Gandalf970

This one comes down to world building. 
 
What do you require to successfully cast in your magic system?  What outside influences would prevent that? 
 
If you mandate gestures, then restraining or even I terdwrring with them will be enough.  If you mandate concentraction, then a good slap to the face might be enough. 
 
I could go on, but I think you can see what I mean: it's a matter of how your magic system works, and interrupting a necessary step. 

Speaking of skeleton and other monsters bought as automations. By default Mental Power don’t affect them however the classic work around is that skeleton have a complication that Mental powers do affect them.

NP...it’s one of the trickier mechanisms in HD.  I wanted the ability to edit the display to be easy, but that wasn’t really compatible with a transparent edit of a build.  Once you’re used to it, it’s not a big deal, but you do have to get used to it...

Slightly tricky here: what you’re doing is editing the text/display of the ability and not the ability itself.  If you double-click on the text, it will take you into edit mode — the blue text indicates that the display is different from the default for the build.  If you double click on the cost (or right-click and edit) you’ll be take into the edit window for the ability and can assign/remove levels to your heart’s content (and have the cost and display affected as appropriate).

If you have edited the display for an ability (such that it’s displaying in blue), double-click on the text to edit it and then remove all text to revert to default.

'A big improvement' is a subjective valuation.  All the calculations, modifiers, costs of powers/skills/talents etc are taken care of in the background.  When the character is built, you can print out a clean sheet (and legible might count, depending on your players writing lol), or just keep it on your screen as you play.  Since spells, artifacts and so on are built as powers that will also help you out. You can export the data and use it with the tracker app Hero Combat Manager (it has it's own forum).  The app is cheap ($25) for what you get, if those things are useful to you.  For me it's very useful, but I've been using it across several different versions of the Hero System for years.
 
 

It would be very useful! I have used it and when you combine with the character packs [like from Fantasy Hero] you can make characters and monsters easily.

I think they used the 5-point adder under the Summon power to double the number of skeletons summoned. With all the limitations attached to the spell, even 10 levels of the adder, resulting in 1024 skeletons (reduced to 1000 by fiat) would not be too cost prohibitive.

I don't have that book, but think of it like this. 
 
Summon lets you bring forth a creature that has 5 character points for every 1 point you invest in the Summon power.  So a 9 point Summon (with no limitations on it) would allow you to use the power and create a 45 character point creature.  At its base level, the creature just appears, it doesn't have to obey you automatically (you can make an opposed Ego roll to force them to obey, but at its base level they only obey for a few phases).  A 20 point Summon would allow you to bring forth a creature with 100 character points, which is significantly more powerful.
 
If you add the Limitations gestures (-1/4) and incantations (another -1/4), then your 9 point summon would actually give you 14 active points of power (reduced to 9 points real cost).  Thus you are Summoning a 70 point creature.  Of course, your 20 point Summon would then create a 150 point creature, which is again far more powerful.
 
You can use Summon every phase.  If you are a 4 Speed character and have "Summon Skeleton" as a power (requiring gestures and incantations, and creating a 70 point skeleton), then you can use the power on Segment 3, again on Segment 6, then again on Segment 9, and finally on Segment 12.  You can keep doing it every phase, getting 4 Skeletons each Turn, as long as you have the necessary Endurance (and presumably some way to get them to do what you want).  There is a 5 point Adder that you can slap on the Summon power that doubles the number of creatures created, and you can buy it multiple times.  So for +5 points, you get 2 Skeletons.  For +10 points, you get 4 Skeletons.  For +15 points, you get 8 Skeletons, and so on.  But you're spending more points that could have instead been spent on more powerful creatures.
 
Wizard A and Wizard B both buy the Summon power.  Wizard A starts with Summon Skeleton, 14 active points with gestures and incantations, which reduces the cost to 9 points.  This lets him call forth a single 70 point Skeleton every phase.  He then upgrades it to Summon Skeleton Army, with three 5 point doublings.  Now he Summons 8 skeletons every phase.  This power has 29 active points, reduced to 19 points real cost with the limitations.  Every time Wizard A uses his power, he brings forth 8 skeleton warriors who each cost 70 points.  That can quickly become a sizable horde.  His advantage over someone without the 5 point doublings is that he can summon his army faster.  There was no upper limit to the number of skeletons he could have created, even before the doublings.  It just would have taken 8 times as long.
 
Wizard B doesn't bother with Summon Skeleton Army.  Instead he spends the same 19 points on Summon Vampire.  With gestures and incantations, he can Summon a single 145 point creature.  So which is better to have, a group of 8 kinda dangerous skeletons, or one badass vampire?  Because that's the choice you're making.  Increasing the size of your summoned horde doesn't really cost all that much, but there's still a trade-off.  You're giving up the ability to take more powerful creatures.

Thanks Ninja-Bear, Tjack, drunkonduty, Steve and Lord Liaden.  These are all great ideas and I will take them under strong consideration.  Love this forum, your so helpful.

