Rules Lite Iron Heroes
- Thread starter hoplite69
- Start date
The closest thing I know of is 4E, using the DMG2's rules for stripping out magic items.
Woas
First Post
Can you further explain what you mean by a "rules-lite Iron Heroes"? The game is sort of it's own beast.
Baron Opal
First Post
Sort of. I started tinkering to make guilds for fighters and thieves for a B/X game. It never really materialized. These abilities were gained at 1st, 4th and 7th level. The theme was first was a +1 to something, second was a trick that they could trade an attack for, third was a 1/day power.
The Armigers Stalwart
(Armigers)
Apprentice
Master Armorer: Apprentice Armigers are taught special techniques on how to wear and maintain their armor. They gain to +1 to AC while wearing armor.
Journeyman
Indefatigable: The character can, once per day, invoke their god, utter a battle cry or otherwise energize themselves for the remainder of the battle. The character gains 1d6 + their level in hit points.
Master
Deflection: The Master Armiger has learned to use their armor to it’s full capabilities. They can sacrifice an upcoming attack to grant them a Fortitude save vs. the damage from a single attack. If the save is successful they take no damage. If the save fails full damage is taken. Also, the reserves of the Armiger increase and can be indefatigable 3 times per day.
The Warwheel Dancers
(Scout? the one that runs everywhere)
Apprentice
Rolling Stance: The apprentices to the Warwheel learn to be particularly agile. They gain +1 to Reflex saving throws.
Journeyman
Warwheel Strike: Students of the Warwheel style learn to exploit a chance opening in their opponent’s defenses. When a student of the Warwheel makes a critical hit, they gain an additional attack on the same opponent rather than scoring maximum damage.
Master
Force Opening: By sacrificing an attack a master of the Warwheel can add +4 to his next attack. Furthermore, they gain an extra attack each round.
The Children of Fortune
(Executioners)
Apprentice
Cruel Cut: the character has learned how to use and maintain weapons that inflict painful wounds. The Child of Fortune is +1 to damage with weapons.
Journeyman
Wrathful Smite: Once per day the Child of Fortune can channel all of his fury into one attack. The character is at +4 to attack and does his level in bonus damage.
Master
Seize Destiny: Once per day the Child can guide his own fate. The player can reroll one of his character’s d20 rolls. He must accept the second roll. A Master of Fortune can also smite 3 times per day.
The Black Sands School
(Weapon Master)
Apprentice
True Strike: The apprentice of the School learns to strike without thought or passion. They gain +1 to attack.
Journeyman
Lightning Splits the Sky: Once per day the student of the Black Sands School can choose to wait for the perfect opening and move without desire. The attack hits and does maximum damage. Magical or special effects, like poison, do not take effect and need an attack roll. If the attack roll misses damage is still done but the special effects do not happen.
Master
Placid Heart: The Master of the Black Sands School knows himself and his place in the world. He is immune to charm and emotion affecting spells. He is still affected by illusions, and gains +4 to Will saving throws. Furthermore, he can now split the sky 3 times a day.
The Armigers Stalwart
(Armigers)
Apprentice
Master Armorer: Apprentice Armigers are taught special techniques on how to wear and maintain their armor. They gain to +1 to AC while wearing armor.
Journeyman
Indefatigable: The character can, once per day, invoke their god, utter a battle cry or otherwise energize themselves for the remainder of the battle. The character gains 1d6 + their level in hit points.
Master
Deflection: The Master Armiger has learned to use their armor to it’s full capabilities. They can sacrifice an upcoming attack to grant them a Fortitude save vs. the damage from a single attack. If the save is successful they take no damage. If the save fails full damage is taken. Also, the reserves of the Armiger increase and can be indefatigable 3 times per day.
The Warwheel Dancers
(Scout? the one that runs everywhere)
Apprentice
Rolling Stance: The apprentices to the Warwheel learn to be particularly agile. They gain +1 to Reflex saving throws.
