Hierax

Re: Magic Missiles Let's not get hung up on one thing, there are other key aspects to the Magic Missile conversion: Always Damages: AVLD (+1½), Does BODY (+1) vs. ? force field, power def, ... NND (+1; vs ...), Does BODY (+1) Penetrating (+½) Multiple Missiles: Autofire (AF) Multiple Attack Advantage (MAA) Rapid Fire Reduced Penetration (large attack divided up)

Re: Magic Missiles I just don't think that "always hitting" is any more powerful than "always doing damage" -- it is basically the same concept as NND. Heck, if anything according to Hero costing guidelines it should be cheaper (OCV cost vs. DC cost) but due to the innate Hero fanbase resistance to Absolutes +1 seems to be the rough threshold of acceptability (especially because it still needs another +1 to Do BODY Damage (+2 total). YMMV. So, yeah, AHA could be a great Advantage but so is NND. For Overpowered/Undercosted look more to MegaScale and the like. I think there are a lot more things that the HERO system can simulate with NND than without and I think that AHA also adds rather than it takes away from the system.

Re: Magic Missiles Personally, I'm quite OK with +1 Always Hits Advantage (AHA) and don't let things like Dive for Cover apply, the Area of Effect (AoE) etc. Advantages are just there so that Hero fans who can't handle absolutes can still use the write-ups. I think it's faster and simplier to just let the damn thing hit than making an extra attack roll and/or jumping through a bunch of flaming hoops of twisted Advantages about it but the anti-absolutes crowd seems to be in the majority. That said the beauty of the Hero System is to allow more than one way to write a power up so there's plenty of room for cool non-absolutist versions of Magic Missles too, I just don't see why it has to be one or the other, can't we have it both ways?

Re: Magic Missiles Yeah, I use pretty much the same thing: http://www.hierax.com/hero/house/aha.txt Automatic Hit Advantage (AHA) One thing that the HERO System lacks is a way to automatically hit a target without having to make an attack roll, so I've created an "Automatic Hit Advantage" (AHA). The logic being that if the NND Advantage can bypass all of a target's normal DEF, then there should be an Advantage to bypass all of a target's normal DCV. An attack with this Power Advantage ignores all conventional DCV. When a character purchases an attack with the "Automatic Hit" Advantage, he must define a reasonably common Power or circumstance, or a set of uncommon Powers or circumstances as the defence. If the target has this defence, then the attack misses completely. N.B. This Advantage can't be used to unerringly target a specific hit location. AUTOMATIC HIT ATTACK COST MULTIPLIER: +1 If you don't like this I suggest that, in most cases, you use Area Effect One Hex (+1/2) and No Range Penalty (+1/2) in its place as combined they have give the same cost calculations -- i.e., merely consider "AHA" as shorthand for these two limitations. =======================================================================

Re: Magic Missiles Yeah, that's one of the problems with being too abstract. Still, Curufea's point about Hit Points is the most creative argument/justification that I've ever seen for not actually needing a Hero-approximated Absolute to convert Magic Missile. Personally, I like Hero better because it is less abstract (e.g., difference between "hitting" and "damaging") but it has to be careful as some builds are creeping in that create similar problems to D&D abstractness -- Combat Luck, I'm looking at you! Anyway, how about some more MM write-ups.

Re: Magic Missiles Good point! The "missed me" factor of Hit Points means that a hit isn't always a hit.

