Base Rules
Note: These rules were updated recently (10-21-2013).
We want this game to be a cross between 4-color with only some shades of gray. Heroes are truly heroic, villains don't go around killing willy-nilly. They're more interested in embarrassing the hero (and sometimes killing him/her).
Morality: Shades of gray give rise to doubt and conflict. Moral choices can be difficult, but are sometimes clear as well. This is somewhere between 4-color and Dark Champions, not too gritty, but not white-hats vs. dark-hats. PCs may be vigilantes or true heroes... that is largely up to the Players.
Realism: This campaign will not be totally realistic (people have super powers, after all), but character actions will have effects on the story, how media, people and politicians react to said actions, etc. Otoh, some things may be forgiven heroes who obviously have saved many lives, prevented destruction of the city, and so on.
Outlook and Seriousness: Somewhere between positive and negative. The Characters can and do make a difference in the world by their actions, and those actions do often have repercussions. The game may have some comic elements to amuse Players and GMs, but overall the character actions are serious. People get hurt when thugs hold up stores with guns... or when supers use powers to rob and steal or to try to grab power over others. Sometimes hero-villain conflicts have casualties on the sidelines, innocent bystanders, etc. Otoh, occasional comic relief may be thrown into the mix for a touch of lightheartedness.
Tone: There will be some very serious situations and moral quandaries thrown in for the enjoyment of both the Players and the GMs.
Importance of the Player Characters: This depends on how you build and play your Character. PCs may be very important... or not. Some Supers do have a great impact on city, state, national and world events.
In brief, most characters will fall into one of these categories, depending on Player choice:
We want this game to be a cross between 4-color with only some shades of gray. Heroes are truly heroic, villains don't go around killing willy-nilly. They're more interested in embarrassing the hero (and sometimes killing him/her).
Morality: Shades of gray give rise to doubt and conflict. Moral choices can be difficult, but are sometimes clear as well. This is somewhere between 4-color and Dark Champions, not too gritty, but not white-hats vs. dark-hats. PCs may be vigilantes or true heroes... that is largely up to the Players.
Realism: This campaign will not be totally realistic (people have super powers, after all), but character actions will have effects on the story, how media, people and politicians react to said actions, etc. Otoh, some things may be forgiven heroes who obviously have saved many lives, prevented destruction of the city, and so on.
Outlook and Seriousness: Somewhere between positive and negative. The Characters can and do make a difference in the world by their actions, and those actions do often have repercussions. The game may have some comic elements to amuse Players and GMs, but overall the character actions are serious. People get hurt when thugs hold up stores with guns... or when supers use powers to rob and steal or to try to grab power over others. Sometimes hero-villain conflicts have casualties on the sidelines, innocent bystanders, etc. Otoh, occasional comic relief may be thrown into the mix for a touch of lightheartedness.
Tone: There will be some very serious situations and moral quandaries thrown in for the enjoyment of both the Players and the GMs.
Importance of the Player Characters: This depends on how you build and play your Character. PCs may be very important... or not. Some Supers do have a great impact on city, state, national and world events.
In brief, most characters will fall into one of these categories, depending on Player choice:
SuperHeroic Level | Points | Max. pts. from one type disad: |
Low Powered | 150 base + 100 disads = 250 total | 50 |
Standard | 200 base + 150 disads = 350 total | 50 |
High Powered | 300 base + 150 disads = 450 total | 60 |
Note: Some of the numbers in the following table differ slightly from those presented in the book.
Character Type | Char* | Speed | CV | DC | AP | Skill Pts | Skill Rolls | DEF/rDEF |
Low Powered | 10-30* | 3-8 | 6-11 | 6-12 | 40-75 | 25-80 | 8-14- | 20/15 |
Standard | 10-30* | 4-8 | 7-13 | 6-14 | 40-80 | 25-80 | 8-15- | 25/15 |
High Powered | 15-30* | 4-8 | 8-14 | 10-16 | 50-90 | 30-90 | 10-16- | 30/20 |
We do like to stress RolePlay over Combat, but at the same time your character must be combat-worthy. Glass-Jaw Characters aren't much fun. Strive for balance in your Character, please.
*Char = Primary Characteristics. STR is the big exception and may go as high as 60 for most Characters... some Bricks may exceed that a bit.
For those new to Hero System: CV = Combat Value, DC = Damage Class, AP = Active Points, DEF = Defense, rDEF = Resistant Defense.
