Hero System
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Image:Hero system 5th edition.jpg The Hero System (or HERO System) is a role-playing game generic system that developed from the superhero RPG Champions, and underlying the Hero Games role-playing games such as Champions, Dark Champions, Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, and Pulp Hero. It is characterized by point-based character creation and the rigor with which it measures character abilities. It was one of the first RPG systems to forego the use of non-cubical dice.
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System features
The HERO System character creation system is entirely points-based with no random elements. Players are given a pool of points, the size of which varies depending on the campaign type, with which to buy Characteristics, Skills, Talents and Powers. They can gain additional points by taking Disadvantages that hamper their character in play.
Abilities in the HERO System, particualrly Powers (a broad category that includes superpowers, magic, psionics and high technology), are modeled based on their effects. The player chooses an effect the power models (such as Energy Blast) and chooses a set of modifiers to fine-tune the power's function. Each modifier makes the Power more or less expensive. HERO System products and players are notorious for the ingenuity and complexity of their power contructions.
Tasks are resolved using three six-sided dice and Power effects (especially damage) are resolved by rolling a number of dice based on the power's level.
Unlike the d20 System, experience awards are in the form of character points, which have the same value as those used in character creation and can be applied directly to the character's abilities upon receipt.
Character creation
The Hero System's biggest innovation was its use of a point-based system for character creation with a tool-kit approach to creating abilities. The rules only define the ability's effects in combat -- the player defines what the ability looks like when used. For example, the ability to project a jet of fire could be bought as "Energy Blast," or any of a number of other abilities. The player then defines it as a "jet of fire," with all that implies: it has the possibility of starting secondary fires; it looks, smells and sounds like a jet of fire; etc. This Energy Blast could be modified by any number of modifiers such as "Explosion," "Area of Effect" or "No Range." These affect how the power works as well as its final cost.
Each player creates his character starting with a pool of points to buy abilities (such as the aforementioned "Energy Blast" and "Armor"), increase characteristics (such as "Strength" and "Intelligence") and buy skills (such as "Computer Programming" and "Combat Driving"). This pool can be increased by taking disadvantages for your character (such as being hunted by an enemy, a dependency of some sort or having people who depend on your character in some way). The initial pool, as well as the final pool size, is determined by the Game Master, as well as the point limits on each individual ability.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the Hero System are commonly considered to be:
- It eases game balance issues for the GM: a 200-point character is generally less powerful than a 300-point character.
- It is very flexible in character creation, allowing players to create nearly any character they can imagine.
- It uses only common six sided dice.
The primary disadvantages are commonly considered to be:
- Complexity, though perhaps not as much as some other systems, such as Chivalry & Sorcery.
- Combat has a tendency to slow things to a crawl. Twenty seconds of combat can take hours to adjudicate.
- Flexibility in character creation gives large advantage to veteran players who spend time optimizing power limitations and frameworks. This can lead to one 200-point player character being much more powerful than another.
- Depending upon the game's genre and power level, many dice may be needed.
- Character generation can be math-intensive (though this issue is addressed to an extent; see below).
Powers
The powers system is divided into a set of standard powers, and a list of advantages and disadvantages that can be applied to each power. Many of the powers have specific advantages and disadvantages that apply only to that power. The powers in the Hero system are categorized roughly as follows:
- Adjust — Modify the Characteristics of self or another.
- Attack — Inflict physical damage to an opponent.
- Affect Body — Change shape, size, density, &c.
- Affect Sense — Alter or hinder a character's senses.
- Defense — Protect against an attack or mishap.
- Mental — Affect the mind of another.
- Movement — Employ various forms of movement.
- Senses — Improve or expand upon the sensory abilities.
- Other — Powers that do not fall into the other categories.
Within each of these categories are multiple powers that have more specialized effects. Thus for the movement category there are powers that can be used for running, swimming, climbing, jumping, gliding, flying, tunneling through solid surfaces, and even teleportation. For certain game genres there are even powers for travel to other dimensions or moving faster than light.
Each power has a base point cost for a given effect. This could be, for example, a certain number of points per six-sided-die (or "d6") of damage inflicted upon a foe. The advantages and disadvantages are then selected for the power, and summed up. These modifiers are typically in integer increments of ±¼, but can range up to ±2 or even higher. The real cost of the power is then determined by:
- Real Cost = Base Cost × (1 + Advantages) / (1 + Disadvantages)
The energy cost (and possibly the skill) required to activate and use a power is typically based on the base cost of the power. The real cost just gives the point expenditure required to gain the power.
The rules also include schemes for providing a larger number of powers to a character for a given cost. These power frameworks reduce the cost either by requiring the group of powers to have a common theme as in an Elemental Control Framework, or by limiting the number of powers that can be active at one time with a Multipower Framework. Powers within a framework can share common disadvantages, further reducing the cost.
Math issues
One of the criticisms leveled at the Hero System almost since its inception is the relatively large amount of math involved in its use, particularly during character creation. While almost none of this math goes beyond the basic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (certain obscure and completely optional situations may call for a logarithmic function), this can seem daunting to newcomers.
Publishing history
Although several games based on the Hero System were published in the 1980's, including Champions, Danger International, Justice, Inc., Robot Warriors and the original versions of Fantasy HERO and Star HERO, each of the RPGs was self-contained, much as Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing games are. The HERO System itself was not released as an independent entity until 1989, as GURPS (Generic Universal Roleplaying System) became more popular. As a joint venture between Hero Games and Iron Crown Enterprises, a stand-alone Hero System Rulebook was published alongside the fourth edition of Champions. The content was identical to the opening sections of the Champions rules, but all genre-related material was removed. Afterward, genre books such as Ninja HERO and Fantasy HERO were published as sourcebooks for the HERO System Rulebook as opposed to being independent games.
With the collapse of the Hero-ICE alliance, the Hero System went into limbo for several years. The Champions franchise released a new version under the Fuzion system, which had been a joint development with R. Talsorian Games, called Champions: the New Millennium. Although two editions were published, it was very poorly received by Champions fans. In 2001, a reconstituted Hero Games was formed under the leadership of Steve Long, who had written several books for the earlier version of the system. It regained the rights to the Hero System and to the Champions trademark.
In 2001, the Fifth Edition of the Hero System Rulebook was released that had been heavily revised by Long. A large black hardcover, it was critically well-received and attained a degree of commercial success. A revised version was issued in 2004. Also in 2004, a condensed version of the rulebook called HERO System Sidekick was released with a cover price of under $10.
Trivia
- When preparations were made for the release of the Fifth Edition rulebook, Steve Long was asked what fans should use as a shorthand for the new release. He was quoted as saying "I don't care if you call it Fred, as long as you buy it." The name stuck, and the Fifth Edition is frequently referred to in fandom as FREd, which is claimed to stand for "Fifth Rules Edition". The revised rulebook is often referred to as "Fiver", a reference to "Fifth Edition revised" and to the character in the Richard Adams novel Watership Down.
- Although no mathematics operation more complex than division is required to make a HERO System character, the complexity of some contructions has led to a demand for software to automate the bookkeeping involved. A DOS program called Heromaker was distributed with some versions of Champions, and a program called Hero Designer for multiple OS platforms supports the Fifth Edition. The latter is supported by numerous character packs and other extensions linked to Hero Games book releases.
- The massive bulk of the Hero System Rulebook Revised led to much speculation that the volume might actually be bulletproof. The Hero Games website includes a video in which damaged copies of the book are shot with several different firearms, and some of the bullets actually do not penetrate the entire book.
See also
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