Hierax

Hieraxian Bugbears Updated to 2nd Draft 2004-02-02 I just updated my version of Bugbears above (just overwrote the 1st draft since no one commented on it).

What "Everyman" Skills do you give for free in your Fantasy Hero campaign? How much of a difference do you give between different races/species, cultures, etc.? Do you give different races, cultures the same number of free everyman skill points to work with? How do you decide which skills to make as "everyman" and which ones to charge points for in the racial and/or cultural packages?

Ogre and Half-Ogre (Hieraxian) Webpage Update I've updated the write-ups on Ogres and Half-Ogres: http://www.hierax.com/hero/fantasy/grey/updates.html I'm not going to bother uploading the .hdt files to the boards anymore since they don't seem to get downloaded much. If you want them just replace the ".pdf" of the file name with ".hdt" when you are looking at the files on my site and it'll bring up the template if there is one available. I was able to work in pretty much all of the feedback except for reducing the rDEF as upon further comparisons I have to have Ogres be tougher than some of the lesser creatures in the humanoid continuum, so rDEF is staying at 4; with this, full-blooded Ogres take 4 Average (Standard Effect) hits to Kill with a 3d6 Killing Attack, and Half-Ogres take 2 of the same hits to kill; approximately 8 hits and 3 hits respectively for 2d6K; with "Advantaged" magical attacks (e.g., Armor Piercing and/or Penetrating), the number of hits to kill can be further reduced); all in all Ogres (and Half-Ogres) are pretty bloody tough but not impossible to kill, looks like a good solid challenge, let me know how they work out for you if you adapt them to your game... In addition to addressing the issues brought up in the feedback, I've done some other extensions as well. but by no means a final version but they should be usable "as is" now, I'll move on to other monsters now and revise it sometime down the road based on whatever feedback I get it the future...

As for the Mages, the beauty of the HERO System is that you can Limit the powers in any way that you see fit. Making them have a DEX penalty linked to DEF works. Another way is giving their Spells Activation (or Requires a Skill Roll) and nasty Side Effect when wearing armor can also be discouraging yet not totally exclusionary. If you are already using RSR you could make unarmoured an easy skill roll, lightly armoured (1-2 rDEF) a normal skill roll, and moderately heavily armoured (3-4 rDEF) a difficult skill roll, and not let heavily armoured (5+ rDEF) cast at all. For Mage armouring spells, if you feel that they make them too invulnerable, give them an Activation roll so make them not be able to fully rely on it as unerring defence but still be useful. There's tons of ways to make Armour work and not work for mages in the HERO system, the trick is finding the right way for your own campaign.

FWIW, I make Magical Weapons "Penetrating" and Magical Armour "Hardened". That way a Magical Weapons can get through even high DEF normal Armour. One thing about HERO that is different than some other systems is that Armour doesn't have to protect all locations equally, using the Armour Coverage rules and Hit Locations makes specifically targettd called shots a way through. Look at Fantasy pictures and very few people are full plate encased tanks, this solution works for them. Giving some weapons (e.g., pick) Armor Piercing (or the old Piercing) can help too. Find Weakness is also helpful for overcoming armor. Don't forget about attacks that don't do damage -- grappling, nets, etc. Those are just a few ways around heavy DEF armoured characters, I'm sure the more experienced folk on the boards have more suggestions.

Actually, Ed, the PDFs are quite easy (if you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat): I do up the character in HERO Designer, hit the Export button, Open the .RTF in Word, Hit the Acrobat button, and upload the file. The real time-consuming part is making the .RTF file with the proper format and HD XML tags, but after that infrastructure is set up is is simple. The idea is to have sheets suitable for printing and putting in a binder. And the HD Exporting saves me from the old way I did it of manually doing everything in word to get the look I wanted. Still some tweaking to go with the Export Template but it's ~90% there. Good luck with the interview! Hey, get a job that pays twice as much so you only have to work half as much and have even more time to create nice Hero stuff for us!