Our experience is that, given the choice of multiple power levels, most Players opt for the most power they can get. That's fine, but if you want a less powerful hero, they are available. For the most part, we GMs will try to keep the less powerful heroes matched with lower-powered villains and not have you running up against NPCs who are a very many points above your character... at least, not usually (If you see Dr. Death, it is best to hide.).
House Rules:
- Presence may never exceed 30 points, with very rare exceptions. Very few are the characters who walk into a room and everyone falls down in a stupor.
- The "Costs END Only to Activate" Advantage only works on a very few Powers selected and approved by the GM: Growth, Shape Shift, and Shrinking come to mind as Powers for which I will allow the "Costs END Only to Activate" Advantage. In Shape Shift's case, it is "Costs END Only to Change." If you can justify to me (Jim) how a Power should include this Advantage, Conceptually and/or Special-Effects-wise, then I will reconsider, but I have been through a lot of such considerations. I'll be hard to convince.
The numbers in the above table are guidelines and not hard-and-fast rules. Still, we would like characters to be somewhat close to these numbers, which are starting numbers. Player Characters may exceed the above numbers with earned XP and GM approval.
DO keep in mind that this is a SOLO game. For the most part, the PCs are loners.
There may be limited crossovers where two or more heroes get together for a specific goal or project and then, once again, go their own ways.
Heroes may have sidekicks (Followers), allies and/or DNPCs at the discretion of Player and GM.
DO make sure players are heroic. This game is to lean a bit more toward 4-color than Dark Champions, though gray areas are expected and allowed. Outright evil characters are for NPCs only.
DON'T get too dark. There is no Harbinger of Justice in Chicago. Extraordinarily lethal weapons/powers should be frowned upon.
Heroes don't go around killing people with any degree of frequency. Yes, deaths may occur in combat, but a Hero doesn't go out of his/her way trying to kill his/her opponent.
Required limitations for all PCs: two out of three of these are strongly, strongly urged unless contrary to character concept (criminal PCs are frowned upon):
20 Code vs. Killing, common, total
25 Psych Lim: Heroic/Honorable: keeps word, does not harm defenseless/disabled foe, reluctant to kill, very common, total.
20 Psych Lim: Protective of Innocents, very common, strong
Some variations on the above disads may be allowed, such as Reluctant to Kill, common, strong (15 points), etc. This is up to the GM as to whether or not to allow variations.
DO keep in mind the 8 principles (FREd pages 336-338, in the sidebars, see these pages for more details):
- The rules are designed to help you have fun.
- Any and all rules are subject to change.
- Just because something isn't explicitly forbidden doesn't mean it's allowed.
- Just because something is explicitly forbidden doesn't mean you can't do it (with the GM's permission).
- Consider the Special Effects involved.
- Don't waste time worrying about the "exact right way" to build an ability.
- Use your dramatic sense.
- Use your common sense.
DO tell a background story. Have a plot, non-player characters whom we can come to care about, a good setting. (Chicago is a start, but PCs may have their favored neighborhoods or suburbs), etc. Make it a good story that everyone can enjoy. Sometimes the game goes places other than Chicago and area, but mostly we play in Chicago land.
I like Players to use Hero Designer, if possible, and you should send me the .hdc character file, along with any other files you think I should have. I like to have the following file (or a part of it) in the character background area, with the questions answered, of course. One player called these Randi's 21 Questions of Death :D
http://www.herocentral.net/herocentral/get/files/premium/base-q.txt
These files will help you when working with Hero Designer. The first is a Campaign Rules file. Load it at the beginning of your design session with setting up the numbers and some options.
http://www.herocentral.net/herocentral/get/files/premium/Solo_Chicago_450.hdr
This file is for your character's everyman skills. Load the file with the Prefab dropdown menu, and then the Prefab tab under Skills to copy the Everyman list into your Skills page. Customize the list for your character (hometown, profession, and others as necessary). If you buy up an everyman skill, buy it at full price outside the list and delete that skill inside the list.
http://www.herocentral.net/herocentral/get/files/premium/Everyman+prefab.hdp
If you open these files in your browser, they will open a new tab or window. You should right-click and download the files to your PC. Note the folder where you put them and open them in Hero Designer or import the appropriate text portions into the proper areas.
If you have questions, please contact Jim.