HiLo Heroes Re-release Under CC

With the announcement of HiLo Heroes' re-release under a Creative Commons license, I have spent a little time thinking about what I would want to do with it. Obviously I would love to see a Fantasy Rules / Setting supplement, but do I have the time, drive, or ability to pull such a project off? Probably, but would it be of the quality that I would force upon myself? I hope so. I am not, nor have I ever been, the most articulate and persevering person in the world...

Now, with the self lamination out of the way, where to begin?

I think one of the issues that might arise is the granularity of Powers. What I mean by this is, within a Supers setting, everyone is... well Super. If you look at Dan's blog, Sword and Board, where he has been doing tons of awesome write-ups, you can notice that the Heroes/Villains range from about a +1 to +6, in what I have coined as a TL (or Training Level, which equates to advancements). In addition, there is seldom a single "Power" over a +3. This is not a dig on the characters that Dan creates, or re-images, but rather an unintentional design limitation, IMHO.

The +3 limit in any given power is kind of like a commonsense modifier limit. I think it harkens back to the days of the D6 rules set, where if you ever had a +3 pip modifier you added another die. And, by my way of thinking, you might as well, since it equates to something more than what the average would be on several d6 rolls. I don't know if that is a feasible option though currently with HiLo Heroes without making it a different feeling game. Which I have no desire to do! It's simplicity is it's charm. I have no desire to add more dice to the mix.

This gets me to wondering about simple fantasy staples like armor, or even ~shudder~ magical armor. Even in it's most minimalistic form, conventional fantasy has three tiers of armor; light, medium, and heavy. Just by giving something a heavy armor, presumably a +3 to Block Mundane, you have made an impressive foe.

When I have made fantasy characters / monsters in the past on this blog, I have kinda stuck to the mentality of, "What is this type of character / monster known for?" This approach, which may not be a bad thing, could have two characters, each with a +1 "armor" vs. Blocking Mundane, being differentiated by descriptions. Example; Heavy Plated Knight or Swift Footed Vagabond. Both legitimately getting a +1 to their Block Mundane. One using chitinous plates, the other using rapid footwork, to impose air between themselves and an attack.

I suppose the granularity could be expanded with d8s or d10s, but that kind of piddles on the spirit of HiLo Heroes in my mind.

Definitely something I am going to have to think about and address, should I want to move forward with such a project.

Thoughts?
TB

HiLo Monster: Goblins

Second post of the day, I'm on a roll! The Necromancer needed minions!

Goblins, I must confess, are my favorite monster. If I DM a game, expect to see some form of Goblin around at any level.

So, HiLo Goblins:



Archer

Notes 
Goblins are "Thugs" and as such have fewer Life, but can roll for Blocking
Goblins have two weaknesses, and compensate with an additional 'Power'.

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [X] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers:
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [X] Low (C)  [X] Weak
    Targeting Powers: Hail of Arrows +1
Evade Die:  [X] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (DO NOT add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers: Shortbow +1
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [X] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Leather Armor +1

Stats
TL: 0
Life: 3
Training: Stealthy Bugger (Evade +1)
Doubles: 0
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Shaman

Notes 
Goblins are "Thugs" and as such have fewer Life, but can roll for Blocking
Goblins have two weaknesses, and compensate with an additional 'Power'.

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [X] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers: Quick as a Whip! +1
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [X] Low (C)  [X] Weak
    Targeting Powers:
Evade Die:  [X] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers: Lost in the Crowd +1
Damage Die (DO NOT add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers:
    Fantastic Attack Powers: Mischievous Deeds +1
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [X] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Protected by Choas +1

Stats
TL: 1
Life: 4 
Training: Sizin' 'em Up (To Hit +1) 
Doubles: 0 (30 Doubles spent on 4th Power, 3rd Power free for second weakness)
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Blade

Notes 
Goblins are "Thugs" and as such have fewer Life, but can roll for Blocking
Goblins have two weaknesses, and compensate with an additional 'Power'.

