TEXT: THE HERO SYSTEM 
  GENRE BY GENRE 
   
  ne of the best things about the HERO System is that once 
  you learn the rules, you can use it to create games for 
  any genre, time period, or setting. Campaigns as diverse 
  as gritty modern espionage, fantasy tales featuring 
  demigods, epic science fiction wars with starships and battlemechs, 
  and crimefighting four-color superheroes all work with the HERO 
  System. 
  To help you get started learning the HERO System and deciding 
  what sort of game you want to run, this chapter provides a brief 
  overview of the major genres common to roleplaying games, and 
  shows you how to play characters and campaigns in them using the 
  HERO System. It reviews some of the major elements or important 
  features of each genre, and explains how you can simulate them 
  with the HERO System rules. Each section also includes one or two 
  sample characters you can use as guidelines for creating your own 
  characters or NPCs for scenarios you plan to run. 
  So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to learn how to BE A 
  HERO! 
  What Page Was That Again? 
  Throughout this document, you’ll find lots of page references. 
  All of these are to the HERO System 5th Edition core rulebook, 
  available from fine game and hobby stores. If you’re having trouble 
  finding a copy, check out the Hero Retailers page at 
  www.herogames.com. 
  For Further Information 
  If you’d like to learn more about the HERO System, or you have 
  questions, please visit the Hero Games website — 
  www.herogames.com.  It contains lots of free downloads, 
  information about our current products and future releases, and an 
  active message board with over 1,700 registered members. You can 
  post and read messages without being a registered member, though 
  — and there are plenty of fans who will be glad to help you out, tell 
  you more about the HERO System, and answer your questions. You 
  can also e-mail the company at info@herogames.com. 
  O
  
  2 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  COMIC BOOK SUPERHEROES 
  CHAMPIONS 
  en with the strength to lift battleships, 
  flying through the air wearing gaudy, 
  caped costumes. Mighty heroes in 
  armor made not of simple leather and 
  steel, but advanced polymers and alloys and circuitry, 
  and equipped with enough weaponry to defeat a tank 
  battalion. Beautiful women who can fire power-bolts 
  from their eyes. Megalomaniacal villains determined 
  to conquer the world — or destroy it. Villainous 
  organizations, powerful occult conspiracies, the 
  highest of high technology. All this, and more, you 
  can find in the pages of comic books — and in the 
  roleplaying campaigns inspired by them. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Champions campaigns 
  are almost always Superheroic. Typically characters 
  are built as Standard Superheroic characters, with 
  200 Base Points and up to 150 more points from 
  Disadvantages. Published Champions characters use 
  this guideline. Gamemasters who prefer slightly less 
  powerful characters are more likely to choose Low-
  Powered Superheroic (150 Base Points + 100 
  Disadvantages); other GMs want their players to have 
  more points to work with, and use the High-Powered 
  or even Very High-Powered guidelines. 
  As discussed on page 338, many Champions 
  GMs (gamemasters) choose to impose restrictions, or 
  “caps,” on the amount of Active Points a Champions 
  character can have in any one power. Fifty, 60, or 75 
  point caps are the most common for a typical 
  Standard Superheroic game, 40 or 50 points for a 
  lower-powered game, and sometimes as much as 90 
  points or more for higher-powered campaigns. The 
  other guidelines and restrictions listed in the tables on 
  page 15 of the core rulebook are usually also applied. 
  On the other hand, some GMs prefer not to set point 
  caps and just evaluate each character and his powers 
  individually. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  The superhero genre is so large and varied that 
  it’s difficult to provide any sort of capsule description 
  of it. Even when two comic books look similar from 
  the outside, they can prove to have very different 
  stories and artistic styles on the inside. The genre 
  ranges from the most ridiculous and childish of four-
  colored stories, to the darkest and grimmest 
  “realistic” heroes, with everything in between 
  appearing somewhere during the history of the 
  medium. So, the possibilities for a Champions 
  campaign are just about endless. 
  Nevertheless, there are a few common “bits” that 
  most people associate with comic book superheroes. 
  Here are a few of them, and how you can simulate 
  them using the HERO System rules. 
  Costumes:  More than anything besides 
  superpowers, what distinguishes superheroes from 
  heroes in other genres is their clothing — or, more 
  precisely, their costumes. Ranging from skintight 
  suits, to powered armor, to stylish leathers, costumes 
  tend to be bright and colorful, often revealing without 
  being too risqué, or in other ways attention-grabbing. 
  Even costumes supposedly designed for stealth are 
  usually visually distinctive. Many come with masks 
  (to hide the character’s identity) and capes. 
  In game terms, there’s usually nothing you have 
  to do to “build” or create your costume — you just 
  get to have fun dreaming it up, and maybe even 
  drawing it (or having someone draw it for you). 
  However, in some cases, the costume itself provides 
  powers — a suit of powered armor has defensive and 
  weapons technology, a magical cape allows its 
  wearer to fly, a high-tech headband grants the owner 
  psychic powers. Costumes like that you have to pay 
  Character Points for. To create them, you buy 
  whatever Powers or abilities you want, and then 
  apply an appropriate Limitation. Costumes are 
  usually a Focus (see page 187), though it’s better to 
  buy some costumes (such as some types of powered 
  armor) with the Limitation Only In Heroic Identity 
  (page 197) instead. 
  Impossible technology and super-science:  Most 
  comic books are full of amazing technology that 
  simply cannot exist in the real world — everything 
  from blaster pistols, to suits of powered armor able to 
  increase the wearer’s strength a thousandfold, to time 
  travel devices, and beyond. This sort of “super-
  science” (and the characters able to manipulate it) are 
  a staple of most comic book settings. 
  In HERO System terms, most personal items of 
  technology (like weapons, shields, magic wands, and 
  the like) are bought as Powers with the Limitation 
  Focus. If the Focus is easily taken away from a 
  character (like a gun, an enchanted amulet, a power-
  staff, or a shield), it’s an Accessible Focus. Foci that 
  are harder to remove (suits of armor, power rings, 
  bracers) are Inaccessible. Most Foci in a superheroes 
  campaign are Obvious, but a few are Inobvious. See 
  page 187 for more information about Focus. 
  Bigger types of technology — vehicles, secret 
  headquarters, robots, and the like — are bought 
  differently. Chapter Four, Equipment, has rules for 
  creating Automatons (robots, golems, the undead, 
  and so forth), Bases, Vehicles, and Weapons using 
  the HERO System. 
  Radiation accidents:  “Radiation accident” is the 
  slang term for the amazing coincidences and 
  accidents that give ordinary people superpowers. Just 
  like Spiderman got his powers from the bite of a 
  radioactive spider, the Fantastic Four got theirs from 
  cosmic rays, and the Flash got his from a laboratory 
  M
  WHAT’S IN A 
  WHAT’S IN A 
  NAME?
  NAME?  
   
  Hero Games refers to 
  using the HERO System 
  rules for comic book 
  superheroes games as 
  Champions because the 
  system itself, and the 
  company, got started in 
  this genre over twenty 
  years ago by publishing a 
  game with that name. To 
  many gamers, Champions 
  and the HERO System are 
  synonymous, though the 
  rules can do a lot more 
  than just create 
  superheroes and villains. 
  Even if a name like, say, 
  Super Hero would make 
  more sense descriptively 
  and thematically, so many 
  gamers know what 
  Champions is and means 
  that we can’t resist 
  keeping the name alive. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  3 
  disaster, your character may have a similarly far-
  fetched — but fun! — origin. 
  The origin you choose for your character may 
  have all sorts of consequences in the game. Primarily, 
  it explains where your character’s superpowers come 
  from, and what they’re like. As you develop the 
  origin story more, and think about your character in 
  more detail, you may think of additional powers your 
  character should have, or that he might acquire 
  someday. Additionally, your character’s origin may 
  help you determine who his enemies are, why he 
  fights crime, and many other fascinating details. 
  Secret identities:  In most comic book settings, most 
  superheroes maintain secret identities. Because they 
  don’t want their homes and loved ones threatened by 
  maniacal supervillains and other enemies, they wear 
  masks and take other steps to keep their true names 
  and identities concealed from the world at large. 
  In HERO System terms, a secret identity is a 
  Disadvantage — a form of Social Limitation that 
  your character receives more points for. See pages 
  220-21 for more information. 
  Superpowers:  What makes a superhuman a 
  superhuman is that he has superpowers — strange 
  abilities beyond those of ordinary men. The range of 
  superpowers is virtually infinite, ranging from super-
  strength, to super-speed, to the power to walk 
  through walls, to the ability to control other peoples’ 
  minds, to walking effortlessly up walls, to anything 
  in between. 
  The HERO System is ideally suited for creating 
  superhero characters because its rules offers you 
  complete flexibility in the creation of these all-
  important superpowers. Using Powers, Power 
  Modifiers, and other game elements, you can create 
  just about any ability you can think of. If you don’t 
  want to create your own right away, you can use the 
  hundreds of example powers listed in the sidebars of 
  the 5th Edition from pages 88 to 202. You can also 
  look at example characters, like the two below, and 
  use their powers as guidelines and inspiration (or 
  even just “steal” them for use as a PC or NPC if you 
  want). 
  Superteams:  Unlike many other adventure genres, 
  the comic book superheroes genre has a long and 
  proud tradition of using groups of characters — 
  superteams — instead of focusing on just a single 
  character all the time. This makes the genre a good 
  one for gamers, who usually play in gaming groups. 
  Superteams typically have something in 
  common, be it a mutual origin, common goals (like 
  “protect the world from evil and injustice!”), or ties 
  of friendship and romance. They often share 
  resources, like vehicles and headquarters. In HERO 
  System terms, you can take Perks like Vehicle/Base 
  (page 60) to represent a team’s technology, Fringe 
  Benefit: National Police Powers (page 58) to 
  represent their government sanction, and the Power 
  Enhanced Senses (page 105) to create advanced 
  communicators for each member to carry. 
  Truth, justice, and the American way:  Most comic 
  books feature heroes who obey strict, if informal, 
  codes of conduct. They don’t use unnecessary 
  violence, and in particular they never kill their 
  opponents. They stand for all that’s right and good, 
  promoting “truth, justice, and the American way” not 
  only through their actions on the battlefield, but their 
  conduct in day-to-day life. They don’t hesitate to 
  oppose injustice or risk their life to save others. 
  Because living up to the “superhero code” can 
  restrict a character’s actions and make him put 
  himself in danger, the HERO System represents it 
  through a Disadvantage called Psychological 
  Limitation (see page 219). Characters can express the 
  superhero code through many different types of 
  Psychological Limitations. The most common is 
  Code Versus Killing; in other campaigns, characters 
  take Fearlessly Heroic, True-Blue Hero, Code Of The 
  Hero instead of, or in addition to, a “CVK.” 
  Of course, not every superhero follows the code; 
  some famous and beloved characters achieved their 
  popularity in part because they choose a different 
  way to approach crimefighting. You can do the same 
  thing with your character in most games. If you have 
  any questions or concerns, talk with the GM to 
  determine what sort of characters he wants to have in 
  his campaign, and how he suggests you represent 
  them with Psychological Limitations. 
  World threats:  In comic books, particularly those 
  featuring an entire team of superheroes, the freedom, 
  security, and/or existence of Earth itself become 
  endangered from time to time (sometimes, almost 
  every issue!). Whether it’s a megalomaniacal 
  supervillain bent on world conquest, an alien armada 
   
  
  4 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  sent to subjugate humanity, or a madman’s threat to 
  unleash a fatal plague, the heroes find themselves 
  pitting their might against their enemies in contests 
  where the fate of the entire world is on the line. 
  In game terms, the basic outline of the plot or 
  story the characters participate in is up to the GM. He 
  decides to start a story in which, say, Mechanon 
  threatens to kill everyone on Earth. But it’s up to the 
  players to decide how their characters oppose this 
  threat and what they do to stop the fiendish robotic 
  master villain. 
  Character Archetypes 
  Because the superhero genre is so varied, you 
  can create a character with just about any 
  combination of powers and abilities you can think of. 
  But to at least some degree, most characters tend to 
  fall into certain “archetypes.” Some of these 
  archetypes are: 
  Brick 
  “Brick” is gamer slang for characters whose 
  main superpowers are super-strength and superior 
  resistance to injury. Examples from the comics 
  include Superman, the Hulk, the Thing, and the 
  Rhino. In game terms, a brick character usually has 
  high STR (usually as high as the campaign standards 
  allow), CON, and PD and ED. He may buy Damage 
  Resistance or Armor so he can bounce bullets off his 
  skin. Using Powers, you can build all sorts of 
  “Strength Tricks” for the character, such as the ability 
  to clap his hands together so hard he creates a 
  deafening shockwave (a Hearing Group Flash Attack 
  with the Explosion Advantage). 
  Energy Projector 
  An “energy projector” is a character with the 
  ability to manipulate some form of energy, be it fire, 
  ice, a mysterious “cosmic energy,” or the weather. 
  Examples from the comics include the Human Torch, 
  Storm, and Green Lantern. Most “EPs” (as some 
  gamers call them) have Energy Blast, Flight, and 
  Force Field among their typical powers, and often 
  some other, unusual abilities (like Absorption, Aid, 
  Telekinesis, or Teleportation). 
  Gadgeteer 
  The gadgeteer is a hero who relies upon his skill 
  with technology and devices — “gadgets” — to fight 
  crime. He doesn’t usually possess superpowers 
  himself, but instead builds them in the form of 
  jetpacks (Flight), blaster pistols (Energy Blast), 
  personal cloaking screens (Invisibility), defensive 
  shields (Force Field), and so on. (A few gadgeteers 
  do have powers like the ability to manipulate 
  machines with their minds, however.) Examples from 
  the comics include Hank Pym (during some stages of 
  his career), the Fixer/Techno, and in some respects 
  Batman. 
  There are two main ways to create a gadgeteer 
  character using the HERO System. The first, and 
  easiest for someone new to the game, is simply to 
  buy each gadget the character wants individually. 
  The GM might let you place some gadgets in a Power 
  Framework to save points. The other way, which is 
  more complicated but also more flexible, is to use a 
  Variable Power Pool. A VPP gives your character the 
  ability to change his gadgets in mid-game, but that 
  requires some work on your part. See pages 209-10 
  regarding VPPs; there’s even an example “Gadget 
  Pool” you can use. 
  Martial Artist 
  A martial artist uses his skills at fighting to 
  combat crime. He’s usually been trained in the 
  fighting arts (i.e., he has the Martial Arts Skill; see 
  pages 44, 254, and 264-267), and he typically has 
  other acrobatic and athletic abilities as well. 
  Examples from the comics include Batman, 
  Daredevil, Moon Knight, the Question, and Shang-
  Chi. 
  Most martial artists spend a lot of points on 
  Skills — by percentage, significantly more than other 
  characters. However, they often supplement their 
  Skills with various powers and equipment, such as 
  weapons, extra inches of Running or Leaping, 
  reconnaissance gear, heightened senses, and so forth. 
  With clever use of Powers (and Talents), you can 
  create all sorts of interesting abilities for them. 
  Mentalist 
  A mentalist (also called a “psi”) relies on the 
  awesome powers of the mind. He can control the will 
  of others, create illusions so real they injure their 
  victims, locate another person’s mind from miles 
  away, blast his enemies with psychic attacks, and so 
  forth. Examples from the comics include Professor X, 
  Marvel Girl/Phoenix, and Moondragon. 
  To create a mentalist character, you should 
  increase his EGO (which is important for mental 
  combat) and then buy him plenty of Mental Powers, 
  often in a Multipower or other Power Framework 
  (see page 78). Some mentalists favor psychokinetic 
  powers, which they can simulate with Telekinesis, 
  Force Wall, Missile Deflection, and the like. For an 
  unusual surprise attack, a mentalist can buy powers 
  with the Advantage Based On Ego Combat Value. 
  Metamorph 
  “Metamorph” is a catch-all term for 
  superhumans who can change the shape, size, or 
  structure of their bodies. Some can become much 
  larger (or smaller) than normal humans, while others 
  can contort their bodies in all sorts of ways. 
  Examples from the comics include Mr. Fantastic, 
  Antman, Changeling, Apocalypse, Giant-Man, and 
  the Atom. 
  If you want to create a metamorph, take a look at 
  the Body-Affecting Powers (page 76) and Size 
  Powers (page 85). Most of the abilities you want you 
  can find listed among those Powers. For a stretching 
  character like Mr. Fantastic, Stretching is obviously 
  the way to go; for a character who can change his 
  shape, look into Multiform or Shape Shift. 
  Mystic 
  A “mystic” is a character who relies on his 
  ability to evoke and control magical forces, or his 
  magical nature, to fight crime. A mystic might be a 
  powerful spellcaster, a kindhearted person cursed 
  with lycanthropy, an enchanted warrior from another 
  dimension, or a demon kicked out of Hell for being 
  too nice. Examples from the comics include Dr. 
  Strange, Dr. Fate, the Phantom Stranger, John 
  Constantine, and Werewolf By Night. 
  Like gadgeteers, mystics can be difficult to build, 
  because you want to allow for a wide range of 
  abilities while keeping the character easy to play. The 
  main ways to do this are the same, too:  either buy the 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  5 
  character’s main abilities individually (or perhaps, in 
  part, through a Power Framework), or use a “Magic 
  Pool” created with a Variable Power Pool. You 
  should also consider some appropriate Knowledge 
  Skills and perhaps some other interesting abilities 
  (such as Martial Arts) to round the character out. 
  Patriot 
  A “patriot” is a character whose outlook, 
  abilities, and/or appearance embody some concept or 
  theme (typically one associated with the United 
  States or some other nation, hence the name). 
  Examples from the comics include Captain America 
  and Captain Britain. 
  Patriots don’t have any particular unifying set of 
  powers, since their abilities derive from whatever 
  theme or subject they embody. A patriot who’s the 
  living manifestation of surrealism will have very 
  different abilities from one embodying the fighting 
  spirit of America. Thus, most patriots also fit into 
  some other archetype (often martial artist or brick). 
  Powered Armor 
  A “powered armor” character (sometimes also 
  called a “battlesuit”) derives his powers from a suit of 
  high-tech armor that contains defensive and offensive 
  capabilities. As such, he combines some features of 
  the gadgeteer and the energy projector, sometimes 
  with aspects of the brick and the weaponmaster as 
  well. Examples from the comics include Iron Man, 
  War Machine, and the Red Ranger. 
  Powered armor characters often have a lot of 
  different powers, but most fall into a few specific 
  categories. First, they have at least one strong 
  defensive power — usually Armor, but sometimes 
  Force Field and/or Damage Reduction. Second, they 
  have built-in weaponry, usually defined as a 
  Multipower of Attack Powers and called a “weapons 
  array” or something of the sort. They may also have 
  high STR. Third, they have Flight (a few armored 
  suits rely on other forms of movement). Fourth, they 
  have a collection of miscellaneous useful abilities 
  built into their armor — Enhanced Senses, Life 
  Support, and so on. 
  Most powered armor characters define their 
  armor as an Obvious Inaccessible Focus, taking that 
  Limitation on most (if not all) of the Powers they 
  buy. For greater security, some prefer to use the Only 
  In Heroic Identity Limitation instead. Most also have 
  some Skills and abilities they can use when not in 
  their armor (including the Skills needed to create the 
  armor in the first place) — after all, it’s not very 
  heroic to be helpless most of the time! 
  Speedster 
  A speedster is a character who relies on 
  movement, usually very rapid movement, as his 
  primary superpower. Examples from the comics 
  include the Flash, Quicksilver, and Northstar and 
  Aurora. 
  To create a speedster, you first need to choose 
  your character’s primary movement power, and buy a 
  lot of it. Most speedsters rely on Running (or on a 
  variant, Flight Only In Contact With A Surface, so 
  they can easily run up buildings and across the 
  surface of bodies of water). However, speedsters 
  based on Flight, Teleportation, or other forms of 
  movement are possible. 
  In combat, speedsters find ways to use their 
  ability to move at hypervelocity to hurt or impair 
  their foes. They often have Combat Skill Levels 
  and/or extra defenses for performing Move Bys and 
  Move Throughs, or create special abilities like 
  “super-fast punching” (a large HA, defined as “I 
  punch him 100 times in the blink of an eye”) or 
  “dismantle gadgets” (typically bought as a type of 
  Dispel). Plenty of possibilities exist. 
  Weaponmaster 
  A weaponmaster character picks a particular type 
  of weapon, such as the bow or the sword, and 
  becomes so skilled with it that he can compete in the 
  superhuman arena. Examples include Green Arrow, 
  Hawkeye, and the Black Knight. 
  To create a weaponmaster, first you need to 
  make sure he has the right type of weapon. It might 
  be an ordinary weapon, a heavily modified high-tech 
  version of a normal weapon, or even an enchanted (or 
  otherwise unique) weapon. Many weaponmasters 
  define their weapons with Multipowers, since they 
  can do so many things with them, but this isn’t 
  required. A weaponmaster usually also has a 
  generous helping of Skills — Combat Skill Levels 
  with his weapon, Martial Arts for when an enemy 
  disarms him, stealth and infiltration abilities, and so 
  forth. 
  Subgenres 
  There are many different “subgenres” and styles 
  of superhero game, each simulating or reflecting a 
  particular period in comics history, or a particular 
  type of character or storytelling. 
  Golden Age Champions 
  “The Golden Age” refers to the comics in the 
  period around World War II and some years 
  thereafter, and usually focuses on the activities of 
  superheroes and villains during the War. While the 
  adventures typically consist of fighting enemies and 
  villains on the homefront, some campaigns allow the 
  PCs to invade Europe, participate in famous battles, 
  and the like. 
  Golden Age Champions superheroes are usually 
  built on fewer points than other heroes (often the 
  Low-Powered variant of 100 Base Points + 150 
  Disadvantages), and are usually simpler and easier to 
  construct. They tend not to have complicated or 
  unusual powers — after all, at this stage of history, 
  superhumans are a new thing, and just having a plain 
  old Energy Blast or Flight ability is remarkable 
  enough, without slapping lots of Advantages on it! 
  Silver Age Champions 
  Comics historians and fans use the term “the 
  Silver Age” to describe the period from roughly 1956 
  to 1972 (although some choose different dates). 
  During this time, many classic characters (including 
  all the most famous Marvel characters) were created 
  or re-defined, and many motifs and themes now 
  common to comics (such as a focus on the perils and 
  problems that come from being a superhero) 
  emerged. The style is eclectic, often retaining some 
  of the innocence and pure heroism of the Golden 
  Age, but tinged (particularly later on) with the social 
  awareness and “realism” that became important in 
  comics in later years. Heroes are typically colorful, 
  with bright costumes and larger-than-life attitudes. 
  In many ways, Silver Age Champions represents 
  the “typical” or “default” type of Champions 
  
