WOnDROUs WORLDs OF Fantasy! Daring swordsmen, wise wizards, noble knights, deadly FANTASY HERO dragons, and mythic kingdoms — all these, and more, are Fantasy part of the wondrous worlds of Fantasy. Fantasy Hero discusses and describes the Fantasy genre for gaming, and shows how to create characters, campaigns, spells and magic systems, worlds, and other elements of Fantasy with the HERO System rules. It includes: H a complete review of the Fantasy genre, from the most mundane Low Fantasy and Urban Fantasy tales to won- HERO drous and bizarre High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy sagas, with guidelines and suggestions for simulating each part of the genre using the HERO System rules H an extensive section on creating Fantasy characters in the HERO System, including over fi ve dozen Templates for major character races, backgrounds, and professions H Fantasy-specifi c combat and adventuring rules, includ- ing expanded rules for weapons and mass combat H a detailed chapter on magic, describing how to create magic systems, spells, and enchanted items, with doz- ens of examples to get you started H discussions about Fantasy civilizations and cultures, with guidelines for economies and currencies, travel times and methods, government and law, religion, and much more H a comprehensive chapter on gamemastering Fantasy games Whatever type of Fantasy game you like to play, and howev- er you like to play it, Fantasy Hero helps you make it even better! 978-1-58366-129-1 DOJHERO1200 HERO GAMES S t ev e n S. L o n g ISBN: 978-1-58366-129-1 DOJHERO1200 $44.99 US www.herogames.com TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................... 5 CHaPtER tHREE CHaPtER FOUR BLaDEs AND BATTLEs: aRCANE CREATIONS: MaGIC CHaPtER OnE FANTASY COMBAT AND MAGIC SYSTEMS ..................................... 242 WaRRIORs, WIZaRDs, AND aDVENTURInG DEFINITIONAL ISSUES ............................ 242 WOnDROUs WORLDs: FANTASY HERO COMBAT ......................... 182 Where Magic Comes From ................... 243 tHE FANTASY GEnRE ENTERING COMBAT................................ 182 The Commonality Of Magic .................. 246 ............................ 247 COMBAT MODIFIERS .............................. 183 The Power Of Magic WHAT IS FANTASY? ..................................... 8 Types Of Magic ................................... 251 ELEMENTS OF FANTASY ............................ 10 COMBAT MANEUVERS ............................ 184 Users Of Magic ................................... 255 FANTASY SUBGENRES............................... 29 Standard Combat Maneuvers ............... 184 Learning Magic ................................... 257 CROSSWORLDS FANTASY ........................ 29 Optional Combat Maneuvers ................ 184 Methods Of Casting Spells ................... 258 EPIC FANTASY ......................................... 31 New Optional Fantasy Hero Combat Maneu- Restrictions On Wizards And Spells ...... 258 .................................................... 185 HIGH FANTASY ......................................... 35 vers Flavoring Magic ................................... 261 FIGHTING TRICKS ................................... 186 LOW FANTASY ......................................... 37 SOCIAL ISSUES ...................................... 262 Being Impressive ................................ 186 Magic Organizations ............................ 262 SWORDS AND SORCERY .......................... 39 DAMAGE ............................................... 188 URBAN FANTASY ...................................... 41 Perspectives On Magic And Spellcasters 264 Optional Effects Of Damage ................. 188 Magic’s Effect On Society .................... 265 FANTASY, METAGENRES, AND OTHER GENRES Relative Positions ................................ 188 RULES ISSUES ....................................... 266 44 WEAPONS ............................................... 189 Buying Spells ...................................... 266 FANTASY AND META-GENRES ................... 44 WEAPONS TABLES ..........................190, 195 Using Spells ........................................ 274 Comedy ................................................ 44 Explanation Of Hand-To-Hand Weapons Balancing Spells .................................. 277 Horror ................................................... 45 Table .................................................. 189 SPELL CREATION AND USE ...................... 279 ................................................ 47 Mystery Explanation Of Ranged Weapons Table . 194 THE SPELL EFFECT ................................ 280 Romance .............................................. 47 Poisons ............................................... 201 Tragedy ................................................ 