jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner) (04/18/85)
[...] I have recently seen a copy of the playtest version of Fantasy Hero from Hero Games (still not sure if that's going to be the final name for the thing) and I thought I would pass on some details for those who are interested. The character creation set-up is the same that I described a month or two back. Essentially you are given "character building points" with which to buy characteristics like strength, intelligence, speed, etc. You can also spend these points on skills (e.g. lock-picking, ability with weapons or classes of weapons, and lots of others; the list of possible skills even includes Torture). Lastly you can spend some points on powers, abilities that normal humans do not have and cannot learn (e.g. Infra-red Vision, Flight). In addition to "free" character building points, you can get additional points by taking Disadvantages. For example, you may choose a psychological disadvantage like "will go to any lengths to save innocent bystanders". The more disadvantages you take, the more character building points you get...but also, the more trouble you will have during adventures. Disadvantages are one of the things I like best about the Hero Games system. They force you to make your characters more real; you start off with a character who has quirks and a past. They also provide handles for GMs to make more personal adventures. For example, if you have the disadvantage "Hunted by the Serpent Cult", you usually come up with a reason why the Serpent cult wants your hide. Furthermore, the GM can use the Serpent Cult as a take-off point for scenarios. Note that Disadvantages can be bought off or changed with the GM's permission. For example, an idealistic character with a code against killing may rapidly find this too much of a burden in a typical fantasy campaign. The character will either have to spend experience points to buy off his idealism or convert this idealism into a different disadvantage (e.g. the need for frequent prayer to lighten his guilt, a tendency towards alcoholic binges, sudden foolhardiness, etc.). The game has no character classes or races, as such. However, you can buy sets of skills/characteristics/powers at a discount if you can convince the GM that these things are a "package" of abilities that are all based around a given theme. Therefore you may set up a "thief" package or an "elf" package. This makes it cheaper to create characters with a single profession, but you are not limited to sets of skills. For example, a character set up with a cleric "package deal" could also buy Lock-picking skill if he/she wanted. It just wouldn't be part of the package, so it would be a bit more expensive. The magic system is new, but it has precedents in other Hero Games products. Essentially, you can only perform magic if you are born with magic ability (i.e. if your character was created with some points in Magic Ability -- all you need to do is spend one point to get "latent" ability, so I imagine every player will make the investment). Anyone with Magic Ability can attempt to perform ANY spell (there are a number listed in the playtest rules, but I don't have them with me right now). However, there is no assurance that the spell is going to work. To perform a spell successfully, you must make a successful "magic roll". The amount that you need to roll is determined by how many points you have spent on magic ability -- the more points you spent, the easier the magic will be. The roll is also affected by how much time you spend on the spell (a summoning spell is more likely to be successful if you spend a night chanting in the middle of a carefully prepared pentagram than if you try to wing it on the fly in the middle of combat), how well you know the spell, and how difficult the spell is. Difficulty of the spell is based on several factors. For example, you can try to summon absolutely anything from any known plane of existence, but the difficulty is based on the creature's power. Furthermore, once you've brought the creature, you have to make a second roll to make sure it obeys you. Therefore, one good fluky roll is not enough to summon Asmodeus and order him about. Experience points are used in the same way as "character building points". You can increase your characteristics, buy new skills, or improve your old ones. Generally you are not allowed to buy new Powers, except through the acquisition of magic items that give you superhuman capabilities. I should note that characters change more slowly in such systems than in D&D. Instead of quantum leaps in ability as you move from one experience level to another, you gradually improve your character by giving him higher characteristics and more things he can do. Another difference is that you can create a character who, from the beginning, is VERY good at something; if you put all your points into something like "use of a sword", you will be VERY good at stabbing something. On the other hand, you will not be much use for anything else and may find yourself very vulnerable if you put everything into offense and nothing into defense. In a few weeks, a friend is going to run a short campaign using the playtest rules, and we'll see how well they work out in practice. In the meantime, I would suggest that people look into Hero Games products if they're interested by this description. They are very different from D&D and I have enjoyed many "Hero" campaigns a great deal. The games are Champions (superhero game) Danger International (spies) Justice Inc. (1920's pulp genre) Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo