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GAMES

EVEN MORE HERO!the hero system 6th edition contains all the rules you need

to create any sort of character, power, gadget, spell, vehicle,

monster, or weapon you can think of. But sometimes a few

more rules can make your job easier, or open up possibilities

for your character that you hadn’t considered.

if you’re interested in ways to expand the hero system,

or to change it to suit particular campaigns or play styles,

the hero system advanced Player’s Guide is the book for

you. it’s fi lled with advanced, expanded, optional, and variant

rules for nearly every aspect of the hero system. it features

new powers, skills, Combat Maneuvers, and other game

elements; alternate ways to use specifi c game elements or

build specifi c abilities; and more details to help players and

gMs use the hero rules.

thanks to the advanced Player’s Guide, it’s even easier and

more fun to Be a hero!

ISBn: 978-1-58366-123-9 DOJHERO1004 $24.99 uSwww.herogames.com

HERO SySTEm ADvAn

CED PlAyER’S GuIDED

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INTEGOPRE

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HERO System™® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.HERO System Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002, 2009 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights

reserved. Champions, Dark Champions, and all associated characters © 1981-2009 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All

rights reserved. “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are used under license from Cryptic Studios, Inc.

Fantasy Hero Copyright © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.Pulp Hero Copyright © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, and Western Hero Copyright © 2002 by DOJ, Inc.

d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 226 E. 54th Street, #605, New York, NY 10022-48541.Printed in China. First printing September 2009.Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.Stock Number: DOJHERO1004ISBN Number: 978-1-58366-123-9

Writing and design

Steven S. Long

Cover design

Fred Hicks

Layout and graphiC design

Fred Hicks

dediCation

To all the HERO System fans out there, who can always find a creative use for another rule.

THE HERO SySTEm ADvAnCED PlAyER’S GuIDE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

introduCtion .................................................... 4

CHAPTER OnE: CHARACTERISTICS ....................5CharaCteristiCs ............................................... 6

STRENGTH ......................................................... 6DEXTERITY ....................................................... 12PRESENCE ....................................................... 12DEFENSES ........................................................ 12SPEED ............................................................. 13BODY ............................................................... 15CHARACTERISTIC MAXIMA ................................ 16

CHAPTER TWO: SKIllS, PERKS, & TAlEnTS ....17sKiLLs ............................................................... 18

GENERAL RULES .............................................. 18Skill Combinations ......................................... 18Degrees Of Complementariness...................... 18Base Times ................................................... 19

SKILL MODIFIERS ............................................. 23SPECIFIC SKILLS ............................................... 32

Interaction Skills ............................................ 32Acrobatics ..................................................... 34Breakfall........................................................ 35Autofire Skills ................................................ 35Bureaucratics ................................................ 35Combat Skill Levels ........................................ 36Cramming ..................................................... 36Deduction ..................................................... 37Defense Maneuver ......................................... 38Defensive Attack ............................................ 38Language ...................................................... 38Martial Arts ................................................... 39Power ........................................................... 39Skill Levels .................................................... 40Trading ......................................................... 41Transport Familiarity ...................................... 42Weapon Familiarity ........................................ 43

SKILL ENHANCERS ........................................... 45perKs ................................................................ 47taLents ............................................................ 48

CHAPTER THREE: POWERS ...............................51poWers ............................................................. 52

GENERAL RULES .............................................. 52ADJUSTMENT POWERS .................................... 53ATTACK POWERS .............................................. 56BODY-AFFECTING POWERS ............................... 58DEFENSE POWERS ........................................... 61MENTAL POWERS ............................................. 63

Cyberkinesis .................................................. 70Possession .................................................... 74

