Heroica RPG Rules & FAQ

[LordoftheNoobs]

On that note, my new broomstick defies SP. Can that still apply when casting spells through it?

[CMP]

On that note, my new broomstick defies SP. Can that still apply when casting spells through it?

I think unless explicitly stated otherwise weapon effects don't channel through spells.

[Sandy]

Does the Sage SHIELD still cost 2 Ether without a gem?

I guess the ether cost is halved in that case, as well.

Sheesh, you're asking some very specific questions!

On that note, my new broomstick defies SP. Can that still apply when casting spells through it?

No, weapon effects don't apply to spells or healing.

[Flipz]

Yeah, being very specific because I may need to pull in an ally NPC but I don't want to deal with the damage output they'd have with their gem.

[StickFig]

Has it ever been discussed whether there is required to be at least one character in the front row of a battle? I'm wondering if that might be an interesting mechanic... QMs could provide situations where an obstacle (the counter in a bar, a fence in a pasture, a cart in the road) allow all heroes to fight from the back row, but I've been wondering: when they're all in the back row, who are they behind?

[Chromeknight]

Caution. Head canon ahead.

I've always read row as a difference of intent.

That is, fighting in the 'front row' is going on the offensive. Being less concerned with personal safety than with dealing a good hit.

Conversely, 'back row' is being defensive, moving, using cover etc, at the cost of a less effective strike.

So it's not (directly) about physical proximity to enemies.

[Sandy]

In my thinking heroes can keep a distance from enemies even if there's nobody in front of them. But still, a good point.

[Waterbrick Down]

It would be an interesting concept, it would promote the defensive nature in high SP classes as they are literally defending the squishies from taking more damage If they hold the front line.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Waterbrick Down

[Capt.JohnPaul]

That's a cool idea, and maybe all enemy free hits go to the heroes in the front row, and if there aren't enough front row heroes to defend from the hits, the free hits go to those in the backrow. But I'm afraid this would be too complicated.

[Flipz]

Didn't the final battle of Baltarok basically do just that with the positioning system? Didn't pretty much everyone find it frustrating and/or unfair at one point or another?

Instead of punishing or discouraging Back Row use (which is easily and fairly enough done with Row-dependent and/or entire-row Specials), why not reward taking risks with the Front Row? The Fields do it via a special Glory Point challenge, surely we can come up with something similar related to our specific Quests' situations if we want a specific battle to encourage Front Row use.

[Endgame]

Perhaps:

Caught Off Guard: This enemy didn't expect such a speedy assault from the heroes. All attacks from the front row pierce this enemy's SP.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Endgame

[JimBee]

Or:

Enraged: Hero must fight from the front row.

[StickFig]

Didn't the final battle of Baltarok basically do just that with the positioning system? Didn't pretty much everyone find it frustrating and/or unfair at one point or another?

I think a lot of the frustration with the bridge battle had to do with having to use a turn to move between sections and an ambiguous set of rules - did it take one turn per section, or one turn to move no matter how far? I still don't know - rather than having to maintain a front row. If no other mechanics are changed - moving between rows is still a free action, etc - I think it would add a lot of interest to battles.

That's a cool idea, and maybe all enemy free hits go to the heroes in the front row, and if there aren't enough front row heroes to defend from the hits, the free hits go to those in the backrow. But I'm afraid this would be too complicated.

I think that sounds cool, and it's actually only a little more complicated that what we use now. It's still probably a bridge too far, and I think that the idea of a "free hit" is that every PC is occupied, so no one can handle the remaining enemies, so they are free to hit whomever they like (ie whoever is first in the battle order ).

Caught Off Guard: This enemy didn't expect such a speedy assault from the heroes. All attacks from the front row pierce this enemy's SP.

Enraged: Hero must fight from the front row.

Both of these are still just as interesting - or more so! - with a requirement of at least one hero in the front row. For instance, if a lower level or generally ranged (back row) character becomes *Enraged*, the party has to decide whether to stack the front row with healthier, shieldier (is that a word?) heroes or gamble and let the Enraged guy take a hit....

Edited July 21, 2014 by nstickney

[Sandy]

Both of these are still just as interesting - or more so! - with a requirement of at least one hero in the front row. For instance, if a lower level or generally ranged (back row) character becomes *Enraged*, the party has to decide whether to stack the front row with healthier, shieldier (is that a word?) heroes or gamble and let the Enraged guy take a hit....

Enraged has been an official negative effect for quite a while now.

[Bricksandparts]

I remember this was discussed before, but I'm not sure what was decided about it. Can Phoenix essences automatically kill undead? And if so, will this ability be negated if the undead is immune to instant kill?

[Sandy]

I remember this was discussed before, but I'm not sure what was decided about it. Can Phoenix essences automatically kill undead? And if so, will this ability be negated if the undead is immune to instant kill?

Yes, they can, and yes, it is negated by immunity to sudden death.

[Bricksandparts]

That got me to thinking, couldn't a Health core, banana, etc. used the same way?

[Sandy]

That got me to thinking, couldn't a Health core, banana, etc. used the same way?

In the past it has been ruled that those items do 50 damage to undead. But it's not exactly official.

[Flipz]

Missed moment of awesome: the Artifact for Mirror Amorith should have been an Artifact for Sages only that allowed their spells to inflict the effects of their weapons.

Speaking of that battle, what would the "Ultimate Artifact" for each class be? (I.E. if Skirmisher Arthur or Dragoon Thormanil fought their mirror counterparts like that.)

[Kintobor]

Speaking of that battle, what would the "Ultimate Artifact" for each class be? (I.E. if Skirmisher Arthur or Dragoon Thormanil fought their mirror counterparts like that.)

I'd personally like to know that, seeing as how I had an idea for a quest where the reward was the class upgrade artefact.

[Pyrovisionary]

For black knight? It'd be a shield that effected the Mortal part of the Mortal Hit effect or hide. i.e Corrupted Buckler (Sp: 5, Extra damage on Rolls of 2 or 3 is doubled. Suitable to Black knights)

[Kintobor]

Don't Black Knights have the armour that nullifies stunned?

[Pyrovisionary]

I have got both the Unholy armour and the Monkey armour and yet I would wear neither for I have to be immune to stunned. Both of which seem perfect for black knights if not for the required immunity to stunned.

[Sandy]

Speaking of that battle, what would the "Ultimate Artifact" for each class be? (I.E. if Skirmisher Arthur or Dragoon Thormanil fought their mirror counterparts like that.)

That's something for you guys to speculate.

For the record, these are the items Mirror Sorsha and Mirror Carrot would've dropped if their counterparts had participated into the battle:

Barbaric Helmet (SP:2; Power +3; suitable to barbarians; headwear)

Swift Boots (Changes HIDE into STEAL & HIDE, allowing the wearer to steal gold equal to the target’s level if it carries gold, in addition to hiding; suitable to rogues; footwear)

[Endgame]

Here's my take on it, for every class in heroica (gulp...)

-Barbarian: Makes Battle Frenzy do WP x2 +Level

-Cleric: Makes rolls of Miss and Damage (Lesser heal and No heal repsecitvely) Heal and Lesser Heal.

-Knights: Makes them immune to SP reduction.

-Mages: Exists.

-Rangers: Gives Animal Talk a Diplomatic bonus.

-Rogues: Earns five gold per succesful hit.

-Assassins: Exists.

-Battle Mage: Makes Extra Critical Hits have 4x WP instead of 3x WP.

-Beserker: Encourages themsleves on Critical Hits.

-Black Knight: Immunity to stunned.

-Druid: Heals themselves on healing rolls directed towards someone else.

-Evoker: Summons do double damage.

-Hunter: Favoring is a 4x multiplier instead of 3x.

-Mystic Knight: Minimum number of hits on Spellblade Spin would be 6.

-Paladin: Special Guard's odds are boosted to 100%.

-Raider: +10 power.

-Sage: Exists.

-Shaman: Exists.

-Sorceror: Exists.

-Warden: +10 Max HP.

-Witch: Exists.

-Alchemist: Exists.

-Artisan: 33% discount (rounded down) on everything in the Marketplace.

-Beast Warrior: Can counter on Damage rolls in both forms.

-Cannoneer: 50% discount on all bombs for sale.

-Chi Monk: +4 HP, Power, and SP.

-Dragoon: Enables track down and Animal Talk.

-Harlot: Gives 3 gold per enemy in a battle.

-Infiltrator: Strikes all enemies in the battle.

-Marauder: Exists.

-Minstrel: Exists.

-Necromancer: Allows Undead enemies to attack Demon and Dark enemies.

-Regulator: +5 HP, +5 SP

-Scholar: +10 Ether

-Skirmisher: Phalanx lasts four rounds.

-Winged Warrior: Gives the ability of Track Down.

-Archmage: Exists.

-Barbarian Chieftain: +13 Power

-Guardian Knight: +8 SP.

-High Cleric: Permanently transcended.

-Rogue Thief: Raises the odds of Special Dodge to 2/3.

-Sylvan ranger hits 4-24 times on an Ambush.

-Mime: +15 HP.

-Paragon: +15 Power.

-Prophet: + 15 Ether.

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A lot of it is rough, but it's just a few guesses/suggestions.