Custom Rules

[Bladethorne]

Enhanced Range On Height

If a figure (bows only) that is on height that is ranged, he may extend his range by 1 if he is 8 levels or higher above the chosen target.
(The inspiration for this is that it would take longer for the arrow to fall to the earth, therefore increasing the range of the attack).

[Scapemaster]

Sorry.... I read the first five or so posts, but when the posts went on for so long that it took me a full minute to scroll past really fast, that's a bit too much. (Ahh, too many words! ) So... Yeah, I can't comment on the latest posts.

[NecroBlade]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Amen.

[Balantai]

Somebody modified thier D&D battle rules for Heroscape.

[lxnrhinners]

Originally Posted by dannyboy477

Here is our HS rules we play with, though alot of them can be seen as an option.

(INSERT EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD HERE.)

...

um...

Well, I appreciate the enthusiastic feedback, dannyboy477... However, this thread was more to get feedback on how legit some of my ideas for custom rules were. What I would suggest is posting this content in your own thread, as the overwhelming amount you have here kind of distracts from the original intent. Don't get me wrong, I think your ideas are fascinating--just way too in-depth and anti-Heroscape-y for my tastes. (I'm with you on this one, Balantai.) Sorry, dannyboy477.

As for Cavalier, Onacara, and NecroBlade, I kind of agree with you--I think that this may be taking custom rules to the dangerous extreme. Even though I gather that you don't like custom rules, if you could still look at my few ideas I was thinking of some day trying out, that would be great. Otherwise, if you wish not to glance upon this thread again, or maybe give me some advice of how to go about approaching the use of custom rules/figures, that would be greatly appreciated as well!

For everyone else: I'm sorry that my thread turned into the Huge Mile-Long Novel of Custom Doom! Please don't shun me!

[dannyboy477]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Amen.

Actually it is heroscape, the reason we like rules that deviate from the norm because we do not like the childish rules of heroscape. Yes, I know hasbaro intended it for kids and adults took over. Nobody has to play by these rules. Maybe were too smart for our own britches, especially me and my friends, we do not like very simplistic games, we get very bored really quick, its not even an challenge. I find no strategy in versions of monopoly, risk, A&A and probably 50 other games no matter how they spice it up. I refuse to play such games, and if forced to play those games i simply do what I can to wreck havoc.
From a second point, my group has always tweeked games. You may think that 1st edition game designers are the niche of the crop. If that is the case why is there always a 2nd and 3rd edition of something, usually by a different group of guys. That is good; diversity is good. Again nobody has to play by our rules nor do I have to play by anyone else's rules no matter how difficult it is, which I like difficulty.
Lets see I can play heroscape the normal way and fight humdrum battles on open plains not taking nothing realistic into play. Yeah they simply charge and get an bonus on their abilities, sure they fly as high as they want too. I guess I like my games to be realistic as possible and yes i know its not always possible but does't stop people from trying.
Lets see now, when Wizkids (and yeah I'm not afraid to say big names or the other alternative be hush about things) when the adults took over the pirates games, they had a chance to make some of the rules more realistic to bring them up to a middle game of a kiddie game beer and pretzels game to an middle adult game. Even though their forums overloaded with ideas of how to get off the beer and pretezels (I would consider HS as beer and pretzels game if not for the setup of terrain), they just thought they knew what was best.
Set after set, came out with more child's rules so to speak or unrealistic rules. Soon their whole adult fanbase slipped off the face of the earth. Now Wizkids has sold out and from people I talk too, their losing their fanbase by the droves, and people are playing their own realistic rules.
The reason I mention pirates compared to heroscape is whoever went first in pirates won 75% of the time. No that rule is not lopsided at all, gee no wonder the forums flooded with initiative rules. In HS whoever goes first wins about 65% of the time. Yeah that is something kids won't figure out. And I'm sure that fans made their own initiative rules.
Thirdly, my group is a multi-player group so we adapted rules for multi-playing. Pirates and HS are originally two player games. And apparantly, alot of people have time on their hand that they get invited to an HS game or other game that their willing to sit around for hours while two players slug it out. If someone invited me over to a game and then they told me well you have to wait to the winner of this game and i knew it was going to be a couple hours. I would give them a piece of my mind, because I'm not here to admire what you think are your gaming skills or your bragging rights. I could care less about who and how you beat someone with a piece, I came to play not watch others play. I don't need to hear your bragging of how good you moved to save that piece and wasn't a good move. It would be an insult to me to get invited to such a game.
When we play HS or other games, we make sure everyone can play and their is no waiting. I consider their time just as precious as mine. Again (sigh) as I have stated several times, but I prob will have to repeat it again several times more, We don't play with all our rules, their options for players, alot of times only a few rules are their in play, but the rules are there if a player wants to use a rule. Again (sigh) Nobody has to play by our rules nor we theirs, don't matter how popular the rule is. Hell, we can go out in the parking lot and beat the crap out of each other and make that a rule if we want.
I tried to post these rules as if they appeared on how they were written up, but this forum or others like this doesn't allow the use of tabs nor use of decimal tabs or column tabs (not that the tab key is the most hit key after the a, but I digress). I just posted our rules that we sometimes play with, their not written in stone, nor is any rule. I just posted them to show different styles of play with HS and yes our games last about 4 hours using the rules and that includes at least set up, so more longer then a normal game of HS.

