Heroica: Glory Amongst The Stars - Rules & FAQ

[Duvors]

17 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

Which is why potentially just adjusting Healing Light/Entropic Mending might actually be the easiest fix since they're the biggest culprits. In the end the issue isn't so much that mages are casting too often because of the Meditate action, the issue is certain spells can be abused in a way that dramatically can change the tone/feel of a mission. Any ideas if we were to change the spells? I feel like just saying that those two can only be used in combat would force party's to extend combats just so everyone could be healed up.

Entropic Mending's healing function is something I'm having trouble parsing. As far as I can tell, the effects of the spell are supposed to be temporary, but it says it restores '#Vitality per Minute (Combat Round)' which seems seems like it heals over the duration instead of providing vitality for the duration. So the healing function and the repair function work differently despite being the same spell.

As for Healing Light, it's really difficult to think of a way to make it worse per se. It's already as unreliable as it can be safely made, and out-of-combat lower levels are more efficient than higher ones. Really the only thing I can think of is making the 0-Spirit version you came up with the lowest level of the spell and shifting the rest up, but that might be going too far.

32 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

The idea was to replace Transmuter's Advantage and it doesn't have to be called Meditate (to avoid the question of why doesn't the Martial Artist get it), it would just function as a Spirit Restoring action that way the Battlemage would have the cyclic playstyle of cast - attack - "meditate - repeat.

I know, but to be honest I just don't like the class anymore. With meditate, it's too powerful. Without, it's too weak. I don't really like it thematically either, it seems like a generic 'gish' class that exists simply for the purpose of filling an arbitrary niche.

[Waterbrick Down]

1 minute ago, Duvors said:

Entropic Mending's healing function is something I'm having trouble parsing. As far as I can tell, the effects of the spell are supposed to be temporary, but it says it restores '#Vitality per Minute (Combat Round)' which seems seems like it heals over the duration instead of providing vitality for the duration. So the healing function and the repair function work differently despite being the same spell.

As for Healing Light, it's really difficult to think of a way to make it worse per se. It's already as unreliable as it can be safely made, and out-of-combat lower levels are more efficient than higher ones. Really the only thing I can think of is making the 0-Spirit version you came up with the lowest level of the spell and shifting the rest up, but that might be going too far.

Entropic Mending's idea was to be a Nature/Occult healing spell, the repair function was added on as without it Healing Light was too much better in comparison. You are right though that the temporary/permeant feel is a bit incongruitous.

I'll mull on Healing Light, the trick will be finding a limitation that can't be abused by infinite casts.

4 minutes ago, Duvors said:

I know, but to be honest I just don't like the class anymore. With meditate, it's too powerful. Without, it's too weak. I don't really like it thematically either, it seems like a generic 'gish' class that exists simply for the purpose of filling an arbitrary niche.

I don't know if I'd call it an arbitrary niche though. The battlemage/spellblade/magus/gish/etc. is a fairly recognized archetype. Maybe instead of a Meditate action, a passive Spirit restore ability?

[Duvors]

1 minute ago, Waterbrick Down said:

I don't know if I'd call it an arbitrary niche though. The battlemage/spellblade/magus/gish/etc. is a fairly recognized archetype. Maybe instead of a Meditate action, a passive Spirit restore ability?

The following is a proposed replacement for the 'Eldrich Vigor' feature of the Battlemage class:

Eldritch Bloodshed
When you deal damage with an Offensive Combat Check, you regain Spirit = # damage dealt.

[Waterbrick Down]

1 minute ago, Duvors said:

The following is a proposed replacement for the 'Eldrich Vigor' feature of the Battlemage class:

Eldritch Bloodshed
When you deal damage with an Offensive Combat Check, you regain Spirit = # damage dealt.

That's pretty good, part of me is ok with still calling it Eldritch Vigor though. 

[Duvors]

1 minute ago, Waterbrick Down said:

That's pretty good, part of me is ok with still calling it Eldritch Vigor though. 

That would work. It's just that the idea of thematically connecting it with Vampirism and Violence and such made a lot of little wheels click in my head for some reason.

[Waterbrick Down]

Just now, Duvors said:

That would work. It's just that the idea of thematically connecting it with Vampirism and Violence and such made a lot of little wheels click in my head for some reason.

Sure, though bloodknight/deathknight/anti-paladin is certainly another pretty well known archetype.

[Duvors]

I want to test my idea for limited meditation, so I'll run one last fight between Azure and Black. Their stats will remain unchanged from last fight, which will give them both two uses of meditate per my formula. Otherwise the only rule change is that Eldrich Vigor will apply its bonus at the start of the fight. No pictures.

