Any other HERO players around here?
- Thread starter Evenglare
- Start date
DrunkonDuty
he/him
Love HERO System. It's my system of choice. I always suggest it when someone starts one of those "What system should I use to play X game?" threads.
I'm really dying to start a fantasy/horror/swashbuckling campaign. But my group is having issues with scheduling. About 3 months worth of issues now. <sigh>
I did start a Pulp action game about September last year but it's been on hold so long now that I doubt it will ever start up again.
Ran a short lived Supers game about a year ago. We got in about 12 sessions before 2 of the players moved away and another dropped out. Oh but it's great system for supers.
I really need to pin my players down to a commitment, something like a every 2nd or 3rd Saturday afternoon. Make them promise to be on time (and give out some sort of in game reward for players who are there on time and ready.)
There's a couple of others around here who mention HERO regularly too.
So do you have a preferred genre for it? Or are you like me, happy to use it for almost everything?
I'm really dying to start a fantasy/horror/swashbuckling campaign. But my group is having issues with scheduling. About 3 months worth of issues now. <sigh>
I did start a Pulp action game about September last year but it's been on hold so long now that I doubt it will ever start up again.
Ran a short lived Supers game about a year ago. We got in about 12 sessions before 2 of the players moved away and another dropped out. Oh but it's great system for supers.
I really need to pin my players down to a commitment, something like a every 2nd or 3rd Saturday afternoon. Make them promise to be on time (and give out some sort of in game reward for players who are there on time and ready.)
There's a couple of others around here who mention HERO regularly too.
So do you have a preferred genre for it? Or are you like me, happy to use it for almost everything?
MoogleEmpMog
First Post
I played HERO for years until Mutants and Masterminds came out, and switched over after M&M 2e. (Note: I haven't played M&M 3e and can't judge how it stacks up.)
The two do very similar things - extremely flexible systems originally based in supers but usable for most anything, especially for higher-powered settings - but M&M dislodged HERO for me by doing those things faster.
I prefer the way HERO handles initiative and the way you can build a character around Speed. Varying the number of actions characters can take in a given number of turns can make screen time balancing tough, but it's much more interesting to me. I also like HERO's damage system a little better.
On the other hand, M&M is a lot faster in character creation, and a bit faster in play. More importantly, it has a robust, built-in Hero Point/Power Stunting system. I could backport that to HERO (and would pretty much have to to be satisfied with it), but it's an extra layer to explain to players, and making up powers on the fly takes long enough in HERO to make it questionably playable.
Still, HERO is a great system, especially considering what it was going up against when it came out. I much prefer it to, say, GURPS or BESM, two other contenders for a similar slice of the RPG pie.
The two do very similar things - extremely flexible systems originally based in supers but usable for most anything, especially for higher-powered settings - but M&M dislodged HERO for me by doing those things faster.
I prefer the way HERO handles initiative and the way you can build a character around Speed. Varying the number of actions characters can take in a given number of turns can make screen time balancing tough, but it's much more interesting to me. I also like HERO's damage system a little better.
On the other hand, M&M is a lot faster in character creation, and a bit faster in play. More importantly, it has a robust, built-in Hero Point/Power Stunting system. I could backport that to HERO (and would pretty much have to to be satisfied with it), but it's an extra layer to explain to players, and making up powers on the fly takes long enough in HERO to make it questionably playable.
Still, HERO is a great system, especially considering what it was going up against when it came out. I much prefer it to, say, GURPS or BESM, two other contenders for a similar slice of the RPG pie.
Crazy Jerome
First Post
I ran nothing but Hero (or a Hero hybrid) for 13 years. I still like it a lot, as does our group. It always makes the top 5 when we are voting on what to use for our next campaign.
However, it keeps coming in 3rd or 4th because of some of the fundamental annoyances of the system. Namely, there is way too much "accounting" which is work, not play. If you buy supplemental material to get around this, it never quite fits what we want to do, and we have to rework it anyway--even more accounting. My favorite edition is 4th. Since then, nearly all the focus on mechanics has been on making the accounting more precise and accurate (not a bad thing of itself), but at the expense of finding ways to cut out whole swaths of it (risky, but highly useful if done well).
We still might use it for a campaign that featured limited character power creep from an already powerful base--works very well for that. However, our group doesn't much care for the superhero genres, while the fantasy genres that include power + limited change are rather narrow.
However, it keeps coming in 3rd or 4th because of some of the fundamental annoyances of the system. Namely, there is way too much "accounting" which is work, not play. If you buy supplemental material to get around this, it never quite fits what we want to do, and we have to rework it anyway--even more accounting. My favorite edition is 4th. Since then, nearly all the focus on mechanics has been on making the accounting more precise and accurate (not a bad thing of itself), but at the expense of finding ways to cut out whole swaths of it (risky, but highly useful if done well).
We still might use it for a campaign that featured limited character power creep from an already powerful base--works very well for that. However, our group doesn't much care for the superhero genres, while the fantasy genres that include power + limited change are rather narrow.
Big time HEROphile- favorite system, bar none- but gaming with non-fans who won't bother with it right now.
