The HERO System!

[Jongluer]

Well then, as I have mentioned to most of you I recently received my HERO book and therefore will begin posting some information for you to get familiar with for the summer when we will be using this system.
The first thing to remember is that this is not a d20 based system.
The system runs on d6 rolls. The most common of which, the type you roll for attack/skills/etc is a 3d6 roll.
In Hero you want to roll low on a skill/attack roll. Normally you have skills that work on a roll of 11 or less (written 11-), and you can increase this so it becomes easier to roll. A roll of a 3 (Three 1s), always succeeds and normally confers some benefit to your action. Whereas a roll of an 18 (Three 6s) normally is always failure and confers some negativity.
You roll more or less than 3d6 is on damage rolls. "Damage Rolls" can be a broad category, including everything from actual physical damage, to an attempt to "presence attack" (covered later), to mind control someone, or do any number of other things.

I know that this all might seem scary and dangerous. But don't worry you still have stats, skills, a hit point like system, and what is most important to a Hero character: Powers!!
Finally, Hero is point buy so you'll have complete control over what your character looks like and can do.

[Jongluer]

In the HERO system, there are several stats which are called Characteristics. Characteristics affect many things, like skill rolls, combat values, and also your Figured Characteristics. Figured Characteristics are mainly combat related, they're like your hit points in D&D, though some of them can be used for other things as well.

The Characteristics (and a brief description) are:

Strength: Strength is fairly self-explanatory. It is how strong you are, how much you can lift, what you can throw (and how far), along with a raw leaping score. Strength also affects several figured characteristics: physical defense, recovery, and stun. Furthermore, all strength scores have a corresponding number of damage dice, this is how much stun (non-lethal) damage you'd deal with a punch/kick/etc. However, Damage dice are also used in contests of strength like grappling.
Strength costs 1 point per point above 10.

Dexterity: Is a fairly important characteristic. It is how agile you are, as well as how good your hand/eye coordination is. Dexterity has a long list of skills associated with it. What is truly important about Dexterity though is that it determines your raw Speed and Combat Values. Combat Values are basically how good you are at hitting people, and how hard you are to hit (These are explained in more detail later). Speed is within how many phases you act in a turn.
Dexterity costs 3 points per point above 10.

Constitution: Con affects several important physical characteristics such as Energy Defense, Recovery Score, Endurance, and Stun. Beyond that it is just used to see how tough you are and how much you can endure.
Constitution costs 2 points per point above 10.

Body: Body is used in determining your Stun value. Also Body is how much damage you can take before you die. The affects of this will be covered more when I go over combat.
Body costs 2 points per point above 10.

Intelligence: Intelligence is how perceptive you are and how well you process information. Beyond the skills attached to it, it is used as a base roll to remember things and see if your character can piece something together.
Intelligence costs 1 point per point above 10.

Ego: Your mental strength and will. It is the standard against which mental attacks are compared, used when you need to resist a psychological limitation, and also when you need to resist anything with a force of will. Ego is also used to calculate Mental Defense.and Ego Combat Value (similar to the CVs calculated by Dex)
Ego costs 2 points per point above 10.

Presence: Presence is exactly what it sounds like. It is your sheer force of personality and charisma. It is used mainly to determine Presence Attacks (how you're affected by them, and how effective yours are).
Presence Attacks are used as a free action, they are used in a similar way to Intimidate checks in D&D except much much better. A Presence Attack can be used to convince people to do what you desire, or to run away, surrender, etc. You gain bonuses on your Presence attack based on what you've done (violent actions), if you said something cool, if you make an appropriate skill check (oratory for example), or just if it is a dramatically appropriate. However you do get penalties for "spamming" presence attacks, or if it is dramatically inappropriate, etc.
Presence costs 1 point per point above 10.

Comeliness: This is basically how good/bad you look. It affects several skill rolls, and can be used to complement you in certain situations where your appearance can afect your performance.
Comeliness costs 1/2 point per point above 10 (though it must be at least 1 point, so you can't buy Comeliness 11 for 0 points, you might as well buy Comeliness 12 for 1 since 11 is also for 1).

