Christopher R Taylor

I've never done it but I worked out how to play Hero with funny dice, using d100 for skills and to hit. Its a pretty simple conversion, although it makes building powers a lot more complex (such as pricing different dice... what is a d4 blast worth and how do you work out the body?)

Some GM Tips would be good too. Stuff like: -Always be vague and imprecise in your descriptions; don't use absolutes. So instead of saying "you see an empty room" say "you see a room that appears empty." Don't say "you killed the orc" say "the orc falls down and seems to be dead." That way, when things aren't as they seem, players don't feel tricked and you have room to maneuver for the story and entertainment. -Be more descriptive. Tell the players more of what they see in more dramatic terms; you are setting the scene. If you go too far, the players will let you know but everyone will get a kick out of it. -Ham it up. Give the different creatures unusual voices, act out their gestures, give them dynamic, even flamboyant personalities. Being laughed at is okay here, because your job is to entertain. -Try to end each session with a feeling of accomplishment or movement. Even if its a cliffhanger, make sure the players feel that they've gotten somewhere and accomplished something moving toward their goals. Otherwise the game feels pointless and without direction, even if it is going somewhere. -Try to give each character a chance to shine each adventure at least once. If one character is a technician, give them a chance to solve something using their skills. -Try to give each player a chance to have the spotlight and shine each adventure as well. Try to key your stories and encounters in ways that they like to solve things, enjoy, and do well. -Use rewards to encourage behavior more than punishment. Giving extra xps for good role playing will encourage it more than penalizing people for not doing it. -Be willing to fudge the dice if it makes everything more fun. The purpose of the game is not to tell your story or make you feel good but for everyone to have fun. -Learn from your players. Their guesses, comments, and interplay will give you ideas. Remember them and work them in; they're telling you the stuff they would like to see. -If you have to capture or defeat the characters, try to do it "off stage" so the game starts "OK you were captured by Parthian raiders and are naked in a slave cart, what do you do?" rather than playing out the miserable failure. People hate to fail and lose in RPGs because a lot of us play to get AWAY from a life where that happens all too often. -Be willing to bend and change. If your story runs into a wall, change it so the players can get through it. Your perfect mystery might be great for you but maybe not the players you have. -Always be willing to teach people how to play and learn the game. Be a salesman for your system and game. The best way to learn to GM is to sit under a good GM and see what they do, but this couldn't hurt.

Gotta be pretty good to have an air freshener around. They don't do well in daylight but in a castle it might be handy to keep the miasma away