  6 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  campaign. It’s a great era for teams of superheroes, 
  and features all the common “bits” without altering 
  any of them too much. It appeals to gamers who 
  don’t want their games to become too serious or 
  “gritty” — who enjoy a combination of action and 
  humor touched by drama. Silver Age heroes are 
  usually built on the Low-Powered total of 150 Base 
  Points + 100 Disadvantages. 
  Bronze Age Champions 
  “The Bronze Age” refers to the comics of the 
  1970s and early ’80s. Comics during this period are 
  marked primarily by a slow shift away from the 
  “Comics Code”-oriented stories and characters of the 
  Silver Age to more mature themes. Heroes 
  sometimes found themselves confronting issues of 
  mortality, societal unrest, drug abuse, and the like. 
  Bronze Age heroes are usually built on the 
  Standard 200 Base Points + 150 Disadvantages. 
  Some variations on the theme focus on lower-
  powered heroes and how they interact with normal 
  humans (who are much more of a potential threat to 
  them than they are to normal, four-color 
  superheroes). 
  Iron Age Champions 
  “The Iron Age” refers to comics from the mid-
  1980s until the present day. During this time, the 
  trends that began in the Bronze Age continued. The 
  Comics Code was often ignored altogether, as heroes 
  and stories shifted from gaudy costumes and 
  “simple” heroic attitudes and conduct, and more 
  towards “realism” and “grittiness”:  characters favor 
  darker costumes, leather, and the like; they’re more 
  likely to kill or seriously injure their opponents; they 
  have a harder, more practical, attitude toward 
  superheroing; and they spend more time coping with 
  the “realistic” implications of having superpowers, 
  the effects of their powers on the world around them, 
  and so forth. The settings are often more likely to be 
  inner-city environments or other “realistic” places 
  instead of a supervillain’s secret headquarters or a 
  space station. In short, the heroes often are no longer 
  “four-color,” as gamers sometimes call Golden and 
  Silver Age characters. Iron Age heroes are usually 
  built on the Standard 200 Base Points + 150 
  Disadvantages. 
  Galactic Champions 
  “Galactic Champions” refers to superhero 
  campaigns taking place away from Earth and/or in 
  the far future. The superheroes in this case are 
  usually similar to Silver Age heroes, but come from a 
  dizzying variety of sentient species and planets. In 
  many cases a hero’s powers are not true superpowers 
  per se, but simply manifestations of abilities native to 
  his species — it’s just that his species is so rarely 
  encountered that he’s distinctive in the regions where 
  the team operates. 
  Galactic Champions characters are usually built 
  with High-Powered, or greater, Superheroic character 
  guidelines. After all, they’re operating on a cosmic 
  scale, saving the entire universe from all kinds of 
  threats. They have to be tough — most of them need 
  to be able to survive unprotected in the vacuum of 
  space, or in unusual atmospheres. Given the high-
  tech nature of the setting they usually operate in, 
  most have a few technical Skills as well. 
  Teen Champions 
  Comic books sometimes focus on superheroes 
  who are young and new to crimefighting — teen 
  heroes, like the early X-Men, their successors the 
  New Mutants, the early Teen Titans, and so forth. 
  Characters in these campaigns are usually powerful 
  but one-dimensional. They’re new to their powers 
  and haven’t learned how to use them to full effect 
  yet. Instead of having a Multipower of different 
  Energy Blasts, they have a single Energy Blast — 
  and no Combat Skill Levels. They may have 
  speedster powers, but they can’t always stop in time 
  or keep them under control. They can teleport, but 
  only themselves and only over short distances. As 
  time goes by and they gain more experience (in game 
  terms, Experience Points), they develop more 
  powers, learn how to use their powers more 
  effectively, and so forth. 
  Teen Champions campaigns also focus on the 
  characters’ real lives. It’s tough to save the world 
  when you have a term paper due the next day and you 
  haven’t asked anyone to the prom yet! There’s a lot 
  of potential for humor, drama, and gaming fun. 
  To get the right feel for a Teen Champions 
  campaign, most GMs require players to build Low-
  Powered Superheroic characters, or sometimes 
  characters with even fewer Character Points (say, 100 
  Base + 100 Disadvantages). That way they can’t buy 
  a lot of powers and have to “grow into” their abilities. 
  Character Type-Specific Campaigns 
  Some comics and Champions campaigns focus 
  on a particular type of character, rather than on a 
  setting, time period, or social theme. Perhaps the 
  most common example here is the “mystic masters” 
  campaign, which features characters with magic 
  powers and abilities exclusively. The PCs are heroic 
  mystics who oppose dimensional conquerors, 
  powerful demons, evil sorcerers, and the like in a 
  shadowy war that most of humanity has no 
  knowledge of. Vigilante-oriented campaigns also fall 
  into this category, but they’re in the realm of Dark 
  Champions (see below). 
  Sample Characters 
  Here are two sample Champions characters — 
  Taurus, a super-strong hero; and Eagle-Eye, a hero 
  who uses his heightened senses to fight crime. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  7 
  TAURUS 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   50 STR 
  40 19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5] 
   23 DEX 
  39 14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8 
   30 CON 
  40 15- 
   20 BODY 20 13- 
   14 INT 
  4 12- 
  PER Roll 12- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- 
  ECV:  4 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   20 PD 
  10  
  Total:  20 PD (10 rPD) 
   20 ED 
  14  
  Total:  20 ED (10 rED) 
   5 
  SPD 
  17  
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   20 REC 
  8 
   60 END 
  0 
   60 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost: 206 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  11”/22” 
   
  Leaping: 
  10”/20” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   44 Shockwave:  Area Of Effect (10” Radius;  
  +1¼) for up to 50 STR, Hole In The  
  Middle (one hex; +¼); Only Affects  
  Targets On The Ground (-¼), Extra Time 
  (Extra Segment; -½ ) 
  8 
   20 Braced For Impact:  Missile Deflection  
  (all Ranged attacks) 
  0 
   15 Bull’s Horns:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1 
   10 Tough, Leathery Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0 
   10 Charge!:  Running +5” (11” total) 
  1 
   
  6 Animal Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
   
   Groups 
  0 
   
   
   Perks 
   
  3 Contact:  a PRIMUS agent 8- (very useful 
  Skills, access to major institution) 
   
  2 Money:  Well Off 
   
  4 Reputation:  heroic “monster” (in the United 
  States) 11-, +2/+2d6 
   
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 Hand-To-Hand 
   
   
  1 Computer Programming 8- 
   
  3 Deduction 12- 
   
  2 AK: Millennium City University 11- 
   
  2 KS: History 11- 
   
  2 KS: The Superhuman World 11- 
   
  2 KS: Track And Field 11- 
   
  2 KS: Trivia 11- 
   
  1 KS: VIPER 8- 
   
  1 Language:  German (basic conversation; 
  English is native) 
   
  3 Power:  Strength Tricks 14- 
   
  1 Systems Operation 8- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  144 
  Total Cost:  350 
   
   200 + Disadvantages 
   15 DNPC:  Billy Burleson (little brother) 11- 
  (Normal) 
   20 Distinctive Features:  minotaur (Not 
  Concealable, Causes Major Reaction) 
   25 Enraged:  Berserk if takes more than half his 
  BODY as damage (Uncommon), go 11-, 
  recover 11- 
   20 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 
   15 Hunted:  PSI 8- (Mo Pow, Capture/Kill) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Fearlessly Heroic; 
  Risks His Life Even In Obviously Lethal 
  Situations (Very Common, Strong) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Against 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Matt 
  Burleson) (Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  350 
   
  
  8 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Background/History:  Mark Burleson was once an 
  ordinary college student, with a major in history and 
  a place on the Millennium City University track and 
  field team. All that changed when the villainous 
  organization VIPER kidnapped him for use as a 
  “guinea pig” in their experiments mixing human and 
  animal genetic material. When they infused Mark’s 
  body with the genetic material of a bull, it triggered a 
  latent mutation that caused his body to transform into 
  a minotaur-like shape, with the head of a bull and the 
  body of a man. The change also made him 
  immensely strong and resilient. He broke free and 
  destroyed the VIPER lab, but it was too late — there 
  was no way to reverse the process. His life had been 
  changed forever. 
  Not one to dwell on misfortune, Mark decided to 
  put his abilities to good use, so he became a 
  superhero. As Taurus, he has fought many battles and 
  teamed up with other heroes on many occasions. 
  VIPER wants him back so they can analyze what 
  happened in the experiment (and, hopefully, 
  duplicate the effect); PSI, a group of evil psychics, 
  wants revenge on him for the times he’s thwarted 
  their plans. Since Mark can’t pass as a normal 
  human, he never bothered to maintain a secret 
  identity — with the unintended consequence of 
  causing his little brother Billy, a high school 
  freshman, to want to tag along on his “adventures.” 
  Personality/Motivation:  On the surface, Taurus is 
  everything people think a superhero should be:  
  altruistic, self-sacrificing, and willing to risk his life 
  to protect innocent people against evil. Without a 
  thought for his personal safety, he has charged into 
  danger time and time again to rescue trapped disaster 
  survivors, save crime victims, and stop supervillains 
  dead in their tracks. Despite his enormous strength, 
  he tries not to inflict serious harm on his enemies, 
  and would never even think of trying to kill another 
  human being (except on those rare occasions when 
  he’s so badly injured he loses control). 
  But himself, that’s another matter. Although he’s 
  deeply repressed them, Taurus has significant 
  feelings of bitterness and anger over his 
  transformation. He feels cut off from humanity, 
  alone, and unlovable. His willingness to risk his life 
  in the service of others is a way of trying to connect 
  with the world at large — and a subconscious way of 
  expressing his secret belief that his life really isn’t 
  worth much anymore. In time, he can probably 
  overcome these feelings and learn to accept himself 
  for who and what he is, and to be glad of the silver 
  lining behind the cloud, but it’s going to be a hard 
  road before he gets there. 
  Quote:  “You think you can beat me? Bull!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Taurus’s powers derive from his 
  immense strength and minotaur form. He’s 
  particularly good at charging opponents, using the 
  speed he developed as a runner and the strength of 
  his transformed body to knock his foes out (or, if 
  they’re robots or other unliving enemies, he might 
  gore them with his horns instead). He’s even learned 
  how to brace himself to bounce attacks off his super-
  strong body, and how to smash his fists into the 
  ground to cause a small shockwave around him that 
  can hurt anyone standing on the ground. (The GM 
  should note that the “shockwave” power significantly 
  violates the Active Point cap in most Champions 
  campaigns, and scale it back accordingly if it causes 
  game balance problems.) The GM may allow him to 
  pull other “tricks” with his Strength using his 
  Strength Tricks Skill (which is based on DEX, to 
  reflect his control over his abilities). 
  Appearance:  Taurus resembles a classic minotaur. 
  He has the body of a man, the head of a bull 
  (complete with horns), and hooves instead of feet. 
  Short black-grey fur covers his body, with an 
  especially thick patch covering up his midsection. He 
  often wears golden bracers on his wrists.
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  9 
  EAGLE-EYE 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2] 
   24 DEX 
  42 14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8 
   20 CON 
  20 13- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- 
  PER Roll 13- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- 
  ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   10 PD 
  6  
  Total:  21 PD (11 rPD) 
   8 
  ED 
  4  
  Total:  19 ED (11 rED) 
   6 
  SPD 
  26  
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 
   8 
  REC 
  0 
   40 END 
  0 
   30 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost: 125 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  9”/18” 
   
  Leaping: 
  10”/20” 
   
  Swinging: 
  15”/30” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   40 Sense Weak Points:  Find Weakness 15- with 
  all Martial Maneuvers 
   
   Martial Arts:  Karate 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4  Atemi Strike 
  -1 
  +1 4d6 NND(1) 
   
  4  Block 
  +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  4  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 Disarm, 50 STR 
   
  4  Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort 
   
  3  Legsweep 
  +2 
  -1 
  9d6; Target Falls 
   
  4  Knifehand Strike -2 
  +0 1d6+1 HKA  
  (2½ d6 w/ STR) 
   
  4  Punch/Snap Kick +0 
  +2 10d6 Strike 
   
  5  Side/Spin Kick 
  -2 
  +1 12d6 Strike 
   16 +4 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   16 Bulletproof Costume:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  OIF (-½ ) 
  0 
   
  7 Swingline:  Swinging 15”; OAF (-1) 
  0 
   
  6 Fast Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1 
   
  6 Strong Leaper:  Leaping +6” (10” total) 
  1 
   12 Uncanny Senses:  +4 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0 
   
  5 Uncanny Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0 
   10 Uncanny Ears:  Targeting for Normal  
   
   Hearing 
  0 
   15 Radar-Sense:  Radar 
  0 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 Hand-To-Hand 
   
   
  3 Acrobatics 14- 
   
  3 Breakfall 14- 
   
  3 Climbing 14- 
   
  3 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 Contortionist 14- 
   
  3 Criminology 13- 
   
  3 Deduction 13- 
   
  2 KS: Millennium City Underworld 11- 
   
  3 Lockpicking 14- 
   
  1 Paramedics 8- 
   
  2 PS: Writer 11- 
   
  3 Security Systems 13- 
   
  3 Shadowing 13- 
   
  3 Sleight Of Hand 14- 
   
  3 Stealth 14- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  225 
  Total Cost:  350 
   
   200 + Disadvantages 
   25 DNPC:  Lila Wilborn (girlfriend) 14- (Normal; 
  Unaware of Eagle-Eye’s Social Limitation: 
  Secret Identity) 
   20 Hunted:  Millennium City Police Department 
  8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 
   15 Hunted:  Cabrona Mafia Family 11- (As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Determined To 
  Wipe Out The Mob (Common, Strong) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Against 
  Killing (Common, Total) 
   10 Reputation:  wanted criminal, 11- 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Patrick 
  Penhurst) (Frequently, Major) 
   10 Susceptibility:  to Flashes and other intense 
  sensory stimuli, 1d6 damage instantly 
  (Common) 
   20 Vulnerability:  2 x Effect from Flashes 
  (Common) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  350 
   
   
  
  10 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Background/History:  Patrick Penhurst seemed like 
  an ordinary boy growing up, but that changed when 
  he reached puberty and his mutant powers 
  manifested. Suddenly his senses went into overdrive 
  — he could hear conversations from a block away, 
  see clearly in the dark of night, feel the slightest 
  breeze rasp across his skin. The onslaught of sensory 
  stimuli threatened to drive him insane; he spent many 
  years in almost total isolation while undergoing 
  medical and psychological treatments. 
  Eventually, Patrick learned to master his 
  phenomenally acute senses, though even today he 
  finds intense stimuli painful and debilitating. He did 
  so in part by training his body to a peak of physical 
  fitness, the better to resist pain and keep himself 
  under control. He continued his exercise regimen, 
  supplementing it with martial arts training. As time 
  went by, his senses continued to develop. He even 
  manifested a strange radar-like sense that went 
  beyond the normal five human senses. 
  A chance encounter with organized crime put 
  him on the path of heroism. One evening he chanced 
  to hear, from across a crowded classroom building, 
  one of his criminology professors being shaken down 
  by mobsters. It seemed his professor had a gambling 
  problem, and owed the Cabrona mob more than a 
  little money. Covering his face with a ski mask, 
  Patrick charged to the rescue, using his karate skills 
  to knock the mobsters out cold. 
  Finding he enjoyed being a hero, and that his 
  heightened senses made him a powerful combatant, 
  Patrick decided to become a superhero. Sewing 
  himself a costume, he took the name “Eagle-Eye” 
  and set out to help keep the streets safe. 
  Unfortunately, all did not go as planned. Eagle-
  Eye soon got involved in a serious war with the 
  Cabrona mob (and sometimes other Mafia families), 
  and they decided to get rid of him. Rather than 
  simply kill him, they framed him for murder — he 
  showed up at the scene of a hit right before the police 
  did, and all the evidence pointed to him. Unwilling to 
  take his chances in court, Eagle-Eye fled, and has 
  been wanted by the police ever since. Despite the fact 
  that he keeps on fighting the mob, as far as the 
  public’s concerned, he’s just another costumed 
  criminal trying to make a name for himself. 
  Outside of his crimefighting career, Patrick is 
  trying to make a living as a writer. He’s attempting to 
  put his experiences to work and become a true-crime 
  writer. So far he’s managed to sell enough articles to 
  keep himself fed, but what he really needs is a book 
  contract. His girlfriend Lila (who has no idea he’s 
  secretly Eagle-Eye) keeps telling him it’s just a 
  matter of time. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Eagle-Eye is a genuinely 
  heroic individual, someone who’s taken a condition 
  that could have crippled him for the rest of his life 
  and turned it into an asset in the war on crime. He’s a 
  striver, the sort of person who’s never satisfied with 
  things the way they are, always looking for a way to 
  make them better — and to do better and be better 
  himself. It’s that sort of passion that’s driven him to 
  conduct a one-man war against the Mafia; between 
  his own experiences, and what he’s learned through 
  his criminology studies, he knows just what a plague 
  organized crime is on society, and he’s determined to 
  end it. Sometimes his enthusiasm verges into 
  obsession, but so far he’s managed to keep himself 
  under control. 
  Quote:  “You can’t get away from me, Franetti... I 
  can smell that cheap cologne you were wearing 
  yesterday.” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Eagle-Eye is a gifted martial artist 
  and naturally talented athlete and acrobat, but his real 
  powers come from his heightened senses. Besides 
  simply remaining hyper-aware of his surroundings, 
  he’s learned to use them to detect the weak points in 
  any target. This ability, combined with his powerful 
  punches and kicks, allows him to deliver devastating 
  blows. But he’s always careful to hold back so he 
  doesn’t cause death or serious injury. 
  Eagle-Eye has two main weaknesses. First, he 
  has no ability to attack at range; he has to close with 
  his opponent to fight. As he gains more experience, 
  he’ll probably learn to use some throwing weapons to 
  compensate for this. Second, and more seriously, he 
  has difficulty handling intense sensory input — Flash 
  attacks, mainly, but also any extremely loud noise 
  (e.g., a gun going off right next to his head), bright 
  light, or strong smell. They have extra effect on him, 
  and cause him brief but extreme pain. Try as he 
  might, he can’t overcome this problem; it seems his 
  augmented senses are sometimes a curse as well as a 
  blessing. 
  Appearance:  Patrick Penhurst is a young white man 
  in his middle 20s, six feet tall, brown hair and eyes, 
  with the well-developed physique of an athlete who 
  has intense, regular workouts. As Eagle-Eye, he 
  wears a navy blue bodystocking, boots, gloves, and 
  half-face mask, with a gold stylized eagle motif on 
  his torso and shoulders. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  11 
  CYBERPUNK 
  CYBER HERO 
  treet fighters “chromed” with advanced 
  cybernetic and biological systems, making 
  them as much machine as man. Computer 
  wizards, surfing the “virtual reality” of the 
  Cybernet, living their lives more in the world of 
  silicon and data than the world of flesh and bone. 
  Powerful megacorporations, flouting the laws or 
  making their own laws as they choose. Rampant 
  consumerism, societal decay, and urban blight. 
  Welcome to the world of cyberpunk science fiction 
  — the world of Cyber Hero. 
  Technically speaking, Cyber Hero is really not a 
  genre by itself, but a subgenre of Star Hero, since 
  cyberpunk is a type of science fiction. But it’s so 
  distinctive, and so popular among gamers, that it 
  deserves some discussion of its own. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Cyber Hero campaigns 
  are usually Heroic. Most characters are built on the 
  Standard Heroic point totals of 75 Base Points + 75 
  Disadvantages. However, since cyberware 
  (technological, and sometimes biological, 
  enhancements of the body) is a common element of 
  the setting, some GMs prefer the higher point totals 
  of Powerful or Very Powerful Heroic characters, to 
  give the PCs more points with which to augment 
  themselves. As with most Heroic campaigns, in 
  Cyber Hero games characters typically obtain normal 
  equipment (but not cyberware) with in-game money 
  instead of Character Points, are subject to Normal 
  Characteristic Maxima by default, and use the Hit 
  Location rules and many other such options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  Cyberpunk stories typically take place in the near 
  future — during the mid-to-late twenty-first century 
  — rather than the far future like most science fiction. 
  This allows them to portray a setting somewhat 
  different from, but clearly derived from and 
  ultimately grounded in, the modern day. 
  The cyberpunk genre has a lot of features that 
  distinguish it from other types of science fiction, and 
  from modern-day action campaigns (though it shares 
  some elements of both those genres). Here are a few 
  common “bits” most gamers associate with 
  cyberpunk, based primarily on the writings of authors 
  such as William Gibson, Walter John Williams, and 
  Bruce Sterling. 
  Computers and Cyberspace:  Computers crop up 
  constantly in cyberpunk stories, not only as tools the 
  characters use, but as obstacles they must overcome, 
  weapons for their enemies to use against them, and 
  sometimes even direct threats. In fact, so prevalent 
  have computers become in cyberpunk settings that 
  they are all linked together in a vast “virtual reality” 
  referred to as “cyberspace,” “the Net,” or “the 
  matrix.” When a character “jacks in” to the Cybernet, 
  using a piece of cyberware called a dataport to 
  directly interface his mind with the machine, he sees 
  a vast electronic world in which telephone lines are 
  roads and paths, and collections of data are 
  represented by buildings, fancy icons, geometric 
  symbols, or similar constructs. Programs with 
  defined functions, such as security, often have 
  distinctive appearances as well; for example, a 
  program for locating a particular type of data might 
  look like a cybernetic bloodhound. 
  As discussed on pages 349-50, probably the best 
  way to represent the Cybernet is with Extra-
  Dimensional Movement and the proper Limitations. 
  Although the character doesn’t really enter another 
  “dimension” in the classic sense, he does enter 
  another “world,” and while he’s there he no longer 
  truly interacts with the real world. (Other possibilities 
  for simulating cyberspace include Duplication and 
  the special effects of bonuses to the Computer 
  Programming Skill.) The dataport, unlike most forms 
  of cyberware, qualifies as an OIF — it’s easy to 
  block or plug it so the character can’t use it. Here’s 
  an example: 
  The Cybernet:  Extra-Dimensional Movement (any 
  location in the Cybernet, as defined by the location of 
  the computer where you jack in), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½ ) (37 Active Points); OIF (dataport; -½ ), 
  Meat Body (character’s body remains in the real 
  world, but cannot move, perceive, or act, and damage 
  to either the virtual form [in cyberspace] or the real 
  body [in the real world] can hurt or kill the character; 
  -1). Total cost:  15 points. 
  The programs a character buys for use in 
  cyberspace are usually defined as Skills or Powers 
  with the Limitations Only In Cyberspace (-2) and 
  OAF (the cyberdeck the character stores his programs 
  on). Thus, to create a security-penetration program, a 
  character might go for the stealthy approach 
  (Invisibility), the puzzle-solving approach 
  (Lockpicking and Security Systems), or the brute 
  force approach (Hand-To-Hand Killing Attack). 
  There are lots of options and possibilities for creative 
  use of the HERO System. 
  Consumerism and the power of money:  The 
  cyberpunk ambience is shot through with cynical 
  reminders of the hold exerted by the consumer 
  mentality on the minds of PCs and NPCs alike. Most 
  characters know the brand name or manufacturer of 
  their equipment, identify themselves through the 
  brands they use or scorn, and so forth. It’s modern 
  American consumer culture taken to a greater 
  extreme, and clever GMs use it to give their Cyber 
  Hero settings more appeal. Just spending a few 
  S
  
