So, Hackmaster Basic?

[Matrix Sorcica]

I've read the HMB once or twice, and combat seems awfully nitpicky and complex. The combat example in the book goes on and on and only a few things actually happen.
Check shield, check ToP, roll dice, subtract armor. Use d20, no use d12....

How does it play out?

 

[KJSEvans]

I've read the HMB once or twice, and combat seems awfully nitpicky and complex. The combat example in the book goes on and on and only a few things actually happen.
Check shield, check ToP, roll dice, subtract armor. Use d20, no use d12....

How does it play out?

Fast and furious. The basics of combat are actually quite easy ... you roll a d20 to hit, your opponent rolls to defend. Did you roll a 2? If your opponent's defense total is a 1, you still hit.

Movement in combat elevates things to another level, and there are various combat moves a person can make. That doesn't mean that they HAVE to be made, though.

In any event, my advice would be to play a game once or twice under a competent GM. If your GM knows how to handle combat in the game, it will quickly be made very clear to you just how fast and fun it is.

 

[Treebore]

I'm the mage mentioned above who "burnt themselves out putting most of our opponents asleep". I have my problems with Hackmaster Basic, but if someone can't manage being "heroic" in this RPG its their problem, not HMb's.

Saying you can't be "heroic" in HMb is like saying you can't be a fighter or Thief. Or a mage.

In fact, going by my definition of "heroic", HMb has the potential to be so gritty and deadly that you will have more opportunities for "heroism" than pretty much any other RPG out there, even more so than Warhammer 1E or 2E.

Now I do agree there is a lot of room for writing and organizing the rules in a much clearer fashion. I will agree that HMb already has a fair bit of "complexity". I will agree that with the count up system it takes a bit of getting used to because you have to get out of old mind sets.

I will agree getting used to how the magic system for clerics and mages takes a LOT of getting used to, and that they seem VERY underpowered at first.

I agree that taking days to heal up your party even with one or two clerics takes a lot of getting used to.

But lacking what it takes for players to play "heroic" PC's?

HMb has heroic opportunities in spades.

 

[Falstaff]

I started a HackMaster campaign this January and I've been running it weekly every since. HackMaster is as close to everything I want from a fantasy roleplaying game that's on the market. I'm totally in love with the game and have lots of respect for the game's designers. There currently isn't a roleplaying game on the market that would get me to abandon my HackMaster campaign. I will say though, the upcoming Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG has my attention, but it's gonna have to be super awesome to drag me from HackMaster.

If you'd like to read my HackMaster campaign recaps, here's the thread on the Kenzer & Co. boards: 2011 HackMaster Campaign Recaps - Kenzer & Company Discussion Forums

If you need a list of a few of the reasons that I prefer HackMaster:

- deadly combat
- no matter what level your PCs is he'll always have to be careful in ANY combat that he finds himself in (this due to the Threshold of Pain mechanic)
- old-school classes like the Thief and Mage
- the Hacklopedia; this is simply the best looking and most evocative RPG product ever produced!
- the fact that the GameMaster is completely in control of his campaign

 

[thenightgaunt]

- the Hacklopedia; this is simply the best looking and most evocative RPG product ever produced!

Oh yeah. I'd challenge anyone to look through the new Hacklopedia and not fall in love. ^^

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Fast and furious. The basics of combat are actually quite easy ... you roll a d20 to hit, your opponent rolls to defend. Did you roll a 2? If your opponent's defense total is a 1, you still hit.

Well, a lot of systems are like this boiled down. I just think the combat example shows that there are a lot fiddly bits (check for this, check for that. If A, then C, if not B then X).
And this is HM Basic!

In any event, my advice would be to play a game once or twice under a competent GM. If your GM knows how to handle combat in the game, it will quickly be made very clear to you just how fast and fun it is.

I would be the GM....

 

[KJSEvans]

Well, a lot of systems are like this boiled down. I just think the combat example shows that there are a lot fiddly bits (check for this, check for that. If A, then C, if not B then X).
And this is HM Basic!


I would be the GM....

Well, if you want a demonstration I could always run a combat for you in MapTools...

 

[KJSEvans]

Point of fact...

If anybody here is interested in a HackMaster Basic demonstration, I am willing to run a scenario for you folks on MapTools using Skype. I will provide pre-generated PCs, so all you have to do is show up and play. Send me a PM if you are interested, and when I have 4 or 5 I will schedule a game night. Odds are, it'll take 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Cheers,

Kurt

 

[TanisFrey]

For a Demonstration of Hackmaster Basic attend UBCON next weekend.
UBCon XXII

Several people in my normal group are running a visual dungeon of Hackmaster Basic.

So if you are in the Western New York/Southern Ontario region next weekend, Saturday April 9, 2011, we are running a game that you can enter.

The CON runs all weekend but the Hackmaster Basic demo is being run most of Saturday.

 

[lejanius]

Hackmaster is currently my favorite fantasy RPG system.
Here are the pro's and con's as I see it, hope this helps.

Pros

Fast paced combat (which by the way may seem clunky but plays better, faster and easier than it may read)
shield use and shield breakage (very fun, somewhat realistic and makes shields useful)
Knockbacks
Spell points
Count up initiative system, which has ruined most turned based games for me.
Very heoric! Fights are awesome and can often go bad or good in unexpected ways.
trauma checks.
A game of touch choices. You generally have to sacrifice something to be good at something. You will not have 4 16+ stats, you will not be specialized to +3 in your weapon and be awesome at all of your skills at the same time, you will be forced to choose what is important to your PC. If you like overpowered PC's (and many gamers do and there is nothing wrong with that) you will not like HMB.


Cons (oddly enough most of these are because this is the basic version of the game)

HMB is rules-lite. You will need to use some common sense and make judgement calls. Some gamers CANNOT do this, if you cannot, you will be frustrated. Since this is the BASIC version of the game you will be forced to come up with some rule stipulations.
Only 5 levels, though KODT does have rules up to 10 but if you don't buy the mag you would have to spend the money on that.
Lack of equipment and spells (again more are available in KODT and hackjournal)
Lack of classes (again more available in KODT and hackjournal)
surprise system. I love the way it works, what I don't like is that combat could be going on for 10 seconds without someone being able to act. While not entirely unrealistic they need rules (and probably will have them) to allow people to shake others into action or revise the initiative system somewhat. Not broken by any means but just a minor irritation sometimes at the start of combat.


Overall HMB is fantastic game. My advice if you are interested is to try it out with an experienced GM. The reason I say this is because the rules sometimes seem clunky or complicated but in actual play (once you get them down) they are not at all. It is a very, very good system.