I wondered whether any more HERO fans lurk around here?
Would love to talk about rules, settings and conversions!
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, Harley Stroh
I vaguely recall that in the back of the 4th ed Fantasy Hero book (Or maybe it was somewhere else) there were guidelines for converting HERO to 2nd Ed D&D. I also recall they weren't very good and you may as well just take the concepts and remake them from scratch in HERO rather than trying a direct conversion.Argamae wrote: Edit: a couple of days back when I was reading into BRONCOSAURUS REX again I pondered the idea of converting the setting over to HERO. Does anybody know whether there are D20 to HERO Conversions out there?
Yeah, but I decided that way was too easy.Argamae wrote: @mythfish:
You might have build your GLYPH with a Variable Power Pool or a Multipower Framework. That way you could link together some powers with a common special effect (like magic). Might give your heroine some more options and powers. But I agree - sometimes it's hard realizing your character idea within the allotment of points.
Yeah, I know them. I got the old Fantasy Hero and also the sourcebook you mentioned for 4th Ed. They are okay but far, far from comprehensive.I vaguely recall that in the back of the 4th ed Fantasy Hero book (Or maybe it was somewhere else) there were guidelines for converting HERO to 2nd Ed D&D. I also recall they weren't very good and you may as well just take the concepts and remake them from scratch in HERO rather than trying a direct conversion.
It still kinda blows my mind how versatile that rules set is. And I never thought it was hard to pick up to begin with, after the basic concepts were in your head, because it was so consistent. After playing with it for years, I could still think of weird, random powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men which I could easily (most often) sum up with a power and modifier combo. The main rules only took X pages, but conceptually, that system is bottomless.Argamae wrote:I think that HERO is arguably the most complete rules set ever written. And it is highly playable, too. A marvelous system.
Oh, absolutely. Since it has been around for over 25 years I still don't quite get it why it didn't develop into one of the most used and best known game systems... Nearly everyone whom I explained the system to was impressed by the versatility of the mechanics. Strange how history goes sometimes.It still kinda blows my mind how versatile that rules set is. And I never thought it was hard to pick up to begin with, after the basic concepts were in your head, because it was so consistent. After playing with it for years, I could still think of weird, random powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men which I could easily (most often) sum up with a power and modifier combo. The main rules only took X pages, but conceptually, that system is bottomless.
Well, 5th Edition sees this revised: Telekinesis is also for moving objects.On the downside, I had many (friendly) arguments with folks over Telekenesis. I think they changed it in 5 Ed, but in 4 it was NOT a way to move anything. It was STR at range and that was it. But folks got hung up on the name, "you move stuff around the room with TK, Jean Grey has TK, I saw Escape to Witch Mountain, I know TK when I see it" etc. Moving things was Flight, Usable on Others.
I like 80s heroes, maybe 'cause it was my decade. Heh heh. But I also like the modern, grittier graphic novel feel of superheroics.As for genre, well we played Champions, and I've only ever dabbled in any varient of Fantasy Hero. Our Super Heroes were generally straight up 80's style heroes.
...And still they didn't rectify by calling Power Defense "Adjustment Defense". Back in the day I used that, hoped they'd get it in 4th (nope) and wondered if they finally get it in 5th (nope). It makes sense and means you can abbriviate all the defense types without confusion - PD, ED, FD, and AD, instead of PD, ED, FD, and PD (again).Argamae wrote:Generally, they fixed a great deal of trouble-spots and 5th Edition is the best HERO there ever was.
That's right, of course. You could also name RuneQuest or Basic Roleplaying System from which Cthulhu has been derived. All of them are faithful to their original core system with only rather minor adjustments over the course of time. I find this amazing and it shows a really profound knowledge of game mechanics on behalf of their designers.BTW, Call of Cthulu has had, um, six editions (?) and they're all pretty much compatible with each other....
Well, okay. But you could argue that Flash Defense and Power Defense are POWERS whereas the other two (Physical Defense and Energy Defense) are CHARACTERISTICS. Imho there's not really a need for the designers to abbreviate Powers in the same way they abbreviate Characteristics. Maybe it was even done deliberately to distinguish them. Just a thought, though....And still they didn't rectify by calling Power Defense "Adjustment Defense". Back in the day I used that, hoped they'd get it in 4th (nope) and wondered if they finally get it in 5th (nope). It makes sense and means you can abbriviate all the defense types without confusion - PD, ED, FD, and AD, instead of PD, ED, FD, and PD (again).
tadk wrote:I am a long term ... champion of the Hero System
My first instinct would be to go with some kind of Sense or Detect power, but that might fall into the category of solutions that people had misgivings about. I'll think about it some and get back to you.GnomeBoy wrote: essentially, a Spidey-Tracer. I never could come up with a way to do that that everyone could agree on (we all played and took turns GMing).
Could you help me out and explain what you mean by that? What is a "Spidey-Tracer"?I had a character whom I wanted to use, essentially, a Spidey-Tracer. I never could come up with a way to do that that everyone could agree on
Though not an oft-used trick, Spider-Man has these wee little gizmos that he can fling onto villains or get-away cars or anything really, that he can then track using his "spider-sense". Generally, when he's slumped on a rooftop, all beaten up with a torn costume and a bad bruise on his temple, and the villain is cackling and flying off to inflict more damage to the city, or steal the rest of the gold shipment or take Gwen Stacy to the top of that bridge, Spidey will attempt to fling the tracer at the villain. IF it sticks and IF the villain doesn't notice, and IF he can stay within range, Spider-man can follow, even if he can't see any sign of the villain, by using his spider-sense to sense the signal the tracer puts out.Argamae wrote:What is a "Spidey-Tracer"?
Argamae wrote:@GnomeBoy: Okay, here's the solution from DARK CHAMPIONS. It describes a Tracking Bug:
Images to Radio Group, +4 to PER Rolls, Increased Size (32" radius; +1/4), Usable As Attack (allows the character to "stick" the Image to a target; +1), Range Based On STR (+1/4), 1 Continuing Recoverable Charge lasting 1 Week (stops functioning if it gets wet or experiences severe radio interference; +1) (76 Active Points); IAF Fragile (-3/4), Set Effect (detectable signal; -1), Image Only Perceivable On Special Radio Frequencies (-0). Total cost: 28 points.
Hope this comes close to what you had in mind!
Zoinks! Images to Radio Group?! Great Shrinking Desolidifiers! Never came up with that one!mythfish wrote:Images to radio group? I would never have thought of doing it that way. Cool.
Yeah, I don't think I'd pay 28 points for it either but the thing I really like about this solution is that it allows anyone with access to the right "special radio frequencies" to track the device.GnomeBoy wrote: Zoinks! Images to Radio Group?! Great Shrinking Desolidifiers! Never came up with that one!
28 points still breaks the bank for my tastes, but then I'm known for slathering on Limitations that I can live with in order to make powers cheaper (if not always reliable).
Mateo might pay 28 points for it, but I'd find some more limitations to slap on it. Requires a skill roll is always one of my faves...probably Systems Op in this case to properly use the special radio equipment and read the signal correctly. And I wouldn't bother with the +4 PER either.walrusjester wrote:Speaking as your former HERO GM, mythfish, you'd pay that 28 points. It's a weird power, it's useful, it doesn't cause damage, it's a great "support guy" power. You'd totally pay 28 points for that.