[LFP] Hero System 5th Edition Standard Superheroic Campaign set in Boston

Standard, Bronze Age Superhero Campaign in the Avengers/JLA mold using Hero System 5th Edition rules. I might introduce some house rules but I mostly plan to play it off-the-shelf. No campaign timetable or end in sight...it will run as long as everybody is interested (predominantly me) and the campaign makes sense to continue. Every other Saturday night from 7pm EST until 12am EST (there is some wiggle room here, but I have other games I am involved in and a wife and kids). A couple of words about me and my expectations: Skype. It's what's for dinner. I don't like minmaxing/optimizing of characters because they create balance issues. If I think that's what's happening, I'll point it out and "suggest" changes. Hero is notorious for that. I don't like metagaming because it dilutes any immersion and in-game drama that could be going on. If I point that stuff out and you don't get the hint, well it probably won't work out. You have to have a decent mic and internet connection. You really should own either Hero System 5th edition or Hero Designer (character creation software). Without those, there will be some real issues with character creation and management.I would consider someone that didn't have those, but there would be some work involved and you would have to commit to picking up one or more of those. I would like to start out with four players, with possibly more being added later if I can get it running smoothly (Hero has notoriously long combats). Ideally, each player would make a character from a list of archetypes (which fit the comic book expectations nicely): Brick, Energy Projector, Gadgeteer, Martial Artist, Mentalist, Mystic, Powered Armor, Speedster, and others that are a bit more vague. PM me if you are interested and we can discuss on Roll20 and over Skype (in other words, I will make you apply with a character, answer some questions and chat over Skype). Let's go fight some crime.

Looks like we have our Brick and Energy Projector.  Also, the game is likely to start around 8pm EAT.

Hi, I live in LA, PST. Your times are 10 pm to 3 am for me, which would not be good for me.. I would love to join, as I am an experienced Hero System GM, and have been looking for a supers game for ... many months. How much wiggle room in your schedule are you talking about?

Unfortunately, this game is likely to actually start about an hour LATER than posted (8pm EST instead of 7pm) in order to accommodate myself and my two other current (prospective...we haven't started yet) players. There might be some wiggle room, but not much and probably not room that causes the game to start earlier. 

Well, it was a good try. Thanks for letting me know. =)

If you are PST and the game is EST it will start 3 hours earlier not later for you. Which will be 5pm - 9pm your time.

RIiht. lol. I can't believe I missed that.  Well, yes I can. I am busy as heck and half-assed a number of my posts. Thanks, Doittoit. Yes, my game starting at 8pm EST will be at 5pm PST.

And for those that care.... Character Ability Guidelines (with Maximum/Exception values in parenthesis). "MAx" values are the highest values for a category. Players may select One category that they can raise to the Exception value. Characteristics (30/40)...STR is up for discussion if you are a Brick. SPD (5/7) Combat Values (11/13) Damage Classes (12/14)...yes, the AP limitation is overlooked for a single attack. Active Points (60/75) Skill Points (60/80) Skill Rolls (13-/15-) If you have a 30 in a "skill stat" then that's fine, just no levels to boost them. Defense (20/25) and Resistant Defense (10/12)...if Defense is your thing, then you could take the MAX in both normal and resistant. Power Frameworks (One/Two) For example, you can have a 30 DEX and a 7 SPD, but you can't have a 40 DEX and a 7 SPD. You can have a single 14d6 attack , but you can't have multiple 14d6 attacks. You can have Two power frameworks, but they must come in at 60 AP or less. These are a little bit fudgy and I will overlook some things that I believe won't be game-breaking, will fill a necessary void within the group, or else just makes sense based on how I described the limitations. I'll still nitpick and fuss over it though...it is my nature.

Looking forward to to game Criss

I've got a Brick and an Energy Projector...if you are working something up, please try not to step too roughly on those toes.

I'll talk to you later tonight John! If my family allows for it.

Question: are you knowledgeable enough in this system to basically give a Layman's explanation of it in depth? Like, sort of a "Zero session" to explain things and build characters and such? 

Yes. With a couple of caveats. I am pretty close now to having a full group of four players, barring the unexpected. Also, because Hero is a "point buy" system, there's a ton of options and different ways to do things that can overwhelm anybody. A Zero Session might give you a taste of gameplay and some character recipe ideas, but it wont make the whole thing make sense right away. Lastly...roll20 doesn't have a lot of built in support for a game like Hero, which uses original dice rolling conventions and speed/initiative tracking. So it will appear pretty clunky and combat can take some time even when it all works out. I will plan on putting something together like you just described. But I can't say it will happen before I recruit my last couple of players.