Figured Characteristics

Physical Defense: This is one's ability to withstand damage from a physical attack. You subtract your PD from Stun and Body damage done by Normal Damage Attacks which you take. PD is your Str/5.
PD costs 1 point to increase by 1

Energy Defense: Energy Defense is one's ability to withstand damage from energy attacks (like fire/electricity/etc.). You subtract your ED from Stun and Body damage done by Normal Damage Attacks. ED is your Con/5.
ED costs 1 point to increase by 1

Speed: Speed determines how many Phases a character has in one turn. Speed is 1+Dex/10. Speed is rounded down, so if you have a Dex of 18, you still have Speed 2, however you statistically have Speed 2.8 and while this does not affect how many phases you get, it means to get Speed 3 you only spend 2 points. You cannot sell back those 8 points, only buy them up to have a round speed.
From Speed X to Y is 10 points. (Example: if you have Speed 3.0 and want to get to speed 4.0, this would cost 10 points)

Recovery: This represents how quickly a character can recover from being exhausted or knocked out. It replenishes your Stun and Endurance by your recovery score at the end of each turn. Recovery is equal to Str/5 + Con/5.
Recovery costs 2 points for 1 point.

Endurance: This represents how much a character can exert himself. You spend points of endurance when using powers, moving, or using your Strength. Endurance is equal to Con x 2
Endurance costs 1 point for 2 points

Stun: This represents how much damage you can take until you are knocked out. Stun is equal to Body+Str/2+Con/2. When you reach 0 stun you are knocked out.
Stun costs 1 point for 1 point.

[Jongluer]

So it seems that I should give a whirlwind tour of how combat works within the Hero system.

The first thing to know:
Combat in Hero occurs in Turns which take place over 12 segments. Each turn is 12 seconds, each segment is 1 second. Every character gets a certain number of phases within the turn based on their speed.
Speed and Phases
Spd 1 acts on Phase 7
Spd 2 acts on Phases 6, 12
Spd 3 acts on Phases 4, 8, 12
Spd 4 acts on Phases 3, 6, 9, 12
Spd 5 acts on Phases 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
Spd 6 acts on Phases 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Spd 7 acts on Phases 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12
Spd 8 acts on Phases 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12
Spd 9 acts on Phases 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
Spd 10 acts on Phases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Spd 11 acts on Phases 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Spd 12 acts on Phases 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Now during your phase you may take an action of which there are several types.
Full Phase Actions: Full Phase Actions take one's entire phase, and can be special combat manuevers, moving one's full movement speed, or taking a recovery.
Half Phase Actions: You can perform two of these in a round, they include attacking, moving at half movement, or making an appropriate skill roll.
Zero Phase Actions: You can perform these between half phase actions, before attacks, or full phase actions, but not after attacks or full phase actions. These are things like activating powers, moving about Combat Skill Levels, etc.
Actions which Take No Time: These are things like talking, they can be done at any time, even on segments where you don't have a phase. A Presence Attack is a No Time Action.
Attack Actions: A very precise form of Half Phase Action. When you make your attack action, you end your phase. You can move then attack, not attack then move.

Who goes first in a phase in which several people act? People with the highest Dex. If you have the same Dex, then whoever has the higher Int. And if you have the same Dex AND Int, Comeliness. If after all that, you still have the same stats, we'll roll a die.
Important things to remember:
Holding an Action: If you have a high dex, and do not wish to act, you may hold your action. You can state a trigger (like readying an action), or just hold till a certain point in the combat. You can only hold till the segment before your next phase (Example: if you hold your Phase 4, and you have a Phase 6 action, you have to act by the end of Segment 5). You can also use your held action to interrupt another action with an attack, to do this you Dex off (Roll Straight Dex, and compare successes) and whoever wins gets to act first or if it is a tie then the actions go off simultaneously.
Aborting an Action: Aborting an action can be done on any segment, including one where you have an action and your action has not come up. When you abort you use your next phase to take a defensive action. This can be activating a defensive power, or making a defensive combat maneuver. An aborted action always goes off first.

So now that we now about actions. How do you attack?
You have two standard Combat Values.
Offensive Combat Value (OCV), equal to your Dex/3 which is what you use to hit.
and...
Defensive Combat Value (DCV), equal to your Dex/3 which is what you compare your roll to, to determine if you hit.

The To Hit Roll is: 11+OCV-Roll of 3d6 = DCV to hit.
For example, let's say you have OCV 7 and roll a 6. 11+7=18, and 18-6=12. So you would hit a DCV of 12 or less.

