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This conversion resource assumes that each
character may have one or more Profession
Package Deals, which loosely correlate to
the concept of Classes in D&D 3e.
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Class Conversion Documents are provided
for each of the standard D&D 3e Character
Classes. Peruse the ones pertaining to the
Classes your Character had levels in.
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D&D 3e PROFESSION PACKAGE DEALS |
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"Generic" Profession Package Deals
are provided for each of the basic D&D
3e Character Classes for conversion purposes.
However, a large variety of other Profession
Package Deals are also provided.
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With GM permission you can either adapt
an existing Profession Package or create
a custom Profession Package to suit your
vision of your character. This subject is
described more fully in the
Profession Package section. The
GM of course always has the final say on
what they will permit in their campaign,
and if they are going for a "straight"
conversion they likely will prefer players
to adhere to the "standard" Classes.
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CLASS FEATURES AND THE HERO SYSTEM |
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Provided below are links to Conversion Documents
for each of the Class categories from D&D
3e, covering the various Class Features
of each Class and providing recommendations
for representing these abilities in the
HERO System.
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Each Class Conversion Document also contains
links to various Profession Package Deals,
where topically relevant. |
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Converting Multi-class Characters |
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When dealing with Characters with levels
in multiple Classes, as a rule of thumb
you should make the Class your Character
started with in their original campaign the "base"
Class against which the characters first
125 Character Points minus the cost of Characteristics
and Race Package are applied, and then allocate
15 Experience Points per additional Class
Level to buy abilities with.
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EXAMPLE: Shorbal is a Fighter 4/Wizard
2/Rogue 3; in the original D&D campaign Shorbal originated
in he started as a Rogue, then took a couple of levels as a
Wizard, and then took his last 4 levels as a Fighter.
When converting Shorbal, the player should start with Rogue as
that follows the original chronology.
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If converting a multiclassed NPC or a pregenerated character
where a chronology is not apparent, favor a spellcasting Class
and / or the highest leveled Class (Standard Classes over Prestige
Classes) as the base Class. It doesn't really matter much in the end, so
don't perseverate over it; just pick one and go.
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Some Levels of some Classes might take more
(in some cases substantially more) points
to model equivalents in the HERO System,
but in most cases other Class Levels will
have a dearth of abilities which evens out
the exchange.
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EXAMPLE: Shorbal is a Fighter 4/Wizard
2/Rogue 3; per the
Levels to Points Chart (from Step
1), as a 9th level character Shorbal rates
120 Experience Points. Shorbal's player
selects Fighter as his base, and then allocates
45 Character Points to buy additional Fighter
abilities with (three additional Levels
of Fighter), 45 Character Points for Rogue
abilities (three Levels of Rogue), and 30
Character Points to buy Wizard abilities
with (two Levels of Wizard).
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MULTICLASS POINT OVERAGES |
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Characters that were heavily multiclassed
might encounter point overages however.
This is actually a fairly common occurrence,
as selective multiclassing was a very easily
abused means of making Characters of above-average
potency in D&D 3e and the increased
capabilities are reflected by higher point
totals in the HERO System. In all such cases
confer with your GM to determine whether
they want you to water the character down
a bit |
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MULTICLASS RESTRICTIONS IN THE HERO SYSTEM |
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There are no "multiclassing"
restrictions in the HERO System unless your
GM decides to enforce them. Essentially
you can have any ability set you can afford
and justify with your Character's training
and background. Package Deals serve as a
means of convenience rather than the artificial
restrictions on ability sets defined by
"Classes"; they are not straightjackets
from which a Character may not stray...unless the GM insists
on a "straight" conversion and imposes restrictions on players'
freedom to explore the design space otherwise allowed
by Fantasy Hero. Check with your GM and they'll let you
know where they stand on this.
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Converting Common Class Abilities |
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There are some abilities that are common
to all or almost all Professions that deserve
special mention. |
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SKILLS AND SKILL LEVELS |
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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. The Skill Conversion
document details how to match up some of
the less obvious Skills between the two
game systems. |
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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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FEATS |
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Conversion for Feats are covered in detail
in the
Feat Conversion document. |
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BASE ATTACK BONUS |
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Every Class grants Base Attack Bonuses (BAB)
as Characters level up, and it is a crucial
statistic in D&D 3e as it both controls
how accurate a Character is, and also how
many Iterative Attacks the Character gained.