Round one, Azure gets two successes to Black's one, so Azure goes first, moving to B3 (by the fountain). Instead of making an attack, they instead defend themselves. They will now roll four die net time they're attacked.
Black in turn moves to D6 and attacks at long range. They're adjacent to the fountain, so Azure doesn't get the cover bonus. Black gets a pitiful two to Azure's five, but the defend is removed.

Round two, initiative ties at two each, so we roll again. Shockingly, it ties again at one. The third roll gives Black the first go with two to one, so they move to G7 and use Transmuter's Advantage to make their armor kinetic. Clearly they remember the last fight.
Azure in turn moves to D4, before moving to E5 and making a short range attack. They get three successes to Black's two, bringing Black down to seven vitality.

Round three starts with a one-to-one tie. The second initiative roll gives Azure the first turn with one to nothing. Azure doesn't even need to spend movement, instead leaping to F6 as part of their attack. The first attack gets two successes, but Black's decision to activate Transmuter's Advantage results in two successes for them. Azure them makes their extra attacks, the first resulting in one to two, the second is also one to two.
Black, pleased by this failure to do damage, runs to G4 and attacks Azure at a minus one penalty. It fails with one to two.

Black wins round four initiative at three to two, and immediately rushes to F3 and attacks again. This fails at two to three.
Azure does the logical thing and moves to F4, attacking three times. First is three to one, second is three to two, third is three to three. this leaves Black with five vitality.

Initiative! Azure wins at one to nothing and immediately repeats their actions from last round. First attack is two to one, second is two to one, third is one to two. All in all, Black is now at two vitality.
Black now moves to C1. If they were less hurt, they'd attack. As things are however, they decide to instead cast Shielding Ward on themselves, bringing themselves down to one spirit and adding three die to their next attack.

Round six, Black goes first (two to one) and attacks. Black gets five successes to one, Azure is now at three vitality.
Azure decides to move to D2, but instead of attacking decides to replicate Black's action, casting Shielding Ward on themselves and also reducing their spirit to one.

Round seven, Azure wins initiative at two to nothing. They could heal themselves, but instead they decide to make Black's life miserable by attacking them repeatedly. First attack is three to six, and the second is four to six. This has the secondary effect of removing Shielding Ward in one round, meaning their final attack is two to one. Ouch!
Black, now down to one vitality, moves to A4 and drinks a Plasma Potion. Amazingly, they roll six, bringing themselves up to seven vitality.

Round eight, Black gets three to one in initiative and they immediately attack at long range. They get two to six, so no damage, but Azure also only has one ward left.
Azure is the one on the back foot now, but not that much. Since they don't have enough Spirit for extra attacks, they spend their last spirit on Sustaining Healing. They roll five successes, restoring themselves to full!

Initiative, Black goes first (three to two). They move to B6 and attack. With two to six, they do no damage, but they do knock off the last level of Warding Bond.
Azure moves to A5, but instead of risking a single attack, they choose to use a meditate action. They get four successes, just enough to restore them to full!

Round ten, Azure goes first, making three attacks. First is two to two, second is two to three, third is three to two. Black is now at six vitality.
Black moves to E8 and decides to make Azure's life miserable, casting Pulling Point to drag Azure to A4. Azure is dealt four damage, bringing them down to three again and adding one die to Black's next attack. This also brings Black's spirit down to zero.

In round eleven, Black gets two successes to Azure's none, going first. The ball is now in Black's court, they move to C6 and attack with a minus one penalty. It ties at three to three!
Azure takes advantage of this kindness in moving closer to them, moving to B6 and attacking three times. The first is two to two, the second is three to two, the third is three to three. Black is now at five vitality.

This round begins with Black going first (two to nothing) and moving to E6 to attack. The rest is an infuriating two to two, dealing no damage.
Azure follows, moving to D6. But instead of simply attacking, Azure decides to do something very mean, casting Singeing Dose on their opponent. They get four successes, dealing one damage now and giving Black three rounds to prevent being brought down to one vitality.

Black gets one to nothing this round, going first. As part of this gamble, they begin by moving to G5 (upper) and attempting to meditate. They get three successes, and wish they had used Nature to qualify for their class.
Azure moves to F6. They then move to the vertical space below G5 (upper) and makes an attack. They get one to two, dealing no damage. They then move to F6 (upper) and attack again at three to one. They finish by moving to H5 (upper) and attacking again, getting four to two. This, along with the second activation of Singeing Dose, does a grand total of five damage, one more than Black's current vitality. Black is shoved off the balcony and has just enough time to bemoan not having healing light before the ground makes their acquaintance.

