Fantasy Hero
Roleplaying in the wondrous realms of Fantasy!
5,687 topics in this forum
-
- 6 replies
- 269 views
OK please bear with me here. I've been playing Hero since 1982 and have written for Hero Games for a long time (My first work was a set of spells for the 4th edition Fantasy Hero Companion). Forever something has confused and bothered me and I have never worked it out. What is the difference between a blast that uses a focus... and a focus that uses a blast? What I mean is this: you can build an ability Blast, OAF, and it creates a blast that you can only use if you have an OAF. But you can also build it as a gun, an OAF that anyone can pick up and use as a blast. There are two aspects to this. First is the "only I can use this"…
Last reply by LoneWolf, -
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 405 views
Say I as a player have a wood elf archer who aspires to a Legolas like competency with bows. Legolas is able to nail headshots at extreme distances. How as a GM would you handle this? Would you permit high levels of reduced range penalties? Would you permit levels with called shots, and if so, would you allow eight of them? How would you feel about the character adding damage to their arrows from ranged martial arts maneuvers? It is a pretty trivial matter for me to build a character, for a fairly reasonable expenditure of character points, who can nail a headshot at long distance for 3d6RKA. How much is too much?
Last reply by Steve, -
- 2 followers
- 20 replies
- 727 views
As part of my continuing mental exercise to develop my campaign setting I am coming up with the magic systems. (Note this is using Hero) I will have a caster system and a system for artificing and ALCHEMY! So I am looking to make a list is potions, oils and salves. Ideally I'd like about 50-60. I'll start: 1- Healing (a classic for a reason) 2- [insert] vision ( where it is IR UV Xray etc) 3- Strength 4- Agility/Dexterity 5- Running Speed 6- Fire/Ice/Poison breath 7- Darkness (more like a darkness grenade) 8- Water Breathing 9-
Last reply by Panpiper, -
- 13 replies
- 536 views
AS I was rooting around Sir Shrike's pages, I found another Magic System the caught my interest. Now already I planning on using his Metier System as my basic wizard type, and there is NO gift, anyone can learn it! http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/metierSystem.aspx Also to give a rational for all those magic items http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHERO/HighFantasyHERO/MagicSystems/Runecrafting.aspx But I want a system for those simpler types. This would be the magics of the nomads but also the, I don't want to say poor people, but yes marginalized would fit http://www.killers…
Last reply by Mr. R, -
- 18 replies
- 905 views
I am currently working on a magic system and am a bit stuck on my list of common spells. So naturally I am going to pick the collective brains here. So I am asking what people consider to be the essential basic spells a magic system needs. This will not be DnD, so no fireball or lighting bolt type spells are needed.
Last reply by DShomshak, -
- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 305 views
Basically what it says on the title. The game setting I am working with has such low populations in such large areas that as it stands Pop Density is 1 person / Sq Mi. Even if I triple or quadruple it, that leaves HUGE amounts of land undeveloped. So with that in mind I have heard of PoL settings. But how do they work? What are some of the buy ins? Anything I should know before setting out?
Last reply by Duke Bushido, -
- 1 follower
- 7 replies
- 624 views
Before the pandemic and more recently as people are starting in-person gaming again in friends' homes, I've overheard various D&D players/DMs discuss their respective campaigns where their player characters were epic-level (Level 20 or higher) and essentially demigods/planeswalkers as depicted in Magic: The Gathering in terms of power level. Basically, it would be the equivalent of creating a Champions character but for Fantasy Hero in the 400+ point range (or even more), depending if you're using 5th or 6th Edition rules. Has anyone done something similar in their respective Fantasy Hero campaign?
Last reply by DoctorImpossible, -
- 11 replies
- 740 views
So we'll start with Kerq. Some of it is from the book, some I expanded and some I stole from another source (see if you can spot it!) Any suggestions welcome. And anything magical, go for it. For my part, I'll start by suggesting one city be close to the woods. They try to get most of the droppings from the Stone Tree and so there is a strong Alchemical Craft hall here. The specialize in wands and staves, but also rings (wooden bands) and head bands/tiaras!