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [X] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers:
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [X] Low (C)  [X] Weak
    Targeting Powers: Attack in Numbers +1
Evade Die:  [X] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers:
Damage Die (DO NOT add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers: Jagged Blade +1
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [X] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Leather Armor and Shield +2

Stats
TL: 1
Life: 4
Training: Stealthy Bugger (Evade +1)

Doubles: 0 (30 Doubles spent on 4th Power, 3rd Power free for second weakness)
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Assassin

Notes 
Goblins are "Thugs" and as such have fewer Life, but can roll for Blocking
Goblins have two weaknesses, and compensate with an additional 'Power'.
Goblin Assassin continually lick their blades making them quite deadly (equivalent to a +2)

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [  ] Logical  [X] Intuitive
Temperament:  [  ] Bold  [X] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)  [  ] Weak
    Movement Powers: Quick as a Whip! +1
To Hit Die:  [  ] High (B) [X] Low (C)  [X] Weak
    Targeting Powers:
Evade Die:  [X] High (C)  [  ] Low (B)  [  ] Weak
    Evasion Powers: From the Shadows +1

Damage Die (DO NOT add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)  [  ] Weak
    Mundane Attack Powers: Poisoned Blade +1 (Reduce Opponent's Evade -1 on a Hit)
    Fantastic Attack Powers:
Block Mundane Die:  [  ] High (L)  [X] Low (I)  [X] Weak
Block Fantastic Die:  [X] High (I)  [  ] Low (L)  [  ] Weak
    Barrier Powers: Leather Armor +1

Stats
TL: 1
Life: 4
Training: Stealthy Bugger (Evade +1)

Doubles: 0 (30 Doubles spent on 4th Power, 3rd Power free for second weakness)

HiLo Villian: Necromancer

Dan, of Sword and Board, has renewed my interest into HiLo Heroes, written by Jeff Moore. To be honest, I never lost interest in it. I just have no one to play a Supers game with, and I am not all that big of a fan of the Super's Genre. But I intend to press on, focusing on how to incorporate it into more of a Fantasy or Punk setting.

So, without further ado: PANDORA (Necromancer)
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Identity
Hero Name: Pandora 
Civilian Name: Vineal Gith
Professional Career: Taxidermist
Hobby Career: Madam
Charge: Daughters Corpse

Notes
Vineal Gith was a small town Taxidermist, making trophies of Adventurer's kills, until the death of her only child. Now she seeks out a way to revive her. How, she does not care.

Template
Build:  [X] Quick  [  ] Powerful
Mentality:  [X] Logical  [  ] Intuitive
Temperament:  [X] Bold  [  ] Cautious

Action Dice and Powers
Move Die:  [X] High (Q)  [  ] Low (P)
    Movement Powers: Weakness - Walk of the Dead
To Hit Die:  [X] High (B) [  ] Low (C)
    Targeting Powers:
Evade Die:  [  ] High (C)  [X] Low (B)
    Evasion Powers: Martial Dodge +2
Damage Die (add +1):  [  ] High (P)  [X] Low (Q)
    Mundane Attack Powers: Poisoned Blade +1
    Fantastic Attack Powers: Life Drain +1 
Block Mundane Die:  [X] High (L)  [  ] Low (I)
Block Fantastic Die:  [  ] High (I)  [X] Low (L)
    Barrier Powers: Invulnerable +1, Leather Armor +1

Stats
Life: 12 
Training: Undead Minion (Phantasmal Force), Damage +1, Mundane 
Training Level: 4
Doubles: 0 (60 spent: 4 Powers, 2 Life)


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Doubles really should be (30+40+50+20 for Powers, or three additional Powers with one increased to a +2, +20 Life = 160 Doubles!). I don't like the exponential increase in cost for them at moment, for Powers. Granted it is easier to increase an already existing Power, but I will have to ruminate on this a bit. Just how long would it take to roll 160 doubles?! Play-testing required!

Thoughts?

TB