I read about how high level these characters are and how the seem to have things wired in the lands where they live...
  So how about a “To sail into the sunset” kind of thing. 
   You have a group of people (the characters, not the players) who may be getting bored with their lives. Getting a little fat and lazy. Maybe seeing those first strands of grey in the hair.  A large portal opens in the heart of the city.   Someone who needs help, who was told by the Gods (or powerful wizard) that the heroes who could save their world could be found here.
   This is a chance to strip the characters down to their basics again. They travel thru the portal with only the equipment on their backs to a place beyond their knowledge. Where even the stars In the night are different. 
   Shake things up!  A Druid trying to connect to a new biosphere.  Paladins & Clerics far from their Gods trying to spread the word anew.  A new world with new adventures to make an old heart young again.
     Just a thought.

Perhaps a new religion arises, one that begins quickly gaining followers. The leader is a very charismatic sort who calls out the wickedness of thievery and is a very compelling speaker. Throw in a few genuine miracles and some of the nobility considering joining up, and things could get interesting.

One of the kingdoms the PCs are related to is usurped. Suddenly friends and allies have become enemies. The PCs may have to defend their land from attacks from that kingdom. Alternatively or in addition, they may help the rightful ruler regain their throne: provide sanctuary to the fleeing royal family, or sneak into the kingdom to extract them; engage in espionage or assassination missions against the usurpers; assist rebels within the kingdom, or try to raise an army to retake the throne.

Rival thieves guild. Someone starts hitting the PC's operations and henchfolk.
 
International Diplomacy. They must prevent a war. Or start one. Maybe arrange a marriage. Or arrange a trade treaty. Obviously by itself this is kinda dull. So enter the rivals who wish to assassinate, frame , and just generally derail the PC's efforts.

Well are you adversed to having any monsters? My first thought is perhaps an invasion? So maybe Orcs decide to invade? Or a twist, in the sample campaign Western Shores the background has some one explore -what became known as the Demon Cleft. This triggered 100 years or turmoil as Demons swept through the land. You could use some similar I think. 

Fear is a special effect rather than a game mechanic, as Duke points out in a later post. 
 
The system has only one effect based defence, which is Damage Negation.  You can buy this to target the effect of any attack with a fear based SFX.  That helps defend against a special effect that is often modelled with a wide variety of mechanics.
 
Doc

👍
 
That's pretty much all i got.

It is and as usual the rules gives a couple of options to use. So if you think Mind Control suits better that’s fine then the Fearless Talent should reflect that.  Personally to have the Talent cover both approaches is a little excessive but if you don’t have a generous GM then you would want to cover your bases.

Almost forgot:
 
If you think a fear-based attack should be defended against by Mental Defense instead of Power Defense, then EGO Attack might be the model you're looking for.  Or Drain EGO, and decide that EGO Drains with fear-driven and fear-inducing special effects are defended by Mental Defense.  There is no reason you can't do that.  None.
 
Run with it.
 
 

Fear is all in your mind anyway.
 
 
Seriously, though:
 
Here's the thing with HERO:
 
There is no rule for fear.  None.  Absolutely _none_.  Even Presence Attacks are about cowing others with-- well, the force of your presence, your personality, your sure and certain confidence.  Over the years, a F*k ton of people have decided to interpret that as fear and being scary, especially since the charts are relatable to fear and being scary.  They are also relatable to being inspirational, but we didn't move that way, in spite of this being a game ostensibly modeling _heroes_.
 
There are also some rules for fear.  That is to say, there are rules for using PRE as part of your fear mechanism from the old 4e Horror HERO supplement, as well as rules (more of them there than anywhere else) for "Custom characteristics," custom mechanics, etc, and rules that say any rule you come up with is a completely valid rule.
 
There is also the relatively poor definition of a couple of different characteristics, but the one I like to focus on is EGO (unless I'm using a custom characteristic for a particular game).  I like this because while it is poorly-defined with regard to the other characteristics, most people agree that EGO represents your will power and strength / presence of mind.
 
Frankly, I think that's the best definition for fear and being scared / cowed through fear:  you can be scared, yet have enough will power, enough presence of mind, to keep going, to set it aside.  Right up until the scanners come and the heads start bursting.  Or whatever.
 
Look at it this way:  you can use a Presence Attack and declare that it's based entirely on your ability to inspire a desire to be better, a desire to tackle a challenge, a desire to act with discipline...   Absolute same game-effects, but _no one_ you are using it on is being swayed by fear.  No one.  You're Captain Mother America Theresa or something, but are in no way terrifying anyone.   (Remember the idea that mechanics and special effects are _separate_, and the way your Presence Attacks are made- the source of their influence-- that's a SPECIAL EFFECT.  You get to pick those.  Somewhere along the way, the vocal majority decided it meant "scariness," but let's be completely honest here:  you can't defend from someone else's scariness with your own scariness.  You just end up scaring each other, realistically.  Yes, you can pick it as your special effect because the rules let you, but realistically, scariness is the _least_ logical definition of the Presence Characteristic.
 
 
So consider fear as being a special _type_ of Presence attack, but target EGO instead.  Target the thing that actually _does_ decide if you can muster the courage and fortitude to continue on.  Perhaps model a continuing barrage of horrific elements as a Drain versus EGO, sapping your resistance, making it so much more likely that you'll succumb to your fears.  Use an EGO roll to muster courage and continue.
 
The Commander has a Presence Attack based on his air of command and his forceful personality and his iron-will and his strict attention to fairness and discipline and his ability to inspire those same things in other people.  He's _not_ terrifying you into rallying and making that final charge.  That doesn't make sense.  In fact, using the Versus EGO model, he can _still_ inspire you in that very same way, make you rally, take up arms, and that terrifying thing from the shadows of oblivion strikes enough fear into your heart that in spite of your inspired courage, you drop your weapon and scream, because there is something so horrifying, so _primal_ and disturbing in that onerous palpable evil that your own force of personality is not just insufficient, but utterly useless against it.
 
At any rate, it's how I prefer to model fear-based attacks against the psyche.  There's no reason you can't model it with a straight-up EGO attack, really.  None what-so-ever.  Find something that works for you from all angles, or tweak something that's close, or create something new whole-cloth.
 
 
Just have fun with it.
 
 

I’m glad to be of help.

If you have the bestiary, I probably tells you how paramedics can help save you from Poison damage. And again if you want, you can have them make a CON roll to stop damage.

Thanks Ninja-Bear and bluesguy!  This helps alot as they are fighting Darkun Assassins who are using poison and really screwing these guys up.  This forum is great and very helpful, really appreciate all the help.

Ninja-Bear, Panpiper, Chris, Scott and Ternaugh 
    I really appreciate all the help.  I understand I don't have to follow RAW, but I like to in my first couple of times running a campaign so I get a feel and understand it.  That way I don't make some rulings that can wreck my game.  My group is great, we have been playing together for 30 years.  We are so old that we tried Hero 1st Edition because it was written with Rolemaster rules as well (our favorite game, before 6th edition Hero) and said let's wait until a new one comes out.
 
We are having a great time with it and are really into the Fantasy aspect, especially since we play Fantasy Grounds D&D 5E (which is a good edition of D&D) and will say ugh the level only allows us this.  Once you break through the initial task of understanding the mechanics it's hands down the best system for us.  We appreciate the Low Fantasy type worlds, but are discussing some dark magic, voodoo, witchcraft being in one of our campaigns.
 
Thanks again all.  I am sure I will have more questions and truly appreciate the warm welcome on these forums.

Sounds like one of the  Thralls of Talislanta.
Psychological Complication: Cannot comprehend magic, frequently, fully impairing. Basically the character would not be able to succeed at any check to understand something magical, could perceive magic but never grasp how it works, and would not be able to do anything magical at all, whether that's activating a scroll, learning any magical skills, and so forth. That would be worth 25 points. It's also pretty impairing. At greatly impairing, the character is very primitive and still won't comprehend magical stuff, but might be able to make some checks to try. At slightly impairing, the character is more ignorant/incomprehending of magic than most people, like maybe a Cimmerian just out of the mountains. or a modern person in a magical world with only pop culture to guide them. If the complication only pertains to doing magical things, and not just general knowledge, I would downgrade it to infrequently. So the character couldn't use a wand to save their life and can't seize control of magical artifact, but still understands that mages cast spells, might have a general knowledge of what different magical orders do, can understand in a simple way that magic depends on energy or entities or whatever, and so forth. It might not be worth any points if all magical items or rituals require a Magic skill to use, and the character simply lacks it. But if the character can't use a necklace of fireballs or activate a magic carpet that requires the will of the user, that is likely worth something.
 
"Fear" in Fantasy Hero is a special effect. I can think of several things it can do. There's fear-based Presence Attacks. There are things that cause people to flee, like Mind Control. And there are fear rolls people have to make. I think the latter is just an application of Ego. Lots of Ego. Assuming this resistance is much higher than even the most strong-willed normal person, I'd say:
Fearless: +30 Ego, Only versus fear (-1/2); and +20 PRE, only to defend against PRE attacks (-1/2), only fear (-1/2). That's a hefty 30 points. But this character won't fail any normal Ego Roll related to fear without a substantial penalty, and is almost immune to any kind of presence attack that is supposed to be scary, which includes a lot of intimidation attempts. Fear spells would be pretty much useless against this character.  As long as this character isn't also a mage or some kind of omni-competent spy or something, there should be points in the budget for it.
 
An alternative construction:
Mental Defense +30, only against fear (-1/2)
EGO +30,  Only to make Ego rolls (-1/2), only against fear (-1/2)
PRE 20, only defensive, only against fear
That raises the cost to 45. But it also makes the character immune to fear-based mental blasts, and Drains based on fear that are resisted by Mental Defense.

If you're asking about something like a saving throw, most likely not unless the poison description calls for one.  Most of them have listed defenses against them.