  12 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  minutes assigning manufacturer and product names 
  to the weapons and gear used frequently in the 
  campaign goes a long way toward bringing this 
  element into the game. 
  Corporate power:  In cyberpunk settings, 
  corporations are large and powerful — in fact, so 
  powerful, they are beyond the reach of ordinary 
  governments, and may even have taken their place! 
  They maintain “corporate enclaves” where their laws, 
  not civil law, apply, they have their own security 
  organizations and military units, and they basically 
  can do whatever they want — unless another 
  corporation objects, in which case espionage, 
  assassination, and financial maneuvering becomes 
  the order of the day. 
  Cyberware:  Characters in cyberpunk settings often 
  undergo surgical procedures in which surgeons install 
  special technology — cyberware — in their bodies, 
  either to augment normal functions, replace weak 
  tissues with something stronger, or provide a 
  character with abilities he lacks. Examples include 
  “handrazors” (blades that can pop out from beneath 
  the fingernails), cybereyes, metal lacing to make 
  bones unbreakable, dermal armoring to provide 
  protection against blades and guns, artificial muscles 
  sewn to existing ones to improve strength, and many, 
  many more. 
  Similarly, characters are often bio-engineered or 
  genetically altered. This ranges from replacing 
  existing organs with better ones (for example, an 
  enhanced liver that can filter venoms and poisons 
  from the character’s body), to changing the 
  character’s form and structure, to grafting DNA from 
  animals into the character’s body to improve him 
  somehow (for example, to give him a cat’s reflexes). 
  As discussed on page 200, the Limitation 
  Restrainable, at the -¼ level, is appropriate for many 
  types of cyberware. Typically electromagnetic pulses, 
  electric shocks, and the like can disable or destroy 
  them (a fact that security guards and cops take 
  advantage of frequently!). On the other hand, things 
  like bone lacing and replacement organs usually 
  aren’t Limited much, if at all, and are usually just 
  bought as normal Powers or abilities. 
  Because cyberware can unbalance the game, 
  many Cyber Hero GMs establish rules regarding how 
  much a character can have. They may limit the total 
  Active Points’ worth of cyberware and other 
  modifications each character can buy, or the total 
  Real Points, or establish some other system (like “10 
  Active Points per point of BODY the character 
  possesses”). 
  Globalism:  In the world of cyberpunk, Earth is a 
  small place. Rapid travel from one side of the planet 
  to the other is possible and frequent (though also too 
  expensive for most people). High-tech products are 
  manufactured all over the world (“Hey, do you guys 
  have any of those hot new chips from Bali?”), and the 
  influence of Asian cultures on the rest of the world, 
  particularly America, is marked. Chinatowns have 
  grown in size and influence, and especially in the 
  large urban areas like New York and California the 
  Japanese and/or Chinese exert a lot of behind-the-
  scenes control. Many American businessmen have to 
  learn Asian languages just to do business. 
  In game terms, GMs can simulate this element 
  by including KS: Asian Culture in the Everyman 
  Skill list for the campaign, putting 1 Character Point 
  worth of Japanese in the Package Deals for many 
  professions, and so forth. 
  Societal decay:  Cyberpunk settings usually feature a 
  high degree of societal decay. Cities are vast urban 
  blights where one often takes one’s life in one’s 
  hands just by going for a walk. The gap between the 
  enormous numbers of the poor, and the few ultra-
  rich, is wide and marked — which is one reason for 
  the well-protected corporate enclaves mentioned 
  above. Corruption, scandal, bribery, and crime are 
  rampant. Often the characters’ goals include survival 
  and prosperity before anything else — though, if 
  they’re to be true heroes, they have to grow beyond 
  that. 
  Violence:  In a cyberpunk world, violence, ranging 
  from fistfights to brutal murders, is a fact of everyday 
  life. Characters usually go around armed to the teeth, 
  carrying everything from boot knives to salvaged 
  chainguns. In game terms, this is just a matter of 
  having a well-stocked equipment list for the PCs to 
  choose from, and including a fight or two in almost 
  every adventure. 
  Character Archetypes 
  The archetypes in Cyber Hero games usually 
  aren’t quite as pronounced as they are in Champions 
  or Fantasy Hero, but they do exist. They include: 
  The Computer Wizard 
  Also called a “console cowboy,” “decker,” 
  “technomancer,” or “hacker,” this character 
  specializes in using the computer, working in 
  EXAMPLE 
  EXAMPLE 
  CYBERWARE
  CYBERWARE  
   
  Bone Lacing:  Armor  
  (1 PD/1 ED) (total cost:  3 
  points) plus Armor (3 PD/ 
  3 ED) (9 Active Points); 
  Only Works Against BODY 
  Damage (-1), Only To 
  Protect Against Breaking 
  Bones (-2) (total cost:  2 
  points) plus HA +2d6 (10 
  Active Points); Hand-To-
  Hand Attack (-½  ) (total 
  cost:  7 points). Total cost:  
  12 points. 
  Enhanced 
  Chemoreception:  +2 PER 
  with Smell/Taste Group 
  (total cost:  4 points) plus 
  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  (total cost:  5 points). Total 
  cost:  9 points. 
  Hot Reflexes II:  +2 SPD 
  (20 Active Points); Costs 
  Endurance (-½  ), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END;  
  -1½  ), Restrainable (-¼ ). 
  Total cost:  6 points. 
  Cybernetic Arm:  +10 
  STR (10 Active Points); 
  Only When Using The 
  Right Arm (-¼ ), 
  Restrainable (-¼ ), No 
  Figured Characteristics  
  (-½  ). Total cost:  5 points 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  13 
  cyberspace, and so forth. He always has Computer 
  Programming and a dataport, and he often branches 
  out to include Cryptography, Electronics, 
  Lockpicking, Security Systems, and Systems 
  Operation in his Skill suite. 
  The Corporate Suit 
  “Corporate suit” refers to any character who 
  works for one of the corporations dominating the 
  campaign setting — or who at least looks and acts 
  like he does. Skills such as Conversation, High 
  Society, KS: High Finance, Language: Japanese, 
  Persuasion, and PS: Businessman predominate, and 
  the character also tends to have a lot of Contacts, 
  Fringe Benefits, and other Perks. 
  The Driver/Pilot 
  Some characters specialize in operating vehicles, 
  either ground, air, or both. In some cyberpunk 
  settings, they can “jack in” to the vehicle, the same 
  way a computer wizard jacks into his computer, to 
  almost “merge” with the vehicle and get better 
  performance out of it. The character must have 
  Combat Driving (and/or Combat Piloting), and 
  probably has Mechanics and a bunch of TFs as well. 
  Ganger 
  This character survives by belonging to (or 
  perhaps leading) a street gang that controls part of the 
  turf in one of the major cities of the campaign setting. 
  He typically has plenty of streetfighting skills 
  (Martial Arts: Dirty Infighting, WF: Blades), TF: 
  Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles, perhaps a 
  small bit of cyberware (or two), and lots of minor 
  (but useful!) KSs and Contacts related to his “turf.” If 
  he leads the gang, he can buy them as Followers. 
  Samurai 
  The ultimate street warrior, the samurai is 
  heavily “chromed” (filled with cyberware and other 
  modifications). The chrome is his calling card, his 
  mark of distinction — it’s how his employers know 
  they’re getting a skilled professional, not some thug 
  off the street. In addition to paying Character Points 
  for lots of cyberware, samurai have plenty of fighting 
  Skills (Demolitions, Martial Arts, WFs, 
  Weaponsmith) and relatively high Characteristics 
  (also resulting from cyberware, typically). 
  Sample Character 
  Here’s Slash, an example of the “samurai” 
  archetype. You can bring him into your game as an 
  NPC or PC, or use his cyberware for other characters. 
  SLASH 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   10 INT 
  0 11- 
  PER Roll 11- 
   10 EGO 
  0 11- 
  ECV:  3 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   8 
  COM 
  -1 11- 
   
   7 
  PD 
  4  
  Total:  10 PD (3 rPD) 
   5 
  ED 
  2  
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  12  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   6 
  REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  0 
   30 STUN 
  4 Total Characteristics Cost:  65 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  9”/12” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
  7 Handrazors:  HKA ½ d6;  
  No STR Bonus (-½ ) 
  1 
   
   Martial Arts:  Razor Dancing 
   
    ManeuverOCV DCV Damage/Effect 
   
  4  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort 
   
  4  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Affects All 
  Attacks, Abort 
   
  5  Jab 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon Strike 
   
  4  Slash 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike 
   
  9 Dermal Armoring:  Armor (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0 
   
  6 Enhanced Legs:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1 
   
  5 Cybereyes:  Infrared Perception  
   
   (Sight Group) 
  0 
   
  9 Cybereyes:  +6 versus Range Modifier for 
  Sight Group 
  0 
   
  3 Hot Reflexes I:  +1 SPD; Restrainable (-¼), 
  Costs Endurance (-½ ), Increased  
   
   Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½ ) 
  4 
   
   
   Skills 
   
  3 +1 with Razor Dancing 
   
   
  3 Bribery 12- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 11- 
   
  2 Gambling (Card Games) 11- 
   
  1 KS: Football 8- 
   
  2 KS: Hudson City 11- 
   
  3 Lockpicking 13- 
   
  3 Security Systems 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- 
   
  3 WF: Small Arms, Hand Razors 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  85 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
  SAMURAI PACKAGE DEAL 
  Ability 
  Cost 
  20 points’ worth of cyberware 
  20 
  10 points’ worth of Martial Arts 
  10 
  WF: Small Arms 
  2 
  Pick three Skills from the following list:  Bribery, 
  9 
  Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, Computer 
  Programming, Fast Draw, Lockpicking, Security  
  Systems, Stealth, Streetwise, Systems Operation,  
  Tactics 
  Disadvantage 
  Distinctive Features:  Chromed 
  -5 
  Total Cost Of Package 
  36 
  
  14 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
   75 + Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Chromed (Easily 
  Concealed; Noticed And Recognizable) 
   15 Hunted:  Detective Murrow 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Capture) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Overconfidence 
  (Very Common, Moderate) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Resists Corporate 
  Influence (Common, Strong) 
   10 Reputation:  wanted criminal and terrorist, 11- 
   15 Social Limitation:  Lacks National Security 
  Number (can’t vote, pass through secured 
  checkpoints, use many government services, 
  and so forth) (Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
  Background/History:  Hernan Flores born in the 
  worst part of Hudson City in 2037. Growing up in 
  grinding poverty, he quickly took to petty crime. 
  Only an interest in computers, and a fair bit of skill 
  with them, kept him going to school. But it wasn’t 
  easy. Small and skinny, Hernan was picked on and 
  beaten up a lot by bigger kids. He learned the hard 
  way that success went only to the strong. 
  Unwilling to become nothing more than a 
  glorified electron jockey for some corporation after 
  he finished school, he used his computer skills to 
  steal enough money to hire a cyber-surgeon to 
  augment him. His normal muscles were interwoven 
  with high-strength artificial muscle fiber. Armored 
  plastics were implanted just beneath his skin, making 
  him strong and tough. His eyes were replaced with 
  artificial versions that can see in the dark and focus in 
  on distant objects better than human ones. Best of all, 
  long, sharp “razors” were implanted underneath his 
  fingernails, just waiting for him to flex his muscles 
  the right way to “snik” out of their sheaths. Hernan 
  practiced long and hard with the razors, becoming a 
  skilled streetfighter. 
  When he had healed from the operations and 
  finished his training, Hernan hit the streets, picking 
  up work as a bodyguard and enforcer. His technical 
  skills got him some jobs that wouldn’t go to ordinary 
  “samurai,” earning him more money and contacts. 
  Today, he’s well-known around the Hudson City 
  underworld. 
  Personality/Motivations:  Hernan — or “Slash,” as 
  he’s known on the street — may be successful and 
  relatively well-off, but he’s not satisfied. After years 
  of looking out only for Number One, he’s slowly 
  come to the realization that he doesn’t like himself, 
  or society, very much. After a lot of studying, he’s 
  concluded that the real problems in society stem 
  mostly from undue corporate influence over... well, 
  over pretty much every aspect of people’s lives! He’s 
  decided he doesn’t like that very much, and intends 
  to do something about it. Although he still puts up the 
  usual “tough street fighter” facade, he’s begun 
  working against the corps on his own, and taking jobs 
  against them for cheaper than normal fees. The corps 
  have responded by having him labelled a terrorist, 
  and siccing one of their pet cops, Detective Murrow, 
  on his trail. It’s only a matter of time before he and 
  Murrow meet face-to-face and find out who’s the 
  better man.... 
  Quote:  “Cash, up front. No refunds. Your guarantee 
  is that you’re hiring me, and when I take the money, I 
  get the job done.” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Slash’s abilities are a combination 
  of chrome and training. He’s been extensively 
  cybernetically augmented, and in fact hopes to 
  undergo even more cyber-surgery in the near future 
  (he’s got his cyber-eyes on a sweet little bone 
  augmentation package, and this great hot-reflex 
  upgrade...). But what sets him apart from a legion of 
  other cyber-samurai are his other skills — his deft 
  touch with a computer keyboard, and his ability to 
  bypass security and locks without tripping alarms. 
  Slash usually goes heavily armed. Besides his 
  handrazors, he always carries at least one small 
  “holdout” pistol. If he’s expecting trouble, he’ll have 
  a large pistol with him, and maybe even some 
  military-spec weaponry to boot. 
  Appearance:  Slash is a short (5’9”) Hispanic male 
  in his early 20s, with black hair and dark eyes. His 
  body has obviously been cybernetically enhanced; 
  the dermal armoring shows wherever his skin is 
  visible, and even on casual inspection his eyes were 
  clearly made in a factory. He dresses stylishly, in 
  clothes tailored to fit his small but oddly bulky frame. 
  He never wears fingered gloves, wanting to have his 
  razors ready for action at all times. 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  15 
  FANTASY 
  FANTASY HERO 
  rmored knights, hunting dragons to keep 
  the lands safe from their depredations. 
  Mighty wizards, able to quell the storm, 
  summon demons, and blast their foes with 
  lightning with but a word and a gesture. Wise priests, 
  invoking the powers of mighty gods who still, 
  sometimes, walk the world. Wily thieves, using their 
  skills to obtain illicit wealth and outwit their foes. 
  Mighty kings in tall-spired castles. Alchemists, 
  swords, prophecies, monsters, ancient magics, and 
  much, much more. Such is the stuff of fantasy. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Fantasy Hero campaigns 
  are usually Heroic, with characters built on the 
  Standard Heroic point totals of 75 Base Points + 75 
  Disadvantages. However, fantasy encompasses many 
  settings and styles of play, and in some games the 
  characters are so powerful they are built with more 
  points, or even on Superheroic standards. In Heroic 
  Fantasy Hero campaigns, characters typically obtain 
  normal equipment (but not enchanted items) with in-
  game money instead of Character Points, are subject 
  to Normal Characteristic Maxima by default, and use 
  the Hit Location rules and many other such options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  “Fantasy” is so broad — broader even than the 
  superheroes genre — that it defies easy description. 
  Even a casual discussion of major genre “bits” would 
  be too long for this chapter, and a thorough review of 
  the elements of the genre could easily fill an entire 
  book! However, three things stand out as defining 
  what “fantasy” is for gaming purposes:  magic; 
  alternate worlds; and low technology. 
  MAGIC 
  The first, and most important, feature of fantasy 
  is magic. The existence and effects of magic almost 
  define “fantasy” by themselves; only in the lowest of 
  Low Fantasy (see below) is there no magic 
  whatsoever. Magic ranges from minor and rare to 
  extremely commonplace and powerful, depending on 
  subgenre. In many cases it consists of cast spells and 
  evoked effects that player characters can control (or 
  be harmed by); in other settings it’s mostly an 
  atmospheric thing, something that may help or hinder 
  the characters indirectly, but over which they exert 
  little control. 
  Creating And Casting Spells In The HERO System 
  The HERO System’s flexibility and adaptability 
  allow you to create pretty much any sort of magic 
  system you can imagine, whether it’s a copy of one 
  you read about in a novel, or an original creation of 
  your own. You simply use the game elements to 
  define what spells do, how characters cast them, and 
  any related effects. 
  In HERO System terms, spells are usually created 
  using Powers (and sometimes Talents or Skills), with 
  appropriate Advantages and Limitations. In most 
  Fantasy Hero campaigns, the following Limitations 
  apply to most spells:  Focus (a wizard’s staff, a 
  material component the spell consumes, or the like); 
  Gestures; Incantations; and Requires A Magic Roll 
  (Magic being a use of the Power Skill; for priests, 
  you might call this Prayer, Piety, or Faith instead). 
  Concentration, Extra Time, and Side Effects are also 
  fairly common. The accompanying sidebar provides 
  several example spells, and there are dozens more in 
  the sidebars on pages 89-202. 
  The GM also needs to decide how characters pay 
  for spells. First, does a spellcaster have to buy a Skill 
  (like Magic), or perhaps a special Perk or Talent, to 
  cast spells, or can pretty much anyone work magic? 
  Does a character have to buy each spell individually, 
  or can he put them in a Power Framework? Does the 
  setting impose any restrictions on how many spells a 
  character can learn, or have active at one time, or cast 
  during a single day? The answers to each of these 
  questions shape how magic works in the campaign, 
  and how characters can best make use of it. 
  A
   