So then, now that you know how to hit, what do you need to know about damage?
There are two types of attacks in Hero: Normal Damage and Killing Damage.

Normal Damage is generally non-lethal but does some small amount of Body damage. Normal Damage Attacks are applied against a person's total Defense. Most Attacks are Normal Damage.
To determine the Body damage of a normal attack, you see the damage you rolled and use this system. 1=0 Body, 2-5=1 Body, and 6=2 Body. So if you have a 6d6 Normal Damage attack and roll all numbers between 2 and 5, you do 6 Body damage.
Normal Damage Attacks are either applied to your PD or ED depending on whether or not they're a punch or someone's flamethrower.

Killing Damage attacks are much more lethal. The damage they do is body damage, and it is applied against Resistant Defenses. Resistant Defenses are bought through powers like Damage Resistance or Armor. Luckily Killing Damage you do not usually roll as many dice as Normal Damage, 1d6 of Killing Damage is equal to 3d6 of normal damage.
You apply the Body damage of a Killing Attack to Resistant Defenses. However the Stun Damage, determined by the Hit Location (only rolled for Killing Damage attacks) is applied against Total Defenses like normal.

A final note: If you take one point of body, you take a point of stun, whether or not you have enough defenses to cover the extra stun. This is an affect of Body Damage.

The effects of damage taken are as follows-
Stunned: A character is stunned when they take Stun damage (after Defenses) greater than their Con Score. A stunned character is at 1/2 DCV until they can take a Full Phase Action to Recover.

Knocked Out: A character who reaches zero stun (or below) is knocked out. A character that is knocked out has 0 CVs. A character who is knocked out can only take recoveries. When he recovers back to positive Stun, his Endurance is equal to his present stun total.
Also of note, how much below 0 you are affects when you can take recoveries. If you are at 0 to -10 Stun, you take them every Phase and at the conclusion of a Turn. If you are between -11 and -20 you take them at the conclusion of a Turn. If you are between -21 and -30 you take them after a minute (5 Turns). If you are below -30 you take recoveries at the GM's discretion.

Death: A character who reaches 0 Body or below is Dying. If your Body total reaches to a number equal to your Body score below zero (-10 if your Body is 10). When you reach 0 Body you begin "bleeding out" every turn, and take an extra point of Body every turn. A character can be stabilized with a paramedics check.
Recovering Body takes a good long time and rest (or a Healing Power, Regeneration Power, etc.)
It is important to note that a Negative Body does not knock you out, you can be bleeding out at -3 Body and be still standing if you have Stun left.


There are many other important aspects of combat such as Combat Skill Levels (which can affect OCV, DCV, and Damage), Combat Maneuvers (Special Actions you can take to adjust CVs and Damage), Combat Modifiers, and powers, so on and so forth. But these will be covered later.

[Jongluer]

Agility Skills
These skills are based on Dex (Base Roll 9+Dex/5).

Acrobatics: This skill allows a character to perform tricky manuevers, avoid obstacles by jumping around them, or bouncing off of them. Also it allows a character to stand up from Prone as a Zero-Phase Action (as opposed to a Half Phase). It can be used to retain balance. Finally it can be used to perform surprise moves and thus gain an edge in combat (providing a bonus to OCV).
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Breakfall: Allows a character to stand up from prone as a zero-phase action (instead of a Half Phase). A character can use Breakfall to lessen the damage from a fall. To resist damage from a Throw. Land on your feet after being affected by Knockback. To keep their balance.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Climbing: Allows a character to climb a surface that is difficult to climb. Characters are at half OCV/DCV when climbing and can only climb 1 square per phase.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Combat Driving: This skill allows a character to drive a ground vehicle he is familiar with (see Transport Familiarity) during combat. It is generally used to maintain the vehicles DCV (or possibly increase it).
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Combat Piloting: The same thing as Combat Driving but in the air.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Contortionist: Contortionist is used to squeeze out of being entangled or tied up. It can be used to help break out of a grab. As well as being used to fit into smaller spaces.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Fast Draw: Fast Draw can be used to draw a weapon as a Zero Phase Action instead of a Half Phase. Also it can be used to reload one quickly. Finally, Fast Draw can be used in place of a dexterity check when two characters activate Held Actions.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Lockpicking: This skill is used to pick any type of lock in the game. Certain skills can be used as compliments to assist with Lockpicking
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Riding: Riding provides transport familiarity with at least one type of animal, and further animals require more transport familiarity. Riding allows a character to fight while mounted, as well as perform trick maneuvers as they ride in combat (or whenever).
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Sleight of Hand: This is used to palm objects, perform magic tricks, and pick pockets.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Stealth: Stealth is used to hide, move silently, or avoid detection. It is used for the short term however, and to move stealthily. If you wish to set up camp and not be seen Concealment is the skill to use.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Teamwork: This skill is used to improve a characters chance to coordinate with other characters during combat.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Background Skills
Background Skills represent different kinds of information or knowledge a character possesses. They are often varied depending (obviously) upon the background of the character.