Half-Orc Update Half-Orcs are likewise included with .pdf, .hdt, and .hdc files: http://www.hierax.com/hero/fantasy/grey/updates.html The file is basically ready to use as a PC/NPC race -- for a 150 point game just add 125 points of custom options ... KillerShrike's site has many such package combos available.

FWIW, the goal of my Orc conversion was to see what HERO could do with one of the most standard xD&D monsters to make it have a more logical and unique flavour. I asked what is it that makes Orcs different than humans in the source material and how might this be logically extended using the richer HERO System? I figured that when it came down to it, Orcs were survivors of the inhospitable wastelands -- underground caverns, rock-strewn, volcanic plains, deserts, windswept tundra, infested swamps, overgrown woodlands, or whathaveyou. They needed to be strong and tough to survive in harsher conditions that some of the other races (as per the Cosmic Mythology about the origins of the Orcs). They could see in the dark was established so I linked that to a real world example of good ability to see in the dark; they had pig-like noses so I made that prominent feature embematic of enhanced sense; they lived in filth and squallor so I thought that they should be more resistant to dirty places infested by all sorts of nasty vermin, insects, snakes, etc. Basically, since they should be able to stand to live in more extreme environments than humans, they needed to have abilities with in-game effects that let them do so. Do you think that the abilities of my write-up sufficiently get this idea across? Is there better ways to express these things in game terms? Do you see Orcs differently? Anway, thanks for all of the feedback it has all helped.

Orc Webpage Update with .hdt and .hdc Ok, I've done a quick update to the GreyHero webpage, as always, you can find the updates list here: http://www.hierax.com/hero/fantasy/grey/updates.html Orcs are now available as .pdf, .hdt, and .hdc Further feedback, corrections, etc. are still always appreciated... Half-Orc to follow...

Yeah, I'm just doing final edits/conversions on Orcs and Half-Orcs and should have a suitable version 1.0 of them ready for export for the website by the end of the weekend. FWIW, I put the files up as .pdf (e.g., orc.pdf) but will try to remember to put up orc.hdt and/or orc.hdc as well, I'm not going to put links up for them, just change the extension in the location bar of your browser when I upload them and it should bring it up, if not e-mail me to remind me to put the .hdt there too. I would have had them done earlier but I've been tweaking my .RTF Export Template so I can make the .PDFs with less effort. Slows me down in the short term but should streamline production in the long-term, I'll never be able to crank 'em out at Shrike level quantity but I'll try to put up a few here and there when I have time.

Trigger - Death of Draconian, RKA AoE or Explosion. Some were a fireball-like thing. Some encased the weapon in the petrified flesh (maybe even 'stoning' it too) Transform. The magic-using ones might have a dispel or supress AoE or Explosion. I'd have to dig out the old books and take a look but, regardless, with Hero a lot more effects could be created to expand upon the source material.

Since you mentioned a dice roller what came to my mind was things like SPD, the various dice of the various attack types (STR, martial arts, weapons, powers, etc.), OCV, DCV, CSLs, all the numerical stuff that needs to be taken into account for dice rolling. Hope I didn't misinterpret what the program does, again, I haven't checked it out yet.

Ed "KIller Shrike" Hastings wrote: I think it would be useful to have separate fields for NCM, but by default have them go up/down by the starting modifier like you have now. I'm finding that sometimes it make sense to have the increase or the decrease of the NCM be a bit different than the modifier. FWIW, right now, I'm playing with the idea of making the negative modifiers double reduce the NCM for some races -- e.g., Orcs and Ogres having a 6 INT is a -4 modifier, which by default give them a NCM of 16, but with double they get a NCM of 12 which really keeps them normally within the Low-Average-Very INT range (5-12) and makes it really rare for them to be "Highly" (13+) INT+. Anyway, that's neither here nor there, but it would still be useful sometimes to be able to set the NCM apart from the modifier. It's already a great time-saving tool, this would just make it even better. http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/GreyHEROContent/RacePackageDeals/NCMExport/NCMExport.asp Thanks!

It's been several years since I looked at Dragonlance, but didn't the Draconians blow-up or turn to stone or something nasty that was different for each type. I dunno it might have been just a house rule of the DM, it's been a while.