  
  16 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Casting a spell usually counts as an Attack 
  Action (though this may depend on the type of spell 
  used). If the spell has the Requires A Skill Roll 
  Limitation, or other Limitations controlling whether 
  (or how) it functions, the caster must comply with all 
  those restrictions to make it work properly. If not, the 
  spell fails or cannot be cast. 
  ALTERNATE WORLDS 
  The second feature of fantasy is an alternate 
  world. Although a few types of fantasy (such as 
  Urban Fantasy) take place here on good old Earth, 
  most fantasy stories are set in an alternate reality that 
  bears some resemblance to our own in terms of 
  technology and customs, but has plenty of differences 
  to distinguish it. Even fantasies set in earlier eras on 
  Earth, or in “secret places” in our world, essentially 
  take place in “alternate worlds.” For many fantasy 
  gaming campaigns, the better realized the world — 
  the more detailed and flavorful the GM makes it, the 
  more “dramatic verisimilitude” it has — the better 
  the game. 
  LOW TECHNOLOGY 
  The third is low technology. Characters in 
  fantasy games can’t call each other on the phone, 
  don’t have indoor plumbing, and lack modern 
  medicine. They use swords, not guns; they ride on 
  horses, not in cars; they have to use muscle power 
  instead of engines and electricity. There are some 
  exceptions (such as, again, Urban Fantasy, or games 
  where magic essentially takes the place of 
  technology), but most Fantasy Hero campaigns 
  follow this rule. 
  Weapons And Armor 
  The most prevalent examples of the low 
  technology of fantasy worlds are the implements of 
  violence:  swords, bows and arrows, armor, and the 
  like. Most characters will have at least some 
  familiarity with them, and characters such as warriors 
  will be quite skilled with them. 
  Pages 327-334 contain plenty of weapons and 
  armor suitable for Fantasy Hero games, and rules on 
  how to create more if you want to. In many fantasy 
  games, GMs ignore the standard Encumbrance rules 
  when it comes to armor, instead imposing a 
  straightforward DCV penalty (typically -1 DCV per 3 
  DEF, or some similar formula) to represent the 
  bulkiness and hindering effects of armor. That allows 
  “light fighters” (characters who use speed and 
  accuracy to fight effectively, instead of brute strength 
  and defense) to be a viable option in many 
  campaigns. 
  Horses 
  Many Fantasy Hero characters know how to 
  ride, since that’s usually the fastest way to cross land 
  in a fantasy campaign (aside from magic, of course!). 
  Page 308 has a writeup for a typical Light Warhorse, 
  and the HERO System Bestiary has information and 
  character sheets for several types of equines. For 
  information on mounted movement and combat, see 
  pages 241-42. 
  Character Archetypes 
  Although fantasy is a broad and varied genre, in 
  most cases fantasy characters fall into one of several 
  standard archetypes. These include: 
  Priest 
  A devotee of a god or gods, gifted by his patron 
  deity(ies) with magical powers. Usually priests’ 
  magic relates to healing, defense, and succoring the 
  weak, but some priests are more militant, using their 
  divinely-granted gifts to smite the foe and convert the 
  pagan. Many priests are skilled with weapons as well, 
  but some prefer the paths of peace. Common Skills 
  for a priest include Chirurgeon (Paramedics), 
  Oratory, Persuasion, Power: Prayer, and various 
  Knowledge Skills relating to the liturgy, cosmology, 
  and lore of the priesthood he belongs to and god(s) he 
  serves. 
  Rogue 
  “Rogue” is a catch-all term for characters who 
  live primarily by their wits and guileful skills, rather 
  than strength of arms or magical prowess. The 
  category typically includes thieves, scouts, explorers, 
  treasure-seekers, bards, assassins, burglars, and 
  bounty hunters. Some of these rogues rely on skills of 
  deception (Disguise, Mimicry, Ventriloquism), others 
  on skills of persuasion and trickery (Conversation, 
  Persuasion, Seduction, Sleight Of Hand), and others 
  on skills of infiltration (Lockpicking, Security 
  Systems). Almost all have Stealth and Streetwise, and 
  the ability to use at least some weapons (typically 
  small, easily-concealed ones like daggers, short 
  swords, slings, and hatchets). A few, such as the 
  assassin and bounty hunter, emphasize fighting 
  prowess more than the others. 
  Warrior 
  Warriors rely primarily on skill at arms to 
  overcome their enemies and achieve their aims. In 
  addition to lots of Weapon Familiarities, they often 
  have Skills like Martial Arts (weapons-based fighting 
  arts, usually), Oratory (for rallying the troops), 
  Riding, Stealth, Survival, Tactics, Tracking, and 
  Weaponsmith. 
  Many gamers divide warriors into two broad 
  groups:  heavy fighters and light fighters. Heavy 
  fighters use high STR, high-DEF armor, and large 
  weapons to cause lots of damage to their foes. Light 
  fighters prefer little or no armor, favoring DEX, 
  speed, and accuracy over brute force. Fortunately, the 
  HERO System’s flexibility allows you to mix and 
  match elements to achieve just the right blend for the 
  character you have in mind. 
  You can make the ordinary warrior more 
  interesting by tailoring his abilities and background a 
  little. Examples include: 
  —the barbarian, a primitive tribesman who relies on 
  his wilderness skills and powerful muscles to 
  overcome more sophisticated foes. Barbarians 
  typically have high STR and use large weapons, but 
  prefer light (or no) armor so they can dodge and 
  move quickly. 
  —the knight, a heavy fighter who’s also a skilled 
  horseman. Knights commonly use weapons such as 
  swords, lances, and axes, and are often bound by 
  oaths of loyalty to a liege-lord or beloved lady. 
  SAMPLE 
  SAMPLE 
  SPELLS
  SPELLS  
  Levitation Spell:  Flight 5” 
  (10 Active Points); OAF 
  Expendable (feather; -1), 
  Gestures (-¼ ), Incantations 
  (-¼ ), Requires A Magic 
  Roll (-½  ), Only To Go 
  Straight Up And Down  
  (-1). Total cost:  2 points. 
  Magesight:  Detect Magic 
  (INT Roll), Discriminatory 
  (10 Active Points); OAF 
  (wizard’s staff; -1), 
  Gestures (-¼ ), Incantations 
  (-¼ ), Requires A Magic 
  Roll (-½  ). Total cost:  3 
  points. 
  Magic Bolt:  RKA 1d6, 
  NND (defense is Power 
  Defense; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1) (45 Active Points); 
  OAF (wizard’s staff; -1), 
  Gestures (-¼ ), Incantations 
  (-¼ ), Requires A Magic 
  Roll (-½  ). Total cost:  15 
  points. 
  Spell Of Many Tongues:  
  Universal Translator (INT 
  Roll) (20 Active Points); 
  OAF Expendable (jadeite 
  pebble with rune of 
  comprehension etched on 
  it, Difficult to replace;  
  -1¼ ), Gestures (-¼ ), 
  Incantations (-¼ ), Requires 
  A Magic Roll (-½  ). Total 
  cost:  6 points. 
  Thendric’s Spell Of 
  Concealment:  Invisibility 
  to Sight Group (20 Active 
  Points); OAF Expendable 
  (small piece of shaped and 
  polished glass, Difficult to 
  replace; -1¼ ), Gestures  
  (-¼ ), Incantations (-¼ ), 
  Requires A Magic Roll  
  (-½  ). Total cost:  6 points. 
  Vandular’s Chaotic 
  Corruscations:  Energy 
  Blast 6d6, Area Of Effect 
  (6” Radius; +1¼ ) (67 
  Active Points); OAF 
  (wizard’s staff; -1), 
  Gestures (-¼ ), Incantations 
  (-¼ ), Requires A Magic 
  Roll (-½  ). Total cost:  22 
  points. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  17 
  —the paladin, a knight-like warrior who promotes 
  some holy cause. Paladins often have divinely-
  granted powers similar to, but less flexible than, the 
  spells of priests. 
  —the ranger, a warrior specializing in wilderness 
  campaigns and scouting. Rangers usually have high 
  Survival, Stealth, and Tracking rolls, and are skilled 
  with Ranged weapons such as the bow. 
  Wizard 
  Wizards are masters of arcane lore with the 
  ability to cast spells and manipulate magical effects. 
  In many fantasy worlds, they rarely know much (if 
  anything) about arms and armor, since they rely on 
  their learning and powers instead of mundane means 
  of combat. Wizards typically have a Magic Skill, lots 
  of appropriate Knowledge Skills, relatively low 
  Characteristics (except for INT, EGO, and PRE, 
  which they favor), and lots of points devoted to 
  buying spells. 
  In many fantasy games, wizards “specialize” in a 
  particular type of magic:  Necromancy, Alchemy; 
  Thaumaturgy; Conjuration; and so on. Sometimes 
  this is because of the way magic is learned and taught 
  in the campaign world, other times it relates to 
  specific game benefits and rules established by the 
  GM. 
  Subgenres 
  Fantasy has many subgenres. Some of the most 
  important include: 
  Epic Fantasy 
  Epic fantasies are grand, romantic, monumental 
  stories of the heroes’ struggle against a vast, and 
  often overwhelmingly powerful, enemy. Typically 
  this entails a great quest to find, destroy, create, or 
  awaken the person or talisman needed to defeat the 
  enemy. Epic fantasy stories feature detailed worlds 
  with extensive histories (and often lots of 
  prophecies); magic that’s usually subtle, flavorful, 
  and evocative, and usually low-key though not 
  necessarily low-powered; and conflicts on scales 
  small and large, where the actions of both individual 
  heroes and entire armies are necessary for victory. 
  The quintessential epic fantasy is, of course, 
  J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Lord Of The Rings, and 
  many others imitating his work exist as well. Other 
  examples include Patricia McKillip’s “Riddlemaster 
  of Hed” trilogy, The Belgariad series by David 
  Eddings, and some bodies of myth and legend (such 
  as the Arthurian tales or some parts of Norse 
  mythology). 
  High Fantasy 
  High fantasy is a subgenre characterized mainly 
  by extensive, common, and/or powerful magic. 
  Unlike epic fantasy, where wizards are something of 
  a rarity, in some high fantasy games you can’t take 
  ten steps without tripping over someone who can cast 
  spells. In some high fantasy games, magic controls 
  the fate of entire kingdoms (or worlds), and can 
  devastate entire regions; in others it substitutes for 
  technology (cities have magical lighting at night, 
  everyone has running water because of aquamancy 
  spells, and people drive self-propelling enchanted 
  wagons). 
  In a gaming context, high fantasy campaigns 
  usually feature a plethora of sentient races — elves, 
  dwarves, gnomes, little sneaky people, orcs, 
  hobgoblins, trolls... — though in literature this is 
  much less common. They also often have a lot of 
  magical creatures and fantastic beasts. At their best, 
  they allow for the creation of grand and wondrous 
  stories of adventure and enchantment, and verge 
  toward epic fantasy. At their worst, they often 
  descend into nigh-mindless hack-and-slash 
  campaigns devoted solely to killing monsters, getting 
  treasure, and acquiring magical items. 
  Examples of high fantasy include the typical 
  Dungeons & Dragons gaming campaign, Master Of 
  The Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy, the Earthsea 
  Trilogy of Ursula LeGuin, some bodies of myth and 
  legend (such as certain Greek myths), the Deed Of 
  Paksennarion trilogy by Elizabeth Moon (though 
  many of its high fantasy elements are rather muted), 
  and some of the tales written by Lord Dunsany and 
  James Branch Cabell. 
  Low Fantasy 
  Low fantasy is the opposite of high fantasy — it 
  features little magic (sometimes none whatsoever). 
  What magic does exist is usually difficult to cast (it’s 
  hard to learn, or tires the user out), relatively low-
  powered and/or subtle, and quite rare. The characters 
  are most likely to face mundane opponents — city 
  guards, the king’s soldiers, political rivals, or the like 
  — instead of hordes of orcs or a rampaging dragon. 
  Examples of low fantasy include most of the 
  fantasy novels of Guy Gavriel Kay, the various 
  Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz (which feature 
  about as much magic as a story can have and still 
  remain “low fantasy”), and John Morrissey’s Iron 
  Angel trilogy. 
  Swords And Sorcery 
  Swords and sorcery fantasy focuses on primarily 
  on warriors, emphasizing that only the tough survive 
  and that fighting skills are, in most cases, better than 
  other types of skills. The sword-wielding hero fights 
  terrible monsters, rescues helpless maidens, and 
  thwarts evil plots all with the strength of his mighty 
  muscles and his refusal to become corrupted by the 
  “softness” of more civilized life. 
  Wizards and priests get short shrift in swords and 
  sorcery tales. Typically magic is so slow, or so 
  limited, that a sword-wielding hero can cleave a 
  spellcaster in two before he can complete his magic 
  (which often involves a curse, or the conjuration of 
  some monster). However, this changes in swords and 
  sorcery tales where the hero himself can wield some 
  magic. 
  Examples of swords and sorcery fantasy include 
  Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories, Michael 
  Moorcock’s stories about Elric of Melniboné, Fritz 
  Lieber’s tales of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Karl 
  Edward Wagner’s novels about Kane, and many 
  others. 
  Urban Fantasy 
  Urban fantasy mixes modern-day, real world 
  settings with magic. Typically there’s a “hidden 
  history” — a secret, underground, and/or behind-the-
  scenes community of spellcasters and fantastic 
  creatures most people remain completely oblivious 
  to. The magic is usually relatively low-powered, and 
  often flavorful. The hero often gets involved in some 
  conflict between the forces of good and evil, or has to 
  CROSSWORLDS 
  CROSSWORLDS 
  FANTASY
  FANTASY  
   
  One sort of fantasy sub-
  subgenre is crossworlds 
  fantasy, in which the heroes 
  are people from the real 
  world (often children) who 
  somehow cross over into a 
  fantasy world and become 
  involved in adventures 
  there. Often the heroes are 
  the subjects of prophecy, or 
  possess some power, 
  ability, or insight that 
  inhabitants of the fantasy 
  setting lack. Crossworlds 
  fantasies usually involve 
  epic or high fantasy worlds. 
  Examples of crossworlds 
  fantasy include The 
  Chronicles Of Narnia by C. 
  S. Lewis, The Chronicles 
  Of Thomas Covenant 
  trilogy and Mordant’s Need 
  duology by Stephen 
  Donaldson, and Alan 
  Garner’s The Weirdstone 
  Of Brisingamen. 
  
  18 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  find a way to use magic to correct some societal 
  problem. 
  Examples of urban fantasy include many of the 
  novels of Charles deLint, Tim Powers, and Simon 
  Hawke, as well as some of Lord Dunsany’s 
  marvelous short stories. 
  Sample Characters 
  Here are two sample characters to get you started 
  in Fantasy Hero:  Darien, a bold warrior; and 
  Belakar, a wizard who uses the example spells from 
  the sidebar accompanying this section. 
   
   
   
  DARIEN THE BOLD 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   18 STR 
  8 13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½ d6 [2] 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   10 INT 
  0 11- 
  PER Roll 11- 
   10 EGO 
  0 11- 
  ECV:  3 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   6 
  PD 
  2  
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD) 
   5 
  ED 
  1  
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  15  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   8 
  REC 
  0 
   36 END 
  0 
   30 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  67 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Martial Arts:  Weapons Combat (Usable with 
  Blades) 
   
    Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 
   
  5  All-Out 
  +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +6 DC Strike 
   
  4  Attack 
  +0 
  +2 Weapon +4 DC Strike 
   
  4  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC Strike 
  +v/5, FMove 
   
  4  Defend 
  +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  5  Probe 
  +1 
  +3 Weapon Strike 
   
  8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   
  2 Fleet-Footed:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1 
   
  2 Sharp-Eyed:  +2 PER with Normal Sight 
  0 
   15 Blessed By The Gods:  Luck 3d6 
  0 
   
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 Hand-To-Hand 
   
   
  2 Animal Handler (Equines) 13- 
   
  3 Courtier 13- 
   
  2 KS: Heraldry 11- 
   
  2 KS: Military History 11- 
   
  3 Riding 13- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Tactics 11- 
   
  1 Trading 8- 
   
  5 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Lances 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  83 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
   75 + Disadvantages 
   10 DNPC:  Princess Arellia (his true love, and the 
  King’s daughter) 14- (Normal, Useful 
  Noncombat Position) 
   15 Hunted:  Shattered Skull orc tribe 11- (Mo 
  Pow, Limited Geographical Area, Kill) 
   10 Hunted:  the King 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Chivalry 
  (Common, Total) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  Broad Sword (HKA 1d6+1, STR Min 12) 
  Medium Lance (HKA 1½ d6, STR Min 13) 
  Medium Longbow and 20 Arrows (HKA 1½ d6,  
   
   +1 RMod) 
  Dagger (HKA 1d6-1 STR Min 6) 
  Chain Mail (DEF 6) 
  Normal Shield (+2 DCV) 
  Medium Warhorse 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  19 
  Background/History:  The fifth son of a noble of 
  moderate power, Darien learned early in life that he 
  stood to inherit little or nothing, and thus that the 
  only roads to success, prosperity, and power for him 
  were the priesthood or service in the King’s Army. 
  Lacking any religious vocation, he chose the latter 
  course, and soon distinguished himself as a skilled 
  warrior. Although he has not yet been knighted, he 
  has proven himself in the King’s service so many 
  times that the King sends him whenever there’s a 
  “special mission” he needs performed. In truth, the 
  King does this not just because he knows of Darien’s 
  abilities as a warrior, but because he’s aware of the 
  love that has grown between his daughter, the 
  Princess Arellia, and Darien, and seeks to put an end 
  to it... one way or another. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Darien’s motivations are 
  those of the code of chivalry:  love of adventure; 
  loyalty to his liege-lord; and living up to the 
  adoration of a good woman. He asks for little more 
  from life than the chance to live well, smite evil, and 
  enjoy the company of boon companions. 
  Darien has always enjoyed a greater share of 
  good fortune than most other men; his luck has kept 
  him safe through more than one dangerous situation 
  that left equally skilled warriors dead. As a result, 
  Darien has come to believe the gods have blessed 
  him and given him a great and noble purpose to 
  fulfill, and this has made him bold, even 
  overconfident. There may come a time when he relies 
  on his luck once too often, and finds himself in 
  greater danger than he can handle.... 
  Quote:  “Hold, dog! My lord commands that I bring 
  you before him, and bring you I shall — be you in 
  one piece, or cut in two by my blade.” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Darien is a skilled warrior, trained 
  primarily in the use of the broadsword (his Weapons 
  Combat Martial Art is usable with Blades), but quite 
  able to use other weapons as well. When traveling, he 
  carries two broadswords, a medium lance, a medium 
  longbow, a dagger, and a shield, and wears well-
  polished chainmail. He prefers to fight from 
  horseback when possible, but is no stranger to getting 
  down on foot and slogging it out in the mud with his 
  enemies. 
  Appearance:  Darien the Bold is a tall, well-muscled 
  warrior of 24 winters. His hair is black, and his eyes 
  brown. His countenance is usually cheerful, but 
  quickly turns stern, even frightening, when battle 
  approaches or he enters a dangerous situation. 
   
  BELAKAR 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 
   14 DEX 
  12 12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- 
  PER Roll 13- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- 
  ECV:  5 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   3 
  PD 
  1  
  Total:  6 PD (3 rPD) 
   5 
  ED 
  2  
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED) 
   3 
  SPD 
  6  
  Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   5 
  REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   23 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  57 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Spells 
   
  2 Levitation Spell 
   
  3 Magesight 
   15 Magic Bolt 
   
  6 Spell Of Many Tongues 
   
  6 Thendric’s Spell Of Concealment 
   22 Vandular’s Chaotic Corruscations 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
  WARRIOR PACKAGE DEAL 
  Ability 
  Cost 
  One KS or PS related to a military subject 
  2 
  Riding 
  3 
  WF: Small Arms 
  2 
  Other WFs (player’s choice) 
  4 
  Two 3-point Skills 
  6 
  Total Cost Of Package 
  17 
   
  
  20 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13- 
   
  3 KS: History 13- 
   
  3 KS: Legends And Lore 13- 
   
  2 Languages:  2 points’ worth (player’s choice) 
   
  1 Literacy 
   15 Magic 19- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  93 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
   75 + Disadvantages 
   10 Distinctive Features:  mystic aura (Not 
  Concealable, Always Noticed, Detectable Only 
  With Unusual Senses) 
   10 Hunted:  Shattered Skull orc tribe 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Limited Geographical Area, Kill) 
   15 Hunted:  Gardak the Necromancer 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Honorable 
  (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Fascinated By 
  Magical Artifacts And Lore; Will Go Out Of 
  His Way And Risk Danger To Obtain Them 
  (Common, Moderate) 
   
  5 Rivalry:  Professional (with another wizard of 
  player’s choice) 
   10 Social Limitation:  Feared By The Common 
  Folk (Frequently, Minor) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  Staff (used as a club — 4d6 Normal Damage,  
   
   STR Min 10) 
  Dagger (HKA 1d6-1 STR Min 6) 
  Cloth Armor (DEF 1) 
  Silver medallion (a gift from his first master) 
  Wineskin of fine wine 
  Background/History:  Growing up as a limner’s 
  son, Belakar was apprenticed to a local wizard after 
  he displayed an aptitude for the Arts Arcane. He  
  studied under the wizard for several years, until his 
  master died. He then apprenticed himself to another 
  wizard, Gardak, later known as Gardak the 
  Necromancer. After several months, when he finally 
  perceived the evil nature Gardak hid beneath a facade 
  of civility, Belakar fled, taking several of Gardak’s 
  most precious tomes with him. To this day, Gardak 
  pursues him, hoping to recover the grimoires. 
  After several years of studying on his own, 
  Belakar became an adventuring mage, using his 
  powers to work with other like-minded people to 
  destroy evil, perform heroic deeds, and perhaps 
  recover a bit of treasure or two in the process. He 
  continues down this path today, ever seeking to 
  expand his knowledge, earn a reputation for his 
  skills, and serve the good people of the world — even 
  though most of them fear his sorcerous powers. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Belakar has taken the path 
  of the adventuring mage mainly because that’s the 
  best way for him to uncover ancient magical artifacts, 
  old lorebooks and spellbooks, and like valuables. 
  Such things fascinate him, and he’ll go to extremes to 
  recover them. But stronger still than that is his sense 
  of honor and duty. If he gives his word, he keeps it, 
  and he always conducts himself in an honest and 
  forthright manner. 
  Quote:  “Look at this! It’s the work-book of a mage 
  of the Crimson Shield Dynasty! Who knows what 
  secrets it might contain?” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Belakar is a mage who can cast 
  several useful spells. His main weakness is that he 
  has no defensive magics (yet). He has to take care, 
  hide behind cover when he can, and dodge if he must. 
  When possible, he uses Thendric’s Spell of 
  Concealment to shield himself from the eyes of 
  potential attackers. 
  Appearance:  Belakar is a man in his mid-30s, with 
  dark skin and eyes. He’s mostly bald, with just a few 
  whips of hair here and there on his head. He wears 
  robes (similar to those of many wizards), carries a 
  staff, and never seems to be without a book or two. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  21 
  MARTIAL ARTS 
  NINJA HERO 
  asters of unarmed combat, able to take 
  on armies of armed men and defeat 
  them using just bare hands and feet. 
  Feuds and rivalries between different 
  schools of the fighting arts. Characters with such 
  acrobatic prowess that they can literally run right up 
  walls! This type of excitement and action, and more, 
  characterizes the martial arts genre. 
  In addition to the Ninja Hero genre book, Hero 
  Games publishes another book that’s crucial for any 
  martial arts-oriented campaign:  The Ultimate 
  Martial Artist, a thorough and detailed guide to 
  martial arts from around the world and in the various 
  genres of adventure fiction. It contains dozens of 
  sample powers, rules for creating new Martial 
  Maneuvers, and lots of optional and expanded rules 
  for hand-to-hand combat in the HERO System, 
  making it a must for anyone who wants to run a 
  martial arts campaign or character. Page references 
  below to “UMA” refer to The Ultimate Martial 
  Artist, not the core rulebook. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, most Ninja Hero 
  campaigns are Heroic, with characters built on the 
  Standard Heroic point totals of 75 Base Points + 75 
  Disadvantages. But some martial arts subgenres — 
  wuxia and video-game, for example — require more 
  points, so that players can create characters able to 
  perform fantastic stunts and feats. Some even verge 
  into the Superheroic. In Heroic Ninja Hero 
  campaigns, characters typically obtain normal 
  equipment with in-game money instead of Character 
  Points, are subject to Normal Characteristic Maxima 
  by default, and use the Hit Location rules and many 
  other such options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  Regardless of the point totals or characters 
  involved, the themes of martial arts adventures 
  remain basically the same from subgenre to subgenre. 
  Some of the more common “bits” include: 
  Amazing fighting prowess:  Of course, every player 
  character and important NPC in a Ninja Hero 
  campaign has the Martial Arts Skill — indeed, many 
  characters know every maneuver in their chosen 
  style, and some have studied multiple styles. 
  Competition between fighters to prove that “my kung 
  fu is better than your kung fu!” occurs frequently. 
  Combats in a martial arts campaign, if properly 
  described and envisioned, can be spectacular! 
  To bolster their fighting skills, many Ninja Hero 
  characters buy Combat Skill Levels (either 3-point 
  Levels with a particular martial arts style, or 5-point 
  Levels with Hand-To-Hand Combat). Other common 
  Skills include Defense Maneuver, Fast Draw, Two-
  Weapon Fighting, and Weapon Familiarity. Talents 
  like Combat Luck, Combat Sense, Danger Sense, and 
  Lightning Reflexes are also worth considering. 
  Masters and students:  Most characters have to 
  learn martial arts from someone — a master. In most 
  Ninja Hero adventures, the PCs’ master is old, wise, 
  and skilled, but too feeble or slow to oppose the 
  enemies of his school or style (thus, the job falls to 
  the PCs). Masters of evil or rival schools are often 
  more robust, since they represent a major opponent 
  for the PCs to overcome. But first, of course, the 
  enemy master makes the PCs fight his students and 
  lieutenants, and observes them as they do so. (In the 
  game, many Ninja Hero GMs use a dramatic 
  guideline something jokingly called the “thug rule” 
  — you can’t fight the major antagonist until you’ve 
  fought and defeated his minions.) 
  Within a given school, the PCs can also develop 
  friendships and rivalries with fellow students. 
  Sometimes the worst enemy they can face is not 
  another master, but a former comrade who’s turned 
  against them out of greed, wickedness, or 
  misunderstanding. 
  Ninja:  These stealthy, supremely skilled spy-
  assassin-scouts appear in numerous martial arts 
  stories. In some cases, they are utterly deadly — even 
  one of them is enough to challenge an entire group of 
  PCs. In other stories, they’re like Nazis in Pulp Hero 
  games — standard “cannon fodder” for the heroes to 
  wade through on their way to the really dangerous 
  opponents. Sometimes they even function as comic 
  relief. 
  In HERO System terms, ninja learn the Ninjutsu 
  style (UMA pages 45-47). UMA also includes, on 
  pages 75-83, a Ninja Package Deal and lots of ninja 
  special abilities and equipment. 
  Personal honor and sacrifice:  To a Ninja Hero 
  character, his personal honor (however defined) is 
  everything. It dictates how he lives his life, whom he 
  serves, and the way he conducts himself in a fight or 
  crisis. At times, the course of an adventure puts him 
  in the untenable position of having to do something 
  terrible to uphold his honor, or violate his honor to do 
  the “right thing” (like keeping a promise to a dying 
  friend). That, however, plays into a related element of 
  the genre, the theme of personal sacrifice. Ninja Hero 
  PCs often have to give something of themselves — 
  up to and including their lives — to accomplish a 
  noble goal. And that’s fine; they usually don’t even 
  blink an eye at what’s required. To refuse would, 
  after all, be dishonorable. 
  In HERO System terms, many martial artists take 
  Psychological Limitations such as Code Of Honor or 
  Honorable to reflect this element of the genre. 
  M
  WHAT’S IN A 
  WHAT’S IN A 
  NAME?
  NAME?  
   
