Conversion Document

Conversion Document
FROM: AD&D 2nd Edition
TO: HERO System 5th Edition
WARRIORS
Warriors are those who make their way through the world via skill at arms and physical exertion. Fictional Fantasy if full of all different sorts of Warriors, from thick-hewed axemen to lithe fencers, and every permutation in between and beyond. Many players want nothing more than a character that can wield a weapon and wield it well.
In AD&D 2nd Edition there were three basic types of Warriors available for play; Fighter, Paladin, and Ranger. The following guidelines provide advice on how to take an AD&D character from one of those classes and convert them into the HERO System.
FIGHTERS
Fighters are ultimately the deadliest hand to hand combatants in AD&D, surpassing all other classes and even other Warrior subclasses in sheer physical nastiness. Examples of Fighters in Fantasy Fiction range from Karl Culinane to Wulfgar son of Beornagar, King Arthur, and so on.
While other classes develop special abilities and practice arcane arts, Fighters concentrate on improving their fighting skills and developing their physical abilities.
In the HERO System, a Fighter would be well advised to put almost all of his points into more Combat Levels and into buying his Characteristics higher. Remember when increasing Characteristics, that everything costs double when you go above your character's Racial Characteristic Maxima.
Sample Fighter Package Deals
A number of Fighter Package Deals can be found here.
AD&D 2nd Edition Fighter Conversion
Consult the Fighter column of the AD&D 2nd Edition Class Level to Character Points Chart to determine how many Character Points your Character has available to them in the HERO System. Either use one of the Fighter Package Deals provided above or create your own.
FIGHTER CLASS ABILITY CONSIDERATIONS
Attacks per Round
More Attacks per Round was one of the major advantages Fighters had over most other Classes in AD&D 2e and bears special consideration when converting into the HERO System. For starters, all Characters are going to get more "attacks per round", or per minute to be more accurate, in the HERO System because the basic design of the combat system revolves around 12 second Turns in which all Characters make at least 1 action, and often many more than 1. There are several mechanisms available to ensure that Fighters specifically and Warriors generally maintain their edge in melee.
SPEED
The most direct method of increasing one's actions is to simply buy more SPEED. However since Fantasy HERO is a Heroic level game, with Normal Characteristic Maxima in place, this can get expensive once the Maxima has been hit. Due to the "force multiplying" effect of SPEED, many GM's will also actively resist Character concepts pertaining to increasing it too far. However, if your GM is amenable, even a single point of SPEED over the Characteristic Maxima can give a solid Warrior a definite edge and should be considered.
Killing Machine: +1 SPD (Over Characteristic Maxima); Real Cost: 20 points
Sweep
Sweep is a Maneuver accessible to all Characters for free which allows a Character to attack multiple opponents in HtH as long as they are within melee range, but at a stiff penalty. To ensure superiority at it, a Fighter could buy several +2 OCV Combat Skill Levels with Sweep.
Willow parted 4 Times: +6 OCV with SWEEP {allows 4 strikes without penalty}; Real Cost: 12 points
Naked Autofire
Alternately, with your GM's permission, you can buy Autofire x3 with up to a 4d6 HKA, OIF (Weapon of Opportunity (-1/2)). This is a personal ability inherent to the Character, an it is usable with any weapon of the appropriate type. This will enable your Warrior to strike multiple times with each attack as described under Autofire.
Flurry of Strikes: Naked Modifier, Autofire (3 shots; +1/4) (15 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity, -1/2) Costs 1 END; Real Cost: 10 points
Custom Power
Alternately, with your GM's permission, you can buy a special Attack Power that allows you to do damage to more than 1 opponent at a time. You can use variations on Area of Effect: Any Area with No Range to indicate an ability to accurately attack all the hexes adjacent to your character for example. This is likely the most expensive option presented, but also makes for interesting flavor for a given Character; also, don't forget the advantage of only needing to hit a hexes DCV of 3! Presented below is an example of this sort of Power.
Reaping the Whirlwind: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD), +1 STUN Multiplier (+1/4), Area Of Effect (4" Any Area; +1) (67 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity; -1/2), All hexes must be adjacent to own hex (-1/2) Costs 7 END; Real Cost: 33 points
Weapon Specialization
A feature unique to the Fighter (at least originally), this ability was a significant advantage in terms of sheer punishment that a Fighter with his chosen weapon in hand could dish out. Fortunately, there are endless variations on how to accomplish this in the HERO System.
Combat Skill Levels
Simply buying CSL's with your attacks goes a long way towards covering Weapon Specialization. Don't forget that CSL's can also be converted into extra damage.
Specialized: +5 OCV with {Weapon}, +4 OCV HtH; Only to Convert to Damage when using {Weapon} (-2); Real Cost: 17 points
Martial Arts
You can buy a custom Martial Art for the weapon of choice, granting you interesting attacks and some secondary benefits that are difficult to match. Consider the Fencer example given for Martial Arts for ideas on how to do this for a give weapon, and consult the Ultimate Martial Artist by HERO Games for more details on custom arts and maneuvers.
