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Skip Navigation LinksHigh Fantasy HERO>Conversions>Warhammer>WH FRPG 1st Edition
FROM: Warhammer FRPG
TO: HERO System 5th Edition
NOTE: Some rudimentary knowledge of the HERO System rules is necessary to understand this conversion document.
         
Background How to use Converting Characteristics Race Packages Character Abilities
Warhammer Skill Conversion Warhammer Magic Conversion Sample Spells Trappings Disadvantages

WARHAMMER FRPG
The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game was released in 1986 by Games Workshop, the UK based game company responsible for the Warhammer line of Table-top miniature games. Unlike other fantasy RPGs of its time it was not based on a linear progression thru a handful of limited and restricted classes.
CAREER MIGRATION
 Instead it was based on a wide range of professions within several broad groups. Thus instead of starting play as a Fighter and progressing in a linear fashion by stages, a character would begin as, for example, an Outrider, or a Bounty Hunter. With nearly 80 Starting Careers ranging from Beggar to Noble, Laborer to Artisan, and Agitator to Raconteur and another 40+ Advanced Careers, the range of character types was extraordinary.
Additionally, characters were able to selectively choose and buy career advances with experience points, which included statistic raises and new skills. Finally, every career had Career Exits which a character could attempt to pursue by looking for employment in that profession, thereby gaining access to new and/or different Career Advances and Career Exits.
For example, a Bounty Hunter could attempt to change careers, applying his skills to a new profession; his list of Career Exits was: Assassin, Footpad, Mercenary, Protagonist, Slaver, and Targeteer. Thus a character who had been around a little while would have selectively gained new skills and improved statistics as they followed a career path uniquely their own.
DARK FANTASY
Finally, perhaps the most interesting thing about Warhammer FRPG was its dark and gritty alternate Europe setting, which is still as interesting today as it ever was. With poor peasants, effete nobles, dark evils, dangerous magics, and crude technology such as cannon and muskets it is a very rich and challenging campaign setting.
TIMES TOLL
The Warhammer FRPG License was allowed to sit and collect dust by Games Workshop in the early 90s despite its popularity amongst gamers due to a change in company focus and a lack of sales in the U.S., but the License was later renewed by a new publisher called Hogshead Games who reprinted some of the main supplements and added some new content as well. Hogshead allowed the License to lapse later, and more recently the game has been reprised by Chris Pramas of Green Ronin and material is being printed again, in glossy color this time.
UPDATE: here is a complete conversion for
The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game, Second Edition
CONVERSION TO HERO
However, all things are made better by the HERO System, so I took it upon myself to convert the Warhammer Fantasy Role Playing Game into the HERO System

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
The intention of this Conversion Document is to allow the easy conversion of Warhammer FRPG characters into the HERO System.
CONVERT EXISTING CHARACTERS
The most direct use of this document is to convert existing Characters from Warhammer FRPG into the HERO System. An 8 Step procedure is detailed below on how to do this.
CREATE NEW CHARACTERS
Alternately, some of the material provided material, such as Package deals and the HERO System versions of abilities could be used to create new characters but still instill in them a certain Warhammer-esque flavor.
FLEXIBILITY
In the pursuit of bringing characters from Warhammer FRPG into the more open-ended and flexible HERO System the focus of the Class Conversion Documents (below) is on options rather than didactic "hard" mappings between the two Game Systems.
COST CONSIDERATIONS
Remember that one of the key concepts behind any point based role playing game is that each cost paid also has an opportunity cost associated with it. If you spend too much on ability A, you might not have enough points to get ability B. Exercise frugality when buying Character abilities and remember that in a point based system it is generally better to start off mediocre at a broad range of things than it is to start off a past-master at one thing but be otherwise useless due to Character Point shortfalls.
TOTAL CHARACTER POINTS
The following conversion document assumes a 50 point Base, with a maximum of 50 points of Disadvantages.
NEW CHARACTERS
If creating a new character in the HERO System but using the material herein as part of a "Hammer HERO" campaign, so to speak, then assume that this is in effect unless the GM indicates that the Base or maximum Disadvantages are other than 50+50, or awards extra starting Experience to start the characters off more seasoned.
CONVERTING CHARACTERS
If converting an existing character into the HERO System, then just buy all the characteristics and abilities that the character has in Warhammer, and whatever they add up to be is the character's point total; any point cost beyond what is covered by the Base and Disadvantages is treated as Experience.