  Ninja Hero has a long 
  and proud history. The 
  title was originally used 
  for a book written by 
  Aaron Allston and 
  published in 1990. It 
  included not only 
  information on martial 
  arts, but extensive 
  campaign and character 
  creation rules. Much of 
  that information later 
  made its way, in expanded 
  and revised form, into The 
  Ultimate Martial Artist, 
  leaving the new Ninja 
  Hero to focus on the genre 
  itself and all the elements 
  that make it so enjoyable 
  for gaming. Hero Games 
  has chosen to keep the 
  title not only for 
  nostalgia’s sake, but 
  because it’s sufficiently 
  evocative and descriptive 
  for the average gamer to 
  understand what the 
  book’s about from the title 
  alone. 
  
  22 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Revenge:  Many Ninja Hero plots are driven by a 
  desire for revenge — whether it’s the PCs or their 
  enemies seeking it. An ancient defeat, a real (or 
  supposed) insult, or any action that causes dishonor 
  can lead to a quest for vengeance. Often revenge is a 
  to-the-death affair; the story only ends when the 
  target of the revenge is killed, or kills his antagonist. 
  Rivalries and feuds:  Related to both the “master 
  and student” and “revenge” elements is the theme of 
  rivalries and feuds. Clans, martial arts schools, and 
  specific characters often develop rivalries with their 
  peers, which sometimes develop into feuds lasting for 
  generations. Dealing with these conflicts and their 
  consequences can occupy a lot of the PCs’ time and 
  energy. 
  The supernatural:  Ghosts, curses, prophecies, and 
  strange Oriental magic abound in many Ninja Hero 
  campaigns. Sometimes the PCs themselves can work 
  magic, but more often magic is used against them as 
  they oppose evil Chinese sorcerers, fearful undead 
  minions, and the like. 
  Character Archetypes 
  Since martial arts campaigns can vary wildly 
  among several different subgenres, it’s sometimes 
  difficult to pin down distinctive archetypes common 
  to the genre. But certain character types, often 
  defined more by personal philosophy, lifestyle, and 
  fighting style than common powers or equipment, do 
  exist. They include: 
  The American From The Orient 
  This character is a Westerner who’s lived in the 
  Orient so long, or spent so much time in Chinatown, 
  that he’s become an expert on the culture, and 
  adopted Eastern philosophies and fighting styles. 
  Even if he mixes in a few Americanisms, his 
  behavior is more Asian than American. 
  To create a character like this, you need to mix a 
  few distinctive Background Skills, Perks, and 
  Disadvantages into the usual martial artist character 
  sheet — things like City Knowledges of American 
  cities, or Contacts in the American government or 
  business community. 
  The Honorable Ninja   
  This character is a member of a ninja clan who, 
  for reasons of his own, has turned his back on the 
  wicked and/or mercenary ways of his brethren to 
  walk a brighter path. He now uses his skills and 
  abilities for noble and honorable causes, such has 
  preventing evil landlords from throwing hapless 
  widows and orphans out into the street. 
  See the “Ninja” discussion above for information 
  on creating ninjas in the HERO System. 
  The Irritable Student 
  An Irritable Student, unlike most of his fellows, 
  is hot-tempered and easily frustrated. He’s got a lot 
  of talent and potential, but he chafes under the slow 
  and philosophical pace of instruction set by his 
  master. He wants to learn how to fight, not perform 
  meaningless chores! In the best martial arts stories, 
  the Irritable Student eventually comes to understand 
  the value of his master’s choices, but never wholly 
  loses his slightly renegade approach to the martial 
  arts. 
  In the HERO System, you can create the Irritable 
  Student by giving your martial artist an appropriate 
  Psychological Limitation, such as Aggressively 
  Impatient (Common, Strong; 15 points). He should 
  start the game with a minimal number of maneuvers 
  and related Skills (perhaps just the minimum 10 
  points’ worth, plus an 8- KS of his style and the Style 
  Distinctive Feature discussed in The Ultimate Martial 
  Artist). As the game progresses, he quickly learns 
  other maneuvers and abilities, thanks to his natural 
  potential. 
  The Kickboxing Cop 
  A “kickboxing cop” is a law enforcement officer 
  (or sometimes soldier) who uses his martial arts skills 
  to keep himself safe on the streets and get his job 
  done. Often considered something of a hothead or a 
  renegade, he manages to keep his position because he 
  consistently gets results when other cops are stymied. 
  In addition to buying an appropriate Martial Arts 
  style (often Kung Fu or Karate), when building a 
  Kickboxing Cop you need to select some cop Skills 
  and abilities for him:  Criminology, Deduction, 
  Streetwise, various KSs, WF: Small Arms, Fringe 
  Benefit: Local Police Powers, and so forth. 
  The Monk 
  This character is a religious ascetic, often on a 
  pilgrimage from one temple to another, or on a 
  mission to seek alms or help for the poor. Modest, 
  unassuming, and quiet, he looks like a helpless 
  pushover to bandits and thugs — but in truth he’s 
  mastered the martial arts and can easily look out for 
  himself. After his attention is attracted to some 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  23 
  injustice, he uses his skills to help right it and save 
  innocent people from oppression and evil. 
  The best way to represent the monk in a Ninja 
  Hero game (besides his fighting style) is with certain 
  Disadvantages — Psychological Limitations for vows 
  of poverty or a requirement to help those in need, 
  Social Limitations reflecting his place in a rigidly 
  hierarchical society, Destitute, and so forth. Certain 
  Fringe Benefits (like Right To Marry or Right To 
  Shelter) are also appropriate. 
  The Naive Hero 
  The naive hero (or heroine) possesses 
  tremendous fighting skills — but little or no 
  knowledge of the world outside the temple, 
  monastery, or compound where he’s been training 
  most of his life. He’s so sheltered that he’s easily 
  fooled by con artists and villains, which can lead to 
  situations both comedic and tragic. 
  The naive hero should have a lot of points in 
  Martial Arts and related Skills and abilities, plus 
  appropriate Disadvantages such as Psychological 
  Limitation:  Naive (Common, Moderate; 10 points). 
  The Samurai 
  Most appropriate to games set in medieval Japan, 
  the samurai is a warrior trained in the use of the 
  katana (and other Japanese weapons), and who 
  follows a special code of honor called bushido. 
  Bushido mandates obedience to one’s liege-lord, 
  resolute acceptance of death and danger, and personal 
  sacrifices when necessary to achieve one’s goals. 
  Masterless samurai, or ronin, also exist, and often 
  become mercenaries or troublemakers. 
  Characters in other places and times often adopt 
  the samurai mentality (and even training), and so 
  qualify for this archetype. In some campaigns (such 
  as Star Hero games), characters may encounter entire 
  races or species that qualify as “samurai” for game 
  purposes. 
  The samurai should have one or more 
  appropriate Martial Arts styles (definitely Kenjutsu, 
  possibly also Jujutsu), plus other warrior skills. Code 
  Of Bushido is a Psychological Limitation (Common, 
  Total; 20 points). 
  The Unwilling Fighter 
  This character, although possessed of 
  tremendous fighting skills, is reluctant to use them. 
  He’s a pacifist, or for some other reason eschews 
  violence. Unfortunately, the events of the story 
  inevitably sweep him up and put him in a position 
  where he has to fight — often to seek vengeance on 
  evil men who have wronged him or his loved ones. 
  You can build an unwilling fighter similar to a 
  naive hero — lots of points in Martial Arts and 
  related abilities, plus a Psychological Limitation like 
  Pacifist (Common, Total; 20 points). 
  Subgenres 
  Although most types of Ninja Hero campaigns 
  do share some story themes, features, and archetypes, 
  they also have some significant differences. Some of 
  the subgenres common to this genre include: 
  Realistic Martial Arts 
  A realistic martial arts story or campaign 
  involves plenty of fighting action, but attempts to 
  model the real world fairly closely. The PCs cannot 
  perform incredible stunts, there is no element of the 
  supernatural, and so forth. The characters’ enemies 
  include rival martial artists, criminals, Chinese and 
  Japanese organized crime, and so forth. 
  Realistic martial arts campaigns are Heroic, with 
  characters typically built on 75 Base Points + 75 
  Disadvantages. 
  Cinematic Martial Arts 
  Cinematic martial arts are a sort of intermediary 
  step between “realistic” and “wuxia” — the events, 
  characters, and abilities portrayed veer away from 
  absolute realism, but not into the completely 
  outrageous. Many martial arts action movies fall into 
  this category. 
  Cinematic martial arts campaigns are usually 
  Heroic, but with higher point totals than realistic 
  campaigns (Powerful or Very Powerful Heroes). 
  Wuxia Martial Arts 
  Wuxia (“woo-shee”) ratchets the action and 
  spectacular effects of a cinematic martial arts 
  campaign up a notch. In a wuxia campaign, 
  characters can run up walls, stand on thin branches or 
  narrow poles to fight, leap tremendous distances, and 
  perform other impossible feats. Many have their own 
  “secret” fighting techniques, honed by years of 
  practice. 
  Wuxia PCs are usually Superheroic, either Low-
  Powered or Standard. This gives them enough points 
  to buy all the amazing powers they have. They 
  should normally pay points for weapons and 
  equipment as well (especially since many of them use 
  unique, or uniquely powerful, weapons). 
  Video-Game Martial Arts 
  This style of martial arts campaign simulates 
  American and Japanese “fighting” video games. In 
  some ways it mingles with Champions, in that the 
  characters are often extremely unusual (aliens, 
  lizardmen, cyborgs, and so forth) or possess blatant 
  superpowers (like armored skin, fiery fists, or energy 
  projection). The characters are built on a Standard 
  Superheroic scale. 
  Anime Martial Arts 
  “Anime” martial arts campaigns derive from or 
  imitate Japanese animated cartoons. These campaigns 
  can take place in any time period or setting the GM 
  desires; what sets them apart are the incredible 
  powers displayed by the characters — powers even 
  more amazing than those of video-game martial 
  artists. They can project energy bolts powerful 
  enough to affect entire buildings, punch someone a 
  hundred times in the blink of an eye, run so fast 
  others can only see their afterimages, transform their 
  bodies into stone or metal, and so forth. They’re built 
  using Superheroic guidelines (the GM determines the 
  exact level and amount of points, based on the setting 
  for the game). 
  Sample Character 
  Here’s a sample cinematic martial arts character, 
  Yeung Li, for you to use if you like. You can easily 
  beef him up to wuxia or greater levels by changing 
  the campaign parameters and giving him more points. 
  
  24 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  YEUNG LI 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   10 INT 
  0 11- 
  PER Roll 11- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- 
  ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   8 
  PD 
  4  
  Total:  8 PD (0 rPD) 
   6 
  ED 
  2  
  Total:  6 ED (0 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  12  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   8 
  REC 
  0 
   36 END 
  0 
   29 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  77 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  9”/18” 
   
  Leaping: 
  9”/18” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Martial Arts: Long Fist Kung Fu 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4  Block 
  +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  4  Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort 
   
  5  Kick 
  -2 
  +1 12d6 Strike 
   
  4  Knife Hand 
  -2 
  +0 1d6+1 HKA  
  (2½ d6 w/ STR) 
   
  4  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 10d6 Strike 
   
  3  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 8d6 +vel/5, 
  Target Falls 
   
  4  Tien-hsueh Strike -1 
  +1 4d6 NND (1) 
   16 +4 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   
  6 Swift:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1 
   
  5 Leap Of The Grasshopper:  Leaping +5”  
   
   (9” total) 
  1 
   
   
   Skills 
   
  3 +1 with Kung Fu 
   
   
  3 Acrobatics 13- 
   
  3 Breakfall 13- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  6 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Common Martial Arts 
  Weapons 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  73 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
   75 + Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Monks Garb And 
  Demeanor (Easily Concealed, Noticed And 
  Recognizable) 
   20 Hunted:  Shòu Min and her bandit gang 11- 
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Honorable And 
  Noblehearted; Must Help Those In Need And 
  Fight Fairly (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Naive (Common, 
  Moderate) 
   10 Reputation:  dangerous fighter and 
  troublemaker, 11- 
   15 Rivalry:  Professional and Romantic (with head 
  of monastery regarding fighting prowess and 
  the affections of Ma Mei; Rival Seeks To 
  Harm/Kill Yeung Li) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  Jien (Chinese broadsword; HKA 1d6, STR Min 10) 
  Chiang (Chinese spear; HKA 1d6+1 or HA +3d6, 
  STR Min12) 
  Monk’s clothes and accouterments 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  25 
  Background/History:  Yeung Li was abandoned on 
  the doorstep of a monastery by his mother, and grew 
  up among the monks in their cloistered society. He 
  spent all his time doing chores and practicing martial 
  arts. Today, grown into a young man, he is strong and 
  fit, and a skilled fighter. 
  Due to an unfortunate circumstance, Yeung Li 
  was forced to leave the monastery to seek his fortune 
  in the wide world. The head monk had a mistress, Ma 
  Mei, who developed an affection for Li instead — an 
  affection he returned. The head monk cast him out in 
  disgrace, into a world he knew very little about. Still 
  consumed by jealousy, the head monk often pursues 
  Yeung Li, or has friends who owe him favors harass 
  the young man. Thanks to their influence, Yeung Li 
  is widely regarded as a hotheaded troublemaker, 
  causing local officials to keep a careful eye on him 
  (even though, in truth, he’s unassuming and heroic). 
  Yeung Li ran into difficulties almost as soon as 
  he left the monastery. While traveling to the nearest 
  town, he encountered some bandits robbing a family. 
  Without a thought for his own safety, he leapt into 
  the fray and drove the robbers off with his fierce 
  fighting. Unfortunately, the thugs were part of a large 
  and influential gang led by Shòu Min, the notorious 
  “Bandit Queen” of the central provinces. Furious that 
  one man could thwart her desires so easily, Shòu has 
  ordered her men to track him and kill him on sight. 
  Unaware of Shòu Min’s enmity toward him, 
  Yeung Li continues his journeys, never seeking 
  adventure, but always seeming to find it somehow. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Yeung Li is a classic naive 
  hero. Though quite skilled at fighting, and possessed 
  of a strong sense of honor and desire to right wrongs, 
  he knows little of the world at large, or of the ways 
  people interact with each other. He’s constantly 
  committing faux pas and having to apologize or 
  otherwise make amends. Despite these difficulties, he 
  remains intensely curious about the world around 
  him. He’s eager to meet new people, see new sites, 
  and do new things. 
  Quote:  “There is more to kung fu than knowing how 
  to punch or kick. There is honor, there is 
  understanding.” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Yeung Li is a gifted practitioner of 
  the martial arts, who’s been studying Long Fist Kung 
  Fu for nearly all his life. He favors punches and 
  throws in most situations. If necessary, he can use his 
  jien (broadsword) or chiang (spear), but he usually 
  prefers to rely on fists and feet rather than sharpened 
  steel. 
  Appearance:  Yeung Li is a young Chinese man of 
  average appearance. He wears the typical robes of a 
  monk (usually quite dusty from his travels, and 
  perhaps a bit scuffed or torn after his fights), and 
  carries himself with a monk’s demeanor. 
  
  26 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  MODERN-DAY ACTION 
  DARK CHAMPIONS 
  ell-armed costumed vigilantes, 
  opposing killers and crime syndicates 
  the police can’t possibly hope to stop. 
  Suave spies dressed to the nines but 
  ready to spring into action at the drop of a poker chip. 
  Criminals more evil, more cruel, than any four-color 
  supervillain. Soldiers, mercenaries, assassins, and 
  terrorists. All these people, and many more, inhabit 
  the world of Dark Champions — a world of action, 
  adventure, and often deadly excitement. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Dark Champions 
  campaigns are usually Heroic, typically with 
  Powerful characters (as in published Dark 
  Champions books for the 5th Edition) or Standard 
  ones. Gamemasters sometimes expand the allowable 
  points characters can acquire from any one category 
  of Disadvantages to 30 or 40, since some 
  Disadvantages (such as Hunted and Psychological 
  Limitation) are more common and important in this 
  genre than other Heroic genres. Characters typically 
  obtain normal equipment with in-game money 
  instead of Character Points, are subject to Normal 
  Characteristic Maxima by default, and use the Hit 
  Location rules and many other such options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  Dark Champions campaigns can vary pretty 
  dramatically from one GM to another, but most share 
  certain features or elements. These include: 
  Gritty, dramatic action:  First and foremost, Dark 
  Champions games are characterized by a sort of 
  “gritty dramatic realism” and action. They feature 
  characters who are more or less realistic — ordinary 
  humans, not superhumans, using training, equipment, 
  and their wits to overcome obstacles and enemies. 
  They take place more or less in the “real world,” even 
  if there happen to be superhumans in other parts of 
  that world (the dramatic rules governing the genre 
  keep the two from mingling to any significant extent, 
  because if they did, the Dark Champions characters 
  would quickly be overwhelmed by their more 
  powerful “comrades”). They focus on the problems 
  and perils of the real world — organized and 
  disorganized crime, societal decay, terrorism, war — 
  rather than on the fanciful plots of supervillains or 
  dark overlords. 
  Conspiracy:  In many modern-day action stories, 
  conspiracy plays a significant part. The characters 
  often find themselves opposing, or even manipulated 
  by, shadowy cabals of power-brokers who are trying 
  to conceal something from the rest of the world 
  (either because doing so benefits them, or to protect 
  humanity from the implications of the secret facts). 
  The characters often find themselves in situations 
  where things aren’t as they seem, or where they don’t 
  have all the facts — thus forcing them to take extra 
  steps to outwit their enemies and learn the truth. 
  Espionage:  Espionage — ranging from the relative 
  realism of John Le Carré novels to the over-the-top 
  “spywork” of James Bond movies — factors into 
  many Dark Champions campaigns. The characters 
  (one, some, or all of them) may be spies, or have 
  received training from an intelligence agency (either 
  a real one, like the CIA, or a fictitious one created by 
  the GM). Or they may find themselves entangled in 
  espionage matters during the course of their 
  adventures. 
  Guns and violence:  Dark Champions is all about 
  action, and that action often involves violence — be 
  it a car chase, a brawl, or, most likely of all, a 
  gunfight. Most Dark Champions characters go 
  around heavily armed, ready at all times to defend 
  themselves from their enemies or put a stop to crime. 
  Hot cars and cool gear:  In addition to guns, Dark 
  Champions characters use all sorts of gear and 
  technological resources. From expensive sportscars 
  (often tricked out with hidden weapons and gadgets), 
  to high-tech lockpicks and security scramblers, to the 
  latest laptops specially prepared for hacking and data 
  theft, they’ve got all sorts of gear to help them get the 
  job done. 
  Military and government:  Dark Champions 
  characters are as likely to find themselves involved in 
  military or governmental matters as espionage. Many 
  of them have military training in their backgrounds, 
  and depending on the nature of the campaign they 
  may still be in the military (and thus have the Social 
  Limitation Subject To Orders). Military-oriented 
  adventures may include rescuing a lost or trapped 
  group of soldiers, preventing the theft of nuclear or 
  biological weapons (or recovering them after they’ve 
  been stolen), or conducting special forces-style raids 
  or assaults against targets designated by the 
  characters’ superiors. 
  Character Archetypes 
  In the Dark Champions genre, character 
  archetypes are typically defined by the Skills they 
  commonly possess and most frequently use during 
  adventures, though a few (such as Vigilante) are 
  more defined by their attitude and activities. In many 
  campaigns, each archetype essentially has a specific 
  “job” within the team, based on his abilities (though a 
  good team has enough overlap between characters’ 
  abilities to keep it from becoming too dependent on 
  any one member). 
  W
  WHAT’S IN A 
  WHAT’S IN A 
  NAME?
  NAME?  
   
