AlHazred

Re: Permanent transformation Usually I find the healing method of a Transform is generated by the effect I'm trying to model in the first place, with consideration given to the genre/metagenre. Bright Flash Of Light: Transform sighted target to one with Physical Complication: Blind? Obviously, surgery (Modern Hero), cybereyes (Cyber Hero), cloned transplants (Star Hero), or a "Cure"-type spell that can Heal Limbs (Fantasy Hero) all suggest themselves. Circean Transmutation: Transform man into pig? A dispel magic (Standard Fantasy, or a special herb that grows only on the mountains (Homeric Hero). Vampiric Rebirth: Transform human corpse into vampire? Holy wafers in the mouth and chopping off the head/holy water bath/etc. These are things that will not harm "normal" people, so they are effectively "healing methods" for the original Transform. Philosophers' Stone: Transform base metal into gold? Classically, there were a few reputed cases of this in the literature; I seem to remember a story that someone'd transmuted the lead into gold, but somebody dribbled another Base Material into the mixture and ruined it -- probably a metaphorical transmutation, but there you go. Anyway, that's all I'm saying. If you want mechanical discussion, then it'd be fodder for the mechanics-crunchers in the Hero System Discussions section, youbetcha!

Re: Permanent transformation If you, as GM, want a particular effect that you are modelling with Transform to be permanent, then there's nothing stopping you. Whether you're talking 5E or 6E, "heals back normally" (i.e., at REC per month) is only one way to heal back from a Transform. There's got to be a definite condition that reverts you, but there's no telling what it is; for fairness, the GM should make it something you can find out. I think what the problem here is, is defining what effect you want. "Transform" is, after all, just a Power. It's not an end in itself; it's to be used to model whatever effect you're looking for. So, say, changing a man into a frog is a perfectly decent way to use Transform; the reversal condition is "kissed by a princess." Note that there's nothing in there saying the target will "heal back normally" -- if you wait around a few months, all that's going to happen is you're going to get used to eating flies. I had an interesting discussion with Karmakaze regarding the vampire's ability to turn people into more vampires. She recommended a Transform, where the target was a person's body, so "healing back" in that case is just killing them all over again.

Re: Weapons Design. For fun and if I'm lucky, profit! See, then there's the middle ground. In my High Fantasy Hero game, I wanted to limit the amount of magic weapons my PCs would bring along with them. So, I use the Resource Pool system from APG (and before that, Dark Champions). Suddenly, how you build something makes a difference.

For those not in the know (I wasn't), the EMU is the NASA terminology for the "space suit." It's all the rage among the Space Set -- it's what all the fashionable astronauts are doing this year I hear. Anyway, after some perusal of relevant websites*, this is what I have: Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), all slots OIF Bulky Notes: 113kg, USD 12,000,000 Pressure Garment: LS (Safe Environment: Low Pressure/Vacuum); OIF Thermal Micrometeoroid Garment: LS (Safe Environment: Intense Cold) plus Resistant Protection (1 PD/1 ED) (Impermeable); Real Armor, Normal Mass Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG): LS (Safe Environment: Intense Heat); OIF Communications Carrier Assembly (CCA): buy off the Gestures Limitation for up to 12 Active Points of on HRRP, Reduced Endurance (0 END); OIF Lower Torso Assembly (LTA): Resistant Protection (3 PD/3 ED); Sectional Defenses (protects locations 13-18), Normal Mass, OIF Bulky, Real Armor Hard Upper Torso (HUT): Resistant Protection (5 PD/5 ED); Sectional Defenses (protects locations 10-12), Normal Mass, OIF Bulky, Real Armor Arm Units And EVA Gloves: Resistant Protection (3 PD/3 ED); Sectional Defenses (protects locations 6-9), Normal Mass, OIF Bulky, Real Armor Helmet: Resistant Protection (3 PD/3 ED); Sectional Defenses (protects locations 3-5), Normal Mass, OIF Bulky, Real Armor Extravehicular Visor Assembly (EVA): Sight Group Flash Defense (5 points) plus Resistant Protection (2 PD/2 ED); Sectional Defenses (protects locations 3-5), Normal Mass, OIF Bulky, Real Armor plus Sight Group Images, Area Of Effect (2m Radius); Only To Create Light Primary Life Support Subsystem (PLSS): LS (Self-Contained Breathing); 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 7 Hours plus Endurance Reserve (20 END, 5 REC); REC: Limited Recovery (when plugged into electrical outlet) plus HRRP (Radio Group); Gestures, throughout (Requires both hands), Sense Affected As Hearing Group As Well As Radio Group, Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate) Secondary Oxygen Pack (SOP): LS (Self-Contained Breathing); 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 30 Minutes Simplified Aid for Extravehicular Activity Rescue (SAFER) : Flight 6m; 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours Notes: 36kg * Namely, Wikipedia, HowStuffWorks, and, of course, the NASA website.

