Hero System/Champions and the Upcoming 6th ed

[Yodaman23]

While I'd like to say, "I've been with the Hero System/Champions since 2nd or 3rd Ed." This is not the case. My interest was recently peaked by the Champions Online game and after some research I really want to play some real Hero System rpg. 5th ed is no longer in print and 6th will hit shelves in 4 weeks with the pdf hitting tomorrow.

My question is, who has played previous eds. of Hero System? What do you think? Are you looking forward to 6th ed? Any interesting stories about your time playing Hero System?

[Mando Knight]

I have not played the HERO system, but Champions Online peaked my interest as well. I'm thinking about either subscribing to the MMO or getting the books.

[jmbrown]

Hero System is like a super complicated GURPS with more dice and computations. Character generation has more depth than any other system I've played in terms of player control but the options are overwhelming, there are a billion splat books, the rules for combat are slow and clunky, and playing the thing feels like a chore than actual fun.

As it is, if you try to GM by the rules you'll need a fat stack of papers to keep track of everything. Streamlining everything it like GURPS 4E did with 3E wouldn't be a bad thing at all. All of Palladium's games are well written, in depth, and cover a lot of ground so you're never out of ideas but it's like the writers forgot they were making something you're supposed play and not adjudicate every five minutes because there's an obscure rule involving multiple fractions on page whatever you suddenly need to look up.

edit: lol i confused them with palladium. Hero Systems and Palladium both have really thick, juicy books but the gameplay in most of their products is just "ugh"

[Yodaman23]

Thanks Jmbrown. The writer of HS is saying that streamlining is happening but at the same time the new rules will be in 2 books with a combined page total that is 200 pages greater then 5th edition, not to mention an advanced edition with even more stuff. I love that fact that you can do anything with character creation, I'm not liking what I am hearing about clunky long winded combat though

I also just ordered a used 5th ed book on amazon to check it out. I think 12 bucks will be worth it.

[jmbrown]

Great because 600 pages is what we need! [/sarcasm]

It's good they're breaking it into two books (following in GURPS' shadow, hehe). One book devoted soley to character creation and the other containing the rules itself keeps you from thumbing through things every five minutes of the game. My current 5th edition book has 70+ post-it tabs labeling important pages for reference.

[Doc Roc]

:: stares at his ten page system, glances at SR4, flips through SW Explorer's Edition to check the page count::

I think this is where I turn and run like a scared little piggy.

[RTGoodman]

Lemme tell ya - HERO System is the LAST system I think needs a rules EXPANSION. I enjoyed the... er, one session I played of it (5th Revised Edition), probably because of the DM and campaign more than anything, but it's just way too much for me. We spent probably 4-6 hours just putting together characters and going over the basic rules with three or four people. It was ridiculous. :smalleek: