Fantasy has long been the most popular genre for gaming – in fact, it’s the genre that led to the creation of roleplaying games in the first place. But long before gaming came along, Fantasy was working its magic on the minds of readers. Beginning with the tales and legends of ancient days, and leading up to novels by such modern masters of the genre as Tolkien, Vance, Dunsany, Moorcock, Howard, Leiber, Kurtz, and Kay, stories of wizards, quests, swordplay, dragons, and magic have long enthralled us. In fact, most gamers come to Fantasy gaming through their love of Fantasy literature, rather than the other way around. Thanks to their interest in Fantasy, gamers have run Fantasy campaigns using the HERO System rules for decades – before there ever was an official “Fantasy Hero” book, in fact. No two Fantasy settings are identical, and the unmatched adaptability, flexibility, and customizability of the HERO System makes it a natural for Fantasy gaming. Rather than forcing you to use a predefined list of spells, monsters, or the like, Fantasy Hero lets you decide what magic is like, how characters create and cast spells, what attributes different types of characters have, how strong giants are, and how your Fantasy world functions.
Fantasy Hero Quick Start
This Quick Start is meant to allow you to jump into Fantasy gaming using the HERO System rules, but it does not stand on its own. combined with the Hero Basic Rulebook or the HERO System 6th Edition rulebook you will be able to build a variety of classic Fantasy characters, equip them, and take them on an adventure that will guide you through the rules and introduce you to Fantasy Hero.
The goal of this book is to kick-start a Fantasy Hero campaign. There is enough material in here to get your campaign off the ground, get everyone familiar with the rules, and help you to decide what you want to do next. These rules are assembled from the more extensive Fantasy Hero genre book, a sort of “guidebook” to the genre of Fantasy that shows you how to use the HERO System rules to create the sort of Fantasy campaigns and characters you want — whether that’s in the style of your favorite Fantasy novels, short stories, and movies, or some idea that’s entirely original to you.
- Chapter 1, Character Creation, outlines the steps necessary to create a character for a fresh Fantasy Hero campaign, including Character Design Guidelines, Character Point totals, how Templates are used to speed character creation, and how many Matching Complications are required for the character.
- Chapter 2, Racial Templates, provides a small selection Fantasy Races from which you may select. The Fantasy Hero genre book includes even more, 18 in total, should you need greater diversity in your campaign.
- Chapter 3, Characteristics, summarizes the Characteristic Sets used to quickly assemble the Characteristics that best reflect your hero.
- Chapter 4, Skills, summarizes the Skill Sets used to quickly define the character. This includes a collection of Primary Templates, which define the character’s main role, and Secondary Templates that round out the character’s background.
- Chapter 5, Abilities, provides a collection of the unusual abilities some characters possess, including Talents, Powers, Spells, and Prayers. All spells and prayers summarized here are based on detailed entries in the HERO System Grimoire.
- Chapter 6, Complications, provides a variety of Complications to further define your character’s foibles, weaknesses, background, or personality.
- Chapter 7, Equipment, provides a list of common Fantasy weapons, armor, and adventuring gear, as well as how much of that gear your character starts with. Extensive equipment can be found in the HERO System Equipment Guide and Fantasy Hero.
- Chapter 8, Adventuring, summarizes how the Game Master should apply many key HERO System rules (e.g., Perception and Searching, Resting and Healing, Traps, etc.) in a Fantasy Adventure like the included Expedition to Dunwater Keep.
- Chapter 9, Bestiary, provides the monsters that are encountered in the adventure, which can be found in greater detail in the HERO System Bestiary.
- Chapter 10, Expedition to Dunwater Keep, is an adventure meant to get your campaign off the ground. It can be set in any campaign setting and provides opportunities for all character types to exercise their abilities. The scope of the adventure is limited to ensure it can be played in about three hours, while allowing certain elements to be expanded or eliminated to modify that time. An experienced Hero Game Master, equipped with copies of this document for each player and fresh character sheets could facilitate character creation (1 hour) and play of the adventure (3 hours) in a structured four hour block. A new Hero Game Master who had read the Hero System Basic Rulebook could facilitate character creation in a couple hours and play through the adventure in about four to five hours.
Quick Start rules. Each adventure introduces various elements of fantasy play and how they are handled in the
Hero System.
- The Fear of Keernhold introduces wilderness exploration and investigation elements.
- The Highport Warrens introduces urban exploration and intrigue elements.
The Appendix includes a blank Character Sheet, guidelines on how to complete it, as well as additional notes and resources.
Lastly, the Hero Games Forums are an excellent place to meet many of the fabulous people in the Hero community. If this Quick Start inspires you to kick off a new Fantasy campaign the forums are a great way to post any additional questions you might have about the rules, campaign design, or adventuring.
So, draw your sword, prepare your spells, and get ready — realms of wondrous Fantasy await!