Re: Astronaut Package Deal I've updated the Astronaut Template to 6E, and uploaded the Package Deal here. This version also includes a detailed writeup of the Space Shuttle Era EVA space suit, and the SAFER maneuverability unit. I should really start a separate thread for those. EDIT: A thread on how to build a space suit in Hero terms has been started here.

Re: Astronaut Package Deal I've updated the Astronaut Template to 6E, and uploaded the Package Deal here. This version also includes a detailed writeup of the Space Shuttle Era EVA space suit, and the SAFER maneuverability unit. I should really start a separate thread for those. EDIT: A thread on how to build a space suit in Hero terms has been started here.

Re: Convertiong 5e FH to 6e FH In 5E, the "average character" (to use your example) might take an 18 DEX. Is he an olympic gymnast? No, he just wanted to go earlier in the Phase. In 6E, he is encouraged to take Lightning Reflexes to reflect quicker reactions in combat. He probably only "needs" 13 DEX, so this saves him 5 points. This makes the second number 69 points, which hits the "+30" number bandied about earlier. In addition, players are now encouraged to make hard decisions about where they're CV values should lie. This encourages more consideration of combat roles and such. Overall, a plus.

Re: WII Bounty Hunters Am I the only one who saw this thread and thought it was going to be about a new game for the Wii?

Re: Sherlock Holmes? I believe you mean C. Auguste Dupin.

Re: No more Figured Characteristics?! My favorite such is still "The Thing From Where Things Come From".

Re: NEMESIS SQUADRON: New Game Packet! Having finally had time to work up a race packet for my High Fantasy game, I can now fully appreciate the amount of work that went into the Nemesis Squadron materials. Kudos, sir! I salute you!

Re: Convertiong 5e FH to 6e FH We noticed about a 20-25 point difference in values in our Fantasy Hero game, but that probably had more to do with the rebalancing of OCV/DCV vs. DEX. If you converted all characters straight, with the OCV/DCV they get from their 5E DEX scores, then you come out considerably higher than that.

Re: Requires another power limitation? Which is fine, if you're the GM and that's the intention, mind you. It's just that it's not really necessary to fill a Power up with "non-limiting" Limitations if your goal is to reach a particular "price point" -- just put a Multiplier on it (0.50 or the Fantasy Hero standard 0.33) to reduce the cost down to what you feel best represents your vision of "reality."

Re: Requires another power limitation? Cannot Cast While Wearing Metal (-1/4) would be a valid limitation. Why? Because it has a mechanical effect that can be exploited to the detriment of the caster. If "everybody knows" wizards can't cast while wearing metal, controlling incarcerated mages becomes easy -- just attach a metal collar to them, or put them in a riveted-shut metal plastron or something (whatever's required to keep them from casting). Must Have 20 Points Of Spells To Cast (-1/2) is frowned on because it has no mechanical effect. How do I, as a non-mage, use this to the detriment of the caster? I guess I could perform brain surgery to remove his knowledge of spells, but that's not always going to be convenient and possible. Compare the actual limiting factor of the Limitation to one of equivalent value. In this case, compare it to OIF (armor, -1/2). Once I learn my 20 points in spells (which I was probably going to do anyway), where's it going to come into play? On the other hand, the armor is a pain to wear all the time, and can be removed by antagonists under the right circumstances over the course of a Turn.

