bluesguy

Re: How long to learn or improve a skill, spells, etc?

My progam works as Glupii has said, dividing the number of XP I award each session over the number of uses for each character.

 

....

 

I should add, I threw in code at the last second in my experience program that also awards a few fractions of a point toward characteristic increases.

The percentage is small so the points accumulate slowly.

Is your program available for others to use?

Re: Fantasy Art Thread

Thank you for pointing out the Kickstart project. I am going to seriously consider getting them.

Re: How long to learn or improve a skill, spells, etc?

Thank you for all the feedback. I am definitely adjusting what I was planning on doing. Hugh thank you so much for pointing out the big flaws in the approach I was going with. There will still be training time but it will be 'cinematic' - think Karate Kid, Eragon, etc.

Re: How long to learn or improve a skill, spells, etc?

Again' date=' it comes back to what then players are motivated towards. seems like it's a lot quicker to learn cool combat tricks than to buy a new skill/enhance my existing skills. It's too slow to use an unusual weapon, so I'll stick to the old standbys. Or I'll try to load up on all the things that take a long time with my base character, rather than grow into them, so I'll buy all 6 levels up front, and short myself on cool combat maneuvers and base-level skills, since I can buy those faster as the game progresses.[/quote']

 

At this point I have to ask how do you handle characters learning new skills in your campaign? And what is the goal/rationale for learning those skills in your campaign?

 

So investing in a Mage Contact that has other Contacts (a wide circle of wizardly correspondents)' date=' or a group contact (the Guildenford School of Wizardry) becomes a must for the wizard wanting to spend his xp on spells.[/quote']

 

I am running the Valdorian Age campaign. Since the players are in Valdoria there are no 'magic schools'. The one player who has a mage spent a long time finding someone who is willing to teach him more magic. At some point in the future he may find a scroll or book of spells so he can learn new spells.

Re: How long to learn or improve a skill, spells, etc?

Hugh,

First of all excellent feedback. This is exactly what I was looking for...

Some uses of xp seem not to be covered.

• Definitely didn't think about Martial Arts, Stats, Interaction skills, etc.
  

If my goal is to encourage more skills (basic skills + knowledge skills), your feedback basically is saying

1. Make the act of learning a new skill faster. So maybe learning a familiarity just has to be logical. For instance I have been providing the players w/ 1 pt AK for the area where they live or where they adventure - just because that is where they hang out. If they say, I want to increase my AK to a full skill roll I would want to say ok you can have that now. Another one would be the Lockpicking. Learn the familiarity of lockpicking (on their own with help) pretty quickly and if they use it then they can put points into quickly.
   
2. Combat skills - Maybe the deal is that it takes the same amount of time to gain a +1 with any kind of CV since saving up the points for a +1 w/ All Combat vs +1 w/ swords will take 5x longer to acquire the experience. With this approach that means if someone wants to go from learning a new weapon, for instance a mace and wanted to be a master (+6 CV is highest in my campaign) would take 7 months to occur.
   
   1. 
      
   2. Weapon Familiarity - for each 1 pt in familiarity it would take one week for common weapons. At least 2x that for unusual weapons.
      
   3. +1 would take a one week. The next +1 would take two weeks. The next +2 would take 1 month each. After that each +1 would take 2 months.
      

[*]Spells - I think I would leave them the way I had them. The big deal with the spells is finding someone who knows the spell you want. In my world find a mage is tough, they are few and far between.

So what do you think about this adjustment?

My proposed approach

Skills

• Improving an existing skill is based on the character taking the time to consistently practice. I am thinking the first +1 would take a week. The next +1 a month. And every +1 after that would take 6 months. I am basing this on my own experience of improving skills I already have. I tend to learn the skill and then get better at it pretty quickly but then it starts taking a while to get even better.
  
• Learning a new skill is based on finding someone who can teach you. I was thinking a familiarity (1pt) would take two weeks. To get the full skill (+2 pts in skill) would take another month. Again going back to my own experience learning something.
  
• Combat skills would be based on the following and would require training. No one can have more than +6 CV with any attack.
  
  • Weapon Familiarity - for each 1 pt in familiarity it would take one week for common weapons. At least 2x that for unusual weapons.
    
  • +1 w/ a single weapon would take a one week. The next +1 would take two weeks. The next +2 would take 1 month each. After that each +1 would take 2 months.
    