MOVEMENT POWERS ....................................... 77SENSE-AFFECTING POWERS ............................. 78SIZE POWERS ................................................... 79ABSORPTION .................................................... 80AID .................................................................. 81BARRIER .......................................................... 81BLAST .............................................................. 81CHANGE ENVIRONMENT ................................... 82CLAIRSENTIENCE .............................................. 83CLINGING ......................................................... 86DAMAGE NEGATION .......................................... 86DAMAGE REDUCTION ....................................... 87DEFLECTION ..................................................... 88DENSITY INCREASE ........................................... 88DESOLIDIFICATION ............................................ 90

Projection ...................................................... 92DISPEL ............................................................. 93

DRAIN .............................................................. 94ENDURANCE RESERVE ...................................... 94ENHANCED SENSES .......................................... 94ENTANGLE........................................................ 96EXTRA LIMBS ................................................... 99FLASH .............................................................. 99GROWTH .......................................................... 99HAND-TO-HAND ATTACK ................................. 102HEALING ........................................................ 102IMAGES .......................................................... 103INVISIBILITY .................................................... 103LEAPING ........................................................ 104LIFE SUPPORT ................................................ 104LUCK ............................................................. 105MENTAL BLAST .............................................. 106MENTAL DEFENSE .......................................... 106MENTAL ILLUSIONS ........................................ 106MIND CONTROL .............................................. 107MIND LINK...................................................... 109MIND SCAN .................................................... 110MULTIFORM ................................................... 111PIERCING ....................................................... 113REFLECTION ................................................... 113REGENERATION .............................................. 114RESISTANT PROTECTION................................. 115SHAPE SHIFT .................................................. 115SHRINKING ..................................................... 116SKILLS ........................................................... 117STRETCHING .................................................. 117SWIMMING ..................................................... 118SWINGING ...................................................... 118TELEKINESIS .................................................. 121

Animating Objects ....................................... 123TELEPATHY..................................................... 124TELEPORTATION ............................................. 126TRANSFORM .................................................. 127

CHAPTER FOuR: POWER mODIFIERS .............131advantages ................................................... 132

ALTERNATE COMBAT VALUE ............................ 132AREA OF EFFECT ............................................ 133

Damage Shield ............................................ 133Explosion..................................................... 134Other Areas Of Effect ................................... 134

ARMOR PIERCING ........................................... 136DELAYED EFFECT............................................ 137MEGASCALE................................................... 138MULTIPLE SPECIAL EFFECTS ........................... 138PENETRATING ................................................. 139PROPORTIONAL .............................................. 139REDUCED ENDURANCE ................................... 140TIME LIMIT ..................................................... 141TRIGGER ........................................................ 141USABLE ON OTHERS ....................................... 141VARIABLE ADVANTAGE .................................... 141

LiMitations .................................................... 142CHARGES ....................................................... 142CONCENTRATION............................................ 143EXTRA TIME ................................................... 143FOCUS ........................................................... 143LIMITED POWER ............................................. 144LINKED ........................................................... 144REQUIRES A SKILL ROLL ................................. 144SELF ONLY ..................................................... 145SIDE EFFECTS ................................................ 145

CHAPTER FIvE: COmPlICATIOnS ...................147CoMpLiCations .............................................. 148

ACCIDENTAL CHANGE ..................................... 148DISTINCTIVE FEATURES ................................... 149ENRAGED/BERSERK ........................................ 150HUNTED ......................................................... 150SUSCEPTIBILITY .............................................. 151VULNERABILITY .............................................. 151VARIABLE COMPLICATION ............................... 154POWER MODIFIERS FOR COMPLICATIONS ....... 155

CHAPTER SIX: COmBAT AnD ADvEnTuRInG .157entering CoMBat .......................................... 158

OPTIONAL SPEED SYSTEMS ............................ 158THE TIME CHART ............................................ 160SEGMENTED MOVEMENT ................................ 160

Fighting .......................................................... 162ATTACK ROLLS ............................................... 162COMBAT MODIFIERS ....................................... 162

