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Re: Starting Character Limits (DCs etc.)? That's all really helpful, many thanks! Once I've worked out the campaign background, I'll get the players onto their characters and post them here for sanity checking. Thanks again, (_8(0)

Re: Starting Character Limits (DCs etc.)? That's great advice, thanks a million. I'm not quite sure I understand the "rule of 4" though - any chance you could flesh that one out a little? Much appreciated, (_8(0)

I'm hoping to try a Champions campaign with our group. We've played HERO for a homebrew fantasy world, and it didn't work too well as some players (who shall remain nameless) insisted on creating characters that were mediocre at lots of things and so who were basically "gimp". I think the players got sucked into HERO's flexibility. My intention is therefore to: 1. encourage (i.e. mandate) that for this *first* adventure, players use stock archetypes or characters based closely on established protagonists from the genre 2. set as many sensible constraints and guidelines as possible up-front before character creation to try and prevent "bit of this, bit of that" gimp builds I'm thinking of 350 points as a starter. Current ideas include things like: - no more than 60 points on any one characteristic - no more than 250 points across all characteristics - a power's active points <= 60 - VPPs must have a pre-generated list of powers available (just to save time and thumb-twiddling) I'd also like to set limits on DCs, defences, and anything else that's going to help the players. The thing is, for DCs, I'm not sure how to do it. Suppose Blueshift has STR 60, a 60-point HA, an Aid to STR Power adding 5d6 STR, +3 CSLs hand-to-hand and +2 with all combat. Presumably if limiting DCs I need to work out the maximum DCs of all the above and limit that? I.e. 12 + 12 + 6 + er, total applicable CSLs / 2 or something like that ... ? What about characters that have more modest attacks but who can jack up the damage with massive speed and Move By/Move Through? Also, what's a good limit for DC, defence etc. for a first-ever Champions (ish) campaign with 350-pt characters? I'm just reaching for ideas here from people who do have some kind of campaign limits/guidelines, and would be really interested in knowing what the limits are and how they're calculated! Thanks again people, (_8(0)

Re: What fundamental thing would you change about the Hero system? I agree with the above - it's not really a "change" per se, but the one genre where I have always suspected HERO would struggle was Horror, which is a genre I've always been keen on running. I resorted to GURPS for the horror adventure our group played. So I'd love to see some additions/enhancements/options to support wide dfferentiation between very low-powered characters. That's just the kind of guy I am (_8(0)

O enlightened ones, can you set me straight and tell me if I've got the following correct: Say Gruntharg has a STR of 30 (he's that kind of guy). He also has "Dobber", a trusty club (unbreakable obvious inaccessible focus) which never leaves his side and which does, I dunno, 4d6 damage. We're talking Superheroes here (and I'm stretching the definition - heck, it's Gruntharg), so I guess base damage is STR + 4d6, or 9d6? Now, Gruntharg being the kind of guy (mutant half-orc plunged into an incomprehensible alternate future) that he is, he also has a Power of STR +60, "Only when someone tries to steal his pet rat" (-2, as nobody's that stupid apart from possibly Gruntharg and it's his rat anyway). Assuming that someone is really, really dumb and tries to take Gruntharg's pet rat and Gruntharg spots them and attacks them with Dobber, does he do 21d6 base damage which can theoretically be doubled using "other (presumably sinister) means"? Thanks. Just checking. There's a lot riding on this one. (Well, technically only the security of Gruntharg's pet rat, but little things can mean a lot to the big guy, y'know?) (_8(0)

What I'm after is how to construct a weapon that, as well as doing standard damage, gives the wielder an automatic free trip attempt on every successful hit. (I don't even know how to do a trip attack, anyway.) At home with a cold, so thinking of random questions... (_8(0)

Re: THE ULTIMATE SPEEDSTER -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd like to see rules for playing something like the Shrike (and related entities) from Dan Simmons' Hyperion books. If ever there were a more classic speedster, I can't think of one! Also, and I think this has been mentioned, rules for interleaving different reality contexts which may run at vastly different rates (psionic combat, netrunning, mental processing, normal reality etc.) For example, someone might operate at SPD 25 (whatever that is) mentally, but SPD 2 for everything else. More ideas for limited duration high-speed "boosts" which have serious side effects, such as: vastly accelerated aging; radiating massive amounts of entropy into nearby animate and inanimate entities including other PCs; "exhaustion" when the effect wears off; inability to see clearly when moving at maximum speed; vunlerability to certain attack types/effect types when the power is invoked; destruction or weakening of all held/worn/carried items when the power is invoked, and so on. This would be for balance reasons and also for characterisation reasons! Better explanation and examples of rules regarding acceleration, deceleration and maneuverability at speeds. I never found the rules in 5ER that clear. (Example: someone chasing after a Formula 1 racing car which can brake at 5G or something like that.) Rules for speedsters reacting rather than acting, even if this is just an reiteration of holding your action etc. For example, a SPD 20 character is attacked by a SPD 2 creature - can the character abort to dodge multiple times? Is there a rule whereby you can just add a bonus to your dodge roll if you're spending multiple phases dodging? More examples for triggered or invoked powers that add 1-off additional actions. For example, when you invoke the "temporal" power-up to your strike, you gain an additional action that you can use for a restricted set of behaviours and that someone slots in between the normal actions. My grasp of HERO rules is pretty dodgy, so I'm probably using bogus terminology and mis-citing all kinds of stuff. Apologies for that. I know that some of the above may be covered in existing rules, but I think one of the benefits of something like TUS is that you don't have to rummage around in multiple places for information, and also that you are given copious illustrations directly relevant to your chosen theme rather than you having to imagine how to apply the abstracted system that is 5ER. Anyway, can't wait to see the book! (_8(0)