Knowledge Skill: Knowledge Skill is a grouping of several skills (bought separately) that provide a theoretical knowledge of a certain type of knowledge. There are four types of Knowledge skills. Groups: This is knowledge of a certain organization or culture, it allows a character to know customs, relationships, members, duties, taboos, etc. People: This gives a character knowledge about certain types of professions, or in some cases specific people, providing general information and how they might react to a specific situations. Places: Place Knowledge can be used in several ways-First there is Area Knowledge which can be used for broad areas like a nation/region/continent and provides information on what is there and its basic geography, Second is City Knowledge which gives very specific knowledge about a city-sized region providing information on layout, meeting places, shortcuts, and important restaurants, Third is finally a general terrain type which is complementary to Survival and Tracking. Things: Things is used for any knowledge that doesn't fall into these categories.
2 Points for a Roll of 11, 3 Points for 9+Int/5, and 1 Point to improve Base (either 11 or 9+Int/5) by 1.

Language: Every PC knows their native language at the 4 Point Level for free. Learning other languages costs more points. Sometimes, when speaking to people who speak in a strange dialect and they do not have 5 Point fluency they may have to make an Int Roll to understand. The language fluency cost is as follows: Basic Conversation 1, Fluent Conversation 2, Completely Fluent with Accent 3, Idiomatic with Native Accent 4, Imitate Dialects 5, and Literacy is 1 extra point.

Professional Skill: Professional Skill is the practical knowledge of a Knowledge Skill (Things). Whereas Knowledge: Plumbing might tell a character about water pressure and the history of plumbing, Profession: Plumber will let the character actually fix a pipe. It is often best to have Knowledge and Professional Skills which complement each other.
2 Points for a Roll of 11, 3 Points for 9+Int/5 (not always Int), and 1 Point to improve Base (either 11 or 9+Int/5) by 1.

Science Skill: A type of combination between Professional and Knowledge Skills particularly relating to Sciences. This covers hard/soft/social sciences. You can have a Science Skill in a particular field (like Biochemistry) without having a Science Skill that is general (like Chemistry). With a science skill you have a vague knowledge of related fields.
2 Points for a Roll of 11, 3 Points for 9+Int/5, and 1 Point to improve Base (either 11 or 9+Int/5) by 1.

Transport Familiarity: This allows a character to perform certain skills (Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, Riding) with a vehicle. Plus, it gives a character an 8 or Less roll with those related skills. There are several categories of Transports which affect cost. Each type of transport is bought for 1 point, and Riding Animals and Common Motorized Ground Vehicles can be bought for 2pts as a whole group.

Intellect Skills
Skills based on Int (Base Roll: 9+Int/5).

Analyze: Analyze allows a character to understand an opponent's combat style. Exactly what it looks at is relevant (Magic Style, Martial Arts, Tactics, etc.). If you make the roll exactly you have a rough idea of the character's skill (“Better than me” “A pushover” etc), If you succeed by 1 or 2 you know where/how/who trained them, 3 grants a +1 DCV to their attacks, and Succeeding by half (ie a 6 or less on a Skill of 12) gives you a +2 bonus to anything as if an Overall Skill Level to be applied phase by phase as the character sees fit. The benefit from Analyze only lasts for one encounter.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Bugging: This allows a character to place electronic bugs (cameras, microphones, etc) in appropriate places so they can catch a good amount of action. It also allows them to sweep an area for such bugs. A concealment roll can be used to assist in hiding the bug.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Computer Programming: This lets a character program and operate a computer along with knowledge and the ability to use hardware, software, etc. You can use this skill both to hack into a system and to secure a system against such an intrusion. Cryptography may occasionally be important as a complementary skill.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Concealment: Concealment allows a character to hide an item or themselves for a long period of time to avoid being found. Generally, any relevant skill to the item (such as demolitions for a bomb) can be used to assist a concealment roll and stealth and contortionist can help hide a person.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Cramming: Cramming allows a character to learn an important skill in a few hours time. They can (with GM Permission) start the adventure with a crammed skill, and switch crammed skills as the adventure continues. Once the adventure is over the character forgets what he learned from his cramming. The Crammed Skill operates as if the character had familiarity (8 or Less), Basic Conversation with a language, or Transport Familiarity or similar one point advantage.
5 points per usage (if you buy the skill several times you can have several Crammed Skills).'

