for Fantasy HERO®.

Note that some of these optional rules are best suited for a gritty-style campaign.

Aging

Characters with normal characteristic maxima and without Life Support: Immune to Aging are subject to age related deterioration. Starting at age 40, every five years a CON-based roll is made for each of the STR, CON, and BODY characteristics. If any CON-based roll is failed, the characteristic is lowered by one and any figured characteristics are modified accordingly. A check is made for the characters Running characteristic every ten years.

Optionally the GM can allow one half of the lost character point(s) to be applied to the characters INT, EGO, or PRE characteristics.

If any CON-based Aging rolls is failed by six or more, the characters health begins to deteriorate and the interval to check the characteristics is moved up the time chart by one line for all future checks. Thus the first failure by six or more causes characteristic checks to be made once a year. The second failure will cause checks to be made once a season, and so forth. Certain magic or advanced medical science can be used to temporarily reverse this trend.

Every five years starting at 60 a roll is made to check for the onset of senility. On an 8-, the mind of the character is starting to deteriorate and he loses one point of INT, EGO, and PRE per year thereafter. Again certain magic or advanced medical science can check this process.

Alternate Elemental Power Framework

This rule is intended to make elemental frameworks more cost effective compared to multipower and VPP. The powers must still follow the same guidelines for creating an elemental framework. However instead of halving the cost of each power, the powers are ranked from highest to lowest active cost and the points are then divided by one plus the order in the list. Thus the most expensive power is divided by two; the second most costly is divided by three; the third is divided by four, and so forth.

Aptitude

Note: this rule is meant to take the place of the option for increased and decreased racial CHAR maxima in a gritty-style campaign. However, both rules can be used together.

Most non-human races have an aptitude for specific traits, such as characteristics and skills. For these races, the amount of time required to improve their ability in these traits is significantly reduced. If a number of character points needed to increase a characteristic is spent, the training time needed to improve the trait is reduced by half. Improvement in the primary characteristics will have a corresponding effect on the figured characteristics.

Races can also have an inaptitude for specific traits that make it harder for them to improve than it would be for a human. For each doubling of the time needed to improve a trait, the character receives a one point disadvantage per point needed to decrease the trait.

Training times for skills can be modified in a similar manner. The point cost needed to half the training time for a skill is equal to the character point cost to improve the skill by +1. Thus, the point cost needed to half the training time for the Acrobatics skill is equal to 2 character point costs. A disadvantage of doubling the training time can not be taken for a skill unless the character is built knowing that skill at the base level.

The following table shows the training time multipliers for the standard races in Fantasy HERO®.

Character Race	STR	DEX	CON	BODY	INT	EGO	PRE	COM	Total Points
Dwarf, Hill	x1	x1	x1/4	x1/4	x2	x1/2	x1	x1	4+4-1+2 = 9
Dwarf, Mountain	x1/4	x1	x1/4	x1/4	x2	x1/2	x1	x1	2+4+4-1+2 = 11
Halfling	x8	x1/2	x1/4	x8	x1	x1/4	x1	x1	-3+3+4-6+4 = 2
Elf, High	x2	x1/2	x1	x4	x1/8	x1/4	x1/4	x1/4	-1+3-4+3+4+4-2 = 7
Elf, Wood	x4	x1/2	x1	x4	x1/4	x1/2	x1	x1/2	-2+3-4+2+2+1 = 2
Feline	x8	x1/4	x1	x8	x1	x1	x8	x1	-3+6-6-6 = -9
Gargoyle	x1/4	x8	x1	x1/4	x16	x16	x1	x16	2-9+4-4-8-2 = -17
Half-Giant	x1/32	x8	x1	x1/4	x2	x1	x1/8	x4	-5+9+4-1+6-2 = 11
Half-Orc	x1/4	x1	x1/4	x1/4	x2	x2	x1	x4	2+4+4-1-2-1 = 6
Lizardman	x1/4	x2	x1	x1/4	x2	x2	x1/4	x4	2-3+4-1-2+4-2 = 2
Mermen	x1	x1	x1/4	x1	x1	x1	x1	x1	4 = 4

Area Effect - Box

Powers with this advantage effect a diamond-shaped area. Any targets in the diamond are affected by the power. The length of any two adjacent sides of the diamond equals 2" + 1" for every 10 Character Points in the Power, not counting the Area Effect Advantage. Thus a 4" diamond could consist of four adjacent hexes measuring 2" along each side. To double the length of the two adjacent sides is an additional +1/4 Advantage.

Example: in the figure above, the total length of any two adjacent sides is 8". A power with 70 character points, not counting the Area Effect advantage, can target this area. The same power could also target a box 4" by 4", or 6" by 2". A power with 30 character points, plus a +1/4 advantage to double the length of the two adjacent sides, can also target this same area.

Area Knowledge

The Area Knowledge skill gives a character information about a particular region, but does not determine the amount of knowledge known about a specific location within that region. To determine if a character has knowledge of this location, find the appropriate equivalent rows on the following table for both the AK region and type of location:

For each additional row beyond the first two that separates the pair, apply a -4 penalty to the AK skill roll. The City Knowledge skill applies to the 10km scale.

