Im just curious how many people use the optional Hero Point system (obviously, in home games since PFS doesn't use it).
Also, do you feel it has a major impact or just a 'tipping point' impact?
Feel free to relate anything regarding your experiences with it.
- Gauss
We use it and so far its been a oh crap button for my players they use it when they really need that little extra umph.
I would be interested to read the answers to this thread.
Until now I was using Action Points, as per Unearthed Arcana (with some modifications), and I was planning to switch to Hero Points, to use a more pathfinderish system.
Seldriss:
I find that my players only keep 1 point on hand per level. About once per level they burn whatever points they have.
Primary uses in my group are Act Out of Turn and Bonus +8/4 luck. Act out of turn can prevent the need for someone to burn 2points to Cheat Death.
- Gauss
Yar.
I use them. They've been a great addition to the game. My players enjoy a challenging game, where the risks are real, and mistakes can mean the threat of life and death, yet at the same time my players like their characters, developing them and interacting with them and making them a part of the story. The Hero Points have been one big step to allow this to happen, where things can get lethal (especially when they goof up), but with Hero Points, creative thinking, and sometimes a bit of luck, they can make a comeback by the skin of their teeth.
Not to say it's like this all the time, but when these moments do happen, they can make for exciting life savers.
I've even made my own Hero Point cards to help them keep track of how many they have, what they can do with them, and allow their use to be something tangible instead of "on paper" mechanics.
Card Face (Faded image, point-form info, and APG page number at the bottom)
However, I've found the overall impact is actually not that huge. Like Talonhawke's players, it's an "oh crap" helper, but for us it's been mostly a "This needs to work, give me an extra boost" aid. (aka: the +4/+8 bonus to a roll, and the reroll a bad roll options).
The big game changing addition for my group has actually been the Plot Twist Cards. I give them each one when they level up, and keep them limited the same way Hero Points are limited (max of 3, so use them or lose them). They are my groups absolute favorite option addition. They have created some VERY memorable moments for all of us (plot wise, roleplaying wise, and combat wise), and has saved my players lives more times than anything else. Seriously, some of them would be on their 4th and 5th characters by now instead of their 2nd or still 1st if it weren't for the Plot Twist Cards. (and by now, I mean we started the current campaign in Janurary and we play once a week every week). The Plot Twist Cards are the real "oh crap" button, but they're also better at creating action from their use than Hero Points, IMO.
Of course, yymv. This is simply our experience with them. They are both great additions. ^_^
~P
I don't have the book in front of me now, what's the maximum of Hero Points a character can have?
One per level?
Or more from feats/spells?
Yar!
I don't have the book in front of me now, what's the maximum of Hero Points a character can have?
One per level?
Or more from feats/spells?
Normally, one can have no more than 3. One can take a feat to increase this to 5. One gains Hero Points most often by leveling (at 1 Hero Point per level gain), but the GM may award more for other reasons if he so desires (and the APG gives possible examples).
Edit: There are also spells that can grant temporary Hero Points (usually lasting round/level, so you must spend it in that time or your buddy just wasted a spell), and there are some items do similar things as well.
~P
I'm using them in my Council of Thieves game. I even bought fake metal coins so they have something tangible to represent them. My players typically keep 2 or 3 on hand and use them for +4/+8 on attack rolls. One player has used Cheat Death once.
We use hero points in our campaign. My players get one each session and use them most often to avoid death or to modify critical dice rolls. I also give each boss mob a single "villain" point to throw a curve ball at the PCs. My players can earn an additional hero point by doing something extremely impressive, taking a highly risky action (other than plain stupid actions) or an action that is very funny.
Player characters usually gain one hero point per level and can keep a maximum of 3, barring feats or magic items that grant more.
Fizzboy: I am running CoT also. Instead of Cheat Death my players use Act Out of Turn to better effect (usually). If you can prevent the monster from harming you then you won't need cheat death. :)
- Gauss
Interesting point of view Elven_Blades. It is my experience that Hero Points do not make the game easy. They do affect occassional rolls or actions but since it is an ability that you can use only once for every 20 encounters then it is really no biggy. (Note: 1/20 encounters is based on the average number of equal CR encounters it takes to level.)
It is important to note the difference between Action Points and Hero Points is that Action points have less overall effect but you get 5+1/2level per level while Hero Points are only 1 per level.
- Gauss
I use them in my games, but many of the GMs I play under don't use them.
The two campaigns I've run (one homebrew one an adventure path) since their release has had exactly one character death.
Compare that to the three campaigns hosted by other GMs that don't use hero points, and also have a TPK or near TPK nearly every adventure module (adding up to no less than 20 character deaths so far).
Yes. Absolutely love them.
Our group uses them in our games. There are two methods of play that covers the general overall use.
Half the group hoards them and never like to go below two. They save them to prevent death. They like their hero to stay alive and grow.
The other half of the group like to burn them pretty quick and almost never have more then one and often have zero. They use them to attempt the near impossible or to act out of turn. They use them to perform great feats at the risk of death to make a hero extraordinary.
Both options have merit and my players enjoy having them no matter their play style.
We've used them ever since APG came out. Typically we make heavy use of the optional "petition the GM" part of it, with most of the uses being turning a critical hit an enemy lands into just a regular blow. That actually came up tonight when an enemy landed a crit with a greataxe and dealt 52 points of damage to a 4th level character, which would have outright killed her, even at full HPs. Instead, he did 16 points. Crisis averted, and hero point used.
Other uses for Hero Points recently in my campaign:
Blowing two hero points to automatically fight off a disease.
Using 1 to act out of turn to jump off a cliff.
Using 1 for a +8 bonus on an acrobatics roll while jumping off a cliff into water (different character)
Using a hero point to draw a new critical hit or critical fumble card.
We've been using a similar system since way back in early 3.5 where I awarded points that they could use to modify any of their d20 rolls into a nat 20, or any enemy d20 roll into a nat 1. Obviously the hero point system is a bit scaled back on that, so we use it now, but I also award them more often when something happens that makes me think a character is really "bad ass".
I just posted about this on another thread regarding hero points.
we just started using them in two new campaigns.
so far they've saved a few PCs from death with GM approval.
I don't think they're unbalancing yet but we're only level 2 and level 3 in each campaign.
Honestly, I completely forgot about them in the one game I am playing and was about to die until another player reminded me I had hero points I could spend.
Shar Tahl, Hero points are not experience point based. They are level based. Thus, every level they gain 1 hero point. Of course, you can give them more on top of that for good RP or whatnot. :)
- Gauss