Re: Requires another power limitation? Pardon me, I was looking at the 3rd edition Fantasy Hero book.

Re: Requires another power limitation? I'm trying to determine if my memory was correct about where the Limitation showed up (I know the limitation value is correct). The limitation doesn't show up in the 4th edition Fantasy Hero book.

Re: Blowing Up Prootwaddles, or Character Self-Destruction But really, are they any sillier than RuneQuest Ducks? Most of the monsters in Gamma World? Or, heck, the entirety of The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen RPG by Hogshead Publishing?

Re: Your "2010" Pet Gaming Projects UPDATED Champions [uPDATED] Finish two more modules for the Legacy of Champions convention campaign. I'm woefully far behind due to Real Life and other projects. 25% done. Dark Champions Try to come up with at least three more entries for the Creepy Hotel thread. 0% done. Port an organization I built for the Spycraft 2.0 RPG, the Disciples of the Word, into Hero terms. 0% done. Fantasy Hero [uPDATED] Complete work on my massive High Fantasy Hero campaign, In the Hands of Fate. It's about 60% done which, considering I'm currently running it, is very, very bad. [uPDATED] Convert the magic of the DragonQuest RPG to Hero 6E in three flavors - pure Fantasy Hero, as-close-to-DQ-as-possible-in-Hero, and a comfortable mix in between. About 75% done. Star Hero Begin work on the next leg of my Traveller Hero campaign, Flight of a Thousand Years, currently in hiatus. It's to be in the Trojan Reach, which means I need to work up a ton of planets and other setting material. About 5% complete, if that. Other Hero [NEW] Update my write-ups of Fu Manchu and his minions in the Si-Fan. 0% complete. Convert World of Darkness RPG Vampire: The Masquerade into Hero 6E. Basic template is 100% done, Disciplines are about 60-75% done. Don't know if I'll do them all, as Thaumaturgy and Necromancy contain a lot of secondary powers. Convert World of Darkness RPG Werewolf: The Apocalypse into Hero 6E. Basic template is 90% done, other materials I haven't even started yet. Don't know if I'll do the Gifts, as there're too many. Convert World of Darkness RPG Mage: The Ascension into Hero 6E. Mostly the magic system. 0% done. Convert World of Darkness RPG Changeling: The Dreaming into Hero 6E. 0% done. Convert World of Darkness RPG Wraith: The Oblivion into Hero 6E. Basic template is about 50% done, everything else is 0% done. Other Game TBD

Re: Requires another power limitation? In the original Fantasy Hero Grimoire, you'll find spells with the limitation where you needed to have X points in magic spells of the correct school before you buy this spell. This was supposed to separate the magic spells into Easy, Moderate, Hard, etc. Each 10 real points was a -1/4 limitation. However, it fell out of favor because it's not really limiting the character much. The better way is to do as dmjalund describes above, provide the PCs with in-game reasons for restrictions on magic. This is so that you can always have the wild-card talent, extremely gifted apprentice, or other MacGuffin that "breaks the rules of Magic."

Re: Zelda HERO I statted the Zora as a race for my Fantasy Hero game, but I've never played the game and have no idea how close I got to them. Please let me know how this looks: Abilities Cost Ability 5 Zora Stamina: +5 CON 5 Aquatic Eyes: Nightvision 8 Gills And Aquatic Body: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: Breathe Underwater; Safe Environment: High Pressure; Safe Environment: Intense Cold) 1 Zora Longevity: Life Support (Longevity: ×2 lifespan) 4 Aquatic Movement: Environmental Movement (no penalties while in water) 3 Scales: Resistant Protection (1 PD/1 ED) 7 An Aquatic People: Swimming +14m Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 33 Complications Value Complication 0 Dependence: total immersion in water or suffer Weakness: -3 To Characteristic Rolls and related rolls per Day (Common; 1 Day) 10 Distinctive Features: Zora (Concealable With Difficulty) Total Value Of Template Complications: 10 Options Cost Ability 12 Fighting Fins: HKA 1d6; Reduced Penetration (-1/4) 17 Electric Shock: Blast 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), NND (Resistant ED or insulation; +1), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, resets automatically, immediately after it activates; +1); No Range (-1/2), Only While Swimming (must perform at least a Half-Move using Swimming to activate; -1/2)