Re: Finally played HERO... and a question! Thanks for the help, guys - I think I missed the bit of the rules which clarifies that a CSL applying to a "type" of attack refers to whether the attack's HtH or Ranged; things actually make sense now! Ish. Oh, and I like the idea of big baddies having lots of STUN/DR but reasonably modest attacks so that the group can chip away at them and then feel like they actually achieved something. The FOOLS! (_8(0)

Yes, we finally had our first HERO sesh yesterday, running a Fantasy HERO adventure. Hopefully I'll post a playtest review of HERO soon on rpg.net to go with my capsule review, but in the meantime, a question or two about CSLs. A character has a few 3-pt CSLs on a Power Framework that's defined as "Demonic Fire Sorcery". o If the CSLs are switched to DCV, what can that DCV bonus be applied to? Anything at all that is defined as "Demonic Fire Sorcery" (whether it's BOECV or some wierdo Power with UAA, whatever) and nothing else? Anything using any of the same Powers that are in the Framework (this seems a bit powerful to me)? Nothing at all? o If 4 such CSLs are switched to add damage, then presumably any Power in the Framework can have an extra 2 DCs of damage added irrespective of that Power's Advantages? Thus, Active Point Caps can be neatly subverted, and attacks with lots of Advantages can get a nice big boost Generally, people had a lot of fun, but I (as GM) had a tough time balancing encounters. I found that if any "boss" style monster kept attacking just one character, that character was in dire trouble, but if the monster alternated its attacks, the characters found it pretty easy Anyway, answers to the above questions much appreciated. (_8(0)

Re: Help on mechanics for 1st ever HERO session The thing is, doesnt this mean that it's a bit tough to knock someone down with a Move Through if knockdown if a function of BODY damage? I was thinking that if pre-soak STUN > REC, it's a knockdown (or if pre-soak BODY > BODY as you suggested). Bear in mind that I am a complete newbie wrt the rules! Also, let me just say that I do really appreciate your feedback. Thanks, (_8(0)

Guys, can I draw on your experience for some advice? About to run 1st ever HERO session on Sunday; Fantasy HERO heroic adventure in a low (ish) magic world that's Conan meets Discworld with a hint of Spelljammer thrown in. (I'm actually using Gygax's Necropolis as the site-based adventure material.) Anyway, I'd like to support a couple of mechanics VERY simply, and I'm wondering how best to do this. The mechanics are: - knockdown: we liked Exalted's pre-soak damage treatement of knockdown, and I'm wondering if there is really straightforward treatment of something similar in HERO without using hit locations (see below) - stunts: generally, when a player announces a cool move for his character ("Without taking my eyes from the board, I grab the gnome and throw him, spin-stabilised, into the bubbling cauldron and chortle as his feeble legs waggle above the simmering broth."), what's a simple and consistent mechanic for awarding a bonus to actions? +1 to +3 on a roll? FYI I've tried to streamline the rules by adopting the following, so maybe someone could please shout if they think these simplifications will present a problem: - STUN multiple fixed at 3 - Normal Damage Body fixed at 1 per die - No hit locations - No knockback - No concept of acceleration - No velocity based DCV - No multiple power attacks - No bleeding - No impairing - END cost is 1 per 5 STR - characters are 100 points + 50 Disads - Active Point cap is 40 Thanks in advance, o gurus, (_8(0)

Just a quick question... There seem to be two mechanics for opposed actions. 1. Roll vs. your skill; the greater margin of success wins (very crudely put) 2. Roll your STR damage and the higher Normal Damage Body wins Why is (2) needed at all for heroic games? Why can't grabs be resolved using STR rolls and (1)? I know there's an answer as there's always a great deal of thought behind HERO rules (one of the reasons I'm going to be trying our first HERO campaign this Sunday). I am trying to simplify things as much as possible as we are all new to HERO, and I would ideally like to dispense with (2) completely, so - can someone explain why it's needed? Thanks a million in advance, (_8(0)