I've never used it before, but I think if you could get it to import Hero Designer Character information that would be great.

Amazon.com used to have it, I ordered the 2nd one from them when it came out after having to get the 1st one from the UK but looks like the US one doesn't have it anymore. Those two Fantasy Masterworks books are great. Don't forget to check your local used book stores (or e-bay) as an alternatives to ordering from the UK and paying the shipping and possibly customs fees). Steve, any chance of you doing a Digital Hero article on a write-up of your version of Conan -- or making a guest columnist of your friend, since he plays Champions...

Sorry, I uploaded old version last time, here's the current one for comment.

Hieraxian Half-Orc - Second Draft UpdateHere's the second draft write-up for Half-Orcs: http://www.hierax.com/hero/fantasy/grey/monster/orc-half.pdfI've fixed the PRE problem (as outlined by other recent messages to these boards); added initial "Everyman Skills"; changed Infravision to Nightvision/Darkvision (but with the cost corrected to fix the FRED error); fixed/fleshed out the powers of Life Support Immunities; given more detailed Disadvantages, etc...Orc-Half (Standard 25-Point Warrior) Val Char Cost 13 STR 3 9 DEX -3 13 CON 6 10 BODY 0 8 INT -2 8 EGO -4 13 PRE 3 8 COM -1 4 PD 1 4 ED 1 2 SPD 1 6 REC 0 26 END 0 25 STUN 1 6" RUN02" SWIM02 1/2" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 6Cost Power END 1 Tough Skin: Damage Resistance (1 PD/1 ED) 1 Darkvision: +2 PER with Normal Sight (2 Active Points); Limited Power Only to Counteract Darkness Modifiers (-1/2) 1 Darksight: Sight Group Flash Defense (2 points) (2 Active Points); Limited Power (Only vs. Darkness-based Attacks) (-1) 1 Smell-O-Rama Snout: +1 PER with Normal Smell 1 Stench Guard Snout/Tasteless Tongue: Smell/Taste Group Flash Defense 2 Stamina: Naked Modifier - on 10 STR, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (2 Active Points) 1 Efficient Metabolism: Life Support (Custom Adder; Eating Character only has to eat Twice per week; Sleeping Character only has to sleep 16 hours per week) 1 Thin Air Adapted Lungs: Life Support (Extended Breathing) 2 Disease Resistant: Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) (10 Active Points); 25% Immunity, Only 75% Effect From, i.e., Reduced Effect by 1/4 (-3) 2 Poison Resistant: Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents) (10 Active Points); 25% Immunity, Only 75% Effect From, i.e., Reduced Effect by 1/4 (-3) 1 Pressure Resistant: Life Support (Safe in High Pressure; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum) (3 Active Points); 25% Immunity, Only 75% Effect From, i.e., Reduced Effect by 1/4 (-3) 1 Temperature Resistant: Life Support (Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat) (4 Active Points); 25% Immunity, Only 75% Effect From, i.e., Reduced Effect by 1/4 (-3) Powers Cost: 15Cost Skill 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons 0 Acting 8- 0 Climbing 8- 0 Concealment 8- 0 Conversation 8- 0 Deduction 8- 0 AK: Home Country or Region 8- 0 Language: Orc (Euroz) (completely fluent) (3 Active Points) 0 Language: Common (Aerdian or Other Human Trade Tongue) (completely fluent) (3 Active Points) 0 KS: Mining 8- 0 Paramedics (Healing) 8- 0 Persuasion 8- 0 PS: Warrior (Everyman Skill) (Custom Adder) 11- 0 Shadowing 8- 0 Stealth 8- 0 Survival 8- 0 TF: Custom Adder, Equines 0 KS: Weaponsmithing 8- Skills Cost: 4Cost Equipment END 0 Insert Equipment or Optional Powers, Skills, etc. here: Custom Power Equipment costs shown above are for reference only, and are not included in Total Cost.Val Disadvantages 0 Base Points 5 Distinctive Features - Half-Orc: Sub-Human looking, snoutish nose, squinting reddish-pinkish irises with small beady black pupils, course black hair, leathery discolored skin. (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures) 0 Enraged: If don't get what they want, tend to resort to violence (Uncommon), go 8-, recover 14-, Custom Adder 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima - Half-Orc 0 NCM: 23 STR, 18 DEX, 23 CON, 20 BODY, 16 INT, 16 EGO, 23 PRE, 16 COM, 10 PD, 10 ED, 4 SPD, 12 REC, 56 END, 55 STUN (Limit for buying at Normal Cost, x2 Above this up to ACM). 