  Dark Champions, 
  originally published in 
  1993, got its name 
  because it was initially 
  conceived as a subgenre or 
  companion book for 
  Champions itself. It 
  focused mainly on 
  vigilante crimefighters in 
  the tradition of Batman or 
  the Punisher. The term has 
  since expanded to 
  encompass modern-day 
  action campaigns 
  involving espionage, 
  technothriller stories, 
  weird conspiracies, and 
  the like. Although another 
  name, such as Action 
  Hero, might fit the genre 
  better, so many Hero 
  gamers are accustomed to 
  talking about “Dark 
  Champions campaigns” 
  that the name is worth 
  keeping. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  27 
  The Hacker 
  The hacker is a technology expert. As the name 
  indicates, he’s usually got a high Computer 
  Programming Skill, but most hackers go beyond that, 
  learning Electronics, Security Systems, and/or 
  Systems Operation in addition to whatever other 
  abilities they might possess. If the team needs to 
  retrieve some data from an encrypted hard drive, or 
  plant a virus in an enemy’s system, the hacker’s the 
  man for the job. 
  The Security Specialist 
  Often similar to the hacker in many ways, the 
  security specialist is an expert at infiltration and 
  retrieval — breaking and entering, theft, and similar 
  tasks. His Skills usually include Concealment, 
  Electronics, Lockpicking, Security Systems, and 
  Stealth, among others. 
  The Soldier 
  The soldier is a combat expert. Most Dark 
  Champions characters have at least some combat 
  abilities — a WF or two, if nothing else — but the 
  soldier has special combat training. Often a veteran 
  of a special force or elite unit, he not only has plenty 
  of WFs, but often Autofire Skills, Demolitions, 
  Martial Arts, Stealth, Tactics, TFs, and 
  Weaponsmith. He usually carries the heaviest 
  weapons in the group. 
  The Spy 
  A spy is a character trained in the arts of 
  espionage, spycraft, and intelligence-gathering. He 
  has an eclectic blend of skills covering many 
  subjects:  guile and trickery (Acting, Disguise, 
  Mimicry, Seduction); covert information-gathering 
  (Bugging, Computer Programming, Conversation, 
  Shadowing); and combat (Demolitions, Martial Arts, 
  WFs). Many spy characters have to pick one area to 
  “specialize” in, gradually expanding the scope of 
  their abilities as the campaign progresses. In keeping 
  with the James Bond tradition, many have high 
  COMs, and Skills like Gambling or High Society. 
  The Vigilante 
  The vigilante is a character who, disgusted with 
  the rampant crime in modern society, has taken it 
  upon himself to put an end to it — whether by 
  beating up criminals and leaving them for the police, 
  or more extreme methods. Often defined by their 
  Disadvantages (particularly Psychological 
  Limitations like Obsessed With Crimefighting or 
  Devoted To Justice) as much as by their abilities, 
  they can be complex and intriguing characters to 
  play. They usually have a generous helping of 
  combat Skills, plus Skills like Computer 
  Programming, Stealth, and Streetwise. 
  The Wheelman 
  A wheelman is a specialist in driving and/or 
  piloting. He’s the team’s getaway man, the guy who 
  provides cover support, and the person everyone 
  relies on when the bad guys try to get away by 
  starting a car chase. Combat Driving and/or Combat 
  Piloting are musts for this character, along with 
  Mechanics and a generous helping of Transport 
  Familiarities. Beyond that, the wheelman often has 
  support Skills that allow him to back up other 
  members of his team. 
  Subgenres 
  Although they have a lot of overlap in most 
  cases, there are several distinct subgenres in Dark 
  Champions. They include: 
  Dark Champions (Vigilante Crimefighting) 
  In its purest form, Dark Champions is about 
  what its title refers to:  vigilante crimefighting in a 
  comic book style. Taking is cue from heroes such as 
  Batman, the Question, the Punisher, and Vigilante, it 
  features characters who, though often dressed in 
  costumes of some sort, lack true superpowers. 
  Instead, they get by with Skills, training, gadgets, and 
  weapons (often special ones of their own devising). 
  Depending on the GM’s preferences, the game can 
  become extremely grim and gritty, or remain closer 
  to its roots in four-color comics. 
  Dark Champions: The Animated Series 
  If a Dark Champions game gets too close to its 
  four-color roots, what emerges is a sort of hybrid 
  subgenre called Dark Champions: The Animated 
  Series. DC:TAS campaigns typically feature 
  characters who have the Psychological Limitation 
  Code Against Killing (a rarity in this genre), and also 
  more than a few other bits and pieces from the 
  superhero genre:  weird costumed villains, impossible 
  technology, and the like. “Theme” villains, each 
  patterning his costume, abilities, and crimes around a 
  favored, but bizarre, concept (like puzzles, an animal 
  type, or dark comedy), appear frequently. 
   
  
  28 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Espionage 
  Espionage campaigns (sometimes known as 
  Danger International games, based on the title of an 
  old Hero Games product that covered this subject) 
  focus on the “great game” of intelligence-gathering 
  and political intrigue. Typically they occur in the 
  modern era or during the Cold War period, but 
  sometimes GMs create fun variants, such as 
  espionage-fantasy or espionage-science fiction. The 
  characters’ opponents include enemy spies, enemy 
  soldiers, terrorists, assassins, double agents, and 
  large-scale criminal organizations (often fictitious 
  ones, such as James Bond’s long-time adversary 
  SPECTRE). 
  Law Enforcement 
  Some Dark Champions campaigns cast the 
  characters in the role of law enforcement officers — 
  anything from beat cops, to FBI agents, to officers of 
  Interpol. The emphasis is usually on action and 
  excitement, with gamers taking their cues from police 
  movies like Lethal Weapon, rather than on true police 
  procedure (which is often dull). 
  Characters in a law enforcement campaign 
  usually have a Package Deal to provide them with the 
  mandatory Skills and abilities they need to function 
  as cops. These include Combat Driving, Streetwise, 
  WF: Small Arms, and Fringe Benefit: Local Police 
  Powers, among others. 
  Military 
  In a military game, the characters are all soldiers 
  of some kind — typically special forces operatives, 
  or some sort of elite unit. Alternately, they may be 
  mercenaries of some kind. In either case, the 
  characters are called on or hired to do what they do 
  best:  fight, capture, destroy, and emerge victorious. 
  They may have to pin down an enemy regiment so it 
  can’t get to a battle elsewhere, sneak into a heavily-
  guarded installation to rescue hostages or steal 
  valuable technology, or lead the invasion of an 
  enemy nation. Compared to other Dark Champions 
  characters, military PCs usually have access to much 
  more firepower and force, and have a much greater 
  chance of effecting lasting change in the world 
  around them. 
  Weird Conspiracy 
  Popularized by television shows such as The X-
  Files, this subgenre introduces an element of the 
  weird and the occult into Dark Champions. The 
  premise of the campaign is that there’s more out there 
  than humanity knows about (or can comfortably 
  acknowledge), and the PCs have to both investigate 
  this concept and deal with its ramifications. In a 
  weird conspiracy game, things like aliens and UFOs, 
  Bigfoot, cults with magic (albeit low-powered magic) 
  that actually works, bizarre genetic throwbacks of 
  men and animals, and much, much more actually 
  exist. The genre also often features conspiratorial 
  groups trying to hide or exploit these phenomena for 
  vague and shadowy reasons the player characters can 
  never quite pin down. Investigation, mystery, and an 
  eerie feel are the hallmarks of this subgenre, not 
  gunfights and car chases. 
  Sample Characters 
  To get you started in this genre, here are two 
  sample characters:  the Verdict, a Dark Champions 
  vigilante; and Alena Drake, a spy working for the 
  CIA. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  29 
  THE VERDICT 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1] 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   18 CON 
  16 13- 
   14 BODY 
  8 12- 
   15 INT 
  5 12- 
  PER Roll 12- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- 
  ECV:  4 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   6 
  PD 
  3  
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD) 
   4 
  ED 
  0  
  Total:  7 ED (3 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  15  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   7 
  REC 
  0 
   36 END 
  0 
   31 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  81 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Martial Arts: Commando Training 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  3  Aikido Throw +0 
  +1 3d6 + vel/5, 
  Target Falls 
   
  4  Boxing Cross 
  +0 
  +2 5d6 
   
  4  Choke 
  -2 
  +0 Grab One Limb, 
  2d6 NND (2) 
   
  4  Karate “Chop” -2 
  +0 ½ d6 HKA (1d6+1 
  with STR) 
   
  4  Kung Fu Block +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  2 Swift:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1 
   
  6 Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
   
   Groups 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  1 Fringe Benefit:  License To Practice Law 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
   
   Skills 
   16 +2 with All Combat 
   
  5 +1 with Ranged Combat 
   
   
  3 Acting 13- 
   
  3 Bugging 13- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 13- 
   
  3 Combat Driving 13- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 13- 
   
  3 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 Criminology 13- 
   
  3 Deduction 13- 
   
  3 Disguise 13- 
   
  1 Electronics 8- 
   
  3 Fast Draw (Small Arms) 13- 
   
  3 Forensic Medicine 13- 
   
  3 KS: Criminal Law 13- 
   
  3 KS: (Campaign City) Underworld 13- 
   
  3 Lockpicking 13- 
   
  3 PS: Attorney 13- 
   
  3 Security Systems 13- 
   
  3 Shadowing 13- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 13- 
   
  3 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles,  
   
   Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles 
   
  3 WF: Small Arms, Blades 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  119 
  Total Cost:  200 
   
   100 + Disadvantages 
   20 Hunted:  Cabrona Mafia Family 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Kill) 
   20 Hunted:  Police 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Devoted To Justice 
  (Very Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Uncommon, Strong) 
   15 Reputation:  murderous, out-of-control 
  vigilante, 11- (Extreme) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Robert 
  Markham) (Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  200 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  .44 Automag (RKA 2d6, +1 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier, 7 shots, two extra clips) 
  Another .44 Automag 
  Walther PPK-S (RKA 1d6, +1 OCV, -1 RMod, 7 
  shots) 
  Silencer for Walther 
  Taser (EB 6d6, NND [defense is insulated rED];  
   
   No Range, 6 Charges) 
  Knives (2) (HKA 1d6-1, STR Min 4) 
  Customized Body Armor (6 PD/6 ED) 
   
  
  30 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Background/History:  After completing a tour of 
  duty in the U.S. Army, Robert Markham returned 
  home, attended law school, and after graduation got a 
  job with the local public defender’s office. He 
  worked there for nearly a decade, becoming 
  progressively more and more disgusted with “the 
  system.” Every day it was his job to try to free people 
  so socially maladjusted, so dangerous, that they ought 
  to be locked up forever, not given a slap on the wrist. 
  The final straw was when a client he had successfully 
  defended robbed him, beating him half to death in the 
  process. 
  After he healed, Robert quit the PD’s office. He 
  knew now that it wasn’t the place for him. He should 
  be opposing the criminals, not helping them. And not 
  by joining the prosecutor’s office, either; it was time 
  for... more direct action. 
  After withdrawing his life savings from the bank, 
  Robert vanished. He spent over a year intensively 
  training and studying, building himself into a warrior 
  capable of taking on the scum of the underworld on 
  their own turf and beating them. He acquired 
  weapons, and even designed a distinctive suit of 
  form-fitting body armor to protect himself from 
  bullets and knives. 
  Since appearing on the streets last year, the 
  vigilante who’s identified himself only as “the 
  Verdict” has been responsible for over 20 killings 
  and many more brutal assaults. While the criminal 
  element (except for the Cabrona mob, whom he’s 
  badly damaged with several raids) doesn’t take the 
  threat he poses seriously — yet — the police 
  certainly do. A botched attack on a crackhouse 
  several weeks ago, which was captured on film by a 
  nearby TV camera crew, has brought him firmly into 
  the public eye. He now finds himself completely 
  isolated, pursued by both the law and the underworld, 
  without anyone to turn to for help. 
  At least he knows who his enemies are. 
  Personality/Motivation:  The Verdict’s war on 
  crime is motivated by two feelings. The first, and  
  most important, is his devotion to the concept of right 
  and wrong. He has a strong sense of justice, and it 
  dismays him when those who deserve punishment 
  somehow escape it. His most common targets are 
  criminals who’ve escaped the law due to “loopholes,” 
  or who have so far managed to elude capture. 
  The Verdict’s other motivation, one he’d never 
  admit to, is vengeance. Robert Markham has a 
  vengeful streak to him, which is one reason why it 
  took an attack on him personally to finally tip him 
  over into the vigilante camp. Anyone who defeats or 
  humiliates him becomes the complete focus of his 
  attention until he gets even with them. It remains to 
  be seen whether his desire for justice will ultimately 
  diminish his vengeful nature, or his vengefulness will 
  overwhelm him and his crusade. 
  Quote:  “I’m not the judge or the jury, just the 
  verdict. And the Verdict... is death!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Since he fights crime by himself, 
  the Verdict is cautious. He prefers to investigate a 
  target thoroughly before taking him on, using Skills 
  like Bugging, Bureaucratics, Computer 
  Programming, Criminology, Disguise, Lockpicking, 
  and Shadowing to get the information he needs. Then 
  he strikes at the most opportune moment — when his 
  target is most vulnerable. 
  The Verdict prefers to use two customized .44 
  Automags. As a backup, he has a Walther PPK-S, 
  with a silencer he can attach to it for times when 
  stealth is paramount. He also carries two knives (one 
  on the back of his belt, and another concealed in a 
  boot) and a taser (for targets he needs to capture 
  alive). 
  Appearance:  The Verdict wears a suit of custom-
  designed body armor, complete with helmet. The 
  armor is black, with dark red highlights; numerous 
  straps and buckles reveal how it’s fastened to his 
  body. Robert Markham is a man in his early 30s, 
  obviously fit and muscular, with piercing grey eyes, 
  black hair, and a short black moustache and beard. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  31 
  ALENA DRAKE 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   14 CON 
  8 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- 
  PER Roll 13- 
   14 EGO 
  8 12- 
  ECV:  5 
   18 PRE 
  8 13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½ d6 
   16 COM 
  3 12- 
   
   4 
  PD 
  2  
  Total:  7 PD (3 rPD) 
   3 
  ED 
  0  
  Total:  6 ED (3 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  12  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   5 
  REC 
  0 
   28 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  3 Total Characteristics Cost:  78 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Martial Arts:  Aikido 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort 
   
  4  Escape 
  +0 
  +0 35 STR versus 
  Grabs 
   
  3  Hold 
   
  -1 
  -1 Grab Two 
  Limbs, 30 STR 
  for holding on 
   
  4  Joint Lock/Throw +1 
  +0 Grab One Limb; 
  2d6 NND(1); 
  Target Falls 
   
  5  Redirect 
  +1 
  +3 Block, Abort 
   
  3  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 4d6 + v/5; Target 
  Falls 
   
  8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 
   
   
   Perks 
   
  6 Contacts (defined by player or GM) 
   
  3 Fringe Benefit:  Membership (CIA) 
   
  6 Fringe Benefit:  Security Clearance (U.S. 
  Government) 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
   
   Skills 
   10 +1 Overall 
   
   
  3 Acting 13- 
   
  3 Combat Driving 13- 
   
  1 Computer Programming 8- 
   
  3 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 Conversation 13- 
   
  3 Cryptography 13- 
   
  3 Disguise 13- 
   
  1 Electronics 8- 
   
  1 Gambling (Card Games) 8- 
   
  3 High Society 13- 
   
  3 One or more CKs (defined by GM or player) 
   
  3 KS: The Espionage World 13- 
   
  1 Language:  Spanish (basic conversation; 
  English is native) 
   
  1 Language:  Russian (basic conversation) 
   
  3 Lockpicking 13- 
   
  3 Persuasion 13- 
   
  3 PS: Spy 13- 
   
  3 Security Systems 13- 
   
  3 Seduction 13- 
   
  3 Shadowing 13- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  5 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, 
  Basic Parachuting, Snow Skiing, Two-Wheeled 
  Motorized Ground Vehicles 
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  122 
  Total Cost:  200 
   
   100 + Disadvantages 
   20 Hunted:  Russian Mafia group 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Kill) 
   20 Hunted:  enemy intelligence agency (defined 
  by GM) 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Claustrophobia 
  (Uncommon, Total) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Curiosity 
  (Common, Moderate) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (normally 
  lives under the identity of Monica Rossington, 
  wealthy dilettante) (Frequently, Major) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  200 
   
   
  
  32 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Typical Equipment 
  Holdout Pistol (RKA 1d6+1, 4 shots) 
  Lipstick Pistol (RKA 1d6, 1 shot, built into a 
  functioning tube of lipstick) 
  Jewelry Communicator (HRRP, disguised as a 
  necklace, watch, or other piece of jewelry) 
  Mission-specific covert equipment 
  Background/History:  The daughter of a career 
  diplomat and a political science professor, Alena 
  Drake had an interest in government from an early 
  age. Her excellent college grades, and equally good 
  performance on federal service exams, earned her a 
  job in the State Department. That, in turn, brought 
  her to the attention of certain officials in the CIA 
  who, recognizing her potential for intelligence work, 
  arranged to have her transferred to the Agency. 
  After an extensive and gruelling period of 
  training, Drake began her career as a field agent. 
  Since then she’s performed admirably on several 
  assignments. But she’s not been without her share of 
  mishaps and disasters; one mission resulted in a short 
  but extremely unpleasant period of confinement 
  that’s left her claustrophobic, and another revealed 
  her activities to a Russian Mafia organization that’s 
  been trying to eliminate her ever since. But whatever 
  challenges lie ahead, she’s confident she can handle 
  them. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Alena Drake is capable, 
  self-assured, cool-headed in times of crisis, and 
  quick-thinking. In short, she has attributes that make 
  her well-suited to field work as an espionage agent. 
  The only thing that tends to impair her efficiency is 
  her curiosity; she’s all too often tempted to stick her 
  neck out just a little too far to learn about something 
  that seems important or interesting. (That’s how the 
  Russians found out about her, for example.) 
  Quote:  “Please, General, tell me more. Your work is 
  so fascinating to someone like me who knows 
  nothing of military matters!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Alena Drake typically works 
  “undercover,” using a cover identity (Monica 
  Rossington, wealthy dilettante) established for her by 
  the CIA. This allows her to mingle with the rich and 
  powerful without seeming threatening. Her supposed 
  riches, and obvious good looks, gain her entrance to 
  many places a male agent could never go. 
  Drake typically carries few (if any) weapons, 
  preferring to rely on her wits as much as possible. For 
  times when danger threatens, she keeps her Holdout 
  Pistol (a small firearm specially designed for her by 
  the Agency) hidden on her person, as well as other 
  weapons and gear disguised as ordinary items. If she 
  can’t get to a weapon, she’ll use her Aikido. 
  Appearance:  Tall and slender, with an attractive 
  figure, Alena Drake tends to grab attention wherever 
  she goes. Shoulder-length straight hair frames her 
  pretty face, with its green eyes. As Monica 
  Rossington, she usually affects a slightly bored and 
  distracted air; but when on the job in her true identity, 
  she’s focused, attentive, and wary. 
  BASIC SPY PACKAGE DEAL 
  Ability 
  Cost 
  Stealth 
  3 
  WF: Small Arms 
  2 
  Pick 18 points’ worth of Skills from the following list: 
  Bribery, Bugging, Bureaucratics, Computer  
  Programming, Conversation, Demolitions,  
  Electronics, Fast Draw, Forgery, Gambling,  
  High Society, Lockpicking, Security Systems,  
  Seduction, Shadowing, Systems Operation,  
  Weapon Familiarity 
  18 
  Disadvantage 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  -20 
  Total Cost Of Package 
  3 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  33 
  THE PULP ERA 
  PULP HERO 
  trong-jawed, two-fisted heroes. Femme 
  fatales as deadly as they are beautiful. 
  Ancient artifacts, lands of mystery, and lost 
  civilizations. Explorers and great white 
  hunters. The looming Nazi menace. Masked mystery 
  men fighting the mob with wit, skill, and thundering 
  automatics. Weird science. Put them all together, and 
  they mean one thing — pulp-era adventure! 
  The “pulp era” refers to the 1920s and ’30s, a 
  time when the adventures of the Shadow, Doc 
  Savage, and Indiana Jones took place. Much of the 
  world remains basically unexplored and strange, full 
  of potential for exotic and dangerous adventures. 
  With World War I past, and World War II growing 
  ever closer, it’s a time of both great opportunities and 
  great danger — in short, the perfect time for heroes! 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Pulp Hero campaigns 
  are usually Standard Heroic games, with characters 
  built on 75 Base Points + 75 Disadvantages, but some 
  feature Powerful (100 + 100) characters instead. 
  Characters typically obtain normal equipment with 
  in-game money instead of Character Points, are 
  subject to Normal Characteristic Maxima by default, 
  and use the Hit Location rules and many other such 
  options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  Although pulp has a number of distinctive 
  elements, such as the ones discussed below, the most 
  important thing to preserve, but the hardest to grasp 
  and use effectively, is the pulp “feel.” Pulp-era 
  adventures have a distinctive taste to them, unlike 
  other action-adventure genres. The heroes are larger 
  than life — strong-jawed, two-fisted, better, brighter, 
  more grand and glorious, somehow, than heroes in 
  similar genres. Although they may appear hard-bitten 
  and world-weary, they’re not — they are 
  noblehearted and true, without the heartfelt bitterness 
  and cynicism that marks so many modern-day heroes. 
  They know a heroic attitude, a sharp mind, and a 
  good right cross are enough to solve any problems 
  they might encounter. 
  Conspiracy:  Conspiracy abounds in many pulp 
  adventures, particularly those of the crimefighting 
  and mystery variety. Villains (and many heroes, for 
  that matter) have networks of agents and contacts 
  they use to accomplish their goals. Shadowy cabals 
  of nefarious men plot the downfall of entire nations. 
  Player characters may find tackling these 
  organizations difficult! 
  Exotic settings:  Pulp adventures often take place in 
  strange, mysterious, and exotic locations. Characters 
  chase thugs down the darkened alleys of Shanghai, 
  explore previously undiscovered land in Africa, and 
  duel villains to the death beside some enormous 
  South American waterfall — they don’t just hang 
  around the corner bar. Even in the crimefighting and 
  mystery pulp stories, which often take place within a 
  single city, characters often find hidden “grottoes” 
  within the otherwise familiar cityscape. 
  Lands of mystery and lost worlds:  Similarly, many 
  pulp adventures focus on lands of mystery, lost 
  worlds, and hidden civilizations. Characters might 
  discover a second “world” inside the hollow earth 
  which they can enter through a hole in Antarctica, a 
  South American plateau where dinosaurs still live, a 
  long-forgotten valley in Africa where classical Greek 
  civilization lives on, or the like. Such places are 
  always full of excitement, intrigue, and danger. 
  Masterminds and mad scientists:  Pulp heroes’ 
  deadliest enemies are often masterminds who seek to 
  use their power to rule the world, or mad scientists 
  who have perverted their knowledge and training for 
  selfish gain. The villains, like the heroes themselves, 
  have a larger-than-life quality that makes them 
  lovably easy to hate — and extremely enjoyable to 
  defeat! 
  Nazis:  Another common enemy in many pulp 
  campaigns is Nazis. With the Nazi party controlling 
  Germany by 1933, the Nazis afflict almost half of the 
  pulp era with their twisted ideals and schemes of 
  conquest. Given Hitler’s supposed interest in 
  archaeology and the occult, GMs can even bring 
  Nazis into games involving mysticism and weirdness. 
  Like orcs in Fantasy Hero games, Nazis are the foe 
  every pulp hero can shoot without feeling guilty 
  about it — though for best effect, the GM should 
  occasionally introduce a Nazi villain who has a few 
  noble or honorable qualities. 
  Science!:  The pace of scientific and technological 
  development was strong and steady during the first 
  forty years of the twentieth century, and pulp 
  adventure stories take advantage of that fact. In 
  addition to regular science and gadgetry, “weird 
  science” — in the form of primitive jetpacks, devices 
  able to pull meteors down from the skies to devastate 
  entire cities, and more — also appears from time to 
  time. Used properly, weird science can add a lot to 
  pulp adventures; just be careful not to overdo it. 
  You can create weird science gadgets using 
  Powers (and sometimes Talents or Skills). Most have 
  Limitations like Activation Roll, Concentration, 
  Extra Time, or Requires A Skill Roll to reflect their 
  primitive nature, tendency to breakdown, and the 
  like. 
  S
  WHAT’S IN A 
  WHAT’S IN A 
  NAME?
  NAME?  
   