Today's offering is a bit less awful; not every monster is an enemy and in this case if treated well could be an asset to the adventurers Cloud Beetle Val Char Cost 10 STR 0 13 DEX 6 8 CON -2 10 BODY 0 3 INT -7 5 EGO -5 10 PRE 0 5/7 PD 3 3/5 ED 1 3 SPD 10 4 REC 0 20 END 0 14 STN -3 14m RUN 2 4m SWIM 0 0m LEAP -2 Characteristics Cost: 5 Cost Power 17 Cloud: Life Support (Breathe safely in foul or poisonous air), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Usable As Attack (+2 1/4), all targets standing within AE of Grantor (17 Active Points) 10 Cloud: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing) 6 Shell: Resistant Protection (2 PD/2 ED) 8 Bite: Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6 (10 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4) 10 Climbing: Clinging (normal STR) 6 Keen Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 5 Antennae: Discriminatory with Smell/Taste Powers Cost: 62 Total Character Cost: 68 Pts. Complications 15 Physical Complication: Animal Intelligence (Infrequently; Greatly Impairing) 15 Physical Complication: No Fine Manipulatory Ability (Infrequently; Greatly Impairing) 15 Physical Complication: Diminutive (Frequently; Slightly Impairing) Complication Points: 45 Base Points: 72 Ecology: Cloud Beetles are very large insects that can be found only underground. They eat fungus and certain minerals, living alone and meeting occasionally to breed and lay a few dozen eggs. Cloud Beetles only live a few years, and are usually easy prey for creatures but are treasured by miners and dwellers in the Underdeeps. Generally Cloud Beetles are encountered as singles, or occasionally in pairs or with a few young but do not swarm like other beetles. Although Cloud Beetles are fragile, they are so treasured by some underground creatures (especially in the Underdeeps) they are more common than they would be if left to their own abilities to survive. A Cloud Beetle is more likely to be encountered in areas of toxic air than others, because they retreat and thrive in places that other creatures cannot. A Cloud Beetle can avoid predators by living in places their enemies avoid. Personality/Motivation: Cloud Beetles are simple animals after food and shelter like any animal. They are not aggressive at all, and only bite in self defense or if frightened. A Cloud Beetle can become fond of someone if fed and cared for well enough, and will tend to stay with someone who provides it with protection and regular food. Powers/Tactics: The primary power that a Cloud Beetle is famous for is the aura of pure air that they generate around them: clean, breathable, clear oxygen and neutral gasses that purifies any smell or toxin, impurity or dangerous gas. This aura is centered on the Cloud Beetle and moves with them, lingering a very short period before surrendering to the nearby air. The Beetle its self generates oxygen internally and can breathe in any conditions, but the aura only purifies air. In combat, the beetle will bite with its powerful mandibles and rely on its shell to protect its self, but it will flee if seriously harmed (half body damage taken or more) and try to find somewhere too small for its attacker to enter, too high for them to reach, or too dangerous for them to follow. Campaign Use: Cloud Beetles are used as pets by several underground races, adhering a leash to their sealed shell and feeding them fungus. The Beetles are content to stay close to the food and if not ill treated will not resent the leash. Their shells are also considered beautiful and used in jewel crafting; a single Cloud Beetle can bring as much as 1d6 silver for their shell. Finally Cloud Beetles have a fluid in their abdomen that will cure a single disease, but obtaining this naturally kills the beetle. The fluid does not store well, spoiling in a matter of d6 hours. Appearance: Cloud Beetles are a light blue and silver color, about a foot or a foot and a half in length at most. Their shell emits a constant cloud of bluish mist that dissipates in the air quickly, making them hazy and misty at all times when alive.

It does bring up some concerns about the cost of block in martial arts, though, since its harder to pull off. And if you have a high OCV, chances are you're going to hit a high DCV and hence be tougher to block.

I'm not finished rebuilding the G series, I got 2 done but stalled on the third because life got in the way. Hopefully I can do that one at least and finish out the trilogy. Because my world doesn't have a heinz 57 progression of giants, I started with Ogres and I tried to add a bit more story and context to the modules. As tournament games they were pretty spare and isolated.

They all seem to have a psych comp about thugs coming to beat you up when hired by someone. They just run for the hills in terror - or were paid off.

Here's a sample spell to give an idea what you can find in The Fantasy Codex: ALACRITY EFFECT: Lowers the casting time on a spell by one step Active Cost: 12 Real Cost: 5 Spell Roll: -2 END Cost: (4) - the spell costs 4 END to start and 0 to maintain, unless changed. Casting Time: Phase Focus: OAF Range: Personal Gesture: both hands Incantation: yes Side Effect: yes Concentrate: ½ DCV Some spells take quite a while to cast, and in combat this can be a liability. Alacrity enchants the caster’s focus to speed up spell casting, and some mages keep it in place at all times. The magic of Alacrity is channeled through the focus the mage selects when the spell is learned. Alacrity reduces extra time limitations by one step, so a full turn casting becomes a phase, a six minute casting time is reduced to one minute, and so on. A spell cannot have a casting time reduced to less than a zero phase action. POWERS: Reduces time of spell casting by 1 step down the time chart on up to 40 active point spells MODIFIERS: Costs END Only to Start (+1/4); Bonus (-1), OAF (-1), Gesture (-1/4), Incantation (-1/4), Extra Time Full Phase (-1/4), Concentrate ½ DCV (-1/4), Side Effect 2d6 stun only and 3d6 flash (-1/2) [+1/4; -3 3/4] ACTIVE / REAL COST FOR OTHER MASTERY: Novice: 20 active pts=6/1; 30=9/2 Apprentice: 50 active pts=15/3; 60=19/4; 70=21/4 Journeyman: 80=25/5; 90=27/6; 100=31/6; 110=34/7; 120=37/8; 130=40/8; 140=44/9; 150=46/10

Justice League is the same way, they can't really be messed with on any level except extreme raw power. And good luck with that. For all the power of the Avengers, they always have had to worry about paying the bills and angering the government. Interesting to me that the extremes of super gritty and dark/humorous are doing the worst. I'm not fond of either extreme really and it seems like most others here feel the same way.

