking.The more he describes it though it seems more like a Clairvoyance with some limits on it. I don't know. Your ideas from this board about other things have given me alot of great ideas so I wanted to pick your brains about this. Thanks

Skills as spells I am taling about the limitation requires a skill roll. Normally it is a (-1/2) at -1/10active points but I use the (-0) limits for just simple a skill roll usually with Int or Pre. Then in Fantasy Hero there are two very interesting options. I am at work so I don't have the page numbers but basicaly one allows the player to remove limits at a penalty to skill roll, usually -2 skill roll per -1/4 limit removed. Used when say your tied up and gagged but still want to spell cast then if both are -1/4 then removing both give a -4 skill roll modifier. A Similiar rule is using increased End for taking the -1/4 limits, so first is 1.5, then 2, then 3 etc, for each -1/4 limit. Again giving players more control over the magic as a mage would I feel, not static but not a VP iether. Now I GM that not ever limit can use these, and some can use both and some neither. Like Needs a skill roll can't be remvoved, costs End can't be removed but Gestures can be iether, but concentration is only skill modified. These were simple to simulate how "I" feel the magic should be. Others of course should generate them for their own world. I also allow items that aren't part of the spell, ie not a Focus to enhacne the skill roll usually by +1 to +3. Say a piece of wood from a tree that survived a lightning strike. Then Any time cast Lightning bolt the player gets +1. Add to that situation modifiers like casting it during a storm, say +2-+3, well with that +4 could remove a -1/2 limit and still keep skill roll at it's normal level. My players so far like the idea, but we just started the game and so were play testing it now. It seems fine to me though.

Armour PenaltiesI thinkthat was a loss of 2 dex in your example, which isn't too bad, but he lost of 2" of movement would really be hampering. I do have a bruiser who wears chain and big 2-H sword, and not much else. He just scrapes by with no penalties. But in the story we are just in he is also now carrying some gear and when they got surprised he was encumbered and had to use a 1/2 phase to toss off the nap sack. So far the ENC rules haven't had a big impact but they are just starting and only the one character in armour, our double weapon guy gets bothered by his ENC. I don't think though I'd take the 1"/2def, maybe 1"/3def, or just say som armour is restrictive and some isn't.

Armour changes For my group who have just started playing hero after several years away they haven't had a real problem with the optional rules. I informed them of them, as well as saying I'd like to try them out but if I find them unbalancing or creating situations that don't fit what I want to run then "Out the door they go!" But I personnel like the idea. They seemed fine with the plate thing ringing loudly, that the piercing attacks slipped through the links. So as said before these are optional for some players and GMs who like them. Try them out, or make them skills as I am thinking they may be. Cost 3 pts, dex or Str as seems appropriate, then when shoot that arrow make skill roll and if hit and make roll then AP vs some stuff, or Bash that guy in plate with just the right blow. Something akin to a Martial Arts Maneuver. Just some thoughts

Interesting Thats a neat idea thanks. So would the "Shield" then act just like armour, stopping say 4DEF 4d6 Body untill all the body was destroyed and then if an attack did double the remaining body in an attack just shatter through it and ignoring the def for that attack. Mage A has 4def but only 1 body left. Huge troll smashes mage for 10 Body 20 Stun. Since Body doubles his left over, in fact more then doubles as 6Body would have been enough, then that attack ignores the defenses of the shield as if they were never there? Seems to fit the rules as if you do that with an entangle on you , you get a full phase that round. Thoughts?

I was reading in some other posts and one idea metioned but not clarified was the use of Entangles as a defense. Bought with Does not Entangle(-0), and Self only (-1/2). I like the idea but how would it play out? Has any one done this before? I have always wanted to have my mages cast a protective shell spell around themselves but which can be torn down with alot of blows, and play out the cracks in their shields, which if they recast the spell would shore it up again. I think this Entangle idea could work but not sure how to exactly use the idea.

Armour Optional Rules I have just started using 5th, though I have played Hero and Champions for many years. I am trying out the optional rules and they make for a more deadly game so far. I had three warriors shoot crossbows at the party as a surprise attack. The main fighter got hit twice, and though I just had them doing 1d6 RKA the one that hit his head was bad! I rolled 6, his chain def was only 3, then the head gets x2 BOD so he took 6, now his own Body is 14 so he wasn't impaired or nothing but it really shocked the heck out them. They then proceeded to melee combat where the weapons of the foes were simple short swords and his armour blocked those attacks well as they too were only 1d6 HKA. I am going to try the other effects in different situations but from what I have seen so far I like the feel of the modifications. Now I was thinking though that I may make some of them special skills costing 3 points as the rules say a STR or DEX roll may be required. I am still trying this out but so far it seems neat, deadly but neat. I also generally feel that I will only apply these rules to weapons, and not to natural attacks or natural armour. Suits of armour yes but not a creatures toughen hide or spells. For spells I use the limitations (-1/2) and (-1) applied to defenses to only apply to one or two of the three types. I'll try and let you know more as we use it.