davypi

Backstory: I am creating a character who, to keep things simple, is an ex-carnie turned cleric. Looking at FH 186-187, I think it would make sense for him to have Dagger Flourishes as a skill (i.e. one of his acts was "Knife Thrower") but it isn't clear to me how this is actually purchased. Is the cost the same as Power listed on 6E1 86, so I'm paying 3/2 for it as a DEX skill? Do points spent on combat skills (i.e. pluses to OCV) aid the flourish, or vice versa?

It seems simple enough, but I cannot find anything about this in the manuals. How would you handle a character who is using a two fisted blow in combat? Specifically, I am building a monster that will have a "hulk smash" maneuver, bring both of his arms down simultaneously. It seems like such an attack would do more strength damage than a standard one-handed punch. (Right now, I'm considering creating a special attack for this that would create a -2 OCV/DCV but add an additional 0.5 STR damage.)

For all examples below, I am referring to the Bestiary. On Page 74, the Demonling gets Resistant (+1/2) for 2PD/ED at a cost of 2 points. Assuming this is a naked buy, it makes sense. 2 PD/ED would cost 4, a +1/2 brings it to 6, since its naked, subtract the original four, get two. On page 161, Giant Spider also gets Resistant for 2PD/ED, but it is at a cost of 6 points, not 2. This cost does not make sense unless it is a non-naked purchase. But if so, should the description say +2PD/ED, not 2PD/ED?? On page 31 for the Undead template, Undead body gets +2PD but at a cost of 6 Active points before applying the -1/2 limitation to it. Why do these cost 3 points each instead of 1 each? On page 287, the base 2PD/ED for the monster cost a total of 6 points. Why six? I thought the first two points were free? Even if you're buying from zero, this comes out to 1.5 CP for each point of PD/ED. Also on page 287, buying naked resistance for 6PD/2ED costs 12 points. Using the same calculation that we did from Demonling, this should cost only four. The only way this calculation makes sense is if you are buying them at 3 points each, but if this is correct, we go back to the question of why didn't these cost 3 points for either the Demonling or the Spider? Generally speaking, the PD/ED costs for all undead creatures seem messed up. (i.e. Zombie and Mummy also have inconsistencies.) Page 447 has a similar issue as 74/161. The first entry for Armored Body shows a cost of 12 points for 4PD/ED, but this only make sense if it is a +4PD/ED. The second entry for Armored body shows a +8PD/ED with +1/2 Resistance and -1 Activation roll. The computed cost appears to calculate correctly, so why is there + sign on the second entry and not the first? (Note: I'm not trying to be a semantics nazi here, but I'm the GM in a group of four where all of us a new to the system. It's really difficult to learn how the system works when the examples in the book lack consistency.)

Re: Adding HKA... I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure I understand everything that has been said, so lets pare out all the extraneous stuff and make two "simple" but (possibly) identical spells. This removes all the arguments about skills, blades, etc. Aid Killing: Aid HKA 5d6 (standard effect: 15 points, i.e. 1d6 HKA). Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Only Melee (-¼), OAF(-¼) Base Cost: 60. Disadvantages (-1). Final Cost: 30 Direct Killing: Killing Attack +1d6 (15 points). Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Only Melee (-¼), OAF(-¼) Base Cost: 15. Disadvantages (-1). Final Cost: 7 Question 1: What, EXACTLY, is the difference between these two spells? Why would I choose Aid over Direct? Question 2: With these spells, I assume I am casting them on the weapon, not on the user. What, if anything, would change if I cast this on a person instead of a weapon?

This is probably a general rules question, but since the examples come from a fantasy setting, I thought I would put it here. We are all new to using HERO, so providing specifics is encouraged. A PC in our campaign wants a spell that add 1d6 killing damage to his sword. In the Grimoire (page 331) there is a spell called Blade Enhancement which uses an Aid HKA 5d6 (standard effect 1d6) which has an active cost of 54 points. Conversely, 6E1, 242 shows a Swordmaster skill which is a direct HKA +1d6 without using the aid ability for an active cost of 15 points. Why would you choose an Aid HKA effect that costs four times as much as simply buying the standard effect? Exact text is below... Blade Enhancement: Aid HKA 5d6 (standard effect: +1d6), Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +1¼) (67 Active Points); OAF Expendable (steel dust ground from swordblades used in battle, Difficult to obtain; -1¼), Extra Time (Full Phase to activate; -¼), Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Only Aid Self (-1), Only Adds To Bladed Weapon Damage (-¼), Requires A Magic Roll (-½). Total cost: 14 points. Swordmaster’s Skill: HKA +1d6 (adds to any sword-based HKA), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (22 Active Points); Only With Swords (-½), Requires A DEX Roll (-½). Total cost: 11 points. Thanks to all Davy

Re: Divine vs Arcane spells I just wanted thank all (ok... most) of you for your comments. This is the ruling I finally came up with, in case you're interested. Divine magic users can create any spell/power they wish provided that agrees with (or at least doesn't contradict) the character of their god. Arcane magic users must create a "school" or "domain" for all of their spells. You may create any school of magic you wish (pending approval), but your spells must fit the theme of the school. (FH254 has a list of example schools.) If you have at least 25 character points in your school, there are no penalties. If you wish to start learning spells from a new school, you must first "bank" 5 points into that school and then create a small spell (i.e. "cantrip") of 5 points or less. Once you have spent five points in that school, you again must bank five. Once you have spent at least 15 points on at least two spells and used them for a short time (one or two encounters) you will then have a learning "break through." You can then spend the 10 banked points to either buff your two spells or create new ones. The purpose of the bank is to make it expensive for a character to simply take one spell outside of their forte, but it similarly does not penalize them once they have made a long term commitment to that school. Arcane users are not prohibited from healing. You can, if you wish, create a "School of Anatomy" which would include things like Healing, Aid, and Polymorph.

I'm going to be GMing a Fantasy Hero game set in the Forgotten Realms universe (3.5e, before the spellplague). One of the difficulties I am running into is dealing with the classification of Arcane Magic vs Divine Magic. I understand that, thematically, it means they come from different sources and I've already browsed some of the threads that talk about how to deal with it mechanically. The difficulty I seem to be running into is spell classification. For example, traditionally, arcane spell casters can't heal or turn undead. So if I add that as rule, it disincentivizes (sp?) arcane magic. Divine magic has all that stuff plus two extra features, so why use arcane magic? There needs to be some tradeoff that makes arcane magic worthwhile. Browsing through the 3.5e rulebook, there are spells that clergy cannot cast, but I can't really figure out a good rule (even if it is gray) as to why those are excluded from the divine realm. Does anybody have any good guildelines as to how restrict these two domains and still keep their "flavor" intact?