Consequence

This limitation means that a negative consequence occurs to the character whenever he attempts to activate the power, regardless of whether or not the activation is successful. Any Consequence is applied to the character without the need for an attack roll and the character gets no defenses against the Consequence. If a limitation of the Consequence prevents it from occuring, then the main power is also blocked from activation. The energy to pay for the Consequence comes from a single recovering charge that continues for a duration determined by the GM.

The bonus is -1/2 per 15 Active Points in the Consequence, or one quarter of the Active Points in the power, whichever is greater.

Learning Spells

The minimum time needed to learn a new spell is usually 1-6 days of intense study and contemplation, depending on the teaching ability of the instructor. If a spell is to be researched without a qualified instructor, the minimum time is increased to 1-3 weeks. A library and research laboratory will also be needed if an instructor is not present.

At the end of the study period, a roll is made against the character's KS: Specific Magic Style to determine if the spell is sufficiently understood. However, prior to attempting this roll, the KS is reduced by the Magic Skill penalty for the spell. Each time the skill roll is failed, the required study interval for the spell is move down the time chart by one row. If the base KS: Specific Magic Style is improved by spending at least one point, the character can begin the process anew with a further 1-6 days of study under an instructor.

Example: a wizard is attempting to learn the Fireball spell from the College of Fire Wizards, the modifier to his KS: Fire Magic is -4. After four days of intense study under a master adept he attempts to cast the spell. Since his KS: Fire Magic is 12-, he must roll an 8- to succeed. He fails his attempt and must now spend several weeks of further study before another attempt can be made.

Longevity

The character ages at a slower rate and has a life expectancy much longer than average. For each character point of Longevity, the natural life span is increased by a factor of ten. Thus two points of longevity will increase the life expectancy by a hundred fold. This talent is only applicable to races that do not have the power Life Support: Immune to Aging.

Long Term END Loss

A power with this limitation causes Long Term END loss while it is being maintained, even if the actual END cost is zero. For a -1/4 limitation, the character loses 1 point of Long Term END per 10 points of Active Cost for every 5 hours the power is maintained. For each step up the time chart, the limitation is increased by -1/4. Thus, 1 point of long term END loss each minute (for every 10 AC) has a limitation of -1.

Note: this limitation can be used to balance out the effects of the 0 END advantage.

Min-Max Slots for Multipower Framework

In addition to the standard and fixed slots for a multipower framework, an additional type of slot can also be built that has a minimum point cost. This type of slot, known as a Min-Max slot, is used when a powerful ability is created that will have major effects even at the lowest allowed power setting. The point cost of these Min-Max slots is calculated using the following formula:

Example: Stigel decides to add a powerful Blast of Shards ability to his multipower. This explosive power will allow up to a 10d6 Energy Blast against Physical Defense. To maintain the potency of this blast at all power settings, the minimum level is increased to a 6d6 Energy Blast. As the minimum active cost of an energy blast is 10, the total character point cost is: (50/5) - (30/10) + (10/10) = 8. Stigel will need at least 30 points in his reserve to use this power.

The "No Sweat" Rule

This simplification can be used to ease the player's and GM's bookkeeping requirements in Fantasy HEROŽ by reducing the need to track END.

Divide the character's REC rating by the SPD rating and drop any fractions. This is the so-called "No Sweat" END level. If the END costs for all actions and powers used during the phase by the player is less than the "No Sweat" level, then the END cost is not deducted from the total. Any combination of actions or powers greater than this level is deducted from the END total, minus the "No Sweat" level. Characters no longer regain END during post-Segment 12 Recover Phase and must instead take a "No Action" phase to recover END.

Example: a character has 20" Flight, 3 SPD, and 9 REC. The flight has an END cost of 1 per 5" of movement. The "No Sweat" level is 9 REC/3 SPD = 3. Thus the character can move a maximum of 3 * 5" = 15" without deducting points from their END total. If any other power is being maintained by this character, however, he would then need to pay the full END cost.

Turning Undead

Special thanks to "Nu Soard Graphite" for this rule suggestion!

The following table can be used to determine the outcome of a PRE-based attack by a Holy man against an undead creature. It is based on the PRE attack chart, using the Priest's EGO to get the base dice.

Result Effect on Undead Ego+ Undead momentarily hesitates: gain initiative. Ego+10 Undead pauses: gain 1 free phase. Ego+20 Undead are cowed and will flee if they fail an EGO check. They are at 1/2 DCV. Ego+30 Undead flees! Lesser undead, such as Skeletons and Zombies, may be destroyed outright. Convert the PRE attack roll to BODY damage. If the roll is sufficient to slay any lesser undead then they are destroyed. Any remains can never be "animated" again as they have been "blessed". Ego+40 Convert the PRE attack roll to BODY damage. If the roll is sufficient to slay any undead then they are destroyed. Otherwise the undead flees! Any remains can never be "animated" again as they have been "blessed". Circumstance Modifier Visible Holy symbol +1d6 On holy ground +3d6 Dieties sphere of influence +2d6 Undead "controlled" -2d6 Each doubling of undead -1d6/2x

Multiple priests can add their effects together to turn hordes of undead. The undead can use any Power Defense modifiers to protect against the "turn" attack.