0 ACM (Absolute Characteristic Maxima): 33 STR, 28 DEX, 33 CON, 30 BODY, 26 INT, 26 EGO, 33 PRE, 26 COM, 20 PD, 20 ED, 8 SPD, 24 REC, 112 END, 110 STUN (Absolute Maximum Limit without Magical Enhancement). 0 Hunted: Half-Breed haters (Orc-haters in Human Society, Human-haters in Orc Society) 8- (Less Pow, Mildly Punish) 5 Psychological Limitation: Selfish - tend to do whatever they have to do to get what they want (Uncommon, Moderate) 5 Physical Limitation: Arcane Inhibition - Limited Potential for Learning Wizardly Magic (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Achromatopsia (Partial Cone Colorblindness, Can only distinguish Bright Garish Colors and Many Shades of Grey, hard to see fine details) and Photophobia (slight discomfort in bright light, so prefer dim light) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation: Loud and Hard of Hearing: -1 Hearing PER Rolls (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 5 Physical Limitation - Short Lived (~66-75% of Human Norm; Young 12-15, Mature 16-30, Middle-Aged 31-45, Old 46-60, Venerable 61-80): (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 0 Reputation: Half-Breed (Filthy orc-blooded bastards in human society, weak human-blooded pansies in orc society), 8- (Known Only To A Small Group) 0 Rivalry: Professional (Anyone who wants what they want; Rival is Less Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry) 0 Social Limitation: Half-breed of traditionally enemy races, not fully accepted by either parent race [related to Distinctive Features] (Occasionally, Minor, Not Limiting In Some Cultures) 0 Susceptibility: Affected by both Anti-Orc and Anti-Human Attacks/Magics but only at Half-Power (Uncommon) 5 Vulnerability: Light-Based Flashes vs. Sight (Uncommon) Disadvantage Points: 55Base Points: 0Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 25 Height: 1.84 m Hair: Black Weight: 100.00 kg Eyes: Redish with Black Pupils Appearance: Half-Orcs are human-sized (~6' tall) but as a race they tend to be slightly more bestial and disgusting, both in appearance and behaviour than pure-blooded humans. Reddish eyes with black pupils.Personality: Almost as varied as humans but as a race they tend towards orcish attitudes. Half-Orcs human blood tempers their orcish heritage but it is still there and, unsurprisingly, creates orc-like tendencies among the half-breeds. Social upbringing will largely determine if the orcish or human tendencies come to the fore, there is always variation amongst individuals but the general tendencies need to be clear to make the race have a distinct flavour. Whatever allows you to defeat your enemies/competitors and survive to reproduce is what is right. Orcs are the ultimate Darwinists, life is all about survival of the fittest and the strongest. Orcs prove their strength by killing or enslaving the weak, since 'might makes right'. Orcish Divine Heritage Values: Strength, Night, War, Death/Disease, Fertility/Caves/Earth/Medicine, Survival/Darwinism, Scars. Quote:- 0e-RC.199; 1e-MM.76, 1e-PHB.17, DMG.13,40, UA.118-122; 2e-MM.281-282, CBoH.49-51; 3e-MM.146-147, 3e-PHB.18-19; HM-PHB-35-36, HM-HoB-v6.32-44, HoBv7.60-61, HM-DaDG.119.- Roger E. Moore "The Half-Orc Point of View" and "The Gods of the Orcs" Dragon Magazine #62 (June 1982) Reprinted in Best of Dragon Magazine #3 (July 1983) p.28-34. - Tolkienesque Orcs, Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Uruk-Hai: tCGtME.304-306, 404-405; RM/MERP: LoME-V3.84-101. - Rolemaster Orcs: Races and Cultures: Underground Races (1996). - Achromatopsia and the "Island of the Colorblind". - Hero: MMM.77-78, Senses H5e.105-108,226-231. Background: Half-Orcs are half-orc and half-human crossbreeds. In a way, half-orcs take the best of both parentages -- they are stronger and tougher than a human, and are smarter and more self-disciplined than an orc.Powers/Tactics: Almost as varied as humans. Orc-blooded characters tend to try to win by any means necessary but, given an equal choice, they prefer violence as up close and personal as possible as the solution, which, given their innate strength and toughness, is often the best choice for them anyways.Campaign Use: Archtypical sub-human semi-humanoid, often used when you need something nasty that is about human-sized but not quite human. Often used instead of just a "monster", they are, by far, the most common non-human/non-demi-human NPC and PC race.