Re: Magic Missiles Here's a simple version of Magic Missile, the non-automatic hit, non-always damage version: Magic Missile 3 (Original/Basic D&D): RKA 1d6+1 (20 Base Points); Penetrating (+½) (+½; 30 Active Points); Charges (1; -2), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), Gestures (both hands; -½), Incantations (-¼), (-3; 7 Real Points). Plus +1 OCV with Magic Missile Spell (2 points) (Total: 9 Real Points).N.B. This just uses the straight D&D damage of d6+1 but it would be a more in spirit conversion to allow for a variety of conversion of spell equivalents of the various Fantasy Hero versions of Longbows (FH.166 or EG.8): Light Longbow +1 = 1½d6 or 2d6-1, +1 RMod Medium Longbow +1 = 2d6, +1 RMod Heavy Longbow +1 = 2d6+1, +1 RMod Very Heavy Longbow +1 = 2½d6 or 3d6-1, +1 RModOne may also, or alternately, want to include Armor Piercing and/or Piercing (Resistant) depending on how one sees magical bows. And Intelligence (or EGO) Minimum could be used as a restriction for these too. Conversion Source Text: Original D&D (Greyhawk Rules Supplement 1976, p.22): Magic Missile: This is a conjured missile equivalent to a magic arrow, and it does full damage (2-7 points) to any creature it strikes.For every five levels the magic-user has attained he may add an additional two missiles when employing this spell, so a 6th level magic-user may cast three magic missiles at his target, an 11th level magic-user casts five, and so on. Range 15". Basic D&D (1979, p.13,15): Magic Missile – Level 1; Range: 150 feet A conjured missile equal to a magic arrow, and it does 1 die roll plus 1 point (2-7) to any creature it strikes. Roll the missile fire like a long bow arrow (Missile Fire Table). Higher level magic-users fire more than one missile.

Re: Magic Missiles FWIW, here's some MM stuff: Magic Missile Damage: AD&D: RKA d6-1 (10 Base Points) xD&D Average: RKA d6 (15 Base Points) Basic D&D: RKA d6+1 (20 Base Points) Magic Missile Options: Always Hits/Never Misses: OCV + x (many people) Area of Effect (One Hex, Accurate) and Line of Sight (+½) Area of Effect (Mega-Scale, Accurate/Selective Target) BOECV Doesn’t Miss (“Indiana†Joe Claffey, Vendark) +1 Hierax House Rule: "Always Hits Advantage" (AHA) for +1 = the semi-official Area of Effect (One Hex, Accurate) and Line of Sight (+½). Similar concept to NND but essentially just " No Normal DCV " also for +1 and requires +1 more for Does BODY. The "Absolute Effect Rule" (FH.250-251) would seem to allow for this (just not bothering with the massive +OCV Kludge). Actually Can Miss: Note officially older Original and Basic D&D Magic Missiles were just like a +1 Arrow that could miss! Always Damages: AVLD (+1½), Does BODY (+1) vs. ? force field, power def, ... NND (+1; vs ...), Does BODY (+1) Penetrating (+½) Multiple Missiles: Autofire (AF) Multiple Attack Advantage (MAA) Rapid Fire Reduced Penetration (large attack divided up) Magic Missile Sample: MAGIC MISSILE 5: Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6-1, Indirect (Same origin, always fired away from attacker; +¼), Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; DCV 3; +½), No Normal Defense (Shield Spell, or Brooch of Shielding, or Not Visible to Caster; +1), Does BODY (+1), Autofire (3 shots; +¼), Non-Standard Attack Power (+1) (50 Active Points); Can Not Target Specific Hit Locations (DH2.4-5; -½), Inanimate Objects Can Not Be Damaged (-¼), No Knockback (-¼). MAGIC MISSILE 6: Killing Attack - Ranged 1d6-1, Indirect (Same