CoMBat and MartiaL Maneuvers ............... 166BLAZING AWAY ............................................... 166BLOCK ........................................................... 166DISARM BY .................................................... 167DIVE FOR COVER ............................................ 167GRAB ............................................................. 167HAYMAKER ..................................................... 169HURRY ........................................................... 169INTERFERENCE ............................................... 170MULTIPLE ATTACK .......................................... 170SHOVE ........................................................... 170SUSTAINED ATTACK ........................................ 171THROW .......................................................... 171

daMage and other CoMBat eFFeCts .......... 172EFFECTS OF DAMAGE ..................................... 172HIT LOCATIONS .............................................. 172RECOVERY AND ENDURANCE .......................... 174CONTESTS OF POWER .................................... 174LEAVING FOOTPRINTS IN CONCRETE ............... 176PUSHBACK ..................................................... 176

CHAPTER SEvEn: THE EnvIROnmEnT ...........177the environMent .......................................... 178

OPTIONAL VELOCITY DAMAGE ........................ 178ELECTRICITY .................................................. 180FIRE ............................................................... 181RUINS ............................................................ 183STARVATION ................................................... 185

CHAPTER EIGHT: EQuIPmEnT.........................187eQuipMent ...................................................... 188

COMPUTERS .................................................. 188VEHICLES ....................................................... 188WEAPONS ...................................................... 190

resourCe points .......................................... 191

INDEX................................................................ 197

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4 n introduction hero system 6th edition

InTRODuCTIOnThe HERO System 6th Edition rulebook

contains plenty of rules... but for some campaigns, even that many’s not enough! The HERO System Advanced Player’s Guide is for just such games — ones where the GM and players want a more detailed rule for some specific aspect of play, where the gaming group enjoys trying out variant and optional rules, or where the GM wants to take a different approach to some part of the HERO System to suit the game he has in mind.

The “APG” is divided into chapters based on different game elements of the HERO System.

�n Chapter One, Characteristics, has expanded and optional rules for STR, SPD, and many other Characteristics. If you want more details about characters’ ability to lift heavy objects or making Power Defense a Characteristic, this is where you’ll find them.

�n Chapter Two, Skills, Perks, And Talents, provides additional rules for those game elements. For example, it features more details on Skill combinations, optional rules for converting Language into an Intellect Skill, and more rules for Universal Translator.

�n Chapter Three, Powers, is the largest in the book. Besides providing more rules for various Powers and Power categories, it includes some all-new Powers, such as the Projection option for Desolidification and the Possession Power.

�n Chapter Four covers the Power Modifiers: Advantages, Limitations, and Power Frame-works. If you want more types of Area Of Effect, an optional Power Modifier for giving a power a proportional effect, or expanded possi-bilities for Requires A Roll, try this chapter.

�n Chapter Five, Complications, covers the little hindrances and flaws that make a character’s life so interesting. Among other things it has expanded rules for Accidental Change and Vulnerability.

�n Chapter Six, Combat, delves into the HERO System’s combat rules. It includes possible changes to the Time Chart and the use of SPD, some new Combat Maneuvers, more Hit Loca-tion rules, and lots more.

�n Chapters Seven and Eight cover the Environ-ment and Equipment, respectively. They feature optional rules for falling and vehicle combat, rules for building fires, expansions of the STR Minimum concept, and lots more.

All of the new rules in the APG are optional. The GM’s not required to use them if he doesn’t want to, and should consider them carefully before allowing them in play. They may be just the thing for creating certain types of characters and creatures for your campaign... or they may cause serious game balance problems based on your style of play. Players should check with their GMs before using any APG rules to build characters.

ABBREvIATIOnSIn this book, “6E1” refers to The HERO System

6th Edition, Volume I: Character Creation. “6E2” refers to The HERO System 6th Edition, Volume II: Combat And Adventuring. “APG” refers to this book itself. Thus, a reference to “6E1 212” means page 212 of The HERO System 6th Edition, Volume I, and one to “APG 18” means page 18 of this book.

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Chapter One

CharaCteristiCs

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