I had a terrific origin of a Viper's Nest and cool setup for it in an old Champions campaign, but unfortunately it fell apart before I was able to run the entire storyline. It could make a fun longer city adventure string people could drop into their campaign. I prefer longer adventure chains like that to be modular, so you can spread them out between other stories and adventures or run them in a row if you want. Definitely politics and the media were going to be involved, although I'd already used that when the Chicago Watch went after the local mob (which was actually being run by vampires). Protesters showed up outside the Watchtower, their light and power was shut off for lack of payment, they lost their charter to work with the police for various complaints, and a lawyer showed up to sue them for insufficient membership of minorities and women. The heroes feared all that more than they did supervillains.

Female gamers tend to like the idea of the "strong female" character, particularly in fantasy. They don't want the girl to be a princess cowering from the dragon as the knight saves her. They want her to be right in there doing the saving, so this image should appeal to them at that level.

I don't really care if a character single wields a 2 hander, provided he's mighty enough. I just want it to be a significantly high level of strength required, so they get little to no damage bonus by doing so.

Yeah I used to use critical hits, where you could either choose the location you hit or do max damage, but we dropped it after a while. It didn't really add much fun to the game and didn't feel quite right. The main house rule I use is to change block maneuvers. Instead of blocking against the target's OCV, you block against the DCV they rolled to hit. So if they hit a very high DCV, they are much harder to block. If they barely hit you, they're easier to block.

There's a modifier in the first Advanced Player's Guide that for 1/4 to pay endurance one step down the time chart instead (per minute/5 min, etc)

3 STR is too low for single-wielding a two-hander. I'd say more like 5 or 10.

That's what I'm thinking; the cover is to get new buyers. Hero core fans will pick up FH anyway, this should attract attention and get conversations going with other people. I like it, its a fresh approach but still hits all the right notes.

When I set up my Colonial Marines game at the local game store to help generate business and interest, I had a sign up sheet. The game was designed to be very dangerous, with all the lethality options dialed up to max and a dangerous setting. If a character died, the player put their name at the bottom of the list, and the people were to cycle through as replacements. Because the game was more about gear and play than experience building, it was intended that people have a fair turnover (the CM being low on the gear totem pole). I only was able to run one session though, so I never got to see how that would play out.

