[Hero 6 ed] Stealthy Assassin-type

[Kesnit]

I found out last night that my gaming group will be starting up a Heroes game in about a month. I've never played it, but s few of the others have and were explaining the basics of the game to me.

I kind of know what I want to play, but would like advice on skills/powers to take to make this work. (Not sure what the starting point value will be. The guy running it said probably 130, but he hasn't decided.) We have to be human.

Sneaky, thief-type character who uses spirit-magic to increase his stealth abilities. He also has an alternate, animal form that is intended for scouting, but does not have to be useful for combat. (I'm up in the air on the exact form. I joked mosquito, but would probably go with something a little bigger.) I'd also like him to be sociable, but that part can be tossed if necessary. He'll use ranged weapons for combat, though he'd probably use a dagger sometimes for assassination work.

A part of me likes the idea of a cat theme, but that is just an idea at the moment. I'm not tied to it by any means!

[Cyclone231]

I found out last night that my gaming group will be starting up a Heroes game in about a month. I've never played it, but s few of the others have and were explaining the basics of the game to me.

I kind of know what I want to play, but would like advice on skills/powers to take to make this work. (Not sure what the starting point value will be. The guy running it said probably 130, but he hasn't decided.) We have to be human.

Sneaky, thief-type character who uses spirit-magic to increase his stealth abilities. He also has an alternate, animal form that is intended for scouting, but does not have to be useful for combat. (I'm up in the air on the exact form. I joked mosquito, but would probably go with something a little bigger.) I'd also like him to be sociable, but that part can be tossed if necessary. He'll use ranged weapons for combat, though he'd probably use a dagger sometimes for assassination work.

A part of me likes the idea of a cat theme, but that is just an idea at the moment. I'm not tied to it by any means!
Powers: Multiform lets you transform into another creature, you can probably get a good idea about what the stat-bloc for a particular animal would be on your own. There might be one in one of the bestiary-type books (older editions are really close to the present edition, so it shouldn't be too hard if you can get your hands on one to convert it). For a cat or other weak creature, it shouldn't cost much to buy the necessary points in Multiform; I'd estimate about 25 points for a Multiform to a preferred, noncombat animal (raven, cat, snake, beetle, etc). Note that if you do get the 6e bestiary, you should still make modifications to the relevant animal's character sheet, to encompass the fact that your character, although they are temporarily an animal, has intelligence, useful knowledge (skills!), possibly access to their other magic, etc.

In a game of that power level, you typically don't have to pay points for typical equipment (you might for, say, a magical dagger), so that shouldn't be a problem. Wait for your GM to decide how you're picking up equipment (or ask about it) before you spend points on it. Even if he does, a low-damage weapon like a crossbow or a dagger shouldn't be too big a point sink, since you'll be buying it with the Limitation Focus, Obvious Accessible (OAF for short; means it's a doohickey that everyone can tell you're using and knock out of your hands fairly easily), and in the case of a crossbow, the Limitation Charges. You should buy them as Killing Attacks, if it does come to that.

Using spirit magic to improve your stealth abilities is a little vague, so here are some ideas: Darkness (creates a field of sense-blocking stuff, basically a black wall or sonic deaf-field or whatever), Change Environment (has fog-type effects), and Images (creates an image, sound, etc, in accordance to how much you pay). On the probably-too-expensive front: Invisibility (probably too powerful, obviates a bunch of skills), Desolidification (turns you into Kitty Pryde; similar problems), Summon (call forth a generic spirit of some sort; easy to abuse, rather expensive).

It's important to remember that the point availability in HERO is really tight for low-powered characters who want to have Powers. They can easily suck up a bunch of your points if you're not careful, so budget on this point extra hard! For Fantasy-type stuff, the classic point-saving method is to buy Limitations on the powers such as: Gestures (means you have to have your hands free and make flashy moves), Incantations (means you have to be able to speak and babble on), Extra END (means you'll get tired quicker using this than you otherwise would), Concentration (means you're easy pickings when you activate (or, at an increased level, throughout the use of) the power), and Extra Time (self explanatory, I hope).