Converting Characteristics
When converting a Warhammer FRPG Character into the HERO System compare each Warhammer FRPG Statistic to the adjoining chart to determine which Warhammer FRPG Statistic maps to which HERO System Characteristic, including any math necessary.
Warhammer FRPG Statistics to HERO System Characteristics
Warhammer FRPG Statistic HERO Characteristic
M+2 Running
WS/15 Extra HtH Combat Levels
BS/15 Extra Ranged Combat Levels
Sx5 STR
Tx5 CON
W+6 BODY
(I+DX)/5 DEX
A-1 Extra SPD
(LD+FEL)/5 PRE
(INT/5)+5 INT
(COOL+WP)/5 EGO
(Discretionary) COM
(Derive Normally) Figured
For Comeliness just assign a value appropriate to the character's general appearance.
For the Extra Combat Levels generated by WS and BS, round off in the character's favor, and combine the HtH and Ranged Levels into All Combat Levels where possible. Thus if a character had 42 WS and 25 BS, convert them as having two All Combat Levels and one HtH Combat Level.
EXAMPLE: A character that has M5 WS30 BS40 S4 T4 W5 I44 A2 DEX37 LD33 INT40 CL33 WP42 FEL33 in the Warhammer FRPG would have STR 20 CON 20 BODY 11 DEX 16 INT 13 EGO 15 PRE 13, Run 7", 2 All Combat Levels, and 1 Ranged Combat Level n the HERO System. Calculate Figureds from Primaries and decide on a COM value, and the character is done.
ADJUSTING FIGURED CHARACTERISTICS
You may feel the urge to adjust a few Figured Characteristics at this point, but you should wait until after you have added a Race Package and any Profession Packages to the character.
FIXED CHARACTERISTICS
It is left to GM's discretion whether an exact conversion of Statistics to Characteristic is required without variance or if the resulting HERO System Characteristics can be tweaked.
START FRESH OPTION
Another option available with GM permission is to flush a character's Warhammer FRPG stats altogether, and start the character at the normal HERO System "Base 10" for all Base Characteristics. Many of the Profession Packages (detailed below) give Characteristic bonuses appropriate to that particular profession. By not spending points on Characteristics now you will have more points to spend on these Profession Packages later, many of which will give the character Characteristic increases.
CALCULATE COST
When you are finished, calculate the Total Characteristics Cost in the HERO System and move on to the next step.

Select Race Package Deal
Warhammer Race Package Deals
Each character must have one (and only one) Race Package Deal, which may or may not modify the character's Characteristic Maxima, and contains any race-specific benefits that all members of a certain race enjoy.
Some of the Race Package Deals have Option lists of skills or talents or similar. You may extend your character's Race Package with selections from the Options list; each ability may only be taken once unless marked with an asterix (*). A Race Package cannot be modified directly; all abilities listed in the Package must be taken unless an Option is explicitly given to exclude them. No Race Package may cost less than 0 points.
If your character was a member of an non-standard Race that is not provided for here, ask your GM to provide you with an appropriate Race Package.
PACKAGE COST
Race Package Deals are treated as a closed purchase at the listed Total Cost. The Disadvantages, if any, within the Package are not counted as part of the character's Disadvantage Total, they are subtracted directly from the cost of the Package Deal.
Another way to think of this is that a character's maximum Disadvantage points are increased by the total value of the Disadvantages in their Race Package Deal. This means that some Races effectively have more character points than others assuming the same Base points and Experience, but at the cost of inflexibility and a larger load of Disadvantages that can't be gotten rid of or altered.
NOTE: This is a specific variation from the HERO System rules. If your GM is uncomfortable with this exception he will let you know how to handle the discrepancy.
EXAMPLE: A Race Package Deal with 30 points of abilities and 25 points of Disadvantages costs a Character 5 Character Points rather than 30, and the 25 points of Disadvantages do not count as part of the Character's Maximum of 50 points.
CHARACTERISTIC MODIFIERS
Normal Characteristic Maxima is included in each Race Package, but Characteristic modifiers from the Race Package Deal do not count against Normal Characteristic Maxima. Many Race Packages grant Characteristic modifiers and in all cases these modifiers, both bonuses and penalties, are added or subtracted from a character after Normal Characteristics Maxima is determined.
EXAMPLE: Halflings have a +1 Speed, +2 DEX, -3 STR, -5 PRE as part of their Race Package Deal. If a Halfling character purchases +10 DEX and +10 STR outside of their Package they do not encounter Characteristic Maxima having neither DEX or STR above 20. Then the Race Characteristic modifiers are applied, resulting in an adjusted DEX of 22 and an adjusted STR of 17  If the Halfling wanted a final adjusted STR of 20 after the Race Penalty is applied, the Halfling must buy his base STR up to 23 paying the doubling penalty for 21 to 23 strength; after the -3 STR adjustment from the Halfling Race Package Deal is applied the Halfling has an adjusted STR of 20.
After selecting the appropriate Race Package, add the Package Cost to the character's Point Total and move on to the next step.