Criminology: The allows a character to dust for prints, perform ballistics tests, examine criminal files, so and so forth. It can be complemented with other skills (Science Skill Psychology, Streetwise, etc). A failed roll generally results in inconclusive data.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Cryptography: This skill allows a character to decipher a code language (which often takes time and sometimes requires equipment) or to put something within a coded language. A failed result normally ends with a mistranslation.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Deduction: This skill allows a character to leap to conclusions without necessarily all of the clues. It is used to gain tips which might not be readily apparent and speeding the adventure along not for the answer to the mystery with limited clues.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Demolitions: Allows the character to properly set explosives, and place them for maximum effect. A failed roll may result in the demolitions charge exploding or going off at the wrong time (depending on the amount failed by).
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Disguise: This allows a character to look like someone else. This could be as simple as putting on a moustache, or hours of work in a make up chair. It does not however allow one to impersonate someone, that would require acting.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Electronics: This allows a character to build and understand electronic devices. These devices can be simple radios or interplanetary teleporters.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Forensic Medicine: This allows a character to perform an autopsy, and make inferences regarding a corpse. The inferences can be made quickly and easily, whereas the autopsy takes time. Failure normally means no information gained though it can mean false information.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Forgery: Forgery allows an item to effectively duplicated. This can be anything, and the skill is broken up into categories, and subcategories: Documents (Official Papers, Identity Cards), Money (Coins, Paper Money), Art Objects (Paintings, Sculpture, Metalwork, Jewelry, Plates), Commercial Goods (Clothing, Credit Cards, Machine/Vehicle, Parts, Medicines). All of the categories share the same roll but it costs points to add categories to the list.
Forgery is opposed with an intellect roll or another Forgery roll.
2 points for a category, 1 point for a subcategory for Base Roll. 2 points for a +1 to Base Roll with all categories/subcategories.
Gambling: Gambling represents how to win at gambling games such as blackjack or poker. Gambling is generally how a character can tilt the odds in his favor via knowledge of the game or cheating. Gambling can be opposed by another Gambling roll. If the gambling roll was an attempt to cheat and it fails a perception roll can be made to spot the cheating.
Gambling like forgery is broken up into categories and subcategories: Card Games (Baccarat, Blackjack, Bridge, Faro, Poker), Dice Games (Craps), Board Games (Backgammon, Chess, Dominoes), Roulette, Sports Betting (Baseball, Basketball, Dog Racing, Football, Horse Racing).
2 points for a category, 1 point for a subcategory for Base Roll. 2 points for a +1 to Base Roll with all categories/subcategories.

Inventor: This is used to represent a character's ability to create new devices in conjunction with other skills he possesses. It can also be used to modify equipment they come across.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Lipreading: Allows a character to read lips. A perception roll is needed to see the mouths moving. Failure at a roll either means the lips couldn't be read or that the conversation was misinterpreted.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Mechanics: Mechanics is used to repair and build mechanical devices.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Mimicry: Mimicry is used to impersonate other voices and sounds. This can be difficult due to the voice or sound that is being attempted.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Navigation: Navigation allows a character to determine his location and plot an efficient course between two points. It consists of three categories: Land Navigation, Air Navigation, and Marine Navigation. The categories all share the same roll.
The first category costs 2 points for a Base Roll, and each additional category costs 1 point. It it 2 points for a +1 to the Base Roll.

