Advanced Hackmaster

[Reynard]

Is anyone playing this? I really like Hackmaster Basic but haven't really had a chance to play it much. There's a copy of the absolutely gorgeous Hacklopedia staring at me every time I walk into my FLGS, and now I see if you pre-order the Player's handbook you can get the beta PDF right now.

So, what says EN World? Is Advanced Hackmaster worthy of the last vestiges of my christmas cash?

 

[KJSEvans]

Yes, big time. HackMaster is a tremendously fun game. The complete version - containing the HoB, PHB and soon the GMG - is extremely high quality with modular rules and a ton of things for both old and new school gamers to love.

The benefits of the PHB compared with the Basic book are this...

The rules get you to Level 20
You now have access to the following classes, on top of the Basic four:
assassin, barbarian, fighter/mage, fighter/thief, knight, paladin, mage/thief, ranger, rogue, as well as more than a dozen cleric options, each of which come with their own unique spell list. (And btw - there's a thief cleric and assassin cleric... I can't get over how awesome either one is)

On top of the new classes, the new playable races include gnomes, gnome titans, half orcs, half hobgoblins, grel (a sort of grunge elf), half elves and pixie fairies.

There are something like 400 spells for mages and clerics, including my all-time favorite: the bouncing betty fireball!

Combat options have been expanded and improved upon, including an improved way to manage firing ranged weapons into melee, not to mention hand-to-hand combat, mounted combat, called shots, etc.

Further, Quirks and Flaws have become completely optional and dramatically expanded. I LOVE the Q&Fs.

There's also an expanded items list, from weapons to common, along with expanded sections on how to use honor. New sections include training rules, as well as a guide for hiring NPCs of various types.

Anyway, at this point the beta PHB is at about 330 pages of an estimated 400. We're still waiting on a few things, and one of the talented HackWriters (Barb Blackburn) has mentioned in a few places that she's working on a comprehensive magical item list... makes me optimistic that we'll see that too!

Is it worth it? Yes, for all these reasons and so many more. It's hard not to gush about this game.

 

[Face]

It is a good game

Kurt (and I) are obviously biased since we have helped work on the game that you are inquiring about.

I would say that it is a great game for all the reasons that Kurt mentioned, but what I think you want to know is would you think it is a good game?

Hard for us to answer that without knowing what kind of play you enjoy. Do you like games that are extremely realistic like Hárn or do you prefer something much more fantastic like D&D 3.5?

I would put HackMaster closer to Hárn than 3.5, saying it is much more like Lord of the Rings. There isn't a lot of magic visible, but it is there, along with high quality items (which a lot of people think of as magic......weapons up to +5 aren't magical but extremely high quality). The game's "average" man would probably see a Mage cast a spell and assume he was a cleric of some type.

Do you prefer turn based systems where action order is pretty much static during combat or do you prefer to be able to start performing one action and change your mind before you are finished and start something else? HackMaster has a fluid count-up initiative system where actions take a prescribed amount of time. If you are hacking away at a foe and decide you'd rather split and run, you could do so as you please.

Do you want to start out a hero or hero-apparent or do you want to work your way up from a "nobody"? In HackMaster the only thing separating you from the average joe is a bit more coin in you pocket and quite a bit of free will. Your stats can be increased as you level and if you like you can devote more energy into building stats....energy that could be devoted to increasing skills or weapon use, etc.

Do you want to be able to tweak your character pretty much how you want or would you prefer to follow a set advancement path? In HackMaster skill/weapon/stat progression is possible through a build-point (BP) system. You get 15 BP per level to spend and you can dole them out as you like or save them up for a big purchase. Talents in earlier editions of the game could only be purchased at character creation, but in this version you can buy them at any time, and unlike some other games, there are no talent/feat "trees" that you need to pretty much be locked into at character creation or be behind the power curve.

Would you like a low buy-in point? Go ahead and pick up HackMaster Basic at the Kenzer & Company website for $15 as a PDF. That is enough for the whole group (although players will most likely want a hardcopy) to get up through level 5. That is actually a good amount of play, not counting PC deaths.

Also, and I find this to be a huge draw for me, there really isn't a lot of difference between playing and GMing. It doesn't take a lot for an experienced player to step behind the screen. Almost all of the rules are available/used by the player.


I'm a fan of HackMaster, as I've stated. I'm also biased, which I've stated. I've tried to throw out a few things that you may or may not find helpful. If you have some specific questions I will be more than happy to answer them. I'm not on this forum much since I usually hang around the KenzerCo forums (same handle). Feel free to ask me what you want or try to get a hold of me some other way (twitter handle is @cstogdill).

