mallet

A roll of 18 does mean an automatic miss, but that does not mean that the character couldn't (in some high powered situation) have a 23- or 27- or even higher chance to succeed. We see this on some of the official NPC's in the game (usually on skill rolls, but that doesn't mean it could also be for attack rolls). so if the house rules were that the character gets a critical hit by making the roll by 10 or more, and if their chance to succeed was 30- then any roll made (3-17) would be a critical success, except for a natural 18, which would mean an automatic failure. If their chance to succeed was 23- then anything between 3-13 would be a critical success, between 14-17 a normal success, and an 18- an automatic failure. In fact, as per the RAW, there are many spells that would basically require the caster to have a skill roll much higher then 17- to even hope to succeed on, given how many negatives can apply to high point cost spells. So the roll of 18 on 3d6 is just an arbitrary automatic failure number, that also makes logical sense since it is the highest number possible on 3d6, and it means you got 6,6,6, on you roll which for some is a very bad number, but statistically it is just as hard to roll 3 4's or 3'5 or whatever on 3d6. So once target numbers get beyond 18-, then you could just as easily say an automatic failure is when the character roll 3 2's or 3 4's or what-not as it wouldn't change the odds of success in games with target rolls that high.

For halflings I've general considered it as more then just "size" bonus, but rather a natural/special ability. Logically being smaller would only, maybe, make someone harder to notice visually and even then only if they are not moving. Eye's have evolved to notice motion much more then size, shape, etc... Just like you can easily notice a tiny fly moving by, or a bird swooping by even dozens of meters away. it is the motion that captures our attention, not the object itself. And we often do not notice someone who is motionless even if they are very close to us, the whole "Oh! I didn't see you there!" when you walk into a room and didn't notice the full sized person sitting quietly on the couch, or in the corner of the room, or standing right behind you. Also just being smaller doesn't mean that someone wouldn't make just as much or more noise then a regular sized person. A halfling in chainmail, with a backpack, sword and other adventuring gear would make almost as much noise as a normal sized human in chainmail, with a backpack and a sword, and a lot more noise then a normal sized mage only wearing robes and a few cloth pouches. And if you do think that the relative sizes of the characters does effect the noise they make, then it should scale based on relative sizes of the opponents. So then a Human would have +4 to Stealth when dealing with a Frost Giant or Dragon, and a Halfling might have +6 vs a Frost Giant or Dragon, etc... So, if you are trying to be more realistic, I wouldn't include this on the sheet or make them pay for it or anything, as then this would be a bonus all characters would get based on the size difference between them and the opponent when trying to use Stealth. But, I've never really wanted to do that as it doesn't simulate the source material, so I use the +2 Stealth and just consider it a special ability feature of the race that they are just naturally sneakier and more silent then other races, regardless of size. And in the Hero System, any ability that deviates from the "base template" either costs points or gives points, so they have to pay for the ability. As for the +2 DCV that is much the same. You can either treat it as a pure/logically "size" bonus, in which case it would not be effective vs other beings of the same size, so it shouldn't be paid for or even on the character sheet. A tiny Pixie might get +4 to hit a Halfling because it is so much larger then them, and a Frost Giant might have -6 to hit a halfling because it is so much smaller then them. But that is just base combat rules that apply to relative sizes of all characters fighting different size opponents. So no cost and nothing needs be written on the character sheet. Or you can say it is a natural/racial special ability so that Halfling are naturally harder to hit and it doesn't matter what the size of their opponent is for this bonus to work. In this case they can have the +2 DCV and it works no matter the relative size of their opponents. This would be an addition to any other natural, combat rules related size bonuses that effect every character in the game. And in such a case they would pay character points for it. So it comes down to whether you consider those abilities to be purely sized based, in which case points shouldn't be spent on them and they shouldn't even be on the character sheet as they are just normal combat and skill roll modifiers based on the relative size of the characters. Or are they natural racial special abilities in which case the character should pay points for them and work in addition to all the other size related combat and skill modifiers.

Just noticed that Steve hasn't answered any questions since the end of May. Just wondering if he is okay? Anyone know? Just worried these days with Covid still going strong everywhere.

