Merlin273

Re: Is Fantasy Hero appropriate for... Definately! See the Fantasy Champions in the genre section.

If I'm making an automaton and I'm making STR, Jumping, Running, etc. at 0 END, what do I add the +1/2 to? For example, 0 END on 60 STR...do I add the +1/2 to the 50 pts paid for STR? This is a VERY basic thing for y'all, I'm sure, but I can't find it explained anywhere in the book.

Re: Looking for help with a Super Golem I wasn't planning on making it an ankle. That would be too easy. But, I really do need to make a weak spot or vulnerability, and the mechanics designed to simulate it. I was thinking of either 1) a button, or switch, or something that can shut 'er down (built in as a safety device), or 2) a small crawl space which leads to the magic generator, or 3) a weakly-riveted plate in the orihalcon metal that, if an explosive charge is properly placed behind, will destroy the golem.

I'm trying to design some basic spells in my campaign, but they are tricky...at least to me. Here they are: 1) Shadow Snap: Can hold a person to a spot by pinning their shadow by a dagger, etc. My idea: Some kind of Entangle, maybe usable only in sunlight. 2) Light Spell: Can illuminate an area for a set duration of time, but can be placed on an object...like a dagger, sword, or stick. My idea: Change Environment, or Images, with a Duration. Maybe Usable on any OAF?

Re: Looking for help with a Super Golem How would you do that? Susceptibility To Ankle Attacks 3d6 damage per Phase (Common)?

Re: Comedy Campaigns For me, I never try to invoke a laugh. Good comedy requires good timing. Next time you play and a character misses a roll, have something happen to them (a plot complication) that might be considered funny. Here are some other examples: In SW: ANH, Han Solo & Luke broke into the detention cell and Han tries to tell the security watch there's nothing wrong. He does it badly, then blasts the console. IN SW: ROTJ, Han Solo, highly overconfident, tells the gang he'll take out the guards at the Power station. Then, trying to sneak up on a stormtrooper he steps on a branch and alerts the guard. His expression is priceless. Humor in a horrible situation can be funny without being ridiculous. For me, Xena and Hercules has some funny scenes - bordering on camp. Or several scenes from Shaun of the Dead. What do you think is funny? Booger jokes? Someone slipping on something? A pie in the face? A potentially dangerous situation met with a light-hearted joke? Find what makes YOU laugh, then incorporate it into your gaming. I once had a fearless Bounty Hunter in a D&D campaign fail a Saving Throw and run screaming out of the room, hands waving up in the air like a little girl. To me at the time, and knowing the character, it was funny. Find your inner clown, young Padawan.

Re: Looking for help with a Super Golem

Re: Ion Cannons Flash vs. Sense Groups plus Drain SPD plus Drain Movement Power plus END Reserve

