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Skip Navigation LinksHigh Fantasy HERO>Content>Campaign Guidelines>Lethality Options
Lethality Options

Lethality Options

System Bias Built In Options Unofficial Options Design Options
One of the hardest things for people new to the HERO System to adjust to is that unlike most games where the lethality is basically "fixed", the danger level of HERO System combats can vary greatly based upon various elements. However if you consider that the HERO System is designed to handle all different levels of play, ranging from brutally "realistic" to cosmically unrealistic, it follows that there must be mechanisms to allow this sort of scaling to work. The purpose of the following documents is to talk through some of the various points of consideration on this topic within the context of the Fantasy genre.
  • SYSTEM BIAS: A brief discussion of the natural bias of the HERO System towards non-lethal resolution.
  • BUILT IN OPTIONS: A detailed discussion of many combat options built into the game that can be utilized to increase lethality.
  • UNOFFICIAL OPTIONS: A detailed discussion of several unofficial combat mechanics and concepts that can be utilized to increase lethality.
  • DESIGN OPTIONS A higher level discussion of decisions the GM can make to render a campaign more lethal instead of or in addition to employing combat-time options.