Hero System
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| HERO System | |
|---|---|
 5th Edition Cover |
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| Designer(s) | Steven S. Long |
| Publisher(s) | Hero Games |
| Publication date | 1989, 2002 (5th ed.) |
| Genre(s) | Superhero fiction |
| System | Custom |
The Hero System (or HERO System) is a generic role-playing game system that developed from the superhero RPG Champions, and embodies the underlying mechanics of other Hero Games role-playing games such as 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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[edit] 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, particularly 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 constructions.
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.
[edit] 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 (GM), as well as the point limits on each individual ability.
[edit] Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the HERO System are commonly considered to be:
- It eases game balance issues for the GM: characters of similar point totals are usually of roughly equal power.
- It is very flexible in character creation, allowing players to create nearly any character they can imagine.
- It uses only six-sided dice, the most commonly used type.
The primary disadvantages are commonly considered to be:
- Complexity, as character generation provides a sometimes overwhelming number of options and requires more mathematical computation than other games (though this issue is addressed below).
- The long amount of time it can take to adjudicate combat.
- The ability for players familiar with the system's quirks to use the system to decrease the point cost of powers, leading to one character being much more powerful than another character of similar point value.
- A large number of dice required at high power levels
The "large number of dice required at high power levels" has been called both an advantage and a disadvantage. The original designers, and some contemporary players, have cited a "feeling of power" when rolling large numbers of dice and counting off huge amounts of damage. On the other hand, rolling such a large load of dice can be physically unwieldy and take a long time to add up.
[edit] Powers
The powers system is divided into a set of standard powers, and a list of advantages and limitations that can be applied to each power. Many of the powers have specific advantages and limitations that apply only to that power. The powers in the HERO System are categorized roughly as follows:
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- 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.
[edit] Point Cost
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.
Powers can have both advantages and limitations. Both are modifiers applied at different stages in calculating cost. These modifiers are typically in integer increments of ±¼, but can range up to ±2 or even higher.
After the base cost is calculated, advantages are applied. These, which can make a power more useful, typically expand its effectiveness or make it more powerful, and thus make it more expensive. Once advantages are applied, the base cost becomes the Active Cost.
The formula for calculating the Active Cost is:
- Active Cost = Base Cost × (1 + Advantages)
Once Active Cost is calculated, limitations are applied. These represent shortcomings in the power, or less than reliable or useful situations in which the power can be used. Limitations are added separately as positive numbers, even though they are listed as negative.
The real cost of the power is then determined by:
- Real Cost = Active Cost / (1 + Limitations)
The Active Cost by itself is used in other calculations, such as END usage, skill level required, or slot usage in a power framework. The real cost just gives the point expenditure required to gain the power.
[edit] Power Frameworks
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. A third type of power framework, the Variable Power Pool (VPP), trades thrift for flexibility. With it, powers can be arbitrarily chosen on the fly, granting enhanced in-game flexibility. The price is a premium on points, called the Control Cost. Additionally, it is marked as potentially unbalancing, so not all GMs will permit VPP's.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Publishing history
Although several games based on the HERO System were published in the 1980s, 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 (ISBN 1-58366-043-7) 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.
[edit] 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. The revised rulebook is also sometimes referred to as reFrED (though more often as 5ER, or "Fiver").
- Although no mathematics operation more complex than division is required to make a HERO System character, the complexity of some constructions 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 592-page 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 fail to penetrate through the entire book.
- The binding used on the fourth edition of the rules was well known to be inferior. To ensure that the fifth edition had high quality binding, the rulebook was tested in a clothes dryer. [1]
[edit] See also
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Individual Games |
Game Resources
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[edit] External links
| Role-playing game systems |
|---|
| BRP • CODA • d20 • D6 • FATE • Fudge • Fuzion • GURPS • Hero • Interlock • MEGS • Megaversal/Palladium • Storyteller/Storytelling • Tri-Stat • Unisystem |
