Hero Points in Dragonlance... - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Hero Points in Dragonlance...

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 04, 2003 20:07:06 I was just curious if anyone uses Hero Points in their DL campaigns?

For those wondering what Hero Points are, they are used in Arcana Unearthed. Also similar conventions are used in d20 modern (Action points) and Star Wars (Force Points). Each point spent gives the character a bonus to one of their rolls for a single action. They gain additional Hero Points for acts of Heroism they perform. The more heroic, the more action points the character gains...

I was just wondering given the epic scope of Dragonlance, if anyone else has decided to use them in their campaigns?

Arandur
#2
iltharanos
Sep 04, 2003 22:04:23 Hero/Action points are useful tools for low-magic settings. I'm currently running a d20 Modern campaign (Agents of P.S.I.) and the use of action points helps add that little bit of a boost that would otherwise be provided by magical weapons, armor, cloaks of resistance, etc.

Even considering how magic items have been depleted through magical leeching in the early Age of Mortals, I'd still be wary of using action points in a world with magic items. With action points, a character can use one action point per round and add that 1d6 roll to any attack roll, skill check, ability check, level check, or saving throw. In a world with Cloaks of Resistance +4 plus actions points, that's a huge benefit.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 04, 2003 22:24:28 I based my conclusion to use Hero/Action points on a few facts. The first was that DL is a relatively magic item 'light' setting. If you look at the number of magical items the Heroes of the Lance had they are significantly lower than other fantasy setting counterparts.

Secondly, the relative levels of Krynnish heroes also seems a lot less in the past then those of their other setting counterparts. I know that the levels seem to be higher in the AoM and the 3.5 release of the DLCS but I prefer the feel of the lower level characters and will continue to use that idea in my games.

And lastly the Hero points are awarded for acts of heroism and the like (rather than per level like d20 modern) which lends itself to some great moments during a game and rewards those characters who truly play a hero (which is what I prefer in my game). I find it hard to come to terms with some of the actions characters have taken in the novels without attributing them to using hero points (Mina versus Malys as a recent example). And it gives them a chance to do some truly heroic things they may never have been able to accomplish before. They are not something I hand out in bucketloads but something most characters will either have none of or will have one (maybe two if they are truly heroic).

I guess it all comes down to personal choice

Arandur
#4
iltharanos
Sep 04, 2003 22:28:31
Originally posted by Arandur

I guess it all comes down to personal choice

Arandur

True. :D

Yeah, the hero point/force point method would be much more workable than the action point method.

Mina did have a little help ... Takhisis. So, strictly speaking, it wasn't really Mina versus Malys. More like a Takhisis-empowered Mina versus Malys. ;)
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 04, 2003 22:35:27 Actually Tahkisis had abandoned her at that point I thought. Wasn't that why she was so worried about the battle?

I recall Tahkisis had left her and she thought it was something she had done, so she decided to fight Malys to prove herself to the Dark Queen.

Arandur
#6
iltharanos
Sep 04, 2003 22:43:04
Originally posted by Arandur
Actually Tahkisis had abandoned her at that point I thought. Wasn't that why she was so worried about the battle?

I recall Tahkisis had left her and she thought it was something she had done, so she decided to fight Malys to prove herself to the Dark Queen.

Arandur

True. But Mina was still atop that giant undead dragon with a strength of who knows how high. Couple this dead dragon's strength with the Tremendous Charge feat in the DLCS and Mina with the dragonlance can deal a wicked amount of damage, certainly much more than Mina alone versus Malys.
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 04, 2003 22:49:10 Yeah but there is alot of 'ifs' in that scenario

I mean does she have the Tremendous Charge feat? That great undead Dragon was also aflame and you actually need to charge a dragon for that feat to work rather than that dragon overshoot you...

Okay, not that many 'ifs', but it's fun to speculate nonetheless...

Arandur

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 04, 2003 20:07:06	I was just curious if anyone uses Hero Points in their DL campaigns? For those wondering what Hero Points are, they are used in Arcana Unearthed. Also similar conventions are used in d20 modern (Action points) and Star Wars (Force Points). Each point spent gives the character a bonus to one of their rolls for a single action. They gain additional Hero Points for acts of Heroism they perform. The more heroic, the more action points the character gains... I was just wondering given the epic scope of Dragonlance, if anyone else has decided to use them in their campaigns? Arandur
#2 iltharanos Sep 04, 2003 22:04:23	Hero/Action points are useful tools for low-magic settings. I'm currently running a d20 Modern campaign (Agents of P.S.I.) and the use of action points helps add that little bit of a boost that would otherwise be provided by magical weapons, armor, cloaks of resistance, etc. Even considering how magic items have been depleted through magical leeching in the early Age of Mortals, I'd still be wary of using action points in a world with magic items. With action points, a character can use one action point per round and add that 1d6 roll to any attack roll, skill check, ability check, level check, or saving throw. In a world with Cloaks of Resistance +4 plus actions points, that's a huge benefit.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 04, 2003 22:24:28	I based my conclusion to use Hero/Action points on a few facts. The first was that DL is a relatively magic item 'light' setting. If you look at the number of magical items the Heroes of the Lance had they are significantly lower than other fantasy setting counterparts. Secondly, the relative levels of Krynnish heroes also seems a lot less in the past then those of their other setting counterparts. I know that the levels seem to be higher in the AoM and the 3.5 release of the DLCS but I prefer the feel of the lower level characters and will continue to use that idea in my games. And lastly the Hero points are awarded for acts of heroism and the like (rather than per level like d20 modern) which lends itself to some great moments during a game and rewards those characters who truly play a hero (which is what I prefer in my game). I find it hard to come to terms with some of the actions characters have taken in the novels without attributing them to using hero points (Mina versus Malys as a recent example). And it gives them a chance to do some truly heroic things they may never have been able to accomplish before. They are not something I hand out in bucketloads but something most characters will either have none of or will have one (maybe two if they are truly heroic). I guess it all comes down to personal choice Arandur
#4 iltharanos Sep 04, 2003 22:28:31	Originally posted by Arandur I guess it all comes down to personal choice Arandur True. :D Yeah, the hero point/force point method would be much more workable than the action point method. Mina did have a little help ... Takhisis. So, strictly speaking, it wasn't really Mina versus Malys. More like a Takhisis-empowered Mina versus Malys. ;)
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 04, 2003 22:35:27	Actually Tahkisis had abandoned her at that point I thought. Wasn't that why she was so worried about the battle? I recall Tahkisis had left her and she thought it was something she had done, so she decided to fight Malys to prove herself to the Dark Queen. Arandur
#6 iltharanos Sep 04, 2003 22:43:04	Originally posted by Arandur Actually Tahkisis had abandoned her at that point I thought. Wasn't that why she was so worried about the battle? I recall Tahkisis had left her and she thought it was something she had done, so she decided to fight Malys to prove herself to the Dark Queen. Arandur True. But Mina was still atop that giant undead dragon with a strength of who knows how high. Couple this dead dragon's strength with the Tremendous Charge feat in the DLCS and Mina with the dragonlance can deal a wicked amount of damage, certainly much more than Mina alone versus Malys.
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 04, 2003 22:49:10	Yeah but there is alot of 'ifs' in that scenario I mean does she have the Tremendous Charge feat? That great undead Dragon was also aflame and you actually need to charge a dragon for that feat to work rather than that dragon overshoot you... Okay, not that many 'ifs', but it's fun to speculate nonetheless... Arandur