origin, always fired away from attacker; +¼), Area Of Effect Accurate (One Hex; DCV 3; +½), Line Of Sight (+½), Affects Desolidified Any form (+½), No Normal Defense (Shield Spell, or Brooch of Shielding, or Not Visible to Caster; +1), Does BODY (+1), Autofire (3 shots; +¼), Non-Standard Attack Power (+1) (60 Active Points); Can Not Target Specific Hit Locations (DH2.4-5; -½), Inanimate Objects Can Not Be Damaged (-¼), No Knockback (-¼). Official (or semi-official) Hero Versions: Magical Missile: RKA 1 point, NND (defense is certain specific spells or talismans, or being an unloving inanimate object; +1), Does BODY (+1), Area Of Effect (One Hex Accurate; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Line Of Sight (maximum range of 15†+ [3†per level of power]; +¼) (21 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Limited Rapid Fire (only one “shot†per 10 Experience Points earned, and no target can be more than 2†from another target; -¼), Cannot Use Targeting (-½), No Knockback (-¼) (total cost: 8 points) plus +20 with Magical Missile (total cost: 40 points). Total cost: 48 points. (Steven S. Long, Digital Hero #2, July/Aug 2002, p.4-5) Wizard’s Missile: RKA 1d6, Increased Maximum Range (x5, or 550â€; +¼), No Range Modifier (+½) (26 Active Points); OAF (Wizard’s Staff; -1), Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires A Magic Roll (-½). Total cost: 9 points. (Hero Games Writers Guidelines p.21) Magic Bolt: RKA 1d6, NND (defense is Power Defense; +1), Does BODY (+1) (45 Active Points); OAF (wizard’s staff; -1), Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires A Magic Roll (-½). Total cost: 15 points. (Hero System Genre By Genre p.16) Other Hero Versions: Magic Missile (Hawkwind-1): RKA 1 pip (5 Base Points); Autofire (5; +½), No Range Penalty (+½), Penetrating (+½) (+1½; 12.5 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), only vs. animate targets (-¼) (-¾; 7 Real Points). Magic Missile (Hawkwind-2): RKA 1d6-1 (10 Base Points); Autofire (5; +½), No Range Penalty (+½), Penetrating (+½) (+1½; 25 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), only vs. animate targets (-¼) (-¾; 14 Real Points). Magic Missile (Hawkwind-3): RKA 1d6 (15 Base Points); Autofire (5; +½), No Range Penalty (+½), Penetrating (+½) (+1½; 37.5 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), only vs. animate targets (-¼) (-¾; 21 Real Points). Magic Missile (Scott Nolan): RKA 1 pip (5 Base Points); NND (defense is ‘Shield’ spell or any of the numerous anti-magic-missile spells; +1), Does BODY (+1), Autofire (x5; +½), No Range Penalty (+½) (20 Active Points); Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires Skill Roll (-½) (10 Real Points). Magic Missile (Michael Harvey): RKA 1d6 (15 Base Points); Autofire (+½), NND (+1), Does BODY (+1), No Range Penalty (+½) (74 Active Points); Charges (1; -2), Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), Delayed Effect (-½), Focus (IIF Spellbook, fragile, only for memorization; -½), Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Can only memorize/prepare after 8 hours of sleep (-½) (11 Real Points). plus OCV +7 with single attack (14 points) Magic Missile (James Gillen): RKA 1d6-1 (10); Autofire, AP, No Range Penalty, (25 points); OCV +2 (35 points); not vs. the Shield spell (-1/4), not vs. inanimate objects (-1/2), no called shots (-1/4), Gestures, Incantations, Concentrate (½ DCV, -1/4), can’t cast in armor (-1/2), 3 charges, costs END (- 1¾) (-4; 7 Real Points).