Re: Rules for AIs and Shells? LL, you've raised some good questions (as usual) Personally I think all skills for AI characters are best handled as slots in a framework. This would allow for an AI to run one program at maximum "power", or a bunch simultaneously at reduced "power". There are a few elements here: a) AIs are taught skills; other programs are merely "written". Of course, an AI can host a stock skill program it hasn't learnt how well written the program is effects the resultant skill level. Thus, an expensive program may run as INT 15 or KS: Bioroid Engineering-18 on a computer of a given Complexity while a cheaper program (or AI) may run as INT 12 or KS: Bioroid Engineering-15 on the same computer c) the faster the hardware, the "better" software runs (+INT or + to skills programs) or the more of it you can run at once. Possibly AIs can run on slower hardware than their minimum rated "Complexity" but less efficeintly Regarding shells and changing them, that's a little campaign specific. TS declares that xoxing (copying) AIs is illegal, so GMs may declare that there can only be one instance of an AI in memory or storage at once; thus, if the computer hosting the AI is destroyed before the AI can download itself, the character's dead. Or, GMs may allow characters to have access to black market hardware which ignores the copy protection to create a backup for their characters. Normally to change shells just requires the presence of the new shell, a connection (wireless most likely), authentication & authorisation - or hacking - and a small amount of time. I should say that the above is not necessarily how GRUPS/TS does things, more my "version" of how I'm thinking things should be done using ideas from the excellent TS resources as a basis. (_8(0)

This may be better posted on the SH boards, but there's always more activity here... I was wondering if there are detailed rules for AI characters who own multiple Shells in any of the Star HERO products, or elsewhere (Ultimate Vehicle)? I'm looking for something which supports the themes of GURPS: TS. For example, Joe is an AI with a bag of skills, and has two shells: one with a slow computer but lots of weaponry, and one with a fast computer but feeble weaponry. Any idea how would these be modelled? Multiforms having zero mental characteristics? Limitations to reflect the restrictions on when Joe can change form? Similarly, are there rules which account for the core character (software+data) being instantiated on different levels of hardware, with concimitant performance boosts or penalties? Just wondering what level of detail is available in existing HERO product if I want to run a GURPS TS/Blue Planet melange campaign after I've run my first Fanatasy HERO campaign and after I've converted the new (as yet unreleased) version of Mage to HERO... Thanks, (_8(0)

Re: Definition of a "tight group"? Phew, thanks for the clarity on that, I thought I was missing a crucial definition somewhere! As a particular case in point, for an FH campaign, I have a barbarian character and want to give him a few 3-pt CSLs in H2H 2-handed weapons... do you think "Two-Handed Weapons" or "Barbarian Two-Handed Weapons" is a reasonable 3-pt scope? Some of the weapons I would want to include are greatswords, greataxes, 2-handed flails, mauls, greatclubs, and basically anything that is big and heavy and can be swung. I'm not sure whether including staves and polearms would be stretching it a little. Thoughts from people who've played enough to get a feel for sensible scope on this? Many thanks, (_8(0)

Is a tight group any of the items in the lists on 5ER p.76 - for example, "Two-Handed Weapons"? Or is there some other nebulous definition? Thanks, (_8(0)

Re: Is this ok for a classic Backstab? Ah, I thought that because I was saying that you couldn't add STR to increase the damage from the backstab - that the backstab portion of the attack is just a flat add-on to the underlying weapon attack - that the "no STR bonus" was reasonable. For example, if I created an effect which was "+1d6 HKA, cost 4x END" or something like that, I would expect the 4x END only to be applied to the +1d6 from this effect, not to the underlying attack too... Basically I thought applying a limitation to a "+xyz" attack meant the limitation only applied to the + bit, not the whole thing. Is that bogus? Thanks for the advice, (_8(0)

Based on another post from this forum: Backstab +1d6 HKA, can only be used against unsuspecting foe (-1), requires a killing weapon of opportunity ( ½), No STR Bonus (-½); 15 Active Points, 5 Real Points A character can double the base weapon HKA as normal with STR etc., but the Backstab damage is added on afterwards and can't be augmented. Does this sound reasonable? Thanks, (_8(0)

Re: Good D&D style setting to use to bootstrap? Thanks for the input guys - yesterday I bought both grimoires, both ages, the ultimate mystic and another copy of FH (for someone else in the group); I might actually tone down the magic from D&D slightly (hence Valdorian) as this will be our first HERO bash. I'll probably take Elweir, stick it in Ambrethel somewhere and fiddle around with magic a bit. I'm already thinking of more specific questions, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to make use of all that HERO knowledge that's locked up in your heads... (_8(0)