Translate Character Abilities
Warhammer Skills Conversions
Warhammer Magic Conversions
Warhammer Characters moved through various Careers as they progressed, and the Careers each gave access to various character abilities that were bought with Experience Points. The Careers have no real relevance in the HERO System but the following section will help you to convert the character abilities your Warhammer character has collected into equivalent abilities in the HERO System.
WARHAMMER SKILLS
Skills were the primary ability set in Warhammer. However, unlike in the HERO System these skills did not have an associated roll. Instead they functioned more like Talents in the HERO System by granting a set ability, effect, or bonus to the character that possessed it.
Once a Skill has been converted into the HERO System equivalent, if that equivalent is a Skill then figure the skill roll normally for a HERO System Skill.
For example, Demon Lore is an Intelligence based Skill, and maps to a Knowledge Skill in the HERO System. If a Warhammer character had this Skill and had an Int 50, in the HERO System that character would have INT 15 and  KS: Demon Lore 12-, as the skill is INT based.
Determining what kind of ability in the HERO System best parallels a Warhammer Skill can be tricky, since the same solution doesn't work for all situations. To facilitate this process a series of tables categorizing Warhammer Skills into groups based upon what kind of ability they map to in the HERO System are provided in the Warhammer Skills Conversion document. 
WARHAMMER MAGIC USE
The Warhammer FRPG had a relatively low magic level when compared to other fantasy RPGs. It was much more difficult for a Spellcasting character to advance and the available spells had much less effect than in some other games of the time, such as AD&D. However due to the grittier feel and higher mortality rate this scarcity of magic was contextually balanced and added to the feel of the game. While less powerful than magic users of other systems, Spellcasters were still extremely dangerous within the confines of the setting.
Only four levels of spells plus a catch all category called "Petty Magic" were available across seven major groups based upon specialty. Characters had to buy every spell separately with experience points, and had to learn an applicable spell for each level of advancement in each group of spells in order to advance, but could cast all of their spells at will as long as they had the requisite spell points and components available..
This basic model actually maps into the HERO System much easier than many other more complex FRPG magic systems, and the means to do so is detailed in the Warhammer Magic Conversion document.
After mapping Warhammer Skills and any Magical Spells into abilities in the HERO System, add the abilities and their costs to the character's Point Total and move on to the next step.

Character Trappings
Some Warhammer FRPG Characters collected a few Magic Items in their careers, while most make do with mundane swag. Converting either into the HERO System is fairly simple.
MAGIC ITEMS
For magic items simply build an Independent Power Construct in a Universal Focus that does whatever the Magic Item does in Warhammer. Keep in mind that Warhammer was generally low magic when making items, however.
Example: Boots of Leaping grant their wearer the ability to make prodigious leaps. In the HERO System that might be written up as Boots of Leaping: Leaping +8" (Accurate), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (19 Active Points); Independent (-2), IIF (Magic Boots; -1/4); Real Cost: 6 points.
Magic items cost Character Points to make, but not to acquire.
EQUIPMENT
If converting a character from Warhammer FRPG, just match their Trappings list up with equivalent items in the HERO System. Find entries for your mundane weapons and armor on whatever weapons and armor list your GM is using for Fantasy HERO and you are done.
Normal Equipment can also be bought with money, to include mundane weapons and armor. The Fantasy HERO Price list, the Warhammer FRPG Price list, a custom list, or an arbitrary economy determined by the GM are all valid means of determining how much things cost. You should check with you GM to determine what kind of economy they intend to use, what Price list, and what weapons & armor chart they intend to use.
Mundane Equipment does not cost Character Points; it is bought and sold with in-game currency.
When finished, add any Costs to the Character's total and move on to the next step.