[dannyboy477]

[quote=lxnrhinners;981024][quote=dannyboy477;980534]Here is our HS rules we play with, though alot of them can be seen as an option.
[quote]

didn't mean to hone in on your thread, was trying to post them in my own thread, but it wouldn't let me, kept tagging it under someone else. I would move it to my own thread if I could, but I think only whatever title they want to be (i will say managers and assistant mangers) can move them. Maybe it was just me after two tournaments of magic, a taliman game of 8 set up for a prize, and a multliple pirates using our own rules which no one complained about because they were optional, though many took advantage and used them.

Contrary to belief even these type forums will screw up every now and then.
As far as rules sir, their your rules, if you and your play group like them then so be it, you don't need anyone's permission to use them. To me as long as the rules are as balanced as they can be for all involved, more power to them. If it wasn't for people like you and I, testing and tweeking rules to our groups benefits, their would be the same old stalemated rules. People tend to think that if you come up with your own rules for a game, and because they don't like it, then it is AUTO matically bad for all gamers. Well, they can't speak for everybody no matter who they are. No matter what kind of rules you have in place some jackoff is going to think he can speak for the whole community, and trash it, others will not care and others will actually like your rule and or tweek it in some way.
So will try to get the thread moved to my own thread then get these deleted. Apologies.

[Chardris1287]

If you guys are interested in custom rules I have devised a rule to make the ice treacherous. Usually for ice you must count 2 movements per ice tile. I've kept that rule but also added something I like to call Slip n' Fall basically when you move onto an ice tile you roll the D20 and if you roll a 1-4 your character will slip and fall on the ice which will end their movement also they cannot attack. After they fall you will roll 1 attack die, if you roll a skull the figure recieves 1 wound, if you don't roll a skull the figure is unharmed.

[yamissflash]

Originally Posted by Chardris1287

If you guys are interested in custom rules I have devised a rule to make the ice treacherous. Usually for ice you must count 2 movements per ice tile. I've kept that rule but also added something I like to call Slip n' Fall basically when you move onto an ice tile you roll the D20 and if you roll a 1-4 your character will slip and fall on the ice which will end their movement also they cannot attack. After they fall you will roll 1 attack die, if you roll a skull the figure recieves 1 wound, if you don't roll a skull the figure is unharmed.

That sounds too deadly.Or maybe not!

[land.scape]

Dannyboy, since you can't delete a post can you at least delete the contents of the duplicated posts? That's a lot of rules to scroll past. As for using them as rules, I have to agree with the others—keeping track of all that is quite a burden. If you've memorized it all, congrats and enjoy your games! I think you'll find around here that people tweak the game with house rules, but they don't take it to the extreme you have because they like elements of the game beyond the yardstick of "How exactly like real life can you make it."

The fact that Heroscape doesn't use such rules isn't because it's trying to be "childish," but rather that it sees the need to use simplified rules so that those other elements stand out more. Chess-like strategy, synergies and such exist in other games, but they can get overshadowed by the need to juggle SO MANY rules, be they always in effect or optional. If you have acclimated yourself with them to the point that they are easily accessible when you need them, then you have gotten to the point where strategy and synergies reclaim more focus in the game. But maybe you've forgotten how hard it was to get to that point and how daunting it is for others to rise to the level you're at. Heroscape lets you get to the fun part of the experience without such a steep learning curve. Sure, you may not always use the rules, but players need to know and understand them in order to decide to require them or not, so the learning curve is still there. And from my brief scanning of what you posted, your rules make some dramatic changes to the game we know as Heroscape. If you play with a good deal of them in effect, the game you're playing is not Heroscape because you have then jettisoned the core mechanics of the real game. Maybe you can call it Heroscape With Enhanced Battle And Encounter Mechanics... Heroscape with the EBEM engine.

