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8/30/2019 9:51 pm  #1


Character creation question. Class and skills?

I’m just learning this system and had a few quick questions.

Do players start as the base class and then pick a sub class later?
Or do they just start the game as the subclass?
Is there multi classing?

I see the tests of strength and dexterity under attributes but I didn’t see any other mention of skills.

How does intelligence, wisdom and charisma type skills work? Investigation? Persuasion?

Thanks!

 

8/30/2019 10:26 pm  #2


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

As subclass, if you qualify.

There are tons of threads on all the rules, just put a couple key words into the search box and you'll get tons of hits..

re: att. checks 
here's one -
https://hyperborea.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=968
 


 
 

8/31/2019 3:46 am  #3


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

No multiclassing, but it your game now!?!

There is the Thief skills that are used in many of the Sub-classes (this uses a d12 with a target number), but a 'Task Resolution,' roll is made by other classes for skills they should be able to do used with a d6 (see page: 234).

 

8/31/2019 7:33 am  #4


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Do players start as the base class and then pick a sub class later? Or do they just start the game as the subclass?

Roll up attributes, then select whatever class makes sense. Some people prefer the simplicity of the base classes, some the bells and whistles of the subclasses. The presentation of the subclasses as "subclasses" is more about organizing families of similarly themed primary abilities and powers, not an indication of progression from base to subclass as part of any path system.

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Is there multi classing?

The subclasses cover most AD&D type multiclass combinations, like the purloiner as cleric/thief, for example.

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

I see the tests of strength and dexterity under attributes but I didn’t see any other mention of skills.How does intelligence, wisdom and charisma type skills work? Investigation? Persuasion?

In my games, actions related to the latter are generally adjudicated by the referee based on the situation. I'll consider the player's roleplaying effort (if relevant), the PC's class (if relevant), the PC's level (higher is better), the PC's background (if relevant), the PC's attribute score (higher is better, not tied to any specific quantitative progression) and any other situational effects (weather, sense of urgency, access to beneficial items, etc etc etc) and then usually assign a d6 chance of success per the Task Resolution framework (sometimes though, I may just say, "you do it" or whatever). For me, this is a very robust, flexible and reasonably fast-moving approach that doesn't over-emphasize the attributes in non-combat situations, which is important to me because I want people thinking of creative solutions in those situations (rather than feeling constrained or bound by a static int/wis/cha check).


Blackadder23: Insanely long villain soliloquy, then "Your action?"
BORGO'S PLAYER: I shoot him in the face
 

8/31/2019 8:56 am  #5


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Thank you all for the great responses. I think my issue is that I’m mentally stuck in 5e.

It seems this system is very open ended and easy to use once you can get your head around it.

I have often times felt in 5e the perception skill is used way too much to simply answer the simple question of what the character notices.

Using this system how would you handle a situation where the player wants to track something down. In 5e you would use survival to determine the outcome.

How would y’all do this on ASSH?

     Thread Starter
 

8/31/2019 9:28 am  #6


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Some of the classes have an explicit tracking skill: barbarian, huntsman, ranger, and scout.
I might give a chance like 1 or 2 in 20, maybe more depending upon what they are tracking and such.

Of the classes with tracking in the worst conditions they are general 4 in 12, so giving the other classes even a chance seems a bit generous to me.

But like Chainsaw wrote earlier, I try to be a bit flexible and let player creativity and the situation influence things. That being said, even a barbarian with a 10 in12 (10:12 in ASSH notation) chance to track under the best conditions can still wrong a 12. :-)

Last edited by gizmomathboy (8/31/2019 9:29 am)


What? Me worry?
 

8/31/2019 2:42 pm  #7


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

I would have them visit the local watering holes and attempt to hire out a tracker.


 
 

8/31/2019 3:48 pm  #8


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Iron Ranger wrote:

I would have them visit the local watering holes and attempt to hire out a tracker.

Brilliant.
 


“How can I wear the harness of toil
And sweat at the daily round,
While in my soul forever
The drums of Pictdom sound?” 
 

8/31/2019 6:11 pm  #9


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Anything Charisma-related can be determined by the existing reaction roll mechanic (possibly with additional modifiers for bribes and the like).


Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
 

8/31/2019 7:02 pm  #10


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

I think I understand skills a lot better. Thank you all for the help.

Can we discuss phasing in combat rounds. I’m not getting actions broken up in phases.

Also with initiative in combat. I assume you roll initiative once for combat but the book says “each party rolls”.

Does that mean the players go together at once or do you still break it down by individual?

So would it for example be set up like this? Assuming rolls

Player 1
Orc
Player 2
Orc
Orc
Etc.

Or is it

Players
Orcs

Thank you all for the feedback!
Trevor

     Thread Starter
 

8/31/2019 10:59 pm  #11


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

I think I understand skills a lot better. Thank you all for the help.

Can we discuss phasing in combat rounds. I’m not getting actions broken up in phases.

Also with initiative in combat. I assume you roll initiative once for combat but the book says “each party rolls”.

Does that mean the players go together at once or do you still break it down by individual?

So would it for example be set up like this? Assuming rolls

Player 1
Orc
Player 2
Orc
Orc
Etc.