The number of Attacks aspect of BAB is determined
by other factors in the HERO System (and
the Class documents for Classes that had
a strong BAB progression discuss means to
improve their number of attacks). |
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However, to model the accuracy aspect of
BAB divide your Character's unmodified Base
Attack Bonus by five (5), and give the HERO
System version of your Character some combination
of Combat Skill Levels (CSL's) that make
sense for their attack scheme to equal that
number, rounded in the Character's favor.
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In some cases All Combat Levels (aka 8 point
Levels) will be appropriate, but when converting
a Character that only uses Ranged Attacks
or only uses HtH Attacks it is usually sufficient
to give them Ranged or HtH Combat levels
(aka 5 point Levels) in order to save points. |
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Base Attack Bonus (BAB) / 5 = +1 CSL of appropriate
type |
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ARMOR PROFICIENCIES |
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This conversion resource recommends that
Armor require Proficiency to use, and that
some penalties for Armor use, which can
be offset with Penalty Skill Levels, should
be used in Fantasy HERO games. This idea
maps directly to the Armor Proficiencies
used in D&D 3e, so it should not be a foreign
concept for players converting Characters
into the HERO System from that game.
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The following chart describes the Categories
of Armor for purposes of Familiarity, the
DEX Roll and DCV Penalties always incurred
by wearing that Category of Armor even when
proficient, and finally the penalty incurred
by characters lacking the appropriate Familiarity
for that type of Armor. These penalties
are described in more detail following the
chart. |
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LIGHT |
-0 |
-0 |
-2 DEX Rolls, -1 DCV |
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MEDIUM |
-1 |
-1 |
-4 DEX Rolls, -2 DCV |
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HEAVY |
-2 |
-2 |
-6 DEX Rolls, -3 DCV |
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SHIELD, Buckler |
-0 |
-0 |
Standard |
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SHIELD |
-1 |
-0 |
Standard |
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SHIELD, Tower |
-4 |
-0 |
Standard |
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Shield Master: AF: Shield
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Real Cost: 1 Point |
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Light Armor Master: AF: Light Armor |
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Real Cost: 2 Points |
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Medium Armor Master: AF: Medium Armor
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Real Cost: 2 Points |
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Heavy Armor Master: AF: Heavy Armor |
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Real Cost: 2 Points |
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Armor Master: AF: All Armors and
Shields |
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Real Cost: 7 Points |
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NON PROFICIENCY PENALTY |
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Characters lacking the appropriate Familiarity
may still wear Armor, but they suffer penalties
as indicated in this column. |
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DEX ROLL AND DCV PENALTY |
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Equipment based Armor is cumbersome and
imposes penalties upon the wearer. Whenever
attempting a DEX Roll or using a DEX Based
Skill the Character sufferers the listed
penalty; further if the character is taking
a physical action which the GM determines
is precarious or awkward the Character must
make a DEX or Skill Roll at the listed penalties
to avoid falling over or otherwise inconveniencing
themselves at the GM's discretion. These
penalties can be counteracted with the use
of Penalty Skill Levels as described later. |
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EXAMPLE: The warrior Soratosa wears
a suit of Full Plate, a Heavy Armor. He
is proficient, but he still suffers a -2
to DEX Rolls and a -2 DCV while wearing
his Armor. Soratosa later acquires a squire
named Jared and kits the lad out in a suit
of training plate, a Medium Armor; Jared
is not proficient with Medium Armor yet
and suffers -4 to DEX Rolls and -2 DCV until
he is. After weeks of training Jared becomes
proficient with Medium Armor and thenceforth
takes only a -1 to DEX Roll and -1 DCV while
wearing Medium Armor. |
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ARMOR BOUGHT AS A POWER AND MAGIC ARMOR |
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Magic or ostensibly mundane Armor built
as a Power and paid for with Character Points
do not suffer these penalties normally,
unless the Real Armor Limitation is applied. |
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EXAMPLE 1: The warrior princess Vasalia
was blessed at birth with a mystical Gift
of Aegis defined as Armor 8 PD 8 ED; the
player has paid 24 Character Points for
their character to have this ability and
did not take the Real Armor limitation (or
a Focus for that matter) on this ability.