Re: What fundamental thing would you change about the Hero system? Break things into the basic 4 that was discussed and rejected for 4th ed.: Attack Defend Move PercieveHave everything be built from these with Modifiers. Decimal Modifiers instead of Fractions. And have a cancelling out effect of Advantages - Limitations = Modifier then do the math. Make each single point count and add extra granularity both above and below the average. Make Defences cost as much as Attacks not be cheaper than. Have a real scaling/Size mechanic that is consistent. Purge the remaining super-hero Champions biases and make the system universal.

Re: New Player Hates All The Dice OK, I see what you're getting at now.

Re: New Player Hates All The Dice Yes, for any ONE particular roll of the Dice there indeed will be greater variance possible. But the overall chances of such variance of extreme results occurring are less and less with more dice rolled. AFAIK, It's easier (i.e., more likely) to get a natural 18 on 3d6 than a natural 36 on 6d6. There's more variance possible with more dice, but less variance likely. That's my understanding of it anyways but I'm no mathematician or statistician.

Re: New Player Hates All The Dice "Law of Large Numbers" More Dice Rolled = More Average Results http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=define%3ALaw+of+Large+Numbers

Re: Supressing a Disadvantage Aid with points to buy off Disadvantage, partial reductions of intensity possible.

Re: Spiritual Attributes (Adapting from The Riddle of Steel TROS) FWIW, TROS' "Spiritual Attributes" aren't unique. They are, for example, similar to Pendragon's "Passions": Loyalty (Lord, Vassals, Kin, Group) Love (Family) Amor (Individual) Love (spouse, God) Hate Fear Hospitality HonorThe concept is the same: get a direct focused bonus/penalty for things/people that are important to the character.

Re: Spiritual Attributes (Adapting from The Riddle of Steel TROS) The Riddle of Steel (TROS), is a pretty brutally realistic medieval/ renaissance/ fantasy combat game. Premise: what would your character be willing to kill and die for? Spiritual Attributes in TROS "define a character's drive, motivation, and goals" and being able to push themselves ruther and harder because they truly care about it -- i.e., they give direct bonuses when one is fighting for something that they believe in a more direct way than in HERO. E.g., HERO DNPC is a love burden that gives you generic bonus points that you can spend on anything. E.g., TROS "Passion" (Love/Amor) gives you a bonus when you are fighting for the person you love. They give King Arthur as an example: Anti-Destiny: To die at the hands of his own son, Modred (Penalty not Bonus) Drive: To find the Holy Grail Passion: Love for Guinevere Passion: Friendship for Lancelot Faith: Christianity Oath: Knights of the Round Table ConscienceIn general: Conscience: doing the right thing in situations where the alternatives are more profitable, make more sense, less dangerous, or are more fun. Do right just because it is right whatever the cost. Destiny/Anti-Destiny: self explanatory but the character may or maynot know their destiny in whole or in part. Drive: powerful sense of purpose Faith: religious Oath: binding agreement Passion: love, hate, loyalty, etc.There are many other examples: Samwise's Friendship (Passion) for Frodo allowing him to stand up to Shelob. Witch-King's Destiny to be slain by no mortal man / secret anti-destiny to be slain by mortal woman Conan's Destiny to wear a crown on a troubled brow Kull's Destiny to rule by his axe Napoleon's Destiny to Conquer Europe -- and nice examples of how the ficknless of fate was used to turn his very destiny against him Drive's of William Wallace, Alexander the Great, Hannibal, etc.In a way TROS "Spiritual Attributes" do what Hero's Luck and Unluck do but in a more directly related character/story way. They are usually bonuses at important points in the story but can also serve as penalties. I think that they are interesting innovation that takes HERO Disadvantages to the next level. They could be bought in HERO in a variety of ways, with an "Only to x" Limitation: Overall (10-Point) Skill Levels Aid Luck/UnluckThat sort of thing.

Re: 1d6 1/2 vs. 2d6-1; your thoughts The 1/2 dice is a pain unless you actually are using a d3 so you can just read the numbers off the dice without any additional division step. Fortunately d3's are easily had these days so 1/2 dice aren't as much of a pain.

Has anyone else tried to adapt the concept of "Spiritual Attributes" bonuses from The Riddle of Steel (TROS) game to the HERO System? Conscience Destiny (Anti-Destiny) Drive Faith Oath Passion Thanks in advance!

Re: If You Had To Play a Marvel Character… Conan OK, not usually part of the Marvel Universe but he had hundreds and hundreds of issues published by Marvel and actually did cross over in with the regular Marvel Universe in a few "What-Ifs". But no one kicks butt like the Barbarian himself -- take that Super-Skrull! You want a gritty street level hero, just wait until the practical barbarian learns how guns work -- move over Punisher Just kidding, even without firearms, given how long Captain America and Wolverine and the like have prospered, a superior warrior like Conan would do quite well methinks -- particularly against ANY supervillainess.

Re: Alternate SPD Chart FYI, here's some similar topics from the old HERO Message Boards: Need a new way to handle Speed: http://www.herogames.com/oldForum/GameRelated/000227.html Speed Table Alternatives: http://www.herogames.com/oldForum/GameRelated/000200.html Suggestions for Alternate Speed Chart http://www.herogames.com/oldForum/HeroSystemDiscussion/000907.html

Re: Alternate SPD Chart Oh yeah, alternately, In a previous thread like this I mentioned rolling a d12 for each SPD that a Character has and acting on those Phases. Again you can bother to roll this as often or as seldom as you prefer. Variety is the spice of life but a meal of all spices and no meat isn't very satisfying either, just find your own balance.