Hmmmm, off the top of my head, I'd say that: The final "system" needs to allow at least two categories, People who believe in honor and People who don't. Any bonuses and benefits the system might give to someone for being a super honorable Samurai wouldn't mean squat to a slimy, non-honorable criminal. In fact it might have the opposite effect on someone like that. Even if the 90% of the entire population of the setting (good and bad people) believe in honor, there should always be some who find the notion silly, stupid or old-fashioned. As for the actual system, I think an ascending list/chart of bonuses/abilities the person gets the more "honorable" they become is a good way to go. Reputation, +PRE (only for intimidation/Commanding), Contacts, & Fringe Benefits would all be on the chart. I wouldn't make the chart very long or complex, maybe only 7-8 things in total. Maybe like: Rank 1 : +5 PRE (Only for intimidation/Commanding) Rank 2 : Right of Shelter Rank 3 : Reputation (+1/1d6) Rank 4 : another +5 PRE (Only for intimidation/Commanding) Rank 5 : Low Justice Rank 6 : Another rank in Reputation so now (+2/2d6) Rank 7 : Kirisutogomen Rank 8 : Another rank in Reputation so now (+3/3d6) Or something like that. Maybe certain skills would be needed to get to the higher ranks. For example you couldn't get Rank 5 (Low Justice) unless character spent some points to get the Skill "PS:Law" or something similar to represent they actually knew the laws of the land. And the Reputation bonuses would actually count as Negative Reputation vs the people/beings who don't believe in honor. Anyway, that is kind of I think it might go off the top of my head.

Well the random teleport/reappearing could be built with Teleportation and the "No Conscious Control (Only Effect Cannot be controlled) -1" limitation and a Trigger on it so that it activates when the reflective object breaks. So maybe a build like this: Random Getaway Teleportation 20m, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +1/4) (25 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1) RC: 12

Indirect Attack - Roof falls in on bad guy attacking him or statue falls over on bad guy Reflection (any target) - Attack aimed at him accidentally "misses" or bounces off his dagger or armor or something and hits another enemy Change Environment - Enemy has to roll or slip/trip, etc... because of a banana peel, or oil spill or whatnot.

Crushing Boots +10 STR; OIF (1/2), Only for "Stomping/Crushing" (-1) Real Cost:4 A variation on "Boots of Strength". Boots can be used to crush things underfoot. Not only people and enemies, but also logs, rocks, the floor, etc...

As to why Dragons might horde gold and wealth, be intelligent but not make/craft things: If dragons are intelligent and immortal (or very close to it) then maybe they are lazy? Why build things (cities, buildings, tables, chairs, etc...) when they will just eventually crumble and fall apart with age? Why mine and mint gold, silver, gems, etc...? Much simpler and easier to just let other beings make things and mine precious items and then just take it from them. Once all the lesser beings eventually die off and only the dragons remain then maybe they will use their horded wealth to fight among each other. Maybe not. But if your were an immortal being I think that your productivity would drop way, way down. Why do today something that you could do next year or next decade. Time would have no meaning. Then add to that that Dragons might be like big cats, who sleep most of the time, when hungry they hunt and eat, then sleep again. Knock things off shelves (destroy villages and towns) and chase mice (humans) for fun and then go back to napping. If you are immortal, super powerful and at the top of the planet's food chain you really don't have to get out of bed for years at a time if you don't want to, and when you do, you just take all the valuable stuff the less beings have spent those years making and crafting and bring it back to your horde and then go back to napping again.

It also doesn't have all the spells and gear. It is the way to make the spells and gear, etc... but you have to manually do it or buy add on packs that have those things already pre-made and install it into the program.

I find I don't mind zombies nearly as much in a fantasy rpg as I do in modern time movies and tv. They can be a major threat and scary if/when an evil wizard/necromancer raises all the dead villagers in a small town he just had slaughtered by his goons and sets them loose on the surrounding countryside. Players are trapped in an inn or barn and have to stay alive until dawn (when the zombies collapse back to being dead) or escape the area before they are eaten. Fun times for everyone.

As per Book of the Empress, that must be me mis-remembering. I thought that an option in the Kickstarter was that there would be at least some hardcovers for it.

