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The D&D and HERO System Skill Lists
line up pretty well, and it should generally
be pretty clear what the HERO System equivalent
is to a D&D Skill. A few exceptions
include:
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- Balance: A literal translation of
this ability would be Environment Movement
Levels to offset penalties for narrow surfaces,
or else a use of the Breakfall Skill. The
Breakfall Skill is recommended.
- Bluff: Aspects of this Skill fall
under several of the Interaction Skills;
however Persuasion is generally the closest
fit if you are on a budget. The Combat application
of Bluff to do Feints is best handled using
a new Skill introduced in The Ultimate Skill
called Feint.
- Climb: This maps directly to the
Climbing Skill in the HERO System. However,
if a Character has an exceptionally high
Climbing Skill, 15 or more Ranks for instance,
the GM might allow the Character to simply
buy the Clinging Power, limited to not allow
clinging to ceilings and similar over the
top abilities.
- Concentration: This Skill has no
real parallel in the HERO System, but the
Power Skill could be adapted to this purpose
if you chose. The conversions of the various
D&D Magic Systems do not make use of
Concentration, so you can ignore it entirely
if you like (and your GM concurs).
- Craft: Craft Skills typically map
to Professional Skills (PS) on a one for
one basis. The Poison aspects of Craft are
best handled by a new Skill introduced in
The Ultimate Skill called Poisoning.
- Decipher Script: This could be modeled
many ways in the HERO System, but the Cryptography
Skill is probably the most straightforward
way to handle it.
- Diplomacy: Conversation is the closest
match for this Skill.
- Disable Device: Security Systems
is the closest match for this Skill. However
since this is primarily a Rogue ability
this is covered in more detail in the
Rogue Conversion document.
- Escape Artist: Contortionist
is the closest match for this Skill.
- Gather Information: This is primarily
a function of Conversation (and role-playing)
in the HERO System. However depending on
the element of society one is moving in
either High Society or Streetwise would
also be useful, and Deduction would be a
good related Skill to make sense out of
the information gained.
- Heal: Paramedics is the closest match
for this Skill.
- Hide & Move Silently: Both these
Skills are covered by Stealth in the HERO
System. However since most Characters that
have one have both it is recommended that
they take Concealment for their Hide equivalent
and Stealth for their Move Silently equivalent.
This is not an exact conversion, but the
two abilities go well with one another in
the HERO System. Since this is primarily
a Rogue ability it is covered in more detail
in the
Rogue Conversion document.
- Intimidate: There isn't an Intimidate
Skill in the HERO System, but the idea of
a PRE Attack fills that role. Buy 1 point
of PRE as a Power with the Limitation "Offensive
Use Only" for each Rank in Intimidate.
- Jump: There is no direct Skill equivalent
for this ability. Some aspects of it could
be covered by the Acrobatics ability, or
a Character could just buy a few more inches
of Leaping, and / or with GM permission
the Accurate Adder for their innate Leaping.
Recommend that you simply equate every four
(4) ranks of Jumping with 1 point of extra
Leap.
- Perform: Depending on the nature
of performance this could be the Acting
Skill or one or more Professional Skills
related to a particular form of performance.
Additionally a new Skill introduced in The
Ultimate Skill called Music Instrument Familiarity
is relevant as well.
- Sense Motive: This Skill doesn't
have an exact match in the HERO System;
its most closely an aspect of Conversation.
However just for ease of use and to avoid
doubling up on Conversation (which is a
stronger match for other Skills), the Interrogation
Skill is recommended; the GM should allow
a casual "Interrogation" in the
form of normal conversation to get a feel
for if they are being lied to.
- Search: This ability does not have
a pure corollary in the HERO System. Some
of its functionality is covered by PER,
but in general either the Concealment Skill
(which is useful both for hiding and detecting
hidden things) or a custom Detect or Sense
Power are appropriate for modeling this
Skill. Since this is primarily a Rogue ability
this is covered in more detail in the
Rogue Conversion document.
- Spellcraft: A conversion of this
Skill is provided
here. However, the individual Magic
System Conversion documents discuss its
use vs. the use of KS based "School
Skills". Consult with your GM prior
to converting this Skill.
- Spot and Listen: both of these
abilities are a function of the Perception
(PER) ability that all Character have in
the HERO System; to convert a high Spot
and or Listen simply buy Enhanced PER Bonuses;
levels usable with 1 Sense Group cost 2
Character Points, while levels usable with
all Sense Groups cost 3 Character Points.
If a Character has levels in both Spot and
Listen, where possible combine 2 point levels
with either Sight and Hearing together for
3 point All PER levels.
- Swim: As with Jump, this does not
have a Skill equivalent in the HERO System.
The most direct conversion is to simply
take one or more extra inches of Swimming
for your Character.
- Tumble: Acrobatics most closely matches
the functionality of this Skill.
- Use Magic Device: There is no corollary
for this Skill in the HERO System. As its
rooted in a concept that has no real equivalent
in the HERO System, you can either ignore
it entirely or else discuss alternatives
with your GM.
- Use Rope: There is no corollary to
this Skill in the HERO System, but
PS: Rope Use could certainly be taken as
an equivalent.
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SKILL LEVELS |
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Skill Ranks are harder to convert due to
the differences between the d20 linear probability
model and the HERO System Bell Curve probability
model. In the HERO System the greatest benefit
is gained in the first step from an 11-
to a 12-.
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However, as a rough rule of thumb you can
divide the D&D 3e Skill Levels (not
counting any stat bonuses) by four (4) and
buy that many +1 bonuses with the equivalent
Skill in the HERO System. As usual, round
in the Character's favor. |
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Base Skill |
3 |
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Base Skill +1 |
5 |
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Base Skill +2 |
7 |
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Base Skill +3 |
9 |
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Base Skill +4 |
11 |
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... |
... |
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For D&D Skills that translate into HERO
System Skills (rather than some other mechanic)
don't take a bonus for the HERO System Skill
if the D&D version has five (5) or less
Ranks. |
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The adjoining chart summarizes the typical
costs. |
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(Base Skill Bonus-4) / 4 = +1 to HERO System
Skill |
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ALL SKILL AND OVERALL LEVELS |
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Once a Character's Skills have been converted,
if they have +1 levels with four Skills,
consider taking an 8 point All Skill level
rather than a +1 with each of the four Skills.
If a Character has five or more Skills that
have a +1 level, consider buying a 10 point
Overall Level instead of a +1 with each
of the Skills. This is usually more efficient
and flexible, though there are some Skills
where you might prefer the +1 bonuses, such
as Stealth and Breakfall. |
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