Skills: The list is generally self-explanatory. In particular, for your concept you'll want to nab things like Persuasion, Charm, Shadowing, Stealth, Streetwise, Lockpicking, Conversation, and Acting. By extension, you'll want to increase the Presence and Dexterity Characteristics (because of the way that HERO does characteristics, make them 13 or 18 each; this increases the relevant roll by 1 or 2 for either at the cheapest margin). Pick up a relevant Weapon Familiarity or two. Expect to lose a decent chunk on them for your point level. Also, find out what Everyman skills are for your game (Everyman skills are skills you get for free because it's assumed pretty much everyone is basically competent at that task; e.g. Transport Familiarity with small cars in the modern US, or the ability to speak your native language).

Martial Arts is a point sink, probably not that important to your character concept, and also laid out in the most ridiculously stupid way possible (which has only gotten worse in 6E, somehow). I'd recommend avoiding it.

Sorry if I used any jargon without explaining it, just ask and I'll explain anything further.

[Plerumque]

IIRC, you can buy Skills as Powers, so you could buy some stealth skills with the Constant and Costs END limitations, and you have a stealth-enhancing power.

[Kesnit]

I'm sure this will make more sense once I get my hands on the books. But I understand most of it, and it helps a lot!


Powers: Multiform lets you transform into another creature, you can probably get a good idea about what the stat-bloc for a particular animal would be on your own.

The guys briefing me on the game system mentioned Multiform. That is almost certainly something I will get (unless they tell me my "scouting animal" idea won't work for some reason).


Wait for your GM to decide how you're picking up equipment (or ask about it)

I'll ask the GM.


Using spirit magic to improve your stealth abilities is a little vague,

Yeah, sorry... :smallredface: I've never read the books, so my ideas were based on what the GM and another player told me. From the sound of things, I would prefer (and they recommended) spirit magic rather than the kind that requires "eating rocks." But since I don't know much about it, I can only ask what I understand to ask. :smallredface:


Darkness (creates a field of sense-blocking stuff, basically a black wall or sonic deaf-field or whatever),

Would that be an actual moving (or immovable) cloud of blackness?


Images (creates an image, sound, etc, in accordance to how much you pay).

Hmm... That has possibilities...


On the probably-too-expensive front: Invisibility (probably too powerful, obviates a bunch of skills), Desolidification (turns you into Kitty Pryde; similar problems), Summon (call forth a generic spirit of some sort; easy to abuse, rather expensive).

Yeah, I doubt I could get away with those. Although it doesn't hurt to ask and see!


For Fantasy-type stuff, the classic point-saving method is to buy Limitations on the powers such as: Gestures (means you have to have your hands free and make flashy moves), Incantations (means you have to be able to speak and babble on), Extra END (means you'll get tired quicker using this than you otherwise would), Concentration (means you're easy pickings when you activate (or, at an increased level, throughout the use of) the power), and Extra Time (self explanatory, I hope).

That makes sense.


Also, find out what Everyman skills are for your game (Everyman skills are skills you get for free because it's assumed pretty much everyone is basically competent at that task; e.g. Transport Familiarity with small cars in the modern US, or the ability to speak your native language).

It's a Dark Ages-type game, so no cars. :smallsmile: But I will ask.

[Cyclone231]

Yeah, sorry... :smallredface: I've never read the books, so my ideas were based on what the GM and another player told me. From the sound of things, I would prefer (and they recommended) spirit magic rather than the kind that requires "eating rocks." But since I don't know much about it, I can only ask what I understand to ask. :smallredface:Eating rocks? Huh, sounds like there's some kind of defined magic system there. Curious as to what. Is spirit magic powered by your spirit, or ambient spirits?

Would that be an actual moving (or immovable) cloud of blackness? Darkness is an immovable, impenetrable-to-whatever-sense field. People caught within a darkness (versus Sight Group) don't just have difficulty seeing, they are basically blind (or deaf, or whatever). You can't perceive from one side to the other. Otherwise, it's up to you to define the SFX of the ability. Also, you have to buy the Personal Immunity Advantage if you want to be able to see through your own Darkness.