These are spells from the anime series, The Slayers, starring the genius Sorceress Supreme Lina Inverse and her dim-witted companion Gourry Gabriev. I am really fond of this series, so I thought I'd try to create some of the spells seen in the series. EXPLOSION ARRAY Effect: Energy Blast 6d6 Target/Area Affected: 2†radius Casting Time: Half Phase (Attack Action) Casting Procedures: Incantations Duration: Instant Range: 350†Magic Roll Penalty: -1 END Cost: 3 Description: With the caster at the center, this spell can blast anything upwards within a circular range of the ground, including dirt, rocks, or anyone inside. Since this spell's effects aren't lethal (though the resultant fall might be), it can be used to knock targets unconscious and capture them. In addition, the pillars of displaced dirt and rocks can be used to hide from or blind the target. There is a chance that nearby party members or hired help will also be blasted, but there's little chance they'll perish, so, in a way, there's no need to worry when casting this spell. Of course, there's no harm in exercising caution, either. Game Information: 5d6 EB (vs. PD), Area Of Effect (2†Radius; +3/4), Double Knockback (+3/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (69 Active Points); Incantations (-1/4), Only Affects Targets On The Ground (-1/4), Knockback Can Only Be Straight Up (-1), Requires A Shamanism (Earth) Roll (-1/2), Spell (-1/2). Total cost: 20 points. Below is a spell I saw written up by Michael Surbrook. I took it and modified it to closer represent the spell's visual effects. Thank you, Mr. Surbrook DRAGON SLAVE Effect: Energy Blast 30d6, AVLD (Power Defense), Does BODY, Explosion Target/Area Affected: 8†Radius Casting Time: One Turn (Post-Segment 12) Casting Procedures: Gestures (Holding hands together and building a power ball), Incantations ("Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows; buried in the stream of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hands! Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess. DRAGON SLAVE!") Duration: Instant Range: 3,000†(6 kilometers) Magic Roll: -20 END Cost: 30 Description: The Dragon Slave calls on the power of Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, leader of the dark forces in the Slayers world. This is the strongest spell that humans can cast without a talisman of some kind; its effect is broad and destructive enough to level a city. The name was originally Dragon Slayer, but as the legend was passed through the years, it became garbled into its current form, "Dragon Slave." Game Information: Energy Blast 30d6, AVLD (Power Defense; +3/4), Does BODY (+1), Explosion (-1 DC/3â€; +1), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (600 Active Points); Can Only Be Used At Full Power (-1/4), Concentrate: 0 DCV (-1/2), Extra Time: 1 Turn (-1 1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Requires A Black Magic Roll (-1/2), Spell (-1/2) (total cost: 133 points). Designer Notes: This spell uses the Skill Roll penalty of –1 per 30 Active Points. FIREBALL Effect: RKA 3d6-1, Explosion Target/Area Affected: 8†Radius Casting Time: Half Phase (Attack Action) Casting Procedures: Gestures, Incantations (“Source of all power, light which burns beyond crimson, let thy power gather in my hand. Fireball!â€) Duration: Instant Range: Range Based On Strength Magic Roll: -6 END Cost: 6 Description: A ball of fire appears between the hands of the caster, which can then be thrown. Upon contact with an object, the ball explodes, spreading flames. Caution is necessary when using this spell in enclosed areas or forests because this spell affects a wide area. This is the most popular offensive spell. Being able to cast this spell is one of the criteria for a full-fledged mage. Game Information: RKA 3d6-1, Explosion (+1/2) (60 Active Points); Range Based On Strength (-1/2), Requires A Shamanism/Fire Magic Roll (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Spell (-1/2). Total cost: 20 points. Designer Notes: This spell uses the Skill Roll penalty of –1 per 30 Active Points.

Re: How good is "good"? Great ideas, guys. This character is a master-level swordsman - like Montoya in "The Princess Bride", or Madmardigan in "Willow"...real swashbuckling stuff. He is a character who is so good that he can do "sword-tricks", like Zorro. You know, cutting the clothes off opponents, etc. I can use Sweep to handle a group of opponents, but what about other stuff? Maybe a VPP: Sword-Tricks? Also, what about this as a "guideline" for CSLs, based on the description on pg. 43 of 5ER?: Familiarity: WF only Competent: +1 Skilled: +2 to +3 Very Skilled: +4 to +5 Highly Skilled: +6 to +7 Extremely Skilled: +8 to +9 Incredibly Skilled: +10 or higher

Hero has benchmarks for Characteristics and skills, but what about combat levels? How about a combat benchmark chart? I'm looking to make a swordsman who is one of the greatest in my world (at least he hasn't lost a fight yet). How many CSL would that be? He's got a DEX 20 and Martial Arts: Swordfighting, so we're looking at a max. OCV/DCV of 9. Pretty damn good, but not "one of the best in the world" material.

Re: If Champions didn't exist... If Champions didn't exist I'd have to say I'd be playing MSH or DC Heroes. I had a good campaign with Marvel, and I like the superheroic mechanics of DC.

Re: Fourth Age Hero

Re: Do you use the official Champions Universe? No. I have my own world created back during the 3rd Ed. Some of the Champions villains are in the world, and there's Stronghold, and the organizations Primus, and UNTIL. Basically a hodge-podge of stuff we like mixed with home-brewed stuff.

If a metal is described as being x3 stronger than something like steel with x3 DEF and BODY, how do I figure it? Say I have an alloy that's stronger than steel by this much. Steel has a DEF of 5 in FH. Would the DEF of this other alloy be 15, do I add +1 per multiple(for a DEF 8)? What would the value be for DEF and Body?

Re: Hey Surbook: Mike, How is it you know so much about Japanese culture? Have you lived there a long time? Master's in Asian Studies? Big Anime fan? What? BTW, are you ever going to add the SLAYERS cast to your list at Surbrook's Stuff? You did such a great job with the Bebop crew, you gotta do Lina Inverse & Co.!

Re: Earth Elementalist questions Desolid is the way to go, IMHO. Perhaps Invisibility linked with the Desolid to be undetectable. Power Lims might be "0 SPD, Only While Using Power; -1", and "Cannot See, Only While Using Power; -1".

Re: Looking for help with a Super Golem I like the idea of a small keyhole or vent or something, The Young Hero will not have the key - plans/schematics were stolen, not one of these keys, remember - so, what if he used his Sword of Light, or perhaps some other method. Also, on another note, let's talk about the beam it shoots...I'm envisioning it being like a laser: a prolonged beam that can cut a swath through buildings, etc. for a few seconds. Possibly a RKA 3d6 or 4d6, AP, Continuous or Instant; maybe with recoverable charges or a END Reserve for the beam.

Re: A Preview of my Fantasy Hero (ala. Space Opera) Feelix could be a translator, and Oskar speak a foreign language. I like that I would like to keep the feel of the Star Wars movies, but not make the characters exactly like their Space Opera counterparts. Technically, the "Death Golem" (I like the sound of that )is not a true golem in the sense of the word. It is a mechanical construct. A fantasy-version of a robot. I made his creator an artificer, not an alchemist. I'm even thinking of putting a crew of soldiers inside it to operate it (pulling levers, shooting the golem's Death Cannon, etc.) If I go with the robot idea, it'll have a "mystical" brain...like a robot, with simple programming. "Rise! Ri-i-i-s-s-e! Destroy them! Destroy them! Destroy ALL who would defy me! Bwah-hah-hah!" THOOM THOOM THOOM [CRASH!] THOOM THOOM Like that. Just like an old Ray Harryhausen movie...like Jason and the Argonauts "TALOS".

If anyone is interested, I'm submitting my rough outline for my Fantasy Hero (ala. Space Opera) campaign. Much thanks to Archer on this one. What I really need are the groups' ideas, suggestions, and comments. Thanks! Now, here it is: Once upon a time, in land, far, far away, a great adventure took place… It is a time of darkness throughout the land. Rebel spies from the Kingdom of Aldaran, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Empire. During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Emperor of Evil’s ultimate weapon, the Death Golem, a massive construct, capable of destroying an entire city. Pursued by the Emperor’s Legion of Terror, Princess Aurora flees to her castle, custodian of the stolen blueprints that can destroy the mechanical terror, save her people and restore freedom to the land... Lord Obsidian’s evil horde has Princess Aurora under siege in her tower. As the horde is making preparations for a great battle to break in and kidnap her, she passes the secret plans to her two most trusted servants, Oskar and Feelix, to take to the old wizard, Fen Joppa. She tells them to go through the secret passages to the stables, and to take her fastest horse to find Fen Joppa. Oskar, the shorter of the two, seems to know how to find Fen Joppa; Feelix is in the dark. They ride off just as Lord Obsidian’s troops enter the castle and capture the Princess. The two Servants become completely lost in the dark forest, but eventually break through to daylight and a clearing where they meet up with some thieves and brigands, who sell them into a labor market in town. Meanwhile, on the farm where the Young Hero, with his Uncle and Aunt lives, the Young Hero dreams of the day he can leave the farm; he’s not bad with a bow or a sword, maybe he’ll join the Empire’s elite troops. The Uncle and the Young Hero are going into town; they need some farm hands. In town, they meet up with the aforementioned rough types and hire on the Princess’ two servants as farm hands, mainly be-cause they go cheap. They take them back to the farm, where, while the Young Hero is teaching them about farm life, Oskar spills the secret message! The Young Hero is instantly captivated, and insists they go see Fen Joppa. Meanwhile, Lord Obsidian’s troops are tracking the servants. They track them to the slavers’ camp site, thence to the labor market/slave auction in town, thence to the farm, where they kill the Uncle and Aunt. Fen Joppa tells the Young Hero about his father who fought in the war, and shows him his father’s magic sword, the Sword of Light. Fen Joppa has his own magic sword. When Fen Joppa sees the message, he rec-ognizes the Princess and decides to help. He asks if the Young Hero would care to join him on the quest, but the Young Hero declines, stating he is needed on the farm. However, when Fen Joppa takes the Young Hero and the Servants home, they discover the farm is a burned-out ruin and the Aunt and Uncle dead. The Young Hero then decides to travel with Fen Joppa, rescue the Princess, and learn the ways of the sword and of sorcery. Off they go to the nearby city (a wretched hive of scum and villainy) looking to hire a couple of guides/mercenaries/bodyguards. They hire a shifty rogue named Jack and his partner, mainly because they are desperate for cash, and therefore cheap. On the way out of the inn, Jack stumbles into a Thieves’ Guild mook in the alley, who gets all huffy about Guild fund money. Jack knifes the mook first. While they are off to Princess Aurora’s castle, Fen Joppa begins to train the Young Hero in the ways of swords and sorcery; meanwhile, Jack's brutish partner threatens to kick the Servants’ butts over a game of chess. They stumble into a trap set by Lord Obsidian’s forces, are captured and taken to Lord Obsidian’s Stronghold, whereupon they rescue the Princess and attempt to escape. In the process of escaping, Fen Joppa faces down his old enemy, Lord Obsidian and is killed, buying the others time to escape. Jack and his partner escort them to a rebel encampment, where they leave the Young Hero, Princess Aurora, and the Servants, saying, “This isn’t our fight.†Proceed to the epic battle, in which the Young Hero saves the day, Rogue Jack and his partner save the Young Hero’s butt, and Lord Obsidian escapes. NOTES: 1) The master artificer, Xoana, crafted the massive Orichalchum Golem [This is a tip of the hat to Slayers Next]. 2) Possible names for Jack include: Jack Nimble, Jack Fortune, Smilin’ Jack Rogue, Jahdo (meaning “Alone, Soloâ€), a tribute to Han Solo. 3) Orichalchum is well known to have magical properties and is very sought after by mages desiring to put its magical power to work. It is likely that Items made out of Orichalchum will have high magic attributes. It is a real metal, 80% Copper and 20% Zinc, used in Roman Brass coins 4) Feelix and Oskar are a tribute to Neil Simon's play, 'The Odd Couple'.