Paramedics: Paramedics is used to stop bleeding and heal superficial wounds.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Security Systems: This skill is used to locate, evade, disarm, and build any number of traps or security alarms.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Shadowing: This skill is a character's ability to follow or watch someone subtly. A roll must be made any time a character does something conscious or unconscious that would lose a tail (like changing cabs). The roll is modified by the environment (obviously easier to not be spotted in a busy street than an empty desert). Failure means either the subject was lost, or if the fail is particularly bad that they were spotted.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Survival: Survival allows a character to survive in the wilderness and live off the land. It is broken up into categories and subcategories but they all use the same roll: Arctic/Subarctic (Coasts, Plains, Forest), Mountains, Temperate/Subtropical (Coasts, Plains, Forests), Tropical (Coasts, Forests, Plains), Deserts, Marine (Surface, Underwater), Urban.
2 points for a category, 1 point for a subcategory for Base Roll. 2 points for a +1 to Base Roll with all categories/subcategories.

Systems Operation: This allows a character to operate sensing and communication devices such as radios, radar, air traffic control devices, etc. It can also be used to locate weak signals, jam signals, etc.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Tactics: Tactics allows a character to know how to fight as an individual or organize a small unit. It can be used to determine what might be the best way to fight. It should be used sparingly to gain insight into a combat scenario that might not be readily apparent.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Tracking: This can be used to track a creature or to hide one's tracks or throw off a tracker. It can also be used to glean information from a set of tracks.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Ventriloquism: This can be used to make it seem as if one character's voice is coming from a different direction than himself. The roll takes a -1 for ever 1'' of distance from the speaker the voice should come from.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Weaponsmith: This is used to make and repair weaponry.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Interaction Skills
Interaction skills are based upon Presence Score (Base Roll: 9+Presence/5). Note that while many interaction skills might seem like a way to avoid roleplaying. They are not.

Acting: This allows a character to alter their physical mannerisms and speech patterns to someone else's, fool another person, or to fake moods and emotions.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Animal Handler: This allows a character to handle animals and train them. Animals are split up into categories: Aquatic Animals, Birds, Bovines, Camels, Canines, Dragons, Elephants, Equines, Felines, Insects&Arthropods, Raptors (as in birds), Reptiles&Amphibians, and Ursines.
2 points Base Roll for 1 category, 1 point for an additional category. 2 points for +1 to Base.

Bribery: Bribery lets a character know how to approach someone, when to bribe, and what to offer.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Bureaucratics: A character with bureaucratics knows how to cut through red tape, extract information from a bureaucracy and knows who to talk to for what, what forms to fill out, etc.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Conversation: Conversation can be used to gain information from someone subtly or to be a witty conversationalist at important events. The roll will be modified by what the character actually says.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

High Society: A character with High Society not only knows the ins and outs of etiquette but also the local high society where and who they are, and what they do.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Interrogation: Interrogation is the skill which allows a character to brainwash, torture, extract information, etc from another character in either subtle or not so subtle ways. It also gives a character a knowledge of the methods to do so including mind affecting drugs. Interrogation is resisted by an Ego Roll.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Oratory: This is how well a character can speak to an audience, and deliver a convincing presentation. It can be used to influence a mass of people or to assist in a Presence Attack!
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Persuasion: This is used to lie or influence an individual the character is talking to. The character being persuaded has the chance to make an Ego Roll to resist.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Seuction: Seduction despite its name is not necessarily about sexuality but just getting on another characters good side, allowing favors or information to be gained. A character being seduced has the chance to make an Ego Roll to resist.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Streetwise: This allows a character to locate, contact, and deal with the criminal nature of a region.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Trading: This is used to represent haggling for an item. Failure might mean the item is not purchased or that the character believes he is getting a good deal.
3 points Base Roll/2 Points for +1 to Base

Combat Skills
These are not like normal skills. They typically do not require a skill roll and instead often give a character more options in combat or reduce penalties in combat.

Autofire Skills: Autofire skill lets a character modify their standard autofire attacks. They take a full phase to use and half one's DCV.
Accurate Sprayfire: Allows a character to suffer only a flat -1 OCV penalty for autofire attacks as opposed to the cumulative -1 OCV for each hex.
Concentrated Sprayfire: This can be used to put several shots into one target when using Autofire against multiple targets instead of one per target at a -1 OCV penalty.
Rapid Autofire: This allows a character to use Autofire in conjunction with Rapid Fire, allowing multiple attacks against several targets at a cumulative -2 OCV penalty as if Rapid Firing.
Skipover Sprayfire: This allows a character to skip over empty hexes when autofiring in a line. He still incurs the standard -1 OCV penalty for each hex whether or not he shoots into it, and cannot skip over a number of hexes more than the amount of shots he can fire. This attack is at a -1 OCV penalty.
5 points for each ability.