Hack & Slash Weapon Art (Weapon Based): 5 Hack & Slash: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, Weapon +4 DC Strike 5 Back & Slash: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, Weapon Strike 4 Parry: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; +10 STR to Disarm roll 4 Blade Bind: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Bind, +10 STR 4 Escape Bind: var Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, +15 STR to escape Bind 4 Slash-back: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike, Must Follow Block 4 Ward off: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 0 Weapon Element: Weapon of Choice 2 PS: Weapon Master 2 KS: Hack & Slash Style 38 Points Real Cost
Power Treatment
Another very viable way to depict mastery of a weapon is to buy 1 or more powers (typically HKA) with OIF: {Weapon} of Opportunity. Variable SFX can also be applied to allow you to use the attack with more than just one type of weapon.
Sword Master: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD), Autofire (3 shots; +1/4), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1) (67 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity, -1/2); Real Cost: 45 points
Alternately, with GM Permission, you can avoid the upfront cost of the Power and simply buy Advantages as Naked Power Advantages. A Fighter that could apply Armor Piercing, Autofire x3, or Penetrating to their attacks would be deadly indeed. This approach is much cheaper, and some GM's might restrict it as part of an ongoing effort to counter power scaling.
Flurry of Strikes: Naked Modifier, Autofire (3 shots; +1/4) on up to 4d6 Killing Damage (15 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity, -1/2) Costs 1 END; Real Cost: 10 points
Punishing Strike: Naked Modifier, Penetrating +1/2 on up to 4d6 Killing Damage (30 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity, -1/2) Costs 3 END; Real Cost: 20 points
Accurate Strike: Naked Modifier, Armor Piercing +1/2 on up to 4d6 Killing Damage (30 Active Points); OIF (Sword of Opportunity, -1/2) Costs 3 END; Real Cost: 20 points
Follower
In 2nd Edition people would hear about what a bad ass a Fighter was, and would show up to follow them, automatically once the Fighter got to a certain Level threshold. There are a few ways to handle this in the HERO System detailed here.
Strongholds
In 2nd Edition a Fighter would eventually end up with an estate of some sort if they survived long enough. There are a few ways to handle this in the HERO System.
Treat them as Story Elements
The GM might be persuaded to treat them as Story Elements completely under is own control.
The place where I currently live at the GM's whim: Real Cost: 0 points
Ignore them
If the Stronghold doesn't actually do anything for your Character, don't worry about it; it's just background flavor.
The Crib: Real Cost: 0 points
Base Perk
The most straightforward (and expensive) method is to simply buy the Stronghold using the Base Perk.
The Castle: Base (115 Cost, 0 Disadvantages) Real Cost: 23 points
Source of Income
Another way to look at a Stronghold or the like is as the SFX of the Money perk. The only relevance of the property to your Character is that it generates cash flow. You might even own several such locations, which all generate a tidy little fortune for you.
Fantasy Tycoon: Money: Well Off (5 Active Points); OIF Immobile Durable (Castle and fief; -1 1/2); Real Cost: 2 points
EXOTIC WARRIORS
Exotic Warriors are those who develop special abilities, often magical, in addition to their martial skills but are still primarily warriors. There are an unlimited number of different 'types' of Exotic Warriors; many 'types' consist of a single unique individual. These types range from Warriors who are granted gifts from a greater being in return for service and worship, to rakish swashbucklers who've learned a thing or two about second story work, to Psionic wild talents to Spell slinging swordsmen, etc, ad infinitum. Examples in literature range from Perrin Aybara to Drizz't Do'Urden, from Mark of Tasvalta to Haplo of the Nexus.
Sample Paladin Package Deals
A number of Paladin Package Deals can be found here.
Sample Ranger Package Deals
A number of Fighter Ranger Deals can be found here.
AD&D 2nd Edition Exotic Warrior Conversion
Consult the Exotic Warrior column of the AD&D 2nd Edition Class Level to Character Points Chart to determine how many Character Points your Character has available to them in the HERO System. Either use one of the Exotic Warrior Package Deals provided above or create your own.
Exotic Warriors in AD&D 2nd Edition
There were two 'types' of Exotic Warriors available for PC use in AD&D 2nd Edition; the Paladin and the Ranger. With the use of the various Handbooks and the Players Option: Skills and Powers book this number expanded quite a bit. Also, old school players can remember the glorious days of Unearthed Arcana and the many (admittedly unbalanced) options contained therein, such as the Barbarian, and before that the days of Assassins and Monks. Many of these classes have made a return to D&D 3e, and for good reason: they added a lot of flavor to the game.
EXOTIC WARRIOR CLASS ABILITY CONSIDERATIONS
Since each type of Exotic Warrior is a unique entity unto itself, there are few tips to give in general. FSor the common Warrior abilities see above under AD&D 2nd Edition Fighter Conversion Fighter Class Ability Conversions for many ideas that apply to Exotic Warriors as well as Fighters.