Not sure if they are early 6th or very late 5th, but there were also Book of the Machine (all about Mechanon), and Book of the Empress. In fact I think Book of the Machine was the last 5th ed book and Book of Empress was 6th ed. But both were hardcover and full color and very nice. The Ultimate Base is 6th ed (originally planned for 5th ed) and I think was actually the first 6th book to come out because it was released right at the transition, I have it in softcover but not sure if a hardcover was done for it.

Maybe a cataclysm of some sort happens. massive earthquake, tsunami, or "star falls from the heavens" and "reshapes" the map, as it were. Lakes or ocean side cities are now in desert or marsh, massive canyons opened up, mountains rise or fall, etc... Survivors (including the players) have to rebuild and struggle to survive, fending off bandits and outlaws that have sprung up in the wake of the event. Also have to discover why it happened. Could be natural, but might be better if the cultists or demons caused it as part of their plans. Maybe the Gods caused it as a punishment or test. Could be a sign of magic reawakening in the world. Maybe orcs or goblins or other evil beings are released from their "prisons" beneath the lands, or the undead begin to walk the land. Also might uncover "sunken cities" that are now on dry land because the ocean receded giving new places to adventure and explore. You play enough that you could build up to it over a few sessions. Weather changes, or small tremors happening. Players hear the cultists are planning something major, and try to stop them (which takes them away from their kingdom) but they don't do it time and fail to stop the badguys, but are fortunate enough to be just far enough away from the main disaster zone so that is how they survive (cultists didn't want to die in the disaster either so they did the ritual just outside the disaster zone).

Fantasy Hero 6th ed. already has the Fearless talent in it: Fearless Effect: Power Defense (20 points) and Mental Defense (20 points), Only To Resist Fear Description: The character possesses such great courage that virtually nothing can terrify him — not even fear-spells or demonic fear-auras. In game terms, this counts as 20 points of Mental Defense and Power Defense that only apply against fear-generating powers (such as Drain PRE, Mind Control, and Change Environment; see page 414). Generally, the GM should rule that this provides absolute immunity to fear (via the Absolute Effect Rule), but he may allow some strong fear attacks to overcome the defenses in the usual manner. Game Information: Power Defense (20 points) (20 Active Points); Only To Resist Fear (-2) (total cost: 7 points) plus Mental Defense (20 points) (20 Active Points); Only To Resist Fear (-2) (total cost: 7 points). Total cost: 14 points.

If you were creating the whole world from scratch maybe you would create it with the rule that all powers/special abilities must be built using an Endurance Reserve to power them, this would be their "Chi". Then this character's drain would be on that Endurance Reserve, not the powers themselves. *Note: The only Avatar I've seen involved blue aliens.

Hero 6th Ed, vol.1 pg. 381. Normal Gestures are done with one hand, Complex Gestures require both hands.

Not the only one. Well, I think they are fine as an optional rule, like Hit Locations, to maybe be used in Heroic Games but not in most Super Hero settings.

I would think because that if it is unbalancing to the game then it shouldn't be available/allowed no matter what the cost of it is. So just making it more expensive via NCM doesn't solve the issue, it just makes it less attractive to some players, but not all of them. Just like most GM's wouldn't allow someone to buy 8 levels of Combat Luck for 48 pts, giving them 24 rPD and rED right out of char gen.

I agree. Templates in Affinity would be fantastic.

Not full maps, but some of the best sketches I could find of Hedeby (Haithabu) one of the largest known viking towns. All pulled from here: https://haithabu.de/en/history

https://www.bbc.co.uk/reel/playlist/secret-worlds?vpid=p08b8d1n&ocid=ww.social.link.email

