Rick

Re: Begginner Question These days I'm concidering more and more Fantasy Hero a must have, do to the fact that it gives you so many options for freeing up your system. SOme of these things translate to any heroic genre.

Re: Recovery and Endurance logic I could see the Green Lantern Ring being built W/an End Reserve, the end wouldn't be on a focus, though the recovery would be.

Re: How does flash work Now try an 8d6 flash...

Re: Inflicting Unluck and other Disads Well, anything that gives a character a disad would be major Transform. Atleast in my book.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Nope, I'm done. Sorry for any insult or offense I've caused anyone. There are few enough Hero players in San Diego, no need to get into, or continue fights about things that aren't really that important, with one of them. KS, sorry. I apologize, let's let this go and move on with our lives. I do find it funny that the two people on the same side of the thread topic, were the two to get into a needless arguement . No hard feelings here, if there are still hard feelings on your side, I'm sorry, once again.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Down boy!!! KS, you're not a bad guy but you are being an ass. Your statement can easily be seen as a arrogant and condesending. I don't care what you meant, I don't care what you intended. It's not my fault that it's easy to misconstrue your statement. I do apologize that your statement was misinterpritted. That's not as much the reader's fault as the writer's though. It happens to us all...now let us move on.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? I mean this on a general scale, hero allows for a variety of play styles. Individual GM's can't change that basic idea.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? "Of course if you are so interested in locking down options and preventing players from being capable, Im not sure why you wouldnt just use some other genre-specific game system instead. " You can see how this can be misconstrued. They don't pick other systems becaus they like the way hero runs, they like hero. On the same token I don't know why they'd consider any of these options "unhero". We all get to run these games with what we like and leave out what we don't like. Some people like narrowly defined character parameters, others like to let their PC's run wild, and it's all equally "Hero". I think we've made enough of an arguement pro DB to explain the importants of it's inclusion. It's a valuable tool, and a fun one.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? That's good, I'm glad you're not offended by it, neither am I, the statement isn't directed at me, we're on the same side of this thread. I disagree W/the sentiment however, that they should pick another system. Hero is an inclusive system, not an exclusive systems like most others. If a GM feels like limiting the characters at creation or anywhere else, to engender a particular feel or style of play, hero gives them that option. So I find the "pick a less open system" idea false.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Telling people to play another system is fairly insulting at a message board for their favorite system.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Actually, wouldn't it be 24 pts to get increase a Killing attack by a whole d6. But those would also get you +6d6N to all martial arts, +30 str for disarms, grabs escapes ect ect ect...Far more versital and far more appropriate.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? You only need to buy unusual defenses if everyone in the game has this talent. This isn't apropriate for everyone. Even if it were, so one guy has +1d6 against Goblins, another guy has +1d6 with their rapier, and the sneaky character has a back stab that gives her +1d6 when she suprises an oponent. Who needs special defenses to deal W/that. Even the Rapier option is powerful but not unmanagable. This would be a powerful team, but in general next to their wizard buddy who throwing around 3-4d6 energy RKA's, not all that gross. As a PC I've ran into Kakita duelist who nailed me with 3 1/2d6K Iaijutsu strike, because of this talent. I've never felt the need to buy up my rPD, I just move first these days, and watch my DCV. There will only be an arms race if you, the GM, allow there to be one.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Because Martial arts DC's work whenever you use martial arts, Deadly Blow only works in specific situations or W/specific weapons. I could see it being allowed to increase the base damage of the Killing Strike manuver. As far as KS's comment about restricting character creation and development, I have to disagree with him that a simpler system is more appropriate. The beauty of hero is that GM's can tailor make their campaigns and include as many or as few of these options as they wish, to make their "perfect game". By the way, does it seem like we may see a new round of those Hero Almanacs now with all of the options from previous books. Maybe in 4-5 years, before a 6th edition.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Well the wizard is a munched character I'd not allow that. That's just a bad character design (as far as concept is concerned, crafty as far as milking the system is concerned). If the wizard had a more apropriate package of fire spells, that he has been using for some time, I would concider allowing him the 10 pt DB with offensive fire spells. Personally I don't prorate the advantages in refrence to the DB.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? The 10pt DB is a an HKA +1d6, 15 active points (-1/2) only with a particular weapon 10 real points. That is limited and inline with standard hero point values...the other options fall in line equally well, given how limited they are. If someone wants to allow wizards to use it, let them. It makes sense that when a wizard is casting against a type of fiend he/she knows very well, that he/she could be deadlier with certain spells. Why not. Even a particular type of spell that they are "specialized in". Options are never a bad thing nor "un-hero". as far as legality is concerned. Steve Long has all but said anything that makes your game fun, is legal. So it's not really an issue.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? Ummm, extra DC's from Martial Arts don't add to the base Damage of a Killing attack. Thus if I have a 1d6K sword, If I had 20 martial arts DC's it'd still only max out at 2d6K. This is what Deadly Blow solves, for those of us who like it.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? In a system that claims to be a tool kit how can anything that adds option and flexibilty be a bad things. These Fantasy Hero options are the best thing for hero since the 4th edition came out W/all of the rules in one book. These things aren't un-hero, they are hero to the core. They open avenues and make more accessible types of characters and campaigns that were formerly difficult to accomplish. So you may not like them, cool, don't use them, that the point of the toolkit philosophy. Don't say however that they're un-hero. The one problem I had with hero before was the Dogmatism of the rules, this was that and HAD to be such. Now we're able to explore the rules, these new option have implications beyond simply themselves. They make house rules less bad words and even encourages them, because they make YOUR game better for YOUR gaming desires. As someone who doesn't play mages or spell casters, it's nice to finally have casters in our group that can reck some shop from the get go.