  Many years ago, Hero 
  Games published a pulp-
  era game using the HERO 
  System called Justice Inc. 
  To this day many hard-
  core Hero fans still know 
  and use the term, but most 
  gamers don’t have any 
  idea what it refers to. 
  Since it doesn’t convey 
  the nature or contents of 
  the product at all, Hero 
  has chosen not to 
  perpetuate that name. 
  Instead we’ll probably use 
  Pulp Hero, which isn’t as 
  colorful, but does have 
  some meaning for 
  potential customers. 
  The term “pulp” itself 
  comes from the cheap 
  pulp paper used for the 
  magazines in which the 
  stories that created this 
  genre were printed. 
  
  34 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Sidekicks:  Pulp heroes often have assistance from 
  sidekicks, agents, friends, or servants. The Shadow’s 
  corps of agents, Doc Savage’s five friends, and the 
  Spider’s faithful manservant Ram Singh all 
  participate in their adventures to some degree (even if 
  only to get captured, thus providing the hero with 
  plenty of motivation to defeat the villain). In some 
  Pulp Hero campaigns, the player characters may 
  actually be agents or “followers,” with their master a 
  shadowy figure who occasionally gives them 
  instructions. 
  Character Archetypes 
  The list of pulp archetypes is just about endless, 
  given the many “stock” characters that showed up in 
  pulp stories. Some of the more common, and 
  appealing to RPG players, include: 
  The Aviator 
  In the 1920s and ’30s, air travel is still a new, 
  exciting, and often dangerous undertaking. 
  “Barnstormers” and pilots are daring men, given to 
  thrillseeking and adventure, and thus make perfect 
  pulp heroes. An aviator character needs Combat 
  Piloting, Mechanics, Navigation (Air), and all 
  appropriate TFs, plus a few other Skills to give him 
  things to do when his plane is on the ground. 
  The Explorer 
  The explorer archetype includes any character 
  driven to investigate and learn about the strange and 
  mysterious places of the world — archaeologists, 
  great white hunters, and true explorers who can’t wait 
  to learn what lies over the next horizon. Explorers 
  usually have a lot of AKs and CKs, a good Survival 
  roll, Stealth, and other Skills appropriate to their 
  chosen profession(s) (like SS: Archaeology for a 
  seeker of ancient artifacts). Doc Savage and Indiana 
  Jones both largely fall into this archetype (though 
  Doc can do so many things it’s difficult to fit him 
  into any one category). 
  The Heroine 
  In pulp adventure stories, women are often every 
  bit as competent as men. Some are of the “Oh, I’ve 
  twisted my ankle!” variety, but they’re mostly NPCs. 
  Female PCs, often women who’ve chosen not to 
  accept the demure roll society tries to impose on 
  them, can do anything men can do (but never seem to 
  get too dirty or dishevelled). 
  The Mystery Man 
  A staple of the crimefighting pulp stories, the 
  mystery man is a precursor to the superheroes of 
  Champions. Dressed in clothing that conceals his 
  identity — often not just a mask, but a cape or cloak 
  of some kind — he uses his skills and training 
  (usually including matchless aim with handguns) to 
  seek out and defeat ordinary criminals, mastermind 
  villains, and anyone else who threatens his fair city. 
  The Shadow and the Spider, two of the best-known 
  pulp heroes, provide perfect examples of this 
  archetype. 
  Mystery men typically have Deduction, Stealth, 
  Streetwise, and several WFs including Small Arms. 
  Many other Skills and weird abilities (whether 
  bought as Talents or Limited Powers) are also 
  possible. 
  The Scientist 
  Some pulp heroes are masters of the technologies 
  and sciences of the era. They can construct all sorts 
  of interesting gadgets and gizmos to help themselves, 
  and their friends, through dangerous situations. Doc 
  Savage falls into this archetype to some degree. 
  A scientist needs Skills like Electronics, 
  Inventor, Mechanics, Science Skill (several), and 
  Systems Operation. Scientist characters often have a 
  unique gadget or two, built with the Focus and 
  Independent Limitations, to help them during 
  adventures. 
  The Strong-Jawed Hero 
  Perhaps the most stereotypical pulp hero is the 
  “strong-jawed” or “two-fisted” variety — a man 
  possessed of nothing but heroic determination and the 
  fighting skills of an honest American (i.e., the Martial 
  Arts style Fisticuffs). With his cleft chin, dashing 
  good looks, strong muscles, friendly manner, 
  implacable opposition to evil and injustice, and 
  perhaps some experience or abilities learned during 
  the Great War, he’s perfect for any type of pulp 
  adventure. 
  Subgenres 
  Pulp doesn’t have subgenres so much as it 
  simply applies its aesthetics and “feel” to stories of 
  many different types. Thus, you can have pulp stories 
  involving action/adventure, crimefighting, detectives 
  and mysteries, espionage, exploration and discovery, 
  horror and the occult, science fiction, 
  suspense/thriller, Westerns, or the like. All the GM 
  has to do is construct the campaign and its elements 
  to ensure the pulp “feel.” For example, in a pulp 
  science fiction story, characters often wear garish 
  uniforms with fins on their helmets and rayguns, 
  explore weird alien planets that look as much like bad 
  movie sets or magazine cover paintings as actual new 
  worlds, and encounter a lot of aliens that somehow 
  speak English. Such campaigns often blend the Pulp 
  Hero elements with elements from the other genre 
  they belong to (Star Hero, in this case), but the exact 
  mix depends on the GM, the players, and the course 
  of the campaign. 
  Sample Character 
  Here’s an example character to get you started in 
  Pulp Hero:  Randolph Murdock, a bold explorer and 
  strong-jawed hero. 
  EXAMPLE 
  EXAMPLE 
  WEIRD POWER 
  WEIRD POWER 
  GADGETS
  GADGETS  
  Jetpack:  Flight 10” (20 
  Active Points); OIF (-½  ),  
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  (1 Hour; -0), Requires A 
  PS: Operate Jetpack Roll  
  (-¼ ). Total cost:  11 points. 
  Wrist Communicator:  
  HRRP (12 Active Points); 
  Activation Roll 13- (-¾ ), 
  OIF (-½  ). Total cost:  5 
  points. 
  Stun Dart Gun:  Drain 
  STUN 4d6, Ranged (+½  ) 
  (60 Active Points); 
  Activation Roll 14- (-½  ), 
  OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-½  ). 
  Total cost:  20 points. 
  Nightgoggles:  Nightvision 
  (5 Active Points); 
  Activation Roll 14- (-½  ), 
  OIF (-½  ).  Total cost:  2 
  points. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  35 
  RANDOLPH MURDOCK 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   20 STR 
  10 13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2] 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   20 CON 
  20 13- 
   15 BODY 10 12- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- 
  PER Roll 12- 
   10 EGO 
  0 11- 
  ECV:  3 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   14 COM 
  2 12- 
   
   8 
  PD 
  4  
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD) 
   6 
  ED 
  2  
  Total:  9 ED (3 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  15  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   8 
  REC 
  0 
   40 END 
  0 
   35 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  86 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  9”/12” 
   
  Swimming: 
  3”/6” 
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
   Martial Arts:  Fisticuffs 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Damage/Effect 
   
  4  Block/ 
   
      Chin Block 
  +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  4  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 Disarm, 30 STR 
  to Disarm roll 
   
  4  Kidney Blow 
  -2 
  +0 HKA ½ d6 
  (1d6+1 with 
  STR) 
   
  4  Punch/Backhand +0 
  +2 6d6 Strike 
   
  5  Roundhouse 
  -2 
  +1 8d6 Strike 
   
  3  Tackle 
  +0 
  -1 
  4d6 +v/5 Strike; 
  You Fall, Target 
  Falls 
   
  3  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 4d6 +v/5; Target 
  Falls 
   
  6 Swift:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1 
   
  1 Strong Swimmer:  Swimming +1” (3” total) 1 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  3 Bump Of Direction 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
   
   Skills 
   20 +2 Overall 
   
   
  3 Fast Draw (Small Arms) 12- 
   
  3 High Society 13- 
   
  1 Language: French (basic conversation; English 
  is native) 
   
  1 Language: German (basic conversation) 
   
  1 Language: Swahili (basic conversation) 
   
  1 Mechanics 8- 
   
  3 Riding 13- 
   
  3 Shadowing 13- 
   
  5 Stealth 13- 
   
  8 Survival (Mountains, Temperate/Subtropical, 
  Tropical, Desert) 13- 
   
  3 Tracking 13- 
   
  6 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons, Small Arms 
   
  3 Traveler 
   
  2 1)  AK: Africa 12- 
   
  2 2)  AK: India 12- 
   
  2 3)  AK: The Middle East 12- 
   
  2 4)  CK: Istanbul 12- 
   
  2 5)  CK: Nairobi 12- 
   
  1 6)  CK: Hudson City 11- 
   
  2 7)  CK: Paris 12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  114 
  Total Cost:  200 
   
   100 + Disadvantages 
   25 DNPC:  Jubu (faithful manservant and 
  gunbearer) 14- (Incompetent) 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  notable scar on left chin 
  (Easily Concealed; Noticed And Recognizable) 
   20 Hunted:  Nazis 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill) 
   
  5 Hunted:  Stanislaw Bremanski 8- (As Pow, 
  Mildly Punish) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Fearlessly Heroic; 
  Risks His Life Even In Obviously Lethal 
  Situations (Very Common, Strong) 
   10 Rivalry:  Romantic (Rival is a Player 
  Character) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Frequently, 
  Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  200 
   
   
  
  36 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Typical Equipment 
  Colt M1911 (RKA 2d6-1, +1 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier, +1 OCV, 7 shots) 
  Other guns as needed (hunting rifles and such) 
  Dagger (HKA 1d6-1, STR Min 6) 
  Lucky silver dollar 
  Background/History:  Randolph Murdock grew up 
  in Georgia. After fighting in the Great War, he 
  decided he didn’t want to return home, and 
  eventually drifted down into Africa, where he 
  became a hunting guide for Westerners. That, in turn, 
  led to a job guiding some scientists deep into the 
  interior, to search for some mysterious lost city they 
  were looking for. Murdock refuses to say what 
  happened on that expedition, but since then he’s 
  developed quite a reputation as an explorer and 
  adventurer. He’s been featured in the Western press 
  on many occasions, and has worked with many other 
  men (and women) of like mind and disposition. 
  Given his line of work, Murdock has 
  understandably made a few enemies. First and 
  foremost among these is Nazi Germany, whose 
  schemes he has foiled on several occasions. As a 
  result, he doesn’t travel into Germany, or through 
  German-occupied territory, if he can help it. Another 
  is Stanislaw Bremanski, a former fellow hunting 
  guide who’s become so jealous of Murdock that he 
  pursues him all over the world, trying to embarrass 
  and inconvenience him. 
  Murdock has been linked in the press to a 
  number of beautiful and eligible women, but in fact 
  he’s romantically inclined towards one of the female 
  adventurers he works with. (It’s up to the GM to 
  decide who this is — and who the rival for her 
  affections is....) 
  Personality/Motivation:  Randolph Murdock is a 
  typical strong-jawed hero. He believes in the virtues 
  of honor, decency, kindness, refusal to back down in 
  the face of cruelty or aggression, and a strong 
  roundhouse punch. Although he doesn’t live in 
  America full-time, he’s definitely got that roll-your-
  sleeves-up-and-get-the-job-done American attitude. 
  Quote:  “Come on! There’s a trail down this way. If 
  we hurry we can cut those Nazis off and find the idol 
  first!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Murdock relies on his strong 
  punches, good aim, and heroic attitude to win 
  through. He usually tackles a problem head-on, and if 
  he can’t make any headway, he backs off and looks 
  for another solution. He’s neither bullheaded nor 
  foolish, and applies his native intelligence at all 
  times. 
  Appearance:  Randolph Murdock is a tanned, fit, 
  muscular man 6’2” tall, with brown hair and olive 
  eyes. It’s obvious from his appearance that he spends 
  a lot of time outdoors. On the left side of his chin, 
  near the jawline, there’s a distinctive scar he got from 
  a lion’s claw. 
  EXPLORER PACKAGE DEAL 
  Ability 
  Cost 
  8 points’ worth of AKs and CKs 
  8 
  2 points’ worth of Languages 
  2 
  Stealth 
  3 
  Survival 
  2 
  Total Cost Of Package 
  15 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  37 
  SCIENCE FICTION 
  STAR HERO 
  otshot space pilots, daring to attempt 
  maneuvers that scare everyone else. 
  Enormous starships able to move faster 
  than the speed of light. Strange new 
  planets, filled with alien flora and fauna. And aliens 
  themselves — sentient races with a thousand 
  different forms from a thousand different worlds. 
  Characters who can use eerie powers of the mind to 
  help, or harm. All this, and more, awaits you in the 
  many worlds of science fiction... the province of Star 
  Hero. 
  Campaign Guidelines 
  And Standards 
  In HERO System terms, Star Hero campaigns are 
  usually Standard Heroic games, with characters built 
  on 75 Base Points + 75 Disadvantages. (Some 
  campaigns, particularly those with a heavy emphasis 
  on psionic powers, use higher point totals.) 
  Characters typically obtain normal equipment with 
  in-game money instead of Character Points, are 
  subject to Normal Characteristic Maxima by default, 
  and use the Hit Location rules and many other such 
  options. 
  Genre Conventions And 
  Features 
  Science fiction, like fantasy, is a broad and far-
  reaching genre. It encompasses everything from The 
  War Of The Worlds and 20,000 Leagues Beneath The 
  Sea to Star Trek, Star Wars, and Dune. Despite this 
  breadth (and depth), a few elements are common to 
  most science fiction. These include: 
  Technology:  First and foremost, nearly all science 
  fiction has the element of technology in common. 
  Science fiction is, largely, about the relationship of 
  man and technology — what technology enables men 
  to do, the opportunities it offers, the perils it presents, 
  the limitations it imposes (or abolishes). From blaster 
  rifles, to teleportation devices, to time machines, to 
  bio-engineering, advanced technology factors into 
  almost every Star Hero story to some degree. 
  For the GM, the trick with technology is not to 
  let it overwhelm the game. A Star Hero campaign 
  should be about the PCs and their abilities and 
  accomplishments — not what they own. The PCs 
  definitely need access to high-tech gear (it wouldn’t 
  really feel like Star Hero without it!), but too much 
  access may cause problems if they come to rely on 
  their equipment instead of on themselves. 
  In HERO System terms, technology is typically 
  built with Powers (though sometimes Talents or 
  Skills factor in as well). Take a look at Chapter Four 
  of the HERO System 5th Edition, and at the example 
  powers in Chapter One, for lots of ideas and sample 
  equipment. 
  Aliens:  Most science fiction also deals, at least to 
  some extent, with Humanity’s interaction with other 
  sentient species — be they Klingons, Mon Calamari, 
  Minbari, plasma-beings from another dimension, or 
  something even stranger. 
  To represent alien beings, particularly alien 
  species players can use for their PCs, most GMs 
  create Racial Package Deals (pages 16-17). In 
  addition to any abilities native to the species (e.g., 
  higher than Human-normal STR for a silicon-based 
  species, Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing) for 
  a fish-based species), the GM should include in the 
  Package any Skills and Talents common to the 
  species that aren’t represented by Everyman Skills. 
  Computers:  One of the most common forms of 
  technology to appear in science fiction is computers. 
  They aren’t absolutely necessary — one of the 
  greatest science fiction epics ever written, Dune, 
  doesn’t really feature them at all — but they usually 
  show up (especially these days, when computers have 
  become so important a part of modern-day life that 
  they can’t help but intrude into the artistic 
  consciousness). Many are artificially intelligent, 
  H
   