Last reply by Mr. R, -
- 2 followers
- 42 replies
- 1.2k views
Hello all! I am hoping to pick your collective brains for something I am working on. I am sure much of what I need is out there or one of you amazing folks have already pondered. So I am hoping for tips or directions to where to look further. Finding treasure or at the very least "doing the job and getting paid" is pretty standard for most Fantasy Hero (and other) Campaigns, but I am looking for some help with trying to do something a little more Low Fantasy than D&D when it comes to pricing and payments. I am trying to step away from the D&D gold piece standard and go more with Silver and Copper as the primary coin of the realm and people. I…
Last reply by Panpiper, -
- 1 follower
- 16 replies
- 1.9k views
An acquaintance of mine did a full color Version of the old FH Background, Western Shores, as a D&D style map. I thought some of the old crowd might appreciate it. So anyone else have any neat campaign maps?
Last reply by Derek Hiemforth, -
- 12 replies
- 337 views
Has anyone tried converting the Rings of Power depicted in J.R.R. Tolkien's work (Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, etc.) to Fantasy Hero? I read the trilogy, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion years ago and the description of what kind of abilities each possessed were difficult to script out due to the vagueness of actual abilities in the text. A LoTR wiki does go into detail about the three Elven rings and little bit about the Dwarven rings. We know the One Ring gives its bearer invisibility and corrupts the user over time but since only Sauron knew how to wield its power that was briefly portrayed in the beginning of the Fellowship of t…
Last reply by zslane, -
- 2 replies
- 506 views
It is with great regret and deep frustration that I am announcing the discontinuation of the Fantasy Codex as a product from Kestrel Arts. I am rebuilding the spells and editing to create a new product to go with the upcoming Jolrhos Player's Guide that will contain the spell writeups and information on building magic in the Jolrhos Fantasy Campaign setting. In the process I am discovering so many errors, old edition carryovers, and mistaken math that I am sorry I even released the Codex to begin with. The new book will have the spells properly built and designed, eliminating duplication and streamlining the writeups. Much of the Codex's introductory text will …
Last reply by bluesguy, -
- 3 followers
- 21 replies
- 1.3k views
MP 45 points 2d6 RKA 0 End Gestures SE 10d6 Dispel 0 End Gestures SE You are battling a mirror image of yourself and you recognize the beginnings of the KA spell, so you cast your dispel to block it. You roll your 10d6 and fail. In fact you will fail 90% of the time. Why? Simple Math. You have to roll higher than the active points in a power to dispel it. This means on 10d6 you have to roll 45! The average on 10d6 is 35! I used this https://anydice.com/ to generate a 10d6 curve and 45 points is a 3.9% chance. This is like 16- 18 on 3d6. This makes dispel functionally useless. My proposal: The dispel works again…
Last reply by Trencher, -
- 2 followers
- 21 replies
- 730 views
I feel like rambling, apologies in advance. I'll ramble until I'm tired of typing or my head is pounding too hard to continue then stop whether I've finished making a point or not. If I try doing it differently, I'll never get anything down. Part One: In the Beginning, there was a Part and and it was single because it was too lazy to join a dating site so it became One. "Orcs" don't have to be dumb, it's just that fantasy orcs have been done that way in the past so that writers and game designers didn't have to think up complex behaviors for them. When I'm trying to come up with an "original" "orc", I try to think of the kinds of…
Last reply by pawsplay, -
- 1 follower
- 11 replies
- 345 views
I am thinking of making steel actually a magical metal. It is not something that can be made, but 1) a product of Alchemy and is usually a precursor to magical weapons/armour/items of power OR 2) a rare natural occouring metal located near iron deposits OR So any other ideas? Do you do something like this? Or do you add a magical metal (Mithril/ Orichalcum)
Last reply by pawsplay, -
- 2 followers
- 44 replies
- 2k views
I have an old ICE Shadow World module I am updating for maybe/possibly using for a campaign. Now a good part of the setting references slavery and how the slaves are gathered from the more primitive, darker jungle living people to the north (Yeah this module is showing its age). I severely want to put the kibosh on that. So first question--- do you have slavery in your campaign? Second--- is it something that is a facet of the setting OR something that is resulting in real divisions in your campaign? Third--- do you have a slavery light (Indentured Servitude) OR Just say NOPE to slavery and adjust the campaign from there. Personally I…
Last reply by Simon, -
- 11 replies
- 610 views