  • +1 w/ a small group would take two weeks. The next +1 would take one month. The next +2 would take 2 months each. After that each +1 would take 3 months.
    
  • +1 with a large group of attacks would take 1 month. The next +1 would take two months. The next +1 would take 2 months. After that each +1 would take 3 months.
    
  • +1 with all HTH or Ranged would take 3 months. The next +1 would take 6 months. After that each +1 would take 1 year.
    
  • +1 with all Attacks would take 6 months. After that each +1 would take 1 year.
    
  • I am also thinking that if a player had a professional skill that was combat oriented (warrior, archer, knight, etc) they could attempt to make their PS roll and for each point they make their roll by they can reduce the time by one level from the above. But it can never be shorter than the base time.
    

Spells - I am thinking about the following for spells. There are apprentice/novice and master spell casters.

• Many spells in my campaign have between 20 and 40 active points and are between 2 and 7 real points.
  
• Every spell caster has a skill roll they have to roll to 'activate' the spell.
  
• For Apprentice/Novice
  
  • If they have someone teaching them the spell the time is Hours = (Active Points * Real Cost) / 4. During the time the character is in intense study and can spend a minimum of 4 hours of day and up to 8 hours a day studying for the new spell. They cannot take a break longer than one day otherwise they have to start over again.
    
  • If they learn the spell based on self study and some kind of written material (scroll or spell book) the time is Days = (Active Points * Real Cost) / 4. During the time the character is in intense study and can spend a minimum of 4 hours of day and up to 8 hours a day studying for the new spell. They cannot take a break longer than one week otherwise they have to start over again.
    

   

  [*]For Master the time is cut by 50%

  [*]Halfway through the learning process the spell caster can roll their skill roll. If they make the roll by -3 they cut the remaining time in half. If they miss their roll by +3 the time remaining will double. If the roll is between -3 and +3 then it takes the remaining time to finish.

Special Combat Skills - Whirling blades of death; parry/riposte based on a trigger; etc

• Need someone to train with
  
• Must train ahead of time
  
• Training time is Hours = (Active Points * Real Cost) / 4
  
• Halfway through the learning process the character can roll their professional 'combat' skill roll. If they make the roll by -3 they cut the remaining time in half. If they miss their roll by +3 the time remaining will double. If the roll is between -3 and +3 then it takes the remaining time to finish.
  

Here is what I would like to accomplish with these rules.

1. Encourage skill development and improvement.
   
2. Encourage developing a variety of knowledge and language skills
   
3. Encourage a variety of combat skills
   
4. Buy skills like teamwork
   
5. Have the players plan out when they want to 'spend some down time' to train. i.e. let some 'campaign time' pass while they train.
   
6. Find mentors
   
7. Buy contacts, favors, and save points for followers
   

Opinions? What you do you do in your own campaigns?

Re: MYTHIC HERO Kickstarter

I pledged as well. Thank you for doing the work Steve.

Re: The Valdorian Age

I want to bring this up again. I love the setting. It would be wonderful if it was available as a PDF.

Re: Post your campaign/setting/supplement

Valdorian Age

Re: Unoficial Advance Players Guide 3 Survay.

It will be quite literally years and years before there could be an APG3. I used up all the material I had writing APG2' date=' and I've only accumulated a few tidbits since then. Any APG3 I wrote now would be 95% fluff designed simply to pad out a book, and that's definitely something I have no interest in doing. I'm quite content to wait until there's enough actual useful new rules stuff to fill out APG3. [/quote']

Thank you very much Steve. I deeply appreciate your position on this.

So based on my reading of the various Hero books (6e) I think a fantasy character who wants to build mechanical traps would need:

• Concealment - so they can hide the trap
  
• Mechanic - to put together the mechanisms to build the trap
  
• Blacksmithing - maybe to make the specific parts of the mechanism
  
• Inventor - to be able to invent a new trap vs. one they have encountered and 'taken' apart.
  

Opinions?

Thank you in advance

Re: Realistic Monetary Systems in FH

I think I will stick with Valdorian Age's 10 copper = 1 silver and ~400 sp = 1 gold bar. Good luck finding a gold coin or bar in my campaign.

Re: Where does it show the price list for Hero system equipment guide.

What I have been doing my Valdorian Age campaign is collecting lists of items from various sources and then putting them into a spreadsheet. Within the spreadsheet there is the base cost and then formulas for low, slightly above average and expensive for each item. The Expensive includes a random factor to make it more interesting. As there are no magic items for sale that eliminates that problem. I have included such things as rent and services as well.

If there is an interest in the spreadsheet I can post it here.

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

When Champions first came out, all those many years ago, the group I was gaming with was pretty tired of playing fantasy games (AD&D). We played in a Champions campaign that was Marvel based universe but far away from the main Marvel action.

When Fantasy Hero came out it was a natural to stop using AD&D because we were all sick of the rigid rules about character creation. We also liked the fact that we moved away from the attitude of "I am a 10th level ranger, those 20 orcs don't scare me." to "Dang 20 orcs I wonder if we/I should run away and fight another day." A couple of lucky hits and you might be dead.

I just started RPG again after a ~20 year break. I had gotten rid of all my material (rule books, source material, everything :-( ) a long time ago. When I went looking for rule system, Hero was the natural choice. The rules have changed a lot (no figured characteristics was the biggest surprise) but the system still has all the flexibility I love.

I would say the biggest problem is how long combat can take. On occasion I now do dice less combat where we role play the combat out. This works well for quick combat where the players are suppose to easily dispatch the opposition. But when they are taking on the main encounter a battle can take an hour or more, which of course in the campaign world was only 24 to 36 seconds .

Re: The Treasure Thread

There have been some great ideas here. I have also gleaned a number of other treasure list ideas off the web and put together a spreadsheet (it has +800 items on it) of items that can be found by an adventuring party. One of the sheets can be used to generate a list of random items for a treasure. I have included instructions in the spreadsheet on how to use it.

As I am running the Valdorian Age campaign the list of items is 'magic poor'. You really won't find any magic unless it is something unusual - there were a couple of items from this thread that fit the bill.

I hope you find it useful.

[ATTACH]41083[/ATTACH]

Re: Hero In Two Pages - Complete

Thank you. My contribution was to turn the PDF into some simple HTML that I could use on my Obsidian Portal site. I have attached the html (it still needs the

[ATTACH]40964[/ATTACH]

Re: Fighter with two swords

Just a nitpick: The "Must make attack roll against each target" would be better suited by making the AoE "Selective." If I am reading your write-up correctly.

Thank you... That is excellent information. It has been a while since I built Hero characters and could use any suggestions like this that people have.

Re: Possible HERO System Supplement Kickstarters From Steve -- What Interests You?

It's absolutely true that this is a possible reward I could offer.

 

--help me define the parameters of a mini-setting (this is where something like your definition of cyberware could be implemented and used)

--name a character

--include a specific event in a timeline/history of a character or organization

 

That sorta thing. For example, in STORMlords, where there are lots of conspiratorial groups operating behind the scenes, I have ideas for lots of groups (in fact that's the main stumbling block for producing the setting, writing up all the daggone groups!). One possible reward might be that you could suggest a group for me to include. Something along those lines.

I would be willing to put more $s in the pot if I could submit a group - name, history, main NPCs, motivation, goals, and maybe some mini-plots/scenarios for GMs to use - and my name as a major contributor in the source material. Name in print is pretty cool.

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

Hero's always had this kind of power level gray area between really high skill rolls' date=' talents, and low level powers. How you define this particular ability would probably be determined by the overall power level of the game. Do you want to PC to have to spend nine points on this ability, or two? I'd probably write up a talent for it, frankly.[/quote']

I am interested, how would you write it up as a talent?

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

Very cool video. It still looks more like high skill level with acrobatics & riding rather than clinging. To me clinging would be the ability to stand on the side of the horse (a'la Spider Man) while the horse is galloping along.

As I am running a Sword & Sorcery style campaign clinging would seem to 'magical' whereas using skills seems more like the campaign style.

Re: Fighter with two swords

So this NPC got his first work out the last two sessions. I built him with:

Fast Draw

Fighting Tricks

Defense Maneuver I-II

Two-Weapon Fighting

+5 w/ Swords

SPD 3

OCV/DCV 5

Martial Arts - Sword fighting Prefab (which he can't use while doing the following)

Whirling Blades of Death - H2H KA 1.5 d6, 2m Radius, OAF swords, Must make separate attack on each defender in target area, requires Fighting Tricks roll, increased End and +3 DCV

Between having to make a Fighting Tricks roll & having to attack each target in the area of effect he was dangerous but not crazy dangerous. My daughter rolled some of his attacks and on one attack he basically killed two minions in one phase. She then used a presence attack and scared the crap out of the other bandits who were closing on him. Which was good because he was almost out of END by that point in time.