Black's (failed) plan to survive Singeing Dose:

1. Run away and meditate.
2. If meditated to full, use transmuter's advantage to change armor to energy. If not, cast Warding Bond on self at highest possible level. Continue running.
3. Move to optimal distance, attack, and use shield booster in case Azure survives.

[Duvors]

Quick recommendation; I suggest the section in the rules regarding character points should be changed to the following:

Character Points (10 starting points)
 - Increasing Proficiencies coasts CP equal to the rank the proficiency is increased to (ie. increasing a proficiency to rank 1 to 2 requires 2 points, increasing from rank 2 to 3 requires 3 etc.)
 - Increasing Attributes (Vitality, Velocity, Strength, Skill, Smarts, Spirit) costs 2 CP for every +1 rank.

I also suggest that this practice of referring to tiers of proficiencies and attributes as 'ranks' should be extended throughout the rules. This should reduce unwieldy wording and hopefully aid in reader comprehension and memorization.

[Waterbrick Down]

3 hours ago, Duvors said:

Quick recommendation; I suggest the section in the rules regarding character points should be changed to the following:

Character Points (10 starting points)
 - Increasing Proficiencies coasts CP equal to the rank the proficiency is increased to (ie. increasing a proficiency to rank 1 to 2 requires 2 points, increasing from rank 2 to 3 requires 3 etc.)
 - Increasing Attributes (Vitality, Velocity, Strength, Skill, Smarts, Spirit) costs 2 CP for every +1 rank.

I also suggest that this practice of referring to tiers of proficiencies and attributes as 'ranks' should be extended throughout the rules. This should reduce unwieldy wording and hopefully aid in reader comprehension and memorization.

Good point, will add to the new revision. I’ve been keeping my eye out for ways to standardize, so if there’s any other simplifications let me know.

[Zepher]

So just so I understand how ranged weapons work: in Round 3 of the Hydra combat that's currently running Varen has an optimal range of 3. So his scores, with diagonals counting as one, would be:
No penalty: Calyx A, Calyx B
-1 penalty (one outside optimal range): Hydra Sprout A
-2 penalty (two outside optimal range): Meiospore A, B, Hydra Sprout C, D

Is that right?

[Waterbrick Down]

10 minutes ago, Zepher said:

So just so I understand how ranged weapons work: in Round 3 of the Hydra combat that's currently running Varen has an optimal range of 3. So his scores, with diagonals counting as one, would be:
No penalty: Calyx A, Calyx B
-1 penalty (one outside optimal range): Hydra Sprout A
-2 penalty (two outside optimal range): Meiospore A, B, Hydra Sprout C, D

Is that right?

From a quick glance at the fight, that should be correct.

[Wolfpackfan99]

What do you exactly mean when you say “signature”? 

[Classic_Spaceman]

54 minutes ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

What do you exactly mean when you say “signature”? 

Click your username in the top right corner of the page, select "Account Settings" from the dropdown menu, then look at the menu on the left side of the page - You should see "Signature" towards the bottom. 
 

[Wolfpackfan99]

3 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Click your username in the top right corner of the page, select "Account Settings" from the dropdown menu, then look at the menu on the left side of the page - You should see "Signature" towards the bottom. 
 

Thanks I found that. Just a quick question, what actually is a signature? I just became a member a couple weeks ago and I am a bit confused.

[Classic_Spaceman]

1 minute ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

Thanks I found that. Just a quick question, what actually is a signature? I just became a member a couple weeks ago and I am a bit confused.

Similar to email signatures, they are standard text/images/links/etc that automatically appear at the end of posts. Toggle "View Signatures?" to on, and you will be able to see those of other members. 
 

[Wolfpackfan99]

10 minutes ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Similar to email signatures, they are standard text/images/links/etc that automatically appear at the end of posts. Toggle "View Signatures?" to on, and you will be able to see those of other members. 
 

Okay thanks for the help. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

[Classic_Spaceman]

50 minutes ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

Okay thanks for the help. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Not a problem! 👍
 

BTW, do you want to join the game, or were you just asking about signatures? 
 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Classic_Spaceman

[Wolfpackfan99]

2 hours ago, Classic_Spaceman said:

Not a problem! 👍
 

BTW, do you want to join the game, or were you just asking about signatures? 
 

Yes I do want to join the game.

[Classic_Spaceman]

22 minutes ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

Yes I do want to join the game.