  
  38 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  which raises all sorts of interesting story possibilities 
  (remember HAL from 2001:  A Space Odyssey?). 
  To create a computer in HERO System terms, use 
  the rules on pages 312-13. 
  Exploration:  Many science fiction stories are 
  premised on the theme of “What’s out there?” Space 
  is enormous — more vast than the Human mind can 
  comfortably handle, in some ways — so there’s 
  always a frontier to explore. The new planets, races, 
  and astronomical phenomena characters encounter 
  during their journeys of discovery are ripe with 
  adventure possibilities. Many of the best Star Trek 
  stories, for example, involve exploration. 
  Mecha:  In some science fiction stories, mecha or 
  battlemechs — giant anthropomorphic vehicles 
  armed with all sorts of weaponry — play a prominent 
  part. To create a mecha in HERO System terms, use 
  the Vehicle design rules, and give it Extra Limbs so 
  that its Ground Movement simulates “running” rather 
  than wheels, tracks, or hover technology. 
  Psionics:  In many science fiction settings, some or 
  all sentient species have the capacity for mental 
  powers — telepathy, telekinesis, and the like. These 
  are collectively referred to as “psionics” in most 
  roleplaying game campaigns. Whether psionics exist 
  in your Star Hero campaign, what type of psionic 
  abilities characters can have, and how strong those 
  abilities can be depends on the GM. 
  To create psionic abilities for HERO System 
  characters, use Mental Powers (see page78). In 
  campaigns with a heavy emphasis on psionics, the 
  GM may wish to allow players more Character Points 
  to create characters with, since Mental Powers can 
  get expensive. 
  Robots:  Some science fiction settings, including 
  Star Wars and Isaac Asimov’s Robot series, feature 
  robots and androids — mechanical men, to use a 
  crude and sometimes inaccurate term — as a 
  common element. They can range from humanoid-
  shaped constructs able to do just about any job (and 
  sometimes even to pass themselves off as true 
  humans), to odd-shaped devices designed to perform 
  one or two specific functions. In some settings, 
  robots are governed by specially-programmed “laws” 
  and ethical guidelines that prevent them from 
  harming Humans (though the villains always seem to 
  find a way to circumvent these “laws” at some point 
  during the story). 
  To create a robot with the HERO System, you 
  typically use the rules for Automatons (pages 310-
  11). Extremely sophisticated robots and androids 
  might be built using the normal character creation 
  rules instead, with appropriate adjustments in the 
  special effects involved. For example, when a 
  sophisticated robot is Stunned by an attack, it’s not 
  really “Stunned” like an organic being would be, it’s 
  simply had its systems knocked offline for a second 
  or two — but the game effect is the same. 
  Space marines:  “Space marines” is a generic term 
  referring to science fiction soldiers, though the name 
  is most appropriate for the kind of warrior appearing 
  in books like Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers — 
  heavily armored, carrying weapons of mass 
  destruction and other devices designed solely to 
  cause havoc and death. In a lower-tech Star Hero 
  campaign, a space marine might be an ordinary 
  soldier with advanced body armor and ballistic 
  weapons. 
  Starships:  It’s hard to explore space, wage war 
  against hostile aliens, or engage in interstellar trade if 
  you don’t have a way to journey between the stars. 
  So, starships — spacegoing vessels — appear in most 
  science fiction stories. Some SF takes place entirely, 
  or almost entirely, aboard a starship (much of Star 
  Trek provides a good example of this). Most starships 
  have FTL (faster-than-light) travel capability, 
  defensive “shields” or “screens” of energy, and 
  weapons such as energy beams or anti-matter 
  missiles. Many other features or systems are of 
  course possible. 
  To create a starship in the HERO System, use the 
  Vehicle rules beginning on page 314. For FTL flight 
  capability, use the FTL Travel Power (in some 
  instances, MegaScaled Flight might also be 
  appropriate). 
  Time travel:  Common in some SF settings (or even 
  the basis for them, as with Doctor Who), but rare or 
  absent in others, time travel presents all sorts of 
  intriguing adventure possibilities. If the PCs are time 
  travelers themselves, they can mix and mingle with 
  history’s most famous personalities, helping to ensure 
  that historical events take the proper course. If they 
  simply encounter other time travelers, they may find 
  themselves dealing with events they don’t fully 
  understand, with potentially catastrophic 
  consequences if they make the least slip. 
  To create time travel devices in the HERO 
  System, use the Power Extra-Dimensional Movement. 
  Character Archetypes 
  Since science fiction settings can vary wildly 
  from one to another, not all archetypes are common 
  across the entire genre. But some character types do 
  tend to crop up frequently, including: 
  The Explorer 
  Many character types — prospectors, scouts, 
  some types of scientists, personnel belonging to 
  organizations like Star Trek’s Starfleet — are defined 
  primarily by their desire to see what lies beyond the 
  next solar system. Their skills and abilities are 
  eclectic, reflecting the need to live on a starship 
  (Combat Piloting, Navigation (Space), Systems 
  Operation, appropriate TFs), conduct scientific 
  surveys (Science Skills), and survive in potentially 
  hostile environments (Martial Arts, Survival, WFs). 
  The Pilot 
  Just like in Pulp Hero, in Star Hero pilot 
  characters are usually cocky daredevils, willing to 
  take all sorts of crazy risks for the thrill involved and 
  the pride of the accomplishment. The difference is 
  they fly fighters armed to the teeth with weapons 
  capable of destroying asteroids, vast starships able to 
  reduce entire planets to rubble, modified smuggler 
  ships fast enough to outrun patrol vessels, and the 
  like. 
  Star Hero pilots need Combat Piloting, 
  Navigation (Space), Systems Operation, some 
  appropriate TFs, and perhaps a few technical Skills 
  (Computer Programming, Electronics, Mechanics) to 
  make running the ship easier. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  39 
  The Psionic 
  In many science fiction stories and Star Hero 
  campaigns, there’s just one character in the group 
  with psionic powers. That’s his (or often, her) role to 
  fill — he’s “the guy with mental powers,” instead of 
  the sneaky guy or the guy with big guns. With the 
  right selection of psionic abilities, a psionic can be a 
  fun and effective character to play in a wide variety 
  of scenarios. 
  In roleplaying campaigns where multiple (or all) 
  characters have psionic powers, a character who 
  wants to stand out for his use of psionics should 
  either have more psionic abilities than average (i.e., 
  spend more Character Points on them than the other 
  characters do), or should “specialize” in a particular 
  type of psionic power (such as telekinetic abilities). 
  The Rogue 
  Gamblers, pirates, con men, smugglers, 
  assassins, thieves, bounty hunters — all are types of 
  rogues who ply the spacelanes, seeking to make a 
  dishonest credit. Some (particularly those who are 
  PCs) really have “hearts of gold” and act heroically 
  when they need to, but most are outright scoundrels 
  who wouldn’t hesitate to sell their own grandmothers 
  on the Denebian Slave Exchange if it was worth their 
  while. And that just makes them all the more fun to 
  defeat. 
  Most rogue characters have Skills like Computer 
  Programming, Concealment, Conversation, Forgery, 
  Gambling, Lockpicking, Security Systems, 
  Seduction, Sleight Of Hand, Stealth, and Streetwise. 
  It all depends on what sort of crimes the rogue 
  prefers. A rogue who makes his money cheating in 
  the star-casinos has a far different set of Skills than a 
  cat burglar or pirate. 
  The Scientist/Technician 
  With all the technology featured in Star Hero, 
  and all the scientific puzzles characters are likely to 
  encounter, it’s not surprising that scientists (and their 
  counterparts, technicians and engineers) crop up 
  frequently as PCs. Armed with a wealth of 
  technology- and science-oriented Skills (Computer 
  Programming, Electronics, Inventor, Science Skills, 
  Systems Operation, and more), they’re valuable allies 
  in a setting where keeping the ship’s support systems 
  functioning can make the difference between life and 
  death! 
  The Soldier 
  Particularly common to the Military SF subgenre 
  (of course), but also frequently appearing in other 
  types of SF, the soldier (be he an actual ground-
  pounder, a starship naval officer, a fighter pilot, or 
  what have you) can play many roles. As a PC, he 
  usually fights the good fight, protects innocents from 
  aggressive aliens, and helps to guard trade convoys 
  and passenger ships traveling through dangerous 
  areas. As an NPC, he may be an honorable enemy, an 
  amoral mercenary, or simply an opponent the PCs 
  must kill, or be killed by. 
  Soldier characters usually have lots of WFs, 
  Martial Arts, Stealth, Systems Operation, Tactics, 
  and other Skills useful in military situations. 
  The Trader 
  Many Star Hero characters focus, in whole or in 
  part, on interstellar economics. Usually traveling in 
  small ships they pilot themselves, these traders and 
  merchants seek to buy low, sell high, and beat their 
  rivals to the new markets. Acquiring, securing, and 
  transporting cargo may sound dull, but when the PCs 
  have cut-throat competitors to contend with, it can 
  become a real adventure. And what happens when the 
  valuable cargo itself proves dangerous...? 
  Subgenres 
  Science fiction has several gaming-friendly 
  subgenres, including: 
  Hard SF 
  So-called “hard” science fiction is SF that pays 
  close attention to “hard” scientific facts, deviating 
  from them as little as possible. Complete scientific 
  accuracy is rarely possible, but the creators of the 
  story do their best to remain as accurate as they can. 
  The resolution of the dilemma or conflict in the story 
  often revolves around solving some scientific 
  mystery. 
  Hard SF is difficult to pull off in a Star Hero 
  campaign, unless the players and the GM alike are all 
  interested in it and all highly scientifically literate. 
  Even then, there’s the danger of the game devolving 
  into arguments about scientific “facts” instead of 
  focusing on the creation of a fun story. The GM has 
  to pay close attention, and work hard, to keep the 
  game flowing smoothly. 
  Low SF 
  Often mingled with Hard SF, Low SF involves 
  the lowest level of technology a story can feature and 
  still qualify as “science fiction.” There are no 
  blasters; characters fight with advanced ballistic 
  rifles. There’s no FTL travel; characters have to cope 
  with vectored thrust drives, cryo-ships, and the like. 
  Humanity may not have even left its own solar 
  system yet. But don’t let a lack of advanced 
  technology fool you into thinking the game can’t 
  have a grand, epic scope. After all, Frank Herbert’s 
  Dune features very little high technology, but it’s a 
  fantastic science fiction story. 
  Military SF 
  Military SF, obviously, focuses on the 
  intersection of military stories and science fiction. A 
  Military SF campaign may involve a vast interstellar 
  war in which the PCs play a key role (as in the 
  “Dominion War” story arc on Star Trek: Deep Space 
  Nine), a group of PCs who are a “special force” of 
  space marines sent out to deal with crises (as with the 
  characters in Aliens), a futuristic tank crew, or the 
  like. Military SF stories are often also Hard and/or 
  Low SF stories. 
  Space Opera 
  The opposite of Low SF, Space Opera features 
  incredibly advanced technology — often tech so 
  marvelous that it embodies Clarke’s Law (“Any 
  sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable 
  from magic”). Disintegration weapons, artificially 
  intelligent computers, FTL travel, teleportation, and 
  more are casual, everyday matters. Star Trek and Star 
  Wars both represent, to varying degrees, this type of 
  science fiction. As a Star Hero campaign, Space 
  Opera presents the GM with the problem of finding 
  challenges for the characters that they can’t quickly 
  and easily solve with gadgetry. 
  
  40 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Time Travel 
  As described above, time travel stories usually 
  involve protagonists who are time travelers 
  themselves, or who encounter a time traveler and 
  have to deal with the ramifications of his actions or 
  the information he brings them. In a roleplaying 
  game context, time travel works best if the PCs 
  themselves are the time travelers (usually with an 
  enemy group of time travelers they have to contend 
  against). Before the game begins, the GM should 
  develop a coherent theory of how time travel works 
  in his campaign, so he can deal with the players’ 
  questions and in-game conduct without too many 
  difficulties. 
  Sample Characters 
  To give you an idea of what Star Hero characters 
  are like, here are two examples:  Hur’shaas, a 
  reptilian space pilot; and Jessica Fivedawns, a 
  Human explorer. 
   
   
  HUR’SHAAS 
  Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   13 BODY 
  6 12- 
   15 INT 
  5 12- 
  PER Roll 12- 
   10 EGO 
  0 11- 
  ECV:  3 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½ d6 
   8 
  COM 
  -1 11- 
   
   6 
  PD 
  3  
  Total:  8 PD (2 rPD) 
   4 
  ED 
  1  
  Total:  6 ED (2 rED) 
   4 
  SPD 
  12  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   6 
  REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  0 
   29 STUN 
  0 Total Characteristics Cost:  68 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
  Swimming: 
  4”/8” 
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
  4 Claws:  HKA 1 point (½ d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1 
   
  5 Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1 point  
   
   (½ d6 with STR) 
  1 
   
  6 Scaly Skin:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0 
   
  2 Reptilian Form:  Swimming +2” (4” total) 1 
   
  6 Griinoq Senses:  +2 PER with all  
   
   Sense Groups 
  0 
   
  5 Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0 
   
  Perks 
   
  3 Fringe Benefit:  Galactic Computernet Access 
  Code 
   
  Talents 
   
  9 Griinoq Dexterousness:  Ambidexterity (no 
  penalties with either hand) 
   
   
   Skills 
   
  6 +2 with Ship’s Weapons 
   
   
  3 Computer Programming 13- 
   
  7 Combat Piloting 15- 
   
  3 Electronics 12- 
   
  2 Gambling (Card Games) 12- 
   
  3 Mechanics 12- 
   
  4 Navigation (Space) 13- 
   
  3 Paramedics 12- 
   
  7 Systems Operation 14- 
   
  2 TF: Science Fiction & Space Vehicles 
   
  2 WF: Small Arms 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  82 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
   75 + Disadvantages 
   10 Dependence:  must keep body at least partly 
  immersed in warm water or suffers Weakness 
  after 20 minutes of dehydration (Very 
  Common) 
   10 Hunted:  enemy pilots 8- (As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Thrillseeker 
  (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Hunts Enemy Pilots 
  (Common, Moderate) 
   10 Rivalry:  Professional And Romantic (with 
  another pilot) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  Blaster Pistol (EB 9d6, 32 shots) 
  Griinoq starsuit (DEF 4, helps keep body hydrated) 
   
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  41 
  Background/History:  Hur’shaas is a Griinoq, a 
  reptilian species from a swampy world in the Perseid 
  arm. Like all Griinoq, he must keep his body moist 
  and hydrated at all times, or he begins to suffer 
  painful (and possibly fatal) dehydration. On the other 
  hand, he’s stronger than the average Human, comes 
  equipped with nasty fangs and claws, and has a 
  handy tail and tough skin. 
  After aptitude tests revealed his qualifications for 
  the Imperial Stellar Navy, Hur’shaas enrolled in the 
  Piloting Academy, where he quickly distinguished 
  himself. Since graduation, he’s been helping the 
  Stellar Navy prosecute its long war against the forces 
  of the Interstellar League, which wants to cut off the 
  Empire’s trading routes and strangle it economically. 
  He enjoys his job a lot; it’s exciting, patriotic, and 
  romantic. The only thorns in his side these days are 
  those pesky League fighter pilots (who don’t seem to 
  learn that he’s better than they are, keep trying to kill 
  him, and just get killed themselves) and one of his 
  fellow Imperial pilots, with whom he competes over 
  number of dogfights won and the affections of the 
  beautiful bartender at the spaceport’s watering hole. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Like many starfighter 
  pilots, Hur’shaas is a thrillseeker — a daredevil 
  who’ll risk his ship and his life to perform some stunt 
  or out-do another pilot. He’s earned a bit of a 
  reputation among his squadron for his daring raids on 
  the League’s capital ships. Some of his friends are 
  concerned he’s going to stick his neck out too far one 
  of these days... and then the League’s going to turn 
  him into space debris. 
  Quote:  “Hsss, four fighterss coming in high and 
  back on you, Commander! I’ll get ‘em!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Hur’shaas has received extensive 
  starfighter pilot training at the Imperial Piloting  
  Academy. He’s qualified to fly any type of starship 
  used in Imperial space, but most of his training 
  specifically involves starfighters. If he’s forced 
  down, his priorities are to (a) preserve the integrity of 
  his starsuit (so he doesn’t dehydrate), and (b) use his 
  blaster to defend himself until his distress beacon 
  summons help. If the blaster runs out of energy-
  charge, he can resort to his claws and fangs if he 
  must, though he finds this somewhat distasteful. 
  Appearance:  Hur’shaas is a tall, slender reptilian 
  humanoid, with a lizard-like face, long, flexible tail, 
  and scaly skin with a pattern of dull green and dull 
  orange. His hands have short claws, and his teeth are 
  sharp. 
   
   
   
  JESSICA FIVEDAWNS 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 
   15 DEX 
  15 12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   16 CON 
  12 12- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   18 INT 
  8 13- 
  PER Roll 13- 
   12 EGO 
  4 11- 
  ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   5 
  PD 
  3  
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD) 
   5 
  ED 
  2  
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED) 
   3 
  SPD 
  5  
  Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   5 
  REC 
  0 
   32 END 
  0 
   30 STUN 
  5 Total Characteristics Cost:  64 
   
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
  Swimming: 
  3”/6” 
   
   
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   
  6 Weak Psychokinesis:  Telekinesis (4 STR) 
  1 
   
   Martial Arts: Commando Training 
   
    Maneuver 
  OCV DCV Notes 
   
  3  Aikido Throw +0 
  +1 2d6 + vel/5, 
  Target Falls 
   
  4  Boxing Cross 
  +0 
  +2 4d6 
   
  4  Choke  
  -2 
  +0 Grab One Limb, 
  2d6 NND (2) 
   
  4  Escape 
  +0 
  +0 25 STR vs. Grabs 
   
  4  Judo Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 Disarm, 20 STR 
   
  4  Karate “Chop” -2 
  +0 ½ d6 HKA (1d6+1 
  with STR) 
   
  4  Kung Fu Block +2 
  +2 Block, Abort 
   
  2 Swift:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1 
   
  1 Strong Swimmer:  Swimming +1” (3” total) 1 
   
   
   Perks 
   
  2 Contact:  Wulfram McGee 11- (a free trader) 
   
  3 Fringe Benefit:  Galactic Computernet Access 
  Code 
   
   
   Talents 
   
  6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 
   
  3 Lightsleep 
  GRIINOQ PACKAGE DEAL 
  Ability 
  Cost 
  Griinoq Dexterousness:  Ambidexterity  
  (no penalties with either hand) 
  9 
  Claws:  HKA 1 point (½  d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼ ) 
  4 
  Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1 point ( ½  d6 with STR) 
  5 
  Scaly Skin:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 
  6 
  Reptilian Form:  Swimming +2” (4” total) 
  2 
  Griinoq Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups 
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼ );  
  Limited Manipulation (-¼ ) 
  5 
  Disadvantage 
  Dependence:  must keep body at least partly immersed  
  in warm water or suffers Weakness after 20 minutes of 
  dehydration (Very Common) 
  -10 
  Total Cost Of Package 
  3 
  
  42 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
   
   Skills 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 12- 
   
  3 Combat Piloting 12- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 13- 
   
  3 Electronics 12- 
   
  3 Navigation (Land, Space) 13- 
   
  2 SS: Biology 11- 
   
  2 SS: Geology 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 12- 
   
  6 Survival (Mountains, Temperate/Subtropical, 
  Tropical) 13- 
   
  3 Systems Operation 13- 
   
  2 TF: Science Fiction & Space Vehicles 
   
  3 WF: Small Arms, Blades 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  86 
  Total Cost:  150 
   
   75 + Disadvantages 
   15 Hunted:  enemy scouts 11- (As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Wanderlust; Wants 
  To Know What’s Over The Next Horizon 
  (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Hunts Enemy 
  Scouts (Common, Moderate) 
   10 Rivalry:  Professional (with another explorer) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major) 
   
  5 Social Limitation:  Harmful Secret (her 
  psychokinetic power) (Occasionally, Minor) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150 
   
  Typical Equipment 
  Blaster Pistol (EB 9d6, 32 shots) 
  Scout armor (DEF 2) 
  Machete (HKA 1d6) 
  Field Sensor Unit 
  Background/History:  Jessica Fivedawns, a Human 
  of Cheyenne ancestry, has always had a nomadic 
  soul. Even as a child, she was constantly wandering 
  off to explore meadows and forests, instead of 
  staying put and playing in her family’s yard. It didn’t 
  surprise anyone when she joined the Imperial Scout 
  Service and became a professional explorer. 
  Since the war with the Interstellar League broke 
  out, Jessica’s job has become far more militarized 
  than she’d like. Now she really has to act like a scout 
  — she monitors enemy movements, finds new worlds 
  for the Imperial Star Navy to use as forward bases, 
  and so on. She’d much rather go back to looking for 
  new worlds for colonization or scientific 
  examination, and she hopes the war ends soon. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Except for her perpetual 
  wanderlust, which tends to get her in trouble 
  occasionally (especially in time of war!), Jessica is a 
  fairly ordinary person. As a scout, she’s something of 
  a loner by profession, so when she’s off-duty she 
  enjoys spending time around other people in space 
  stations and starports. Since her work doesn’t allow 
  for long-term relationships, she’s developed a habit 
  of getting involved in short-term romantic flings; she 
  figures when she finds a man who makes her want to 
  stay home instead of go exploring, that will be the 
  time to quit the Scout Service. 
  Quote:  “Hmmm, that’s an interesting reading. Looks 
  like a potentially breathable atmosphere. C’mon, 
  Ship, let’s go take a look!” 
  Powers/Tactics:  Aside from standard scout training, 
  which includes basic weapons use and hand-to-hand 
  combat skills, Jessica doesn’t have any combat 
  abilities. But she does have one unique power that 
  often makes her job easier — low-strength 
  psychokinesis. She’s had it since she was 18 years 
  old, when it suddenly manifested for no reason she 
  could discern. Since she doesn’t want to run the risk 
  of being involuntarily inducted into the Imperial 
  Psionic Institute (even though that would mean more 
  pay and privileges), she keeps this power secret. 
  Appearance:  Jessica Fivedawns is a 5’6” tall 
  woman with long, straight black hair often tied back 
  in a braid. When not in her scout armor, she typically 
  wears pilot jumpsuits and other such unisex clothing. 
  
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  43 
  OTHER GENRES 
  lthough the seven genres described above 
  are certainly the most common ones found 
  in roleplaying games, they’re not the only 
  ones — and since the HERO System can 
  simulate any genre, gamers often use it to create 
  unusual campaigns involving strange subgenres. 
  Some other genres you can play with the HERO 
  System include: 
  Horror 
  A Horror Hero game involves suspense, 
  paranoia, and of course fear. Characters are typically 
  Standard Heroic (at best) — if they’re much more 
  powerful than that, it becomes hard to frighten them. 
  Typically they hunt monsters, investigate occult 
  conspiracies, and cope with similar threats to life, 
  mind, and soul. Given the HERO System’s flexibility, 
  GMs can use it to tailor monsters and other threats to 
  suit the campaign and give the players the maximum 
  scare. 
  To represent the long-term problems caused by 
  stress and sustained fear, many Horror Hero GMs 
  come up with a new Figured Characteristic to 
  represent a character’s capacity to withstand the 
  effects of horror. For example, you might create a 
  Sanity (SAN) Figured Characteristic, derived from 
  EGO + (PRE/2) + (CON/2). Characters lose Sanity 
  like they lose STUN, but only from effects that are 
  particularly terrifying, gruesome, or disturbing — the 
  GM assigns a “Sanity Damage” rating (in d6) to each 
  such phenomena. If a character drops to 0 SAN, he 
  snaps and becomes completely insane (and an NPC 
  under the GM’s control) until he recovers his wits. 
  Characters may regain lost SAN with REC, just like 
  STUN, but do not get Post-Segment 12 Recoveries 
  and can only make SAN Recoveries when they are in 
  calming, non-stressful, non-frightening situations 
  (i.e., rarely in the middle of a scenario, but only 
  between adventures). Many other versions of SAN 
  (or the like) are possible; each GM sets it up to 
  represent the feelings of horror he most wants to 
  simulate. 
  Post-Apocalyptic 
  After society collapses — typically due to 
  nuclear war, biological warfare, or some other 
  holocaust that leaves the world in ruins — 
  scavengers, scattered tribes of people trying to eke 
  out a living, radiation-altered mutants, and the like 
  are all that remains on Earth. This is the world of 
  Post-Apocalypse Hero, the sort of setting depicted in 
  Paul Williams’s Pelbar Cycle novels and the 
  Thundarr the Barbarian cartoon. 
  Post-apocalypse games are usually Standard 
  Heroic campaigns, though the GM may allow more 
  points if he wants all (or most) of the characters to 
  have beneficial mutations or other strange powers. To 
  set the campaign up, the GM needs to decide on 
  several things, including:  what caused society to 
  collapse; how advanced was society when the 
  collapse occurred; how much time has passed since 
  the collapse; what is society (or various societies) 
  like now? He may need to institute special rules for 
  mutations (for example, maybe anyone with a 
  mutation must also take a Dependence, 
  Susceptibility, or other specified Disadvantage), 
  technology (the knowledge of which may largely 
  have been lost), and if he wants it to exist, magic. 
  Swashbuckling 
  Bold musketeers swinging from chandeliers and 
  duelling each other with rapiers. The pirates of the 
  Spanish Main. Court intrigue in the time of 
  Richelieu. Such are the stuff of swashbuckling 
  adventure! 
  Both Swashbuckling Hero, which focuses on 
  adventures in Europe (particularly France) in the 
  early 1600s, and Pirate Hero, which focuses on the 
  golden age of piracy in the Caribbean and the 
  Atlantic, cover this genre/time period. Both use 
  Standard Heroic characters, with few or no “weird” 
  elements (unless the GM wants to introduce voodoo- 
  or alchemy-like magic just to liven things up a bit). 
  Most characters have Fencing (or Weapons Combat) 
  as a martial art, but social skills are every bit as 
  important as martial ones (at least in Europe). 
  A
   
  
  44 
  THE HERO SYSTEM GENRE BY GENRE 
  Adventures feature court intrigue, ship-to-ship 
  combat, war in Europe, and exploration of the New 
  World. 
  Victorian 
  The Victorian era — typically meaning, for 
  adventure gaming purposes, the latter half of the 
  1800s (particularly 1880-1900) — is similar to the 
  pulp era in many respects. The world is opening up, 
  but by no means fully open; there are lots of strange, 
  unexplored places for adventurers to visit, and 
  mysteries for them to plumb. Technology is 
  advancing, and many wondrous devices are possible, 
  but technology is nowhere near as prevalent or 
  powerful as it is in the modern day. This is the world 
  depicted in the writings of Verne, Wells, Doyle, R. 
  Talsorian Games’ Castle Falkenstein RPG, and Alan 
  Moore’s marvelous League Of Extraordinary 
  Gentlemen comic book. 
  Victorian Hero campaigns are typically Standard 
  Heroic campaigns. Most start in, or are based in,  
  London, the greatest city in the world during this 
  era — though travel is as common, and as interesting, 
  as in pulp times. Magic and other “weird” 
  phenomena rarely make an appearance, though 
  “steampunk” science sometimes does (GMs may 
  need to come up with special rules for technology, to 
  simulate the right “feel” and prevent characters from 
  trying to do things like design lasers or the Internet a 
  century early). 
  Western 
  Who can resist the allure of the Wild West, with 
  its gun-toting cowboys, wild Indians, gold fever, vast 
  unexplored lands, range wars, gambling, and vicious 
  desperadoes in need of a good bullet-knockin’? In a 
  Western Hero campaign, you can relive this amazing 
  era and its adventures. Western Hero games usually 
  have Standard Heroic characters (unless the GM 
  introduces weird elements, like steampunk 
  technology or magic, in which case he may want 
  characters to have more points to work with). 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System Genre by Genre.pdf