Not happy with how that formatting turned out, I'm going to have to find a better Hero Designer template for this board. Here's the monster for today: Black Spore Val Char Cost 1 STR -9 19 DEX 18 13 CON 3 7 BODY -3 5 INT -5 13 EGO 3 20 PRE 10 5/7 PD 3 5/7 ED 3 5 SPD 30 8 REC 4 60 END 8 18 STN -1 12m RUN 0 4m SWIM 0 0m LEAP -2 Characteristics Cost: 121 Cost Power 37 Motion Sense: Spatial Awareness (Unusual Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) 1 Tentacles: Stretching 1m 6 Tough: Resistant Protection (2 PD/2 ED) 13 Magical: Damage Negation (-2 DCs Physical, -2 DCs Energy) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Only vs non-magical weapons (-1/2) 37 Hover: Flight 16m, Position Shift, No Turn Mode (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (37 Active Points) 37 Soul Drain: Drain Seven Stats 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Day; +2 1/4), Expanded Effect (STR, DEX, CON, EGO, PRE, BOD, REC) (+3) (65 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) 18 Soul Drain: Drain BODY, STN 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Expanded Effect (Body, Stun) (+1/2), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Day; +2 1/4) (40 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked (Soul Drain; -1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) 6 Soul Drain: Healing Body and Stun as normal damage 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (12 Active Points); Linked (Soul Drain; -1/2), Limited Power Self Only (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4) 4 Soul Drain: Aid Body 1d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Increased Effect x4 (24 body maximum) (+1/2) (10 Active Points); Only to Aid Self (-1), Linked (Soul Drain; -1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) 16 Soul Drain: Blast 2d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Does BODY (+1), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (hardened Power Defense; +1 1/2) (37 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Linked (Soul Drain; -1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) Powers Cost: 175 Total Character Cost: 296 Pts. Complications 10 Physical Complication: Near-Human Intelligence (Infrequently; Slightly Impairing) 20 Physical Complication: self destructs upon aiding maximum body to self (Infrequently, Severely) 5 Vulnerability: 1 1/2 x Effect Light Based Attacks (Uncommon) 5 Vulnerability: Holy attacks (Uncommon) 5 Vulnerability: 1 1/2 x STUN Light-Based Attacks (Uncommon) Complication Points: 45 Ecology: No one knows where the Black Spore originates. Although called a spore, this creature is not a plant, and in fact seems unlike any other sort of creature. The Black Spore seems to exist merely be a hazard to all life, prompting some to speculate demonic origins. Black Spore are strange creatures that dwell only underground or in ancient ruins. They shun light, although unless it is very intense, light does not harm a Black Spore. Black Spores are most often encountered as a glossy black egg shaped like a cube four inches on a side, floating in the air. The cube’s surface slides with dark colors like oil on a black surface, and the slightest touch by a living creature causes it to shatter, revealing an immature Black Spore. This spore drains life force from living creatures, growing larger as it does so. When the Spore reaches its full size (having absorbed 24 body), it erupts in black flames, leaving a cube behind. This cube is dormant for a full day, then will react as described above. Personality/Motivation: Black Spores seem to be motivated entirely by malice, a desire to frighten, and lust to drain life energy from victims. Powers/Tactics: A Black Spore attacks by touching victims with one it’s three tentacles and draining their life force. This not only is painful, but drains life and weakens the victim greatly, affecting Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Ego, Presence, Body, and Recovery. This attack is one of the most feared attacks known to any folc, and those who are familiar with the Black Spore hate and fear them almost irrationally. The drained life force can take days to recover, and not only heals the Black Spore but increases its life force. Even if the victim is protected against soul-affecting spells, the tentacle’s touch is painfully damaging. Black Spore are uniquely vulnerable to very bright lights, especially light-based magic. Campaign Use: Black Spore are used sometimes to guard an area, and to the uninitiated can even look like treasure in their egg form. A dormant egg can sell for 5x3d6 silver to the right collector, if one can be found. The shards of the egg sell for 4d6 silver to alchemists as well. Appearance: Black Spores look like they are made of glossy black stone with oil over the surface, swirling constantly. They are about 1-2 feet in length, all tentacles and squidlike in shape.

Its definitely unique, but it does the job of attracting attention and looking different than other covers, which is important. You can tell which one is Fantasy Hero and its a fun image.

I suppose the way to handle that would be to reinforce the gate, beef up the guards with more ranged weapons and OCV, and add in a few specialty characters (no reason more adventurers couldn't have been attracted to the region) such as healers and mages. After all the keep has resisted seige by the monsters for quite a while and has emerged basically unscarred.

They are pretty similar, I was thinking along these lines: Campaign setting with adventures - a full campaign (city, origins of a group, base designed, vehicles, group contacts, local villains, storylines, and several sample adventures for that setting plus some story ideas. Long series of related adventures - a series of adventures for any setting or group which are all related and in sequence like a story; a series following a mystery or a sequence of adventures for hunting down and destroying a Viper nest in the city, etc

I doubt the PCs could take the keep over in Fantasy Hero; AD&D lets a higher level character obliterate low level guys pretty easily but even a peasant can drop a PC in fantasy hero

The poll is looking promising for my idea of publishing my Golden Age Champions campaign setting so far

What kind of Champions adventures do you like to see, and would be interested in buying?