Re: Frozen Feet: Entangle? I like the Only on Ground (-1), this will catch tires, feet and hands, arms and knees if the target is prone. THe focus thing is covered SFX of the attack, if I'm standing I can use hand held foci, if I'm caught prone I can't. Don't be constrained by such rules, special effect the trump card in Hero. As far as doesn't take damage, that's pretty powerful ice. I've a impliment in the kitchen just for such a thing....an Ice Pick. Even a ice cube with enough applied force can break another ice cube. Now the entangle could need to be targeted seperatly.

Re: If magic cost full price... Well, the thing stopping the wizard from picking up a sword and armor is CONCEPT, and then even a Battle mage will still run into issues with skill points as he has to start spending point on CSL, Wf, and PSL. Then he has to spend points on a grip of KS, power skills, maybe talents, and CSL for his magic. Spending full points on magic is why Mako's Character in Conan couldn't fight and had very slow acting magic, powerful perhaps but very limited.

Re: Deadly Blow talent too powerful? It's All about how you limit the circumstances of the Deadly blow. In a game where a wizard is buying Killing Attacks W/AE: Radius at 1/3, 1/5 or 1/10 the cost, I see no issue here. Even W/out that, it cost 10 pts with certain weapon all of the, that's a hefty some, and valuable in a game where magic keeps getting more powerful and 250pt warrior A is still swinging his long sword for a maximum of 2 1/2d6. At lower costs it's invaluable for back stabs, Iaijutsu, Special attacks and slayer type characters.

Re: If magic cost full price... Hey, no one I've seen ever complains about wizards getting tons of spells (and in turn POWER) in D&D when fighters get relativly little (even W/feats). Full price, as I see it, represents a world were magic tends to be subtle or extremely rare. To play a game like L5R or Forgotten realms or even starwars (W/the Force) magic is common, for the PC's anyway, and costs should reflect this. Where as in D&D level progression favors the Wizard, in Hero point progression favors the fighter, I don't pay for my Sword, armor or anything not a skill, perk, attribute or talent where as the wizard pays for almost everything on his/her character sheet. I know the original post didn't ask for this but I've seen this opinion elsewhere and I just felt the need to finally post a counter opinion (even if it was unsolicated).

Re: Really cool automatic reloads... I like the fast draw idea on a focus, if you want a "rule" for it. Otherwise I'd call it a lot of charges.

Re: Y R axes better than swords??? Those were women who trained as martial artist, warriors or soldiers. Not all women would do so, that kind of training will make you more than "Average". THe average Japanese woman wasn't cruising around W/Naginata.

Re: Y R axes better than swords??? Why is the "average" woman wielding a Naginata in the first place? If she is a martial artist, just buy enough penalty skill levels to offset the modifiers. The Average women in Japan would be using a Rake or Staff if she where a peasant or a Tanto or Fan if she were of the Samuri caste. Now exceptional women are a different story (of either class).

Re: Y R axes better than swords??? Well in a hero level game, str can cost 1 end for every 5 points of str. So in both those cases, it costs a whopping 2 end per phase . However in a 'realistic' game you may end up using long term end lose, so that could actually be costly.