Re: Alternate SPD Chart Phase Shift BODY Pip Method Each "Side" rolls a single HERO d6 (the custom black and green ones with the normal numbers and the nice BODY pips on them 1=0 pips, 2-5=1 pip, 6=2 pips). Compare the BODY pips and subtract one from the other and shift the phases that actions occur on by that much. Most often this won't be anything 1-1=0, but sometimes it'll be 2-1=1 or 1-0=1 so make one side shift their phases up by one or the other side down by one, and even rarer will be 2-0=2. FWIW, I'll going to set up some sort of "GM Screen Slider" or "Combat Wheel" thing to try this out sometime (numbers show through the cut-out areas like the old AD&D and the new HackMaster Combat Wheels). I hope that that makes sense, it's easier to do than to explain. Note that since the results will most often be =0 anyway this isn't as big of a deal as it sounds, it's just enough to keep people from counting on when they go relative to the other side -- it's just a keep you on your toes for the occassional phase shift. If and when you want to shake things up a bit but not too much too often. You can use it as often or as seldom as you want and a "Side" could be as many as each individual character or as few as the PCs and the other characters.

Re: Alternate Initiative Rolls Personally, I like the predictable (mainly because I roll pretty poorly most of the time), but some players absolutely LOVE the randomness of dice -- to them that is a big part about what gaming is all about -- I'm trying to cater to that desire but still have it be balanced. They'll happily give up the certainty of a set result and sometimes will do better than average, sometimes worse and would get "bored" with the predictability of it all. I just want to make them roughly balanced so it is merely a matter of personal preferance so people who like the standard "go on your DEX" can work right along side the random rollers. That's the idea anyway.

Re: More Granular Extra Time? Here's an idea for combining Extra Time - Delayed Phase with the essence of Anti-Lightning Reflexes: Delayed Phase (-¼): use -1 to Initiative per xD&D/HM Casting Segment/Weapon Speed (or use -1 Initiative per 10 Active Points). This is Instead of ½ DEX for Initiative (-5 for normal 10 DEX) (which is essentially the same as a -¼ Minor Side Effect of -5 DEX for Initiative [15 Active Points for the Lightning Reflexes bought the non-Talent long way]). The great thing about this is that if all spells operate on a Delayed Phase then this allows different spell levels to resolve at different resolution times even within the same Phase/Segment! How about that? P.S. this goes along with my Alternate Initiative House Rule: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1057502&postcount=7

Re: Alternate Initiative Rolls I've revised this a bit: Initiative = Dex Dice + SPD x2 + Lightning Reflexes DEX as Dice (just like STR Damage) + SPD x2 that can be used with Variable Effect (random diced d6 per 5 DEX) or Standard Effect (+3 per d6). For most characters using the Standard Effect will actually nicely works out to be the same as straight DEX! 5 DEX + 1 SPD = 1d6+2 ~ 5 10 DEX + 2 SPD = 2d6+4 ~ 10 15 DEX + 3 SPD = 3d6+6 ~ 15 20 DEX + 4 SPD = 4d6+8 ~ 20 25 DEX + 5 SPD = 5d6+10 ~25 30 DEX + 6 SPD = 6d6+12 ~30 Where there is a difference between the standard official "Straight DEX" Initiative Method and this the favour will come on the side of the one with greater Speed going faster. And somehow that little difference just seems more right to me. How does that sound to you?

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Retro Mood, mainly metal mega-mix: Anthrax Black Sabbath Clash Def Leppard Iron Maiden Joy Division Judas Priest Mercyful Fate Metallica Ministry Motley Crue Motorhead Quiety Riot Sex Pistols Skinny Puppy Slayer THOR Twisted Sister Venom Vice City Radio -VRock with Laslow Voi Vod Witchfinder General. That kinda thing, last month was an 80s Pop and New Wave light and fluffy flashback. Coming up I'll probably go Techno, then Classical, then Jazz -- what can I say but I'm lovin' the eclectic variety.