Is Iron Heroes Dead

[ValhallaGH]

Like, how do you multiclass? (system crash)

By leveling up in another class.

Did read the entire Class chapter? Because multiclassing is covered at the end of it.

Good luck.

 

[Will]

Uh huh. How do you determine values for defense and so forth?

 

[ValhallaGH]

Uh huh. How do you determine values for defense and so forth?

First, you read the rules.

Iron Heroes (revised) page 72. Iron Heroes (original) page 72. Same page in either version, last part of the Classes chapter.
[sblock]

Base Defense Bonus: Add the base defense bonuses provided
by each of your classes together. If more than one of your classes
has an average base defense progression, apply a –1 penalty to
your total base defense if you are 6th level or higher, a –2 penalty
if you are 12th level or higher, or a –3 penalty if you are 18th level
or higher. Apply only the highest penalty. For example, an 18thlevel
multiclassed character with more than one class with an
average base defense progression suffers a –3 modifier to his total
base defense.

[/sblock]

After you read them, you think about the words until they make sense. If they don't, re-read them until they make sense. If you have further question, head over to the Iron Heroes forum and ask specific questions there.

P.S. Yes, there are a number of house rules used by various fans to adjust some of the multi-classing issues. I, myself, have used some of them, with varying degrees of success. Most are enumerated by either the Iron League or in the House Rules thread of the IH forum.

 

[Gilbetron]

I ran a great campaign with IH, and while it could have use a bit more baking, it was far, far better than 3.5. I was thrilled to see Mearls on the 4E team, and can was overjoyed to see some of the ideas from IH make it into 4E. IH is generally supposed to be about non-magic users hacking through a roughly-sketched world. For d20 fantasy, it's one of the best rules sets that has come out, although I agree that Arcana Unearthed/Evolved is up there with it.

Then again, I'm not a big fan of 3E D&D, so that could be why I liked IH so much.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I eagerly bought Iron Heroes, as it was billed as taking a new direction on a bunch of stuff that often annoyed me in 3e.

I then found out it's answer to all the problems I had was... to march way off in a direction I didn't like (mainly, all that resource management).

I think I was in a similar position to you - I was looking forward to IH and had high hopes for it, but they were not realised for much the same reasons as you had. I didn't even enjoy reading it. Funnily I'd bought SpyCraft 2.0 on the off chance that I might find something good in it and found it was stuffed full or really excellent new rules ideas that got my creative juices flowing (subplots, dramatic scenes and corporation rules stand out straight away).

Regarding 4e it appears I also am not on Mike Mearls' vibe, which is a shame for me.

Cheers

 

[snowitch]

A couple of years ago, I DM'd an IH campaign for 3 sessions. It was an intergeneration game with grownups and kids. The players did not own copies of IH, instead we had a char-gen session, then I typed up detailed character sheet for each, with a "menu" of some advantageous (or flavorful) stunts and challenges. I think this helped combat flow quicker than if each player had a copy of the rule book to flip through.

Off the top of my head (it's been a while), the PCs were a deadly ninja (harrier), stealthy master of poison (hunter), bounty hunter (armiger/executioner), rune blade (intelligent man at arms with weapon bond: bastard sword and maxed out lore and academia skills), and a bewitching thief. We all found it a refreshing break from the elves/trolls/wizards fantasy archetype.

The recurring antagonist was a demonic brute who kept coming back bigger and stronger (with new powers). Everyone else was NPC class (using the IH rules of course), and said NPCs were slaughtered by the low-level PCs. Our heroes made it to 3rd level before we called it quits. Since there were no PC arcanists, our "magic system" was basically "run away!"

IH is a lot of fun. The most memorable combat (against the fire-breathing variation of the above-mentioned demon) took place in a circus tent. IH zone rules simulated the stampeding crowd, trapeeze, and spreading flames. We also ran through the first sunken tower of Dark Harbor. Highly recommended.

 

[Aus_Snow]

spam reported

 

[yeloson]

I ran a year long IH campaign. It worked great... more fun than anything I've had with any of the 3E stuff. Obviously, looking ahead to the top end feats, we could see some stuff that wasn't finished and would need house ruling, but we never got far enough to have to deal with it.

Frankly, the only reason I wouldn't run it now is that all the good ideas had been transplanted into 4E- all the worthwhile stunting ideas are now just as easy as declaring an attribute attack on a different defense- and calling a condition and damage together.

I'm glad Mearls could carry the idea to a wider audience, refined and elegant.

Chris

 

[Capellan]

We've just begun discussion on 2nd edition Iron Heroes over at the IH forums. Click here to participate.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

We've just begun discussion on 2nd edition Iron Heroes over at the IH forums. Click here to participate.

Awesome. I need more free time.