Looks like we're playing Fantasy HERO for the first time with a mixed bunch of people, all of whom have at least played D&D before. None of us has ever played HERO before. It had better be awesome or I think I'll get beaten up in the supermarket using 500-page blunt instruments, but that's another story... I'd like to bootstrap an existing setting which is reasonably familiar to D&Ders (possibly a D&D setting), and fairly lightweight in tone as I don't see how anyone can take anything D&D seriously ("Open door! Kill monster! Take treasure! Get xp!"). The additional less-D&Dish elements I'd like to feature are : - the impact of a recent war on the world, as I think that's a good hook for adventures - more social interaction gameplay along with some politics and devious, manipualtive NPCs I could just use Forgotten Realms, I guess. Dark Sun is too heavy, and Earthdawn too unfamiliar. Spelljammer is a possibility. Birthright is too serious. Greyhawk is another possibility. So...anyone got any nifty ideas? Now's your chance to unleash that creativity upon the hapless algorithms of this forum... go for it! Thanks in advance! (_8(0)

Re: Question on character "value" (point totals) Me only have small brain, me kind of hoping for simple (ish) answer... I thought it was all going to be so straightforward... I didn't want players to feel they were nerfing their characters if they didn't take all their entitled Disadvantages- I have some experience with GURPS, and was hoping that its approach (points spent - disads) would also be reasonably applicable to HERO just so I wouldn't have to retrain my brain. Ah well. Better get the brain-training kit out. Still, there's one upside - some guy posting on rpg.net was right - the HERO community (aka "You Lot") is the best out there. This is a good thing, as I'll probably be asking your help in converting some GURPS characters soon... Thanks for your input, all, (_8(0)

Hi, I have a pretty basic question on character point totals. Let's say one character has 100 CPs spent on him, and he takes no disadvantages. Let's say another character has 100 CPs spent on him, and takes 50 points worth of Disadvantages. That character then buys another 50 points worth of abilities. I may be going crazy, but I assume that both characters are 100 point characters for the purposes of campaign balance, right? I think my brain just stopped working this morning (_8(0)

Re: FYI: why more people aren't playing HERO (rpg.net) Well - we could always discuss HERO questions and ideas on rpg.net rather than on the comfy sofas of herogames.com forums Mmm... I say that, but this sofa is just too comfy... (_8(0)

Re: FYI: why more people aren't playing HERO (rpg.net) FWIW, I have submitted a review of 5ER to rpg.net. (I gave it a 5/5.) Goodness knows how long it will take for the review to arrive at the browser end of the system.... Anyway, it's my first review of anything, so I probably pushed the wrong button and accidentally sacked several thousand civil servants. Oh well. Much of the criticism I have seen in the very limited time I have been exposed to HERO seems to involve completely mismatched expectations - namely, that many people expect HERO to be a game and not (as it says on the front and back in pretty big letters) a toolkit. Thus, said people expect a) a setting most things on a pick-list c) a setting d) spell listings for immediate consumption e) a setting f) less abstraction and more immediate application. I have no idea whether my review will make anything any clearer, but I was really, really trying to review 5ER as the product it says it is on the back. (And the front.) I think it's very good at what it sets out to do. Of course character creation of a 500 point werewolf in HERO can take longer than a 1st level Fighter in D&D - one's created using a toolkit, one using a turnkey packaged system! Hmm, not really sure where I was going with that one. I'll just have some more beer. Beer good. [shambles away] (_8(0)

Re: (Newbie) Problems with Damage Classes Let's see if I understand this! From p.404: Let's say you have an attack with advantages that ends up with an Active Cost of 36 points and does 2d6 damage. Each d6 of damage therefore costs 18 Active Points. A Damage Class is usually assumed to be worth 5 Active Points, so each 1d6 of damage in this attack is worth about 4 DCs (18/5). Therefore, it takes 4 DCs to change the damage by 1d6. I might have got this completely wrong as I'm still learning the rules myself... I'm sure the Illuminati will set us straight, though Note that there are a few complications: o damage bonuses from Haymakers, Martial Maneuvers, and Combat Skill Levels are added in as if the Advantages wasn't there. The example in the book cites a 1/2d6 HKA knife with Armour Piercing getting increased to 1d6 by adding 2DCs - the DCs just get added to the base damage. I'm assuming the knife is still Armour Piercing as the text doesn't seem to say otherwise o when adding STR to HKAs with Advantages, all you do is calculate how much it costs to apply the Advantages to 5 STR, and that tells you how much STR you need to add 1 DC. For example, Armour Piercing applied to 5 STR costs (5 * (1 + 1/2)) = 7.5, so for every extra 7.5 STR (no rounding) you get an extra DC applied to the attack o when adding STR to HAs with Advantages, you have to keep the STR used to be less than the cost of the HA without its Advantages - otherwise you're not using the HA to attack at all, just your STR Chances are I got all those wrong too. It's like a quiz - I'm sure I'll learn from my mistakes, though... (_8(0)