Re: Hero Wars

From: David Dunham <dunham_at_pensee.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 18:45:52 -0800


Trotsky had various Hero Wars questions. If the list doesn't mind a pseudo-rules discussion, I'll answer some:

> 2) All the keywords here are equivalent to RQ 'rune levels'. Are there
> 'initiate' level ones (or whatever the new term is) or are they not needed
> because you can just take the rune level version and reduce the skill levels
> from 8/12 to 10/10 or whatever?

One could have endless arguments about whether starting Hero Wars characters are the same as "rune levels" (they are in some ways and not others -- certainly they don't have 5 skills that succeed 90% of the time, but they do have a wide range of reusable divine magic), but those are all starting characters. The idea being a game called Hero Wars ought to let you run heroes, I suppose. You could very easily run a game at lower levels.

> 3) I'm guessing that some abilities are 6/14 because the keyword description
> says so, right?

Any core abilities are 6/14. Incidental abilities are at 8/12.

> 2) And when on Earth would you make rolls against the following, and what
> would be the results of success/failure?
>
> hospitable, tenacious, determined, impartial, belligerent, ruthless (although
> I guess these could be used like Pendragon personality traits)
> cunning, quick-thinking, resourceful, unpredictable, wise, grim, tactiturn,
> driven

Here's a few examples:

Hospitable: someone hostile or neutral is travelling through your lands, you want to befriend him.

Tenacious/Determined: a jack-o-bear is trying to harmonize you, but you resist tenaciously/determinedly. (Note that these two abilities are pretty much interchangeable here. Sometimes one ability will seem less related, and can be used but with a negative modifier.)

Impartial: You try to convince two factions that your decision doesn't favor the other side.

Belligerent: Attempt to raise the Varmandi fyrd to raid the hated Orlevings. The GM would oppose with something like "concern for personal safety 10/10" or one of the clan's ratings.

Resourceful: This is used all the time in my game. Actual examples: Can you find something useful such as food for the talking rabbit, bandages for the wounded, etc.

Cunning: Does my battle plan work (contest against an opponent's military strategy, or whatever).

Grim: Glare at that annoying trickster until he slinks back into his seat.

Unpredictable: totally confuse the lawspeaker by coming up with weird statements faster than he can come up with legal precedents.

I'm sure you get the picture.

> what would prevent anybody
> from writing 'skilled in all weapons' on their character write-up?

Nothing; it gives close combat 8/12. As I recollect the rules, the quarterstaff combat should have been a modifier to this (+1 while using it, - -1 when not). GMs who wish to could easily enough require specialization instead, but I rather like a game that reflects the sagas (notable vikings seem to be able to use any weapon with equal ease).

> 1) 'Speak many languages' seems a bit vague. Shouldn't you have to specify

There's someone like that in my game, and I assign a modifier (depending on how closely related the language is to his own). One could also keep track and assign a -2 modifier for the first one, a -4 for the second, etc. which allows for flexibility without letting the ability dominate.

> 2) 'Cheat death' also seems alarmingly general.

If someone had this in my game, they'd get a roll (at whatever their skill) to avoid dying if they got to that state in combat. It certainly wouldn't let them fight better. FWIW, no player character has yet died in combat in the two local playtests, so it seems like a rare and specific ability to me.

> 3) If they are rune level (or equivalent in the new system), how come
>only one
> has 'lead [deity's] worship? Shouldn't they all have it? The same goes for
> 'give spiritual advice'.

Anyone with a magic package (i.e. 99% of all starting characters) can in fact lead worship. No minimaxer would write this, but perhaps the player wants to be able to become really good at it. Spiritual advice is a completely different matter -- I certainly wouldn't go to my local Sword of Humakt for spiritual advice, but I would trust him to walk me through the Humakt the Champion ritual.

Some of the above is my interpretation; other GMs may vary. And of course the rules ARE subject to change (though I suspect most of this is pretty basic and will be similar in the final version).

David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_pensee.com> Glorantha/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html> Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein


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