What are everyones thoughts on Iron Heroes?

[Darrin Drader]

Until now I've steered clear of "magic light" rules and settings, but this one looks like it might be exactly what I've been waiting for. I plan to pick it up and take a look, maybe adopt it down the road for my games.

 

[glass]

What I really want to see is how IH changes the CORE PHB classes in order to compensate for the lack of magic in the campaign.

In short, it doesn't. Like Arcana Evolved it abandons the core classes entirely.

There are supposedly 'conversion guildelines' in the Mastering Iron Heroes book, aren't there? Since the monsters are supposed to work without conversion, what is there to convert except PHB classes and races?


glass.

 

[Li Shenron]

There are supposedly 'conversion guildelines' in the Mastering Iron Heroes book, aren't there? Since the monsters are supposed to work without conversion, what is there to convert except PHB classes and races?

That's what I expected, it could easily be either a whole short chapter or an appendix.

 

[Staffan]

-- About Iron Heroes: I am afraid that the new rules will make the combat system heavier than it already is, and thus combat will last even longer than in regular D&D. Any clue about that?

The way I understand it, there are many additional options for combat (though quite a few of them may be "hidden away" in the feat descriptions). Sure, that'll take some more time. However, since people won't have tons of spells and magic items to play with, that "frees up" a lot of combat time as well (since it's often these that take a long time), so IH combats should take about as long as D&D combats, or possibly less.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

There are supposedly 'conversion guildelines' in the Mastering Iron Heroes book, aren't there? Since the monsters are supposed to work without conversion, what is there to convert except PHB classes and races?

You could well be right, although I would expect the conversion guidelines to be at least as much about converting Iron Heroes to other styles of play as about converting D&D classes and such to the Iron Heroes system.

I'll be curious to see what Mike produces.

 

[GlassJaw]

Personally I'm planning on benchmarking this sucker against Heart of Nightfang Spire.

Sign me up!!

 

[Kanegrundar]

I'm interested, but I'm not dead set on picking it up. If I can easily fit pieces of it in with regular D&D material, then I'll be more likely to pick it up.

Kane

 

[Ashanderai]

I am going to get this book and my group has a DM who thinks he might want to run this with Iron Kingdoms for us after GenCon. He is holding a final judgement though, pending his perusal of the book in question. Regarding the mixing of IH with core classes or even those from AU/AE, I think it should be easy to do (given what little I currently know of the IH system). I think that within the campaign setting you could have a "virus" or "bloodline" effect that either prevents or allows certain characters to use, or not use, magic and magic items. This should apply to multiclassing as well. Those allowed to use magic and magic items can only be of the core (or AU/AE, depending on your campaign and setting) classes, while IH classes can only multiclass with IH classes and cannot use magic at all. I would even go so far as to say that IH characters cannot benefit from buff magic. Also, I would make most NPCs unable to use magic as well; by giving them IH classes instead of the normal NPC classes (unless there are IH NPC class progressions). This poses an interesting question; will there be IH NPC classes for DMs to use instead of what is already in the core books for NPCs?

 

[Akrasia]

... while IH classes can only multiclass with IH classes and cannot use magic at all. I would even go so far as to say that IH characters cannot benefit from buff magic. Also, I would make most NPCs unable to use magic as well ...

But there is magic in IH -- just a different kind than in D&D. There's even a magic class (arcanist?).

From what I've read, the magic system in IH sounds quite similar to WFRP. Since I love WFRP's take on magic, I am somewhat curious about this aspect of IH.

 

[Kanegrundar]

But there is magic in IH -- just a different kind than in D&D. There's even a magic class (arcanist?).

From what I've read, the magic system in IH sounds quite similar to WFRP. Since I love WFRP's take on magic, I am somewhat curious about this aspect of IH.

That sounds interesting! I'll have to do a little more reading into IH now. I love the WHFRP magic system.

Kane