With a game, you generally measure one by the fun factor, not by how life-like it is or isn't. If the fun factor doesn't come for you til there are a ton of rules to comply with (or consider applying), then I'm glad you have brought into the game those elements that you saw as missing. I hope you'll appreciate that many other players can find plenty of enjoyment from what Heroscape is now. And simple or complex, enjoyment is what sells games.

P.S. I code interactive apps and promo pieces for marketing companies. I could take the easy route and just design banner ads, but I find them too simple to be satisfying by themselves. So I can appreciate you wanting to up the ante on the challenge factor. But I don't call everything below my challenge threshold childish because I know that those simpler things serve an important roll—one that the heads of the marketing companies would say is every bit as critical as the heavily coded projects cuz it all brings in needed $.

[land.scape]

lxnrhinners, you have some interesting ideas there. Our games use a rule we found here: 50% cover—meaning if LOS shows you less than 50% of the target fig, the target fig gets one extra defense dice. Personally, I think the TJ jungle defense bonus is too generous (why would Sir Dupuis get a bonus for standing in front of a bush that he practically blocks?!) but we use it cuz my son wants to. Your battlement cover rule could be rolled into the 50% cover rule an help you with similar situations you'll encounter.

Your flying rule is something that has been on my mind for a while. If a reg fig can only climb/decend spaces equal or lesser than their height to match reasonable movement, why should a flier be able to ascend/decend infinite spaces in one move? Flying or not, you can only cover so much ground per turn and that's what the movement number is supposed to control. My son is good with 10 spaces of vertically ascending flight costing a fig 1 space of movement, so we'll be using that now. On descent, I think you can allow the fig to traverse any left-over vertical spaces in their move and just call it a hard landing (without damage...). Birds can drop pretty fast and check their speed at the last moment, so this movement allowance has a reasonable base in nature. We won't be building maps with greater than 40-hex drops, so I'm not worried about situations where a flier drops more than what their move allows and lands cleanly.

For jumping, I like the premise and the general way you handle it but I'd like to counter with some alternate rules. Couple reasons for this:

1. I'm not comfortable with the idea that Brave Arrow, with a tracking-enabled move of 7, could stand by a 6-hex-wide lake and possibly jump over it. To me, that should be territory for fliers only.

2. You enhance jump success based on starting distance from the jump. Good idea in that the more speed you build up, the more likely you are to succeed. But given that you allow the possibility of a fig to do a standing broad jump over six hexes (hard, given that you roll for each hex jumped, but possible), I don't think you achieve exactly what you want. Instead, I think you can accomplish it by requiring a running start, and using the fig's movement allowance to reward quicker movers. That way, slow 4-move figs like knights have a lower probability of success versus, say, speedy Brave Arrow.

3. In my version below, fast 2-space figs like the cavalry get an 8-pt modifier to their d20 roll, so I took out the modifier you had for 2-space figs. Putting them together would make every jump a success.

4. I started with your height differential rules in there, but then I thought that the jump wouldn't necessarily be less likely to succeed when the differential exists, and it circumvents the climbing mechanics. If you're climbing, you don't roll for success. So for the jump you could say that jumping up, you land on the side of the rise and climb the rest of the way. Course, that means that you have to have sufficient movement to make the climb after the jump or you can't jump. Taking out the height differential calculation made the rules seem to fit in better with how existing rules operate—few exceptions to factor in.

So here's my version of jumping rules:

1. Figures may attempt to jump over a gap no greater than the number of hexes their base occupies.
2. A jump may be attempted only when the figure starts on a hex that is at least two spaces away from the space to be jumped, and the declared landing space is within the figure's movement allowance.
3. Roll a d20 to determine jump success. Modify the roll by adding to it the jumping figure's allowed movement this turn. Then modify the roll by the difference in height of the declared landing space compared to the space at the start of the jump, calculating a lower landing space as a positive difference and a higher landing space as a negative difference.
4. For a roll of 1-13, the jump is unsuccessful and the figure stops on the space before the landing space. The figure takes falling damage if applicable. For a roll of 14-20, the jump is successful.
5. Completing a jump uses up one space of movement and is subtracted after completion. The figure may continue their movement if they have not used up their remaining move allowance.

[Bladethorne]

... childish rules of HeroScape...

Betrayer of HS!