Journeyman
Warwheel Strike: Students of the Warwheel style learn to exploit a chance opening in their opponent’s defenses. When a student of the Warwheel makes a critical hit, they gain an additional attack on the same opponent rather than scoring maximum damage.
Master
Force Opening: By sacrificing an attack a master of the Warwheel can add +4 to his next attack. Furthermore, they gain an extra attack each round.
The Children of Fortune
(Executioners)
Apprentice
Cruel Cut: the character has learned how to use and maintain weapons that inflict painful wounds. The Child of Fortune is +1 to damage with weapons.
Journeyman
Wrathful Smite: Once per day the Child of Fortune can channel all of his fury into one attack. The character is at +4 to attack and does his level in bonus damage.
Master
Seize Destiny: Once per day the Child can guide his own fate. The player can reroll one of his character’s d20 rolls. He must accept the second roll. A Master of Fortune can also smite 3 times per day.
The Black Sands School
(Weapon Master)
Apprentice
True Strike: The apprentice of the School learns to strike without thought or passion. They gain +1 to attack.
Journeyman
Lightning Splits the Sky: Once per day the student of the Black Sands School can choose to wait for the perfect opening and move without desire. The attack hits and does maximum damage. Magical or special effects, like poison, do not take effect and need an attack roll. If the attack roll misses damage is still done but the special effects do not happen.
Master
Placid Heart: The Master of the Black Sands School knows himself and his place in the world. He is immune to charm and emotion affecting spells. He is still affected by illusions, and gains +4 to Will saving throws. Furthermore, he can now split the sky 3 times a day.
Asmor
First Post
Rules light Iron Heroes? I guess if you were to play that game, the only appropriate refreshments would be alcohol-free beer, soy cheese, and diet caffeine-free cola that's been left out long enough to go flat.
Seriously, Iron Heroes is a game that's all about a complex and involved system.
If what you're looking for is a low-magic game, perhaps you could try Savage Worlds or, as someone else suggested, 4e with innate bonuses and no magic items.
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I DM'd a zero-level rules-lite Iron Heroes game for 3 or 4 sessions. It was a lot of fun! The campaign had a Lovecraftian horror flavor, and the PCs were very fragile (all of them managed to survive--barely--and there was a high NPC body count).
DMing was easy. Adversaries were mostly low-level NPC class (cultists) or IH Villain Classes. I doled out "fear tokens" based on the chart on p. 236, which were an entertaining way to neutrailze PCs without killing them.
The PCs were zero level, so we skipped the Class chapter entirely. Six ability scores, two traits (or substitute feats), hit points equal to constitution, and +4 to a number of skill groups equal to 1+Int bonus (even dumb characters get Athletics). We had a cursed occultist with child of omen (rewarding the unlucky player for rolling natural 1's), a big strong mute guy (with rage issues of course), and a charismatic wanna-be pop star (Bluff and Intimidate got her out of a lot of jams, but her foolishness cost the party dearly in the end).
Combat was fast-paced and deadly. Frankly, our most entertaining moments were non-combat. The IH skill system deals elegently with stealth, diplomacy, acrobatic stunts, etc. Lots of fun!
DMing was easy. Adversaries were mostly low-level NPC class (cultists) or IH Villain Classes. I doled out "fear tokens" based on the chart on p. 236, which were an entertaining way to neutrailze PCs without killing them.
The PCs were zero level, so we skipped the Class chapter entirely. Six ability scores, two traits (or substitute feats), hit points equal to constitution, and +4 to a number of skill groups equal to 1+Int bonus (even dumb characters get Athletics). We had a cursed occultist with child of omen (rewarding the unlucky player for rolling natural 1's), a big strong mute guy (with rage issues of course), and a charismatic wanna-be pop star (Bluff and Intimidate got her out of a lot of jams, but her foolishness cost the party dearly in the end).
Combat was fast-paced and deadly. Frankly, our most entertaining moments were non-combat. The IH skill system deals elegently with stealth, diplomacy, acrobatic stunts, etc. Lots of fun!
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