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Re: Damage: Realistic vs. Epic I appreciate the responses! And I just noticed something in Fantasy Hero page 159 (Hit Locations) that might be worth mentioning. Two methods are offered to simulate deadlier damage-- "You can use the Disabling/impairing rules to get around this, but those rules are a little complicated".----I'm still learning the combat system and don't know what this sentence is referring to yet, but will check it out later this evening. "As a simpler option for more "realistic" campaigns, try this instead: double the BODYx Column of the Hit Location Chart for Killing Damage attacks."

I’m new to the Hero System, and I’m still studying the rules (so please forgive me if I’m missing something obvious). So far I’m very impressed with its versatility. It seems to be a good system for smash-them-up epic battles during which combatants suffer large amounts of damage and keep getting up for more. While I can appreciate the role-playing entertainment value of not killing off the player’s characters every time an NPC starts shooting a revolver, I also appreciate having the option of adding a gritty realism to my games (e.g. a goblin waves a spear, and it’s actually threatening). For obvious reasons I find myself comparing HS to GURPS, a system I respect for its realism—at least in regards to the value of damage. Is there an optional rule that makes Killing Damage more deadly? I’ve noticed the Hero System Combat book on the game store shelf, but haven’t leafed through it yet—perhaps it contains some ideas?)?

I meant- ((STR) + (v/5)d6 for a Move By attack that causes Normal Damage and DOES NOT involve the use of a weapon. A character with STR 20 and a velocity of 15†would attain 7d6. Normal doubling rules do not apply. not 8d6...

I’ve been trying to understand the rules regarding adding damage. Bare with me, I’m not the sharpest bowling ball in the toolbox. On page 406 (Revised), the example of a Move By, the equation for Fastbreak’s extra damage involves halving his STR but there is no apparent mention why his STR is halved. I looked for clarification on the next page—there was no mention of it in either the Movement Adding To Normal Damage or Movement Adding to Killing Damage entries (this second of which uses a sword as an example). In Movement Adding To Weapon Damage, there is mention of halving STR if a weapon is involved. Is there no mention of this halving of STR in the Movement Adding to Killing Damage entry because the sword used in that example was purchased as HKA with an OAF? Is “weapon†by definition at least in regards to the Movement Adding To Weapon Damage entry only refer to weapons in Heroic Campaigns (not purchased with Character Points)? If so why is Fastbreak (a Superheroic character) using such a weapon? Why is FastBreak’s STR halved? Are we to assume that Fastbreak is using a weapon that does Normal Damage? Otherwise wouldn’t he get his full STR if he was just punching his opponent? Do we not halve the STR for a HKA bought with character points and the OAF Limitation? So far I understand the rules as illustrated by the following examples of a Move By (these list total damage not just extra damage, they do not adhere to the “double-dipping†option mentioned under STR and Maneuvers Combined): ((STR) + (v/5)d6 for a Move By attack that causes Normal Damage and DOES NOT involve the use of a weapon. A character with STR 20 and a velocity of 15†would attain 8d6. Normal doubling rules do not apply. ((STR) + (v/5)DC for a Move By attack that causes Killing Damage and DOES NOT involve the use of a weapon (as per the assumed definition above). A character with STR 20 a HKA of 1d6+1 base damage (a 4 DC attack) and a velocity of 15†could add his STR for an additional 4 DCs (making the attack 2 ½ d6), but he cannot extra 3 DCs for his velocity because 8 DCs is the max he can increase damage for this attack due the “characters cannot more than double the base Damage Classes†rule. If his STR was lower he might benefit from his velocity but in this case he doesn’t. ((STR/2) + (v/5)d6 or ((STR/2) + (v/5)DC (in the case of Killing Damage) for a Move By attack involving the use of weapons (not purchased with Character Points). A character with STR 20 an axe that does 2d6 STR Minimum of 13 (a 6 DC weapon?) and a velocity of 15†could add 7 points of his STR for an additional 1 DC (making the attack 2d6+1 = DC 7), and then an additional 3 DCs for his velocity making the attack 10 DCs or 3d6+1. The max amount for this attack (in regards to the doubling rules) would be DC 12 or 4d6. Clearly I’m confused. I just hope it doesn’t rub off on to anyone else.

Re: Killing Damage DCs Thanks for the responses! I appreciate it!

On the Damage Class Table (page 403 of the Revised Edition) in the Killing Damage column many of the DCs have two entries, for example DC 2 has 1/2d6, 1d6-1. I can’t tell which entry to use. In the two separate examples (both on page 407) of a knife and a dagger’s damage (weapons of Brak the Barbarian and Chan Hseng) one is listed as doing 1d6-1 while the other is listed as doing 1/2d6. They both have DCs of 2 yet 1d6-1 seems better than 1/2d6. Help?