Most of my best stuff has been in HERO since the game's flexibility lets me and my players produce exactly what we want. It takes bookkeeping and a large time investment in PC design, yes, but it "gets out of the way" of modeling the concepts.
I've used it to run standard "4 color" supers, martial arts, sci fi and D&D style games, as well as a supers game set in a Wellsian/Vernian 1900. I have written campaigns based on an alien invasion plot, and am currently writing up one to model the M:tG world, which is proving to be an engaging challenge.
Most of my best stuff has been in HERO since the game's flexibility lets me and my players produce exactly what we want. It takes bookkeeping and a large time investment in PC design, yes, but it "gets out of the way" of modeling the concepts.
I've used it to run standard "4 color" supers, martial arts, sci fi and D&D style games, as well as a supers game set in a Wellsian/Vernian 1900. I have written campaigns based on an alien invasion plot, and am currently writing up one to model the M:tG world, which is proving to be an engaging challenge.
Croesus
Adventurer
Another huge fan here. I started with the original Champions and have been hooked ever since. In fact my gaming group at the time pretty much stopped playing 1E D&D so we could play Fantasy Hero. We stuck with it through the entire 2E era.
Haven't had much opportunity the past several years. A few short supers campaigns, one attempt to GM a campaign based on Timothy Zahn's Blackcollar books (a lot of fun, but RL ended things before the characters could overthrow the bad guys).
I like both 3E and 5E, but really want to try out 6E - the idea that primary stats no longer add to figured stats sounds great, but since I haven't had the chance to try it, I can't say for sure.
One great aspect of HERO is that after characters are created, the system itself is very easy to GM and play. Very few corner cases - just a few things like vehicle rules - to cause someone to crack open the books. As I like to say "An energy blast is an energy blast is an energy blast."
Darn it, now I'm in the mood for a game. Sigh...
Haven't had much opportunity the past several years. A few short supers campaigns, one attempt to GM a campaign based on Timothy Zahn's Blackcollar books (a lot of fun, but RL ended things before the characters could overthrow the bad guys).
I like both 3E and 5E, but really want to try out 6E - the idea that primary stats no longer add to figured stats sounds great, but since I haven't had the chance to try it, I can't say for sure.
One great aspect of HERO is that after characters are created, the system itself is very easy to GM and play. Very few corner cases - just a few things like vehicle rules - to cause someone to crack open the books. As I like to say "An energy blast is an energy blast is an energy blast."
Darn it, now I'm in the mood for a game. Sigh...
It's funny that someone should make a thread like this today, considering I just ordered the 6th ed. basic rules from amazon. I have been lurking the forums for a couple days and are really starting to like what I read about it. The amazing flexibility really draws me in. The very idea of making whatever kind of character I want, without elaborately designing new classes first, is thrilling. However I just hope I can get some players, after learning the game myself. I have played som D&D and Pathfinder with a group of friends, so hopefully I can convince them to try it, if it lives up to my expectations 
Crazy Jerome
First Post
[MENTION=93390]smoelf[/MENTION], if you can get some local interest, make sure that you distinguish between the people who really like to get into a system versus those who mainly just want to play. Hero plays pretty smooth, but the learning curve for making a character is quite steep. Yet, you don't really want to do nothing but pregens, because that takes away from the perceived flexiblity of the system.
I've introduced a lot of people to Hero (whole gaming groups at a time, sometimes even new roleplayers). It's really important with some people to spend time talking to them about their concept, then you go make that character for them. (Well, arguably this is important with any system, but it is ultra important when trying to get acceptance from people who may very well like Hero in play, but will have trouble getting to that point because of character generation.)
And that leads into making characters for the world you want, and putting any restrictions in place to fit that. Because Hero is such a huge, open toolkit, you don't necessarily want to allow everything, all the time.
I've introduced a lot of people to Hero (whole gaming groups at a time, sometimes even new roleplayers). It's really important with some people to spend time talking to them about their concept, then you go make that character for them. (Well, arguably this is important with any system, but it is ultra important when trying to get acceptance from people who may very well like Hero in play, but will have trouble getting to that point because of character generation.)
And that leads into making characters for the world you want, and putting any restrictions in place to fit that. Because Hero is such a huge, open toolkit, you don't necessarily want to allow everything, all the time.
Evenglare
Adventurer
This makes me really glad there are other people out there who enjoy the system as much as I do. It's really one of those you get out as much as you put in kind of systems. Sure preliminary planning can be rough (i personally enjoy tinkering with things though), but the flexibility of the system can not be surpassed.
I would recommend people get the hero basic book. Out of every RPG made ,It's probably the most "bang for your buck" book wise.
I would recommend people get the hero basic book. Out of every RPG made ,It's probably the most "bang for your buck" book wise.
My D&D session got cancelled today (due to a bout of stomach flu in one of the players, at whose house we usually play), so my son and I ran a session of 1st Edition Champions. His PC, Jetstar, fought a disgruntled, vandalizing clown with super-speed named Velocilaughter in a bar. The fight ended up in the ladies bathroom, which didn't bode well for Velocilaughter in that there was only one exit and Jetstar could easily block it. And as it turns out, cans of spray paint are no match for a force field, combat armor, and an energy blast, no matter how fast you can run. We had a good time.
Johnathan
Johnathan