I'm going to start posting a few monsters from my upcoming Bestiary book here, it says "monster of the day" but that's just a play on the soup of the day, not a promise of daily updates. The first is the Arachne, a nasty creature that lurks in urban areas. Arache Val Char Cost 18 STR 8 17 DEX 14 18 CON 8 10 BODY 0 14 INT 4 18 EGO 8 15 PRE 5 16 PD 9 vs Non-Magical Attacks: 51PD; 18rPD 21 ED 13 vs Non-Magical Attacks: 31ED; 16rED 4 SPD 20 8 REC 4 35 END 3 20 STN 0 20m RUN 0 4m SWIM 0 24m LEAP 5 Characteristics Cost: 149 Cost Power 8 Magical: +12 PD (12 Active Points); Limited Power Only vs non-magical attacks (-1/2) 7 Magical: +10 ED (10 Active Points); Limited Power Only vs non-magical attacks (-1/2) 24 Magical: Resistant Protection (14 PD/10 ED) (36 Active Points); Limited Power Only vs non-magical attacks (-1/2) 15 Tough: Resistant Protection (4 PD/6 ED) 10 Telepathy: Telepathy 4d6 (Insects class of minds) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Only with spiders (-1) 22 Human Form: Shape Shift (Sight, Smell/Taste and Touch Groups), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points) 4 Spring: Leaping +11m (24m forward, 12m upward) (6 Active Points); Conditional Power Only when not shapeshifted (-1/2) 7 Spider Legs: Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); Conditional Power Only when not shapeshifted (-1/2) 5 Running +8m (20m total) (8 Active Points); Conditional Power Only when not shapeshifted (-1/2) 5 Bite: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1 point (1d6+1 w/STR) 28 Venom: Multipower, 50-point reserve, (50 Active Points); all slots 8 Charges (-1/2), Limited Power Only if bite or weapon does body damage (-1/4) 2f 1) Lethal Venom: Drain BODY 1d6, Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (4 damage increments, damage occurs every six Segments, can be negated by any healing; +2 1/2) (35 Active Points); Limited Power Blocked by life support vs poison (-1/2), No Range (-1/2) 2f 2) Paralytic Venom: Entangle 2d6, 2 PD/2 ED, Alternate Combat Value (uses OMCV against DCV; +0), Takes No Damage From Attacks All Attacks, STR only to break out (+1) (40 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Limited Power vs Constitution, not Ego (-1/2) Powers Cost: 139 Cost Skill 11 Power 16- 5 Language: Morianic (idiomatic; literate) 2 Language: Arcanum (fluent conversation) 3 Charm 12- 3 Conversation 12- 3 High Society 12- 3 Interrogation 12- 3 Lockpicking 12- 3 PS 12- 3 Persuasion 12- 6 OCV +2 with presence-based skills and rolls 2 WF: Blades, Crossbows Skills Cost: 47 Cost Perk 34 Journeyman Illusion, Apprentice Mysticism, Apprentice Castle, Journeyman one other magic 5 Contact Local power or authority (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has useful Skills or resources) 11- 2 Favor (local authority or ruler) Perks Cost: 41 Cost Talent 10 Animal Friendship (20 Active Points); Limited Power Only with spiders (-1) Talents Cost: 10 Total Character Cost: 386 Pts. Complication 15 Psychological Complication: Manipulative, seductive, and cruel (Common; Strong) 10 Distinctive Features: Spider Legs (Easily Concealed; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) Complication Points: 25 Ecology: Arachne are horrible creatures that dwell among humans and hunt them. They are rarely found anywhere but in civilization, preferably in larger towns and cities so they can blend in easier. The origin of Arachne is unknown, but most speculate dark, horrible magics long ago, or demonic influence. The home of an Arachne will always have at least one room or hidden chamber where their true nature is undisguised. Personality/Motivation: Arachne are hateful, spiteful, and cruel. They love to cause pain and betrayal, and especially savor killing a handsome strong man. The long process of toying with, seducing, and destroying men seems to be their fondest ambition; the more complex and complete the testruction, the better. Powers/Tactics: Arachne are accomplished court butterflies, skilled in intrigue, deception, seduction, and lies. They have some magical ability, always focussed on making their attempts more effective, but will sometimes learn some elemental magic for defense or combat or necromancy for greater power. In addition to these skills, the Arachne can shape shift into a human form, concealing her spidery legs in shapely woman’s legs and hips. While in this form, she loses some of her powers, such as the ability to climb walls and run as swiftly, but she retains her poisonous bite and great resistance to non magical attacks. An Arachne will tend to retain her human form unless she must escape or is comfortable and certain she is alone. Arachne prefer to avoid combat, and will use their wiles and magic to disarm a situation, playing men off each other and using political contacts and allies to protect herself. Campaign Use: Arachne are primarily useful as a foe for some powerful ruler, a man blinded by the seductive wiles of the Arachne and her beauty, while others might see something isn’t quite right. An Arachne might target a PC in a more politically themed campaign. Appearance: Arachne look like beautiful, exotic human women from the waist up, and until forced into or hunting in their real form, from the waist down as well. However, the true form of an Arachne has four spider legs from the waist down, hideous furry, clawed spider legs. Arachne also have somewhat larger canine teeth, but not extraordinarily so.