I'm creating a Star Wars-like fantasy campaign, and my "Death Star" is a titanic metal golem made of orichalchum. It stands over 50m tall and is nearly indestructable against most standard magical spells as well as conventional troop scale and siege weaponry. It shoots a super-powerful blast from it's eyes or chest. As I put in my intro... Once upon a time, in land, far, far away, a great adventure took place. It is a time of darkness throughout the land. Rebel spies from the Kingdom of Aldaran, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Empire. During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Emperor of Evil’s ultimate weapon, a massive orichalchum golem, capable of destroying an entire city. Pursued by the Emperor’s Legion of Terror, Princess Aurora flees to her castle, custodian of the stolen blueprints that can destroy the mechanical terror, save her people and restore freedom to the land... Question is, how do I build it? What would be a good DEF for orichalchum, and how much Damage Reduction should I give it? To the folks of this world, the golem should be as tough as Godzilla is to the Tokyo Army. Any ideas?

Re: Does Hero System "break" at higher levels, and if so, at what level? On that note; has anyone worked up stats for God (aka. "Yaweh", or "Jehovah")? S/he should be able to be built for at least 500,000 character points.

I'm trying to create a FH campaign who parallels the Star Wars/Flash Gordon genre...you know, Evil Emperor (the Dread Sorcerer Tyrannis), his Dark Lord Enforcer, er...'servant' (Lord Obsidian) and their Legions of Terror (Boo! Hiss!) against the "rebel" kingdoms and their heroes (Huzzah!). It's certainly not a new concept, of course, and certain elements cannot be converted from a Space Opera to Sword & Sorcery. It's with this, I could use some advice on things. For instance, what FH elements may I use instead of Space Opera? Here's what I've done: SPACE OPERA = FANTASY HERO Starships = Enchanted Flying Ships and/or Horses and Siege Engines The Force = Sorcery Stormtroopers = The Legion of Terror, or Legion of Doom ("Terrortroopers?" or maybe "Doomtroopers"? Do those names suck?) Jedi Masters = Master Sorcerers Lightsabers = Magic/Enchanted blades Any other things/elements I should/could include? Also, I'm setting up the Empire as in Flash Gordon...The Emperor is like the High-King, with other lesser kings and their kingdoms paying tribute to the Emperor. Remember in the movie "Flash Gordon", with Prince Thun? Is this a good idea, or could I do better? Please, any advice or useful comments are welcome. Thanks

Cancelled due to repetition. Please view other post "Fantasy Hero Campaign (ala. Space Opera)"

Re: What is up with falling? Yeah, that's always been a discrepency in Champions/Hero. I remember a cartoon in the old 'Murphy's Rules' cartoon books by John Kovalic that had a picture of people falling off a tall building, getting up, and walking to the end of the line to 'do it again'! To me, it's one of the 'charms' of Hero.