This goes for anyone else wanting to know more about the game. HackMaster may not be for you and there is nothing wrong with that. If you liked the Hacklopedia of Beasts however, picking up HackMaster Basic is a very comfortable and easy step to make.

If you live in the Boise, Idaho area, I'd be more than happy to arrange for a demo for your group.

 

[KJSEvans]

Excellent feedback, Face, although I think he already owns HMb and said in the OP that he likes it quite a bit.

 

[lejanius]

It's been my groups game of choice since 4E. I played HMB the day it came out (actually before at Garycon) and we love it.

I have ran several campaigns, but basically it hits all my buttons of realism, gritty, challenging, fun, and all the stuff Face and Kurt said.

I am biased but it's by far my favorite fantasy system.

I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have about the game.

 

[Princess Noin]

Best Combat Mechanics I've Seen

I've always had fun playing HackMaster. I'm a playtester like Face and Kurt. Kurt covered some of the details and Face covered a bunch of the things I like about it--especially the easy transition from player to GM. We had a situation at a convention with too many players, not enough GMs. One of my players was able to step in last minute and run her first-ever game with no difficulty.

Back to the fun: I love the fluid combat system as no one is left bored or stuck waiting for a turn. There is an element of suspense as competing dice are rolled. An attack roll of 4 can be a hit if the defender rolls lower! As a GM, I'm not pausing to consult a bunch of charts while my players wait--I'm in there rolling dice, too, to see if my monster survives or bites it. It's a blast to run. I've tried several different combat systems and this one is hands-down my favorite. It becomes intuitive after a time.

I really enjoy the PC generation process as you are creating a person, not just a set of stats. You can literally be anything--a dwarven mage if you want--and there is a wide variety of skills to choose from.

I highly recommend buying the new PHB now if you are interested because you will get the PDF version as part of the deal. It is a beautiful book--just like the Hacklopedia you've been eyeing...or rather, seems to be eyeing you. They are asking for fan feedback on the KenzerCo forums as the book progresses. The D-Team is involved in the discussions, too. It's a fun fan community, another reason I like the game.

 

[GeorgeFields]

I'll echo what everyone else is saying.

In 2009, I was ready to give up RPGs until HackMaster Basic was released.
I've had one group playing for two years now and have just started another group. Two of the guys in my new group haven't played RPGs in years - by years I mean the 80's and AD&D1e.

After one session, one of them bought the HoB immediately and pre-ordered the PH the following week.

Anything else I have to say will just be repeating the previous posts.

 

[Face]

Really?

Excellent feedback, Face, although I think he already owns HMb and said in the OP that he likes it quite a bit.

This post isn't just for Reynard or I could have simple sent him a private message.

I do seem to remember a group of CT players that played HM4, but I don't know if they transitioned to HackMaster Basic or not. Reynard, if you send me you city and a point of contact I can try to dig that group up on your behalf.

One of the biggest issues I've seen with most all RPGs recently is that many "home groups" are pretty much closed off. They don't play publicly and don't have a lot of interest in playing at conventions. These groups have been playing at the same table for years without any new blood, or the desire to gain new players.

If you need to look for players you can do so at Kenzer & Company Discussion Forums

 

[Reynard]

This post isn't just for Reynard or I could have simple sent him a private message.

I do seem to remember a group of CT players that played HM4, but I don't know if they transitioned to HackMaster Basic or not. Reynard, if you send me you city and a point of contact I can try to dig that group up on your behalf.

One of the biggest issues I've seen with most all RPGs recently is that many "home groups" are pretty much closed off. They don't play publicly and don't have a lot of interest in playing at conventions. These groups have been playing at the same table for years without any new blood, or the desire to gain new players.

If you need to look for players you can do so at Kenzer & Company Discussion Forums

Thanks, Face. I currently run a bi-weekly Pathfinder old school krawl campaign at my FLGS (Cave Comics in Newtown -- plug!) and will probably try and run some HM there, too (in addition to some Con stuff). I always believe that the best way to learn a game in order to run it is to play it, though, so I am hoping to find a con game or two to try out. I ran an ultra trap laden HMb adventure when it was still in Beta but unfortunately have not had the opportunity to run it again since. I have often considered porting over the initiative system to PF but have not yet had the time to really dig in and figure out how to make it work with the PF combat system.

 

[KJSEvans]

Just so you know, DSK posted on Facebook (you can follow HackMaster there) that, as the PHB nears completion, the offer to receive the pdf for free will expire sometime soon. HM pdfs are pricey - it's about $40 for the HoB - so getting it for free is a pretty sweet deal.