Re: Preferred Character Sheet Hello, Ric, and welcome to the Forums! Generally, players pick the character sheet they prefer based on a number of criteria. Much like with everything else in Hero, people can modify things to taste; this is especially easy with Hero Designer, since you can choose whatever Export Format you like, or even make your own. When I print my own characters, I generally go for the extremely utilitarian format -- everything printed directly, all points listed, all character fields filled out. At Cons, I go for extreme simplicity, just Characteristics, Skills & Skill Ratings, and the simple form for Powers, with none of the points worked out or listed -- it makes it quicker for new players to join in if they're not bogged down by the math, which is unnecessary for role-playing anyway.

A couple of notes: The maneuvers on the cards comprise two main types: Basic Attacks ("Jab," "Uppercut," "Hail Mary") and Specials ("Powerplay," "Uppercut2"). I've tried to make all of the Basic Attacks into Martial Maneuvers while making all of the Specials into Special Abilities (Powers), but some of the Specials are pretty ordinary in Hero terms. Like Uppercut2, which drops your opponent; that's just a Maneuver with the Trip element. In any case, I would just ignore that part of the Lunch Money rules unless you're trying to adapt that game's mechanics to Hero. Which I would never recommend. I'm not happy with the "Imaginary Friend" power as written, but the card basically lets you make another free Basic Attack, i.e., any of the normal Martial Maneuvers that lack any special Elements. It's as close as I could get to the spirit of that card. "Grab" in Lunch Money doesn't prevent the victim from employing attacks; it just sets up certain kinds of combo cards. "Headlock" does prevent the victim from doing anything. With that in mind, I changed "Grab" to only Grab One Limb. "Faster" is one of two cards that got reinterpreted. It lets you use a single "Dodge" or "Block" card to avoid an unlimited number of attacks in one round. Since that's already built into the Dodge and Block maneuvers in Hero, I interpreted it differently. "Nuts" acts like a Weapon card in that you play it and then put it back in your hand, but it can't be Disarmed. I was tempted to make it a Killing damage maneuver, but that seemed out of keeping with the rest of the maneuvers, so I reinterpreted it as well.

Version 3 is now up. As far as I can tell, this is the final version -- I've included every card from Lunch Money and the Sticks & Stones expansion, except for two: "Abandonment" and "Humiliation." "Abandonment" forces your opponent to discard their entire hand and draw five new cards; due to the difference in game mechanics, this is difficult to reflect in Hero without outre Powers (PRE Attack? EDM to a dimension where the opponent has to come up with a different attack? Luck?) "Humiliation" counters any attack in the game, and allows you to make a free basic attack of your own; it requires you to describe the particularly humiliating circumstances under which you are able to overcome your opponent's attack. This is basically roleplaying, and will never be replaced with dice-rolling and game mechanics. So, enjoy, and if you use the martial art in play or come up with your own version, please report back! I'd love to hear about it!

The artist used photos of his two daughters for the many of the images. Those are some creepy schoolgirls.

I was thinking 2 to 5 is "realistic" but if the little girls are going to be showing up in a game where they need Martial Arts, they can probably be assumed to be at least 5. In any case, as Lunch Money is about beating your opponents unconscious with little to no finesse, there's no lethal maneuvers and few that have special functions; mostly it's beat-downs over quarters during recess. If I were to run a Hero System campaign (or even just a few games of it at a Con), I'd give the characters anywhere from 50 to 75 points -- that puts them in the "Competent Normal" range or thereabouts, which is about right for combat-trained schoolgirls. Like I said, it'd be a nasty shock for, say, tough guy Dark Champions characters trying to question schoolgirls for info. If you were to use this Martial Art, I highly recommend the players use the actual Lunch Money cards to duke it out; if you've got the card in hand you can use the Maneuver, but otherwise you're out of luck.