Nice! 👍
The rules are in the first post of this thread, the backstory and lore are here, the species are here, your character sheet will need to be posted here, and you can start interacting with NPCs, and other PCs, here (once your character is created). 

Also, if you have any questions, you can ask them here or in the General Discussion thread. 
 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Classic_Spaceman

[Duvors]

@Wolfpackfan99 Just so you know, you're allowed to spend your first ten CP for free as part of character creation. You only need to visit the Training Room to reassign points or spend additional points over your initial ten.

Also, Welcome!

Edited February 19, 2022 by Duvors

[Wolfpackfan99]

I’ve noticed in the training room that it requires a minimum of 5 required proficiencies per class. I was just curious if having more than one of the required proficiencies on a slide in that specific class would count. For example, if a slide required 3 proficiencies, and I had 2 of those 3, would I have 2 for that class, or just 1?

Unfortunately when I created my character, I did not know what the difference between kinetic and elemental weapons were. Is it okay to change my weapon from kinetic to elemental?

[Duvors]

1 hour ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

I’ve noticed in the training room that it requires a minimum of 5 required proficiencies per class. I was just curious if having more than one of the required proficiencies on a slide in that specific class would count. For example, if a slide required 3 proficiencies, and I had 2 of those 3, would I have 2 for that class, or just 1?

To quote directly from the topic:

On 5/19/2021 at 10:00 AM, Waterbrick Down said:

Classes

Picking a class means you have a minimum of 5 in one of the Required Proficiencies. You may change classes in-between missions, but only if you meet the required Minimum Proficiency. Classes are also loosely grouped into six roles or playstyles each corresponding to a different color: Controller, Damage, Defender, Specialist, Support

It says that you require a minimum of 5 in one of the required proficiencies. Splitting ranks between multiple proficiencies doesn't count. If it did, a person could gain access to a class for just three CP, whereas the current system requires at least fourteen (or fifteen, if you aren't using one of your free proficiencies). Classes are meant to be optional rewards for dedication.
Also, the part I've bolded out of your original post reads as your saying you need five individual proficiencies rather than five ranks in one proficiency. This is also incorrect, you only need one proficiency at five ranks.

1 hour ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

Unfortunately when I created my character, I did not know what the difference between kinetic and elemental weapons were. Is it okay to change my weapon from kinetic to elemental?

Go right ahead. 

[Waterbrick Down]

3 hours ago, Wolfpackfan99 said:

I’ve noticed in the training room that it requires a minimum of 5 required proficiencies per class. I was just curious if having more than one of the required proficiencies on a slide in that specific class would count. For example, if a slide required 3 proficiencies, and I had 2 of those 3, would I have 2 for that class, or just 1?

Unfortunately when I created my character, I did not know what the difference between kinetic and elemental weapons were. Is it okay to change my weapon from kinetic to elemental?

Hi Wolfpackfan99, feel free to use the helpful calculator if you need help distributing your stats with your starting points. Link below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q8ul1skWZEDzqRMRO7p-nVDEoWEZtcODYleuNC1Jloo/edit?usp=sharing

As Duvors shared, Classes are for when your character has advanced to a point where they have a rank of 5 in one of the relevant Proficiencies. Until you go on your first mission, you're also free to make changes as you see fit to your character as nothing has really happened to them yet.

I've also taken the liberty to edit your character pic to a standard size, feel free to copy/paste from there. If you'd ever like someone to create another avatar for you, feel free to let us know which pieces you'd like used and there's lots of folks who enjoy figbarfing. :)

[Wolfpackfan99]

9 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

Hi Wolfpackfan99, feel free to use the helpful calculator if you need help distributing your stats with your starting points. Link below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q8ul1skWZEDzqRMRO7p-nVDEoWEZtcODYleuNC1Jloo/edit?usp=sharing

As Duvors shared, Classes are for when your character has advanced to a point where they have a rank of 5 in one of the relevant Proficiencies. Until you go on your first mission, you're also free to make changes as you see fit to your character as nothing has really happened to them yet.

I've also taken the liberty to edit your character pic to a standard size, feel free to copy/paste from there. If you'd ever like someone to create another avatar for you, feel free to let us know which pieces you'd like used and there's lots of folks who enjoy figbarfing. :)

Thank you. 

[Duvors]

@Classic_Spaceman

Currently, no rules for elevation are actually in effect, though I did include them in my test fights for completeness' sake. I don't know if Kinto for is using my rules or a different system, so I can't comment on this specific fight in more detail.