It's great to see Champions get some press. I've been a fan since the mid-80s, and, while the game can be a bit complex at points, it's well worth it for some great game play. Happy to lend a hand if you need anything.
So, Champions (and HERO) has a steep learning curve in the beginning, but the game actually flows pretty good. One thing I think you missed (or don't have access to with only the Champions complete book) is the power level guidelines. Typically, X-men level characters will be around 300 points, but will have 60 active points in a power. So you'll want to find ways to get your Blast power to 60 active points. That will give you 12d6!! to roll damage with. Fun right? I'd love to chat more, as I played the heck out of 4th edition a few years back.
If you look in Hero System Book of Templates I you can find many write ups that will help you here. Uncontrollable Eyeblast Man, Intangible Teenager, Snowman, and others. I wrote it, let me know if you need a copy for your videos. I’m happy to help. Love the vid.
A couple of things about character design, Characteristic Maxima Table is not for Superheroes, it's just for normal characters. The other was power level cap, there is a table which gives you a guide range for defences, attacks speed, ocv, etc.
From the book text: "Some campaigns have a ground rule that Characteristics (and the three basic movement modes) cost double the usual amount to increase beyond a certain value. A list of suggested maxima follows below. Some GMs extend this idea to include Skill Rolls above a certain level, damage beyond a certain Damage Class, certain types of rare Powers, and so on." This means the table is used at GM discretion and for Super characters, it's more of a soft cap which means raising above these limits would cost extra character points.
Fortunately, you stuck with a very basic character build, so you didn't have to deal with power modifiers (which are calculated differently than in Mutants & Masterminds and GURPS) or Variable Power Frameworks. Also, IIRC, you said that you had to spend points for Complications, when it's actually the opposite: you gain extra points for Complications. Last but not least (and is something every Champions player comes to learn), for characteristics that use skills, to min/max your point expenditure, have them end in a 3 or an 8, due to the rounding. A skill roll is equal to 9 + (Characteristic/5), and you round to the nearest whole number. A characteristic of 13 will get you the same skill roll as a characteristic of 14, 15, 16, or 17 (since they all round to 3), meaning that a skill roll based on that characteristic will be a 12- (12 or less). This is especially more prevalent in Champions 6e, because characteristics are no longer relevant with regards to derived stats like END, SPD, REC, etc.
Hey! The complications piece may be different for 6e vs older editions. With this edition each Hero category has a recommended amount of Complication points to spend. GM's can raise/lower it but for the Standard Hero we choose the book recommends 75 complication points.
@@TeganJGaming You are correct. Complications in Hero 6e are different when it comes to older editions. Prior to 6e, complications were called disadvantages and taking disadvantages gave you additional hero points to spend. That is not the case in 6e. In 6e, you have to take a certain amount of complications, depending on the power level. The points from complications are not hero points, they determine the severity of a particular complication taken. So making a 400 point character comes with having to take a total of 75 points worth of complications. You do not get 75 extra hero points nor are you using the points from your 400 point pool to purchase complications. You simply take 75 points worth of complications. Based on the time this was posted, you may already know this so my apologies if I'm repeating something you already know.
I agree Marvel is a simpler system, but not nearly as flexible. With Champions, you create each power from the ground up, and a power can have nearly any type of effect or limitation you can think of.
![HERO System - Basics and Character Creation [Reupload]](/img/n.gif)
It's great to see Champions get some press. I've been a fan since the mid-80s, and, while the game can be a bit complex at points, it's well worth it for some great game play. Happy to lend a hand if you need anything.
I've really been enjoying it so far! I'm a huge comic/super hero fan so it's been fun seeing another systems take!
So, Champions (and HERO) has a steep learning curve in the beginning, but the game actually flows pretty good. One thing I think you missed (or don't have access to with only the Champions complete book) is the power level guidelines. Typically, X-men level characters will be around 300 points, but will have 60 active points in a power. So you'll want to find ways to get your Blast power to 60 active points. That will give you 12d6!! to roll damage with. Fun right? I'd love to chat more, as I played the heck out of 4th edition a few years back.
If you look in Hero System Book of Templates I you can find many write ups that will help you here. Uncontrollable Eyeblast Man, Intangible Teenager, Snowman, and others. I wrote it, let me know if you need a copy for your videos. I’m happy to help. Love the vid.
Thanks man that would be awesome! I'd love to see how some of the X-Men characters came out in the Champions system
Not gonna lie Champions is a little intimidating to me haha! I'll stay tuned to see the deep dive into the system.
I definitely get that, there's a lot going on with this one lol
A couple of things about character design, Characteristic Maxima Table is not for Superheroes, it's just for normal characters. The other was power level cap, there is a table which gives you a guide range for defences, attacks speed, ocv, etc.
From the book text:
"Some campaigns have a ground rule that Characteristics (and the three basic movement modes) cost double the usual amount to increase beyond a certain value. A list of suggested maxima follows below. Some GMs extend this idea to include Skill Rolls above a certain level, damage beyond a certain Damage Class, certain types of rare Powers, and so on."
This means the table is used at GM discretion and for Super characters, it's more of a soft cap which means raising above these limits would cost extra character points.
We need more hero mechanics videos.
Did you ever do a let's play of this system? I have been wanting to see some games of this, but I can't seem to find it on your channel.
I haven't had a chance yet unfortunately. We had to cancel that game & I need to find a new time to get one going
Please let me know I'd love to play another one@@TeganJGaming
What do you mean you spend 140 points? You have 400 points to spend. Seems like you short-changed yourself 260 points.
Do you run Online Champion games? Can I watch a session?
Fortunately, you stuck with a very basic character build, so you didn't have to deal with power modifiers (which are calculated differently than in Mutants & Masterminds and GURPS) or Variable Power Frameworks.
Also, IIRC, you said that you had to spend points for Complications, when it's actually the opposite: you gain extra points for Complications.
Last but not least (and is something every Champions player comes to learn), for characteristics that use skills, to min/max your point expenditure, have them end in a 3 or an 8, due to the rounding. A skill roll is equal to 9 + (Characteristic/5), and you round to the nearest whole number. A characteristic of 13 will get you the same skill roll as a characteristic of 14, 15, 16, or 17 (since they all round to 3), meaning that a skill roll based on that characteristic will be a 12- (12 or less). This is especially more prevalent in Champions 6e, because characteristics are no longer relevant with regards to derived stats like END, SPD, REC, etc.
Hey! The complications piece may be different for 6e vs older editions. With this edition each Hero category has a recommended amount of Complication points to spend. GM's can raise/lower it but for the Standard Hero we choose the book recommends 75 complication points.
@@TeganJGaming You are correct. Complications in Hero 6e are different when it comes to older editions. Prior to 6e, complications were called disadvantages and taking disadvantages gave you additional hero points to spend. That is not the case in 6e. In 6e, you have to take a certain amount of complications, depending on the power level. The points from complications are not hero points, they determine the severity of a particular complication taken. So making a 400 point character comes with having to take a total of 75 points worth of complications. You do not get 75 extra hero points nor are you using the points from your 400 point pool to purchase complications. You simply take 75 points worth of complications. Based on the time this was posted, you may already know this so my apologies if I'm repeating something you already know.
This is all unnecessarily complicated. The Marvel FASE RIP system is the still the very best.
I agree Marvel is a simpler system, but not nearly as flexible. With Champions, you create each power from the ground up, and a power can have nearly any type of effect or limitation you can think of.