Select Personal Disadvantages
Character Disadvantages are a concept not found in Warhammer FRPG and therefore appropriate Disadvantages must be approximated from aspects of characters that are left mechanically undefined in Warhammer FRPG.
The primary purpose of Disadvantages in the HERO System is to add flavor and context to a character, and to give the GM story hooks with which to involve a character with the setting. In many cases it's a character's quirks and flaws that make them stand out rather than their capacity to kill things, manipulate a fictional magical system, or use arbitrarily determined skills and abilities. Have fun with your character's Disadvantages rather than rotely taking them just to get more Character Points.
PERSONAL DISADVANTAGES
The Maximum points from Personal Disadvantages is 50 points; if the full 50 points is not taken then the Character has fewer Character Points with which to buy abilities. Thus if a starting Character only takes 50 points of Personal Disadvantages, then that Character only has 100 Character Points available to him initially (50 Base + 50 Disadvantages).
In this context "Personal Disadvantage" refers to any Disadvantage which does not stem from a Character's Race Package Deal.
Note: this is a specific exception to the HERO System rules, wherein Disadvantages from Package Deals DO count towards a Character's Disadvantage limit. If your GM is uncomfortable with this exception he will let you know how to handle the discrepancy.
ALIGNMENT AND DISADVANTAGES
In Warhammer FRPG the closest thing to a mechanical representation of a Characters behavior is the Alignment system. Depending on how the GM intends to handle the concept of Alignment in the HERO System, Characters with particularly strong Alignment orientations may choose to model the codes of behavior associated with that Alignment in Warhammer FRPG as Psychological Limitations and Distinctive Features in the HERO System. Alignment is addressed in the Campaign Guidelines for a GM's consideration, but as a player consult with your GM prior to converting the Character to discover how they intend to handle Alignment in their own campaign..
BACKGROUND
Consider your character's background, history, and events that have occurred in game play as potential sources of Disadvantages.
When finished, tally the Disadvantage Total and move on to the next step.

Final Tweaking and Math Check
By this step you should have an almost finished character. Go back and review the character and make sure you have covered everything. Once you are happy with the character make sure that it tallies correctly, meeting the Character's Point Limit and that any Power constructs are calculated correctly. Finally, make sure that the character is not only mathematically correct, but also well balanced and apparently fun to play.
CONVERTED CHARACTERS
It's up to the GM whether or not a character can be modified beyond just mapping their characteristics and abilities directly as part of a Conversion. However as a general rule of thumb a GM might allow a dispensation of 5% of the character's total point cost in discretionary points to adjust the converted character with, with any particular tweak subject to veto.
Thus if a character totaled up to 183 points after all their abilities and characteristics were directly converted, the GM might allow that character 9 extra character points to personalize the character with.
ADJUSTING FIGURED CHARACTERISTICS
Figured Characteristics are very important in the HERO System; they are a very active part of a character. PD and ED help a character resist damage, SPD controls how many actions a character gets, REC determines how fast a character can "bounce back", END correlates to how long a character can keep going, and STUN is how much damage the character can take before getting knocked out.
At this point you may have a few points left over. A good place to spend them is in adjusting your character's Figured Characteristics. For example, you may want to round off your character's SPEED, bump up Recovery, fatten up Endurance, etc. However, try to avoid tweaking your character's Base Characteristics to take advantage of point recursions. If this practice is commonplace, all Fantasy HERO characters tend to polarize on a few "sweet spot" increments in various Characteristics, which robs characters of a lot of their flavor.
CONVERTED CHARACTERS
As mentioned above, a GM might allow converted characters some number of discretionary points; an excellent place to spend some or all of them is on Figured Characteristics.
When you are satisfied, move on to the next step.

Game Master Approval
Simply turn the character over to your GM for final approval. If the GM has any issues with the character, address them and make any requested corrections. Once the GM is happy with the character, you are finished with Character Creation and are ready for play.