48 CASTING METHOD ................................. 281 MAKING WEAPONS ................................ 202 Required Skill Rolls .............................. 281 FANTASY AND OTHER GENRES ................. 49 Advanced Weapon Creation Rules And ........................................... 49 Procedures ......................................... 284 Champions Guidelines ........................................... 207 ........................ 286 Dark Champions .................................... 49 Other Casting Methods USING WEAPONS ................................... 211 Avoiding Restrictions ........................... 286 Martial Arts ........................................... 51 Choosing The Right Weapon ................ 212 Star Hero .............................................. 51 CASTING TIME ....................................... 286 Special Maneuvers For Weapons .......... 214 DURATION ............................................. 287 Western Hero ........................................ 51 .............. 215 Weapon And Shield Breakage TARGET; AREA AFFECTED ....................... 289 ARMOR .................................................... 216 RANGE .................................................. 290 TYPES OF ARMOR .................................. 217 EXAMPLE MAGIC SYSTEMS .................... 291 CHaPtER tWO Sectional Armor ................................... 219 HEROEs OF tHE REaLM: USING ARMOR ....................................... 223 THE ARTS ARCANE ................................. 291 CHaRaCtER CREATIOn Balancing Armor Use ........................... 224 AZGANDIAN MAGIC ................................ 293 Wearing Multiple Armors...................... 225 CHAOS BLADES ..................................... 298 FANTASY CHARACTER BASICS .................. 52 Armor Breakage .................................. 225 DIVINE MAGIC ........................................ 299 Character Background ........................... 52 SHIELDS ................................................ 226 ELDRITCH LORE ..................................... 300 Character Theme................................... 53 FANTASY HERO MASS COMBAT .............. 227 ELEMENTAL DWEOMERCRAFT ................ 301 ........................... 53 Goals And Motivations BEFORE MASS COMBAT ......................... 227 THE GIFT ............................................... 302 FANTASY RACES ....................................... 54 BATTLE SCALE ....................................... 228 LEX MAGISTERIUM ................................. 303 RACIAL TEMPLATES ................................. 54 UNITS .................................................... 230 NAMING MAGIC AND WORDS OF POWER 304 CULTURAL TEMPLATES ............................ 67 Creating Units ..................................... 230 NA’SENRA ............................................. 305 ENVIRONMENT/ANCESTRY TEMPLATES ..... 69 Unit Size ............................................. 230 RUNE MAGIC ......................................... 306 PROFESSIONAL TEMPLATES ..................... 76 Unit Characteristics ............................. 230 THE SECRET SCIENCES .......................... 307 PRIEST TEMPLATES ................................. 77 Unit Skills ............................................ 231 THE SPELLS OF SARILLON ..................... 308 ROGUE TEMPLATES ................................. 82 Unit Powers ........................................ 231 TALRIADAN DRUIDRY.............................. 309 ............................... 231 WARRIOR TEMPLATES .............................. 89 Unit Complications TORVANIAN MIND-MAGIC ....................... 311 MOVEMENT ........................................... 231 WIZARD TEMPLATES .............................. 100 VANSARJAK ........................................... 312 UNIT COMBAT ........................................ 232 MISCELLANEOUS TEMPLATES ................ 104 ENCHANTED ITEMS ................................. 313 CHARACTERISTICS .................................. 108 Entering Combat ................................. 232 Fighting .............................................. 232 BASIC ISSUES ........................................ 313 Characteristic Maxima ......................... 108 ................... 315 .......................... 108 Determining Damage ........................... 233 Acquiring Enchanted Items Characteristic Ranges CREATING ENCHANTED ITEMS ................ 317 SKILLS .................................................... 112 SPECIAL SITUATIONS ............................. 235 Prominent Characters .......................... 235 Who Can Create Enchanted Items? ....... 317 GENERAL RULES .................................... 112 Item Creation Requirements ................. 317 Skill Modifiers