He worked exactly as I would have expected. Now the 'fencer' in the party is 'interested' in learning some of his skills. Exactly the way I intended to use this NPC on a regular basis - training master for the 'fencer'.

Thanks for the help.

Re: Possible HERO System Supplement Kickstarters From Steve -- What Interests You?

I would be willing to pledge $25 to any of your projects.

Re: How can I judge if an encounter is balanced?

RE: "It's all about the story."

 

Well, OK, yes, maybe... no. I run into this particular conundrum with my group fairly regularly. I'll have some little devious plan to challenge the party or present a different scenario for roleplay - the characters get captured, or surrounded and overwhelmed and disarmed, or whatever, and it rarely goes according to plan. For my group.

One of the things I learned very early on in my GMing career is that the group mind (PCs) will always out think single GM mind.

Ultimately' date=' "Role Playing Games" are collaborative fiction between the GM and the Players, and each has a part in determining how the story unfolds. In my eyes, my "job" as a GM is to ensure my players enjoy the game, while still attempting to provide a sense of challenge and accomplishment and trepidation or suspense or drama. But all without angering my players. And it doesn't always go to plan.[/quote']

 

And that is what I mean "It's all about the story". When the sessions are done and people are looking back on the campaign are they still going to tell stories about particular sessions, characters, NPCs and campaign arcs? If they do then the group created a great story. Otherwise ... Not so much

 

 

The next session' date=' I basically explained my reasoning, then gave the party some 'renown points' they could spend on followers, contacts, favors, and the like after they had completed the story arc and "saved the day." Thus giving the players their followers by rights and by points spent.[/quote']

 

I really like this solution. It is an excellent approach to the problem.

 

Sometimes' date=' you have to alter [i']your story[/i] to accommodate the tastes and preferences of your players.

 

Other times... Total Party Wipe. Just to clean the smug looks of their faces.

 

Sometimes (very rarely) is that needed. For instance in the last session the PCs ran into 10 bandits. The pretty much beat them easily - good NPC support and excellent planning on their own part. They also got lucky that the archer was on watch when the bandits showed up. She nailed three of them pretty easily. She did the perch in the tree thing, with the camp's fires between her and where the bandits would have to cross. They made nice targets from behind when they went past her position.

 

Their wizard cast a mind control with the perfect command "Run Away" right after his buddy was shot 'dead' by an arrow from behind. And then the wizard did the same thing to another bandit who saw his buddy running away.

 

The players are thinking "Hey that was easy we are soo bad ass."

 

But on the way home they will be running into 20 bandits (I already planned it this way before they easily dealt with the 10) and they are tougher. It will be a harder fight and end up going more toe-to-toe. Because they know they are being trailed and have a chance to pick their spot, I am sure the PCs will win. But even so it will be a tough fight and they won't be sure until the end.

 

They will go home to lick their wounds, count their coin and tell tales about vanquishing 20 of the Bandit Lord's men.

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

Thank you all for the feedback.

I am starting to think that a 'Nomad Package' would include:

• Riding
  
• WF: Bow
  
• Archery Fighting Tricks
  
• Acrobatics - only on horse back
  
• Either
  
  • Animal Handler - Had to train your horse to be wiling to let you pull off this crazy maneuver
    

  OR

   

  • Pay for a 'follower' horse with its own Riding skill and training to represent "Fighting Trick for the horse" because someone else trained the horse for you
    

   

• "Martial Art" - Medium bow damage + both hands + requires riding roll + requires Archery Fighting Tricks roll. -2 OCV +3 DCV (hiding behind horse). Side Effect : Missed riding roll : fall from horse; Missed archery fighting roll : lose opportunity to shoot.
  

I think that should represent what I am looking for. The whole 'clinging' idea was too far out for what I want.

Re: Persuasion vs Oratory

I always think of Oratory as a way to inspire & convince a group of people. I think of Persuasion as a one-on-one skill.

I always consider Oratory to be a complementary skill when PRE attacks are made.