Or is it

Players
Orcs

Thank you all for the feedback!
Trevor

It depends on the situation, and the referee. The default is the players and referee roll initiative every round, and the side which rolled higher goes first, followed by the side which rolled lower (the second situation you described). However, if there are not very many combatants, the referee may call for individual initiative (the first situation you described) and in that case Dexterity modifiers would apply.

At all times the referee selects the mechanism(s) to resolve a particular situation. Everything in the rulebook or published adventure is just a suggestion or guideline toward that end.
 


Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
 

9/01/2019 7:08 am  #12


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

So my 3 players roll individually and then I roll once for all the monsters?


Sorry it’s like a square peg in a round hole for me.

Last edited by RollingWithAdvantage (9/01/2019 10:22 am)

     Thread Starter
 

9/01/2019 11:04 am  #13


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

So my 3 players roll individually and then I roll once for all the monsters?


Sorry it’s like a square peg in a round hole for me.

By the book, one d6 roll per side, PCs and opponents. I suppose you could have more than two sides, though the implied default is two.


"It is all very well to point out that the man lacks facility; as he asserts, sheer force can overpower sophistication."
Jack Vance, Rhialto the Marvellous
 

9/01/2019 11:55 am  #14


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

So my 3 players roll individually and then I roll once for all the monsters?


Sorry it’s like a square peg in a round hole for me.

The default is players roll one die (for the entire party, not each) and the referee rolls one die for all of the monsters/NPC's. The referee can always opt to use individual initiative, but it's a pain in the butt if there are very many combatants to keep track of. The referee could also do as you suggest, giving the PC's individual initiative but rolling once for all their opponents.

Short answer: it's up to you. You can't do it "wrong" because everything is a guideline, not a rule.


Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
 

9/01/2019 12:23 pm  #15


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

rhialto wrote:

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

So my 3 players roll individually and then I roll once for all the monsters?


Sorry it’s like a square peg in a round hole for me.

By the book, one d6 roll per side, PCs and opponents. I suppose you could have more than two sides, though the implied default is two.

For me, this is how I handle initiative. I generally let the player side go in whatever order they want, or just around the table.
 


“How can I wear the harness of toil
And sweat at the daily round,
While in my soul forever
The drums of Pictdom sound?” 
 

9/02/2019 6:58 am  #16


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Using this system how would you handle a situation where the player wants to track something down. In 5e you would use survival to determine the outcome. How would y’all do this on ASSH?

If you're talking about literal tracking, some classes (ranger, scout, etc) have an actual tracking ability (d12) and I would rule that others would probably have a 1 or 2 in 6 chance depending on their background (scribe or hunter? from a similar environment? etc), circumstances (dungeon/wilderness, weather, climate, recency of creature passing etc), class and level. My general approach is that when a player says, "I want to do X," I find a way to roll the dice. There's always a chance in my book. Perhaps needless to say, that chance should not be better than that of an otherwise equal PC who may actually have a relevant ability. 

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Can we discuss phasing in combat rounds. I’m not getting actions broken up in phases.

As Ghul said here, the best way to think of it is that everyone usually goes in Phase One unless they choose something extra that pushes them into Phase Two.

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Also with initiative in combat. I assume you roll initiative once for combat but the book says “each party rolls”. Does that mean the players go together at once or do you still break it down by individual

At the beginning of each round:

- Referee rolls a d6 for the monster party.
- A player rolls a d6 for the PCs party.
- Party with highest roll goes first.
- In my games, I usually let winning side go in whatever order they want, circumstances permitting. So, if the PCs had won, it could be PC 1, PC 2, PC 3 or PC 2, PC 1, PC 3, etc.

In the case of ties, dexterity determines order, though again, I'm happy to let any of the PCs delay to lower/later in the sequence than what's indicated if they want.

Also, occasionally it makes sense to have either missiles, magic or melee attacks go first in the round depending on the situation - such as group proximity, presence of obstructions, etc. No hard and fast rule for me here.
 


Blackadder23: Insanely long villain soliloquy, then "Your action?"
BORGO'S PLAYER: I shoot him in the face
 

9/02/2019 7:10 am  #17


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Thank you all so much this helped clear a lot up for me!

     Thread Starter
 

9/02/2019 7:15 am  #18


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Thank you all so much this helped clear a lot up for me!

We're all happy to help. 


Blackadder23: Insanely long villain soliloquy, then "Your action?"
BORGO'S PLAYER: I shoot him in the face
 

9/04/2019 2:32 pm  #19


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

Quick question:

One of my players rolled up an Assassin and he was curious if he could use his Dexterity for the hit mod for daggers like in 5e. I didn't see that anywhere so I assume strength is used for all melee weapons? 
 

     Thread Starter
 

9/04/2019 3:48 pm  #20


Re: Character creation question. Class and skills?

RollingWithAdvantage wrote:

Quick question:

One of my players rolled up an Assassin and he was curious if he could use his Dexterity for the hit mod for daggers like in 5e. I didn't see that anywhere so I assume strength is used for all melee weapons?

By default all melee weapons use STR, but it's up to you if you want to allow it. Personally, I wouldn't allow it, because it makes it much too easy for players if they get too many benefits from one stat (which is of course why a pandering edition like 5e does it that way), and also because the prospect of changing AS&SH to resemble 5e makes me want to never stop vomiting.
But it's your table, so your rules.


Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
 

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