Yeah, I've never bothered to stat out ships or anything in my games. Never seemed to be any point to it. If ship to ship combat happens I make it up on the spot based on character rolls and actions and what makes dramatic sense and is fun. For example one way I've tried it and worked pretty well was in a sci-fi game where the players were the crew of one ship and were fighting another ship. The players all had different roles on board, and same with the NPC's on the other starship. So I just made it that each turn they made Opposing Skill Rolls vs their counterparts on the other ship. Tactics vs tactic for the Captains, system operations vs system operations for engineers, Navigation vs navigation for the navigators, combat piloting vs combat piloting for the pilots, etc... and then added up the total of combined successes for each side, per turn. First side to reach 15 successes above the other side won the battle (there were a couple of more rules, like if one side lost all the rolls in one turn then they were all at -1 for their rolls the next turn, or they could try and make complementary skills rolls based on Luck or Invention skill or something similar to represent coming up with a great "idea" at the last moment like in Star Trek, etc...) . This was so much more fun and involving for all the players, then having one person roll OCV combat checks and damage and so on and working out range and speed and DCV and on and on. It was a team based effort with everyone rooting on the other players. It also added some fun detail to the battle because if one turn the Pilot made a super roll and trounced the opposing pilot it meant that the ship had made a great maneuver and gotten behind the other ship or something, same if the Engineer readily beat the other engineer it meant he/she was able to "boost the power to the guns" for one turn or something like that. But then, I've played with the same core group of friends (more or less) for the last 15 years and we are all on the same page for how much detail we want or like in our games. Obviously different groups and individuals will feel differently about it.

I once ran a Weird West campaign where I built a bunch of pre-made powers and abilities the players could buy. One of them was called "Back in Black". It was basically a "get out of death" power. Resurrection Healing with triggers and a bunch of limitations, etc... to make it cheap. It was a one use ability (once used it was gone for good; one charge never recovers) but could be re-bought with xp. But one of the limitations was a side-effect where whenever a player came back from the dead using this ability they gained a new complication that altered their character in some dark/sinister way. Some examples were: Will now only dress in black clothing, can only speak in a whisper, the killing wound never fully heals (no loss of BODY, but always seeping/bleeding, needs to always be bandaged), crows are always circling nearby, etc... (there were a bunch more, but i can't remember them right now). So basically the Players could come back from death (if they bought the ability each time), but each time they did they would become darker, and darker and more ominous as their complications kept adding up.

Didn't want to Edit the last post, so doing another one. Sorry for two posts in a row. One of the things I remember form the movies is that they always say stuff like "It's not the car, it's the driver" and you put any of the lead characters behind the wheel of any car and they can make it do amazing things. So maybe focus on that, not only stuff in my last post, maybe also have stuff like Aid (increase movement, only for car they are driving), Resistant Protection (only for the car they are driving), etc... I mean by the time they got to the 4th or 5th movie they are basically super heroes so nothing wrong (and it is probably right and fitting for the genre) to allow them to build powers to simulate so much of what they do in the movies.

Although it unfortunately never got released for 6th Ed, the Ultimate Vehicle for 5th edition has a lot of extra vehicle combat stuff that might be helpful to make the combat driving more interesting and would be easily adaptable to 6th ed. But as to your question, I think since vehicle combat, driving and stunts are going to be such a major part of the game you should use Hero to create what you want to see/experience. Maybe create some new skills like: Vehicle Stunts, Fast Driving, Fast Turns, Vehicle Jumps, Off Road, Chasing (both to follow someone and lose someone following them), Etc... And the players have to buy all these skills and they can by levels in each of them to start and as they progress. This will allow some of them to specialize in different aspects of driving and use them to their advantage. And make things different and challenging in situations. Maybe keep Combat Driving as the "control skill" (so no one can have any of the sub-skills higher then their Combat Driving skill) and they roll Combat Driving either only in situations where no other skill might apply or as a complementary skill roll to the other rolls in special situations. And then maybe modify some of the other skills to be driving related. For example, allow the Teamwork Skill to be used in driving to coordinate special stunts (two cars towing a giant safe down a city street and working together to use it to take out the cars chasing them, or one car spinning and facing the other teammates car coming up behind them, and using their car as a ramp so the teammates car can use the "ramp car" to make a jump, or when a passenger has to jump from one car to the other) You can make some Talents like: Damaged Driver (gives penalty skill levels when driving a damaged car), or modify Deadly Blow so that it makes the car do extra damage when ramming another vehicle. Some powers might be: Hood Holding (Clinging, but only for staying atop a moving vehicle), Drive Thru (Tunneling but only for driving car car through a wall or building without taking damage), Slow Down (Drain vehicle movement but only by hitting the other car first), Smoke Screen (Darkness, but only by spinning the wheels of the car and burning the rubber). This is all off the top of my head, but you get the idea. There could/can be tons of great ways to build up and make a game like this really fun and cool, including adding in maneuvers and driving martial Arts like dmjalund suggests.