Thus Vasalia does not need an Armor Proficiency
for this ability and does not suffer the
listed penalties for using it. |
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EXAMPLE 2: Later the warrior princess
Vasalia is given a suit of Chainmail as
a gift from another nation's ruler. Vasalia
must wear the Armor during a diplomatic
event out of courtesy, but she never bothered
to learn how to wear Armor correctly since
she doesn't need it. Chainmail is Medium
Armor and Vasalia is Non Proficient, and
thus she suffers -4 to DEX Rolls and -2
DCV while wearing the bulky suit of Armor.
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EXAMPLE 3: Years later the warrior
princess Vasalia discovers a suit of magical
Armor while on a quest. The Armor is designed
mechanically as Armor 10 PD 5 ED, Hardened
(+1/4), OIF (-1/2), Independent (-2). The
Real Armor Limitation was not taken, so
Vasalia would suffer no penalties if she
chose to wear the Armor. Part of it's magic
makes it unrestrictive and easy to wear.
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ARMOR PENALTY SKILL LEVELS |
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A character can purchase Penalty Skill Levels
(PSL's) to offset the DEX and DCV Penalties
of wearing Armor. The character can purchase
the 1.5 point Single Penalty Levels vs.
either DEX or DCV, or the 2 point Tight
Group levels vs. both DEX and DCV, at their
discretion. It is almost always more efficient
to purchase the Tight Group levels and it
is assumed in the listing below that characters
opt to do so. |
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Shield DEX Offset: PSL: +1 to Offset
DEX Penalty of Shield |
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Real Cost: 1.5 Point each |
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Armor DCV Offset: PSL: +1 to Offset
DCV Penalty of Armor |
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Real Cost: 1.5 Point each |
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Armor DEX Offset: PSL: +1 to Offset
DEX Penalty of Armor |
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Real Cost: 1.5 Point each |
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Armor Total Offset: PSL: +1 to Offset
DEX and DCV Penalties of Armor |
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Real Cost: 2 Points each |
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Armor Total Offset: PSL: +1 to Offset
DEX and DCV Penalties of Armor and Shield |
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Real Cost: 3 Points each |
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WEAPON PROFICIENCIES |
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Almost all Classes in D&D 3e give some
assortment of Weapon Feats. In the HERO
System this concept maps directly into Weapon
Familiarities.
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In general terms the D&D 3e "Simple
Weapon Group" doesn't quite correspond
to the Common Melee or Common Missile Weapon
Groups in the HERO System, so for convenience
sake this conversion resource recommends
a couple of custom Weapon Familiarity Groups
that match the Simple Weapon List of D&D
3e. |
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Since practically all D&D 3e Characters
have proficiency with Simple Weapons, it
is recommend that these Familiarities be
considered "Everyman" Skills,
costing no points. |
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Simple Melee: WF: Simple Weapon Melee
(Gauntlets & Fist Loads, Unarmed strike,
Daggers, Maces, Sickle, Club, Morningstar,
Spears, Quarterstaff) |
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Simple Missile: WF: Simple Weapon
Missile (Darts, Javelins, Slings, Crossbows) |
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Total Real Cost: 0 Points |
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CUSTOM WEAPON GROUPS |
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The D&D selection of weapons granted
to a particular Class are sometimes all
over the place and don't necessarily fit
nicely into the HERO System categories.
This occasionally leads to the odd situation
where in some cases it can cost more points
to buy Familiarities in the HERO System
with fewer actual weapons for some of the
non-martial Classes than it does to buy
entire groups of weapons for the martial
Classes due to the way Weapon Familiarity
Groups are categorized. |
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To prevent this logical inconsistency it
is recommended that GM's permit players
to define custom Weapon Groups for 2 Character
Points that correspond to their Classes'
Weapon List, or even the handful of weapon
types their Character actually uses with
any regularity. Between three and five weapons
and no more than two Uncommon weapons should
be grouped like this, and these custom Weapon
Groups should not invalidate existing HERO
System Weapon Groups (such as Common Melee
Weapons).
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An example Custom Weapon Group for Druids
follows. |
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Druid Group: WF: Druid
Group (Staff-sling, Sickle, Scimitar) |
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Real Cost: 2 Points |
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After selecting the appropriate Profession
Package(s), add the Package Cost(s) to the
Character's Point Total and move on to Step
5.
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