Combat Skill Levels: Combat Skill Levels give a character a quick, cheap, and easy way to affect their OCV or DCV and they come in several forms based on cost.

2 Point: A 2pt CSL can only be used to gain a +1 OCV with a single type of attack.
3 Point: A 3pt CSL can be used to gain a +1 OCV or DCV with a certain type of attack i.e. Melee, Ranged, Mental.
5 Point: A 5pt CSL can be used to gain +1 to OCV and DCV with Melee, or Ranged, or Mental. Or a 5pt CSL can be used to gain a +1 DCV against all forms of attacks.
8 Point: An 8pt CSL can be applied as a +1 to OCV and DCV for all forms of combat.

What a CSL is used for should be stated when bought, and declared when being used.


Defense Maneuver: This requires a half phase to activate and represents a character's ability to move and dodge about in combat. The affect depends on how much the character has spent on it.
Maneuver 1: No attacker is considered “from behind”. 3 points.
Maneuver 2: Eliminates Multiple Attacker Bonuses to Attackers perceived. +2 Points.
Maneuver 3: Eliminates the Multiple Attack Bonuses to all Attackers perceived or not. +3 Points.
Maneuver 4: A character does not need to spend a half phase to activate Defense Maneuver. +2 Points.
The Maneuvers must be bought in order, and they cost 10 points in total.

Penalty Skill Levels: PSLs are used to offset a penalty applied to OCV in very specific situations
Offset the Range Modifiers to attacks.
Offset the Penalty to target a Hit Location.
Offset the Penalty to throwing unbalanced or unaerodynamic objects.
Which affect a PSL counteracts must be stated when bought.
PSL costs differs on what the PSL can be used with.
1 ½ points to negate modifiers with a single attack.
2 points to offset with any three maneuvers or a tight group.
3 point to offset with all attacks.


Rapid Attack: This allows a character to either Rapid Fire or Sweep as a Half Phase action as opposed to a full phase action.
5 points. Ranged and Melee must be bought separately.


Two Weapon Fighting: This allows a character to do several things. First when using the sweep/rapid fire attack it reduces his DCV by -2 instead of halving it. Next it ignores the -3 for an offhand weapon. Finally, it also ignores the first -2 penalty of a sweep attack.
10 points. Ranged and Melee must be bought separately.

[Beeb]

I think I'm going to run a short Hero campaign while you're away in Brazil, Mark. I really liked the system, so I'll pick up a copy of the book from Monkeyhead shortly after I buy the 360 in three weeks (my PS3 is okay, but I use it for nothing besides Warhawk. Rock Band really needs a group of 3 or 4, and Ratchet & Clank is too short and a tad on the easy side. Need "teh Haloz" and Banjo-Kazooie). That way, I can think up a good 4 or 5 day long campaign for that month or so during my week in San Deigo (June 30th to the 6th of July). And two copies of the book will make the current game run a bit smoother. I have a general idea for what I want to do.

[Innocentius]

*cough* tinyurl.com/6ap456

Use that wisely.

[Beeb]

Hooray for this glorious system of tubes called the internet.

Rather than use my last two CP for Force Field, I'm gonna just increase my Recovery by 1, so it's now a 12. I'm still using the rest to get that 50% DR.

[Jongluer]

Alright that's perfectly alright.

[Beeb]

Also, I think I'll just take three more Dex instead of the healing we discussed. More OCV and DCV seems better in my opinion, considering I already have DR50% and quite a high Recovery.

[Jongluer]

I assume you're just gonna save that last XP for later?
You could use it to increase your speed to 5.

[Beeb]

Well, my Speed's currently at 4.6. So, I could increase my Dex by 3(using 9 points) to get my OCV and DCV to 9 as well as increasing my Speed to 4.9, then use the last point to bring that to 5.

[Jongluer]

Right, like I said.
So, are you gonna do that?

[Beeb]

Yeah, I'll just do that. More OCV, DCV, and one more Phase are better than some minor healing that'll take up my turn in which I could be lasering dudes.