As I am updating/ modifying "The Star Crown Empire" I was curious about something. Now most of the action takes place in a LARGE inland basin. All but one river flows into a central lake and all the countries are gathered around it. I have been following a thread on RPGnet about Gurps Banestorm setting and there was a comment about population and population density in these countries. So I roughly calculated the PD of the Empire. Length 800 miles E-W Width 500 miles N-S Gefting Sea is 300 by 100. Total area 30000 Square miles Total Land Area 400000 Square miles minus 30000 = 370000 Square miles of land. Population 925000 …
Last reply by Mr. R, -
- 25 replies
- 1k views
Over in the Turakian Age is Seriously Underrated thread, Steve Long mentioned the possibility of publishing a book version of the talk on worldbuilding he gives at conventions. That reminded me: I haven't posted my favorite technique for designing societies. I've shared versions of this essay with several friends and colleagues over the years. Most recently, I adapted it for White Wolf's game Exalted and posted it on a forum for that game. But it can apply anywhere. In fact, it isn't just for Fantasy settings. Y'all might as well have it too. Interested persons might try coming up with Case Study examples drawn from the Turakian Age or other Hero Universe settings. …
Last reply by DShomshak, -
- 1 follower
- 28 replies
- 1.4k views
I am considering using one of the Magic Systems from Killer Shrike as one of my systems of choice. In it you buy a MP with a set list of advantages and limitations (which must balance each other so +1/2 advantage must be balanced with -1/2 limit.), each of which corresponds to a style. One over arching limitation is RSR, every style MUST take that. So one style has as advantages 0 End (+1/2) and Incant. (-1/4) and Side Effects (-1/4). So I rarely use SE and I read up on them. WOW! They go from dangerous to totally deadly. The default one is 30 pt effect like an EB that has no defense, so 6d6 means 6 body and 21 stun. For a 125-150 PC this is almost certain death …
Last reply by Christopher R Taylor, -
- 1 follower
- 5 replies
- 1.1k views
I unexpectedly received a box from my mother containing the notes and character sheets from my long-running "old school" D&D campaign. This game ran for years, from childhood to young adulthood. I haven't seen this stuff in 20+ years. After the nostalgia wore off I though "I really need to translate this into hero (something I considered doing "way back when") and reboot it yet again. Post One. Real World History. My early D&D campaigns were shared with an eponymous co-GM so that we could both play. We originally used Lankhmar as its base city. We didn’t know much about Newhon. Our only reference was the Newhon Mythos section of Deities &am…
Last reply by Tjack, -
- 1 follower
- 12 replies
- 497 views
During your campaigns like gm, it happens that your player characters are High Nobles? King, Duke, Earl or maybe high religious, Cardinal or Bishop? what kind of story and plot you did, political surely but otherwise, just curious Steph
Last reply by Grailknight, -
- 1 follower
- 26 replies
- 2.1k views
So, my current Fantasy campaign is set in a large port city. Waterfront neighborhoods tend to have nautically-themed nicknames. I've named most of them, but I hope people whpo know more about matters maritime can suggest more, or better names having to do with building or servicing ships and shipping. So far there are Galleys and Dhows (two of the more common types of visiting ships), Stevie (for the stevedore's guild hall), Oldfish and Newfish (old and new fish markets), Shopwrights, Riggings, Spars, Nets, Sailmaker, Tarside, Chandlery and Groggery (heavy on taverns, even by waterfront standards). One of the main streets is Anchor Way. Ship Street, Captain St…
Last reply by DShomshak, -
Urban Hero 1 2
by HeroGM- 40 replies
- 1.7k views
So just curious. Of all the urban/modern fantasy out there what is your go to? Buffy? Percy Jackson? Beautiful Creatures?
Last reply by Tjack, -
- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 573 views
Directed primarily at those who have played or own multiple editions: Are the Fantasy Hero weapons stats something that have been reprinted, more or less unchanged, edition to edition? Or have their been significant revisions? For instance, has the pike always been -1 OCV, 2d6+1 K?
Last reply by Old Man, -
- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 226 views
Has anyone converted or adapted the old Horror Hero Spirit rules to 6E? I liked that approach as well as the creatures based on it, but the mechanics are for 4E. They could probably be adapted straight across to 6E, but there may be some overlap with 6E powers since things have changed a bit, and costs may no longer be relevant. So before I put any real effort into it, I thought I'd ping the community and see if anyone has already gone down this road.
Last reply by Alcamtar,
-
Recently Browsing 0 members
- No registered users viewing this page.