Since Psychic Venom is Psionic it should be somehow related to Mental Powers: - it could be NND, Does Body - Not if have MD - or AVLD MD - or it could just be a linked EGO Attack

Stompy, what are you using as stats for your base Slivers? I'm interested to see how it turns out for you. When you get them worked out along with the bigger badder Slivers, please post them to this thread. Thanks!

Just in 'Real Life', Ed. I regularly play card and board games on Sunday nights. Sorry, I don't know anything about the online version; does it cost anything to play or to get the 'e-cards'? I've been lucky in being able to play Magic for free by having a friend donate a few thousand cards to me to suck me into the addiction, and cruising on X-Mas and B-Day money since. With my collector's mentality I just can't let myself get into buying the cards without wanting to have them all Slivers are one of those races/tribes that I've grown to love to hate but sooner or later I'll have to give in and build a Sliver deck. I used to hate elf-decks the same way, but they're only not-fun when you are on the receiving end. Mind you, I've tweaked my Black Knight deck to be a 'Sliver Killer' deck (the Sleight of Mind with the Paladins helps until they can't be targetted, but if any tribe deserves Extinction, Engineered Plague, and Tsabo's Decree, and Plague Wind, it is Slivers). Anyway, Slivers are a great menace to adapt to Hero, the resonating shared powers idea is pretty cool and gives a real incentive for everyone to join together to wipe them out before it is too late -- once they multiply and get together they are a very powerful threat that is hard to deal with, so kill 'em while you still can! With the Hero System you could give them a lot more great shared Powers and Advantages -- "All Slivers Get": - Armor Piercing - Penetrating - NND (be a sliver or pro color of sliver), Does Body - Desolidification = phasing - teleportation - ect. pretty much any Hero Power/Advantage combination, or raw Advantage could be worked into a wicked Sliver swarm. I don't know much about what the back-story is with Sliver though (if any) -- Anyone know more about them besides what is on the cards? Stompy, I'm interested in hearing how it goes with adapting these guys and using 'em in play.

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I appreciate the advice (both here and on the stone giant thread -- http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12431 ).

Yeah, Slivers are a nasty Tribe, to be sure. My most hated Magic foe. Here's a list of the little blighters, to aid in converting them: acidic sliver - BR Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2, Sacrifice this creature: This creature deals 2 damage to target creature of player." armor sliver - 2W Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2: This creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn." barbed sliver - 2R Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn." blade sliver - 2R Creature - Sliver 2/2 All Slivers get +1/+0. brood sliver - 4G Creature - Sliver 3/3 Whenever a Sliver deals combat damage to a player, its controller may put a 1/1 colorless Sliver creature token into play. clot sliver - 1B Summon Sliver 1/1 Each Sliver gains "2: Regenerate this creature." crypt sliver - 1B Creature - Sliver 1/1 All Slivers have ""TAP: Regenerate target Sliver. crystalline sliver - UW Summon Sliver 2/2 Slivers cannot be the target of spells or abilities. essence sliver - 3W Creature - Sliver 3/3 Whenever a Sliver deals damage, its controller gains that much life. heart sliver - 1R Summon Sliver 1/1 All Slivers are unaffected by summoning sickness. hibernation sliver - BU Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "Pay 2 life: Return this creature to owner's hand." horned sliver - 2G Summon Sliver 2/2 All Slivers gain trample. hunter sliver - 1R Creature - Sliver 1/1 All Slivers have provoke. (When a Sliver attacks, its controller may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able) magma sliver - 3R Creature - Sliver 3/3 All Slivers have "TAP: Target Sliver gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of Slivers in play." metallic sliver - 1 Artifact Creature 1/1 Metallic Sliver counts as a Sliver. mindwhip sliver - 2B Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2, Sacrifice this creature: Target player discards a card at random. Play this ability as a sorcery." mistform sliver - 1U Creature - Illusion Sliver 1/1 All Slivers have "1: This creature's type becomes the creature type of your choice in addition to its other types until end of turn." mnemonic sliver - 2U Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2, Sacrifice this creature: Draw a card." muscle sliver - 1G Summon Sliver 1/1 All Slivers get +1/+1. plated sliver - W Creature - Sliver 1/1 All Slivers get +0/+1. quick sliver - 1G Creature - Sliver 1/1 You may play Quick Sliver any time you could play an instant. Any player may play Sliver cards any time he or she could play an instant. root sliver - 3G Creature - Sliver 2/2 Root Sliver can't be countered. . Sliver spells can't be countered. shifting sliver - 3U Creature - Sliver 2/2 Slivers can't be blocked except by Slivers. sliver overlord - BUGRW Creature-Sliver Mutant Legend 7/7 3: Search your library for a Sliver card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. : Gain control of target Sliver. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.) sliver queen - BUGRW Summon Legend 7/7 Sliver Queen counts as a Sliver. 2: Put a Sliver token into play. Treat this token as a 1/1 colorless creature. sliver queen, brood mother - Enchant World 3: Put a Sliver token into play. Treat this token as a 1/1 colorless creautre. Your starting life total is now 28. spectral sliver - 2B Creature - Sliver 2/2 All Slivers have "2: This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn." spined sliver - GR Summon Sliver 2/2 If any Sliver is blocked it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature blocking it. synapse sliver - 4U Creature - Sliver 3/3 Whenever a Sliver deals combat damage to a player, its controller may draw a card. talon sliver - 1W Summon Sliver 1/1 All Slivers gain first strike. toxin sliver - 3B Creature - Sliver 3/3 Whenever a Sliver deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature. It can't be regenerated. victual sliver - GW Summon Sliver 2/2 Each Sliver gains "2, Sacrifice this creature: Gain 4 life." ward sliver - 4W Creature - Sliver 2/2 As Ward Sliver comes into play, choose a color. . All Slivers have protection from the chosen color. winged sliver - 1U Summon Sliver 1/1 All Slivers gain flying.

Something that has come up in doing various monster/race conversions is the issue of PRE. More specifically, what is the best way to buy PRE to simulate characters/creatures who are particularly large and or frightening. It seems from Steve's official write-ups and other people's on these boards that straight-up PRE is the generally preferred way. However, I was concerned that buying 'straight-up' PRE (i.e., as a Characteristic) for them would make Big Ugly Things have better PRE-Based Skill Rolls which really didn't seem fair. Of the PRE-based Skills -- Acting, Animal Handler, Bureaucratics, Conversation, High Society, Interrogation, Persuasion, Seduction, Streetwise, and Trading -- only Interrogation seems to be appropriate to be increased by things that are bigger and nastier (e.g., Orc, Ogre, Hill Giant, etc.). So, in response to this concern, I was buying the PRE as a Power limited to "Only for PRE Attacks". "Fire G0lem" pointed out hat So, what is the best way to handle/simulate the difference between a high PRE from being "Charismatic/Persuasive" (e.g., Elf Lord) vs. being "Big and/or Scary/Intimitading"? (e.g., Troll Lord) How do you distinguish between these two types of PRE?

Again, Agreed. Movement per Turn divided by the number of phases totally makes more sense that movement by SPD. Keeps the two things seperate and easier to stick to the pay-for-what-you-get premise of HERO.